When choosing a vacuum cleaner, consider key features like suction power, weight, and maintenance needs. Good suction ensures effective cleaning on various surfaces, while a lightweight design aids maneuverability, especially on stairs. Maintenance should be straightforward, with easy-to-access parts and minimal costs.
In our comprehensive analysis of 100 vacuum cleaners, we identified six top performers, verified as tested, from a pool of 152,328 reviews. Unfortunately, 76% of experts were unreliable, highlighting the importance of filtering out fake reviews. Our approach, which includes certifying products and applying a unique Trust Score, ensures that only the best products make it to our buying guide.
How Did We Rank the Vacuum Cleaners?
Vacuum cleaners need to be versatile, but even the best vacuums can’t do everything. We’ve put together a list of vacuums that are excellent for multiple uses, with some covering multiple criteria – even most of them.
CRITERIA | RANGE | REQUIRED | DEFINITION |
---|---|---|---|
Bare Floor Performance | > 95% | Yes | How much debris the vacuum sucks up when cleaning bare surfaces like tile, vinyl planks, and hardwood floors. |
Carpet Performance | > 75% | Yes | How much debris the vacuum sucks up when cleaning carpets, including low pile and high pile. |
Pet Hair Performance | > 95% | Yes | How much pet hair the vacuum sucks up from any surface. |
Noise Level | < 72 dB | No (Nice to have) | How loud the vacuum is while running and in use. |
When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.
Latest Updates
- 08/13/2024: Republished the list to include the best vacuum cleaners based on our True Score system.
Top Vacuum Cleaners For 2024
Prices accurate at the time of publishing
Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Dyson V15 Detect
Best Carpets
The Dyson V15 Detect excels in versatile home cleaning, with top performance for pet hair and debris removal across all floor types, making it ideal for mixed flooring.
True Score
929119Experts
932kCustomers
Cosmic Wonder
SAVE $200$799.99$599.99Read More
Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Laser illumination technology
- Incredible performance on both carpets and hard floors
- Lightweight design
- Decent battery life
- Anti-allergenic HEPA filter
Reasons to Avoid
- Complicated maneuvrability on deep carpets
- Relatively low-capacity 0.45L dust cup
- Plastic construction
Specifications
Bagless Yes Bin Capacity 0.2 gal Brush Roll Shut-Off No Carpet Height Adjustments Yes Cleaning Path Width 10″ Compatible Floor Type All floors Cord Length Cordless Corded/Cordless Cordless Filter Type Other Hypoallergenic Yes Pet Yes Product Weight 6.7 lbs Vacuum Type Handheld vacuums Wet And Dry Usage No All Specs
Test Results
Bare Floor Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 99 Carpet Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 92 Pet Hair Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 100 Noise Level (dB) 73 All Retailers
- $599.99$800Save $200
- $631.95$750Save $118
- $631.95$750Save $118
Our Verdict
The Dyson V15 Detect stands out as a top choice for versatile home cleaning, especially for pet owners and those with mixed flooring. Its impressive performance includes a 98.59% debris removal rate on hard surfaces and a flawless 100% pet hair removal rate, making it perfect for hardwood, vinyl, and tile floors. It also excels on carpets, achieving a 91.77% cleaning efficiency, ensuring thorough cleanliness across all floor types.
Despite a noise level of 72.54 dB, comparable to a washing machine, the Dyson V15 Detect offers a quiet operation relative to its powerful suction capabilities. Its lightweight design, weighing just 6.7 lbs, enhances maneuverability, while the 0.2-gallon bin capacity may require more frequent emptying during extensive cleaning sessions.
Though the Dyson V15 Detect comes with a premium price tag, its robust performance, ease of use, and ability to transition seamlessly between different surfaces make it a worthwhile investment for maintaining a clean and allergen-free home.
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Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Samsung Bespoke Jet
Best Cordless Stick
The Samsung Bespoke Jet is a lightweight, quiet, and powerful vacuum cleaner, ideal for versatile cleaning and pet-friendly homes, offering impressive debris removal across various surfaces.
True Score
88867Experts
90567Customers
Absolutely Fresh
SAVE $150$699.99$549.99Read More
Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- The cleaning station simplifies emptying the dust cup
- Two battery packs
- Lightweight design
- Turbo brush accessory
- Excellent performance on carpets and hard floors
Reasons to Avoid
- Doesn’t support wet cleaning
- Bulk two-in-one floor head
Specifications
Bagless Yes Bin Capacity 0.2 gal Brush Roll Shut-Off No Carpet Height Adjustments No Cleaning Path Width 9.8″ Compatible Floor Type All floors Cord Length Cordless Corded/Cordless Cordless Filter Type 5-stage, Cyclonic, HEPA Hypoallergenic Unknown Pet Yes Product Weight 6 lbs Vacuum Type Stick Vacuums Wet And Dry Usage No All Specs
Test Results
Bare Floor Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 98 Carpet Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 92 Pet Hair Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 100 Noise Level (dB) 71 All Retailers
- $549.99$700Save $150
- $661.60$700Save $38
- $699.00$899Save $200
Our Verdict
The Samsung Bespoke Jet is an outstanding vacuum cleaner, perfect for those seeking a lightweight and quiet option without compromising on cleaning power. Weighing just 6 lbs and operating at a low noise level of 70.525 dB, it provides an effortless and serene cleaning experience. This vacuum excels in removing 97.71% of debris on bare floors, including hardwood and tile, and is highly effective on carpets, capturing 91.7% of debris. Pet owners will particularly appreciate its near-perfect pet hair performance, clearing 99.5% of debris, making it an excellent choice for keeping homes free of allergens and pet hair.
While the Bespoke Jet features a smaller 0.2-gallon bin capacity, which may require more frequent emptying, its exceptional maneuverability and cordless design make it ideal for navigating multi-level homes and tight spaces. The inclusion of a HEPA filter further enhances air quality, trapping fine particles and allergens. Compared to other models like the Dyson V15 Detect, the Bespoke Jet offers similar performance but at a quieter operation and a more budget-friendly price point, making it a strong contender for those prioritizing noise reduction and value.
Overall, the Samsung Bespoke Jet is a versatile and efficient vacuum cleaner, perfect for various surfaces and pet-friendly homes. Its lightweight, quiet operation, and strong cleaning capabilities make it a valuable addition to any household, providing a great balance of performance and convenience.
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Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Shark Stratos Cordless
Best Hardwood Floors
The Shark Stratos Cordless is an exceptional all-around vacuum, perfect for mixed flooring, pet owners, and allergy sufferers, offering top-tier performance and lightweight maneuverability.
True Score
86876Experts
86786Customers
Absolutely Fresh
SAVE $250$499.99$249.99Read More
Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Impressive suction power
- Great bare floor performance
- Great Carpet cleaning performance
- Excellent pet hair cleaning performance
Reasons to Avoid
- Attachments are very limited
Specifications
Bagless Yes Bin Capacity 0.18 gal Brush Roll Shut-Off Unknown Carpet Height Adjustments Yes Cleaning Path Width 10″ Compatible Floor Type All floors Cord Length Cordless Corded/Cordless Cordless Filter Type HEPA Hypoallergenic Yes Pet Yes Product Weight 8.9 lbs Vacuum Type Stick Vacuums Wet And Dry Usage No All Specs
Test Results
Bare Floor Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 99 Carpet Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 89 Pet Hair Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 100 Noise Level (dB) 77 All Retailers
- $249.99$500Save $250
- $329.00$400Save $71
Our Verdict
The Shark Stratos Cordless stands out as an exceptional all-around vacuum cleaner, especially suited for homes with mixed flooring types. It delivers top-tier performance on bare floors, removing an impressive 98.83% of debris, making it ideal for hardwood, tile, and other hard surfaces. Its 100% effectiveness in pet hair removal and HEPA filter make it a perfect choice for pet owners and those with allergies, ensuring a clean and allergen-free environment.
Weighing just 8.9 lbs, the Shark Stratos Cordless is lightweight and easy to maneuver, making it convenient for navigating around furniture and across multiple levels of a home. However, it operates at a noise level of 76.7 dB, which might be noticeable in quieter settings. Additionally, the vacuum’s bin capacity of 0.18 gallons may require more frequent emptying during extensive cleaning sessions, a minor inconvenience considering its overall efficiency.
Compared to similar models, such as the Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away, the Stratos Cordless offers slightly better bare floor performance and lower noise levels, though with a smaller bin capacity. Despite these trade-offs, the Shark Stratos Cordless remains an excellent choice for those seeking a versatile and powerful vacuum that excels on both hard floors and carpets. Its impressive cleaning capabilities, lightweight design, and HEPA filtration system make it a valuable addition to any household, particularly for pet owners and allergy sufferers.
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Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away
Best Lightweight
The Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is a versatile and powerful vacuum, perfect for pet owners and large homes, offering exceptional cleaning performance and a large bin capacity.
True Score
85842Experts
87340Customers
Absolutely Fresh
SAVE $80$399.99$319.99Read More
Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Excellent performance on all floor types
- Good battery life
- Outstanding pet hair pick-up rate
- Low on-going costs
- LED headlights
Reasons to Avoid
- The brush roll is not removable
- Poor stain-removal performance
- Lacks a turbo brush
Specifications
Bagless Yes Bin Capacity 0.34 gal Brush Roll Shut-Off No Carpet Height Adjustments No Cleaning Path Width 10″ Compatible Floor Type Carpet, Hardwoods Cord Length Cordless Corded/Cordless Cordless Filter Type HEPA Hypoallergenic Yes Pet Yes Product Weight 12.4 lbs Vacuum Type Stick Vacuums Wet And Dry Usage No All Specs
Test Results
Bare Floor Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 99 Carpet Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 89 Pet Hair Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 100 Noise Level (dB) 77 All Retailers
- $319.99$400Save $80
- $399.00$400Save $1
- $525.00$599Save $74
Our Verdict
The Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is a versatile and powerful vacuum cleaner, ideal for pet owners and those with large homes. It excels in cleaning efficiency, removing 98.57% of debris from bare floors and achieving a perfect 100% pet hair removal rate. This performance extends to carpets, where it cleans 89.36% of dirt and debris, making it suitable for homes with mixed flooring.
One of the standout features of this vacuum is its 0.34-gallon bin capacity, which significantly reduces the need for frequent emptying during cleaning sessions. This is particularly beneficial for larger homes or spaces with heavy shedding pets. The cordless design adds to its convenience, allowing easy navigation through different rooms without being tethered by a cord.
However, the Vertex Pro is not without its drawbacks. It operates at a noise level of 77 dB, which can be disruptive in quieter environments. Additionally, it weighs 12.4 lbs, making it one of the heavier models on the market, which could affect maneuverability, especially in homes with stairs or tight spaces.
Despite these minor inconveniences, the Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away remains an exceptional choice for anyone looking for a powerful, all-around vacuum cleaner. Its excellent cleaning performance on various surfaces, coupled with its large bin capacity and pet hair removal capabilities, make it a top contender for maintaining a clean and allergen-free home.
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Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Shark Stratos Ultralight
Best Multi Surface
The Shark Stratos Ultralight is an excellent budget-friendly vacuum, ideal for pet owners and hard flooring, offering impressive performance, easy maneuverability, and strong pet hair removal efficiency.
True Score
83811Experts
861kCustomers
Absolutely Fresh
SAVE $181$399.99$219.00Read More
Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Good bare floor cleaning performance
- Decent carpet cleaning performance
- Great pet hair performance
Reasons to Avoid
- Below average suction power rating
Specifications
Bagless Yes Bin Capacity 0.2 gal Brush Roll Shut-Off No Carpet Height Adjustments No Cleaning Path Width 8.25″ Compatible Floor Type All floors Cord Length 30 ft Corded/Cordless Corded Filter Type HEPA Hypoallergenic Yes Pet Yes Product Weight 8.6 lbs Vacuum Type Stick Vacuums Wet And Dry Usage No All Specs
Test Results
Bare Floor Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 98 Carpet Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 82 Pet Hair Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 99 Noise Level (dB) 77 All Retailers
- $219.00$400Save $181
- $296.99
- $299.99
Our Verdict
The Shark Stratos Ultralight stands out as an excellent budget-friendly vacuum, especially for homes with pets and hard flooring. Weighing just 8.6 lbs, it offers easy maneuverability around the house. It excels in pet hair removal, boasting a 99.33% efficiency rate, making it ideal for pet owners. Additionally, its bare floor performance is impressive, cleaning 97.5% of debris, ensuring your hardwood and tile floors remain spotless.
Though it has a slightly lower efficiency rate of 82.25% on carpets, it still provides adequate cleaning for lighter carpeted areas. The 30-foot cord length allows for extensive reach, minimizing the need for frequent outlet changes, which is particularly useful for larger spaces. The vacuum operates at a moderate noise level of 76.8 dB, comparable to a washing machine, and includes a HEPA filter to help reduce allergens.
While the bin capacity is 0.2 gallons, requiring more frequent emptying, the Shark Stratos Ultralight balances this with its strong performance and affordability. It may not have advanced features like a cordless design, but its continuous power and effectiveness on hard surfaces make it a reliable choice. Overall, the Shark Stratos Ultralight offers a compelling combination of value, performance, and ease of use, making it an excellent option for those looking for a capable vacuum on a budget.
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Best Overall
Runner Up
Best Value
Best Budget
Best Mid-Range
Premium Pick
Shark Vertex Pro
Best Pet Hair
The Shark Vertex Pro excels in bare floor cleaning and pet hair removal, offering impressive debris removal and maneuverability, making it ideal for homes with hard flooring and pets.
True Score
81813Experts
82355Customers
Absolutely Fresh
SAVE $80$479.99$399.91Read More
Snapshot
Reasons to Buy
- Has an anti-allergen HEPA filter
- Low noise output
- LED screen for status display
- Large dirt canister
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
Reasons to Avoid
- High maintenance requirements
- Struggles with fine debris on low pile carpet
- Long charge time
Specifications
Bagless Yes Bin Capacity 0.25 gal Brush Roll Shut-Off Unknown Carpet Height Adjustments Unknown Cleaning Path Width 10″ Compatible Floor Type Carpet, Hardwoods Cord Length Unknown Corded/Cordless Cordless Filter Type HEPA Hypoallergenic Yes Pet Yes Product Weight 8.82 lbs Vacuum Type Stick Vacuums Wet And Dry Usage No All Specs
Test Results
Bare Floor Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 99 Carpet Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 83 Pet Hair Performance (% of Debris Cleaned) 100 Noise Level (dB) 82 All Retailers
- $399.91$480Save $80
- $434.99
- $449.99
Our Verdict
The Shark Vertex Pro is an outstanding choice for those prioritizing bare floor cleaning and pet hair removal. It achieves a remarkable 98.5% debris removal rate on hardwood, laminate, and tile surfaces, making it ideal for homes with such flooring. Pet owners will appreciate its exceptional 99.66% efficiency in picking up pet hair, ensuring a fur-free environment. However, its performance on carpets, while decent at 82.61%, may not be sufficient for homes with extensive carpeting.
Weighing 8.82 lbs, the Vertex Pro is easy to maneuver, and its cordless design allows for unrestricted movement during cleaning. It includes a HEPA filter, which is great for improving indoor air quality by capturing fine particles. The vacuum’s bin capacity of 0.25 gallons is adequate for most homes but may require more frequent emptying during heavy cleaning sessions.
One of the trade-offs with the Shark Vertex Pro is its noise level, which is quite high at 82.35 dB—comparable to a lawnmower. This may be a consideration for those with skittish pets or sensitive neighbors. Despite this, the vacuum’s performance on bare floors and pet hair makes it a strong contender in its category, particularly for those who value cleaning efficiency and convenience. The Shark Vertex Pro offers excellent value for those seeking a powerful, versatile vacuum that excels on hard floors and is particularly effective at managing pet hair.
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Our Approach to Evaluating Vacuum Cleaner
We’ve redefined vacuum cleaner buying guides, setting us apart from any other site on the planet. Our unique approach uses a comprehensive dataset from trusted sites, focusing on key testing metrics like carpet, bare floor, and pet hair performance.
We aggregate and analyze this data, ensuring our recommendations meet the specific needs. Specifically, when it comes to vacuums, this involves selecting models that deliver outstanding cleaning performance across a variety of surfaces. Discover our data-driven methodology for precise, reliable vacuum cleaner recommendations.
Which Criteria Matters for Testing Vacuum Cleaners?
By focusing on these criteria, anyone can quickly and easily compare these vacuum cleaners and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase a vacuum that will tackle messes no matter where they spring up.
CRITERIA | RANGE | REQUIRED | DEFINITION |
---|---|---|---|
Bare Floor Performance | > 95% | Yes | How much debris the vacuum sucks up when cleaning bare surfaces like tile, vinyl planks, and hardwood floors. |
Carpet Performance | > 75% | Yes | How much debris the vacuum sucks up when cleaning carpets, including low pile and high pile. |
Pet Hair Performance | > 95% | Yes | How much pet hair the vacuum sucks up from any surface. |
Noise Level | < 72 dB | No (Nice to have) | How loud the vacuum is while running and in use. |
Our Trusted Data Sources
We looked at 120+ vacuum cleaner reviewers and found that 31 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for vacuum cleaner.
- Dagobiet Morales Alfaro – RTings, LinkedIn
- Derek Hales – Modern Castle, LinkedIn
- Sabine Heinlein – Wirecutter, LinkedIn
Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every vacuum cleaner review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.
Vacuum Cleaner Test Data & Results
1. Bare Floor Performance Test Results
As the name suggests, bare floor performance references how well a vacuum does when it’s cleaning up tiles, vinyl planks, or hardwood flooring. Debris comes in a variety of sizes of course, and much of the testing revolves around picking up debris that ranges in size from cereal to bits of dirt to sand to a mix of everything above and more.
We recommend that a vacuum be able to pick up at least 95% of debris from a bare floor to ensure you end up with clean floors. Hitting a perfect score is obviously ideal, but the worse a vacuum performs here, the more work you need to do sweeping up or re-vacuuming. Missing debris is frustrating and can invite pests if you miss bits of food or annoyance if you step on something barefoot and hurt yourself.
Bare Floor Performance
> 95%
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How much debris the vacuum sucks up when cleaning bare surfaces like tile, vinyl planks, and hardwood floors.
Units of Measurement: % (percentage)
Tools to Measure: Scale
Why It’s Important:
A vacuum is supposed to clean, so if it can’t pick up most of the debris on a floor, it’s not doing its job.
Bare Floor Performance in % (higher is better; 0 = No Data)
2. Carpet Performance Test Results
Carpet Performance
> 75%
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How much debris the vacuum sucks up when cleaning carpets, including low pile and high pile.
Units of Measurement: % (percentage)
Tools to Measure: Scale
Why It’s Important:
If you have carpet, how well a vacuum cleans directly impacts how your carpet feels to walk on, and prevents pests from moving in.
Carpet cleaning ability is another important part of how your vacuum performs. Whether you have low-pile, high-pile, or rugs, how effectively a vacuum cleans up the dirt and debris left behind on the carpet is enormously important to keeping your carpet comfortable.
Generally speaking, we recommend a carpet cleaning performance of at least 75%. You might notice this is much lower than bare floors, and that’s because carpet is harder to clean. Short of devoting the time to actually shampoo and dry out a carpet, thoroughly cleaning out a carpet is very difficult, and good vacuums will reach deep between fibers and pull out long-forgotten crumbs.
Carpet Performance in % (higher is better; 0 = No Data)
3. Pet Hair Performance Test Results
If you own pets, the ability of a vacuum to suck up pet hair, be it with attachments or the brush itself is extremely important. Pet hair can stick to furniture, dig itself into the carpet, and clump together under beds and in corners. If you have allergies and need to keep pet hair out of your home as best as you can, you’ll need a vacuum that gets rid of as much pet hair a possible when cleaning.
We recommend that a vacuum has a pet hair cleaning performance of at least 95%. Higher is always better, but if you can get rid of most of the pet hair, you’ll have an easier time breathing and less dander flying away and sticking to clothes and furniture. Poor pet hair cleaning performance can invite repeated vacuuming and more annoyance for anyone who suffers from allergies.
Pet Hair Performance
> 95%
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How much pet hair the vacuum sucks up from any surface.
Units of Measurement: % (percentage)
Tools to Measure: Speed-checking software
Why It’s Important:
If you have pets and want to keep your home free of pet hair, you need good pet hair cleanup performance.
Pet Hair Performance in % (higher is better; 0 = No Data)
4. Noise Level (dB/dBA) Test Results
Noise Level (dB/dBA)
< 72 dB
Acceptable range of performance
Definition: How loud the vacuum is while running and in use.
Units of Measurement: dB (decibels)
Tools to Measure: Sound pressure level meter
Why It’s Important:
Vacuums make noise, and if you live in a home with skittish pets, young children or thin walls, lower volume makes vacuuming less disruptive.
Every vacuum will make noise, but some make less than others. If you have to deal with thin walls or skittish pets and very young children, lower levels of noise are going to be more attractive. There is, however, a limit to how quiet vacuums can get, and at some point, lower noise levels are going to come at the cost of suction.
Aiming for a noise level of 72 dB or less is generally ideal, as this puts the vacuum cleaner right around the noise of a washing machine, which isn’t terribly disruptive. Lower is good if it doesn’t come at the cost of performance, and higher volume isn’t terrible if the noise won’t bother you or anyone else. For reference, 60 dB is the noise level of a typical conversation, while 80 dB is around the sound level of a lawnmower.
Noise Level (dB/dBA) (lower is better; 0 = No Data)
Vacuum Cleaner: Mistakes To Avoid
- Choosing the Wrong Type of Vacuum for Your Needs: Vacuum cleaners come in various types, including upright, canister, stick, handheld, and robot vacuums. Each type is designed for specific cleaning needs and surfaces. For example, upright vacuums are generally better for deep cleaning carpets, while canister vacuums are versatile and suitable for both carpets and hard floors. Stick and handheld vacuums are great for quick clean-ups and small spaces, while robot vacuums offer convenience but may not be as powerful. Selecting the wrong type can lead to inefficiency and dissatisfaction with the cleaning results. To help select the right type, check out our guide on choosing the right vacuum cleaner. Additionally, you might want to learn more about how vacuums work and how long vacuums last or the lifespan of robot vacuums to make an informed decision. If you’re dealing with unique cleaning tasks, like needing to vacuum glass or understanding how a wet/dry vac works, these considerations become even more important, as certain vacuums are specifically designed to handle such materials and situations.
- Neglecting Filtration Systems and Allergen Control: The filtration system in a vacuum cleaner is crucial, especially if you have allergies or asthma. High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters can trap small particles, including pollen, dust mites, and pet dander, preventing them from being released back into the air. Some buyers overlook the importance of good filtration, choosing vacuums with inadequate filters that don’t effectively capture allergens. Make sure the vacuum has a quality filtration system that meets your household’s needs.
- Overlooking the Vacuum’s Weight and Maneuverability: The weight and maneuverability of a vacuum cleaner can significantly impact its ease of use, especially in multi-level homes or for people with physical limitations. Some powerful vacuums can be quite heavy and cumbersome, making them difficult to carry up stairs or maneuver around furniture. Conversely, lightweight models may not offer the same level of suction power. Consider the layout of your home and your ability to handle the vacuum comfortably before making a purchase. Comparing different types of vacuums, such as stick vs. upright or cordless vs. corded models, can help you decide which is best for your needs.
- Underestimating Noise Levels: Noise levels can vary significantly between different vacuum models. Some vacuums can be quite loud, which may be disruptive, especially in smaller homes or apartments, or if you have pets or young children. If noise is a concern, look for vacuums with lower decibel ratings or those specifically marketed as quiet. Testing the vacuum in-store or reading reviews about noise levels can help ensure you choose a model that won’t be too loud for your comfort.
The Top Vacuum Cleaner Tests Compared
Product | True Score
|
Bare Floor Performance
|
Carpet Performance
|
Pet Hair Performance
|
Noise Level
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 |
|
|
|
| $599.99 $800 $200 |
| 88 |
|
|
|
| $549.99 $700 $150 |
| 86 |
|
|
|
| $249.99 $500 $250 |
Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away
| 85 |
|
|
|
| $319.99 $400 $80 |
| 83 |
|
|
|
| $219.00 $400 $181 |
| 81 |
|
|
|
| $399.91 $480 $80 |