The Best Upright and Canister Vacuums for 2023 Reviews by Wirecutter

If you have high-pile carpeting, you may prefer a Miele model with an electrified cleaning head, such as the Miele Complete C3 Kona. The vacuums in this line clean similarly, but the filtration isn’t quite as excellent, they run a little louder, and the hoses aren’t crushproof. We’d buy a C3 model, but a C1 isn’t a bad choice if you want to save the money now. This Shark Wandvac is an affordable buy for small homes and apartments.

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. Owners also generally think that the Navigator Lift-Away is relatively quiet compared with other vacuum cleaners.

It is a 2-in-1 vac, though bear in mind it’s designed to be a handheld-to-stick model, not the other way around. If you only have a small home and you want something lightweight, cheap, and reliable to make cleaning super easy, this could definitely be your next vacuum. Our verdict

When using this vacuum to clean up after a renovation period at home, Jaclyn found that it suctioned everything in its wake with minimal repeat passes. shark pet hair vacuum It never wrapped around the self-cleaning brush roll or clogged the vacuum shaft, so it’s safe to say this vacuum is pet parent-approved. The LiftAway feature also made cleaning the stairs during testing significantly easier, though the vacuum definitely felt bulky and a little tiring to operate after a while. It also boasts Hypervelocity Accelerated Suction technology, so it practically walks itself around your home.

Weighing under three pounds, the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ Cordless Handheld Vacuum provided 25 minutes of powerful cordless suction during our testing trial. We also found that the ZU62 had plenty of suction power and we like that there is a suction collar on the handle which allows you to bleed off suction should you need to. The suction collar is a helpful feature if you are vacuuming delicate items like drapery or a lamp shade, etc. LED Headlights – The Stratos has a row of LED headlights along the front of the cleaner head.

But unlike our main pick, every inexpensive model we’ve come across needs its belts or filters, or both, replaced at regular intervals to maintain the cleaning performance. You’ll need to pay for those replacements and do the maintenance yourself, too. If you don’t take care of a cheap upright vacuum cleaner, it’ll lose most of its cleaning ability in about 12 to 18 months. If you do take care of a cheap upright vacuum, after a few sets of new belts and filters, it will end up costing more than our main pick. With the Shark Navigator Lift-Away guaranteed to last five years on warranty alone, the math proves that paying a little more right now will almost always save you money over time.