We measured a C3 model—running with the power head attached and the brush roll spinning at the maximum suction setting—at 74 dBc, which is about five dBc quieter than our main pick. The motor is also a slow starter, meaning that it gradually revs up to maximum power over a few seconds, rather than turning on at full blast. You might be able to get away with vacuuming while somebody is sleeping nearby, something we can’t say about many other vacuum cleaners. Several Wirecutter staff members have bought the Navigator Lift-Away since we started recommending it, and everyone is basically happy with it. Senior staff writer Michael Sullivan has owned this model for four years and uses it once a week.
CANISTER BODYThe canister has two large switches on top – one to turn the vacuum on/off and another to retract the power cord. They are designed to be operated with your foot which is convenient as you don’t have to bend over to use them, just tap them with your toe. CONSUMER RATINGSWe found owner ratings on several sites (see table below). When these figures were averaged we got an overall score for the Shark Canister Pet of 87.8 out of 100. You can compare it to the score of other canister vacuums in our Canister Vacuum Ratings table or you can view all vacuum scores on our site in the Vacuum Cleaner Finder application. Shark makes a variety of vacuum types including upright, stick, and handheld models, all of which appear on our list.
You can stop ignoring the dust bunnies under your sofa because Shark designed this vac with a hinge that gives the floor head greater reach. Plus, the Vertex series from Shark includes dual rollers in the floor head and one shark dustbuster is equipped with grippy rubber fins to maintain contact with the floor. While making use of the 60-minute battery life, which is significant compared to many other cordless models, you can feel this technology working.
If you’re thinking about a $800 or $1200 vacuum because you need powered tools for cleaning your carpet, the Kenmore – Elite is a very competitive option that doesn’t give up any features. You get all the dust control and utility of the German designs, plus a unique convertible multi-floor head. The best canister vacuums we picked earned the highest Overall Score in our rigorous lab tests. As you browse through the models, consider which vacuum would work best for you in terms of weight, versatility across different surfaces, noise level, and reliability. You can find more criteria and how we rated models for each factor in our comprehensive canister vacuum ratings. The cleaner head pulls itself forward a bit on carpet due to the spinning brushroll.
We chose to include the Shark – Apex lift-away vacuum in this roundup of canister designs because it represents a unique set of attributes at an excellent value. This is more closely related to an upright vacuum than a canister, but it’s one of the few uprights that makes just as much sense for a household that would typically prefer a canister design. Shark envisions it sticking around the shark dustbuster kitchen or the garage, where it’ll complement a larger upright unit as a more portable option. How powerful it is remains to be seen, and we’re looking forward to testing one in our lab as soon as we can get our hands on one. We’ve done this test on many vacuum cleaners over the years and in the table below you can see how the Canister Pet fared compared to a sampling of other vacuums.