Shoppers made their feelings clear about an EU ban on models of more than 1,600 watts by visiting stores or online sellers in their droves 
 
 The stampede to buy powerful vacuum cleaners intensified yesterday as retailers reported a fourfold surge in sales. 
 
 Shoppers made their feelings clear about an EU ban on models of more than 1,600 watts by visiting stores or online sellers in their droves. 
 
 Many have been stockpiling two or more high-power models to beat regulations that came into effect yesterday. 
 
 The new EU directive is intended to reduce energy use, but it has infuriated the public, who say they’ll have to spend longer using the appliances. 
 
 Online electrical retailer ao.com said weekly sales had soared 380 per cent compared with the first week of August. 
 
 The most popular model was the 2,400-watt Bosch Pro Energy BSGL3126GB cylinder vacuum cleaner costing £99, which sold out yesterday. 
 
 It currently has two models left in stock that are over 1,600 watts, but expects to have more this week. 
 
 There was clear evidence of customers stockpiling vacuums, it added, particularly in the 2,000+ watt ranges, where 3 per cent of sales were generated by shoppers buying two or more. 
 
 ‘We saw a huge surge in sales of corded vacuums over 1,600 watts over the weekend, with sales quadrupling,’ said head of small domestic appliances Leanne Beswick. 
 
 ‘Having reviewed our stocking levels it looks like we still have a limited number of high wattage vacuum cleaners in our warehouse and we are expecting another two models to come back into stock this week.’ 
 
 Sales at the Cooperative Electrical Shop over the past two weeks leapt by 129 per cent compared with the same period last year. 
 
 Currys said sales were up 94 per cent compared with the same weekend 12 months ago. 
 
 A spokesman added: ‘They have been flying off the shelves and that has been across the board – from uprights to cylinders.’ 
 
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 THE OTHER HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES IN THE EU'S SIGHTS Under threat: Food blenders may also be targeted Some 30 devices – mostly domestic electrical items – are facing overhauls to meet the EU guidelines, including: Air conditioning in cars – blamed for increasing fuel consumption although critics point out the drag created by opening a window uses more energy. Window heaters and seat heating will also be looked at. Fitness equipment – many modern exercise bikes and rowing machines use electricity to generate resistance. Hairdryers – power savings of 30 per cent may be required, although salons argue they will spend longer drying hair. Blenders – smoothies and soups may take longer to prepare if new rules are introduced. Fax machines – under scrutiny despite all but dying out in homes as people switch to email. Photocopiers, printers and scanners are on the list too. Power tools – they could face changes despite the Commission’s report stating the potential improvements are ‘small’. Lawnmowers – all types, including electrical and petrol, could be affected. Patio heaters – a key target due to the amount of energy lost. Kettles – may have to be redesigned to switch off sooner or slash surface heat loss. Toasters – they waste power if one or more slots is empty. 
 
 Tesco has previously reported sales rocketing by 44 per cent over the past fortnight with models selling out including the 2,300-watt Hoover Breeze BR2306. 
 
 Argos said it had seen an increase in sales despite 97 per cent of its stock being compliant with the new legislation since July. Retailers can continue selling existing stock until it runs out but they cannot import more and manufacturers are no longer allowed to produce them. 
 
 Vacuums will also have to carry ratings from A to G similar to those on fridges and washing machines, explaining energy use, cleaning performance on carpets and hard floors, and dust emissions. 
 
 The crackdown affects five of the seven vacuums given ‘Best Buy’ status by Which?, and the consumer watchdog last week advised people to ‘act quickly’ before stocks of powerful models run out. A 2012 report by retail analyst Mintel found 76 per cent of consumers rated suction power the most important feature when buying a vacuum. 
 
 Senior household care analyst Richard Caines said: ‘I’m not 100 per cent convinced it will save a lot of energy as if a vacuum is not providing as much suction it will have to be used for longer.’ 

 Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption The EU says most vacuum cleaners waste too much energy 
 
 Mr Vacuum Cleaner has swept into the debate over the EU's import ban on high-wattage vacuum cleaners. 
 
 James Brown, who runs the vacuum cleaner museum in Derbyshire, says a high wattage is no guarantee of good suction. 
 
 He said plenty of appliances would clean well whilst using less than the new 1600 watt limit imposed this week. 
 
 He alleged that some manufacturers increase the wattage of their appliances every few years to fool customers into thinking they will suck more strongly. 
 
 Mr Brown, who calls himself Mr Vacuum Cleaner, considers himself an expert on vacuum cleaner performance. 
 
 His views appear to be supported by the German official testing agency Stiftung Warentest, who told BBC News that 38 models of cleaner would work effectively within the new limits. 
 
 This is at odds with the Which? report that triggered a panic-buying spree when it warned its readers that five out of seven of its best buys would fail to meet the new import standards. 
 
 Experts say it is almost impossible to compare one set of tests against another, but Prof Will Stewart from the Institution of Engineering and Technology told BBC News that there was likely to be considerable room for energy efficiency improvement in engineering and design of new cleaners. 
 
 'Room for improvement' 
 
 Mr Vacuum Cleaner told BBC News: "Most modern machines are built to be used for a couple of years, like mobile phones. You can't mend them so you throw them away. There are plenty of older cleaners that will outperform today's cleaners using a much lower wattage. 
 
 "Often, more wattage just makes the cleaner hotter. Some of the manufacturers just keep pushing up the wattage with every new model because people will look at it and think 'that must be better because it uses more power', when that's not necessarily the case." 
 
 Erika Gehrke, an expert from the independent German testers Stiftung Warentest, told BBC News that "plenty" of vacuums cleaned well whilst using less than 1600 watts. But she warned of the challenge ahead when 900 watts becomes the limit from 2017. 
 
 "Only three cleaned well when using just 900 watts, but we think manufacturers can improve," she said. 
 
 Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption Prof Stewart said there was less room for improvement in kettles 
 
 Prof Stewart said different appliances had varying potential for efficiency improvement. Cleaners probably had substantial potential to improve, he said. 
 
 "The same goes for hairdryers - it has been suggested that a hairdryer of half the wattage will take twice as much time to dry hair, but that's not right. You might be able to improve hair dryer efficiency by a factor of two. The key would probably be in improving the jet. 
 
 "Kettles are different: a kettle is an element in water. There is not much room for improvement - a lower powered element will just take longer to boil." 
 
 Prof Stewart said he would prefer that the EU improved efficiency labelling on appliances, rather than imposing standards. 
 
 According to the European Commission, the new rules will help combat climate change and reduce energy costs by saving 19 terawatt-hours every year by 2020. That amounts to the electricity produced by more than four nuclear power plants for 5.5 million households. 
 
 Which? has defended its warning to customers. It said its tests are based on several factors, including the ability to pick up super-fine sand from Arizona; collect pet hairs; keep dust inside the machine; ease of use; and noise. 
 
 A Which? spokesman would not comment on whether they agreed with the EU efficiency legislation - a move which has prompted calls from some newspapers for the UK to leave the EU. 
 
 Follow Roger Harrabin on Twitter @rharrabin 

 Which? tells consumers to buy now as Best Buy cleaners fall foul of EU energy label that prohibits motors above 1,600w 
 
 Consumers are being urged to buy powerful vacuum cleaners while they can after it emerged that some of the most powerful models on the market will disappear in September when a new EU rule comes into force. 
 
 An EU energy label, to be introduced from 1 September, means manufacturers will not be able to make or import vacuum cleaners with a motor that exceeds 1,600 watts. 
 
 The Which? consumer group said many of its Best Buy models had motor sizes that exceeded this, "so if you're in the market for a powerful vacuum, you should act quickly, before all of the models currently available sell out". The wattage will be limited to only 900 watts by 2017 – further restricting choice. Current cleaners typically boast an average of 1,800 watts. 
 
 Which? warned that many of the models that appear in its Best Buy tables have motor sizes in excess of the new limit. 
 
 Of seven awarded Best Buy status since January 2013, five have motors of more than 1,600 watts. A Best Buy 2,200w vacuum costs around £27 a year to run in electricity – around £8 more than the best-scoring 1,600w it has tested. 
 
 The consumer group argues that the move is self-defeating – claiming that householders would simply use the less powerful models for longer to achieve the same degree of cleaning. 
 
 The move has also angered manufacturers who agree the move will do nothing to make cleaners more environmentally friendly and will simply reduce efficiency in the home. 
 
 For the first time, the labels will give vacuum cleaners A to G ratings for energy use, cleaning performance on carpets and hard floors, and dust emissions. The label also requires a minimum level of performance for the vacuum to be sold in the EU. 
 
 But the label is self-regulating and it is unclear whether figures are being corroborated by an independent third party. 
 
 Manufacturers' tests that will be used to provide the labelling information are also being questioned. Vacuums are typically tested new and empty and – unlike the testing by Which? – don't take into account loss of suction as the container fills. So manufacturers that give themselves A ratings across the board often don't do so well in independent tests. 
 
 Popular cleaners that will be phased out next month by the new rule include a Miele S6210 2,000w bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner and the Panasonic bagged upright vacuum cleaner (also 2,000w). 
 
 Dyson vacuum cleaners score highly in the ratings. However, the manufacturer has many concerns about flaws in the system that will ultimately be unhelpful for consumers. It is seeking a judicial review of the legislation at the European court of justice, with judgment due in December 2015. Sir James Dyson, whose company pioneered "bagless" vacuums, said he believed the label itself was a good idea, pointing out that he had never made a machine over 1,600 watts. But he said there were many engineering aspects other than the size of the machine to take into account, and he feared strong performing vacuum cleaners would be rated badly and lead the consumer to buy a machine that simply did not work efficiently. 
 
 The European commission believes the new regulations will mean better vacuum cleaners for consumers. European commission spokeswoman for energy Marlene Holzner said in a blog: "As a result of the new EU eco-design and labelling regulations, consumers will also get better vacuum cleaners. In the past, there was no legislation on vacuum cleaners and companies could sell poorly performing vacuum cleaners."
– You can ban their e-cigs, you can ban their plastic bags—but do not, under any circumstances, take away the people's high-powered vacuum cleaners. Brits stocked up on supersuction devices before a EU ban went into effect yesterday, with retail sales of models 1,600 watts or higher increasing fourfold and some people wheeling out two or more units at a time, reports the Daily Mail. "They have been flying off the shelves, and that has been across the board—from uprights to cylinders," says a spokesman for the Currys electronics chain. The European Commission's rationale for the ban is to help stave off climate change and cut down on energy costs, notes the BBC. Retailers are allowed to dump the inventory they already have, but they can't import any more units, and manufacturers are banned from churning out more. But although people are complaining that less suction will mean more time pushing their vacuums around—therefore no significant reduction in energy use—a man who runs a vacuum museum in Derbyshire and goes by the name "Mr. Vacuum Cleaner" tells the BBC that high wattage doesn't guarantee great suction anyway. Sir James Dyson of the Dyson vacuum empire agrees, pointing out that his company doesn't even make a machine over 1,600 watts, but he's still worried that current regulations will hurt the industry overall and keep people from buying powerful cleaners, reports the Guardian. (See what happened to AK-47 sales when sanctions against Russia took effect.)