The biggest mistake shoppers make is buying a vacuum without checking whether it’s built for their floors. If you have carpet — especially plush carpet — you need a vacuum with an electric motorized powerhead.

You CANNOT just “add the powerhead later” to a vacuum that was not built for one. The hose and wand need to carry electricity to the powerhead. If they don’t, you’re not just buying a new floorhead — you’re basically buying a whole pile of expensive parts. So if carpet is part of your life now, or could be later, choose carefully.