Vacuum-buying strategies: What to consider

— -- Many homes need a new vacuum, and some people might actually appreciate one this time of year.

If you're considering a vacuum as a gift for your house or spouse, here are tips from Consumer Reports home editor Bob Markovich.

•Decide whether you want an upright or a canister model. Uprights are still tops overall at cleaning, but the best canister vacs clean carpets nearly as well. Canisters cost and weigh more, but are typically better balanced on stairs. For both, look for a powerhead with a powered brush, rather than just air power, especially for deep-cleaning carpets.

•Choose bag or bagless. Bagless uprights are the least expensive and are growing fastest in sales. While they free you of the hassle and expense of changing bags, you typically must still change a filter and empty their bins after cleanup — an often dusty and messy chore.

•Look for key features. Best bets: A brush on/off switch, manual carpet-height adjustment, suction control, edge-cleaning tools and that motor-driven brush.

•Consider pet-hair cleanup capabilities if you have a dog or cat. Most of the vacuums the magazine rates highest do well at this — and they are hard graders. Top-rated vacs have to whisk away the pound of long Maine Coon cat fur they work into medium-pile carpet.

•Try before buying. Even if you shop online, visit the store to push, pull and lift any models you're considering. Use the price you got online as a bargaining chip while in the store.

Jayne O'Donnell covers smart shopping for USA TODAY. Her Confident Consumer column appears Wednesdays. E-mail her at: jodonnell@usatoday.com. Follow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jayneodonnell. See an index of O'Donnell's columns.