Do NOT base your buying decision on “AIRWATTS”
Perhaps the most commonly used performance term you will find advertised and promoted by vacuum sales people is "Airwatts".
Airwatts is a term that became the popular performance benchmark of choice in the early part of 2000 with the introduction of “Airwatt Series” motors.
Since these motors showed such high Airwatt numbers compared to previous generations, marketers jumped on the Airwatt band wagon to promote this as the new benchmark of central vacuum cleaning performance and indeed, Airwatts (when and only when measured at the motor) is a true measure of performance. However, Airwatts is a brilliantly disguised term because few truly understand it (least of all the consumer). It allows the manufacturer to use smaller less expensive motors yet publish high Airwatts in a product brochure giving the false perception that a unit has more cleaning power and is thus a better value. Sadly, Airwatts is term which has been used to blind consumers. If there is anything that we hope you learn from this guide, is not to use Airwatts as the basis for your purchase decision.