Hand held vacuum confusion

[tugger2chews]

I would like to replace my ancient "dustbuster" but there are so many to choose from now and I am a little confused as to why some descriptions give the volts eg.powerful 12v motor and others give the wattage eg.600w suction power. I want good suction so the higher wattage the better but do I go for a higher voltage as well to get the best performance?

[stanleyman]

If you want a really good vacuum cleaner you need mains powered at least 1500 watts but the smaller mains dustbusters will suffice at lower wattage. A 12 volt vacuum cleaner won't give you anywhere near the same wattage as it will be very low powered but maybe described as relatively powerful (for a lightweight 12 volt motor with a small powercord). Even a 600 watt 12 volt model if one were made, would draw a hefty 50 amps and need a large unwieldy cable.

[Lonnie]

We bought an Electrolux Workzone, for a handheld, mains operated, you won't get better, it really is very powerful, with excellent at picking up.

[Colortec]

Generally, voltage is relevant (in terms of performance) for cordless items. Wattage is relevant for corded items. If you decide that the convenience of cordless is for you, look for the highest voltage you can afford (Usually 24v is the max).