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Beater Bar Vacuum vs No Beater Bar

Updated Jun 27, 2022 11:12 PM

A beater bar vacuum is simply a long, metal agitator that comes fixed to the rotating brush roll. Investing in one of these vacuums can make a huge difference for your high-pile carpets, shag rugs, and other thick, fluffy floor types. If you are looking for the best vacuum cleaner for thick, fluffy carpets, look no further than the beater bar vacuum.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Beater bar vacuum cleaners are best suited for houses that have thick, fluffy carpets, which is also known as high-pile carpets.
  • You shouldn’t use a beater bar vacuum on thin, fragile, or otherwise unsuitable floor types because it can cause damage to the material.
  • Whether you need a beater bar or not depends solely on the types of floors you have in your home and what kind of flooring you may choose down the road.

Beater Bar Vs No Beater Bar

Having a beater bar vacuum isn’t for everybody, and whether you should invest in one depends largely on the types of carpets you have in your house. If you choose to invest in a vacuum cleaner, it’s a good idea to know the best time to buy a vacuum. Some standard vacuum cleaners are able to use specialized attachments, however, which means you can attach a beater bar and avoid an extra purchase. And, some vacuums are better suited for hardwood floors or for your specific floor type. 

The Pros and Cons of Beater Bars

As with anything, there are pros and cons to these vacuum cleaners. Beater bars are not made for delicate carpets, hardwood floors, or laminated floors. Beater bars work only with specific types of carpets. A better-suited vacuum for hardwood floors or delicate carpets would be the Bissell PowerEdge pet hardwood floor bagless cleaner. Keep on reading to find more pros and cons for vacuums that use a beater bar.

The Pros of Beater Bar Vacuum Cleaners

There are quite a few pros to using these types of vacuums. For pet owners with carpeted floors, beater bars are genuinely a must-have. There is no other way to ensure a deep clean than with a cleaning machine made specifically to agitate soils from high-density soft carpets.

  • Beater bars clean up pet hair with ease
  • Can remove ground-in soils from carpeting
  • Use fewer commercial cleaning products

Insider Tip

For pet owners with carpeted floors, beater bars are genuinely a must-have.


The Cons of Beater Bar Vacuum Cleaners

While there are many pros, there are also a couple of drawbacks to think about. You’ll want to really give thought to whether this type of vacuum is going to be an investment for you. You can always buy one as a separate attachment, but it might be totally unnecessary to even do that. Here are some of those drawbacks:

  • They do not work on non-carpet flooring
  • Beater bars can damage fragile carpets
  • Beater bars often need to be replaced

F.A.Q.

How do you choose the best vacuum cleaner for carpets?

There are a few different things to consider while looking for a carpet-specific vacuum


Can the beater bar be used on all carpets?

Some carpets are unable to handle the agitation these tools provide. You should avoid using a beater bar on any thin or fragile carpets, and it works best on thick, fluffy carpets with a lot of carpet fibers.


For what types of floor is a no-beater bar vacuum?

You’ll be able to use a standard vacuum cleaner on most surfaces, even those better suited for a beater bar model. Here are a few of them:

  • Tile / Laminate
  • Hardwood
  • Low-Pile Carpets
  • Vinyl

Which is the best option – a beater bar or a no beater bar?

The answer to this depends solely on what floor types you have in your home. If you have a lot of high-pile carpets then you should absolutely get a beater bar vacuum. If you don’t, go with a traditional vacuum cleaner. Also, if you don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning and you have the budget for it, another option to consider is the robot vacuums. Are robot vacuums worth it? They could be!


STAT: The introduction of beater bars by Hoover increased efficiency in vacuum cleaners by over 100%. (source)

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