The Best Vacuum Cleaners
Updated July 19, 2024
Sabine Heinlein
Sabine Heinlein is a writer covering floor care. Keeping her multi-pet home clean is one of her more acceptable obsessions.
FYI
Our top pick robot vacuums, the Roborock Q5 and Q5+ (with self-emptying dock), have been discontinued. The Q5+ remains available at some retailers, and we still think it's a great choice. We plan to test Roborock’s updated model, the Q5 Max+, soon.
July 2024
A small apartment with a few area rugs has very different vacuum needs than a 2,000-square-foot house with wall-to-wall carpeting. The right vacuum for you also depends on your physical strength, ergonomic preferences, and cleaning standards and habits. And it matters if you have delicate hardwood floors, clean up after kids or shedding pets, or suffer from indoor allergies.
No one vacuum can do it all. So we’ve rounded up the best of the best—from powerful and long-lasting plug-in vacuums and convenient cordless sticks to cheap handhelds and even robots—for all types of homes and people.
Looking for something else?
- What’s the Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors?
- The Best Carpet Cleaners
- What’s the Best Vacuum for Pet Hair?
- The Best Robot Vacuums
Find the Right Vacuum for Your Needs
Best Upright Vacuum
SEBO Felix Premium This stylish, bagged upright vacuum has formidable cleaning power and is adjustable, versatile, and agile. It should last for a decade or two.
Price: $749 from SEBO
Plug-in upright vacuums are powerful, versatile, reliable, and capable of cleaning every inch of your home—from thick rugs to hardwood floors. They suck up dust, debris, pet fur, and pollutants. The best uprights have extra-strong suction and swappable brush heads (a motorized cleaner to agitate and lift dirt and debris from deep within carpets, and a soft parquet brush for delicate hardwood flooring). They feature useful hose attachment tools for cleaning stairs, sofas, bookshelves, and tight corners. High-end upright vacuums have powerful filtration (HEPA or S-class) and seal debris in bags, so these cleaners are ideal for indoor allergy sufferers. Because they stand upright, they stow easily in a closet or corner. And with proper maintenance, they can last for a decade or longer.
Consider an upright vacuum if:
- You want a classic vacuum that can deep-clean. Only powerful plug-in vacuums can truly clean even the thickest rugs. Their bags and filtration make them excellent for indoor allergy sufferers.
- You’re willing to spend on a vacuum that can last. The best uprights are pricey, but they have long warranties and replaceable and repairable parts, and they should last for a decade or more.
Skip an upright vacuum if:
- You have arm or wrist issues. Compared with a canister vacuum or lightweight cordless stick vacuum, an upright can feel heavy on your hands and wrists.
- You hate cords. Upright vacuums lack automatic cord rewinds, so you’ll have to unwrap and wrap the cord.
Best Budget Upright Vacuum
Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 This reliable, effective, easy-to-use, and reasonably priced bagless upright vacuum cleaner will work well for most people in most homes. It’s been our pick for six years running.
Buy from Amazon.com
Price: $170 from Amazon, $180 from Home Depot, $150 from Wayfair
The best affordable bagless uprights work well with just about any type of vacuumable debris (including pet hair) and floor type (including most carpets, wood, tiles, or anything else). And they should last at least five years without much maintenance (no new belts are required) and with minimal cost (the filters are washable, and these vacs don’t need bags). On the most common types of flooring (like low- or mid-pile nylon carpeting and most bare floors), great bagless uprights work almost as well as the strongest overall vacuums, often for much less than half the price. But they come with less-generous warranties than pricier models, and you may be on the hook if a part breaks.
Consider an affordable bagless upright vacuum if:
- You want decent performance on a budget. The good bagless upright vacs are reasonably priced, have no recurring costs, and should last for at least five years. Getting one is the best way to stretch your dollar when buying a vacuum cleaner.
Skip an affordable bagless upright vacuum if:
- You have allergies. Bagless vacuums don’t seal away dust and debris as effectively as bagged models do.
- You have delicate flooring or really thick rugs. If you have hand-knotted rugs, extra-thick carpets, or soft wood or tile that’s prone to scratching, you might want a vacuum with a cleaning head that’s specifically designed for these surfaces.
Best Canister Vacuum
SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium This bagged canister vacuum excels on bare floors and on carpets, and it has many adjustment options and useful attachments. It should last for the long haul.
Buy from Amazon.com
Price: $849 from Amazon (7-Year Standard Warranty), $899 from SEBO (10-Year Extended Warranty)
If you like your rugs and floors to stay very clean, and you’re willing to pay big bucks for a vacuum that will last a decade or more, get a high-end canister vacuum. Canister vacuums come in two connected parts: a wand with a hose and a pod or canister that contains the motor and dustbin or bag. Though initially it can feel weird to use a canister vacuum, we’ve known many longtime upright-vac users who made the switch because canisters feel lighter to steer and are easier to maneuver up and down stairs. They tend to clog less often and most come with a convenient automatic cord rewind. Like high-end upright vacuums, canister vacuums do an excellent job on all types of floors, from thick, high-pile carpet to delicate wood floors. They come with useful attachments for cleaning everything from sofas to radiators, and the best ones will last for a decade or longer.
Consider a high-end canister vacuum if:
- You want something that will last a long time. They don’t make most stuff like they used to, but great vacuums are an exception to that rule.
- You want excellent performance and maximum versatility. These vacuums can suck fine dust out of nearly any rug (even high-pile), while also offering gentle parquet brushes for delicate wood flooring. They come with a range of attachments for cleaning furniture, shelves, and even pets.
Skip a high-end canister vacuum if:
- You prefer uprights. Some people just can’t get comfortable dragging a little pod behind them while they clean—especially with a cord attached to it.
Runner-up: Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine This proven bagged model has great suction power and excels on bare floors and (most) area rugs. It works on low-pile carpets but balks at thicker ones.
Price: $797 from Amazon, $770 from Walmart (May be out of stock)
Best Cordless Stick Vacuum
Dyson V12 Detect Slim This nimble, high-tech model is light, powerful, and easy to maneuver. But it doesn’t stand up on its own, and its dustbin is small.
Price: $500 from Amazon, $500 from Walmart
Cordless vacs cost more, don’t last as long, and they don’t have enough run time to clean large homes in a single pass. That said, cordless vacuums make it so easy to clean that you may be just fine with those tradeoffs. These models are especially life-changing if you live in an apartment or smaller house with a cramped floor plan, because they’re thin and light and easy to steer, and there’s no cord to get caught on any corners. And even in bigger homes, you may find that you get used to cleaning just a few rooms at a time, so that battery life isn’t such a big deal. The best cordless vacs are strong enough to clean nearly as well as plug-ins, even on most types of rugs. Most cordless vacuums also double as handheld vacuums, so you can buy one vacuum to clean both your floors and your car.
Consider a cordless vacuum if:
- You live in a small apartment or house. It’s much easier to vacuum a home that has a cramped floor plan when there’s no cord getting caught.
- You don’t want to deal with a cord. It takes just a few seconds to grab your cordless vacuum and start cleaning—no obstacles, no excuses!
Skip a cordless vacuum if:
- You want the most value for your money. When you compare cordless and plug-in models that have similar cleaning power, the cordless models cost more and die sooner.
Runner-up: Ryobi 18V One+ HP Cordless Pet Stick Vac Kit with Dual-Roller Bar This sturdy, versatile vacuum has several useful attachments and a large dustbin. It stands on its own and recharges quickly, but it’s heavier and less agile.
Price: $299 from Home Depot
Best Robot Vacuum
Roborock Q5+ This bot is a top-notch cleaner and great navigator that avoids (most) obstacles while keeping on top of scattered debris. It comes with a charging dock that sucks debris from its dustbin after it cleans
