What is Good for Vacuum Suction Power?

Best vacuum suction

When it comes to achieving a deep clean, strong vacuum cleaner suction is essential. Suction power impacts how effectively a vacuum can remove dirt, dust, and debris from carpets, rugs, and other surfaces. But how do you gauge what counts as "good" suction power?

Interestingly, the most powerful vacuum isn’t always the best in terms of suction. A balance of power and efficiency is crucial for maximizing suction performance.

Peak Vacuum Suction Power vs Average Vacuum Suction Power 

A vacuum’s suction strength can vary depending on filter cleanliness and nozzle seal. For instance, you might notice your vacuum sounds louder when the motor is working harder—like when it’s on a thick carpet, producing closer to its peak power.

Common Vacuum Power Specifications 

Vacuum cleaner makers use a wide range of specifications to measure the power of their vacuums. These include: 

  • Horsepower (HP): Like cars are rated in horsepower, many vacuum cleaner makers use HP to measure their motors. The electric motors used in vacuums range from less than 1 HP up to 6 HP. As a general rule, the higher HP a motor is rated, the more load it can handle before it burns out. This makes HP a good way to gauge the strength and reliability of a vacuum cleaner but doesn't really help assess how strong it will be. 
  • Amps:Amperage is an electrical specification that gives you the input power of the vacuum's motor. The amp draw of a vacuum cleaner refers to how much electrical current it draws, usually in a range from 4 amps through to 12. 
  • Watts:Wattage is a more common measure of input power, and it is closely related to amps because watts equal volts times amps. In the USA, voltage is common for plug-in models at 120 volts. So a 4 amp draw multiplied by 120 volts gives you 480 watts. The reverse is true too, so a 1200-watt motor can be rated at 10 amps (1200/120=10).

Both amperage and wattage are "input" metrics. That means they explain how much power is being fed into the motor. The motor design and efficiency will impact how strong the suction power is, as will the design of the vacuum cleaner and nozzle. 

In general, a higher-watt vacuum will be more powerful than a lower-watt vacuum, but to get a true sense of the vacuum suction power you need to look at other metrics. 

Water Lift (Sealed Suction)

Water lift is a measure of how far a vacuum will lift a column of water that is 1 inch in diameter, measured in inches. So a 60-inch water lift vacuum like the MetroVac Vac N Blo® 500 Watt Hi Performance Hand Vac/Blower will suck a 1-inch column of water a massive 60 inches in height. 

Airflow

Vacuum airflow is one of the most reliable measures of vacuum cleaning power. Airflow is measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFM). It can also be measured in airflow speed using miles per hour or feet per minute. The more air a vacuum moves, the better it is at picking up dirt and debris. Airflow accounts for the power of the motor and also the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner body. A highly restrictive filter or inefficient nozzle and vacuum body will make even the strongest vacuum cleaner less effective. 

Get the Best Suction Vacuum From MetroVac 

At MetroVac we have been building high-quality, high-powered vacuums for personal and industrial use for over 80 years. The most powerful vacuum cleaner in the MetroVac line-up is the 1,170-watt, 4.0 HP Professional Evolution® Full-Size Cannister vac, and there are vacuums to suit a wide range of uses. 

Shop the range of high-powered Metrovac products today and discover why our range of all-steel, made-in-America units are among the strongest vacuum cleaners on the market.