The 10 Best Vacuum Cleaners

Years after its debut, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 still does the basics well at a modest price. The brushroll switches off for bare floors, and the canister lifts off the base so you can carry it up stairs or reach drapes with the hose. Shark's sealed filtration is meant to keep dust inside, and Shark gives it a five-year limited warranty. The dust cup is small, so it fills fast with pet hair, and it's fairly loud.

One cordless machine for the whole house is the idea behind the Dyson V15 Detect. A green laser on the soft roller head lights up fine dust on hard floors, and a screen shows what it's picking up and the runtime left. Dyson lists about an hour on the lowest setting, far less on boost or with the carpet head, and it turns into a handheld. The bin is tiny, and the two-year warranty is short for the price.

According to a Quartz summary of its ratings, Consumer Reports named the Shark PowerDetect AZ4002 its top bagless upright for 2026. Sensors raise suction when the head meets heavy debris and adjust for the floor type, and the self-cleaning brushroll is built to keep long hair from wrapping. The pod detaches with power still running to the floor head, so you can reach under a sofa without hauling the machine. It's heavy to carry upstairs, and the price is high.

Set a schedule and let the Roborock Q7 M5+ handle the floors, then empty itself into its dock. It maps rooms with a spinning laser instead of a camera, so it works in the dark, and the app sets room schedules and no-go zones. Roborock says the dock bag holds about two months of debris. The vibrating mop handles light upkeep, not dried spills. It can't climb stairs, and cords or socks left out will stall it.

Homes with shedding dogs and cats are the target for the Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet 2252, a corded bagless upright. A three-part brushroll works the carpet and pulls in bigger crumbs, swivel steering turns it around chair legs, and a tangle-free tool handles pet hair on stairs and upholstery. Think of it as a solid budget machine rather than the strongest cleaner. The hose is short, and it's on the loud side.

People who want a quiet vacuum built to last should look at the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog, a bagged canister. Miele rates it far quieter than a typical upright, and its long reach covers a big room from one outlet. The bags seal as you pull them out, a charcoal filter targets pet odors, and three cleaning heads come in the box. It's heavy, bags are an ongoing cost, and the price is very high.

Apartments with mostly hard floors and low rugs suit the Levoit LVAC-200, a light cordless stick. Its head folds flat to slip under beds, and an anti-tangle brush is meant to keep pet hair from wrapping. Levoit lists about 50 minutes in eco mode with the small tools, but only about 30 minutes with the powered floor head, which is the number that matters for floors. It isn't the tool for thick rugs.

Skip the battery and the Shark Rocket Pet Plus HV322 runs as long as it's plugged in, with nothing to wear out. The motor pops off the wand to become a handheld for stairs and car seats, the low head slides under furniture, and headlights show crumbs in dark corners. Shark gives it a five-year limited warranty. The motor is weaker than a full-size upright's, the cup is small, and the cord limits your range.

On a tight budget, the Eureka PowerSpeed NEU182A still gets you a full-size bagless upright for carpet. Five height settings let the brushroll ride lower on bare floors or higher on plush carpet, the cleaning tools clip to the body, and the foam filter is washable. Warranty terms vary between one and two years depending on the version, so check before you buy. It runs at a single speed, so expect simple, honest cleaning rather than top marks.

Quick kitchen sweeps, stairs and small apartments are the jobs for the Bissell Featherweight 2033M, a very light corded stick that never runs down mid-job. The motor and cup lift out to make a handheld, a crevice tool and stair nozzle come with it, and the bagless cup empties straight into the trash. The suction is light and it won't deep-clean carpet, so treat it as a second vacuum or a studio starter.