The 9 best vacuums of 2026 for every cleaning need and budget

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As cleaning obsessed editors, we are on a mission to find the best vacuum. We’ve tested dozens across various types and budgets, prioritizing features like powerful suction, brushrolls that don’t tangle with hair, advanced filtration, and easy dust disposal. We’ve figured out to how to identify a great vacuum designed to last you for years from an OK one that inevitably lands up in the dreaded vacuum graveyard.

The products in this guide represent the best of the best vacuum cleaners in their respective categories, including budget options to models optimized for tackling pet hair.

Our favorite cordless stick vacuums can rival the power and cleaning performance of their upright counterparts, like the Shark Cordless Power Detect Vacuum. It operates smoothly, plus the Clean & Empty dock limits how often we have to come into contact with debris. Consider this a feature we want on all cordless vacuums going forward. Meanwhile, if you’re a traditionalist who prefers the stability of an upright and never worrying about recharging, we got you too — the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum is reliable and a strong performer on carpets and hard floors. Or if you’re looking to push the envelope on what your vacuum can do for you, consider a robot vacuum. We like the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro Robot Vacuum for its relatively seamless hands-off experience that vacuums, mops, and self-cleans.

Find out more about how Insider Reviews tests and reviews home products.

Our top picks of the best vacuums

Best cordless: Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System- See at Amazon

Best upright: Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum – See at Amazon

Best budget: Bissell Cleanview Swivel Pet Vacuum – See at Amazon

Best splurge: Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum – See at Dyson 

Best for pet hair: Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright Vacuum – See at Dyson

Best lightweight: Levoit LVAC-200 Cordless Stick Vacuum – See at Amazon

Best robot vacuum: Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro Robot Vacuum – See at Amazon

Best handheld: Black+Decker Dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum – See at Amazon

Best wet-dry: Tineco Floor One S7 Switch Ultra Cordless Floor Cleaner- See at Amazon

Best cordless

This Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty is one of packed with luxe features at a mid-range price point. We’re talking excellent pick up performance on both carpets and hard floors, automatic dirt detection, and a self-emptying base that limits how often you come into contact with dust.

• See the best cordless vacuums.

It’s equipped with powerful suction and a dual brushroll design: a soft front brushroll captures fine particles and stops larger debris from spitting out and a back brushroll with rigid bristles gets deep into carpeting and pulls up dirt. Perhaps the most convenient feature is how strands of hair do not wrap around the brushroll, making it an ideal pick for households with pets or even long human hair. It struggled with very fine particles like flour and required a few passes to suction it all up, but overall, the PowerDetect has impressive abilities at handling everyday messes.

The Shark PowerDetect has Shark’s most sophisticated technology yet. It uses several sensors to automatically adjusts suction based on the floor type detected, amount of debris, and even proximity to walls. This helps maximize battery life, which lasted just shy of an hour on auto mode, but the time can vary depending on whether you’re cleaning carpets or hard floors. On eco mode, the battery can last for up to 70 minutes. A battery life indicator shows how much battery you have left in 25% increments.

The Shark PowerDetect is delightful to whisk around. It easily slides underneath low spots like a bed or sofa thanks to its bendable stick and swivel head design, which is very simple to maneuver. LED lights help illuminate the path in front of you.

The Clean & Empty Station is a game-changer. Once you finish vacuuming, you simply place the PowerDetect on the docking station where it will suction out (quite noisily I must add compared to when vacuuming) the collected debris into its larger dustbin, to be fussed with another day — Shark claims the dustbin can hold up to 45 days worth of dust. The dock also charges the vacuum and provides space to store accessories like the crevice tool and dusting brush. If you want to save a $100 and forgo the base station, the PowerDetect Essential offers the exact same vacuuming performance, but without the self-emptying base.

The PowerDetect base station also incorporates Shark’s odor-neutralizing technology. This little puck adds a scent to mask odors and leave floors smelling fresher. Two testers of Shark products with the feature did not particularly love this extra or expressed a plan to purchase the replacement filters once the filter lost its scent. However, this feature does not affect cleaning performance. 

Our guide to the best Shark vacuums details the lineup and breaks down the models.

Best upright

This ultra-powerful Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum (AZ3000) is the features powerful suction and Shark’s signature dual brushrolls. Its powerful motor (1,416 watts) propels you forward across hard floors and carpets, while the 30-foot-long cord ensures you can make it across a room without having to plug in again. Built-in LED lights illuminate the path ahead. 

• See more of the best upright vacuums

It aced our cleaning tests. On hardwood floors, the Shark Stratos AZ3000 picked up all of the Cheerios, coffee grounds, rice, flour, and pet hair we set out. On carpet, it only left behind trace amounts of flour, the best you can expect with that tough material, and powered through all the other substances. In several cases, the dust bin’s weight was greater than the amount of debris on the floor, so it picked up more dirt than was originally there. 

At 16 pounds, this vacuum is heavy. This is something to consider if you plan to carry up and down the stairs, but it was still easily maneuverable with a self-propelling design that lessens the amount of force required to push it around. The Lift-Away Technology design simplifies cleaning stairs and upholstery, giving extra versatility. The vacuum comes with a simple, non-motorized upholstery attachment and a crevice tool, which were fine; our reviewer wishes there was also a dusting brush attachment, which would be useful for cleaning baseboards. 

The Shark Stratos also had the same odor-neutralizing technology. It left a pleasant scent but wasn’t something our reviewer planned to replace once completed.  

The Shark Stratos relies on a broad “trap door” mechanism for emptying the dust bin. This works great if you have a large garbage can. If not, it’s hard to avoid making a mess and potentially coming in contact with the debris. The bin also looks larger than it appears, with a Max Fill line that can quickly reach capacity when dealing with carpet or pet hair.  

Read our Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum review for more details.

Best budget

Bissell’s Cleanview Swivel Pet Vacuum is your classic corded upright vacuum. As restrictive as the cords can be, Bissell builds in many thoughtful design features to compensate for the inconvenience. 

• See the best cheap vacuum cleaners

The large, square cleaner head has a brush roll that effectively lifts and removes small and large debris. It passed all of our cleaning tests with flying colors. From whole Cheerios to fine flour, the vacuum cleaned up the particles quickly and worked well with pet hair. 

It has five settings for different floor types. To adjust, you have to bend down to change the floor type at the top of the cleaner head. But turning on the vacuum is as easy as pressing a lever at the base with your foot. There’s also a separate foot pedal to tilt the vacuum and allow it to swivel in different directions. 

The generously sized dust bin is easy to remove. The contents empty out at the bottom, so you’ll have minimal or no direct contact with all the contents. The bin has a handle on top so you can easily lift and carry your vacuum. 

With its consistent, powerful suction and maneuverability, the vacuum is already a great deal. Even better, it comes with a few attachments stored directly on the vacuum, which you can attach to the 6-foot-long hose to clean upholstery or get into crevices. 

Best splurge

I’ve tested my fair share of premium vacuums, but the one that I continue to reach for is the Dyson V15 Detect. Among the best Dyson vacuums, it’s loaded with features like automatic adjusting suction, long battery life, and powerful cleaning performance, but its innovative laser technology is where the vacuum really shines.

It has two dedicated floor cleaner heads: a soft roller for cleaning hard floors and a multipurpose one for all floor types. Dyson incorporated a green diode laser into the soft roller known as Fluffy Optic Cleaner Head to reveal the dirt and dust the eye can’t see. While LED lights are useful for lighting the path in front of you, the laser is more beneficial at showing every dirt speck and dust bunny, and extremely satisfying. For cleaning rugs and carpets, I switch to the Digital Motorbar Cleaner Head, Dyson’s default cleaner head design on the rest of its product lineup. It’s effective on both carpets and hard flooring and is excellent at resisting hair wrap from pets or human hair. 

Both floor heads suctioned up particles from our tests with ease. On hard floors, the Fluffy Optic head was marginally better at picking up fine flour and crunched through Cheerios with little effort. With the Digital Motorbar Cleaner Head, I noticed flour deposited in the crevices of the floorhead, and I needed to adjust suction height settings to pick up Cheerios on hard floors. That said, it maneuvered with finesse on the carpet, which was my preferred surface to use this cleaner head with.

The Dyson V15 Detect is lightweight and easy to use. The battery lasts up to an hour, the longest on hard floors and the shortest on the carpet. A piezo sensor counts dust particles to provide scientific evidence of how much debris was suctioned up, but it primarily functions to control the amount of suction and maximize battery life when in Auto mode. The 0.2-gallon dust bin employs Dyson’s signature hygienic bin system, where the collected dirt ejects directly into the trash with a lever. If you overflow the bin past the Max fill line, you may find yourself needing to reach in to clean out anything that gets stuck, which is typical of most bagless vacuums.

Best for pet hair

The Dyson Ball Animal 3 is one of the most powerful vacuums on the market. This makes it a natural choice for pet owners or anyone with lots of carpets. It comes with special attachments designed to pick up embedded pet hair from upholstery, and there are even grooming attachment add-ons, if you’re so inclined.

• See the best vacuums for pet hair.

The spacious 0.45-gallon dust bin can handle large amounts of pet hair. It’s size ensures I’m not constantly pausing to empty the bin, which releases via a button on the handle. Of course, I’ve found that the bin can fill rather quickly based on how much dust and particles are present in your carpet; this vacuum is insanely effective. The cleaner head has stiff bristles that dig deep into the fibers to pull out hair and dirt and resist hair wrap around the brush roll, just like the Digital Motorbar Cleaner Head discussed above. The Dyson Ball Animal 3 could pick up small debris with ease, but pushed larger pieces like cereal forward and a few more tries to suction it up.

At 17 pounds, this upright vacuum isn’t necessarily lightweight. Carrying up and down stairs requires some care and our reviewer thought the telescoping hose was stiff, requiring extra effort to keep it extended while the vacuum was running, but overall, it’s a work horse. The large spherical ball is at the heart of the vacuum’s design to help with maneuverability. Meanwhile, the generous 35-foot power cord ensures you can clean an entire room and down the hall without changing power outlets, though you’ll have to watch yourself from getting tangled if you let the cord dangle too much.

Best lightweight

The Levoit LVAC-200 Cordless Stick Vacuum bucks convention weighing under three and a half pounds. A lightweight vacuum is great for carrying between floors, above-floor cleaning, and everyday use. For reference, most stick vacuums weigh between four and seven pounds, and upright models start at about 13 pounds.

It is easy to maneuver and offers a comfortable grip that never causes arm strain. It’s also remarkably budget-friendly, with a price tag of under $200. Plus, it can stand upright.

The Levoit LVAC-200 Cordless Stick Vacuum is lightweight in nature but powerful in performance. It has three cleaning modes: eco, mid, and turbo. Its battery life is up to 50 minutes, but it varies drastically based on the setting. It handled small debris, like rice, sugar, and flour, well on carpets and hard floors, though larger debris like cereal took a few extra passes. Pet hair also didn’t wrap around the brush roll.

Despite its compact build, the dust bin was sizeable enough that we didn’t have to stop to empty it every five minutes. The noise level was also unobtrusive. Our reviewer wished the LED headlights cast light further, and sometimes had to reach her hand into the dust cup to pull out stuck pieces of debris. The vacuum is also not HEPA-rated, though it does have a five-stage filtration system that Levoit says captures 99.9% of 0.3-micron particles.

Read our full Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum review.

Best robot vacuum and mop

The most advanced robot vacuums today combine wet and dry features to streamline floor cleaning. In fact, robots that just vacuum are becoming far less commonplace; the most exciting advancements in robotic cleaning are these robot vacuum mops with a full suite of automatic features with base stations that can also wash and dry the mop pads in addition to storing weeks worth of debris. In our search for the best robot vacuum, the mid-range Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro Robot Vacuum emerged as our favorite, presenting a balance of value, features, and performance.

• See the best robot vacuum and mop combo

The effective floor cleaner outperformed pricier options in both vacuuming and mopping. It features a microfiber mopping pad that shifts back and forth and applies pressure to scrub up residue. It was extra thorough in its approach to get at all angles of a mess, though a little bit slower. We particularly liked that the robot had the foresight to “leave behind” the mop pad at the base station for vacuuming only tasks, but still has good carpet avoidance features including the ability to raise up the mop pad to avoid carpet when mopping.

The Shark PowerDetect is designed for a hands-off experience. the all-in-one base station can hold up to 60 days of debris, and 30 days worth of water for mopping, though those numbers will vary based on how often you run the robot and the size of your home. It also air dries and flushes the mop pad with water to keep it clean.

The app is a bit rudimentary in terms of cleaning customizations. Though, it covers the basics in terms of setting schedules, editing the floor plan, and creating no-go zones. It has all the features without the extra frills that could complicate usage.

Read our full Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop review.

Best handheld

The Dustbuster was the original handheld vacuum developed for NASA over 40 years ago. So it’s no surprise that one of these vacs, the Black+Decker Dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (model HHVI315JO42), performed the best in our tests.

• See the best handheld vacuums

The Dustbuster HHVI315JO42 is perfectly sized for cleaning your car and other above floor jobs. It was one of the best vacuums that we tested for car cleaning and was among the best on hardwood and carpeting. While other models struggled with flour and Cheerios, the Dustbuster was the best at picking up these substances on hardwood floors.

This well-balanced handheld vacuum weighs slightly over 2 pounds, making it comfortable for longer cleaning jobs. However, the run time was among the shortest of the models we tested (12 minutes), and you can’t tell when the battery is low since there’s no charge indicator light. It was among the quietest handhelds we tested, but it was still as loud as a noisy restaurant.

It has a simple on/off button and a button to release the dust bin. You can wash the filter with water and let it air dry before reinserting. The dustbin was twice as large as the competition.

Best wet-dry

Wet-dry vacuums have gained popularity for their ability to vacuum and mop simultaneously. While we don’t think they’ll fully replace your favorite upright or cordless stick vacuum — especially if you have carpets or rely on attachments like crevice tools and dusting brush — they are a time-saving and thorough machine for giving a deeper clean to your hard floors. 

• See the best wet-dry vacuum cleaners

Tineco leads the way with its collection of cordless wet-dry vacuums. Rated our best wet-dry vacuum overall, the Tineco Floor One S7 Stretch Ultra is packed with features like automatic dirt detection that adjusts suction and scrubbing for dirt and stains on the floor and signals to you when your floor is clean, a self-cleaning system that also dries the brush roll with hot air; better-edge cleaning and a lie-flat design to get low underneath; self-propelling, and more. It also has a long 50-minute runtime, of which we needed to refill the clean water tank only once during cleaning.

The Tineco Floor One S7 Stretch Ultra offers four modes: auto, max, suction, and custom. Auto uses the dirt detection sensors to dictate the amount of water and suction necessary to maximize battery life. Max provides more water for tough stains, and the suction mode sucks up liquid spills. Download the Tineco app to set your own cleaning parameters under Custom. It generally took only one or two passes of the Tineco Floor One S7 to clean up any kind of debris, liquid, or stain. The Floor One S7 Stretch Ultra has a lie-flat design to reach under the bed, but I found the redesigned cleaner-head with the clean water tank placed on top to be too thick to get under the toe kick of my cabinets.

Wet-dry vacuums need to be cleaned immediately following use to prevent mold and bacteria build-up. Tineco’s maintenance is one of the least involved, though pouring out the accumulated dirty water tank is both gross and satisfying. The Tineco Floor One S7 self cleans itself with hot water to flush the pipes and brushroll before using hot air to dry the brushroll in five minutes.

The biggest drawback of the Tineco is its price. For a less expensive option, its predecessor, the Tineco Floor One S5, offers great cleaning performance, too but does not have a suction mode to suck up wet messes and a slightly shorter runtime. 

Read our Tineco wet-dry vacuum review.

What to look for in a vacuum cleaner

When choosing from the best vacuums, your primary considerations are the vacuum type (see FAQ), reliable suction and cleaning performance, mess-free debris disposal, a strong warranty, a long battery life (if cordless), a well-designed brush head, and ease of use.

Here are some other important features:

Cleanerhead and attachments

Your vacuum needs a well-designed cleanerhead (brushroll) to collect the dust and dirt on your floors. These can vary in material from soft roller to silicone or hard plastic with strategically placed bristles and should have some sort of hair-resistance feature. In addition to a durable brush head, you’ll also want to look for vacuums with the following attachments:

• Crevice tool: A long, flat attachment with an angled tip. It’s good for getting into tight corners, including baseboards, stairs, and between couch cushions. 
• Upholstery tool: A wide, flat attachment that allows for strong suction. It’s good for furniture with fabric upholstery, like mattresses, chairs, and couches. 
• Dusting Brush: These attachments have bristles ideal for clearing dust from baseboards, molding, blinds, and more without scratching surfaces. 
• Wand: Often featured on upright vacuums, wands detach from the main body to allow you to reach spots the head can’t go. They’re useful for cleaning stairs, corners, and upholstery.

Weight

When cleaning your whole house, you want a machine that is light enough to carry from room to room and up and down stairs, and not too difficult to push. Cordless stick vacuums should weigh under 10 pounds, while uprights can hover in the 15 to 20 pound range. For smaller jobs and above-floor cleaning, a handheld vacuum or a cordless that converts into a handheld, you’ll want something under five pounds to reduce strain on your arms, though lighter is even more ideal.

Dust bin

Most of the vacuums we recommend are bagless. They are designed to allow clean air to pass through the motor without impeding suction or clogging. Instead of collecting in a bag, the debris collects in a reusable dust bin that can be easily emptied after each use.

Traditional vacuum bags have tiny holes that act as filters, trapping dust and dirt while allowing air to pass through. However, they’re harder to empty and clean. Some vacuums use disposable bags, but this is an added cost you have to factor into the lifetime value of your vacuum. However, Bagged vacuums are a good option for people with severe allergies and sensitivities to dust. 

Also, consider dust bin size. If it’s too small, you’ll find yourself constantly stopping to visit the trash. Those with carpets and pets that shed will want to want to consider higher-volume bins. We like bins that can handle at least 0.2 gallons, though the Shark Stratos falls just below that at 0.18 gallons. 

Filter

We recommend looking for vacuums with a HEPA filter, particularly if anyone in your home is prone to allergies. To meet HEPA standards, a high-efficiency particulate or HEPA filter must filter 99.97% of airborne particles. Most high-quality vacuum cleaners contain HEPA filters. Many are washable and reusable and should be cleaned regularly.

Warranty

If problems arise, you want your vacuum’s warranty to cover them. Most vacuum warranties range from one to five years. These typically apply to electric and mechanical failure or any manufacturer defects but do not cover misuse such as vacuuming up liquids or neglecting routine maintain like cleaning filters.

How we test the best vacuum cleaners

Vacuuming performance: We tested the vacuums on carpeting, hardwood, and tile, picking up flour, ground coffee, cat litter, Cheerios, and fur. We assessed how well each vacuum picked up the materials and weighed the dust bins to evaluate how much was picked up. If a vacuum came with attachments, we tested them on the appropriate surfaces, like baseboards and furniture. We also tested the obstacle avoidance and corner cleaning capabilities of robot vacuums.

Battery runtime: We timed how long cordless vacuums ran until their batteries died and how long it took to recharge them.

Ease of use and comfort: We assessed the experience of powering the vacuum, maneuverability, and how tiring it is to hold, and even noise emitted. We noted if it could fit under low-profile furniture and if it had additional features that improved functionality, such as a headlight.

Debris disposal: After cleaning sessions, we evaluated how easy and clean emptying the dust bin was. The vacuum lost points if we came in contact with the debris when disposing of it or if it was otherwise messy.

Storage: We looked at how easy it was to store the vacuum, including if it broke down into a smaller footprint or if it came with a docking station or wall mount.

Vacuum cleaner FAQs

What is the best type of vacuum cleaner?

Generally, it comes down to your needs. Upright vacuums are cost-effective and perform well with endless suction power. Stick vacuums are versatile, lightweight, and convenient but typically have smaller dust bins. Cordless models have started to rival the performance of corded ones, but battery life can range across brands. Handheld vacs are compact and can get into tight spots, but most cordless stick vacuums can also convert into handhelds. Canister vacuums are pricey yet powerful, and robot vacuums automate cleaning.

Each type of vacuum comes with its own benefits and considerations:

• Upright vacuum: Most people envision an upright vacuum when you mention a “vacuum.” The dust bin, head, and motor are all in one unit. The upright vacuum stands independently, and the body tilts back as you clean. It offers versatility and power but can be cumbersome to use at times. Most models have a removable hose to reach hard-to-reach spots.
• Cordless stick vacuum: Stick vacuums have become popular thanks to their portability and convenience. Yet, these cordless vacuums lack the power of upright and canister vacuums and must be recharged frequently. The dust bins are also smaller. Most cannot stand on their own. On the plus side, the low-profile design makes these lightweight vacuums great for cleaning under furniture, and they’re lightweight and easy to maneuver with little effort.
• Canister vacuum: The head and handle of a canister vacuum are connected to the canister by a long hose. The dust bin and motor are located within the canister, usually on wheels to follow you around as you clean. This configuration makes the canister vacuum annoying to move around the house. Still, they are perhaps the most powerful vacuum type. Canister vacuums can also be referred to as cylinder vacuums. 
• Robot vacuum: Robot vacuums automate your floor cleaning but are typically less powerful than other vacuum types. They’re great for routine cleaning but may not replace deep cleaning. You set a schedule, and the vacuum cleans independently and returns to its charging dock when done. However, you still need to empty the tiny dust bin after each cleaning unless it has an auto-empty dock, and the vacs can get stuck on cords or in tight spots. Models get more expensive when you opt for features with home mapping, auto-empty dust bins and mopping. 
• Handheld vacuum: Often referred to as “Dustbusters” after the famous Black & Decker vacuum, handheld vacuums are small and designed for small messes, such as dust after sweeping, stray cat litter, and spilled cereal. They’re great for quickly cleaning messes, but you don’t want to rely on one to clean your entire house.
• Wet-dry vacuums:  Not to be confused with industrial-style shop vacs, wet-dry vacuums or vacuum mops can wash and vacuum your hard floors simultaneously. They feature clean and dirty water tanks to catch the debris and some have will wash and dry the brushroll after cleaning. They’re available in corded and cordless varieties.  

How much should you spend on a vacuum cleaner?

Our guides feature vacuums ranging in price from $40 for a handheld to $2,000 for a fully loaded robot vacuum will all the bells and whistles on the market. Expect to spend at least $100 on a new upright vacuum. If you’re looking for a good stick, canister, or robot vacuum, the best can cost $300 or more.

How long does a vacuum last?

According to a Consumer Reports survey, a vacuum’s median life is eight years.

Leslie Tam, a cofounder of the cleaning service UrbanMop, said it might be time to replace your vacuum once it shows a drastic reduction in suction. He recommended prolonging your vacuum’s life by performing regular maintenance, including cleaning the filter often, removing hairs and other debris from the brush roll, and emptying the dust bin before it gets too full.

Source: The 9 best vacuums of 2026 for every cleaning need and budget