When shopping for a vacuum cleaner, it’s important to consider how well it fits your home, lifestyle, and cleaning needs. Vacuum cleaners come in various types—upright, canister, stick, and robotic—each suited to different floor types and household situations. Factors like suction power, filtration systems, noise levels, and weight play a significant role in your decision. Whether you’re dealing with pet hair, hard-to-reach areas, or sensitive allergies, finding a vacuum that addresses those issues is key to maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
Before buying, it’s crucial to think about your budget, the size of your space, and the surfaces you clean most frequently. This buying guide highlights key features such as powerful suction, filtration efficiency, and maneuverability, offering a clear snapshot of what to prioritize based on your specific cleaning demands. By outlining the pros and cons of different vacuum models, the guide helps streamline your decision-making process, ensuring that you invest in a vacuum cleaner that delivers on performance and longevity.
Best Vacuum Cleaners:
- Dyson V11 Origin
- BISSELL PowerClean FurGuard 280W Self-Standing
- Shark Upright Vacuum
- Bissell® CleanView Swivel Vacuum
- Bissell CleanView Compact Upright Vacuum
Dyson V11 Origin
Reasons to buy:
- Strong suction power for deep cleaning
- Up to 60 minutes of run time
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
- Excellent filtration for allergens
- Automatically adjusts to different floor types
Reasons to avoid:
- The battery is not removable
- A small dustbin requires frequent emptying
- No LCD screen (unlike other V11 models)
The Dyson V11 Origin is a powerful and lightweight cordless vacuum designed for efficient whole-home cleaning. It offers up to 60 minutes of runtime and strong suction power (up to 185 Air Watts), making it effective on both carpets and hard floors. The High Torque cleaner head automatically adjusts to different surfaces, while the advanced filtration system captures 99.97% of microscopic particles, ideal for allergy sufferers. Although it lacks the LCD screen found on other V11 models and has a non-removable battery, it remains a solid choice for those seeking a high-performance, no-frills Dyson vacuum.
BISSELL PowerClean FurGuard
The BISSELL PowerClean FurGuard is a lightweight, cordless vacuum designed specifically for homes with pets. It features a self-cleaning brush roll that resists hair wrap, powerful suction with three modes, and a long 50-minute runtime. Its standout FurFinder LED lights highlight hidden pet hair and dust, while the included FurFinder upholstery tool is highly effective at lifting embedded fur from furniture. The vacuum also uses a sealed HEPA system to trap allergens and stands upright on its own for easy storage. With strong reviews praising its performance, ease of use, and pet-hair pickup, it’s a solid choice under $200.
Shark Upright Vacuum
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away upright vacuum is a dependable, budget-friendly powerhouse known for its versatile cleaning performance, strong suction, and convenient Lift-Away canister that’s perfect for stairs and upholstery. It handles carpets (93% dust pickup in tests), hard floors, and pet hair well, while its swivel steering, LED headlights, and sealed HEPA filtration system make vacuuming efficient and allergy-friendly.
Users consistently praise its durability—some reports note over nine years of use—though it can be somewhat heavy and the brushroll may tangle hair, requiring occasional maintenance.
Overall, it’s a solid upright choice, often available under $200, offering excellent value for households with diverse floor types and pets.
Bissell® CleanView Swivel Vacuum
The Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet upright vacuum is a budget-friendly yet feature-rich model ideal for pet owners, offering two-axis swivel steering, a triple-action brush roll with scatter-free technology for embedded hair, and convenient onboard pet tools like the TurboEraser and corner brush. It boasts a roomy, easy-empty dirt tank (around 1 L), quick-release extension wand, five height settings, and automatic cord rewind in select models. While lauded for powerful suction, ease of setup, washable filters, and strong pet-hair pickup on carpets and hard floors, some users note its filtration quality isn’t HEPA-level and its plastic build can feel less durable.
Overall, it delivers excellent performance and practicality under $150, especially for households with shedding pets.
Shark Vertex Pro
Bissell CleanView Compact
The Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet upright vacuum is a solid, affordable choice for pet owners, offering strong suction, a triple-action brush roll, and swivel steering for easy maneuvering around furniture. It comes with useful pet tools like the Pet TurboEraser and a corner brush to tackle embedded hair on carpets, stairs, and upholstery. The vacuum has a large, easy-to-empty dirt bin, washable filters, and multiple height settings for different floor types. While it’s not HEPA-certified and the plastic build may feel a bit lightweight, it delivers impressive cleaning performance and convenience for its price.