The 13 Best Vacuum Cleaners, Tested by Real People – ryan

Madison Yauger is a shopping editor who regularly covers home products, including vacuums. Amy Schulman is an Amazon shopping editor and strategist focusing on trends in home products. Camryn Rabideau is a writer with over eight years of experience reviewing home, kitchen, and pet products. Our team resourced the testing insights from our vacuum tests conducted at home and in our New York-based lab and reached out to experts.

If there’s one cleaning tool that’s absolutely necessary in every household, it’s a high-quality vacuum. The right vacuum will make it easy to keep your floors spotless, and many can also help clean furniture, curtains, and even car upholstery.

We’ve spent countless hours testing nearly 400 vacuums both at home and in our lab. We’ve tried everything from high-end cordless stick vacuums to powerful handhelds, and we evaluate them all on key factors like suction power, cleaning performance, and ease of use. Read more about the best vacuums PEOPLE tested in every category, as well as tips to find the best option for your home.

Our Top Picks

Meet Our Experts

Dr. Purvi S. Parikh is an allergist at NYU Langone Health and a clinical assistant professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Dr. Shyam Joshi is the chief scientific officer of Nectar Allergy Center in New York and an assistant professor of medicine with a focus on allergy and clinical immunology at Oregon Health and Science University.

Reviews

Best Vacuum Under $200: Kenmore Allergen Seal Bagless Upright Vacuum

People / Henry Wortock

Of all the vacuums under $200 that we’ve tested, the Kenmore DU2015 is one of the best. Despite its budget-friendly price, it packs a serious punch in terms of suction, creating a tight seal for efficient cleaning on hard floors and carpeting. It easily picked up debris of all sizes during testing, and we love that it transitions smoothly from rugs to hard floors and vice versa. Plus, you can turn off the brush roll as needed if you’re vacuuming debris like cat litter.

This vacuum isn’t as easy to maneuver as other more expensive picks, but it’s still manageable. It would work well in households with pets, as hair doesn’t tangle up the brush roll, and overall, it’s a well-priced option that will deliver a deep clean in your home.

What We Think Now

After six months of testing this Kenmore vacuum, we’re still impressed with its suction power and reliable brush roll. We’ve been using it in a home with five women (and so much hair!), and it keeps the hardwood floors spotless without the brush roll getting tangled. It has proven to be a workhorse in all areas of the home — we’ve used the attachments to clean couches, curtains, and even the kitchen island.

Best Upright Vacuum: Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Vacuum

People / Dera Burreson

The Shark Navigator Deluxe is one of those vacuums that makes the chore go by faster due to its ease of use and powerful suction. The assembly was quick — it only had three sections that clipped in together easily. When it came to performance, this upright vacuum was lightweight enough to maneuver around furniture and across floors like hardwood and tile (carpet requires a little extra push, and it’s not ideal for vacuuming stairs). It suctioned up all stray crumbs, pet hair, and dirt. Plus, the HEPA filter grabs any pollen and other allergens. Other reasons to love this vacuum: It’s quiet, simple to empty, and reasonably priced compared to other large vacuums.

What We Think Now

The Shark Navigator Deluxe continues to impress. It has some wear but suctions up pet hair and other debris without issue. It’s simple to maneuver, lightweight to carry and store, and easy to clean out when you’re finished vacuuming.

Best Cordless Vacuum: Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum

People / Dera Burreson

It’s hard to beat the convenience of a cordless vacuum cleaner, and the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum is one of the best we tested. It excelled at debris cleanup with impressive suction even on the lower mode (we didn’t need the high mode). The Shark vacuum even grabbed dirt and pet hair from a washable rug without separating the top layer from the bottom.

It did get stuck on the edge of the rug, but once addressed, the vacuum carried on impressively. It easily maneuvered around furniture and into corners. Its light weight makes carrying it around the house a breeze, and the battery lasts for 25 minutes on the lowest setting (11 minutes on high). While the battery life is not as long as a Dyson’s (some can run up to an hour on the lowest setting), for a standard cordless stick vacuum, this has a great run time. Plus, it has a HEPA filter.

Experts Say

Dr. Joshi finds HEPA filters to be one of the most important aspects of anyone’s vacuum search. He says a vacuum should be “used with an appropriately designed HEPA filter and seal, thus reducing the risk of contaminants escaping into the air when vacuuming.” While size, price, dustbin capacity, and attachments are extra components to consider, this is one to keep top of mind throughout the process.

Best Vacuum for Pet Hair: Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum

People / Henry Yung

This Shark vacuum has exceptionally powerful suction, effectively removing cat hair, outside dirt, and crumbs. It also has “Odor Neutralizer Technology,” which aids in eliminating pet odors and other unpleasant household scents. Its HEPA filter captures and contains airborne allergens such as pet dander, dust, and pollen. We evaluated its performance in a multi-level home with two shedding cats and two young children, and we can confirm that it delivers on its promises. It’s a great option for quickly cleaning up that daily mess around the litter box.

However, due to its high-powered design, this vacuum operates at a relatively loud volume. On a positive note, the large canister requires less frequent emptying compared to other models. While the detachable hose and attachments are beneficial, the vacuum tends to tip over during their use. Despite these minor drawbacks, this Shark model is our top pick for a pet hair vacuum.

What We Think Now

After six months of testing, this Shark’s suction is as strong as the day the vacuum arrived. We’ve noticed significantly less dust, pet hair, and debris on the floor and in the air thanks to this vacuum. We’re especially impressed with its ability to tackle hard-to-reach areas, which has earned this vacuum a permanent spot in our cleaning arsenal.

Best Robot Vacuum: iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum

People / Rachel Marek

Roomba vacuums are practically synonymous with robot vacs, and this basic model was the winner in our robot vacuum test, thanks to its effectiveness on all types of flooring, from hardwood and tile to carpeting. It took less than five minutes to get this robot vacuum going after unboxing it, including downloading the app and getting scheduling set up on our phones.

As robots can only do so much that humans cannot, the Roomba had some issues detecting the edges of rugs and carpeting, staying away from those areas as if it sensed a drop-off or staircase. With this in mind, you may have to nudge it along when it gets to the edge of a surface, but it is fantastic at maneuvering around obstacles like chair legs and couches. This robot vacuum doesn’t have mapping technology, but for an appliance that can effectively clean for you while you go about your day, we’d say this model is as good as it gets.

What We Think Now

We’ve used this iRobot vacuum weekly for six months and continue to be delighted by how efficiently it sucks up dirt, debris, and hair. It’s impressive — and disgusting — how much grime the vacuum picks up off the floors.

Best Wet-Dry Vacuum: Bissell TurboClean Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner

People / Henry Wortock

If you like to vacuum and mop the floors in your home, a wet-dry vacuum can be a huge timesaver. The Bissell TurboClean was the best option we tested, proving equally effective at cleaning dry and wet debris. It vacuums and sanitizes, though we did learn that it’s not the best for sucking up large pieces of debris.

The wet-dry vacuum has a sleek design that’s easy to maneuver around your home. Your floors will definitely have that shiny clean look to them, you just might have to stop once or twice to empty the water tank because it’s small and dirties as quickly as the machine cleans.

What We Think Now

We tested this vacuum for six months, and it became our go-to cleaning device for after-dinner messes. We think this vacuum is perfect for homes with kids since it handles sticky floors like a champ. However, it does require a bit more maintenance than your standard mop, since you’ll need to clean the water tank and roller often.

Best Handheld Vacuum: Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum

People / Dera Burreson

When we tested dustbusters and handheld vacuums, this Shark model blew us away with its design and functionality. First, it’s just pretty to look at with a sleek, seamless design that is so nice you could leave it out on display. The performance was stellar, too: It easily lifted all debris from upholstery, even suctioning the fabric a little with its power.

The attachments, such as the crevice tool, simplified the cleaning process and got hard-to-reach crumbs without much effort. Once it was filled with crumbs, feathers, and more, the vacuum’s dustbin was simple to empty and clean without making a mess.

Best Dyson Vacuum: Dyson V8 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

People / Dera Burreson

If you want the powerful cleaning abilities of a Dyson without the sky-high price tag, we recommend the Dyson V8 Absolute, a tried-and-true model that’s one of the most affordable options in the brand’s lineup. It comes with two floorheads — a fluffy option for hard floors and the Motorbar cleaner head for carpeting — and the latter has hair-removal vanes that prevent pet hair from tangling around its brush roll as you clean.

We found that this vacuum runs for around 40 minutes on its standard suction setting, but if you turn it up to “Max” mode, that runtime drops to around 10 minutes. The vacuum’s dustbin is easy to empty without removing the wand, and it comes with a convenient wall-mounted charging dock.

The More You Know

A quality vacuum should last around eight years, but some brands, such as Dyson, offer a 10-year limited warranty. Check your vacuum’s warranty for coverage details, as some warranties do not cover all parts or aspects of the vacuum.

Best Shark Vacuum: Shark Powerdetect Vacuum with TruePet Upgrade

People / Henry Wortock

If you’re searching for sheer suction power, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than the new Shark Powerdetect, which is the most powerful of the Shark vacuums we tested. This upright vacuum automatically detects the floor type and amount of debris and adjusts its suction power accordingly for a deeper clean, and it’s able to pull in debris from several inches away — that’s how strong it is!

This Shark vacuum is quite heavy, but its self-propelled design makes it easier to push across the floor. It works equally well on hard floors and thick carpeting, thanks to its dual-brush roll design, but we did notice that long hairs occasionally get tangled in the brush and need to be cut off.

Best Car Vacuum: Ridgid Cordless Hand Vacuum

People / Dera Burreson

We love the Ridgid Hand Vacuum for many reasons, and we’re not alone — this vacuum was recommended by experts when we tested the best car vacuums. Between the high suction and huge debris chamber, there’s no mess too big for this vacuum. The design allows for a comfortable grip so you can hold it for extended periods of time. Plus, the filter is washable, so no matter how much grime it suctions up, it’s easily cleanable.

Since it has such a large chamber, this vacuum is a little bulky to store, but you can easily keep it in the trunk of your vehicle or your garage. If we have one gripe, it’s that the battery and charger are sold separately, but it’s a one-time inconvenience, so we’ll let it slide, given the high quality of this machine.

Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors: Dyson Omni-Glide+ Vacuum

People

If your home has mostly hard flooring, the Omni-Glide was a standout for us when testing vacuums for hardwood floors due to its sleek design, lightweight feel, and easy mobility. It performed fabulously on tile, hardwood floors, and even stairs — in less than a minute, it was able to suck up debris like hair and popcorn, and its noise level was considerably lower than others we’ve tried.

We think this is the perfect vacuum for small spots and quick cleanups because of its agile design. (You can fold it flat to fit under low furniture!) However, its slender canister can only hold about 0.2 liters of debris, so you’ll have to empty it more frequently when vacuuming large areas. There’s no onboard storage for attachments, so you’ll have to store those separately.

The More You Know

The advertised battery life of cordless vacuums generally isn’t accurate when it comes to real-life use. If a brand lists a maximum run time, it’s generally based on the vacuum’s lowest suction setting with a non-motorized tool attached (a.k.a. not the floorhead).

Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair: Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S Max

People / Julee Evans

In homes with pets, you’re going to need a special robot vacuum that can keep up with large amounts of hair, and the Eufy BoostIQ 11S Max is the best robot vacuum for pet hair we’ve tested. This vacuum automatically detects the flooring type and debris and adjusts its suction for maximum efficiency, and its low-profile design can fit under furniture that others can’t.

We particularly love this robot vacuum’s edge-cleaning mode, which is great for picking up dust bunnies in the corners of your home, and the Eufy does a great job transitioning between different flooring types. However, this vacuum doesn’t have an app, so its features are quite basic and you’re not able to schedule more than one cleaning per day.

Best Lightweight Vacuum: Dyson V12 Detect Slim Vacuum

People / Dera Burreson

At a Glance

Easy to carry around and push
Effective laser dirt detection
Longer-than-average runtime
Small dustbin

Weighing in at just over 5 pounds, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a great option if you want a lightweight vacuum that’s easy to handle. It’s compact enough for anyone to use, yet it still offers powerful cleaning prowess that will have your floors looking spic and span. We were especially impressed with its fluffy floorhead, which does a great job on hardwoods and has a laser that illuminates specs of dirt and dust for a more thorough clean.

Unlike many Dyson cordless vacuums, this model has an on/off power switch — not a trigger — and it can run for up to an hour on its low suction setting. It also has a countdown timer on its screen that shows you exactly how much battery is left. Its dustbin is smaller than most, though, which often results in frequent trips to the trash can for emptying.

What We Learned

Cleaning Style Matters: If you hate cleaning, opt for a robot vacuum that will do it for you. If you’re into deep cleaning, an upright or canister vacuum may be more your style. Cordless stick vacuums are great for someone who falls somewhere in the middle.
Pet Hair Tangles: Pet hair (and human hair) poses a challenge for many vacuum cleaners, and it occasionally gets stuck in the brush head. Yes, this even happens to most “no tangle” brush heads.
Battery Life Expectations: While it might not sound like a long time, a quality cordless vacuum can run for up to 25 or 30 minutes without needing a recharge — plenty of time to clean the floors in the average home. Cheaper stick vacuums run for 10 to 15 minutes, while more expensive picks can clean for almost an hour on the low setting.

What to Know About Vacuum Cleaners

Types of Vacuums

There are so many different types of vacuums that it can make your head spin. Here’s what you should know about the major players, so you can find the best option for your home.

Upright: For large, messy homes, upright vacuums offer powerful suction and large dustbins, and they’re generally plug-in models, which means you have unlimited runtime. Our best upright pick is the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Vacuum. However, upright vacuums are often quite heavy, making them harder to push across carpet and tricky to carry up and down stairs.
Stick: Stick vacuums are all the rage right now, thanks to their lightweight, compact forms. They’re commonly cordless, meaning they run on batteries, which limits their runtime. Stick vacuums have smaller dustbins than upright models, but you really can’t beat the convenience for quick cleaning jobs.
Canister: Similar to upright models, canister vacuums are typically corded, offering unlimited cleaning time and unwavering suction power. They’re also more manageable, as the main body of the vacuum rolls along behind you as you clean, and you just have to push the wand portion of the device. That said, canister vacuums take up more storage space due to their two-piece construction.
Handheld: If you’re cleaning your car or furniture, handheld vacuums are compact and lightweight, allowing you to get into all those hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. They’re generally cordless with small dustbins, making them easy to handle, but they’re really only useful for the smallest cleaning jobs.
Robot: While they can’t replace a full-size vacuum for deep cleaning, robot vacuums are great if you want to pick up dirt, dust, and hair daily. They offer autonomous light-duty cleaning abilities but can be noisy, take a long time to clean, and may get tripped up on obstacles like power cords.
Wet-dry: The latest craze in the cleaning world, wet-dry vacuums can simultaneously vacuum and mop your hard floors, combining two chores into one easy step. They’re great for getting up stains and scuffs on hardwood or tile, but they often struggle with larger debris and can’t replace a regular vacuum for cleaning carpeting.

Corded vs. Cordless

There are perks to both corded and cordless vacuums, so it’s really a matter of which option fits your lifestyle best. Corded vacuums offer unlimited cleaning time and consistent suction, and they’re often a bit more powerful. However, you’re limited by a power cord and may have to move from one outlet to another as you clean throughout your home.

On the other hand, cordless vacuums are much more convenient, as you can clean anywhere without worrying about whether there’s a plug nearby — you can even take them outside to your car. Our pick for the best cordless vacuum is the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum. The caveat is that their runtime is limited and can range anywhere from 10 minutes to more than an hour per charge. Keep in mind that higher suction settings drain their batteries faster, and in cheaper models, battery life can decrease over time.

People / Dera Burreson

Filters Affect Performance

As your vacuum sucks up dirt and debris, it’s also collecting smaller particles of dust, pollen, and dander. A vacuum with a good filter — namely, a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter — will trap these particles and keep them from being expelled back into your home. This is especially important if someone in your household has allergies. Both bagged and bagless vacuums should have a HEPA filter that you change regularly.

“With bagged (vacuum) cleaners, you do not have to change the filter as often, but if you do not have a model that alerts you, some of the allergens can start coming out when it’s too full,” says Dr. Parikh. While bagged vacuum cleaners offer less allergen exposure during the emptying process, it’s important to properly maintain your vacuum and use a mask and gloves when emptying the dustbin or changing a very full vacuum bag. All of our recommended vacuums are bagless.

Size Matters

Consider the size of your home, if you have pets, and how often you vacuum before investing in a vacuum cleaner. If you live in a small apartment, you’ll likely want a more compact model with a smaller dustbin. If you’re running a big house with kids and pets, you need a bigger device, like our best upright pick, the Shark Navigator Swivel Pro Upright Vacuum. It’s on the bulkier side, but it has a good-sized dustbin, so you won’t have to empty it mid-clean.

On a similar note, consider the weight of each vacuum before you buy. Powerful upright models like the Shark Powerdetect can be quite heavy — close to 20 pounds — which makes them more strenuous to operate and challenging to carry up and down stairs. For those with mobility limitations, it’s best to opt for a lightweight vacuum, such as the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, which is just 5 pounds.

Dustbin Capacity Is Key

Like the size of the machine, you’ll want to seriously consider the size of the dustbin. If you’re vacuuming large areas regularly (daily or close to it), you may not want to empty the dustbin during your cleans, making a model like the Shark Powerdetect a great option.

On the other hand, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, which features a smaller dustbin, would suit the type of user looking to clean a small apartment or just one messy room at a time (like a kitchen in a busy household).

People / Henry Wortock

Attachments Aren’t Always Included

Most vacuum cleaners come with at least one attachment, but if you’re looking for a machine that can clean beyond the floor, look closely at what extra accessories are included. Those who want to vacuum their car interior, couch cushions, drapes, and high shelves should double-check that their pick comes with crevice tools, dust brushes, and extendable arms.

Also, consider where you’re going to store these attachments. Some vacuums have on-board storage, while others, such as the Dyson V8 Absolute, have a docking station with space for cleaning tools. Otherwise, having a dedicated storage box will keep you from losing these helpful little accessories.

Price Varies

Vacuums can range wildly, from just $50 to over $1,000. A less expensive device like the Kenmore DU2015 Upright Vacuum won’t have as many bells and whistles as, for instance, a Dyson, but you’ll still get solid cleaning performance. Our testing has indicated that for up to $200, you can snag a vacuum that’s highly reviewed, comes with useful accessories, and has enough power to suction up big debris.

People / Dera Burreson

Behind the Scenes

We have tested nearly 400 vacuums, focusing on eight key performance metrics: ease of setup, effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, noise level, versatility, portability, and value.

Setup: We looked at how straightforward the vacuum was to assemble out of the box, noting how long it took and how clear the instructions were.
Effectiveness: We created an obstacle course of scattered popcorn kernels, crunched up Cheerios, and even smushed faux hairballs into high-pile carpets to really put each tool to the test. Each cleaning job was timed on a stopwatch to see which devices could effectively clean each surface the quickest.
Maneuverability: Each vacuum was evaluated on how intuitive it was when it came to commonplace furniture. (Did it easily glide around chair legs? Suck up debris stuck in corners?)
Emptying: We also noted how easy it was to empty the dustbin, comparing both the size of the compartment and the ease of emptying the contents.
Noise Level: Each vacuum was tested to see how loud it was. We measured the decibel level and noted how easy it was to hold a conversation while the vacuum was on.
Versatility: We looked at how the vacuum performed on multiple surfaces, including hardwood floors and low-, medium-, and high-pile carpets. We noted if the vacuum had different settings available for each surface, and how it performed transitioning from one surface to the next.
Value: Each test was given a score from one to five, with the winners selected based on an average of scores.

Using our testers’ insights, we scored each product on a scale of one to five in all the different areas. We compiled the data, and two of the top-scoring products are the Kenmore Allergen Seal Bagless Upright Vacuum and the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum. Since our initial vacuum test, we are constantly trying new models and retesting tried-and-true picks to ensure we are bringing you the best of the best in each vacuum cleaner guide.

People / Dera Burreson

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