Best picks
Five bagged central vacuum power units ranked on published suction, bag filtration, motor life and warranty, including what to know about the discontinued NuTone PP5501.
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VacuMaid
A 6.6 in tangential bypass motor rated for about 1,500 hours, 663 air watts, HEPA-style HPB2H bags and 58 dB vented, with a lifetime canister warranty.
VacuMaid
The same bag system behind an 8.4 in motor with 147 in of water lift, a 38 qt bag and a 12,000 sq ft rating.
NuTone
A 550 air watt, 6 gal bagged unit on 391 bags that fit thousands of older NuTone installs; NuTone has discontinued it and the line is now owned by Drainvac.
Drainvac
550 air watts and a 6 gal canister on 391C bags from the company that now owns the NuTone line, with a 5-year power unit warranty.
Imperium
740 air watts and 58 dB in a 6.25 gal paper-bag unit built by Lindsay, but every figure comes from the Amazon listing and registration within 30 days is mandatory.
A bagged unit lives or dies on three things: how well the bag filters, how long the motor lasts behind it, and whether the bags stay available. We ranked on manufacturer-published air watts and water lift, bag filtration and capacity, published motor life, warranty conditions and inlet compatibility. Figures that come only from an Amazon listing are flagged. The discontinued NuTone PP5501 is included because many readers are searching for it by name; we explain where it stands and what replaces it.
| Unit | Air watts | Water lift | Noise | Bag | Rated area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VacuMaid SR66 | 663 | 132 in | 58 dB vented | HPB2H HEPA-style, 27 qt | 10,000 sq ft | Current |
| VacuMaid SR800 | 713 (760 in description) | 147 in | 68 dB vented | HPB2H HEPA-style, 38 qt | 12,000 sq ft | Current |
| NuTone PP5501 | 550 | 120 in | 66 dB | 391, 6 gal | 4,000 sq ft | Discontinued |
| Drainvac MP-Air 550 | 550 | Not published | 66 dB | 391C, 6 gal | 4,000 sq ft | Current |
| Imperium CV300 | 740 (Amazon) | Not published | 58 dB (Amazon) | Paper bag, 6.25 gal | 7,500 sq ft (Amazon) | Current |
The SR66 is the best-rounded bagged unit we have data for. Its Ametek Lamb 6.6 in 2-stage tangential bypass motor is rated for about 1,500 hours, and a bypass motor keeps the cooling air separate from the dirty air, which is exactly what you want in a bagged design. It produces 663 air watts, 139 CFM and 132 in of water lift, runs at 58 dB with a vented exhaust, and is rated for 10,000 sq ft. The HPB2H bag is multi-layer HEPA-style media with an inner liner and a 27 qt capacity. VacuMaid lists it as Hide-A-Hose compatible. Lifetime warranty on the canister, 10 years on the motor and electrical parts. Built in Ponca City, Oklahoma.
Two notes: VacuMaid’s page and spec sheet disagree on height (36 in versus 26 in), and the warranty is void if anyone other than an authorized dealer services it.
Skip it if you want the option to run bagless later; the SR14 or an OVO hybrid would suit you better.
The SR800 uses the same HPB2H bag in a 38 qt canister behind an 8.4 in 2-stage tangential bypass motor, also rated for about 1,500 hours. VacuMaid publishes two sets of numbers: 713 air watts, 147 in water lift and 142 CFM in the attribute fields, and 760 air watts, 150 in and 137 CFM in the description. Either way it is the strongest bagged unit here, rated for 12,000 sq ft. Same lifetime canister and 10-year motor warranty.
It is 16.125 in across, 39 in tall and 68 dB vented, so it needs a garage or utility room wall.
Skip it if your home is under 6,000 sq ft; the SR66 is quieter and smaller.
The PP5501 is the entry PurePower unit: a 550 air watt, 120 in water lift single-stage thru-flow motor, a 6 gal 391 disposable bag, 66 dB, 12 A, 22 lb, rated for 4,000 sq ft. It ships with the bracket, 6 ft cord, debris pail, one bag and low-voltage crimp connectors, and NuTone recommended a 20 A circuit. The warranty was 5 years on parts with the first 3 years parts and labor, for the original purchaser.
Broan-NuTone marks the PP5501, PP6501 and PP7001 as discontinued, and its site states that NuTone central vacuums and accessories are now owned by Drainvac. The Drainvac page for the NuTone line returned a 404 when we checked in October 2026, so who administers warranty on a new-old-stock unit is unclear. It ranks here because the fit is known and 391 bags remain available, not because we would buy one over a current unit.
Skip it if you want a warranty you can rely on, or your home is over 4,000 sq ft.
Drainvac’s MP-Air 550 publishes 550 air watts, 66 dB, a 22.7 L (6 gal) canister and a 391C disposable bag, rated for 4,000 sq ft, with a utility inlet on the unit. The bag is described as electrostatically charged double-thickness media that retains 0.10 micron particles at 85 percent. The warranty is 5 years on the power unit and 3 years parts and labor (the Amazon bullet says 3 years), and Drainvac may limit it if the unit is not registered. The Amazon listing is sold by Metal MP, Drainvac’s parent.
Water lift, CFM and amps are not published, and Drainvac lists low-voltage inlet control only. Its capacity, bag, noise and footprint match the PP5501 closely, but no source states they share a platform.
Skip it if you want published water-lift figures or a direct-connect electric inlet listed as supported.
The CV300 is a 740 air watt, 2-stage thru-flow paper-bag unit (6.25 gal) rated at 58 dB and 7,500 sq ft, made in the USA with a 10-year motor warranty and a utility inlet on the canister. Imperium is Central Vacuum Stores’ private label, built by Lindsay Manufacturing (VacuMaid), and its compatible motor and board are Lindsay parts.
Every specification comes from the Amazon listing. No manufacturer site is reachable, and water lift, CFM, amps and weight were not found. The Imperium warranty is void if the registration card is not returned within 30 days, and claims go through the dealer that sold the unit.
Skip it if you want manufacturer-verified numbers.
If you are torn on collection type, read bagged vs bagless and filtration and HEPA. Then confirm the fit with replacing an old unit if this is a swap, and set a bag-change reminder using our bag and filter maintenance guide.
A bag seals the dust when you remove it, which keeps the motor cleaner and makes emptying far less messy than tipping a bin. Bagged units are the usual recommendation for allergy households. The cost is buying bags, typically changed a few times a year.
Usually the bag media is HEPA-style, not the exhaust. VacuMaid's HPB2H bags are multi-layer HEPA-style media; NuTone and Drainvac describe the 391 bag as electrostatic media that retains 0.10 micron particles at 85 percent. None of these five has a certified HEPA exhaust filter.
NuTone's PurePower user guide says about twice a year for the 6 gal 391 bag in a typical home. Bigger bags (the SR800's 38 qt) go longer; smaller homes with pets may need more frequent changes. Check the bag through the inspection door rather than waiting for suction to drop.
Only as remaining stock. Broan-NuTone marks all three PurePower units as discontinued, and its central vacuum line is now owned by Drainvac. The 391 bags are still sold. If you want a current unit that takes the same bag, the Drainvac MP-Air 550 is the one to look at.
All five use standard 2-inch central vacuum pipe. The VacuMaids, NuTone and Imperium support low-voltage and direct-connect electric inlets; the Drainvac lists low-voltage control. Confirm your inlet type and check that the new unit's intake lines up with your pipe stub.
Written by Editorial team, Editor · Reviewed by Technical reviewer, Central vacuum installer
Published October 17, 2026 · Updated October 17, 2026