Complete kits
Quick answer
A carpeted home and a hard floor home need different kit, not the same kit at different prices. Carpet is cleaned by agitation, so the brush roll and the motor behind it decide the result. Sealed hard floor is cleaned by airflow and frequency, and the film that suction cannot lift needs water rather than more suction.
Carpeted home
Carpet is cleaned by agitation, so the brush roll and the motor behind it decide the result.
- Beginner
A first kit for a carpeted home
4 items, $82.88 as listed
- Intermediate
The buy once kit for a carpeted home
6 items, $530.18 as listed
- Expert
The expert kit for a deep pile home
7 items, $1124.84 as listed
Hard floor home
Sealed floors are cleaned by airflow and frequency, and the dirt suction cannot lift needs water.
- Beginner
A first kit for a hard floor home
3 items, $83.93 as listed
- Intermediate
The buy once kit for a hard floor home
6 items, $666.39 as listed
- Expert
The expert kit for a hard floor home
7 items, $2366.35 as listed
| Kit | For | Items | Total as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| A first kit for a carpeted home | Carpeted home, beginner | 4 | $82.88 |
| The buy once kit for a carpeted home | Carpeted home, intermediate | 6 | $530.18 |
| The expert kit for a deep pile home | Carpeted home, expert | 7 | $1124.84 |
| A first kit for a hard floor home | Hard floor home, beginner | 3 | $83.93 |
| The buy once kit for a hard floor home | Hard floor home, intermediate | 6 | $666.39 |
| The expert kit for a hard floor home | Hard floor home, expert | 7 | $2366.35 |
Get the kit lists as a printable checklist
A one page version you can take to the cupboard: the part numbers, the wear checks and what each one costs.
Compare all six kits, which carry the same lists and the same prices.
No spam. The list links to the same products shown on this page.What every kit here includes and why
Each list covers the machine and the consumables it will need in its first year, because a kit that stops at the machine understates the cost and leaves out the parts that decide whether it is still cleaning properly later. Filters, belts, bags and brush rolls are the cheapest items on every list and the ones that get skipped.
Each list also has a section telling you what to skip. That is not modesty, it is the part that makes the rest of the list worth reading, and every item on it is something people genuinely buy at that tier and then do not use.
Common questions
Why two ladders instead of one?
Because the two floor types reward opposite things. Carpet holds dirt down in the pile, so a driven brush roll and the motor to keep it turning under load decide the result. Sealed hard floor has no pile at all, so weight and frequency matter more than force, and a stiff bristle roll can mark the finish. One ladder would give bad advice to both buyers.
Which ladder does a mixed home follow?
Whichever surface is the larger share of the floor, and then add one machine for the other. Most mixed homes end up with a capable main machine with an adjustable head plus a light second machine, which is the intermediate rung on either ladder. A house split evenly between deep pile and tile is the one case where two specialised machines genuinely earn their place.
Do the totals include consumables?
Yes, and that is deliberate. A kit that lists only the machine understates what the first year costs and leaves out the parts that decide whether the machine is still working well in year three. Filters, belts, bags and brush rolls are what keep a vacuum performing, and they are the cheapest part of the whole list.
Have these been tested?
No. Every item is selected from published manufacturer specifications and current listings, and each line explains the role the item plays rather than reporting a test. This site has not tested a vacuum and no page here claims otherwise. What the site does test is your machine, through the diagnostics.
Every figure here comes from published manufacturer specifications, owner reported measurements and repair documentation, and each is labelled as either a standard or a convention. This is researched general information to help you diagnose and plan, not professional advice, and it cannot tell you what is wrong with one particular machine. Your own manual and the part number printed on your machine are the final word.