Best Reach: Dyson Ball Upright Vacuum
This vacuum’s head automatically adjusts to maintain suction on various floors. The main head uses short, stiff bristles to deeply penetrate carpet. For additional surfaces, such as stairs and upholstery, you can use the included combination and stair tools.
Key Features
Upright design 17.37 pounds 0.52-gallon dustbin 35-foot power cord Five-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Those who gave this vacuum positive reviews liked that it was powerful and versatile enough to clean a number of surfaces. On the other hand, some customers struggled to clean their high-pile carpeting with this machine.
Best Robotic Vacuum: iRobot Roomba Robot Vacuum
Key Features
Robotic design 7.44 pounds 60-day debris capacity One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Happy customers liked this vacuum’s quiet operation, sleek design, and minimal maintenance. However, select users complained about the vacuum getting stuck on certain surfaces, such as high-pile carpet.
Best For Multiple Surfaces: Hoover WindTunnel Upright Vacuum Cleaner
With five height settings on its built-in dial, this vacuum can adjust from high-pile carpets to hardwood floors to clean every surface in your home. For even more versatility, your purchase includes four attachments.
Key Features
Upright design 16.5 pounds 25-foot power cord Two-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Despite its bulky build, customers found this vacuum to be easy to maneuver. They also liked the power cord’s rewind feature. Some customers warned against using it for pet and human hair, though, as it clogged easily.
Best Lightweight Vacuum: Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum
This vacuum doesn’t sacrifice portability or capacity, as it weighs 13.7 pounds and has a 2.2-quart dustbin. It’s lightweight enough to move the whole unit from room to room, but for increased maneuverability, you can detach the body from the frame.
Key Features
Upright design 13.7 pounds 2.2-quart dustbin 30-foot power cord Five-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Users praised this vacuum for its powerful suction that could effectively pick up pet hair. Unhappy customers said that this model was difficult to empty and didn’t hold up to frequent use.
Best Visibility: Shark APEX Upright Vacuum
Designed for pet owners, this vacuum features dual brushes. It uses a larger, stiffer back brush to deep clean carpet and a smaller, softer front brush to pull in the loosened debris. For increased utility, this vacuum has a detachable pod and built-in lighting.
Key Features
Upright design 16 pounds 30-foot power cord Five-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who were happy with this vacuum liked its long power cord and easy-to-empty dustbin. However, unsatisfied customers thought that it was difficult to control with its bulky and heavy design.
Buyer’s Guide
Vacuums come in various shapes and sizes, all promising to deliver a quality clean to your carpeted and hard floors. With so many vacuums to choose from, it can be a chore to find one that makes sense for your home. To help you make an informed purchase, here are some factors to consider.
Vacuum Size and Weight
Standard upright vacuums weigh around 10–15 pounds, though you can find lighter models. Keep your situation in mind when you’re considering size and weight. For instance, if you own a multi-level home and need to carry the vacuum up and down the stairs, you may want to consider a smaller, lighter model. Size is also important when it comes to storage. For example, if you have limited closet space in your home, you don’t want a large, bulky vacuum.
Dustbin Design
Vacuum cleaners store their collected debris in a bagged or bagless chamber. With a bagged vacuum, you can throw the entire bag in the trash can instead of handling its contents. However, you have to have extra bags on hand for future cleans. Bagless vacuums are convenient because users can dump the debris in the trash and reuse the dustbin for future cleaning sessions. The downside to bagless vacuums is that particles are more likely to escape into the air, which can irritate allergies.
Dustbin Size
The size of a vacuum’s dustbin determines how much debris it can collect at one time. This requires a balance because you don’t want a dustbin so large that it’s difficult to maneuver or so small that you have to pause frequently to empty it. A few liters is usually a happy medium.
Filtration
For households with pet owners or allergy sufferers, choose a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to trap airborne particles. Note that this filter will likely require maintenance.
Power
Most models in our review have an upright design, which means they use a cord. While this gives you more power, you’re limited by how far the cord can reach. Conversely, for the models that use a rechargeable battery, you have more portability but less suction power.
Noise
Because they’re powerful, most upright vacuum cleaners make around 70–80 decibels of noise. However, you can find quieter models that fall between 50 and 60 decibels if you’re sensitive to sounds.
Accessories
Consider the accessories that you need to thoroughly clean your house. Many vacuums come with an extension wand, crevice tool, pet hair tool, and dusting brush to clean every area of your home.
Types of Vacuum Cleaners
Since an upright vacuum is the most common option on the market, that’s what we focused on for the majority of our review. However, if you’re looking for an alternative, consider the other vacuum designs below.
Canister
Canister vacuums are meant for deep cleaning because they have a powerful motor and large dustbin. We wouldn’t recommend this model for everyday cleaning, though, as it’s expensive and bulky.
Stick
Stick vacuums get their name because they have a long and skinny body that connects the handle and dustbin on one end to the head on the other. They’re often cordless and lightweight, making them highly portable.
Handheld
Handheld vacuums are slightly smaller and lighter than stick vacuums because they don’t have the long and skinny frame. Because of their small size and limited power, they are a complement to an upright vacuum as opposed to a whole-home cleaning solution.
Robotic
Robotic vacuums clean your home with automated sweeping that you can often program through mobile apps or voice assistants. These hands-free devices take the legwork out of vacuuming, saving you time to do other chores around your home.
Do I need a vacuum with a HEPA filter?
While you don’t need to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, it collects over 99% of fine particles in the air. If you own shedding pets or suffer from allergies, this ensures better air quality.
How often should I vacuum my home?
The frequency at which you vacuum depends on a variety of factors, including the square footage of your home, the number of pets you own, and your sensitivity to allergens. For allergy sufferers and pet owners, vacuum twice a week. For others, once a week should be enough.
How long do vacuum cleaners last?
How long a vacuum cleaner lasts depends on its make and model, frequency of use, and maintenance schedule. However, most vacuums that are properly cared for should last between five and 10 years.
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This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
