The 18 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2024, Tested on Crumbs, Dirt, and Pet Hair

Best Cordless Vacuum

Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum

$230 at Amazon $230 at Wayfair $260 at Macy's

Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.8/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  4.8/5

Very little beats the convenience of a cordless vacuum cleaner and the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum is one of the best we tested. It excelled at debris cleanup with impressive suction even on the lower mode (our testers didn’t even need the high mode). The Shark vacuum even grabbed dirt and pet hair from a Ruggable rug without separating the top layer from the bottom (a feat, trust us).

It did get stuck on the edge of the rug, but once addressed, the vacuum carried on with impressive efficiency. It easily maneuvered around furniture and into corners. Its light weight makes carrying it from room to room a breeze, and the battery lasts for 25 minutes straight on the lowest mode (11 minutes on the high mode). While this battery life isn’t as long as a Dyson’s (some can run up to an hour on the lowest setting), for a standard cordless stick vacuum, 25 minutes is a great run time.  Plus, it has a HEPA filter.

Type: Cordless | Dimensions: 10.24 x 7.09 x 46.09 inches | Weight: 6.89 pounds | Filter Type: HEPA, foam | Capacity: 0.34 quarts | Cord Length: Cordless | Included Accessories: Pet multi-tool, crevice tool, battery charger

Best Upright Vacuum

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Vacuum

$160 at Amazon $200 at Target $215 at Walmart

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  2.5/5

The Shark Navigator Deluxe is one of those vacuums that makes the chore go by faster due to its ease of use and powerful suction. Assembly was quick — it only has three sections that clip in together easily. When it came to performance, this upright vacuum was lightweight to maneuver around furniture and across floors like hardwood and tile (carpet requires a little extra push). It suctioned up all stray crumbs, pet hair, and dirt. Plus, the HEPA filter grabs any pollen and other allergens. Other reasons to love this vacuum: It's quiet, simple to empty, and reasonably priced compared to other large vacuums.

Dimensions: 45.5 x 15 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 16 pounds | Dirt Cup Size: 3.4 liters | Cord Length: 25 feet | Attachments: Pet brush, duster, crevice tool, long-reach hose, floor brush nozzle

Best Robot Vacuum

iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum

$60 at Amazon $246 at Walmart $250 at Wayfair

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Noise Level
  3.5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Features
  3/5

If a list of vacuums makes you exhausted just thinking about the task of vacuuming your house, then the iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum may be the one for you. The iRobot was the crowned winner in our robot vacuum test, thanks to its effectiveness on all types of flooring, from hardwood and tile to carpeting. It took us less than five minutes to get this robot vacuum going after removing it from the box (including the app and scheduling setup on our phones).

As robots can only do so much that humans cannot, the Roomba had some issues detecting the edges of rugs and carpeting, staying away from those areas as if it sensed a drop-off or staircase. With this in mind, you may have to nudge it along when it gets to the edge of a surface, but it is fantastic at maneuvering around obstacles like chair legs and couches. This robot vacuum doesn't have mapping technology, but for an appliance that can effectively clean for you while you go about your day, we'd say this model is as good as it gets.

Type: Bagless, robot | Dimensions: 13.4 x 13.4 x 3.54 inches | Weight: 6.8 pounds | Filter Type: High-efficiency | Capacity: 0.15 gallons | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: Docking station, extra filter, Wi-Fi connectivity, phone app

Best Budget Pick

Dirt Devil Versa 3-in-1 Cordless Stick Vacuum

$90 at Wayfair View on Dirtdevil.com View on Brandsmartusa.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  2/5

Vacuums are one of those household items that usually require an upfront investment, which is why this under-$100 DirtDevil is something to write home about. The Versa Cordless 3-in-1 Stick Vac is a powerful machine, gliding around any type of flooring effortlessly. Its lightweight frame and cordless design help you get into every corner without having to switch a cord to a closer socket.

It was extremely easy to set up, as the body of the vacuum came pre-assembled. It doesn't come with any additional attachments, but we think that's okay given its effective cleaning. As we maneuvered it around an obstacle course of furniture and a variety of floor types, we were impressed with its power and light weight — it glided around chair legs with ease (made easier by its cordless design).

It would be difficult to carry on a conversation while vacuuming since it's a little loud, but who's really doing that, anyway? For all of our tests, whether it be coffee grounds on carpet or hair strewn on tile, the DirtDevil rose up to the challenge (and did so at a fabulous price).

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 2.5 x 10 x 7.8 inches | Weight: 5 pounds | Filter Type: Washable | Capacity: 0.10 gallons | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: None

Best Shark Vacuum

Shark Vertex Cordless Stick Vacuum

$254 at Amazon $290 at Walmart $441 at Staples

Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

Continually impressed by this popular vacuum cleaner brand, we set out to find the best Shark vacuums and put them head to head in a series of tests. Cordless stick vacuums tend to be user-friendly and efficient, so the Shark Vertex was all but guaranteed a top spot on our list. Throughout all of our tests, the Shark Vertex received nearly perfect scores, thanks to its easy setup, incredible suction, low noise level, and more. 

Plus, the battery lasts a surprisingly long time — 50 minutes! It’s also a bit of a shape-shifter because it has a series of attachments that you can interchange to grab debris in various places, like a crevice tool, a handheld attachment, an anti-allergen brush, and a multipurpose attachment to grab pet hair. It’s just under nine pounds, so it’s lighter than most upright vacuums but a little bulkier than other cordless stick vacuum cleaners.

Type: Cordless | Dimensions: 15.35 x 10.24 x 47.05 inches inches | Weight: 8.93 pounds | Filter Type: HEPA, Foam | Capacity: 0.34 quarts | Cord Length: N/A | Included Accessories: Removable handheld vacuum, removable dust cup, crevice tool, anti-allergen brush, pet multi-tool

Best Wet/Dry Vacuum

Bissell TurboClean Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner

$146 at Amazon $146 at Wayfair

When you live in a home with multiple floor types, a wet-dry vacuum can be a huge timesaver. The Bissell TurboClean Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner delivered on both fronts, proving equally effective at cleaning dry and wet debris. It vacuums and sanitizes (though we learned it prefers small bits of dirt to larger debris).

The wet/dry vacuum has a sleek design that's easy to maneuver around your home. Your floors will definitely have that shiny clean look to them, you just might have to stop once or twice to empty the water tank because it's small and dirties as quickly as the machine cleans.

Weight: 8.37 pounds | Dimensions: 27.44 inches x 13.03 inches x 10.67 inches | Battery Life: 30 minutes | Capacity: 17 ounces

Best Handheld Vacuum

Shark UltraCyclone Pro Handheld Vacuum

$79 at Amazon $79 at Walmart $80 at Wayfair

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  3/5
• Setup
  5/5

When we tested dustbusters and handheld vacuums, this handheld vacuum blew us away with its design and functionality. First, it’s just pretty to look at with a sleek, seamless design that looks so nice you could leave it out. And the performance was stellar too: It easily lifted all debris from upholstery, even suctioning the fabric a little with its power. 

The attachments, such as the crevice tool, simplified the cleaning process and got hard-to-reach crumbs without much effort. Once it was filled with crumbs, feathers, and more, the vacuum’s dustbin was simple to empty and clean, without making any kind of mess.

Battery Life: 10-15 minutes | Weight: 1.4 pounds | Bin Capacity: 0.54 quarts | Attachments: Duster crevice tool, multi-surface pet tool | HEPA Filter: No

Best Dyson Vacuum

Dyson V12 Detect Slim Vacuum

$500 at Amazon $650 at Target $500 at Walmart

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

We've tried many of the best Dyson vacuums, with more being tested as we speak (or write, as the case may be). It's hard to narrow down a favorite when all Dyson vacuums offer such impressive power. If you're willing to spend, then rest assured, the best Dyson is the Gen5Detect Cordless Stick Vacuum. If you'd prefer to save a little, then we'd recommend the reliable V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum. However, for the majority of daily vacuuming needs, we're sticking with the V12 Detect Slim Vacuum.

It's a solid pick with upgraded features like a single-touch power button, so you don't have to hold down a trigger button while you vacuum. At just over 5 pounds, it's super lightweight, making it easy to maneuver from one room to another during its extended 60-minute battery run time. Plus, it comes with a laser light on the brush head that illuminates dirt, dust, pet hair, and more, so that you can efficiently clean your space.

That said, even the most handsome prospects have a few red flags: While the dust bin was incredibly easy to empty, there was some hair stuck inside that had to be manually fetched out at the end of its cleaning run. And the vacuum prefers carpet to bare floors. (25 passes later, it struggled to pick up popcorn kernels and Cheerios from hard flooring.) However, for Dyson collectors who already own the Omni-Glide model for your bare floors, then this outstanding upgraded option is a worthy purchase for your carpets.

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.9 x 49.1 inches | Weight: 5.2 pounds | Filter Type: Whole machine filtration | Capacity: 0.1 gallons | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, Motorbar cleaner head, crevice tool, hair screw tool, combination tool

Best Roomba

iRobot Roomba i3 EVO Robot Vacuum

$149 at Amazon $350 at Target $349 at Walmart

Our Ratings

• Setup
  3/5
• Effectiveness
  3.5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Features
  4/5

While we love the iRobot Roomba 694 for its quality and price, there’s no doubt the iRobot Roomba i3 EVO vacuum is an equally competitive option — especially when the two were compared in our best roombas test. Its versatile design works effectively on both hardwood floors and carpets, makes hardly any noise, and suctioned up 90 percent of dirt and debris during our initial test. 

We like that the iRobot i3 EVO has smart mapping technology to help avoid dings in your furniture legs, though it did get stuck in corners and when faced with curtains, cords, and other stray objects. It’s fairly easy to empty, but you can also upgrade to the i3+ EVO model, which comes with a self-emptying base. iRobot has also upgraded this model on its website to the i4 EVO which has 20 minutes longer worth of battery life — an impressive feat considering the i3 already has a 75-minute run time.

Dimensions: 13.26 x 3.63 inches | Weight: 7.44 pounds | Dustbin Capacity: 0.5 liters | Runtime: 75 minutes | Smart Mapping: Yes | Self-Emptying: i3+ only

Best for Pet Hair

Samsung Jet 75 Stick Vacuum

$346 at Amazon $400 at Target $499 at Wayfair

Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Maneuverability
  4.3/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.3/5
• Portability
  3.5/5

We love our pets dearly, but there's always going to be a trail of fur left in their paths — which calls for a great pet hair vacuum that can clean up after them. The Samsung Jet 75 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner worked tirelessly to scoop up pet hair across all surfaces, from tile to high-pile carpets, leaving only a clean space in its wake.

It assembled quickly and performed exceptionally well picking up hair on all flooring types. You can use it as a cordless stick model or detach the handle to convert it into a sleek, shorter handheld wand. The crevice tool came in handy when getting into those small corners, as the regular vacuum struggled to get debris at the very end of the base.

We did notice, however, that the volume was quite loud for our taste. Also, the battery lost power a bit faster than we expected, but it charged quickly, so this wasn't a big problem.

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 8.5 x 9.8 x 44.5 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Filter Type: Washable | Capacity: 0.21 gallons | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: Mini motorized tool, long reach crevice tool, combination tool, soft brush

Best Canister Vacuum

Kenmore Compact Bagless Canister Vacuum

$120 at Amazon View on Kenmorefloorcare.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.8/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

Canister vacuums offer many benefits — which we put to the test — but the primary two are powerful suction and low noise level. The Kenmore Bagless Canister Vacuum efficiently lifted dirt and debris from carpets, hardwood floors, and rugs. The canister portion rolled smoothly across all surfaces as well, which helped with the overall maneuverability. Plus, at less than 10 pounds, you can easily carry it around, too.

While the vacuum picked up pet hair easily, the fur got stuck in the brush’s rollers several times. Attachments like the crevice tool sucked up dirt from couch cushions quickly, and the other vacuum components were equally helpful. The bagless design made for simple cleaning — the dustbin can be rinsed out with water. And thanks to the HEPA filter, the vacuum also promises to reduce allergens, dust, and other irritants from your home. While we wish the cord was a little longer (it’s 16 feet), this bagless canister vacuum is a really good value.

Type: Bagless | Dimensions: 11.4 x 12.2 x 28.8 inches | Weight: 9.5 pounds | Capacity: 0.6 pounds | Hose Length: 9 feet | Cord Length: 16 feet | Filter: HEPA | Attachments: Dusting brush, crevice tool, bare floor tool, pet turbine brush

Best Robotic Pool Vacuum

Aiper Scuba S1 Pool Cleaner

$700 at Amazon View on Aiper.com

While you might not think good vacuums are useful outside, we tested a handful of robotic pool vacuums that really dazzled us: specifically, the Aiper Scuba S1 Pool Cleaner. The little vacuum was fully assembled in less than five minutes. Once it's charged and placed in the pool, it will impress you with how efficiently it scrubs tile, catching debris like leaves and dirt along the way.

The cordless design simplifies everything and the four cleaning modes — floor-only, wall-only, eco, and auto — ensure a thorough and deep clean for any pool area of concern. While we wish it would skim the pool's surface, it's not a dealbreaker considering the efficiency and power of this machine.

Dimensions: 20 x 17 x 10 inches | Weight: 20.9 pounds | Pool size: Up to 1,600 feet | Filter: Basket | Cleaning time: 150 minutes | Charge time: 3–4 hours | Smart features: Intelligent navigation, four cleaning modes, anti-slip treads

Best Smart

Tineco Pure One S15 Pro

$400 at Amazon

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

This Tineco vacuum cleaner is an amazing option for those looking to geek out on smart features or anyone who needs extra help supercharging their clean. The digital screen turns red when encountering dirt and blue when the area has been sufficiently cleaned, but this model also automatically goes into a short max power mode when it comes into contact with a big mess — so it's really putting in the extra elbow grease for you.

It comes with a standing dock, so you don't have to mount anything to a wall (great for renters). It also has helpful attachments and a place to store them. The LED light on the brush head helps to illuminate any pet hair, crumbs, or other debris that might be lurking in your corners or along your baseboards. However, these features come with a high price tag and our at-home tester noted that the motor portion of the vacuum gets to be a bit heavy after using it for an extended period of time.

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 11 x 11.4 x 45 inches | Weight: 6.8 pounds | Filter Type: Magnetic filter and 5-stage filtration | Capacity: Not listed | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: Mini power brush, 2-in-1 dust brush, crevice tool, stand

Best Quiet

Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum

$150 at Amazon

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  3.5/5
• Portability
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

We'd go as far as to say that the Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum was the quietest vacuum we've ever used. Clocking in at only 65 decibels, it was incredibly easy to carry on a conversation while the vacuum sucked up everything in its path. On top of its quiet operation, it only weighs three pounds. We were impressed with how easily it maneuvered around corners, furniture, and any obstacle that stood in the way.

Even though it was an effective, quiet, and easy-to-use vacuum, the size and shape of the dustbin made it difficult to empty. We also had to manually fetch some of the hair out of the dustbin, and unfortunately, we weren't able to retrieve all of it. But if you don't live in a household that's constantly shedding, that might not be a dealbreaker for you, so we're still including this quiet vacuum on our list for those who like to clean while babies are sleeping or while they simultaneously conduct FaceTime calls.

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 15.75 x 5.71 x 21.46 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Filter Type: HEPA | Capacity: 0.2 gallons | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: 2-in-1 combination dust-crevice tool, wall mount

Best Self-Emptying

Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum

$239 at Amazon $330 at Wayfair $220 at QVC

Our Ratings

• Setup
  4.9/5
• Effectiveness
  4.6/5
• Noise Level
  4.2/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.7/5

What's better than a vacuum that will do the dirty work (i.e. emptying the dustbin) for you? The Shark Wandvac Cordless Stick Vacuum does just that, emptying itself into a HEPA filter bag every time it's attached to the charging base. And because it's cordless, you can move this lightweight vacuum from room to room with ease. You can even remove the wand from the base to get into all of those hard-to-reach spots, like between couch cushions and behind furniture, for a deeper clean.

Though we loved this model for its easily mobile functions and conveniently slim design (which makes for easy storage), we did notice that it took a few passes to fully vacuum all of the messes we made — and it was considerably louder than the other Shark vacuums we tested. However, it effectively performs on upholstery, making this a great option for cleaning up after popcorn movie nights in the family room.

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 8.75 x 11 x 43.5 inches | Weight: 13.85 pounds | Filter Type: Washable HEPA | Capacity: 0.03 gallons | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: Duster crevice tool, pet multi-tool, self-emptying charging base

Best for Hardwood Floors

Dyson Omni-Glide Cordless Vacuum

$280 at Amazon $350 at Target $350 at QVC

Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  4.5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  2.5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5

The Omni-Glide + was a standout for us when testing vacuums for hardwood floors, due to its sleek design, lightweight feel, and easy mobility. And because it detaches from the base to become a handheld vac, you can reach heights like never before (i.e. tops of bookshelves and cabinets) to get an even deeper clean in your home.

Though we didn't test this model on carpets or rugs, we thought it performed fabulously on tile, hardwood floors, and even stairs. In under one minute, each mess of hair, popcorn, and other pieces of debris were effectively sucked up into the machine's canister. Not to mention that its noise level was considerably lower than others we've tried, making this a huge plus in our book.

We think this is the perfect vacuum for small spots and quick cleanups because of its agile design. (You can fold it flat to fit under low furniture!) However, its slender canister can only hold about 0.2 liters of debris. So, you'll have to empty it more frequently when vacuuming large areas, but its quick cleans and maneuverability make the trash visits well worth it. You also get a cleaner head, mini motorized tool, combination crevice tool, light pipe crevice tool, docking station, and charger in the mix — just without built-in storage.

For a slightly cheaper option, the original Dyson Omni-Glide model is available for about $50 less at Target and Walmart. Expect the same stellar performance, but note that the Omni-Glide+ comes with an additional attachment and a slightly different color scheme than the original Omni-Glide model.

Type: Bagless, cordless | Dimensions: 42.4 x 8.89 x 3.62 inches | Weight: 4.19 | Filter Type: Whole-machine filtration | Capacity: 0.2 liters | Cord Length: Not applicable | Included Accessories: Cleaner head, combination crevice tool, docking station, mini motorized tool, light pipe crevice tool, charger

Best Dyson Alternative

Belife V12 Cordless Vacuum

$170 at Amazon $140 at Walmart

Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  3.9/5
• Maneuverability
  3.8/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5

While Dyson might be a household name when it comes to high quality tech products — it comes at a high cost. So, we found a series of vacuum cleaners that are good alternatives to this popular brand with more budget-conscious pricing. If you like the Dyson for its smart display screen, you’ll be happy to know the Belife V12 cordless vacuum has one too. The cordless design is lightweight and easy to maneuver around tight spaces, and, when set to eco mode, the battery life will last up to 45 minutes.

In terms of suction, this vacuum thrived when grabbing hard debris like Cheerio crumbs off of soft surfaces like carpeting and rugs, as well as lifting soft debris like pet hair from hard surfaces like tile and wood floors. That said, it struggled a little with the inverse. In spite of how well it suctions dirt and debris, the vacuum’s brush didn’t get tangled in any of it. And once you’re finished cleaning, the vacuum is easy to empty out and clean.  

Battery Life: 45 minutes | Weight: 1.78 pounds | Included Attachments: Removable hand vacuum, mini-motorized pet brush, hard floor attachment, 2-in-1 crevice tool, extension tube

Best for Cars

Ridgid Hand Vacuum

$78 at Amazon $60 at Home Depot

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  5/5

Cars hold many memories, but if we’re being honest, they also hold a lot of crumbs, dirt, and debris from every outing. That’s why it’s good to have a car vacuum so you can keep your car not only tidy but really clean. We love the Rigid Hand Vacuum for many reasons, and we’re not alone — this vacuum comes expert-recommended. 

Between the high suction and huge debris chamber, there’s no mess too messy for this vacuum. The design allows for a comfortable grip so you can hold it for extended periods of time and the filter is washable so now matter how much grime it suctions up, it’s easily cleanable. 

Since it has such a large chamber, it’s a little bulky to store, but you can easily keep it in the trunk of your vehicle or in your garage, so this isn’t a dealbreaker. If we have one gripe, it’s that the battery and charger are sold separately, but it’s a one-time inconvenience, so we’ll let it slide given the high quality of this machine. 

Type: Cordless | Dimensions: 22.13 x 9.02 x 7.44 inches | Weight: 3.06 pounds | Filter Type: Cloth | Capacity: 3 pounds | Cord Length: Cordless | Included Accessories: N/A