As a cleaning company owner, I definitely asked “Are backpack vacuums any good?”, before I made the decision to purchase multiple vacuums for my cleaning company.

Here is how I analyzed and came to the right decision for my company.

Don’t waste thousands of dollars on arguably your most significant investment beyond the people you hire. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel trying to figure this out. Stick with something the pros actually use.

If you are already sold on backpack vacuum cleaners, please read my post the 7 Best Backpack Vacuums to help you decide what’s right for you amidst all the options in the market today.

Are Backpack Vacuums Any Good?

I used five criteria to evaluate whether I should go with a backpack vacuum or more traditional upright options.

I also took a close look at the different types of backpack vacuums as well as the options for configuring both commercial and residential cleaning set-ups. This is summarized in my post The Different Types of Backpack Vacuums.

Productivity: Does a backpack vacuum increase productivity?

Studies done in the UK showed that a commercial backpack vacuum cleaner was 43% and 30% more effective than upright and canister vacuum cleaners, respectively, in removing soil from a carpet. If, in reality, the truth is even close to the findings in this study, then this is a substantial increase in quality that could translate to time saved by not having to go back over areas multiple times, increased customer satisfaction, and customer retention.

Other studies showed that a commercial backpack vacuum cleaner can clean up to 3x faster than a traditional upright vacuum cleaner. This is most likely because the wand on a backpack vacuum is similar to a canister in that it is more easily maneuverable around obstacles.

With an upright you are more likely to have to remove the hose and add attachments at various steps during the cleaning, which takes more time. In a sense, think of a backpack vacuum as a canister-on-your back. You get all the benefits of a canister (more power, flexibility) without having to lug the canister around.

The best backpack vacuums are also going to be much easier to manage on stairs compared to a canister vacuum cleaner and traditional upright vacuum cleaners.

Cost: Does a backpack vacuum have a lower total cost of ownership?

If you can clean an area in less time you should get two benefits. The first is that your labor cost will be less. The second is that you should be able to use the additional time saved to do more jobs which will generate more revenue. A bit of time saved on one job may not seem like much but when you add that up across several jobs during the day this can be significant.

On top of that, when you combine recent innovations like the ProGlide tool for faster and more efficient commercial cleaning, the time savings can become even become magnified.

The cost of ongoing maintenance has to be factored in when you consider operating cost. In general, most commercial vacuums, at least those on the higher end of the quality spectrum, have a level of modularity in terms of the parts that are used. This means that if something breaks, you don’t have to replace the entire backpack vacuum.

I’d also like to be able to repair minor issues myself. So, I’m going to look for ease of repair for minor issues like cord breaks, and I’ll want to be sure I understand how and were to get the parts. Don’t overlook this opportunity, even if you think you don’t know a screwdriver from a wrench, because chances are you can always find someone to help you out with a minor repairs ,AS LONG AS YOU CAN GET THE PARTS. This is not only about saving the money, it’s also about SAVING TIME to get your vacuum back up and running and generating revenue!

Ergonomics: Does a backpack vacuum have advantages in comfort and ease-of-use?

Some people just want to use a vacuum that they grew up with. That’s likely a traditional upright or canister. So you might get some pushback when you initially evaluate the backpack models. However, our experience was that the cleaning techs loved them once they got used to them, and that did not take long. This was due to the comfort and overall ease of use during a full day of cleaning and carting the vacuum cleaner around.

If you choose a lightweight backpack vacuum cleaner in the 9 – 12 pound range, one with padded shoulder straps, and wear it properly it will be very comfortable to use. The weight is should be distributed on your hips which prevents shoulder and back fatigue.

A backpack vacuum cleaner is generally safer on stairs; mobility is improved which reduces the risk of falling.

Let’s include quiet operations in this category. The best backpack vacuum cleaners have a noise range from 65 – 69 dBA, which is considered quiet operation and acceptable by most people’s standards.

Sustainability: Are backpack vacuums considered sustainable and environment friendly?

Most of us want to be in a position to help the environment. My list of the best backpack vacuums includes those backpack vacuums that are innovative in design and also built on an environmentally friendly platform. This means less waste was created when they were manufactured. But for me, it also means fewer parts to replace and less disposable material that has to be thrown away (and purchased!).

Bottom line, backpack vacuum cleaner manufacturers haven’t cornered the market on sustainability. That’s not meant to be a negative statement, it’s just that there is nothing about backpack vacuums that stands out compared to the other vacuum types on the market.

But, I can certainly buy a backpack vacuum cleaner that is manufactured in a sustainable manner and that’s what’s important to me .

Indoor Air Quality(IAQ): Do backpack vacuums have advantages in improving IAQ and health?

Air quality is another category similar to sustainability. You can purchase all the types of vacuums with HEPA filters and multi stage filtration systems. There is no special advantage that even the best backpack vacuum cleaners have over other high-quality types of HEPA vacuums.

Are cordless backpack vacuum cleaners better than corded versions?

Cordless backpack vacuum cleaners have a reported 30% faster cleaning time than corded backpack vacuum cleaners. This may sound great but it can be misleading.

Why?

Because a corded backpack vacuum cleaner is already highly efficient compared to other traditional types of vacuum cleaners. The difference of 30% to go to a cordless vacuum is not as big a jump in efficiency as it might sound.

The real question is are battery powered backpack vacuums more cost effective than corded backpack vacuum cleaners? Considering they are at least 50% more expensive my answer is probably not.

I took into account that if I have cleaning crews out all day I am going to have to buy multiple batteries which pushes the upfront costs of each vacuum cleaner WAY UP.

Add the increased potential for loose batteries to get damaged or disappear and you have a potentially much higher ongoing cost to reckon with.

I could see a situation where convenience and ease of use was important to someone who didn’t want to mess with a cord. And maybe they only have one job to do per day that could be cleaned in under an hour (one hour is the top end for battery powered backpack vacuum cleaners CURRENTLY on the market).

I think it is hard to justify the 50%+ extra cost.

So I don’t see the ROI for a cordless backpack vacuum cleaner in a typical cleaning company environment. This may change as the products mature and prices come down, but that is where we stand today.

[Note: As of May 2022 batteries are still in short supply. If you decide you want to purchase a battery powered backpack vacuum cleaner (or any type of vacuum cleaner, for that matter), I’d advise making sure the batteries are available. This is particularly important as some cordless backpack vacuum cleaner manufacturers sell the batteries separately for the backpack vacuum cleaner itself.]

Wrap-Up

The bottom line is that backpack vacuums are a great option if you are looking for a more efficient and cost effective vacuum cleaner to use in your cleaning company. Backpack vacuums are one of those products that cleaning crews almost universally appreciate.

Cordless backpack vacuums are not necessarily better than corded backpack vacuums and may not be worth the extra cost.

When purchasing a backpack vacuum cleaner, make sure to consider all of the factors that are important to you.

Thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful.