Your Vacuum Cleaner's Dirty Little Secrets

After testing hundreds (if not thousands) of vacuums— stick, robot, canister, hand, wet/dry, you name it - we know a thing or two about what they do best and where they stumble. To help you clean better and shop smarter, here's what you should know about this essential tool.

- CAROLYN FORTÉ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CLEANING LAB

Run time doesn't always equal cleaning time.

Cordless vacuums often claim to offer 40, 50, 60 or more minutes of run time, but that battery life is usually calculated without attachments and on the lowest power setting. Pop on the spinning brush nozzle and up the power level, and the actual cleaning time you'll get from a full battery charge immediately goes down. Consider getting a second battery if you have a big house to clean.