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5 Incredible Vacuums For Every Cleaning Job & Price Range
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Cleaning probably isn't your favorite activity, but the best vacuums on Amazon can make the chore easier and more effective. When shopping for a vacuum, the most important thing to keep in mind is what you actually need out of your cleaning device. The top options include upright, stick, handheld, and robot models that come with helpful features to meet a range of cleaning needs.
If you live in a large space, you may want to opt for a vacuum with a wider head and a few attachments. On the other hand, if you're primarily looking for a vacuum to clean a smaller home, get into tight corners, or just to use on upholstery (like on couches or the interior of your car), a stick or handheld vacuum could be the best option to access all the nooks and crannies.
If you want a tool to assist with heavy-duty cleaning, take a look at the vacuum's power as you’re deciding which model to go with. In general, the higher the amps, the more power and suction the vacuum will have. Upright vacuums tend to have more suction power than other models and typically range from seven to 12 amps, while lighter-duty vacuums may register two to five amps. Robot vacuums are hugely convenient for routine maintenance and typically work great on bare floors, but they tend to be less effective at spot cleaning or heavy-duty cleaning, particularly on carpet.
Cleaning up fur is a challenge in many pet owners’ homes (I’m looking at you, cat hair on the carpet!) and not all vacuums are up to the task. If you’d like your new vacuum to tackle pet hair, you should opt for a powerful vacuum that's specifically designed to deal with fur without frequent clogs.
Also keep in mind that some vacuums have cords and others don’t. With a cordless vacuum, you don’t have to worry about the length of the cord and changing outlets throughout your home as you clean, but you do have to remember to charge it before use, and it’s possible that you may need to recharge it mid-cleaning session.
It’s worth looking at the different tools and attachments a vacuum comes with too. Common vacuum attachments include crevice tools for squeezing into small areas and dust brushes for removing dust without scratching surfaces.
In a hurry? These are the best vacuums on Amazon:
1. The Best Vacuum Overall: Shark Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum NV352
2. The Best Budget Vacuum: Eureka NES210 Blaze 3-in-1 Swivel Lightweight Stick Vacuum Cleaner
3. The Best Stick Vacuum Overall: Shark APEX DuoClean Corded ZS362
4. The Best Robot Vacuum: Eufy RoboVac 11S
5. The Best Handheld Vacuum: Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum
6. The Best Vacuum For Pet Owners: Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum
With all this in mind, I scoured the internet for the best vacuums money can buy. My top picks range from convertible options to remote-controlled robot vacs, but they’re all tried-and-true devices with lots of glowing user reviews — and they’re all available on Amazon.
1The Best Vacuum Overall
What It Comes With: Crevice tool, dusting brush, and turbo brush attachments
Why It's Great: When you think of an upright vacuum, you might picture something clunky — but the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 vacuum proves how nimble and versatile modern-day vacuums can be. Simply press a button and the detachable canister lifts off of its base so that you can easily tote around the vacuum. You can also shut off the motorized brush for use on bare floors without scuffing.
The 10-amp vacuum weighs just over 12 pounds and has a 25-foot power cord and a 9.25-inch cleaning path. Its 5-foot hose can help you get to difficult-to-reach spaces, and the dust cup's capacity is a hefty 1.2 quarts. Most impressively, it has over 2,500 five-star ratings on Amazon, so you know it has passed the test in many homes.
Some reviewers say that the Shark NV352 is somewhat top-heavy, which means it may fall over more easily than some other models (something to consider if you have small children at home). But, overall, this vacuum is a fantastic deal for what you get and should meet most households' basic needs — and it comes with a five-year warranty.
Reviewers say: “I have owned many vacuums in my life and this is by far the BEST vacuum I have ever used. Easy to lift, easy to maneuver and super easy to clean. Very simple to take apart for couches and misc places. I would recommend this to anyone who wants the best for floors and other surfaces!”
2The Best Budget Vacuum
What It Comes With: Crevice tool attachment
Why It's Great: The Eureka NES210 Blaze 3-in-1 stick vacuum is a seriously multifunctional appliance and offers folks on a budget a stick, stair, and handheld vacuum in one compact package. You can remove the handle to convert it from a stick vacuum to a stair vacuum, then remove the floor nozzle to convert it from a stair vacuum to a handheld vacuum.
You can't expect this two-amp model to outperform many bulkier upright or stick vacuums — it’s essentially a corded hand vacuum with a handle attachment — but it's a fantastic space-saving option for small spaces. (For reference, I typically sweep most of my apartment, but I use a similar model to vacuum area rugs.)
The Eureka Blaze 3-in-1 vacuum weighs just 3.2 pounds and has a 9.5-inch cleaning path. However, the power cord is only 18 feet long, so you may have to move to various plugs as you vacuum. It comes with a three-year warranty.
Reviewers say: “For the price, this is a great little sweeper. Its super easy to maneuver it around due to the swivel, and it picks up everything in my room nicely. I would recommend it for people with small apartments, dorm rooms, etc. Picks up animal hair and stuff just fine as well.”
3The Best Stick Vacuum Overall
What It Comes With: Crevice tool, pet multi-tool, and precision duster attachments
Why It's Great: The Shark APEX DuoClean Corded ZS362 features a Zero-M self-cleaning brush roll that keeps hair from getting caught and it can also convert into a handheld vacuum. It has a 5-amp motor, making it more powerful than the Eureka Blaze 3-in-1 model, and a long 30-foot power cord. At about 10 pounds, it's very light and easy to push around.
The 8.5-inch cleaning path is fairly narrow, and the 0.74-quart dust cup is on the smaller end of the vacuums on this list — not necessarily dealbreakers, but something to think about before you buy. You'll also find LEDs located on both the handheld part and the head of the vacuum to light your way as you clean dark corners.
Reviewers say: “Easy to handle, great suction. Easy to remove parts to use as a wand for high places. I am very happy with my vac. Dust cup could be bigger, but still good.”
4The Best Robot Vacuum
What It Comes With: Remote with two AAA batteries, charging base, AC power adapter, cleaning tool, extra set of high-performance filters, four side brushes, and five cable ties
Why It's Great: There are tons of robotic vacuums on the market but the Eufy RoboVac 11S makes this list because of its budget-friendly price point, 9,000+ Amazon reviews, and low profile. It measures just 2.85 inches tall, which helps it comfortably fit under a lot of furniture as it cleans. (I used to own a taller robot vacuum that constantly got wedged under my bookshelves, and it was such a pain!)
It can run up to 100 minutes at a time and charges in five to six hours. Its dust box holds just over 0.6 quarts, which is smaller than other vacuums on this list, but since it automatically returns to its charging base when necessary and can be programmed to clean on a specific schedule, it's easy to run frequently.
Unlike some other models, this vacuum doesn’t have mapping technology, which means it won't "memorize" the layout of your rooms. Instead it bounces around your living space using sensors to avoid obstacles or falls — but you can use the remote to adjust its path as needed. For this price, it’s hard to beat, and it comes with a one-year warranty.
If you'd prefer to have a smarter vacuum and are willing to spend more for it, you should check out the pricier iRobot Roomba 960 Robot Vacuum.
Reviewers say: “I don't normally take time to review things, but I love this vacuum! It's amazing how much it picks up. I don't like having to empty its dust collector every time it runs, but its a small price to pay for such an awesome little machine! Very quiet compared to a normal vacuum. It's also very entertaining to watch it run around the room.”
5The Best Handheld Vacuum
What It Comes With: Charging adapter, crevice attachment, and scrubbing brush attachment
Why It's Great: The Shark UltraCyclone Pro handheld vacuum has a 2.6-inch cleaning path and 9-amp motor, which means it's perfect for deep-cleaning small surface areas. Since it's just 2.2 pounds and cordless, you can easily move it between sucking up kitchen counter crumbs to removing dog fur from the upholstery of your car. The dust cup can hold 0.5-quart and the fabric filter is washable.
It takes about 4 to 6 hours to charge the battery (an LED indicator light lets you know when it's full). One reviewer estimated that it tends to last "maybe 20-30 mins" per charge, making it ideal for "quick clean ups." It includes a two-year warranty.
If you're looking for an even cheaper option for occasional spot cleaning, try the BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster cordless hand vacuum instead.
Reviewers say: “It's a handheld vacuum cleaner and it does exactly what it's supposed to do. That is great for me. I didn't expect it to go for an hour on one charge .... I just needed it to work well and pick up the 'specific spots' that I needed to get to without lugging out that giant floor model! It's just perfect!”
6The Best Vacuum For Pet Owners
What It Comes With: Tangle-free turbine tool, stair tool, combination tool attachments
Why It's Great: The Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright vacuum is the answer to heavy pet-related vacuuming. It weighs 17.5 pounds, making it the heaviest vacuum on this list, but its ball head makes it easy to turn and maneuver. It's designed for big cleaning projects with its 13.39-inch cleaning path, 2.2-quart dust cap, and 35-foot cord. Its head automatically adjusts as you transition from carpet to bare floors and vice versa, so you never have to stop to manually readjust settings. And it comes with a turbine tool attachment that easily removes fur from carpet and upholstery without getting tangled up in hair.
The powerful vacuum uses about 1,400 watts and reviewers have positively compared it to 12-amp vacuums they’ve owned. (As a rule, a 1,400-watt vacuum plugged into a standard 120-volt outlet should translate to about 11.5 amps.) Best of all, the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum comes with a five-year warranty.
If the Dyson Ball Animal 2 seems like it might be too much vacuum for you, the popular (and cheaper) Bissell Pet Hair Eraser handheld vacuum might do the trick.
Reviewers say: “We have a German Shepherd and a Belgian Malinois and they are both champion level shedders, even with brushing. This vacuum sucks the hair right out of the carpet. We moved into a new home for us, and the first few times we vacuumed the carpet it was astounding how much dirt and pet hair from the previous homeowners pets that was in the carpet. Each room literally filled the dirt receptacle. After a few months we can do the whole house without emptying the dirt catcher until the end.”
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