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    Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide

    By Mary H.J. Farrell

    Choose the Right Vacuum for Your Home

    We test hundreds of models, including lightweight stick vacuums, heavy-duty uprights and canisters, and zippy robovacs

    Photo: Shark

    a woman using a Shark Stratos Cordless Stick Vacuum IZ862H to clean a rug under a dining table

    Top Vacuum Cleaners Questions


    Which type of vacuum is best?

    You shouldn’t expect a stick, handheld, or robotic vacuum to have the same cleaning power as a full-sized canister or upright vacuum. But for some jobs, the portability of a handheld vacuum or the independent operation of a robovac is just the thing. All vacuum types have their pluses and minuses.

    • Upright Vacuums

      Upright Vacuums

      Best for Deep cleaning
      Price $65 - $1,600
      Weight 10 - 23 pounds
      pros & cons
      • Best for carpet
      • Easy to store
      • Not so handy if you have a home with lots of stairs
      • Tend to be noisier than other vacuum types
      Upright Vacuum Ratings
    • Canister Vacuums

      Canister Vacuums

      Best for Hardwood floors
      Price $250 - $1,500
      Weight 15 - 26 pounds
      pros & cons
      • Easier than an upright to use on stairs and under furniture
      • Comes with lots of attachments
      • Can be awkward to handle
      • The bulky design can make them hard to store in a closet
      Canister Vacuum Ratings
    • Stick Vacuums

      Stick Vacuums

      Best for Quick cleaning
      Price $100 - $1,050
      Weight 5 - 10 pounds
      pros & cons
      • Compact and relatively lightweight, they're easy to store
      • Suction has been improving
      • Not good as a primary vacuum if you live in a large space
      • Batteries of cordless models limit run time and tend to deteriorate over time
      Stick Vacuums Ratings
    • Handheld Vacuums

      Handheld Vacuums

      Best for Surface and spot cleaning
      Price $35 - $250
      Weight 1 - 5 pounds
      pros & cons
      • Easy to handle
      • Good for hard-to-reach spots
      • Handy for cleaning out a car
      • Lack the power and capacity of full-sized vacuums
      Handheld vacuum Ratings
    • Robotic Vacuums

      Robotic Vacuums

      Best for Touch-ups and ongoing light cleaning
      Price $180 - $1,600
      pros & cons
      • Can be programmed to work when you want them to
      • Good for in-between cleaning sessions
      • Can’t replace a full-sized vacuum
      • You have to clear floors of obstacles beforehand
      Robotic Vacuum Ratings

    What type of vacuum is right for my home?

    Got stairs? Carpet or hardwood floors? Pets? These are just some of the factors you should consider when buying a vacuum.

    • Mostly bare floors

      If you have beautiful hardwood floors or other noncarpeted surfaces (such as tile, laminate, or vinyl), look at canister vacuums, which do well on that type of flooring. And if you live in a tiny place, a stick may be all you need.

    • Lots of carpet

      If you have wall-to-wall carpet or even some thick area rugs, an upright vacuum is the best choice. Because the vacuum's entire weight is over the powerhead, it can dig deeper into carpet fibers.

    • Stairs

      Carrying a heavy vacuum up and down stairs is a pain and a bit risky. If you have only one vacuum, a canister is the best choice because its two-part design lets you distribute the weight more evenly. But opt for a smaller second vacuum if you have the storage space and budget.

    • Oh yes ... pets

      Each vacuum we test goes through a special pet-hair pickup test. Models that do well on carpet do well at removing pet hair, but so do the top-rated canisters and sticks.


    Do I need a second vacuum?

    In a word, yes. While you'll want a solid upright or canister as your primary vacuum, a second vacuum that's a stick, handheld, or robovac is useful for quick cleanups or to avoid having to lug your main vacuum up and down stairs. Consider these options.

    • Corded sticks

      While corded stick vacuums are considered more reliable than their battery-operated brethren, the cord can be a tripping hazard and makes them slightly less convenient (which is the whole point of a stick vac).

    • Cordless sticks

      The top cordless vacuums perform superbly in our tests. But the Achilles' heel of all cordless vacs is the battery, which can diminish in power over time or die completely.

    • Handhelds

      A handheld vacuum is a must if you have a child or grandchild. You can quickly clean up messes that fall from a high chair or car seat without pulling out your primary vacuum.

    • Robotics

      Robotic vacuums were once an expensive novelty but have come down in price. You can set it and forget it, leaving it to handle routine cleanups.



    Robotic vacuum basics

    Cleaning performance and navigation continue to improve for robotic vacuums. A CR tester shares the features that matter and whether or not your home and lifestyle are a match for a robotic vacuum.


    When is the best time to buy?

    Just about anytime. Vacuum cleaners are featured in almost every holiday sale, including Presidents Day and Black Friday. If you miss one sale, another is likely to be coming right behind it. So unless you’re in dire need of a replacement, you can avoid paying full price. You can even find high-end brands like Dyson and Miele at reduced prices on many sale days.


    Vacuum features to look for

    Here are the most common bells and whistles you’ll come across while shopping for a vacuum. Some features improve performance in specific situations, while others aim at convenience.

    • The cord on a Kenmore 200 Series Bagged Canister Vacuum (BC4002)
      Cord control

      Uprights often have a cord-release clip that lets you free the entire cord at once rather than one wrap at a time. And canisters typically have a rewind feature that stores the cord internally.

      Photo: Kenmore
    • a filter in a Miele vacuum cleaner
      Filters

      Vacuum cleaners have filters that trap dirt and particles, preventing them from being released into the air. In CR’s tests, models with a HEPA filter have been very effective at reducing such emissions.

      Photo: Consumer Reports
    • On/Off roll switch on a Miele vacuum
      On/off brush roll switch

      This feature helps prevent debris from scattering when cleaning hardwood, vinyl, and other uncarpeted surfaces. Turn the brush roll off on a bare floor and turn it on when cleaning carpets.

      Photo: Consumer Reports
    • various attachments of a Samsung Jet 75 Complete Vacuum Cleaner
      Attachments

      Many vacuums come with add-ons, such as a crevice tool for cleaning corners and hard-to-reach areas, a small brush for upholstery, a round brush for dusting, an agitator bristle brush to dislodge grit from carpet, or an extension wand to reach high ceilings.

      Photo: Consumer Reports
    • Manual pile height adjustment knob on a Hoover High Performance Swivel XL Pet UH75200 Vacuum
      Manual pile height adjustment

      This adjusts the height of a machine’s brush roll to a carpet’s pile height, which allows for easy movement and more thorough cleaning. It's automatic on some models.

      Photo: Consumer Reports
    • the dust cup of a Shark Stratos AZ3002 Vacuum Cleaner
      Bagged vs. bagless

      Some upright vacuums and canisters use bags instead of collecting dirt in a bin. Bagged vacuums tend to hold more, and replacing a filled bag releases less dust and fewer allergens into the air than emptying dirt from a bin.

      Photo: Consumer Reports