What method does your machine provide for disposing of the dirt and debris from your vacuuming activities? According to the dirt disposal method, there are just two main types of vacuum cleaners: bagged and bagless.

Bagged vacuum cleaners are not a new concept. These machines use a disposable bag to filter and trap dirt and dust, allowing clean air to pass through. They feature a cloth zip section onto which the bag zips around can easily be removed and replaced when full.

On the other hand, bagless vacuum cleaners are quite a new concept and have been met with a lot of interest partly because people were tired of having to stock up on extra bags and running out of them at critical times. Bagless vacuum cleaners feature filters to trap particles and dirt in a dust cup. The dust cup is emptied when it gets full.

But choosing between bagged and bagless vacuums is not easy. The dirt and dust disposal method for each model has deeper implications purely beyond how you will be discarding your dirt. Depending on the type of vacuum you choose, you’ll experience certain advantages and disadvantages as well.

Herein we compare bagged vs. bagless vacuum cleaners.

Pros and Cons of Bagged Vacuum Cleaners

A bagged vacuum cleaner requires you to switch out the bag for a new one once it’s full. Changing the bag isn’t a herculean task, plus bags are not that expensive. But still, there’s the hustle of always keeping an eye to know when the bag is full. However, some models feature indicator light for this purpose. Here is a full breakdown of the pros and cons.

Pros of Bagged Vacuum Cleaners

Hygiene

Bagged vacuum clearness minimize contact with the debris and dust in the bag thanks to modern technological advancement that secures the dirt inside the bag till it's time to empty it. The bag can be removed and disposed of without leaving behind a mess.

Simplicity

Bagged vacuums offer simplicity. You won’t have to clean and replace filters as often as is the case with bagless types.

Recommended for allergy suffers

Most bagged vacuum cleaners use HEPA filters, ensuring you eliminate 99.9% of dirt, dust mite, and other allergens. And what's more, the bag is airtight, making it effectively impossible for dust and dirt to escape. These types of vacuums are highly endorsed for everyone, but most especially people who suffer from allergies.

Most bagless vacuums use HEPA filters, too, but they are essentially the standard on bagged models.

Less maintenance

Vacuum cleaner bags are convenient in so many ways; they feature built-in filters and thus take the stress off the vacuum; they also hold more debris and so don't need to be replaced as often.

Cons of Bagged Vacuum Cleaners

Not very eco-friendly

Even though most vacuum cleaner bags are largely paper-based, they still contain some materials that cannot be recycled, and when they end up in a landfill, they damage the environment.

Need to buy more bags

Even though vacuum paper bags can keep more dirt, they are still not convenient as they'll require replacement one time or the other, meaning you'll have to stock on extras.

Hard to know when it's time to replace the bag

Some bagged vacuum cleaners don’t feature light indicators for when it’s time to empty them; you will have to keep an eye on the matter.

Pros and Cons of Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

Bagless vacuum cleaners eliminate the cost of purchasing bags, but they also require more filters that need cleaning or replacement now and then. The dust and mess of emptying the bin of a bagless vacuum model can be problematic for asthmatic people or people suffering from allergies. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of these models:

Pros of Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

Easy to know when to empty the dust

Of course, bagless vacuum dust cups or chambers are clear, allowing you to verify that your vacuum is working well and know when to empty them. Dreame V9 even has a MAX line, so you will easily tell when it’s full and press a button to empty it.

Eco-friendly

The filters in bagless models are re-usable; take them out and brush or wash them and leave them dry. Also, no bag ends up in the landfill. Vacuum cleaners like Dreame T10 even have a feature of hand-free dust removal, making it easy to clean the dust.

Cheaper

Since they don’t use bags and the dust cup is not disposable, bagless vacuums eliminate extra spending. Once you buy the machine, that’s it. However, sometimes you may have to buy new filters, but not as often as replacing bags.

The chamber is easy to open in case you want to retrieve something.

Another advantage is that the camber is easy to open during those times that you’ve accidentally vacuumed your valuable and need to retrieve it. With the bagged model, you’ll have to cut the bag.

Cons of Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

More hands-on

Some consumers find bagless vacuum cleaners to be heavy-maintenance because they require removing and washing the filter now and then. That also makes them time-consuming because you may have to clean the cup frequently than you'd need to replace bags in bagged models.

They are messier

You may have to stick your fingers into the cup to ensure all dirt and dust are gone. Bagged models don’t have this problem, unzip the bag and throw it away safely.

May set off an allergic reaction

Sometimes when emptying the cup and cleaning the filter, dust may billow back, you may also have to shake the dirt out, and all these increase the chances of inhaling allergens.

Conclusion

When it comes to bagless vacuum cleaners vs. bagged vacuum cleaners, the implications go just beyond how you will be disposing of your dirt. Depending on your needs and health concern, you may find the bagged model perfect for keeping allergens and other particles away for safe disposal.

However, some environmentally conscious individuals may choose to stay away from bagged models because most vacuum cleaner bags have parts that may end up in unrecyclable trash.