Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why most vacuum cleaners sold in North America these days are bagless?
- Thread starter hajime
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Clearly the answer is to use another bagless vacuum to clean up anything that's stuck in the canister of the first bagless vacuum.
I suppose each to their own with bag v bagless. Emptying a bagless for me ended as emptying it into a bag whilst outside then putting the bag aside to go out with recycling or waste which sort of defeated the point of bagless. Reason being the mini plume of dust raised in the house, then the extra plumes as more rubbish added to the bin. We don't have external waste bins. Other reasons were there to dump the bagless as well.
The bagged cleaner so much easier in those conditions and less breathing issues. The bagged Miele, when we swapped from the Dyson, we saw an improvement and when the bag is full, performance will drop off but it's time to change the bag so change it.
Battery operated seems to be the next drive from the D man. Prefer a plugged option myself.
The bagged cleaner so much easier in those conditions and less breathing issues. The bagged Miele, when we swapped from the Dyson, we saw an improvement and when the bag is full, performance will drop off but it's time to change the bag so change it.
Battery operated seems to be the next drive from the D man. Prefer a plugged option myself.
I use bagless vacuums.
When I empty the container... I put it as close as possible to the trash can. Perhaps below the lip of the trash can if it's not already too full of trash. And I pour it out sloooowly.
I don't have a problem with massive dust clouds as some of the people here do.
What are y'all doing... dumping it from six feet in the air? 🤣
I get it... you don't want to breath the dust when you empty the vacuum.
Well guess what... it's the same dust that was on your floor or in your carpet. It was already getting kicked around inside your home since the last time you vacuumed.
I'd rather take my chances with a tiny (or non-existent) dust cloud for 10 seconds than deal with wasteful bags ever again.
But that's just me.
When I empty the container... I put it as close as possible to the trash can. Perhaps below the lip of the trash can if it's not already too full of trash. And I pour it out sloooowly.
I don't have a problem with massive dust clouds as some of the people here do.
What are y'all doing... dumping it from six feet in the air? 🤣
I get it... you don't want to breath the dust when you empty the vacuum.
Well guess what... it's the same dust that was on your floor or in your carpet. It was already getting kicked around inside your home since the last time you vacuumed.
I'd rather take my chances with a tiny (or non-existent) dust cloud for 10 seconds than deal with wasteful bags ever again.
But that's just me.
This. I don’t see the problem. Our bin is never more than half full. So you just open the canister in the bin outside. Any dust stays in the bin or blows around outside. What’s the problem with that?I use bagless vacuums.
When I empty the container... I put it as close as possible to the trash can. Perhaps below the lip of the trash can if it's not already too full of trash. And I pour it out sloooowly.
I don't have a problem with massive dust clouds as some of the people here do.
What are y'all doing... dumping it from six feet in the air? 🤣
I get it... you don't want to breath the dust when you empty the vacuum.
Well guess what... it's the same dust that was on your floor or in your carpet. It was already getting kicked around inside your home since the last time you vacuumed.
I'd rather take my chances with a tiny (or non-existent) dust cloud for 10 seconds than deal with wasteful bags ever again.
But that's just me.
I have a Dyson and it's so bad. Almost zero suction, dirt everywhere in the machine and emptying the container is a mess (I literally have to get my hands dirty). Best one: Miele with a bag.
To answer the question:
I guess it's because they didn't make any money with the bags anymore with 3rd party suppliers. Not sure if they could make one that's patentable.
To answer the question:
I guess it's because they didn't make any money with the bags anymore with 3rd party suppliers. Not sure if they could make one that's patentable.
Last edited:
But the dust inside is clumped together. It's not like you open the lid and the dirt just falls out like in the ads. I have to really get in there. Maybe I'm doing it wrong or these things improved by now, not sure.
I just recently got one from Bosh because my new dog is loosing a LOT of hair (how he is not bald at this point I do not know) but I do not have much trouble with it, I have a big trash can in the kitchen and I just hold the full container inside to make sure the dust does not fly across the room while keeping the lid of the trash can half closed and then put the container in the dish washer occasionally. Most of the dust is collected in a big ball of hair and it just drops in the trash can. Saves me a lot of money
I empty them outside these days. After every third empty, I wash everything. In the past, I'd empty it outside, then clean the rest with a bag cleaner.
Overall it's not bad if you can empty it outside.
I use bagless vacuums.
When I empty the container... I put it as close as possible to the trash can. Perhaps below the lip of the trash can if it's not already too full of trash. And I pour it out sloooowly.
I don't have a problem with massive dust clouds as some of the people here do.
What are y'all doing... dumping it from six feet in the air? 🤣
I get it... you don't want to breath the dust when you empty the vacuum.
Well guess what... it's the same dust that was on your floor or in your carpet. It was already getting kicked around inside your home since the last time you vacuumed.
I'd rather take my chances with a tiny (or non-existent) dust cloud for 10 seconds than deal with wasteful bags ever again.
But that's just me.
One option would be to use an N95 Respirator.
My parents use a Kirby. For all the nastiness of the door-to-door sales, they do make a quality product. Actually they even bought a second since the things are heavy and my mom didn't like hauling them up and down stairs. The older is closing in on 20 years old now, and it still works perfectly.
And yes, it has a bag. The bags in them are huge, 4 ply deals. Referencing the post about about improvising N95s out of vacuum bags, I could see it with Kirby bags. They have the same feel of a lot of the N95/KN95 masks I've handed.
Several years ago, when the cheap vacuum I "inherited" with my condo died, I took another door-to-door relic out of my parents' closet, a Rainbow. They're bagless, but a totally different system as they use a water reservoir. Back in the 1940s or 50s when they first came on the market, they used the slogan of "Wet dust doesn't fly." It's not 100% accurate, but the water catches a lot. Current models have a HEPA filter to catch what the water doesn't.
In any case, I took their 1980s relic of a Vacuum and spent about a week going through it. They had a brand new hose that had never been used, but I needed a water separator, water reservoir, and a few other odds and ends. The local vacuum shop had everything on hand. In fact I was very fortunate on the water reservoir as they're normally ~$50 or so. That particular shop sells a lot of used high-end vacuums, and as part of their refurbing a Rainbow for sale they always put a new reservoir on it. They sold me a nearly new looking one that had been pulled off a reconditioned one for $20. All said and done, I put about $60 in that vacuum, and I'm still using it. My wife has an inexpensive upright that's loud and bagless and we use it a lot because it's convenient, but the Rainbow still comes out for deep cleaning. Dumping the water is the only bad part, as it does get kind of nasty.
And yes, it has a bag. The bags in them are huge, 4 ply deals. Referencing the post about about improvising N95s out of vacuum bags, I could see it with Kirby bags. They have the same feel of a lot of the N95/KN95 masks I've handed.
Several years ago, when the cheap vacuum I "inherited" with my condo died, I took another door-to-door relic out of my parents' closet, a Rainbow. They're bagless, but a totally different system as they use a water reservoir. Back in the 1940s or 50s when they first came on the market, they used the slogan of "Wet dust doesn't fly." It's not 100% accurate, but the water catches a lot. Current models have a HEPA filter to catch what the water doesn't.
In any case, I took their 1980s relic of a Vacuum and spent about a week going through it. They had a brand new hose that had never been used, but I needed a water separator, water reservoir, and a few other odds and ends. The local vacuum shop had everything on hand. In fact I was very fortunate on the water reservoir as they're normally ~$50 or so. That particular shop sells a lot of used high-end vacuums, and as part of their refurbing a Rainbow for sale they always put a new reservoir on it. They sold me a nearly new looking one that had been pulled off a reconditioned one for $20. All said and done, I put about $60 in that vacuum, and I'm still using it. My wife has an inexpensive upright that's loud and bagless and we use it a lot because it's convenient, but the Rainbow still comes out for deep cleaning. Dumping the water is the only bad part, as it does get kind of nasty.
Small-ish flat, all wooden floors. I'd not go back to a corded vacuum cleaner even though I did love my Miele cylinder one when I lived somewhere carpeted.
Now I have the cordless Dyson V8. Lovely thing. Hold the container over the bin, pull the red handle, dust clumps fall down into the bin, done.
Now I have the cordless Dyson V8. Lovely thing. Hold the container over the bin, pull the red handle, dust clumps fall down into the bin, done.
Have had many vacuums over the years and when they came out I switched to bagless with an interesting mix of machines. First, the Rainbow. Amazing, strong cleaning, easy to care for, but very clumsy to use, heavy, and just became too cumbersome. Moved to a Fantom bagless, first on the market I think. Great fun, OK cleaning, and did not like the process of emptying the container. Some dirt always leaked out, had a dirt plume when dumping into any container, yatta, yatta. Then moved to Kenmore Progressive, with bag, and loved it. Lasted a number of years as the daily driver but got a little wonky so looked elsewhere. Got introduced to the Miele, with bag, and haven’t looked back. Love the bags (quick, easy, dirt-free disposal, no cleaning of containers, just replace bag which is very simple and quick). The separate HEPA filter gets replaced once a year. Too easy. A relative has a Kirby inherited from her mom and it is probably the best (and has the most attachments) of any vacuum I’ve seen. But it was twice the cost of the Miele which works fabulously well. Gonna stick with the convenience of bags...and likely Miele as well. I’ve had the Miele (upright) six years now and its bulletproof, cleans better than anything else I’ve ever had on hardwood and carpeting floors with two large dogs. Also it is very quiet compared to others.
I use bagless vacuums.
When I empty the container... I put it as close as possible to the trash can. Perhaps below the lip of the trash can if it's not already too full of trash. And I pour it out sloooowly.
I don't have a problem with massive dust clouds as some of the people here do.
What are y'all doing... dumping it from six feet in the air? 🤣
I get it... you don't want to breath the dust when you empty the vacuum.
Well guess what... it's the same dust that was on your floor or in your carpet. It was already getting kicked around inside your home since the last time you vacuumed.
I'd rather take my chances with a tiny (or non-existent) dust cloud for 10 seconds than deal with wasteful bags ever again.
But that's just me.
This is what I do, except I empty it outside.
It is a machine to do a task, to me there is no right or wrong. I had a neat Hoover Canister for awhile until it broke down. Now that I live by myself with my cat, my household is much smaller and I am on a limited retirement budget. When I went shopping for a vacuum i looked at the Dyson on display at Best Buy and it was beat to hell. I figured if it could hold up on display, I certainly not going to pay the exorbitant price they were asking. Went to Walmart and got the Shark. All the moulded plastic parts are well made and fit together like a glove. My son who makes 10 times my income likes the Dyson for the prestige.
Having a robot vacuum and a battery vacuum both bagless. Emptying them are a mess with particles everywhere, unless I use my old vacuum with bag to do it.
So out of currosity I read through this thread for tips about bagless handling when emptying or if I was missing something.
Must say none of the bagless proponents in this thread has come up with good arguments that has won me over. My next vacuum will be with bag, if I had to buy today, but my old vacuum refuse to die.
So out of currosity I read through this thread for tips about bagless handling when emptying or if I was missing something.
Must say none of the bagless proponents in this thread has come up with good arguments that has won me over. My next vacuum will be with bag, if I had to buy today, but my old vacuum refuse to die.
Not trying to win anyone over. Just would rather not buy bags that get shipped inside plastic bags adding yet more waste to some landfill somewhere. The technology has moved on. Eventually bagged vacuums will go the way of the CRT monitor and Filofax.
I don't buy your environment argument. Where I live, supermarkets sell vacuum paper-bags in boxes and always has for as long I can remember, so no plastic involved (not sure what the supplied filter is made of, guess some kind of clothe, but that is no different for bagless vacuums I suppose).
My bags are shipped in cardboard. However many supply chains are big plastic users behind the scenes and that includes food. The pallet that my cardboard boxed bags are supplied to the dealer on are probably bound up with a few hundred more boxes with cling film but then so is all my food that I buy from a supermarket and that waste every week is massive.
Though is a CRT more environment friendly than a panel?
Basically a glass tube, lead and a few coils and a lot of space vs a tightly packed dense circuit board of certain electronics that must be difficult to separate and panels are probably exceeding the total manufacture of CRT at some point, and a filofax (still have one, not used) mostly paper but now the equivalent is a device that needs carefully recycling complete with some nasty bits inside?
Suffering from allergic reactions to house dust (hence I hate the plumes and issues with bagless), I don't think bags are going anywhere, whatever floats yer boat should be the thing.
Wonder how many hoovers end up in landfill impact vs bag impact? I suppose buying a well made one limits that somewhat.
Though is a CRT more environment friendly than a panel?
Basically a glass tube, lead and a few coils and a lot of space vs a tightly packed dense circuit board of certain electronics that must be difficult to separate and panels are probably exceeding the total manufacture of CRT at some point, and a filofax (still have one, not used) mostly paper but now the equivalent is a device that needs carefully recycling complete with some nasty bits inside?
Suffering from allergic reactions to house dust (hence I hate the plumes and issues with bagless), I don't think bags are going anywhere, whatever floats yer boat should be the thing.
Wonder how many hoovers end up in landfill impact vs bag impact? I suppose buying a well made one limits that somewhat.
We owned canister vacuum cleaners for decades, the last Kenmore we bought is bagless. I see the advantage of both. I too like not having to buy bags, but honestly, I think the canister did a better job. After I figured out how to take apart the new vacuum to empty, it’s not so bad, but I do take it outside to empty because of the airborne dust, and the clearances inside the mechanism are tight as compared to the old canister, so things are more likely to get caught inside and it fills up much faster.
Vacuum cleaner bags are typically made from a non-woven fabric, just like furnace filters. That's why in an emergency, a N95-like respirator can be hacked from these common household supplies.
The base material for non-wovens usually is plastic. While bagless vacuums can have non-wovens, often for HEPA filtration, these filters are designed to be cleaned and reused many times.
Last edited: