20 Best Central Vacuum Powerheads (2022 Updated)

This is the best deal I could find for a good basic kit for my central vacuum. I spent a few hours searching online before purchasing this kit. And it was nice that it was shipped so quickly and affordably.

Very good quality vacuum head. Ive had a central vac for years and in the past used a local company for repairs, but no longer since discovering that I could buy a brand new beater bar head for 1/2 pf what a service call was.

This was delivered quickly and works super well. What a great deal!.

Hose is very light weight which gave some concern at first but it has not kincked yet and the light weight makes it easier to roll up or use. It has a hose cover so I could not examine the hose itself The handle feels good and the switch is conveniently located.

All in all it seems like a good hose and I use it almost daily. So far it’s held up ok.

Nicely made vacuum wand to go with the newer NuTone powerhead. Make sure when you decide to buy a new wand that it will work with the hose that you currently own. My only complaint is that the wand is a bit bigger around and heavier than the original chrome wand that came with my older (17 years) power head.

The combined weight of the new NuTone powerhead along with the wand make for a much bulkier and heavier combo to push around. If you are interested, I have written a long review on my experiences with my purchase of my new powerhead from NuTone.

Works as advertised but had to purchase because when Broan purchased Nutone, they changed the shape of the input plug where this wand connects to the hose hand piece. Very aggravating. Otherwise, it’s the exact same part.

The media could not be loaded. My wife actually asked for this for her birthday. I was hesitant to cut a hole in my new camper, but once I had it installed I couldn’t have been more happy. Sorry for the poor video quality, it was meant to show my wife that it was installed and not for review, but I figured I would show the sound / suction while I cleaned up the installation debris.

As far as installation, plan it out with two important things in mind. You need to be able to reach the end with the Dirt Devil logo to add / replace the vacuum bag and you need to have access to a 120v outlet for power.

Other than that, it can be hung, bolted to a floor, stood up vertical, or however you need to position it to mount it in your trailer. I did knock one star for installation simply because you are mostly left to your devices for installation, but by nature unique RV layouts each installation will be unique.

You will need cutting tools, drills, and wrenches depending on your installation, plan it out and dry fit, and you should be OK. It includes four mounting bolts, but I purchased different bolts because I mounted mine on the top of my storage, so underneath the master bed, and I didn’t want to screw into the mattress.

I dropped 1/4″ machine screws with rounded heads (so they wouldn’t tear the mattress) down from the top and attached it with lock nuts so I didn’t have to worry about it loosening up and coming off with road vibration.

I also purchased the hose bracket so I could secure the hose to the top of my storage and not have to wrestle around it when using the storage. Once I was done installing and testing I zip tied the power cord and low voltage wire to the vacuum hose for a neat, clean installation that doesn’t impede my use of the storage area.

I’ve only used it a few times, but it is super convenient. Especially not having to lug around an upright. Between a broom and this the floor is plenty clean. I’ve seen folks say they have never filled a bag, just replace it at the end of the season.

I haven’t used it enough to determine if that is true, but time will tell. I definitely recommend this for any RV owner. My inlaws scoffed at first, but now have one in their 15 year old camper.

I LOVE THIS SYSTEM! I’ve installed it in my 2017 Outback travel trailer, and it has been a wonderful addition to our camping life. I can’t believe the amount of suction this unit has, it’s incredibly powerful! The small form-factor is perfect for mounting in tight spaces.

The included mounting hardware and cabling were well thought out. I love the auto-on switch plate functionality. The long hose and attachments that came with our system are high quality, durable, and easy to use.

Finding replacement filter bags has not been a problem. Thanks for a wonderful product!.

I have been using cordless vacuums in my RV and was tired of having to charge it and store the parts. The Dirt Devil was simple to install, around 30 minutes if your handy, an hour if your not. The Vroom retractable hose option is fantastic.

I was able to install the hose reel in the center of my 40ft RV which makes the 35′ hose extension great for heading forward or to the rear of the RV. The bag is simple to replace, the attachments work well and other attachments I had that I kept from another vacuum work as well with the hose.

This product is fantastic and I would recommend it for anyone who is spending a lot of time in their RV.

I bought the central vacuum with accessories in March of 2020. It ran twice before the beater bar attachment stopped working. I paid $757. 00 purchasing it through Lowes and now it doesn’t work. It is too late for me to uninstall it and return it to Lowes.

The red reset button also does not do anything. Until this happened I was happy with the unit; the suction is good and the tools were light enough to make moving through the house fairly easy. I’ve tried emailing the company and calling the company each way twice without any results.

Every link on the website leads to a sales page. I think the company went out of business.

WE PURCHASED YOUR VACUUM AS A REPLACEMENT FOR OUR 11 YEAR OLD (NOT A PROLUX) THAT IMPLODED. IT ARRIVED AS PROMISED THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING AND WAS RELATIVELY EASY TO INSTALL SOME ADDITIONAL PVC PIPING TO MATCHUP WITH EXISTING PIPING.

IN OUR CASE THE MUFFLER WAS MISSING FROM THE PACKAGEING. I TEXTED PROLUX, NOT EXPECTING TO GET A RESPONSE BECAUSE OF THE PENDING HOLIDAY AND WAS SURPRISED WHEN ANNA QUICKLY ANSWERED. THE MISSING MUFFLER WAS DELIVERED THE NEXT WEEK.

ANNA’S COMMUNICATION AND RESPONSE WAS GREAT! VERY PERSONAL. THE CV12000 IS QUIETER AND SUCTION IS BETTER THEN THE OLD ONE BY FAR. ONLY A MONTH INTO THE USE OF IT BUT MY EXPECTATION IS FOR A LONG AND SATISFYING RELATIONSHIP.

We purchased a new unit in 2020 during a new home build. Motor went recently,Nutone tried to say it’s the breaker. It’s on its own special breaker. Had us take it to a store an hour away, waited 5 weeks for motor and we had to pay $35 for labour because that’s not covered.

Also had to buy a $200 vacumn in the meantime plus 4 hours of driving. Why they wouldn’t ship out a new unit.

This is the 2nd Broan Central Vac we have purchased. The last one was 25 years old. Very quiet. Good quality. The best vacuum system we have purchased. Purchased a new tool set also. So happy with the change to the floor tool.

The best.

I purchased the NuTone PP600 Central Vacuum Deluxe Package Pig Tail. The unit itself is great and still working as expected. The tools however are hardly “deluxe”. The wand that is extendable heights failed in just 2 weeks.

Poorly designed. The bare floor tool is worthless. Buy the unit and purchase a different powerhead and tool kit.

This was a replacement for a 20 year old Nutone model #350 It does as good of a job as the previous one. 3 complaints I have are that it has a terrible annoying high pitched sound when running. The clips that hold the canister on are very cheap and will break if not careful.

Lastly the previous one had a hose inlet right on the canister the new one has very cheap hookup on the tubing.

This system is a great system. This is the second one I have had. The first one lasted 28 years. I installed this one myself and it was very easy to do. It works very well and is very quiet. I recommend it to anyone wanting a great central vacuum system.

I also bought a CS500 vacuum tool kit. It cost the same as the unit itself. I am very very pleased with this unit and kit.

Purchased as a replacement for a 15 year old NuTone unit which, until the motor died, had served us well. Installation was straightforward and problem-free. This new unit is very powerful and works effectively throughout our 4200 sq ft home yet, despite all the power, it is extremely quiet – you have to be in the garage to know it is running.

We have been very happy with how this unit has performed so far and if the reliability of its predecessor is a guide, I doubt we will have to call upon the excellent warranty that comes with it.

Had to replace a NuTone central vac after 27 years of fine performance. The newer model was easy to install and has been operating smoothly the past 2 months. The power with this unit is equal to the original vac and no complaints with performance so far.

New model was well priced comparable to other similarly sized central vacs.

I do not like the fact that you have to plug in the head every time you want to use the beater bar. The plug is forever falling out and the clips where you could clip in the cord do not match the correct area on the cord.

My old one had the cord built in and never had this problem, that’s the one you should be selling.

After or local vacuum store told us the company was out of business, to replace the wheels on our vacuum head, we came across this site, and found what we needed. So thankful for this site.

Had all the pieces, went together easy, fit just fine and worked with our existing hose, and works real smooth. The window to see the belt is a nice touch and other than that, it appears to essentially identical to the 11 year old (worn out) unit it was replacing.

I am a builder. I have installed central vacuum systems in all my houses. I have installed many brands, Electrolux, Budd, Miele. For the money Nutone is probably the best. I would have rated it 5 stars except for the plastic wands.

They could use a wire supported hose too instead of the plastic one. I did not see any options for these 2 items short of buying a much more expensive kit. They are easy to install with some knowledge of working with pvc pipe and laying out.

If you have hard floors and pets you need a central vac.

This is a replacement for a prior Nutone vacuum. The old one never ever worked good and finally guit. It was made of all plastic and most of the plastic deteriated and cracked. And finally the electronics quit working.

This model is predominately metal and hopefully the electronics have been updated.

This central vacuum system power unit is the third Nutone unit. The first original one lasted 30 years. The second unit lasted only 13 years. Hopefully this third unit will last 15 to 20 years. If it does not, then it is not a five star unit.

There is no color co-ordination of the connecting pipe parts. The utility valve is white in color, but the intake pipe opening where the valve is to be attached is black in color. The exhaust pipe opening is white in color.

This may cause one to attach the utility valve to the exhaust opeing.

Just received today. Fits my Beam perfectly. Almost vacuumed itself. The thing just took off. I have 2 pets and it cleaned great. Would definitely recommend. This is my 2nd aftermarket head I’ve purchased.

Last one lasted about 3 or 4 years. Nothing lasted forever.

I have a central in-house vac. sys. and was looking for a replacement vacuum head because the old was not picking up dirt anymore. So I went online to ebay and found the Deluxe EX powerhead and it works great, I also didn’t need to buy the two extension pipe because on the picture on the Deluxe looked like it would fit my extension pipes and it did.

So i’m back in business with cleaning my carpet.

The pro is the price and universal fit. However I replaced my Nutone adjustable head, and if you are looking for something like a Nutone quality this really won’t be it. This is just a very basic motorhead and will not adjust height.

The noise level is mid-level. Kind of a Get what you pay for scenario here.

We have had this unit for a month now and find it a very good product. It was a replacement for our old unit. It was very easy to install even for someone like me who is not skilled. This unit is much quieter that the one it replaced and has more suction.

Just had this installed in my home. Very happy with the quality and performance. Like the fact you can now use the bags inside to collect the dirt. Makes disposal much easier. My old central vac was a different brand and the duct work entered the unit from the side.

On this unit the duct work enters from the top, which is probably because it’s a hybrid model. I was going to put in the garage, but decided it would work better in the basement. It’s quiet so not a problem.

Very happy with this purchase.

It was advertised as being able to use it bagged or bagless. However if you have animals that shed a lot, you need to use it bagged. The hair will cause the filter to become clogged and the unit will overheat and operate at half power.

I struggled with figuring this out for a month after installing the unit, prompting me to submit a warranty claim with the manufacturer. Eventually I figured out the issue, and since then it operates wonderfully.

However, I waned a bagless, low maintenance central vac. Knowing then what I know now, I would have purchased a different unit.

Needed another vacuum head for upstairs. Works great!

I love it. My husband appreciates it too because it doesn’t hurt his ears, even when wearing his aides.

Exactly what I needed. Powerhead works great

I was uncertain when ordering these belts because I saw that they were not original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and had a few negative reviews. But I decided to give them a try. I am glad I did. They fit my Kenmore upright like an OEM belt.

The rubber was soft and pliable and is having no trouble turning the beater bar. I would buy these again and recommend them.

I believe that due to the age of the vacuum, it is problematic to find a belt that fits properly. They seem to be good quality, but unfortunately they are too loose for my vacuum.

Perfect fit at a great price! Super easy to change this belt out!

I’m actually pretty happy with the part and the video that shows how to replace it. I read a previous review, and I agree that the part could be designed better. However, if the elbow is broke I’d rather fix it for ~$20 rather than buying a new vacuum.

It took me about 40 minutes to replace the part. The video is helpful in determining all the screws that have to be taken out. The video has you strip two wires and use wire nuts to connect the two wires that power the vacuum head.

I soldered the two wires before putting the wire nuts on, but you probably don’t have to do this. I’m a DIY guy, and would rate this a 4 out of 10 in difficulty. It’s just unscrewing a bunch of screws and making an electrical connection.

The hardest part was removing the broken part because you can’t just remove the bottom plate.

This is a replacement for my 1st unit which stopped working. It is a much better unit than my 1st unit was when it was new. It did a good job. I am glad I shopped around and found this unit. All the reviews I read stated it was a great unit and they were true.

We moved at the beginning of the year leaving our home that had a central vacuum system. We bought a house to remodel and could not wait to get back to a central system again. After quite a bit of research we picked this unit out.

The installation was easy and the muffler is superb, making it much quiter than the Nutone unit in the old house. Quite a handsome look in the garage too.

Better than I expected! After being a loyal Rainbow user for over 20 yrs I was skeptical about any other vacuum system. We built a second home and had central vac installed. I loved it. Then my trusty Rainbow at our main home died and a replacement was around $2k and a rebuilt model was $600.

We purchased the rebuilt and had nothing but problems. After several attempts to get it right we decided to forgo the Rainbow and install this unit in our home. It was easy to install as we have ample attic space and my husband had it done in one day.

I wasn’t expecting it to be as efficient as the Electrolux in our vacation house but was blown away when it was and as much as I loved my Rainbow, nothing compares to central vac and this system rocks.

We have 2 dogs, one a Cavalier King Charles that produces tumbleweeds daily but we also have a long haired cat. This unit leaves no hair anywhere! I have 4 large area rugs with black borders and after vacuuming with the power head you’d never guess there are 3 very hairy creatures in our home.

Not having to fill and empty the water container on the Rainbow is a task I do not miss at all. The attachments that came with this system makes dusting lampshades and furniture easy and they don’t mark up my furniture.

Using the upholstery tool makes light work getting hair off of the furniture. Tumbleweeds are no match for this vacuum. Love it!.

I bought a over 30 years old house and the central vacuum does’t work after several time’s use of my old one. I thought maybe something wrong with my hose so I bought the new cheaper one to replace the old one.

When it comes and I plug in(by the way, it is very easy to change to direct connection), it doesn’t work too. I feel a little bit frustrated. After carefully recheck, finally I found the central vacuum gabage bin is full which keep vacuum from working.

I clean it and the filter. Then the central vacuum work again with both the new one and the old one. If I checked the vacuum carefully and found out the problem, I’d not buy the new one. But I am still very happy for this purchasing.

Now I have my new one in second floor and the old one in basement so I don’t need to take the long hose up and down.

This is an initial review based on OOBE (out of box experience). The hose seems solid and the attachments are, well, plastic attachments as expected. There was no documentation so when I pulled out the hose and the carpet head, I was disappointed that there were electrical cords required to run the beater brush instead of the hose having the 2 prongs I was expecting to supply electricity to the head.

I couldn’t find any adapters in the box and was actually debating on returning the unit or having to put in outlets next to 2 of my vac wall ports. It was a frustrating and disappointing 10 minutes. HOWEVER, as I studied the hose, I noticed a little slot on the housing where the hose plugs into the wall.

I put a little flat screwdrive into the slot and it released the plastic housing to reveal the 2-prong connector facing backwards, where the power cord would be connected if using the cord. It is actually designed so you can flip the prongs around to face the wall and it becomes the 2-prong, no-cord required hose I was hoping for.

Yay! Second thing that gave me pause. I plugged in the hose and put on the carpet head and hit the switch, setting it to the number 2 setting (II on the switch) and I expected the carpet head to fire up as it does on my current Electrolux hose and head.

Nothing. Dang it. Do I have to return this thing after all that with the 2-prong issue?? Nope. There’s a gray square on the top-back-left part of the carpet head that is actually a big switch. I tapped that with my toe and off I went.

The vacuum was now operating exactly as I expected and I’m now relieved that I think I saved $300 versus buying a brand-name. Now for my only concern. The vacuum tube going down to the carpet head only moves up and down.

It does NOT swivel left to right like the Electrolux head does. The Electrolux is far more maneuverable and much easier to flatten out when going underneath furniture. That’s the only compromise I’ve seen so far.

It doesn’t have a powered sta.

These belts are a little more sturdy and better made than the original belt. The fit is perfect. I highly recommend these belts.

Item did not fit the Panasonic model with ub8 on the build tag (much too short) my vacuum is possibly an older model (yellow bag less)

I will first say that we have had this unit in a new house with a Hide-A-Hose system and it has performed flawlessly and with plenty of suction and air flow for the 50′ hose stations and sweep ports.

The first unit we got was split along both side seams and had to be returned and replaced. This incident made me suspicious of the plastic housing’s durability versus the metal casings of most other central vacuum power units.

As others have noted this unit does run on the hot side, but it has not been an issue for us. The unit is located in a garage utility room so noise is not an issue. Eight year warranty is a definite plus.

The two Ametek/Lamb motors used are in the “Air-Watt” series that get high marks for durability. Time will tell how well this unit will perform, but so far, so good. Recommended.

Initially, I had lots of problems. After about 2 years with problems, the factory gave me a complete new updated power unit under warranty. Thanks! With the new power unit and installation improvements that I devised, the system now works fine.

The power unit puts out so much heat that it melted the standard 2″ PVC input and output pipes. The exhaust pipe melted back for several feet. To correct the problems, I installed a 2 1/2″ PVC heavy wall pipe for the exhaust.

The bigger pipe allowed the exhaust to expand upon exiting the unit, which allows it to cool a bit. The heavier wall pipe allows the pipe to handle more heat before melting. I also used 6″ long pieces of 2″ metal pipe to transition from the unit to the plastic pipe for both intake and exhaust.

This handles the strain from the connection hoses and radiator clamps along with the heat. At first I hated my system. Now that I have the bugs worked out of it, it works great and I love it.

I have a family of six and really appreciate only having to empty the canister every few months and that what I vacuum is removed from the house to under the house to the canister so there is no smell.

I mainly use the hard floor attachment in the kitchen area, and compared to the barely any suction of my old central vac this one is fantastic. We have a long haired dog and it removes the hair from everything with one pass- there is no going over something several times to get it to pick it up- It will suck up a quarter with such force that you will hear it hit the pipes at every turn all the way to the canister.

Note the electricity required, it is not typical and you may need an electrician. I also love that it has an eight year warranty. I have had mine three years and use it way more than I imagine the normal person does.

It is also quieter than my old unit.

We love this vacuum. Really good suction and great warranty. After five years, we had a problem with the motor arcing. The whole unit was replaced, no questions asked. We took the old one down, put the new one up and connected it to power.

That was it! We would definitely buy it again. Another good feature is that you just have to empty it — no bags to buy.

I bought the VX1000 bag version – I am not sure why E-Bay wants me to review the bagless version – I doubt I will ever buy another bagless. Not that I have ever had a bagless Nutone, but the M&S bagless that the Nutone replaced let a lot of the dirt pass the “cyclone” and go through the motor.

After a couple of years of that. The Nutone VX1000 is the most powerful unit available. It is quiet, easy to set up, and has a sensor system to let you know the status of the bag. The bags are large enough that you shouldn’t have to change them very often.

For anyone who does not yet have a central vacuum system – the biggest mistake anyone can make is having an underpowered unit. I don’t know where they come up with the square foot measurements, but I don’t care if you have a 2 bedroom trailer or a 15 bedroom house, the air flow is the bottom line.

If you get a weak, low end system you will hate it. If you get one of these, you will wonder how you ever survived without it.