Vacuums: when smaller isn't better.(Buyers guide)

Got a cramped closet? Some of the latest vacuums fold for compact storage, while others cram upright and canister features into one machine. But our tests show that several brands should pay more attention to cleaning.

New uprights that fold include the $70 Hoover Fold Away Widepath and $300 Electrolux Intensity. We also tested the folding $500 Dyson Stowaway, the brand's new canister. Yet only the Electrolux was impressive at cleaning carpets--our toughest test and the type of cleaning vacuums typically do most. Indeed, only three of the latest additions to our Ratings were better than mediocre for carpet cleaning.

Our tests of more than 60 uprights and canisters include a new top performer among canister vacs, the $400 Electrolux Oxygen EL6988D.We also tested vacuums that claim to kill germs and clean their own filters, among other promises. But some could disappoint you if you value cleaning over grdgetry. Here are the details:

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Less-than-magical wands. The new Dirt Devil i M130000, Dyson DC15, and Panasonic AeroBlast uprights have handles you can remove and use as a canisterstyle wand to clean curtains and battle those dust bunnies beneath the couch. But like most of the newest folding vacs, two of those scored only a good for carpets, and the Dirt Devil scored only fair.

Big claims, middling performance. The AeroBlast includes a unique feature that promises to stretch filter life, among other things. (See CloseUp, below.) But our test results belied those claims.

Halo Technologies says its uprights, including the $400 UVX, kill dust mites, flea eggs, and germs using UV light.We didn't test those claims because the UVX was only so-so at the more primary tasks of cleaning carpets and picking up pet hair. What's more, it has no hose or tools.