The 4 Best Miele Vacuums

There’s nothing quite like a clean home, and at a certain point, it’s worth investing in tools that make household chores easier. But when it comes to vacuum cleaners, all are not created equally. Miele is known for making quiet, durable vacuums that last substantially longer than other brands and many Miele models can filter out 99% of airborn particles thanks to their HEPA filters. While Miele makes a variety of vacuums, including stick and robot options, the best Miele vacuum is a canister vacuum with brushes and suction that can stand up to your floor type, whether it’s hardwood or carpet.

While the average vacuum may work well up to eight years, a Miele vacuum has an average lifespan of at least 20 years. To find the right one for you, it’s worth getting familiar with the brand's various models. Knowing the different units within the vacuum series will help you find the one that suits your home and floor type.

• C1 series: typically the most affordable of the three Miele models, this series works well for hard floors and low-pile rugs or carpeting. All C1 vacuums have dial suction control and semi-sealed filtration. The C1 is considered the most compact of the three models. Don't confuse C1 with the CX1 series (which includes a popular vacuum on this list that's ideal for pet owners). The C1, C2, and C3 are all bagged vacuums, while the CX1 is the bagless series of Miele canister vacuums.
• C2 series: this series comes with upgrades like turbo brushes designed for hard floors and low- to medium-pile carpeting, an upgraded dusting brush made with natural bristles, a quieter motor, and fully sealed infiltration. The cost for a C2 is right in the middle between C1 and C3.
• C3 series: the most expensive and coveted of Miele vacuums, this series is designed with a fully sealed HEPA filtration standard, a built-in accessory storage compartment, and brushes and suction power that can be used on most surface types, including high-pile rugs. Be aware though that there are six vacuums within the C3 series and two — the Complete C3 Alize and Complete C3 Calima — are not recommended for high or medium-pile carpeting.

Most Miele canister vacuums are bagged, which provide enhanced filtration and a cleaner disposal process then bagless models, but do require replacements.

This brand is also known for its superior filtration system and quiet but powerful motors; each of my picks either comes with a HEPA filter, which can help alleviate allergies, or has the option to add one. Most Miele vacuums come with accessories like crevice tools and dusting brushes, and the best ones have longer cords for an extended cleaning radius as well as nice-to-have features, like automatic cord rewind or brushes specifically for picking up pet hair.

With their excellent performance and reputation for durability, it's clear why the best Miele vacuums are consistently highly rated. Keep reading to find the best one for your home's floors.

1. The Overall Best Miele Vacuum

The overall best Miele vacuum is a C3 bagged canister pick. Its 1,200 watt vortex motor is powerful enough to clean all floor types, including hard floors, low- to medium-pile carpeting, and even high-pile and plush carpeting. It even comes with a separate hard floor attachment for gently cleaning smooth surfaces if you have more delicate flooring like parquet.

While this highly rated Miele vacuum is an investment, for sure, its durability and versatility is "worth every penny," according to several reviewers. If you have multiple floor types in your home, this vacuum cleaner automatically adjusts its settings from hard flooring to carpeting as needed; plus, there are six speed settings you can also manually control with a footswitch, and LED lighting to guide your way.

The vacuum's swivel neck is comfortable to maneuver around your home, and it comes with a telescopic stainless steel wand, dusting brush, upholstery tool, crevice nozzle, and HEPA AirClean Filter. You'll also love that its long cord allows for a working radius of up 36 feet so you don't have to stop and restart as often, and the cord has automatic rewind when the job is done.

A helpful review: “[...] Everybody seemed to be talking about Miele so I checked them out and after extensive research this is the model I ended up with. Expensive yes, but as an allergy and asthma sufferer who has been in a state of [misery] for 20 years I told myself it is a health issue and somehow that makes the cost seem ok :) This thing is terrific, having used an upright for so long I didn't realize how annoying vacuuming was until I saw what this guy could do. For example, the hose is 2-3 times as long as my Dyson, no more holding the vacuum up in the air to get more reach on the hose! The handle goes at a pretty low angle so you can get all the way under a bed or couch and get all that dust that is normally forgotten without moving furniture. [...] I'm guessing between the filter bag, the pre filter, and the hepa filter it is catching everything. Going over a room I vacuumed thoroughly with the Dyson I picked up a ton that it left behind, it is night and day. [...]”

2. The Best Miele Vacuum On A Budget

If you're looking for an affordable Miele vacuum, this one is your entry point to the brand. The C1 bagged canister vacuum cleaner works well on hard flooring and low-pile carpet; you can adjust between six power settings with a footswitch. It's a highly rated pick with over 1,500 reviews on Amazon, including from one shopper who commented, "Best vacuum I've ever owned and one of the best appliances I've ever used."

Though it's budget-friendly for a Miele vacuum, this one does come with a powerful, 1,200 watt vortex motor plus several accessories: a combination floorhead, dusting brush, upholstery tool, crevice tool, AirClean Filter, a wand for cleaning blinds or hard-to-reach areas, and the option to add on a HEPA filter. Thoughtful features include rubberized wheels to avoid scratching floors and a cord long enough for a working radius of 29.5 feet.

A helpful review: “Best vacuum I've ever owned and one of the best appliances I've ever used. Such a well designed and well built precision German machine. From the silky smooth telescoping stainless steel handle, to the super quiet operation, to the auto retracting cord, it's all good stuff. I even love the way the motor very quietly 'spools up' when you turn it on. Makes our Dyson seem like a super loud plastic rattle trap. So how does it clean? better than anything else I've ever owned. I can't imagine anyone being disappointing with this machine, especially for $299."

3. The Best Miele Vacuum For Pets

Pet owners know not just any vacuum will do; it needs to stand up to lots of hair. The best Miele vacuum for pets is a CX1 bagless canister vacuum with a power brush designed for low- to medium-pile carpet and hard floors and a powerful 1,200 watt vortex motor with a parquet floor twister.

Switch between four settings using the rotary dial and know that when it's time to empty the canister, this bagless pick is designed to filter even fine dirt and dust and then release them without creating a dust cloud, so you won't come into contact with allergens at the end of your cleaning. This vacuum comes with a maintenance-free HEPA Lifetime Filter, which means you won't have to replace your filter, though you should clean it every 30 to 90 days. It also boasts a handheld mini turbo brush for pet hair, a crevice and upholstery nozzle, and dusting brush. Also, the cord offers a 33-foot operating radius and is conveniently retractable.

A helpful review: “This is a well built vacuum! The suction power alone, will out [perform] ANY vacuum, period. [...] We had vacuumed (different brand) and shampooed. Miele arrived next day. Had to try it out. Oh my Gosh!!! Should have seen all the animal hair and dirt!!! 2 dogs and 2 cats. [...] It is actually a joy to vacuum and to see all the animal hair!!! Super easy to [maneuver] and switch out attachments. Love the white color and super powerful motor. [...] You will not be disappointed. But you will be blown away with the powerful suction of this machine!”

4. The Best Miele If You Only Have Hard Floors

If you don't want to commit to my top pick and want a reliable vacuum that cleans your floors delicately but completely, this is the best Miele vacuum for hardwood floors. The C2 bagged canister vacuum cleans gently on sensitive hard floors with an extra-wide soft parquet brush with 180-degree rotation that cleans up to 20% faster than the brand's other parquet brush, according to the manufacturer. You can use this vacuum on hard floors, upholstery, and very low-pile rugs or carpet. This pick comes with an AirClean Filter but a HEPA filter can be purchased separately and added.

The cord allows for a 33-foot operating radius and the vacuum has a rotary dial for six settings. Accessories include a stainless steel telescoping wand with adjustable height for blinds and other hard-to-reach areas, a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, and a dusting brush.

A helpful review: “This vacuum cleaner is amazing. I really believe it’s the best canister vacuum cleaner on the market. I would recommend it to anyone with hardwood or tile floors. I like all of the attachments and how they are stored within the unit. The bags are easy to replace and keep all of the contents from being released back into the air when being removed from the unit. The price of the vacuum cleaner was a little overwhelming at first but now that I’ve seen its performance, I believe it was worth every penny.”