Looking for an upright vacuum that won't break the bank or your back?

There are lots of lightweight vacuums in stores, and some vacuums can weigh more than 23, 24, or 25 pounds! So an infomercial for the Garry vacuum probably sounds pretty appealing. The heavily advertised Garry Ultralight,costing almost $200, is one of dozens of upright vacuums rated by Consumer Reports.

To test how well a vacuum deep cleans carpets, Consumer Reports puts a measured amount of talcum powder and sand on a carpet and grinds it in. Testers then measure how much the vacuum picks up.

So how did the Garry do? Consumer Reports found that the Garry Ultralight actually was the worst at carpet cleaning of about four dozen upright vacuums tested.

And as for those claims that the Garry Ultralight weighs only 9 pounds, it turns out you have to remove all of the vacuum tools and the hose and fully extend the cord to hit that weight!

But don't despair. Consumer Reports found several lightweight uprights that can clean up. The least expensive that does a very good job on carpets is the $60 Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless M085845 vacuum from Target, weighing just 13 pounds.

Consumer Reports says to keep a vacuum working well, be sure to regularly clean and replace the filter, empty the bag frequently, and keep the brush roll unclogged.

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