By Yoon Ja-young
There are a variety of vacuum cleaners in the market and consumers are advised to examine noise, maximum absorption power, and fine dust release when choosing a model, according to a consumer group.
Korea Consumer Agency said it tested and compared the quality and safety of 14 popular vacuum cleaners in the market in terms of noise, maximum absorption power and fine dust release.
Among the 14 products tested, those by Rowenta, Miele and Siemens were rated as excellent in terms of noise, along with those by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
Meanwhile, Dirt Devil, Dongbu Daewoo, Philips, Hoover and AEG were all rated as “ordinary.”
There was also huge discrepancy between the cleaners in terms of maximum absorption power.
The cleaner by Samsung Electronics had 2.4 times the amount of maximum absorption power than the Rowenta model. However, the consumer agency explained that all products were powerful enough for ordinary cleaning.
The consumer agency also examined the amount of fine dust released by the cleaners. While vacuum cleaners are supposed to get rid of dust, they spit some fine dust back into the air, triggering concerns over health.
The Korea Consumer Agency said Dyson, Rowenta, Miele, Samsung Electronics, Electrolux, Siemens and Philips cleaners were excellent in terms of fine dust release, while those by Dirt Devil, Dongbu Daewoo Electronics and Hoover were rated as “ordinary.”
The prices of the vacuum cleaners tested ranged from 116,090 won for Dirt Devil to 675,000 won for Dyson.
“Consumers should thoroughly examine and compare products as there are quality gaps with noise and fine dust release,” said Cho Gyoung-rok, head of the Electric & Machinery Team at the agency.
The agency also said that consumers should consider the cost of replacing some components. For instance, most of the manufacturers recommend replacing vacuum cleaner filters every year or two. The prices of those filters range from 4,000 won to 35,000 won, according to the agency.
In terms of safety, all products tested by the agency are safe.
The agency advised consumers to take care not to tear the power cable and avoid blocking the flow. They are also advised not to use the multi-tab when using a vacuum cleaner.