The growing market of vacuum cleaners can probably be an abyss. Along with handhelds and uprights, sticks and canister vacuums, and not to mention the rise of the robotic vacs, the series of vacuum cleaners available on the market nowadays seem endless. While finding one that’s suitable for all your cleaning needs – whether you’re tackling hardwood floors, stairs, carpets, pet hair, or any of others – shouldn’t be a burden.
Our mission is to take away all the hard work from you, having tried, tested, and commented on at least 92 models to find the best vacuum cleaners. We’ve compared them one by one to find the best your money can buy.
We covered key features including efficiency when cleaning on a variety of floor types, ease of usage, design, and instructions. This useful guide will help you find a suitable vacuum for your residence.
Types of vacuum cleaner
It can be hard to know which kind of vacuum would best match your requirements. Therefore, we’ve listed the detail about the pros and cons of each category:
Upright
Upright vacuum cleaners often tend to be the best choice for bigger, carpeted houses. This is since they typically feature a turbo brush in the flooring head, which makes them specifically efficient at getting hair and residue from rugs. The broad floor head likewise means they can cover a greater area quicker and effectively than other vacuums.
These models are a lot more stable and simpler to maneuver than cylinders as you’re pushing them onward as opposed to dragging them behind you. There’s also no demand to bend when utilizing an upright, which makes them a good option for those with back problems.
This layout can be uncomfortable to utilize on stairs and can also be too cumbersome to reach under furniture, and the weight of some can likewise take its toll after prolonged use. They’re typically tiny to store though, and can normally hold the tools on the body so you have them to hand as you clean.
Cylinder
Cylinder vacuums are generally lighter as well as more portable than an upright as the main body remains on the floor and is pulled behind you when you vacuum. They can be bagged or bagless, depending upon your choice, and commonly featured a good selection of accessories. They’ve been around for several years thanks to their lightweight and practical design, making them optional for those who strive to handle heavier vacuums.
They have a tendency to be much better for getting to under and around furniture and make cleaning a flight of stairs easier with a long, adjustable hose. Care requires to be taken when drawing it around the house though because it can knock into wall surfaces and furniture. Some designs can also be a little bit bulky and more inconvenient to store than other types of vacuums, specifically as they include a lengthy hose.
Cordless
Stick vacuums are becoming progressively more popular currently thanks to their cordless design and getting much more powerful suction, virtually rivelling corded versions. As a matter of fact, while they were initially made for quick spills, they’re now being utilized to clean an entire household.
At the core, their design provides convenience, generally featuring a lightweight “stick” body as well as a smaller canister to be regularly emptied. They also have a tendency to come with attachments such as a crevice tool, upholstery tool, and in some cases even a motorized pet brush for pet hair. As they are cordless, they are dependant on battery life, so be prepared to have it on charge when not in use.
They’re so mini for storing (some can be hung on the wall) and a lot more lightweight than upright and cylinder vacuums, which typically makes them comfortable to use.
Robot
While a robot vacuum will not replace your conventional vacuum, it will thorough lower frequency that you need to get your other one out, giving you even more time for yourself. These little devices work by using sensing units to avoid bumping off furniture and map where they’ve been around the room, making sure no area is left ignored.
Robot vacuums have actually come a long way in recent times. They now offer greater pick-up power, have bigger dust containers, as well as are more high-tech than ever. A lot of designs are wifi compatible, meaning you can establish your vacuum cleaner to clean even if you’re not in the house. With numerous models, you can currently set no-go areas or close off rooms you don’t want to be cleaned, as well.
Handheld
A perfect handheld vacuum cleaner is excellent for cleaning quick spills as well as limited and unpleasant spaces such as car interiors and staircases. Being cordless, they’re convenient to go and grab, but they do lean on battery life and tend to have a smaller debris capacity than upright and cylinder vacuums, so it’s essential to check these specifications prior to you buy.
As a general rule, seek at least 20 minutes of battery life (this will give you adequate time to navigate a car) and a dirt capacity of at least 0.3 liters if you don’t want to empty it frequently. It’s also worth noting that many cordless vacuums can also operate like handhelds, so you may already have one in the home.
But if you want to invest in a new handheld, in addition to battery life and dust capacity, you should also think of the weight. It may feel light initially, but it can really feel tedious and tiresome after an instant. The weight should be around 1-1.5kg generally.
The attached tools can also vary. Most, such as a crevice tool and a pet tool, might be necessary for your cleaning. Think about what you’ll be using this vacuum for and whether any kind of accessories will certainly help you.
Key features to consider
Sensory technology
A few of the best vacuum cleaners have the ability to sense the floor kind and readjusts its power as necessary. This minimizes power usage and that means the vacuum automatically adjusts the optimum cleaning power.
Battery life
If you’re choosing a cordless stick or handheld vacuum, this is an important spec to check. Some will certainly last less than 10 mins on full power, indicating you require to rush to complete in time or await it to recharge. Search for a minimum of 30 mins of advertised battery life in a stick vacuum, and 20 minutes in a handheld.
Charging time
If you’re going cordless, keep an eye on the charging time as well. They’re not so practical to use if you’re regularly waiting for them to charge. Many stick vacuums take about 4 hours to completely charge, yet if you’re worried about what to do in an emergency, you can always purchase a stick vacuum or handheld that features additional batteries.
Capacity
Generally the bigger the capacity, the much less frequently you will need to empty it. Vacuum capacities are determined in liters, whether bagged or bagless. Look for no less than two liters if you’re in the market for an upright or cylinder and don’t want to be taking consistent paths to the bin. For cordless versions, which are somewhat smaller, half a liter is best as a minimum. Finally, for handhelds, 0.3 liters will last you for quick spills before you need to empty.
Headlights
Some stick vacuums additionally feature headlights on the floor head, so you have a much better visual under furniture and in dark areas.
Smart innovation
Link these to your phone to monitor its usage, battery life, and also much more unusual data such as how many calories you burn in use.
Battery level indicator
This isn’t specifically groundbreaking but can be a very useful function to have on a cordless appliance. The Dyson V11 is specifically impressive since it counts down your rest battery time in mins and secs.
Slit to cut hair
If you’ve got long hair and you intend to acquire a stick vacuum cleaner, ensure it’s one you can quickly eliminate hair from. Long hair tends to wind around the brush in the flooring head as well as requires to be cut free. However, some versions now feature a neat slit along the bar that you can run a pair of scissors through. It’s a very convenient function.
Weight
Watch out for the weight of your vacuum, to be honest, pushing anything over 3kg can really feel hefty after prolonged use. Which makes it simpler on the arms, if you are intertwined with this go for a cordless style where the weight is centered around the floor head rather than the handle.
Variable suction
This serves if you need more power for high pile carpets. If you’re conscious of power usage, it’s also great to have.
Retractable cord
Using this feature, you can rewind the cord into the vacuum as the press of a switch. Smart if you’re fed up with winding the cord to tidy it away from yourself.
Rotating brush
If the flooring head is missing in a rotating brush, it will likely drag along the floors as you vacuum as there’s nothing to raise it. This will particularly make it harder to run it over long pile carpet. A rotating brush is also brilliant for gathering hairs and residue from carpetings.
Bagged or bagless?
Some vacuums contain bags that gather all of the dust and particles. Once full, they need to be changed, and numerous vacuums have an indicator to inform you when the bag is filled. One benefit of these is that you needn’t touch the dust and dirt to remove them from the dustbin.
You may require to with a bagless model as some dirt can become captured. Bagless models likewise tend to be messier as the dust can spill when you clear them. Those that suffer from asthma may find bagged a more practical option. Nevertheless, you will need to keep some vacant bags in the cupboard.
Vacuum cleaner accessories
From crevice tools to dusting brushes, today’s vacs contain a generous collection of vacuum cleaner attachments created to make light work of typical family cleaning jobs. However, you’d be known for finding such an array of additional tools and accessories a little mystifying. See list for an explanation of each tool, so you realize if you’ll really require it:
Expansion wand
Designed to go where various other attachments merely can’t, the extension wand offers the extra reach you need to remove cobwebs from high ceilings and unattainable edges, retrieve food fragments from behind appliances, and clean right to the corners and sides of stairs.
Dusting brush
With long, soft bristles, the dusting brush is a whizz at sweeping away dust from window sills, lampshades, blinds, skirting boards, and other different surfaces. It’s ideal for more delicate cleaning tasks as well, such as dusting furnishings, the top of books, or easily scratched objects.
Crevice tool
As its name suggests, the crevice tool is made to enter into tight gaps that other accessories would never cover. With its long, slender figure, it’s suitable for cleaning right into edgers, along the side of the flooring, around radiators, and even between sofa cushions.
Upholstery tool
The upholstery accessory is wide with a small, flat head. Several additional have a built-in fabric strip to aid lift dust, dirt as well as hairs from fabric surfaces including sofas, chairs, cushions, and pillows.
Floor heads/brushes
Models will certainly all come with a conventional floor head and may have interchangeable options. If you have deep-pile rugs or a pet, for example, we recommend looking for a rotating brush. Some have rubber components to aid in gathering up stubborn pet hairs. Reach for this portable attachment to deep-clean upholstery, thick carpets, cushions, and carpets.
Filters
All vacuums consist of filters that block the dust you vacuum up from returning to the atmosphere. Some even include more than one filter for added retention. To keep working, these filters need to be cleaned frequently or changed, although some are self-cleaning. It’s important that you keep up with this maintenance to make sure that the dirt is collected, and your vacuum keeps working at full efficiency. HEPA filters are likewise worth watching out for as they offer especially top-quality air filtration and are much better for allergic reaction sufferers.
9 Best Vacuum Cleaners to Buy in 2021
SHARK APEX Upright Vacuum Cleaner
If you favor bagless vacuums, but still want a model that filters out little fragments, the Shark APEX is a good choice. According to the Cleaning Lab test, it exhibited very good cleaning performance on both carpeting and bare floors and was among the quietest models we tested.
Since it converts from an upright to a canister with the press of a switch, tackling staircases and capturing pesky dirt bunnies in corners or hiding behind furniture is simple without missing a step. We like that the whole vacuum is sealed for better dust retention and that the HEPA filter, unlike others that need replacing, is cleanable. Pet owners will be pleased with the brush roll that’s designed to reduce messy hair tangles. By the way, if your budget is not enough, you could purchase Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional NV352 with a 26-foot cord, which is the best budget vacuum.
MIELE Complete C3 Vacuum for Soft Carpet
This Miele earned the best canister vacuum cleaner for its performance of effectively cleaning every kind of flooring. It’s outfitted with a telescoping wand, dusting brush, upholstery tool, and a crevice tool to handle any kind of flooring.
Even hard-to-clean plush carpets are no match for the nozzle and brush roll that adapt to five various levels to make easy work of powering through the dense piles to raise dust, dirt, and pet fur. Allergy sufferers will love the high filtering bag and HEPA AirClean filtration system protects against dust from being released back into the air.
BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
This bagless vacuum solves all the cases that pet possessor face and the vacuum comes fully loaded with features that’ll suck up every last little bit of pet hair. A tangle-free brush roll keeps pet fur from obstructing the bristles, and a hair spooling system inside the canister contains the mess so emptying is less complicated and easier. I’d like to say this is the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair.
Its sealed allergen system traps fine particles and the filter utilizes Febreze modern technology to eliminate those stale odors that vacuuming up pet hair can generate.
DYSON Cyclone V10 Best Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Dyson V10 is well-known as the best lightweight vacuum cleaner. Despite its slim appearance, this 2-in-1 cordless device equaled the full-size upright vacuums in the Cleaning Lab test when it concerned drawing embedded dirt out of carpets. The vacuum Dyson stick cleaner is extremely easy to use and it comes with two heads — one for carpets and another for bare floors.
This design is super lightweight and with the sticks detached, it converts to a portable vacuum for even more versatility. It has three power modes and consists of a crevice tool and a combination dusting/upholstery tool, a miniature soft dusting brush, and a miniature motorized tool with a rotating brush for cleaning fabric and carpeted stairways.
WORX 20V Cordless Cube Compact Vacuum Cleaner
Not your common handheld vac, the WORX model has a special compact, boxy shape, a detachable battery that matches other WORX tools as well as a top handle. Its crevice and brush tools store right on it, and a built-in flexible hose gets up to four feet.
A leading performer in Cleaning Lab tests, this model quickly picked up all the debris and pet hair put down, also without using the max power mode. The pipe makes it easy to reach into tight areas, and it ran for 23 minutes at standard power on one charge. Even though it’s a little heavier than any other handheld vacuums, you don’t require to hold it up when using it.
IROBOT Roomba s9+ Best Robot Vacuum
In Cleaning Lab tests, the 9+ grabbed 99% of the uncooked oatmeal, small nuts and screws, baking soda, and sand spread on bare floors. It can map and bear in mind multiple rooms and floor plans and it defeated all other robot vacuums for promptly and effectively spot cleaning a tiny mess. It detects carpet automatically to adjust suction power just when needed, and its double rubber roller brushes won’t choke with pet hair-like bristles tend to do.
When it’s accomplished cleaning, the vacuum goes back to its charging base, and dirt is automatically transferred into a large-capacity bag for mess-free disposal: it seals totally before you throw to keep dust and dirt collected.
DYSON V11 Outsize Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
While this brand-new Dyson V11 Outsize bears a striking family members resemblance to its V10 Absolute cousin, it has some substantial updates that are worth thinking about if you have a large house with expansive floor surfaces to clean. Many noticeable are its added wide cleaning head and extra-large dust bin. This indicates you’ll have the ability to cover more floors with fewer passes and have to empty the dust bin less frequently.
Three power levels — medium or auto, eco, and boost — allow you to adjust the suction power up or to pick up heavy dirt or safeguard fragile rugs you meet in your path. In auto mode, the vacuum detects whether it’s on the bare floor or carpet and adapts the power and runtime as necessary. In GH Cleaning Lab review, we found the suction power outstanding and the head easily maneuvered around furniture legs as well as into tight rooms. Between it being cordless and its backup battery pack for up to two hours of runtime, the only factor you’ll require to stop cleaning is since the job is done!
BISSELL AirRam Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
This GH Seal-holding cordless stick vacuum ran for full 37 minutes in lab examinations and was among the quietest we tested. We also like that the handle lays flat on the ground (by rotating it at the base), which makes it easier to vacuum under furnishing and other hard-to-reach areas and the dust cup is well-placed and easy to vacant. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t come with any type of add-ons or convert to a handheld vacuum, but for simpleness and performance, it’s a champion.
ORECK Magnesium Bagged Vacuum Cleaner
Many of the visitors to GH Cleaning Lab complain that upright vacuum cleaners are too hefty to push and carry. Our referral to them is the Oreck Magnesium. This vacuum was tops in a test of lightweight cleaners and weighs in at just under 8 pounds.
Thankfully, what it does not have in heft doesn’t discount its cleaning performance. It did a great job deep cleaning test carpets and bare floorings. The Oreck does use a self-sealing bag to collect irritants but doesn’t include any kind of attachments on-board. The speed of the brush roll is adjustable — fast for carpets, slow for bare floors — through a switch on the handle. We like its low profile and that it lays flat to more quickly clean under furniture as well as the bed.
How to find the right vacuum for you
Two essential inquiries to ask when purchasing a new vacuum cleaner are: is it easy to handle and maneuver and can it really get rid of dust and dirt from all areas of my house? According to Good Housekeeping Cleaning Lab, above are what we think are currently the best vacuums you can buy. When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.