Best Overall
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Vacuum
- Effectiveness5/5
- Maneuverability5/5
- Ease of Emptying4/5
- Portability4.8/5
- Noise Level2.5/5
- This upright model works well on all surfaces and easily turns into a handheld vacuum within seconds.
This upright model works well on all surfaces and easily turns into a handheld vacuum within seconds.
- It’s heavier weight and larger size make it bulky to move up and down stairs.
It’s heavier weight and larger size make it bulky to move up and down stairs.
The Shark Navigator is an upright model with a variety of convenient features that surpassed our expectations during the testing process. One of these is its lift-away function, which instantly turns it into a handheld. Simply lift the canister and pull out the attached hose with a suction head to toggle between cleaning floors to upholstery or stairs.
Additionally, the Shark touts its “Anti-Allergen Complete Seal,” which claims to keep it better sealed than other vacuums of its kind, with no risk that the bacteria or viruses it catches will escape through the dustbin. Another plus is its 25-foot power cord and larger .9-quart dustbin.
We put the vacuum through a series of tests on a variety of floor textures—grouted tile, carpet, and hardwood— and it removed hair and debris in under a minute without any attachments.
Even without the use of the crevice tool, it still got the edges of the rooms completely clean. We also gave it high marks on maneuverability, as it was an incredibly smooth transition from hardwood to carpeted flooring. The powerful suction and its effectiveness on the upholstered chair test impressed us.
The Shark Navigator went underneath furniture with ease and did well in the corners of the room. That’s likely because of the swivel steering, which makes it easier to navigate despite its larger size.
That larger size, however, made it slightly difficult to navigate on stairs—weighing just under 16 pounds, it was bulky and hard to move from one stair to the other. And some hair did get stuck in the brush roller, which took elbow grease to remove.
Product Details: Weight: 15.96 pounds | Dustbin Capacity: .9 quarts |Accessories: Crevice Tool, Upholstery Tool | Power Source: Corded
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Budget
Kenmore Compact Bagless Canister Vacuum
- Effectiveness4.8/5
- Maneuverability5/5
- Ease of Emptying4.8/5
- Portability4.8/5
- Noise Level4.5/5
- It's a canister vacuum that doesn't necessarily require two hands to operate.
It's a canister vacuum that doesn't necessarily require two hands to operate.
- It was not easy to remove hair wrapped around the brush because the brush is not removable.
It was not easy to remove hair wrapped around the brush because the brush is not removable.
The Kenmore Compact Canister Vacuum is sleek compared to similar models. Better yet, it's cheaper than our other top favorites—and just as effective. During testing, we were amazed by how well it performed on hard surfaces, carpeted floors, and upholstery, picking up debris equally well on each (spitting out only a few larger grains).
Maneuverability can be a challenge for canister vacuums as they consist of two pieces—the canister itself and the vacuum head. Moving the Kenmore around obstacles was easy, and the components such as the vacuum head, the hose, and the wheels moved smoothly.
It's so lightweight and easy to drag that it doesn't require two hands to operate, which is a huge plus. We did wish the power cord was a hair longer (it's 16 feet), but it's great that it retracts into the body of the canister rather than needing to be wrapped up when you're finished using it.
The biggest drawback we found with this model is that the brushroll is difficult to clean because you can't remove it from the vacuum. Some hair was tangled around the brush during testing and we had trouble getting it out.
Product Details: Weight: 15 pounds | Dustbin Capacity: .6 pounds | Accessories: Dusting Brush, Crevice Tool, Floor Brush | Power Source: Corded
- BETTER HOMES and GARDEN / DERA BURRESON
BETTER HOMES and GARDEN / DERA BURRESON
Best Splurge
Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum
- Ease of Setup5/5
- Effectiveness5/5
- Maneuverability5/5
- Ease of Emptying4.8/5
- Portability4.8/5
- This Dyson is a tech-lover’s dream that displays just how many microns of dust, debris, and pollutants it’s sucked up during a clean.
This Dyson is a tech-lover’s dream that displays just how many microns of dust, debris, and pollutants it’s sucked up during a clean.
- It’s a very, very pricey vacuum.
It’s a very, very pricey vacuum.
The Gen5detect is touted as Dyson’s most powerful cordless vacuum with a HEPA filter, which makes it extra impressive that it’s so quiet model. With a level that ranges from 75-82 decibels, it’s possible to have a conversation or watch TV when it’s in use.
We recorded just over 51 minutes of continuous battery life on its lowest setting (there are three: eco, auto, and boost), although Dyson’s website says it can last up to 70 minutes at a time.
Dyson is also known for its abundance of attachments, so those with multiple floor types will likely need to swap the heads during cleaning. For hard floors, we used the fluffy cleaner head, which removed most (but not all) debris in one pass. It was slightly faster to run on hardwood over grouted tile due to its smoother surface.
The Dyson removed hair and debris in one pass on the high- and medium-pile carpet. It worked in about half the time (and with fewer swipes) than it did on hardwood and grouted tile. Cleaning larger pieces of debris was easier on carpets, but cleaning hair off any surface was a breeze using the hair tool.
It earned high marks for maneuverability: the vacuum turns 180 degrees while keeping the handle still, making it great to navigate on stairs and around corners (and for those dark corners, there’s an LED light on the head). It was easy to navigate from hard floor to carpet, and adept around table legs and other barriers.
As for the features and attachments that were most useful, we especially liked the aforementioned fluffy cleaner head and hair tool, the crevice tool (a must-have on upholstery and shelves), and the ability to turn it into a handheld model with one click.
We also liked a useful feature on the LCD screen that categorizes and displays the particle sizes (in microns) of the dirt and dust captured during cleaning, and the exact amount collected.
That said, the LCD screen bumps up the price of this already expensive vacuum. But, for those really invested in the HEPA filter’s capabilities, it might be their new favorite feature.
Product Details: Weight: 7.6 pounds | Dustbin Capacity: .8 quarts |Accessories: Combination tool, Digital Motorbar Cleaner Head, Fluffy Optic Cleaner Head, Hair Screw Tool, Built-in Dusting and Crevice Tool | Power Source: Battery
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON
Best Cordless Stick
Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum
- Setup4.9/5
- Effectiveness4.6/5
- Noise Level4.2/5
- Maneuverability5/5
- An incredibly lightweight option that’s great for those who have trouble maneuvering heavy vacuums.
An incredibly lightweight option that’s great for those who have trouble maneuvering heavy vacuums.
- The dustbin is small—you’ll have to empty it fairly often during cleaning.
The dustbin is small—you’ll have to empty it fairly often during cleaning.
The best feature of this Shark Wandvac is its weight: at 2.1 pounds, it would be great for those who struggle with lifting heavier objects. We also appreciated its slim build and swivel head, making it extremely easy to get around furniture legs and other obstacles.
Another interesting feature is its dust cup—at .3 quarts, it’s a small dust cup that will have to be emptied several times during the cleaning process. However, there are two ways to empty it: the traditional way in which the user pulls it out or empties it into the trash, and the self-emptying base.
With the second option, the user simply puts the vacuum back into the dock and it will automatically dispense the dust cup’s contents into a HEPA-sealed bin that holds a month’s worth of pollutants inside, keeping your home and its air considerably cleaner.
While that does take a bit longer than emptying it yourself, there’s less chance of dust clouds messing up your home, and you won’t have to touch the dust more than once a month. For those looking to keep the home as allergen-free as possible, it’s a great feature.
We noted two issues: it’s about as loud as a hair dryer when running, and there’s a learning curve to understanding how to work it. This meant we had to perform a few tests over again, as the first go-around just didn’t work as it should have.
In the first test, hair got stuck to the brush roll and popcorn kernels resisted being sucked in. However, once we figured it out, it immediately performed better. After six months of continuous use at home, we gave this vacuum incredibly high marks, with no diminished battery life or issues that have popped up since that first test.
We also appreciated the charging base, which allows the vacuum to be stored outside a closet, and noted the dust bin self-emptying feature only added a few seconds to our cleaning time in practice. While it might need a few uses to understand how it works, it’s a reliable vacuum.
Product Details: Weight: 2.1 pounds|Dustbin Capacity: .3 quarts|Accessories: Duster Crevice Tool, Pet Multi-Tool|Power Source: Battery
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ELISE WANG
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ELISE WANG
Best Handheld
Nicebay Handheld Vacuum
- Effectiveness4.8/5
- Ease of Emptying3.8/5
- Portability5/5
- Noise Level4.5/5
- For those who want the ease of spot cleaning with the power of a HEPA filter, this is your best option.
For those who want the ease of spot cleaning with the power of a HEPA filter, this is your best option.
- This won’t clean an entire house - it’s best for the car, upholstery, or small areas of the floor.
This won’t clean an entire house - it’s best for the car, upholstery, or small areas of the floor.
While some models on this list can become handheld, it’s less convenient to pull out a large vacuum for spot cleans. A handheld option can be a great supplemental vacuum to have around, as it will work well on quick, unexpected messes, as well as cars or upholstery.
This one by Nicebay earned high marks during the tests. It sucked up both hair and debris quickly, cleaning a high chair and an upholstered chair thoroughly in under four minutes, and worked especially well on the crumbs.
The vacuum has a HEPA filter and a stainless steel filter. Another nice feature is the clear LCD screen, which lets users know when the dust bin is full, how much battery percentage is left, and what mode the vacuum is on.
It should last for up to 26 minutes of continuous use without needing a recharge; we used it for 8 minutes and 68% of the battery was left.
The dustbin posed some issues—the hair ended up getting wrapped up higher than the dustbin, causing us to have to pull the filter out to get it thoroughly cleaned. Still, it’s a sleek model that’s at a reasonable price for a handheld vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Product Details: Weight: 2.7 pounds | Dustbin Capacity: Not listed |Accessories: Brush | Power Source: Battery
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON