Which vacuum has the most va-va-voom? That is what The Sunday Telegraph set out to discover in an experiment spanning five decades of cleaning power. Nozzle in hand we put Hoovers to the test, ranging in era from a 1960s machine to the latest model. Would the modern, hi-tech, high-wattage vacuum cleaner show the superiority of its extra electricity consumption? Or could a traditional, lower-wattage model prove just as effective whilst consuming less energy, as the European Commission would have us believe? Each vacuum cleaner was tested by swooping it just once over spilled raw rice, and then once again over crunched-up potato crisps. The rice and crisps were weighed before and after each cleaning attempt, to determine which model sucked up the most. Our findings suggested that there may be some method in the Eurocrats’ apparent madness. The 1980s machine – which has a power rating less than a third that of the most recent model’s – emerged victorious. The test was conducted with the help of James Brown, curator of the Mr Vacuum Cleaner museum in Eastwood, Nottingham.

His collection, which opened to the public earlier this year, dates back to the 1930s, with all the machines in perfect working order. When presented with 50g of rice and a 34g packet of crisps, they sucked up: * 1960s: Hoover Senior 652A, 420W – 35g of rice, 22g of crisps = total 57g * 1970s: Hoover Ranger V4014, 400W – 36g of rice, 23g of crisps = total 59g * 1980s: Hoover Turbomaster U5096, 575W – 37g of rice, 28g of crisps = total 65g * 1990s: Hoover Turbopower3 U2880, 1,000W – 31g of rice, 29g of crisps = total 60g * 2000s: Hoover, The One, 1,800W – 36g of rice, 15g of crisps = total 51g The results back up the argument from Brussels that biggest is not best when it comes to wattage ratings. The newest and most power-hungry cleaner finished bottom of the table. Mr Brown said: “I’m not surprised by the results. A higher wattage doesn’t mean more power. “If manufactures combined the best of today’s technology with the past’s best technology they would be able to make an even better machine, with much lower wattage. “

The Rolls-Royce of modern vacuum cleaners is the Kirby, and that is only 580W, but it just uses a different system - so that shows you don’t need a high wattage to be the best.”Hoover™ / Small Appliance Shop / Vacuum Cleaners / Upright Vacuum Cleaners / Hurricane Power Bagless Pets Upright Vacuum Cleanervacuum cleaner with washable filter Hurricane Power Bagless Pets Upright Vacuum Cleaner VR81HU01dyson vacuum on sale black friday The Hurricane Power upright vacuum makes light work of your floors, and the removable handle makes long reach cleaning just as easy. service center vacuum cleaner electroluxIt also has a 4.5m hose for vacuuming a full flight of stairs, as well as a pets turbo brush to leave your home clean and hair free.

Hurricane Power is designed with efficient motors for a top class ‘A’ energy rating, along with ‘A’ rated performance on hard floors and on carpets. •    Removable telescopic handle for extra reach •    4.5m full stair cleaning •    Pets turbo brush for removal of stubborn pet hair •    A range of handy cleaning tools Wall to wall performance Hurricane Power boasts edge-to-edge cleaning, quickly lifting dust from floor edges and up against skirting boards. The extra tools help you tackle the majority of your cleaning chores. These include a crevice tool for spot suction and a dusting brush for vacuuming a range of surfaces. The large 3L bin capacity means you won’t be stopping very often, but when you do its one touch bin function allows for quick and hygienic disposal. Hurricane Power is a powerful cleaning force that makes light work of keeping your home clean and dust free.We often view our homes as sanctuaries from the outside world.

We try to leave our problems at the door and just make our dwellings a place of comfort. Unfortunately that’s not as easy as it sounds. Dutch Artist Frank Halmans’ "Hoover Buildings" explore this difficulty by tproviding a metaphorical model: A machine that literally sucks up dirt into the interior of a dollhouse. Halman has created functioning vacuum cleaners and dust busters in the shape of buildings in an attempt to show how "dirt and debris" clutters our personal space. According to DesignBoom, instead of using the vacuum to clean our homes, Halmans uses it as "a metaphor for the things which we experience and collect mentally in our memory and physically in our lives." The structures themselves are truly amazing. Once the machine is turned on you can see the dirt swirl around the space through the tiny windows. Inside the home are small furnishings including chairs, desks and even papers that show just how detail-oriented this artist really is. He even created a replica of his own studio.

Click through our slideshow to see photos of Halmans’ "Hoover Buildings" and head over to his website to learn more. Do you have a home story idea or tip? (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.) Frank Halman Artist Frank Halmans Design Frank Halmans Hoover Buildings Frank Halmans Vacuum Cleaner Buildings While working as a janitor at a department store in Canton, Ohio, James Murray Spangler invented a portable electric vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner's design was upright, and it used a cloth bag to collect the dirt that was vacuumed up. Spangler first tested his invention in 1907 and patented it after a number of modifications in 1908. He founded the Electric Suction Sweeper Company to manufacture his design.William Hoover was married to Spangler's first cousin, who purchased one of Spangler's early models. Under Hoover's direction, many improvements were made in the design of the vacuum cleaner and new sales strategies were tested. The Hoover Company, with its headquarters based in North Canton, Ohio, became one of the most successful and well-known vacuum cleaner manufacturers in the world.