The Electrolux Harmony vacuum cleaner was designed from the outset to be one of the quietest - if not quietest - canister vacuum cleaners on the market. Well, there's no doubt that the Harmony is a very quiet vacuum but do you lose out on performance and is its price justified?

Electrolux vacuum cleaners are known for their good performance and technically led design. When many consumers compare the various Electrolux canister vacuum cleaners they choose one of two models; the Oxygen 3 or the Harmony. The Oxygen 3 series offers powerful suction with a motorized brush so it really does a superb job of picking up dirt from deep-pile carpets. However, if you have hardwood floors or your carpets are low-pile or you have Persian area rugs and you want a quiet vacuum then the Electrolux Harmony should be your first choice.

The Electrolux Harmony vacuum is also far cheaper than the Oxygen.

Electrolux have done several things to make the Harmony one of the quietest vacuum cleaners on the market. Firstly, the motor is contained in plastic and is surrounded by sound deadening insulation. The spinning brush head is air powered rather than electrically like the Oxygen 3 vacuum cleaner. Also, the motor of the Harmony is smaller than the Oxygen. The motor of the Harmony is 9 amps compared to 12 amps of the Oxygen 3 vacuum cleaner.

You shouldn't necessarily think that the suction of the Harmony is inadequate because of the 9 amp motor. For bare floors and low-pile carpets the suction is extremely goods. In fact when cleaning area rugs, most consumers say that they have to decrease the suction of the Harmony - something you do by sliding a switch on the canister itself. Also, the air-powered brush head is adequate for most carpets.

Because the motor is encased in plastic and the vacuum has good insulation the Electrolux Harmony vacuum cleaner is slightly heavier than other canisters in its class - but only just; it still only weighs 12 lbs. Like most canisters, the harmony comes with two, large wheels so moving it about the house is easy.

Incidentally, one further advantage that the Harmony has over the Oxygen is that the wand twists left or right so that it is very easy to maneuver; the Oxygen only turns one-way (something to do with attaching the brush head onto the canister when storing).

The Harmony does have some downsides. The construction of the handle park does look very fragile and will probably not stand the test of time. The same could also be said of the plastic hose and attachments; why do most manufacturers seem to provide attachments as an after thought?

Overall, the Electrolux Harmony vacuum cleaner is a good product. It cleans most carpets adequately - you would only need another vacuum cleaner for deep-pile carpets. Its main selling point is its low noise level when cleaning - it's not only until you actually hear the Harmony that you appreciate what a quiet vacuum cleaner it really is.