I have been testing vacuum cleaners ever since I first started working as a product tester for BGR. I have nearly 11 years of experience testing all sorts of popular vacuums. That includes cordless stick vacuums, upright vacuum cleaners, canister vacuums, wet/dry vacuum & mop combo devices, and of course handheld vacuums. I have also tested plenty of robot vacuums, as well as every other type of vacuum you can think of.
Along with the other product experts here at BGR, we have collectively tested more than 200 different vacuum models over the years. We have done in-depth, comprehensive testing of all the most popular models from Dyson, Shark, Bissell, Miele, Oreck, Hoover, Kenmore, LG, Black+Decker, Samsung, and plenty of others. Plus, we’ve tackled vacuums from many of the newer brands in the house cleaning space, like Tineco, Roborock, Levoit, and more.
With so many different brands and styles on the market, choosing your next vacuum cleaner can be a pain. That’s why we created this big roundup for our readers. Whether your priority is strong suction, a lightweight design, or anything else, our extensive research and hands-on testing will help guide you to the perfect vacuum cleaner for your needs.
We’ll also cover the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair, carpets, rugs, and hard flooring. Plus, we’ll tell you about the best handheld vacuums for upholstery and for cars. No matter what your needs are, we’ve got you covered.
Our top picks
Do you want to skip straight to the end? No problem, we’ve got you covered. Here is a quick rundown of our picks for the 10 best vacuum cleaners of 2024:
- Best overall cordless vacuum cleaner: Shark IW3511 Detect Pro
- Best overall upright vacuum: Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe
- Best overall canister vacuum: Miele Boost CX1
- Best upright vacuum cleaner for pet hair: BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus
- Best wet/dry vacuum: BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam
- Best handheld vacuum: BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster AdvancedClean
- Best lightweight upright vacuum: Oreck XL Commercial
- Best XL cordless vacuum cleaner: Dyson Outsize
- Best basic bagless vacuum: BISSELL CleanView Swivel Pet
- Best premium upright vacuum: Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra
Based on our expert testing and reviews, those are the best of the best. You can quickly and easily pick the one that checks whichever boxes you want to check. For example, if your top priority is pet hair, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is the way to go. Or, if you want something that can handle vacuuming while also replacing your mop, you should check out the CrossWave HydroSteam.
On the other hand, it’s probably easier to choose the perfect model for you if you read a little more about each vacuum. That’s what we’ll dive a bit deeper down below into each of our top picks.
Best overall cordless vacuum: Shark IW3511 Detect Pro
Shark has quickly become one of the best vacuum cleaner brands in the market. Now, one of the company’s newest and most advanced models has become my top overall pick in the cordless vacuum cleaner category.
The Shark IW3511 Detect Pro cordless stick vacuum checks every box. It’s powerful enough to suck up all the dirt and dust on hard flooring and rugs. This model is also lightweight, so you don’t have to worry about fatigue. The tangle-free roller brush is excellent with pet hair, and a turbo boost function automatically kicks on when the vacuum senses a lot of debris. The IW3511 Detect Pro also automatically senses corners and boosts suction so nothing is left behind.
HEPA filters ensure that you don’t spray allergens all around you while you clean, which is something I really appreciate. But my favorite feature might be the auto-empty base station that automatically sucks out all the dirt and dust when you’re finished vacuuming. The bagless base holds up to 30 days of debris, according to Shark. In my testing, however, I found that I can easily stretch that to 60 days since I have a robot vacuum that runs twice a week.
If you want the best of the best, the Shark IW3511 Detect Pro is as good as it gets.
Best overall upright vacuum cleaner: Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe
When weighing all the key factors, like performance, price, weight, and reliability, the Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe is my pick for the best upright vacuum overall.
With hundreds of thousands of 5-star reviews across top online retailers, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks that the Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe is one of the best vacuum cleaners ever made. This lightweight upright vacuum has struck the perfect balance between power, performance, and price.
The powerful suction on this model is perfect for carpets and rugs. I also really like the lift-away feature that lets you detach the main vacuum canister and carry it around while cleaning hard-to-reach areas. The Shark NV360 also does a good job with pet hair, especially on upholstery thanks to the included attachments.
It’s not the lightest model in its category, but this Shark vacuum is light enough for long jobs. If you have a lot of stairs in your house, however, you might want to consider a lighter model. Overall, however, the Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe is definitely one of the best in the business.
Best overall canister vacuum: Miele Boost CX1
A lot of people view canister vacuums as a relic of the past. I can guarantee that none of those people have ever cleaned their homes with the Miele Boost CX1.
Many people prefer upright vacuums because you only have to worry about moving around with one piece. But canister vacuums offer a huge benefit over uprights: You get just as much power with a small fraction of the weight.
Since all of the key components in the Miele Boost CX1 and other canister vacuums are in the canister section, the part of the vacuum you actually clean with is so much lighter and more maneuverable. I have done extensive testing with this model, and the weight is definitely one of my favorite things about it.
The Miele Boost CX1 is a bagless model, unlike the canister vacuums of old. It also has a great design for the floorhead, so it works very well on all floor surfaces and low-pile carpets. Plus, it comes with an upholstery nozzle, a crevice nozzle, and a dusting brush, so all your bases are covered.
Best upright vacuum for pet hair: BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus
It goes without saying that pet hair is one of the toughest tasks for vacuum cleaners to tackle. Since I have a dog with long hair that sheds non-stop all year round, I’m the perfect person to thoroughly test whether or not a vacuum can handle pet hair.
When I test a new vacuum cleaner, one of the first things I do is run it over my rugs to see how well it extracts pet hair. And among the hundreds of vacuums I’ve tested, the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus is among the best at sucking up every last strand of my dog’s hair.
BISSELL’s tangle-free brush on the Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus does an admirable job of stopping build-up in the roller. No vacuum can avoid it entirely with my pup’s hair, but I can typically go a few weeks with this model before I have to detangle a few spots. The strong suction also helps keep the brush free of fur.
I also love how maneuverable this vacuum is, which is great for getting under couches and chairs. There’s also a special pet attachment for upholstery, as well as a quick-release wand for walls and ledges.
My only complaint is that emptying the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus could be easier. Of course, I’ll happily deal with it, considering how good this vacuum is with pet hair.
Best wet/dry vacuum cleaner: BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam
There is no question whatsoever that wet/dry vacuums represent one of my favorite advancements in vacuuming from the past few years.
I personally can’t stand mopping. It’s such a pain, and it was in dire need of an injection of technology. That’s where wet/dry vacuums come in.
Wet/dry vacuums like the BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam combine vacuuming and mopping. Plus, this fan-favorite model adds two extra features. First, it has a self-cleaning stand that washes the mop roller when you’re done. Second, as the name “HydroSteam” suggests, built-in steam cleaning adds an extra layer of sanitization.
Something else I really like about the BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam compared to other models is the LED headlights. Most wet/dry vacuums don’t have this feature, which is a shame since it makes cleaning so much easier.
The BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam is so easy to use, and it has enough capacity to clean most houses without having to refill the tank. There’s no question that it’s the best vacuum and mop hybrid that I’ve tested so far.
Best handheld vacuum: BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster AdvancedClean
Upright and canister vacuums are great for deep cleaning. Cordless stick vacuums fill in most of the gaps, but they’re still unwieldy for some things. For quick jobs in your home or your car, you definitely need a good handheld vacuum to fill in the gaps.
If you’ve ever researched handheld vacuums, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster AdvancedClean is my pick for the best option out there.
This model has it all. You get a lightweight handheld that still packs plenty of power. The form factor offers great balance, so the Dustbuster AdvancedClean is easy to maneuver in and out of crevasses. The long, slim nozzle also gives you reach into spaces that most other handhelds can’t cover. Plus, there’s a flip-up brush for upholstery, which means you don’t have to swap attachments as often.
I personally keep one of these in my garage so that it’s easy to clean our cars. Then, I bring it inside anytime there’s a quick mess to tackle.
The BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster AdvancedClean can often be bought for under $50, and I would gladly pay twice that amount for this great handheld vacuum cleaner.
Best lightweight upright vacuum cleaner: Oreck XL Commercial
I have tested hundreds of vacuum cleaners over the years. That means I’ve seen all the latest technology, and I’ve seen firsthand how far vacuums have come over the past decade.
Sometimes, however, it’s best to keep things simple.
In my own home, I have a cordless stick vacuum on each floor of my house. I use them for routine cleaning and other light jobs. But when it comes time to deep clean my house, stick vacuums aren’t going to cut it. Personally, I like to keep it old school.
Bells and whistles are great, but sometimes it’s best to keep it simple. After all, there’s a reason that hotels and motels use tried and true upright vacuums like the Oreck XL Commercial upright vacuum.
The Oreck XL Commercial is about as simple as a vacuum can be. It’s insanely powerful, yet it’s ultra-lightweight because it doesn’t have anything to weigh it down. All it has is a vacuum head with a powerful motor and an upper chamber that holds the vacuum bag.
This model makes quick work of dust, dirt, debris, and pet hair. I also love that I don’t have to worry about emptying it and getting dust everywhere. Every other month I just pull out the vacuum bag and throw it away. Then I pop in a new bag, and the Oreck XL Commerical upright vacuum is ready to go the next time I need to deep clean.
Best XL cordless vacuum: Dyson Outsize
Dyson is the godfather of the cordless stick vacuum. These days, however, it’s often tough to recommend Dyson over rival options.
Dyson is often very slow to add features that are standard on other high-end models. For example, you still can’t get a Dyson with an auto-empty base, which is ridiculous. But if you want a no-frills stick vacuum with great reliability and tons of power, Dyson should definitely be at the top of your list — especially if you want an oversized model with a large bin and a wide cleaning head.
The Dyson Outsize has a 150% bigger dustbin and a 25% wider cleaning head than other comparable Dyson models. It also has phenomenal battery life of up to an hour despite being almost twice as powerful as other Dyson models that were released the same year.
There’s a newer supersized Dyson vacuum called the gen5outsize, but it starts at over $1,000, and I would never recommend it at that price. The Dyson Outsize can often be found on sale for around $450 or even less, so it’s an infinitely better value.
Best basic bagless vacuum cleaner: BISSELL CleanView Swivel Pet
Not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on an upright bagless vacuum. The good news is that there are still plenty of excellent options available for well under the $200 mark.
One of the most impressive examples I’ve tested is the BISSELL CleanView Swivel Pet upright vacuum. It’s not best-in-class at anything, but it’s near the top of the list among budget models in every category that matters.
As the name suggests, the BISSELL CleanView Swivel Pet is great with pet hair. In my testing, I only had to detangle the brush roller once. If you know how much my dog sheds, you know that’s no small feat.
This model also has plenty of power and a very large dirt tank. Plus, it has all the attachments you might need, along with a great swivel design that makes it easy to reach tight spaces. With a retail price of $155 and sale prices that are often under $140, the BISSELL CleanView Swivel Pet is a terrific bagless model for anyone on a budget.
Best premium upright vacuum: Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is the only bagless upright vacuum I’ve tested that could handle my dog’s hair without any tangles on the brush roller. I think it’s due to a combination of great design and off-the-charts suction.
Dyson’s signature ball design is instantly recognizable, and it makes this model so easy to maneuver. It also comes with attachments for upholstery and tough-to-reach areas. Dyson even tosses in a pet groom tool for medium and long-hair dogs.
The only possible downside for the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra vacuum is the price, which starts at $500. That pushes it into the premium vacuum category, though you can often find it on sale.
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