Canister vacuums provide a number of features and accessories to help clean your home in a quick and efficient manner. When you start to review the many models available take note of the features available on each and compare them head to head. Some may emphasize cleaning certain floor surfaces better than others or they may provide universal cleaning abilities, such as floors and upholstery.

For many once they start to vacuum they want to get it done as quickly as possible. Such features as pile-height adjustment mean the height of the vacuum matches the height of the carpet or hardfloor surface allowing you to quickly move around the house. Automatic pile-height adjustment in general is not as effective as manually adjusting the height. Retractable cords are common on most canister vacuum cleaners, considering most cords are around 25 feet in length this handy feature eliminates dragging the cord around which could possibly damage furniture.

The nozzle is usually one of two types, a suction nozzle or a power nozzle. To thoroughly clean your carpet it is recommended that you use the power nozzle. The power nozzle has features that will agitate the carpet and loosen dirt providing a deeper clean. Another feature to consider is a suction-control switch; this allows you to adjust the airflow for cleaning delicate materials such as drapes or upholstery. For safety many handle grips include an automatic shut off, if you loosen your grip or let go of the handle the canister vacuum will stop operating.