When buying a vacuum cleaner, you often see the term bagged and bagless? Let us explore what they mean, their benefits, disadvantages and more.

What Are Bagged and Bagless Vacuum Cleaners?

Bagged Vacuum Cleaners

As you know, vacuum cleaners remove dust, dirt and other debris from your floors and other surfaces. These dirt and debris are collected within the vacuum cleaner. Many vacuum cleaners come with a fibre cloth bag which is placed inside a chamber in the vacuum cleaner body. This bag is connected to the vacuum cleaner hose so that the dirt gets deposited inside the bag. These types of vacuum cleaner are called bagged vacuum cleaner. Note that some models come with paper bags which cannot be washed. They have lesser lifespan. Fortunately, such models are quite few in India. Bagged vacuum cleaners are available in canister and wet-and-dry models.

Abroad, you get vacuum cleaners with sealable bags. These bags are larger in size and can be sealed and discarded in the garbage. An advantage of these models is that you won’t have to come in direct contact with the dust and debris. This makes it an attractive option for those with dust allergies. Unfortunately, these types of vacuum cleaners aren’t available in India.

Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

Bagless vacuum cleaners do not have a paper or a cloth fibre bag. Instead, the debris gets deposited into a removable container which is also known as a dust bowl. These dust bowls are made of high quality plastic.

Bagless vacuum cleaners have cyclonic technology which separates dust from the airflow. They have a filter on one side which allows the air to escape out leaving even minute dust particles inside the container. The other side has an opening which allows you to dump the collected debris easily into the garbage bin.

Bagless vacuum cleaners are available in canister models. Moreover, all cordless, handheld vacuum cleaners are bagless too.

Which Style Cleans Best?

Being bagged or bagless doesn’t really affect the cleaning performance of vacuum cleaners. Rather, cleaning performance is affected by aspects like suction power and floor brush design. Check out our list of best vacuum cleaners to know which vacuum cleaner best suits your needs.

Which One Costs More?

Bagless vacuum cleaners have more parts. Their dust bowls are very sturdy as a result of which they weigh more and are expensive too. Comparatively, bagged vacuum cleaners are compact and less expensive in India.

How Often Should You Change Vacuum Cleaner Bag?

Vacuum cleaner bags in India are often small in size. They usually get filled within just 3-4 times of use. Most bagged vacuum cleaners have an indicator that alerts when the bag is filled. You will have to open the chamber in the body, remove the bag and discard the debris into garbage.

These bags can often be reused. When you find the bags excessively dirty, even after discarding the debris, you can clean them in soapy water using an old tooth brush. However, most bags get worn out after 6-12 months of regular use. At this point, you have to discard the bag and use a new one.

Benefits of Bagless Vacuum Cleaner

No Recurring Expenses

Vacuum cleaner bags need to be replaced every 6-12 months depending on the level of usage. If your vacuum cleaner has paper bags, they have an even lesser life. But, bagless vacuum cleaners do not need such replacements. So, you don’t incur any recurring expenses on bags.

Dust and Debris Are Easily Visible

A vacuum cleaner’s suction capacity get negatively affected when the dust bag or container gets close to full. In a bagged vacuum cleaner, you are reminded to empty the debris only when the indicator alerts you. As bagless vacuum cleaners have transparent containers, there is always a visual reminder which prompts you to clean the dust bowl more often, hence leading to better cleaning performance and durability.

Easier To Clean

The fibre in cloth bags attracts dust and you often need to use a brush to clean it thoroughly. On the other hand, dust containers in bagless vacuum cleaners can be opened at the press of a button to discard the collected debris. Also, they are easier to wash and dry as they are made of plastic. Just that you have to take care to ensure the filter doesn’t get wet. If in case it does, just dry it before use.

Better Filtration System

dust from bagged vacuum cleaner — Dust from bag escapes into chamber in a bagged vacuum cleaner

I have often noticed dust collected in dust bags sometime escape into the chamber in the vacuum cleaner’s body. This can be a hassle. Bagless vacuum cleaners have double layer of filtration- one in the dust container and one at the outlet. Also, it has cyclonic technology which separates dust from airflow. As a result, they have better filtration compared to bagged vacuum cleaners.

Better For Environment

Bags in vacuum cleaners need replacement periodically. On the other hand, as bagless vacuum cleaners do not have any disposables, they are better for the environment.

Disadvantages of Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

One of the disadvantages of bagless vacuum cleaners is that their filter needs to be cleaned more frequently as they are prone to clogging. When cleaning the dust container, there is a chance of dust getting airborne again. But then, this is something that can happen with bagged vacuum cleaners too.

Conclusion

To wrap up, bagless vacuum cleaners are easier to use, clean and more durable. However, they are usually more expensive than bagged vacuum cleaners. So, if better filtration and ease of cleaning are your priorities, opt for a bagless vacuum cleaner. Else, opt for a bagged vacuum cleaner.