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" These cleaning tools make quick work of picking up after small messes and dry spills, but when faced with a wall of options in the appliance aisle, it can be tough to choose which model is right for you. Ask yourself these questions before you make a decision. Do you want to quickly clean your floors? Choose a stick vac.  Hand vacuums are not ideal for floor cleaning, but stick vacs work well on both bare floors and carpeting. They won&amp;#039;t replace your full-sized vacuum, but their motorized brushrolls can remove lightly embedded dirt from carpets. However, the brush roll may scatter debris and cause damage on bare floors, so look for a model with the option to turn off the brushroll when you don&amp;#039;t need it, or that has an additional brushroll you can swap out when vacuuming delicate floors. Do you want to clean under furniture? Choose a stick vac. Look for a lightweight model with a long wand (which can also help you clean curtains) or one with a low profile or a swivel head that can get into tight spaces. Some stick vacs can weigh as little as 4 pounds, but others over 10 pounds.  Cordless models offer the freedom to move around corners and across rooms with ease. But, their battery life doesn&amp;#039;t last long (of the models we tested, the vacuums averaged about 17 minutes before they need recharging). Some have removeable batteries that you can charge while the vacuum is stored out of sight. Do you want to clean furniture, the car, and windowsills? Choose a hand vac. Or even better: Look for stick/hand vac combo that comes with extras like a crevice tool and a dusting brush attachment. They&amp;#039;ll be extra helpful for picking up everything from dust to spilled cereal. Ready to buy? Find out which stick vacuums and hand vacuums tested best in our lab. Michaelle Exhume is an analyst in the cleaning and home products lab at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. NEXT: Find the Best Vacuum Cleaner for Your Home \u00BB Photo: Getty "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a22038/stick-vacuum-vs-hand-vacuum/>