Comparison vacuum cleaners: The 15 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023

Oct 7, 2022 alexxlab

The 15 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023

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Appliances
Vacuum cleaners

Photo: Michael Murtaugh

If you want an affordable, versatile vacuum cleaner—nothing fancy, but something dependably solid—look for a bagless upright vacuum that costs about $150. It will work well for most people in most homes. (The Shark Navigator line has been our favorite for this style for many years.)

But if you’re looking for something different, we’ve also rounded up the best of the rest—from cordless sticks and long-lasting canisters to cheap handhelds and even robots—for all types of homes.

Our pick

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 our pick for six years running.

Find the right vacuum for your needs

Best overall vacuum
Best canister vacuum
Best cordless stick vacuum
Best robot vacuum
Best budget vacuum
Best handheld vacuum
Best vacuum for pet hair
Best vacuum for allergies and asthma
Best vacuum for bare floors
Best vacuum for high-pile carpets
Best vacuum for cars
Frequently asked questions

Best overall vacuum

Photo: Sarah Kobos

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 (like Miele canisters, among some others), often for much less than half the cost. They’re easier to maintain than cheaper uprights and most canister vacuums, and should last longer than all but the sturdiest high-end machines. Read more about the best upright vacuums.

Consider an affordable bagless upright vacuum if:

You want quality 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’ll avoid cleaning because you need to unravel the cord. No shame! Cordless vacuums and robot vacuums are a lot more convenient to use. They do cost a lot more than plug-ins with similar cleaning power, though, and have a much lower life expectancy.
You have delicate flooring. If you have hand-knotted rugs, or soft wood or tile that’s prone to scratching, you might want a canister vacuum with a cleaning head that’s designed for these surfaces.

(If our current pick, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352, is out of stock, you could consider the NV354, which is the same base model with different accessories.)

Our pick

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 our pick for six years running.

Best canister vacuum

Photo: Michael Murtaugh

If you like your 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. It’s a big investment, but it can pay off in the long run.

The best canister vacs are arguably the best vacuum cleaners. Their big, high-suction motors and versatile, adjustable cleaning heads do an excellent job cleaning all types of floors (even delicate or high-pile rugs) without being too unwieldy to handle, since the weight is distributed among their different parts. They should last for at least a decade (usually much longer), and tend to do an excellent job of maintaining great indoor air quality—though you’ll need to pay for fresh bags and filters every few months for as long as you own the vacuum. Read more about the best canister vacuums.

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 across the most types of flooring. These vacuums can suck fine dust out of nearly any rug (even high-pile), so it’ll look, feel, and smell better for longer.
Indoor air quality is a top priority. Canister vacuums’ bags and tightly sealed airways are great for removing allergens and irritants from your home.

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. There are plenty of uprights that can handle all floor types like most canisters can, and some of them have excellent cleaning power, too.
You don’t want the costs and responsibility. You’ll need to buy at least a few fresh bags and filters every year, and you should expect to lug the vacuum to the shop once or twice a decade for repairs or maintenance.
You have lots of hairy pets. Fur fills bags quickly. Get a bagless vacuum if you’re worried about the cost of bags getting out of control.

Upgrade pick

Miele Complete C3 Calima

Praised by nearly everyone as excellent, this nimble canister vacuum works on any kind of flooring, runs quiet, and should last for decades. It’s great for those with asthma and allergies, but it requires bags.

An approximation of the relative cleaning power of different types of vacuums. Illustration: Sarah MacReading

Best cordless stick vacuum

Photo: Marki Williams

Cordless vacs cost more, don’t last as long, and they don’t have enough run time to clean big homes in a single pass.

That said, cordless vacuums make it so easy to clean that you may just be fine with those tradeoffs. They’re 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 models 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. Read more about the best cordless vacuums.

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.

Our pick

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.

Best robot vacuum

Photo: Michael Hession

If you’re interested in a robot vacuum and willing to pay for one, then hell yeah, get one. They don’t clean rugs as deeply as traditional vacuums do, and they never navigate perfectly (though some are getting pretty close). But they can keep your floors tidy, with very little effort and oversight on your part. They’re particularly advantageous for pet owners, but most people are pleasantly surprised by how much stuff robot vacuums manage to pick up.

Some simple but effective robot models are about the same price as good traditional vacuums. Meanwhile, higher-end models add advanced features like smart-mapping, targeted area- or room-specific cleaning, or even a self-emptying dock. Read more about the best robot vacuums.

Consider a robot vacuum if:

You have pets, kids, or both. Most people don’t have the time to keep up with the mess that a shedding pet or a Cheerio-trailing toddler creates. But robots never procrastinate or get bored or have other plans, so they’ll have no trouble picking up the pet hair or crumbs almost as fast as they fall.
You simply will not use a regular vacuum. A robot that runs for an hour every other day will keep your home so much tidier than 20 minutes of you half-heartedly pushing a traditional vacuum a few times per month.

Skip a robot vacuum if:

Your home is filled with robot hazards. Dog turds, stray charging cables, tall thresholds, black rugs, and general messiness can all cause problems for bots—though some expensive models are getting a little better at dealing with them.
If deep-cleaning carpets are a priority. Robot vacuum cleaners are great superficial cleaners but they do not have the suction power of an upright or canister vacuum cleaner that is capable of penetrating rugs and carpets deeply.

Our pick

iRobot Roomba i4 EVO

The i4 EVO is better than competitors at getting pet hair out of rugs, and its nimble nav system helps it consistently and thoroughly clean large spaces. Like any iRobot Roomba model, it should be durable.

iRobot Roomba i4+ EVO

This is the Roomba i4 EVO packaged with a charging dock that automatically sucks all the debris out of the robot after a cleaning session. It works—and it makes owning a robot vacuum even easier.

Buying Options

$540* from Amazon

*At the time of publishing, the price was $525.

Best budget vacuum

Photo: Michael Murtaugh

We’re not comfortable recommending any specific vacuums that cost less than $150 (except when the models we just mentioned go on sale). Plenty of vacuums cost less than that, and some of them actually work pretty well—at least when they’re brand-new. But even the good ones tend to wear out quickly and often can’t be repaired at all. It will usually pay off in the long run to spend a little more today on a vacuum that will last longer.

Best handheld vacuum

Photo: Marki Williams

It’s handy to have a little handheld vacuum to deal with small messes. Today’s handheld vacuums can be surprisingly strong without costing too much. The best ones have enough oomph to quickly suck up crumbs, grit, and other types of obvious debris, with adjustable nozzles that can make it easier to get at hard-to-reach spots without wrenching your wrist. Read more about the best handheld vacuums.

Our pick

Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit

This cordless handheld vacuum’s powerful suction, long battery life, and large bin make short work of tidying up around the home and in the car.

Buying Options

$89* from Home Depot

*At the time of publishing, the price was $90.

Best vacuum for pet hair

Even the cheapest vacuums can pick up pet hair off a bare floor, and any vacuum that’s good at getting dust out of rugs will also be good at digging pet hair out of rugs.

You don’t even have to limit yourself to models that have the words pet or animal in their names. That just means they come with a tool for getting pet hair off of upholstery, or (occasionally) that a vacuum’s brush roll won’t tangle easily. Those are nice features! But plenty of vacuums with names that don’t include animal or pet have these features, too.

Our pick

Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352

Any decent vacuum can clean up pet hair, so don’t fret about this. Our favorite vacuum is good whether or not you have pets.

Our pick

iRobot Roomba i4 EVO

Best vacuum for allergies and asthma

If you have asthma or severe allergies, and indoor air quality is crucial to your health, a high-quality bagged vacuum is a safe bet. Our favorite high-end vacuums do an excellent job of sucking up allergens and irritants—and keeping them contained during disposal.

There’s a bit of controversy on this topic. Experts disagree on the traits a “clean-air” vacuum needs to have. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) says that some bagless vacuums are okay in this regard. (It’s worth noting that AAFA is sponsored by Dyson, which makes only bagless vacuums. No other major vacuum brands sponsor AAFA. So that’s a potential conflict of interest, though the AAFA certification testing is pretty rigorous, and we don’t doubt that bagless models have produced good results on this tough test.) But most salespeople and technicians told us that they would not recommend bagless models for households in which air quality was a major concern, because the act of emptying a bagless vacuum re-pollutes your air. We’d recommend erring on the side of caution with a bagged, sealed-system vacuum that has a HEPA filter.

What if you don’t have asthma or severe allergies? Well, it never hurts to have a HEPA filter on a vacuum, but they’re overkill for many people. Also, a vacuum can come equipped with a HEPA filter but have mediocre overall filtration, if the transfer points throughout the vacuum don’t have rubber gaskets. So don’t be fooled into paying extra just because a vacuum has a HEPA filter.

Our pick

Miele Complete C3 Calima

The C3 is one of the tightest-sealed machines out there, and it comes standard with a HEPA filter.

Best vacuum for bare floors

This is the easiest task for a vacuum cleaner, and you don’t need anything special. But if you want to make the job a little easier, there are a couple features to consider.

For a mix of bare floors and rugs, the surest bet is to get a vacuum that lets you turn the brush roll on or off. An aggressive brush can scatter certain kinds of debris on bare floors, or even scratch certain types of flooring, so it’s helpful to be able to switch it off. Most plug-in vacuums (including the upright and canister models we recommend) have this option, though it’s less common among cordless vacuums.

If you don’t plan to clean rugs (or at least not very deeply), you can get a vacuum that’s purpose-built for cleaning bare floors. Most of these are “suction-only” models, without a brush roll (and some of these are dirt cheap). But a few of them use a specialty soft-fabric brush roll to help “hug” the debris toward the intake. Read more about the best vacuums for hardwood floors.

Also great

Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDh3020FL

This model’s extendable hose makes vacuuming a car’s nooks and crannies more comfortable. But it’s a weaker cleaner, has a short runtime, and takes a long time to charge.

Best vacuum for high-pile carpets

High-pile carpets (like shag, frieze, saxony, cable, or long plush) pose a problem for some vacuums: The long fibers can tangle around the brush roller and/or block the intake, essentially choking the vacuum.

If you have any carpeting like that, and you want to clean it thoroughly, your best bet is to get a vacuum with an adjustable cleaning head—one that can rise or fall with the carpet height.

Alternatively, you can try to clean longer rugs by turning off the brush roll or turning down the suction (if your vacuum has those options). Read more about what makes a vacuum great on carpet.

Our pick

Miele Complete C3 Calima

This all-around excellent canister vacuum has an adjustable cleaning head that can rise or fall to suit different types of flooring, including high-pile carpets.

Best vacuum for cars

Photo: Marki Williams

For most people, a great handheld vacuum is the best tool for car cleanups. The powerful, quick-charging Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit is best for most routine car cleaning, and the Black+Decker Dustbuster Advanced Clean+ HHVK515JP07 is great if you need to clean pet fur. But if you want something lighter-weight and more comfortable to handle, opt for a handheld vacuum with an extendable hose: the Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Flex BDh3020FL or the Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Vac WX030L. You’ll sacrifice some suction and performance, though. Read more about the best car vacuums.

Our pick

Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit

This model’s powerful suction, long runtime, and extra-large bin make short work of tidying up the car. Its build may make it difficult to reach under car seats, though.

Buying Options

$89* from Home Depot

*At the time of publishing, the price was $90.

Also great

Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDh3020FL

This model’s extendable hose makes vacuuming a car’s nooks and crannies more comfortable. But it’s a weaker cleaner, has a short runtime, and takes a long time to charge.

Also great

Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L

This model has an extendable hose for easier cleaning, convenient on-board tool storage, a long warranty and replaceable battery. But its suction is weaker than our other picks, and it has a tiny bin.

Frequently asked questions

Which vacuum has the strongest suction?

We’re not sure, and we don’t think it matters. Suction is important, but it’s not the only thing that makes a vacuum great at cleaning. While suction lifts debris off the ground, airflow is also crucial for moving debris into the dustbin, and you need good brush-roll action to work the debris out of carpet fibers, too. Our overall favorite vacuum, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away, had some of the best cleaning performance of all the vacuums we’ve tested.

Which is better, bagless or bagged vacuums?

It depends. On the one hand, bagless models have no recurring costs. On the other, bags can help a vacuum last longer by keeping debris out of hard-to-clean parts that will slowly clog the machine over time. Air quality experts tend to advise that bags are better for people with allergies or asthma because they’re easier to throw out without spilling debris or kicking up a plume of dust. Bags will, however, need to be replaced several times a year, and if you have pets, they’ll tend to fill up faster, and the costs can add up.

Are expensive vacuum cleaners worth it?

Sometimes. Paying more for a vacuum can get you a longer lasting machine (if we’re talking Miele canister vacuums) or it can get you more convenience and longer battery life (if we’re talking Dyson cordless sticks). In both the cases of Miele canister vacs and Dyson cordless sticks, you’re going to get excellent cleaning performance. If you pay more for a robot vacuum, you’re more likely to be able to control its cleaning pattern, and to get a self-emptying dock. Most people are happy with vacuums that cost around $150, and some of them can last for many years.

Meet your guide

Liam McCabe

Liam McCabe is a former senior staff writer for Wirecutter, and has covered the wild world of appliances since 2011. After testing dozens of robot vacuums, he is neither worried about AI nor holding his breath for self-driving cars. He enjoys visiting factories and learning about regulatory loopholes, and has flooded our testing area only three times.

The 6 Best Vacuum Cleaners – Spring 2023: Reviews

Table of Contents
Intro

Best Vacuum

Best Mid-Range

Best Budget

Best Corded

Best Mid-Range Corded

Best Budget Corded

Notable Mentions
Recent Updates
All Reviews
Discussions

Updated May 24, 2023 at 11:08 pm

By Evan Jakab

Depending on what kind of floors you have and the debris you encounter, having the right vacuum for the job is crucial to keeping your space clean. The best option for your needs might vary depending on your specific needs. If you have staircases or bare floors, you may want to consider canister vacuums for their portability and range. An upright vacuum can help pick up debris and hair on high-pile textiles if you live in a carpeted home. Lightweight stick/handheld vacuums are also a good choice if you need your vacuum to be highly maneuverable.

We’ve tested over 130 vacuums, and below are our recommendations for the best vacuum cleaners you can buy. If you’re looking for more vacuums, check out our recommendations for the best lightweight vacuums, the best cordless vacuums, and the best bagless vacuums.

Best Vacuum

Dyson V15 Detect

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Bare Floor

8.3

Low-Pile Carpet

8. 2

High-Pile Carpet

8.4

Pets

8.0

Stairs

8.9

Cars

8.5

Workshop

6.1

Vacuum Type

Stick/Handheld

Bagless

Yes

Cordless

Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

Yes

Wet Compatible

No

See all our test results

The best vacuum cleaner we’ve tested is the Dyson V15 Detect. This high-end stick vacuum is remarkably potent, delivering similar debris pickup performance to many corded models. However, it has the advantage of being remarkably easy to deploy and maneuver. It’s capable of automatically modulating its suction power depending on the surface that it’s on and features a dirt sensor to count and measure the size of particles being sucked into the vacuum. However, it feels somewhat fragile, which is disappointing for a vacuum at this price point, and it has a relatively basic floorhead with no height adjustment or brushroll off switch, meaning it can get stuck on thicker carpeting pretty often.

Consider the Samsung Bespoke Jet if you’re looking for something sturdier. It has a uniquely-designed standup charging rack that doubles as a self-emptying base station for its dustbin, making it easier and more hygienic to dispose of debris. However, its bulkier floorhead makes maneuvering more hassle than the Dyson, and it can’t adjust its suction power automatically.

See our review
Best Mid-Range Vacuum

Samsung Jet 75+

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Bare Floor

8. 0

Low-Pile Carpet

7.7

High-Pile Carpet

8.3

Pets

7.3

Stairs

8.8

Cars

8.2

Workshop

6.0

Vacuum Type

Stick/Handheld

Bagless

Yes

Cordless

Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

Yes

Wet Compatible

No

See all our test results

The Samsung Jet 75+ is a great option if you want a mid-priced vacuum that can handle a variety of messes. Unlike the Dyson V15 Detect, it can’t automatically adjust its own suction power setting and lacks an onboard dirt sensor. However, it offers similarly strong debris pickup performance on bare floors and carpeting at a considerably more affordable price. That parity in performance is largely down to its powerful 200AW suction motor, which is remarkably potent for a vacuum at this price point. Unlike the Dyson, this vacuum is also fully compatible with a self-emptying base station, which sucks debris from the vacuum’s dustbin into a disposable dirtbag with a button. That said, this accessory is rather expensive, and buying it with the vacuum does push it into a higher price bracket.

The + variant of the Jet 75 also comes with two batteries, doubling its overall runtime and making it a great option for longer cleaning sessions if you keep both packs charged. If you’re hung up on the Samsung vacuum’s lack of an automatic power adjustment feature but aren’t willing to spend that much more, the Shark Stratos Cordless is worth a look. That said, it’s noticeably bulkier and heavier than the Samsung, and it isn’t currently available with two included batteries.

See our review
Best Budget Vacuum

JASHEN V16

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Bare Floor

7.2

Low-Pile Carpet

7.6

High-Pile Carpet

7.2

Pets

7.9

Stairs

8.5

Cars

8.1

Workshop

5. 2

Vacuum Type

Stick/Handheld

Bagless

Yes

Cordless

Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

Yes

Wet Compatible

No

See all our test results

If you want to save money on a vacuum cleaner, the JASHEN V16 is a good option. Build quality isn’t especially robust compared to the pricier Samsung Jet 75, and while it has little trouble with pet hair or small debris, it struggles quite a bit with bulky debris, like whole pieces of cereal, which can clog the entry to its dustbin. However, it’s remarkably well-equipped even when pitted against more expensive alternatives. It comes with a pair of interchangeable brushrolls intended for hard floors and carpet, a miniature turbo brush tool, and even a HEPA filter, so it’s reasonably effective in trapping allergens like pet dander. While its max battery life of about 40 minutes isn’t nearly as long as segment leaders in this respect, you can still swap in a new pack if the current unit’s performance degrades.

However, you can’t tweak its brushroll height or keep it from spinning, so it can get caught on thicker rugs. If its poor performance in clearing bulky debris is a serious problem, consider the Tineco PURE ONE X. However, similarly-priced variants of the Tineco don’t come with nearly as many attachments.

See our review
Best Corded Vacuum

Miele Complete C3 Brilliant PowerLine

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Bare Floor

8.6

Low-Pile Carpet

8.2

High-Pile Carpet

8. 3

Pets

8.2

Stairs

8.3

Cars

8.1

Workshop

6.2

Vacuum Type

Canister

Bagless

No

Cordless

No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

Yes

Wet Compatible

No

See all our test results

If you aren’t convinced by cordless vacuums and value all-out performance, it’s hard to go wrong with the Miele Complete C3. This bagged canister vacuum is more challenging to deploy than a comparably-priced cordless model like the Dyson V15 Detect. However, it delivers even better performance across various surfaces and feels much better built. The Brilliant variant sits at the top of the C3 lineup and is loaded with convenience features. It features additional handle-mounted controls, so you won’t have to bend over to adjust suction, and an extra ‘Auto’ setting that allows the vacuum to automatically modulate suction power depending on the surface that it’s on.

There’s additional sound insulation to further muffle its already quiet motor. This flagship variant also comes with a lightweight parquet floorhead, another straight-suction floorhead with retractable bristles for cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpet, and Miele’s top-of-the-line SEB 236 powerhead with five levels of height adjustment and a headlight to illuminate dark corners. If you don’t need as diverse an attachment set and can live without the handle-mounted controls, automatic power setting, and additional sound deadening, the C3 Kona variant delivers a very similar user experience at a lower price.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a different kind of canister vacuum, consider the SEBO Airbelt D4, which incurs lower ownership costs thanks to its use of bigger dirtbags and longer-lasting filters. It also has a longer operating range of nearly fifty feet, enabling you to easily clean far-away areas. However, its bulkier design makes it less maneuverable than the Miele.

See our review
Best Mid-Range Corded Vacuum

Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction PowerLine

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Bare Floor

8.5

Low-Pile Carpet

8.0

High-Pile Carpet

8.1

Pets

8.0

Stairs

8.0

Cars

8. 1

Workshop

6.0

Vacuum Type

Canister

Bagless

No

Cordless

No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

No

Wet Compatible

No

See all our test results

Check out the Miele Classic C1 if you want a mid-range corded vacuum. The entry-level Pure Suction model is much cheaper than even entry-level variants of the Miele Complete C3 but still has the same 1200 W suction motor as all C3s. As such, it delivers similarly superb cleaning performance on bare floors. That said, this version of the C1 doesn’t have an electrosocket that would allow you to mount a powered floorhead, so it’s ill-suited for cleaning thick carpeting; consider a pricier C1 model like the C1 Cat & Dog if that’s a concern.

This vacuum lacks an onboard tool storage compartment and doesn’t feel as well-built as the C3, though the build quality is still good overall. User maintenance is also remarkably simple and hygienic, with easily-accessible filters and compatibility with self-sealing dirtbags. Its compact size and trio of caster-mounted wheels also make it very maneuverable. Still, if you prefer using a stick vacuum, the Shark Stratos UltraLight is another good corded option that takes up less room while not in use, though it’s more demanding in terms of maintenance and doesn’t feel nearly as sturdy.

See our review
Best Budget Corded Vacuum

Eureka Mighty Mite

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Bare Floor

8.3

Low-Pile Carpet

8. 1

High-Pile Carpet

7.8

Pets

7.8

Stairs

8.2

Cars

8.1

Workshop

5.7

Vacuum Type

Canister

Bagless

No

Cordless

No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

No

Wet Compatible

No

See all our test results

The Eureka Mighty Mite is a fantastic choice for something corded and budget-friendly. Compared to a mid-range model like the Miele Classic C1, it doesn’t feel as well-built and lacks convenience features like a self-winding power cable or a tool clip. However, it delivers superb performance on bare floors and sucks up an impressive amount of debris on carpets, even with a simple straight-suction floorhead, thanks partly to its potent 12-amp motor. Still, if you plan on cleaning a lot of dense carpeting on a budget, go for an upright with a height-adjustable powerhead for improved surface agitation, like the BISSELL PowerForce Helix. However, it’s important to note that the BISSELL takes up more room, isn’t as easy to maneuver, especially in cramped environments, and feels even less sturdy.

On the plus side, the Eureka is also very compact and easy to maintain. However, it has a short power cable, so you’ll probably have to swap outlets when cleaning bigger areas.

See our review

Notable Mentions

Samsung Jet 90 Complete:
The Samsung Jet 90 Complete is a cordless stick/upright/handheld vacuum representing a viable alternative to the Dyson V15 Detect if you want something marginally cheaper. However, it lacks the Dyson vacuum’s automatic power adjustment feature, and the significantly cheaper Samsung Jet 75 has the same 200AW motor.
See our review
Samsung Jet 70:
The Samsung Jet 70 is very similar to the Samsung Jet 75, albeit with a less powerful 150AW motor and a shorter battery life. Still, it’s worth a look if you don’t want to spend as much.
See our review
Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away:
The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is a cordless upright with a larger dirt compartment than the Samsung Jet 75. However, it isn’t as maneuverable and has a shorter runtime.
See our review
Wyze Cordless Vacuum:
The Wyze Cordless Vacuum is a powerful, lightweight, budget-friendly stick vacuum that outperforms the JASHEN V16 in debris pickup. However, the availability of replacement parts is pretty sporadic.
See our review
NaceCare HVR 200 Henry:
The NaceCare HVR 200 Henry is a bagged canister vacuum that feels very well-built with a longer range than the Miele Classic C1. However, it isn’t as effective on carpeted floors.
See our review
Airsign HEPA Vacuum:
The Airsign HEPA Vacuum is a great alternative to the Miele Classic C1. You can buy it with a subscription package that ships a four-pack of biodegradable dustbags and a new filter to your door every six months. However, it feels less well-built than the Miele and has a shorter power cord.
See our review

Recent Updates

May 24, 2023:
Due to current pricing, replaced Samsung Jet 75 Complete with Samsung Jet 75+ as ‘Best Mid-Range Vacuum’.
Apr 27, 2023:
Replaced Wyze Cordless Vacuum with JASHEN V16 as the ‘Best Budget Vacuum’ due to the current availability of replacement parts. Added Wyze Cordless Vacuum to Notable Mentions.
Mar 31, 2023:
Swapped Miele Complete C3 Kona PowerLine with Miele Complete C3 Brilliant PowerLine as the ‘Best Corded Vacuum’ pick.
Mar 02, 2023:
Added Shark Stratos Cordless to Notable Mentions.
Feb 01, 2023:
Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best choice for user needs.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are some of the most well-rounded vacuums for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.

If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our vacuum reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While there’s no single best vacuum for every conceivable use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.

How to Choose a Vacuum Cleaner: Helping You Determine the Criteria

A rather simple and well-known household appliance – a vacuum cleaner – over the past decades has not only evolved significantly, but also acquired a fairly large number of various types specializing in different tasks.

A brand new Electrolux straight out of the 1950s

Despite the fact that all of these devices continue to be called “vacuum cleaners”, they have divided various areas of work among themselves: some models are designed for professional cleaning of large areas and / or rooms that are being renovated. Others are best suited for cleaning a typical home or apartment. Still others specialize in quick and comfortable cleaning of small spaces…

Let’s see what modern vacuum cleaners are and what kind of work these or those models are best suited for. And at the same time we will mention what characteristics and features you need to pay attention to when choosing a vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaner ordinary, classic, traditional

With the word “vacuum cleaner” we traditionally imagine a kind of “pot-bellied” device on wheels, which has a set of various hoses, tubes and nozzles.

This vacuum cleaner is primarily intended for vacuuming dust, although it can sometimes also perform wet cleaning. As a dust collector for these devices, a container, a bag, an aquafilter, or combinations of these options (for example, an aquafilter and a container) can act. The scope of such devices is the cleaning of ordinary houses and apartments, as well as the processing of furniture (if there is a technical possibility and special nozzles).

When choosing a vacuum cleaner for the home, you need to pay attention to a number of factors that directly affect both the quality of cleaning and convenience in everyday use of the device. Let’s list the main parameters that require special attention.

Size, dimensions and maneuverability . There are many types of vacuum cleaners on the market today. Of course, there is always a temptation to buy a “bigger” vacuum cleaner, but this decision will not always be optimal. When choosing, it will be useful to check how easy it is for you to operate, pull and lift a particular vacuum cleaner. If possible, it would be nice to check the operation of the device on different surfaces – carpets, hard floors, parquet, etc. Finally, it does not hurt to study the instructions and find out what the developer says about his brainchild: often the manufacturer of vacuum cleaners indicates the recommended cleaning area with which this the model will do the best.
Dust collection system . Traditional vacuum cleaners collect dust and debris in a bag (disposable or reusable), in a container (using the so-called cyclone filter, in which dust is collected in lumps) or using an aqua filter – passing polluted air through water. Some models allow the use of various dust collectors – a regular bag or a cyclone filter, or, for example, a bag and an aqua filter. The fundamental difference between the various methods of collecting dust is how exactly you have to care for the device. So, the container will have to be emptied manually on a regular basis (which means the need for contact with dust), and if there is an aquafilter, the user will only need to pour out the dirty water. Finally, we remind you that although disposable bags are convenient (they only need to be replaced when filling), they are consumables, and therefore, their use will entail additional costs.
Dust container capacity . Various models are equipped with dust collectors of various sizes, designed for rooms of their size. The smaller the dust collector, the more often you will have to be distracted by emptying and cleaning it.
Filter system . To avoid getting small dust particles back into the air, fine cleaning systems are installed in modern vacuum cleaners. The best results are shown by models with aqua filters and HEPA filters (designed to filter extra small particles). The presence of such filters is a prerequisite for a modern vacuum cleaner.
Power . It depends on the power how “strong” the vacuum cleaner will be. A low-power vacuum cleaner is also suitable for cleaning relatively clean rooms, but if there are pets or children in the house, then it is better to pay attention to more powerful models. Unfortunately, this parameter is not universal and obvious: not always a model with more power according to the passport will show the best result in real operation. Therefore, before choosing a vacuum cleaner, it would be useful to read user reviews and model reviews on specialized technical Internet resources.
Wet cleaning option . Some models allow wet cleaning (they are also called washing vacuum cleaners). Such devices, using a special nozzle, spray water (or detergent), after which they collect it in a special tank. A washing vacuum cleaner allows you not only to clean the floor more efficiently, but also to wash upholstered furniture, as well as clean carpets.
Availability of accessories . Before choosing a vacuum cleaner, it will be useful to find out which set of nozzles is included in the kit. There can be quite a lot of them: floor and carpet nozzles, special nozzles for laminate, crevice nozzles for cleaning hard-to-reach places, brush nozzles for furniture and clothes. There are even special attachments for grooming pet hair!
Noise level . A vacuum cleaner is a noisy device, and too much noise can cause problems for households (especially in a small apartment). Therefore, if you assume that the noise of a vacuum cleaner can become a hindrance, then it is better to find out in advance how loud the model you are interested in will make noise.

Household vacuum cleaner (also known as construction vacuum cleaner)

Household or construction vacuum cleaner, as a rule, is an enlarged and more powerful (and therefore louder) version of a traditional vacuum cleaner, designed for increased loads and work with more “complex” debris.

Note that almost none of the household vacuum cleaners should, according to the manufacturer, encounter repair debris. Such “inappropriate” use of the device may lead to premature wear of the vacuum cleaner or its components. Reusable filters are especially affected by building dust.

Construction vacuum cleaners, unlike household vacuum cleaners, are specially designed taking into account the fact that it will be necessary to remove the remains of cement mixtures, large fractions (brick fragments and chips). Many of these devices have the ability to connect directly to “garbage” electric tools – jigsaws, grinders, rotary hammers, etc.

It is clear that when choosing such a device, “omnivorousness” and power come first. Elegant appearance and reduced noise level in this case are usually not expected.

The capacity of the dust collector of a construction vacuum cleaner can be several tens of liters, and the device itself can almost always work with bags – both disposable and reusable.

Although cleaning water is not usually the most requested function of a vacuum cleaner, the need for it periodically arises. With the help of a household vacuum cleaner, you can easily remove a puddle in front of the porch of a country house, collect water from the bathroom floor after a water pipe leak, remove melted snow from the floor of the car interior or water from the toilet siphon before removing it.

Such a device is useful if you are planning a small (or major) renovation in your apartment or are fond of all kinds of homemade products (for example, related to wood processing). This vacuum cleaner is also recommended for cottages, workshops and garages.

Well, after the repair is completed, a construction vacuum cleaner can easily begin to play the role of a household one – of course, if you are ready to put up with its rather big dimensions and increased noise level.

Upright vacuum cleaner

Upright vacuum cleaners, which have become widespread in recent years, are in a fundamentally different category than traditional vacuum cleaners. If the latter are designed for a full and thorough cleaning of the entire apartment, then upright vacuum cleaners rather serve as an electric broom and are designed for cleaning not too polluted rooms. They are also used in everyday mode – when you need to quickly remove a small space (sand in the shoe storage area or spilled cereal in the kitchen).

Roidmi X20 Upright Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

The main advantages of upright vacuum cleaners are compactness, light weight and battery operation. Key (possible) disadvantages are insufficient power, short battery life and poor design solutions.

So, what parameters should you pay attention to when choosing an upright vacuum cleaner?

Power . If traditional and household vacuum cleaners are rarely deprived of a powerful motor, and more often even have a more powerful motor than required, then for compact cordless vacuum cleaners, insufficient power can become the very “bottleneck” separating a useful device from a useless one. When choosing an upright vacuum cleaner, you must definitely pay attention to the power of the device and make sure that it will be sufficient for cleaning the room. As in the case of “large” models, it is not recommended to focus only on the numbers declared by the manufacturer: the actual performance of the device does not always correlate with them in the expected way.
Battery capacity and operating time . But in this parameter, the manufacturer almost never cheats. Before buying an upright vacuum cleaner, be sure to find out how long it can work without recharging, as well as how long it will take to fully charge the battery. Of course, few battery models are still capable of fully cleaning an apartment with an area of one hundred square meters, but if you plan to buy a vertical vacuum cleaner for a studio apartment or a one-room apartment, then it would be logical to opt for the model that can cope with cleaning the premises for once, without additional recharging.
Weight . If you plan to use an upright vacuum cleaner for a full, rather than short-term cleaning, then you should not forget that you will be holding it in your hands all this time, and therefore, the device should not be too heavy. If the vacuum cleaner is purchased for occasional use, then the importance of this parameter is not so great.

Complete set (existence of nozzles) . Like its older counterparts, a good upright vacuum cleaner is not only equipped with a wide range of nozzles (here we can recall a turbo brush for the floor, and a special brush for furniture, and a crevice nozzle, and brushes for cleaning textiles, and additional extension tubes), but also designed in such a way in such a way that all these nozzles can easily reach the most remote and hard-to-reach places, including the vacuum cleaner should be convenient to use under furniture and in narrow aisles.
Wet cleaning option . Although the vast majority of upright vacuum cleaners are designed for dry dust only, some models also allow wet cleaning. This function is implemented with the help of a special nozzle for washing the floor – a tank for a small amount of water and a washing cloth, which is automatically moistened. Wet cleaning can be an excellent function: such a vacuum cleaner, of course, will not clean old and severe dirt (there are other devices for general cleaning – steam generators or steam mops), but combining daily floor sweeping with wet cleaning makes life much easier.
Illuminated . Another useful feature that not every upright vacuum cleaner has is LED floor lighting. Such a trifle can significantly increase the comfort of using a vacuum cleaner: you don’t have to specifically shine a flashlight under the bed to see how thoroughly the dirt has been removed.
Docking station . Upright vacuum cleaners are traditionally mounted on the wall using a special device that acts as a charging station. When choosing an upright vacuum cleaner, you need to make sure that the docking station can be easily mounted in the chosen place and will not interfere with other furniture.

Robot vacuum cleaners

Unlike all of the above devices, robot vacuum cleaners belong to a fundamentally different class of devices, although they perform the same task – they clean dirt and dust in the apartment.

The key feature of the robot vacuum cleaner is that it cleans the apartment on its own, without the direct participation of the owner. We can say that such a device is intended for everyday maintenance of cleanliness, and not for cleaning heavily polluted premises.

The power of such a device will be significantly lower than that of other types of vacuum cleaners, but the efficiency of robotic vacuum cleaners is quite high. It is achieved due to the fact that the robot daily (or according to another convenient schedule) bypasses the room and collects small amounts of debris and dust, which would slowly accumulate without its participation. It is unlikely that you will notice that the apartment has become significantly cleaner after one or two launches of the robot, but if you start using it regularly, the changes will soon become apparent: there will be less dust under your feet, and general cleaning will need to be done less often.

Most robot vacuum cleaners are very similar to each other, they have the same (or similar) brushes and operate on the same principle. Therefore, the difference between different models may not be obvious.

What features should I look for when choosing a robot vacuum cleaner?

Battery capacity and operating time . One of the key parameters on which the efficiency of the robot vacuum cleaner depends is the battery capacity and battery life. The longer the vacuum cleaner runs without recharging, the more area it can clean.
Wet cleaning option . Wet cleaning is far from the main function of robotic vacuum cleaners, but many of them are still equipped with a special container for water and rags for wet cleaning. The ability to not only automatically remove dust, but also wipe the floor is a useful bonus (however, wet cleaning will require the personal participation of the owner).
Various programs and firmware available . The efficiency of the robot vacuum cleaner largely depends on how “smart” the device turns out to be. Many models are able to build a map of the room, which increases the efficiency of cleaning, others simply wander around the apartment, turning in different directions when encountering obstacles. Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict how effective this or that model will be based on its description: we came across both relatively simple models that showed good results, and “smart” devices that, in an attempt to build a map of the room, finally got confused and, as a result, left uncleaned plots. Thus, the best way to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular model is to study reviews on specialized sites and read user reviews. In the same section, we will mention such things as the ability of the vacuum cleaner to adequately respond to obstacles (thresholds and steps), as well as the ability to install special barriers (usually IR emitters) that block the passage of the vacuum cleaner into those areas where it should not go.
Remote control and smartphone control . The vast majority of robotic vacuum cleaners are equipped with a remote control, and the most “advanced” devices can be connected to a home Wi-Fi network and controlled from a mobile application, so you can give commands to the robot from literally anywhere in the world.
Schedule setting . Almost all robotic vacuum cleaners have a scheduled cleaning setting, but not all models have it successfully implemented. Since many users prefer the robot to take care of the apartment in the absence of the owners themselves, the ability to easily and easily set up a cleaning schedule is, in our opinion, one of the key features that you need to pay attention to. A good robot vacuum cleaner will allow you to create several cleaning scenarios at once on weekdays, on weekends, or on selected days of the week, which will allow the owner not to return to this issue after the initial setup.

Note that today there are many similar models on the market of robotic vacuum cleaners, which demonstrate very different cleaning quality (the reason for this is a different level of quality of the firmware). In addition, many models turn out to be frankly inconvenient to manage (for example, they do not allow you to set a schedule for selected days) or they are poorly oriented in the room (they begin to “get confused” between furniture legs and, as a result, do not clean some rooms). Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to find out how successful this or that model will turn out to be in reality, having studied only its documentation and promotional materials.

Specialized vacuum cleaners

In addition to the vacuum cleaners described above, you can find highly specialized devices designed to perform some special tasks.

This includes car vacuum cleaners, as well as specific models designed, for example, to care for mattresses (one such device came to us for testing some time ago).

There are also special vacuum cleaners for dust mites, dry cleaners (extractors), vacuum cleaners for pool maintenance, compact handheld vacuum cleaners for maintaining computers and household appliances, professional vacuum cleaners designed for working with power tools, and other specific models, consider which we will not discuss in this review.

Deerma Mites Vacuum-Cl Handheld Dust Mite Vacuum Cleaner

However, it’s worth mentioning their existence: what if someone needs just such a special device!

Conclusions

There are four main types of devices on the vacuum cleaner market today: conventional (traditional) vacuum cleaners, household vacuum cleaners, upright vacuum cleaners and robotic vacuum cleaners.

All of them are widely used in apartments and private houses, but each of these categories of devices has its own “specialization” (although, of course, partly all of them can replace each other in case of urgent need).

The choice of the most suitable type of vacuum cleaner and a specific model is determined primarily by the tasks that are supposed to be solved using the device: a traditional vacuum cleaner is better for daily cleaning of an apartment, in case of repair, a household (industrial) device cannot be dispensed with, and if the user is faced with a task spend as little time as possible cleaning the house, then the robot vacuum cleaner will become the main assistant in this matter.

Note that different types of these devices do not replace (or at least not completely replace) each other, and therefore, in many cases, the best solution would be to buy two vacuum cleaners at once. For example, for a private home, it makes sense to purchase a large household vacuum cleaner for quick and efficient cleaning of large areas, and in addition to it, a robot vacuum cleaner for daily dealing with dust and pet hair.

Braava vacuum cleaner comparison

Braava Jet M6
Braava Jet 250

*Choose a product to compare.

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Yes

“, “Damp cleaning”:”

“, “Dry Clean”:”

Yes

“, “Ideal for hard floors”:”

Yes

“, “Moves back and forth to mimic human movement”:”

Yes

“, “Maximum Wall Cling Design”:”

Yes

“, “Braava jet Hard Floor Cleaner Compatible”:”

Yes

“, “Perfect for indoors”:”

Large rooms and multi-room homes

“, “Disposable and reusable wipes supported”:”

Yes

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The 15 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023

Our pick

Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352

Find the right vacuum for your needs

Best overall vacuum

Our pick

Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352

Best canister vacuum

Upgrade pick

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Dyson V12 Detect Slim

Best robot vacuum

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iRobot Roomba i4 EVO

iRobot Roomba i4+ EVO

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Best budget vacuum

Best handheld vacuum

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Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit

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Best vacuum for pet hair

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Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352

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iRobot Roomba i4 EVO

Best vacuum for allergies and asthma

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Miele Complete C3 Calima

Best vacuum for bare floors

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Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDh3020FL

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Miele Complete C3 Calima

Best vacuum for cars

Our pick

Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit

Buying Options

Also great

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Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDh3020FL

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Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L

Frequently asked questions

Which vacuum has the strongest suction?

Which is better, bagless or bagged vacuums?

Are expensive vacuum cleaners worth it?

Meet your guide

Further reading

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The Best Upright and Canister Vacuums

The Best Robot Vacuums

The 6 Best Vacuum Cleaners – Spring 2023: Reviews

Best Vacuum

Best Mid-Range Vacuum

Best Budget Vacuum

Best Corded Vacuum

Best Mid-Range Corded Vacuum

Best Budget Corded Vacuum

Notable Mentions

Recent Updates

All Reviews

How to Choose a Vacuum Cleaner: Helping You Determine the Criteria

Vacuum cleaner ordinary, classic, traditional

Household vacuum cleaner (also known as construction vacuum cleaner)

Upright vacuum cleaner

Robot vacuum cleaners

Specialized vacuum cleaners

Conclusions

Braava vacuum cleaner comparison

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