Difference between expensive and cheap robot vacuums(2) – Filter effect

Did you know that plastic bags used in toys must be punched? Why is this? In addition to the convenience of packaging, there are also security concerns.

Some children play with plastic bags over their heads. Children are at risk of suffocation if the plastic bag is not perforated. With this small hole, even if the mouth of the plastic bag is tied, the child can barely breathe, reducing the risk of death from suffocation.

Punching holes in plastic bags is equivalent to one more process, and the cost will naturally be higher. But the experience of using one more hole and one less hole is different, sometimes even the difference between life and death. Therefore, when it comes to the factors that affect the price of the vacuum cleaner, it is natural to say its design or use experience.

So what will affect the user experience? Or what aspects of the design will determine the price of the vacuum cleaner?

Here we first talk about a more important aspect, the filtering effect. Obviously, a good vacuum cleaner must not cause secondary pollution. That is, the dust sucked in will not escape into the air again.

There are 5 types of vacuum cleaner filters on the market now, bag filter, Foam filter, cyclone filter, cartridge filter, and a cloth filter.

1. Bag filter

Some bagged vacuums use a bag as the primary filtration system. These bags are often made of paper, cloth, or other synthetic materials. Bag filters work by having very small holes that allow air to escape while keeping dirt or dust contained. However, since some smaller particles can still escape, some bagged vacuums also have extra filters.

2. Foam filter

Foam filters are usually the most basic filter type, so they are often used as secondary filters. They collect smaller dust particles and are usually placed after a primary filter to catch any debris that may have been missed. However, they can also sometimes be used as primary filters, so it\’s always worth checking out before buying a new filter.

3. Cyclone filter

Many bagless vacuums, including Dyson models, use a cyclone filter as the primary filter. In a vacuum cleaner with a cyclone, the air swirls, and dust particles are forced outwards to collect at the bottom of the bin. At the same time, the air is forced up and through the filter, which traps any dust particles left in the air.

4. Cartridge filter

These are one of the most common filter types and can be used as primary or secondary filters depending on your vacuum level. They have a circular design and are usually made of foam, folded paper, or other synthetic materials.

5. Cloth filter

Cloth filters can often be found in larger vacuums. These filters are designed to remove larger particles and heavier debris from industrial environments such as workshops and construction sites.

These types can be superimposed on each other to enhance the filtering effect and reduce the cost of subsequent maintenance. The layers of filtering advertised are basically these types. The more the number of filter layers, the better the filtering effect in theory, but the suction will also decrease. In order to maintain suction, the power of the motor has to be increased, and the noise will also increase. Therefore, how to maintain high suction power and low noise while maintaining excellent filtering effect, the production and design of tens of dollars can not be achieved.

Also, regardless of the number of layers of filtration, if you want to avoid allergens, you must have a HEPA filter. What is a HEPA filter?

HEPA is a type of pleated mechanical air filter. It is an acronym for \”high-efficiency particulate air [filter]\” (as officially defined by the US Dept. of Energy). This type of air filter can theoretically remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns (µm). The diameter specification of 0.3 microns responds to the worst case; the most penetrating particle size (MPPS). Particles that are larger or smaller are trapped with even higher efficiency. Using the worst-case particle size results in the worst-case efficiency rating (ie 99.97% or better for all particle sizes). – the United States Environmental Protection Agency

But just relying on the filter, is the filtering effect good? Please see the picture below, the left is the ground before vacuuming, and the right is the ground after vacuuming. I\’m not mistaken, the clean one on the left is before vacuuming, and the one with some dust on the right is after vacuuming.

The picture in the picture is a cheap vacuum cleaner. Although it uses a Hypa filter, its structure is not tight, and the air duct has many gaps so that the dust leaks out before it enters the dust box.

The following is the filter effect of Dyson, and there is no leakage of smoke at all (at least not visible to the naked eye)

Therefore, the vacuum cleaner also needs a closed system to maintain its airtightness, that is, to keep the air duct with only one inlet and outlet. And only machines over $150 have such a design. Therefore, it is really not recommended to buy that cheap vacuum cleaner, especially if there are children at home or people with respiratory allergies. Otherwise, I don\’t know if I\’m cleaning or spreading dust and bacteria all over the house.