A vacuum that vacuums itself.

• Position: WHAT'S NEW?

With technology leaping forward at breakneck speed, it was bound to happen: a vacuum that essentially cleans itself, or at least its own filters. The Twin Clean from Electrolux Home Care Products North America, Bloomington, Ill., is the first and only canister vacuum to feature two HEPA filters that can be cleaned on-board, making it virtually maintenance free while providing the steady, strong suction needed for a thorough job. An indicator light on the canister flashes red when the filter needs cleaning, eliminating unnecessary guesswork. To begin the vacuum's self-cleaning process, simply flip the carriage holding both the clean and dirty filters, and then turn the dirty filter 360[degrees].

Twin Clean also makes it easy to gauge when the vacuum's dust cup requires emptying, as it is made of translucent plastic tinted with a cayenne hue--and the design is such that the dirt falls directly out of the bottom of...