A clean work and living environment is hygienic, reduces illness and allergies, increases productivity, and makes one feel good. However, no one wants to spend more time cleaning than necessary. Whether in the cleaning industry as professionals or in your own home, fast and efficient ways of cleaning save precious time and energy. Those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, corners, blinds, and shelves are often neglected causing dust and dirt to build up and spiders to find a comfy home. With backpack vacuum cleaners you don’t have to slog through the house or office pulling a heavy unit along with you. Simply walk through as usual with a handy pack on your back and reach all those tight corners, keeping every cranny dust and spider-free. To help you choose a lightweight yet powerful unit for ultra-fast and effective cleaning, we’ve listed the best backpack vacuum cleaners in 2023.
Backpack vacuum cleaners are designed to be comfortable, easy to maneuver, and effective to reach tight spaces. The type you choose will depend on your cleaning requirements. A small device may be suitable for cleaning a single office unit while cleaning a gym, school, theater, buses, or larger offices will require a robust unit with good power and run time. In this guide, we highlight the benefits of a backpack vacuum and reveal everything you need to consider when choosing the best backpack vacuum for your needs.
Choosing a backpack vacuum for your home or cleaning team comes with a host of benefits.
To ensure you get all the benefits you need within your price range there are a number of things to consider when making your purchase.
If you are using the vacuum for a house of one or 2 bedrooms only, a small unit will be ideal. You will need to consider a bigger backpack for commercial cleaning. In addition to the size of the unit, consider the stature of the person who will be wearing it. A heavy unit will not be comfortable for a petite or elderly person or someone with injuries, especially when using it for lengthy periods of time. In this case, it may cause more pain and discomfort than offer benefits. A generally healthy person can however handle a regular size unit quite comfortably.
Commercial cleaners may need to wear their cleaning backpacks for a few hours a day. This means it is important to consider the safe and comfortable construction of the harness or straps.
Ideally, you would want something that is adjustable for different people to wear. This includes strap adjustment for height as well as harness adjustment to stabilize the vacuum canister. Shoulder straps should offer padding, sufficient support, and solid construction that is durable for long wear. The straps should be easy to get on and take off and should not have any protruding structural parts.
Besides the strap comfort, the lumbar padding is very important to protect the wearer’s lower back. The vacuum should not sit right against the wearer’s body as this will cause discomfort and will prevent sufficient airflow causing both the wearer and the machine to become hot.
Many people mistake the unit’s wattage for its suction power. High wattage does not mean high suction power. The wattage simply refers to how much energy is consumed during the running of the vacuum but does not necessarily indicate performance.
Vacuum suction will generally be indicated with the terms ‘water lift’ or ‘vacuum’. A higher suction is better at removing dirt and dust. This is especially useful when removing dirt and settled dust from thick carpets. Low suction units will still remove dirt but only on the top surface of carpets. They are generally only sufficient for home use and not suitable for industrial or commercial use where more powerful dust removal is needed.
The vacuum’s airflow is indicated in cubic feet per minute or liters per second. The power of the airflow is what moves the dirt along inside the pipe once sucked up. As with suction power, a higher airflow measurement offers better quality cleaning. Cord-powered vacuums generally have higher airflow although you may find some battery-operated units that match up.
High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are pleated mechanical air filters that are designed to remove 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, and any other common allergens with a size of 0.3 microns. HEPA machines are highly recommended for any medical facility. Filter replacement is required periodically for maximum results.
If you require a unit for cleaning in areas where it is difficult to access an outlet such as staircases, public areas, buses, and stadiums; a battery-operated option is ideal. It will however need recharging, so check the running time per charge. A battery-operated unit can also make cleaning around the house in different rooms a very fast and efficient ordeal since you don’t have to keep stopping to find a new wall outlet.
Power cable operated units do sometimes offer better suction and cleaning power and of course, do not need recharging.
Check the attachments and cleaning tools included in the purchase. Crevice or corner nozzles as well as different attachments for carpets or tiled surfaces are standard attachments that should be included. Some units may also have attachments for upholstery cleaning and a dust brush to use the machine for dusting.
All the attachments may sound unnecessary, but they make every job much easier, faster and allow for effective cleaning.
The on/off switch should be easy to locate and tubes or pipes should fit securely without coming undone. Check the ease of filter replacement as well as whether the unit requires bags, how available the specific bag types are, and whether there are alternative options if required. You may also want to check whether the unit has any green cleaning features.
This lightweight backpack vacuum cleaner from Hoover Commercial weighs only 9.2 pounds. The machine can be used for carpets and hard floors and includes specialized attachments for reaching narrow gaps, dusting, and cleaning upholstery. The extra-long 48-foot power cable allows you to cover a wide area before having to change outlets and the HEPA filtration mechanism minimizes allergens in the air. Its ergonomic design with padded shoulder straps and a supportive waist belt ensures comfort, reduces back strain and improves productivity.
Ideal for classrooms, offices, doctors’ rooms, campuses, and other commercial areas, this backpack vacuum is designed for quiet operation, increased capacity, maximum reach, and improved air quality. The unit features a 50-foot long power cable and 10-quart capacity. With pro-level filtration facilitating better quality air, this unit is a good option for use in high traffic areas. The harness construction offers adjustable padded straps, an integrated tool belt, and a cord hook.
This backpack unit from Atrix can be used for commercial or residential cleaning with a weight of 10.3 pounds and is easy to use with the right or left hand. The shoulder straps and belt are adjustable, ensuring a comfortable and customized fit for every individual. It features firm back support as well as tool-holding loops in the belt for ease of changing attachments while on the go. Convert the vacuum cleaner into a blower with the set of 3 included blower nozzles. This allows you to unsettle dust particles that get stuck in hard-to-reach corners and top edges of windows and doors.
This sleek cylinder backpack vacuum is comfortable and lightweight, increasing productivity and the quality of cleaning. The straps have been custom designed for an ergonomic fit with quality padding. Specialized filtration technology minimizes allergens in the air and also ensures that dust does not accumulate near the motor. For effective cleaning of various areas, the unit includes a multi-surface floor attachment and floor brush, a crevice tool, an upholstery cleaning attachment, and a pet hair removal tool.
Whether you have low pile carpet, high pile carpet, hardwood, or tiled floors, GVs backpack vacuum allows you to reach every corner and angle with the included 7-piece attachment set. If you have pets, the pet hair attachment keeps carpets and sofas fuzz-free. In addition, the HEPA filtration system also minimizes allergens, promoting good quality air. Padded straps offer a comfortable fit and the supportive waist belt allows you to keep attachments on you while on the move.
A: The problem with bagless vacuums is that they still need to be emptied, and this is usually done into a plastic bag, which ends up being worse. Opt for biodegradable vacuum bags or make sure you empty dirt from bagless units into biodegradable bags. Also, look for vacuum bags that are made from recycled material.
A: To maintain good suction power on your vacuum cleaner, make sure to clean the filter and empty the bag regularly as dirt build-up will decrease the power.
A: The vacuum cleaner you choose, whether a stand-up or backpack design, needs to specifically state that it can be used for wet and dry vacuuming. General vacuum cleaners are for dry vacuuming only, however, you get a few wet-dry models available in backpack designs as well.