Vacuums

At HouseholdMe, we have analyzed and reviewed many popular vacuum cleaners available on the market today.

Read our comprehensive buying guides to get the information you need to make a well-informed purchasing decision. You will find information on vacuum types, flooring tests, side-by-side comparisons, buying guides on the best vacuum cleaners, and a lot more.

Vacuum Cleaner Illustration

Buying Guides & Reviews

Below we have put together a list of the most popular vacuum guides and vacuum cleaner reviews on HouseholdMe.

 • Best Vacuum Cleaners (All Types)
 • Best Upright Vacuums
 • Best Robot Vacuums
 • Best Stick Vacuums
 • Best Canister Vacuums

Choosing the Best Vacuums by Type

There are many different vacuum cleaner varieties available, from stick to upright vacuums and from canister to robot vacuums.

In our buying guides we discover the best cleaning machines by type to help you pick the right vacuum for your household.



Robot Vacuum Illustration


Best Vacuums by Brand

There is no lack of vacuum cleaner manufacturers available on the market. But what vacuum cleaner brands are the best?

In our guides we look at the most widely used vacuum cleaner brands and do a comparison of their respective products.


Upright Vacuums


Robot Vacuums


Stick Vacuums


Canister Vacuums


Handheld Vacuum Illustration


Vacuum Cleaner Reviews

HouseholdMe is all about tests and reviews. For a very long time we have tested lots of the most popular vacuum cleaners on the market today.

Have a look at our most popular vacuum cleaner reviews




Vacuum Cleaner Comparisons

Narrowed you search to a couple vacuum cleaners? Perfect! Below you will find a list of side by side comparisons.

In these unit comparisons we analyze the performance, specs, and price of popular models to help you decide between similar vacuum cleaners.



Specialty Vacuums

Besides you regular vacuum cleaner, some vacuum are specifically designed for dedicated purposes. Have a look at these buying guides and find out if you need to pick up one of these.

 • Best Stationary Vacuums
 • Best Backpack Vacuums
 • Best Central Vacuum Systems
 • Best Vacuum and Mop Combo Cleaners
 • Best Pond Vacuums
 • Best Wet/Dry Canister Vacuums
 • Best Ash Vacuums
 • Best Floor Mopping Robots
 • Best Upholstery Cleaners
 • Best Non-Electric Vacuums

Find the perfect vacuum for you + your home.

We understand there is a lot to think about when buying a brand new vacuum, like a variety of floor surfaces, the size of your home and a whole lot more. And with so many varieties, choosing the right vacuum cleaner can be very difficult.

That is why we have written a buying guide to make it a little easier for you to find the best vacuum cleaner.

Types of Vacuum Cleaners

Check out this variety of vacuum types to find the one that works well for you.

Canister Vacuums

Canister vacuums work best on hard surfaces or smaller, carpeted areas like a car or the stairs. They come equipped with a suction hose and a retractable cord for easy maneuvering.

Canister models have a separate unit for the motor and receptacle for easy maneuverability, flexibility and versatility. That makes these vacuums best for furniture and multi-surface use.

Upright Vacuum

Upright vacuums are perfect for large, carpeted areas of the home. They use a motor-driven beater brush that loosens and eliminates dirt by using suction. Most uprights come with onboard accessories for convenient use.

Upright Vacuum

Some models are bagless while other upright vacuums have bags to capture debris and dust. Features include height adjustments for swift transition from dense carpet cleaning to hardwood flooring with the flip of a button. Upright vacuum cleaners tend to be best for hardwood floors and carpet.

Handheld Vacuums

Handheld vacuums can clean areas that are too large for your upright vacuum. Portable and cordless designs make them ideal for cleaning smaller areas. Handhelds are ideal for cleaning up after children and pets. These portable vacuums are compact, silent and user friendly.

They are usually battery powered, making them portable and convenient for cleaning up smaller spills.

Stick Vacuums

Stick vacuum cleaners are the middle ground in between an upright and a handheld vacuum. Lightweight and mostly battery powered, they offer the advantages of a handheld but offer the upright construction of a traditional vacuum cleaner, making them better for cleaning up spills on hardwood floors.

Stick vacs are oftentimes used for quick cleanup areas, such as kitchen and bathroom floors. Most stick vacuum cleaners have a dirt cup, as opposed to bags, to gather the dirt debris.

Robot Vacuums

Robot vacuums portray the latest in vacuum innovation. Simply set up the sensor boundaries, choose your setup and let your robot vacuum cleaner clean the floors for you.

Robot Vacuum Illustration

Cordless and compact, these vacuum cleaners clean with accuracy while saving you time. While not as powerful or flexible as traditional vacuum cleaners, the constant cleaning action offers ease and convenience.

Vacuum Comparison Chart

Vacuum
Type
Surface
Type
ProsCons
Upright
Vacuum
Large carpeted areas
Hard surfaces
Rugs
Powerful with a wide cleaning path
Bag and bagless options
Difficult to clean under furniture
Usually bulkier and heavier
Canister
Vacuum

Hard surfaces
Small carpeted areas
Stairs
Strong suction
Flexible hoses
Bag and bagless options
Not ideal for large floor surfaces
Can be difficult to maneuver

Robot
Vacuum
Medium-sized floor
Hands-free
Cordless
Programmable
Clean when you’re not home
Not powerful
Plug in before use
Not ideal for carpeting
Stick
Vacuum

Small floor surfaces
Lightweight
Some are battery-powered
Excellent surface cleaners
Not ideal for deep cleaning
Not ideal on carpeted areas
Small dirt bin capacities
Handheld
Vacuum

Small floor surfaces
Lightweight and easy to maneuver
Ideal for cleaning small messes
Not as powerful as full-sized models
Deep
Cleaner

Carpeted surfaces
More than a surface cleaning
Preventing bacterial growth
Heavy and bulky
Pet
Vacuum

Carpeted areas
Hard surfaces
Powerful
Collects pet hair and dander
Minimizes pet odors
Can be heavy and difficult to maneuver


Stick vacuum Iluustration

Vacuum Parts

A modern-day vacuum includes tons of components working together. Discover what each part is known as, and what they do below.

Bag change indicator: A light that comes on automatically when it is time to change the bag and helps the vacuum operate with maximum efficiency.
Bagless: Bagless units reduce the cost of buying new bags and are easier to empty by simply removing the dust cup.
Belt: the motor is connected by the vacuum belt to the brush system. This causes the brushes to rotate rapidly and process debris. It is important to know the belt type of the model you choose in the full case of a replacement.
Brush system: This is the heart of a cleaner that is deep. Each model features one or more brushes that are rotating scrub water and soap onto the carpet.
Integrated heater: many cleaners that are deep heat switches that automatically warm the water. This helps to create more surface cleaning that is efficient.
Carpet-height adjustment: the height is changed by this feature of the vacuum brush roll to the carpet height for easy maneuvering.
Cleaning path: The width of a vacuum and ability to catch dirt and dust; vacuum cleaners with a larger cleaning path catch a amount that is great of and at a faster rate.
Cord-free: These vacuum cleaners are usually lightweight and give you a range that is wide of when cleaning your floors. Included docking stations provide a charge that is quick.
Crevice tool: A long, angled attachment that cleans detailed, hard-to-reach places, like corners.
Dusting brush: a brush that is bristled for dusting hard surfaces.
Edge cleaner: This feature can grab dirt under the area that is entire of cleaning head for wall-to-wall carpeting.
Filtration: Filtration systems help remove dust mites from floors and furniture. This is best suited for reducing household allergens.
Headlight: vacuum cleaners with a headlight allow you to see objects obstructing the cleaning path in dark spaces (closets or under the bed).
Engine: The more power that is suction your vacuum, the less time and effort it will take to clean your floors. Vacuum power is measured in amps, watts and volts.
Engine protection system: This protects a vacuum engine from overheating, particularly when there is a blockage or jam.
Onboard tools: Crevice tools, upholstery brushes and deluxe hoses are just a few that can make a difference that is big cleaning! Many vacuum cleaners and deep cleaners include one or more tools to reach corners, stairs and other places that are small.
Pet brush: a brush that is bristled used to remove pet hair and dander from furniture, stairs or other small spaces.
Retractable cord: This is a feature that is common canister vacuum cleaners where the cord winds into the unit for easy maneuvering and storage.
Self-propelled engine: A feature that propels the vacuum on its own for easy maneuvering.
Tank capacity: The bigger the tank, the longer your deep cleaner runs without needing a water refill. Like the units themselves, capacities vary, but the standard is around one gallon.
Upholstery tool: a brush that is bristled used for cleaning furniture, drapes or other material surfaces.

Upright Vacuum Illustration

Vacuum Term Glossary

There are several terms and jargon related with vacuum cleaners. Keep on reading to find out what all the essential parts of the machine you’re shopping for are called.

Agitator: The brush at the base of a vacuum that pushes debris and dirt toward the suction.
Canister vacuum: Works best on hard surfaces or smaller carpeted areas, including stairs. A suction hose picks up dirt, and their lightweight structure and cord that is retractable this vacuum convenient and best suited for easy storage.
Deep cleaner: Used for industrial-grade jobs on nearly any surface. Perfect for indoor or use that is outdoor.
Dirt container: a design that is bagless makes it easy to empty and replace the dirt catcher.
Handheld vacuum: Smaller size vacuum that can clean areas that are hard-to-reach.
HEPA air filter: High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are extended-surface filters that catch up to 99% of all dust particles known to cause allergies that are common.
High traffic: A setting that automatically mixes the right amount of water and formula that is cleaning dissolve tough grime and heavy soil usually found on high-traffic areas, like entryways.
Normal: A setting that automatically provides the best mix of water and cleaning formula for cleaning jobs that are most.
Quick-release cord wrap: With this convenient feature, you can release the full length of the vacuum power cord in one movement that is quick.
Strain reliever handle: Ergonomically designed to reduce wrist and hand stress.
Sweeper/stick vacuum: Commonly used for quick, cleanup areas, including kitchen and bathroom floors. Most stick vacuum cleaners have a dirt cup instead of a bag to collect debris.
Upright vacuum: Perfect for large, carpeted areas of the house. Uprights use a beater that is motor-driven that loosens and eliminates dirt through suction. Most include onboard accessories which make cleaning areas that are hard-to-reach. There are designs with bags to catch debris and dust and others that are bagless. Some uprights feature height adjustments, allowing you to clean carpet that is dense hardwood floors with the flip of a switch.
Vacuum bag: The bag attached to the vacuum to collect dirt particles.
Water rinse/carpet protector: The option that is best for a clean water rinse. It should also be used when applying the carpet protection through the applicator.

Info Guides

Absolutely nothing is certain, except death, taxes, and vacuuming. Our guides explore questions to common household cleaning tasks.

Robot Vacuums
 • How to Maintain a Robot Vacuum Cleaner?
 • What Features to Look For in Robot Vacuum Cleaners?
 • How Do Robot Vacuum Cleaners Work?
 • Virtual Wall Barriers or Strips: Boundaries for your Robot Vacuum


If you have any questions or comments, please add them below in the comment section. Similarly, please let us know if you spot any mistakes or omissions. Thanks!


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