Here at the Strategist, we like to think of ourselves as crazy (in the good way) about the stuff we buy, but as much as we’d like to, we can’t try everything. Which is why we have People’s Choice, in which we find the best-reviewed products and single out the most convincing ones. (You can learn more about our rating system and how we pick each item here.)
While we’ve written about vacuums of all shapes and sizes, from the best handheld models to the top cordless and robotic picks — here, we’ve rounded up the best vacuum cleaners, according to the most enthusiastic reviewers on Amazon.
Best-rated vacuum cleaner
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional NV356E
$211 | (was $250, now 16% off) | 4.2 stars, 9,984 reviews
With over 6,700 five-star reviews, this upright-canister hybrid is praised by users for its versatility and power. From pet owners to vacuum snobs, this model has earned its share of converts. “I had seen the good reviews about this vacuum and finally ordered it when we moved,” one writes. “Our new house had a mix of thick carpet, linoleum, and wood floors, and my old vacuum wasn’t going to cut it. It pulls the dirt out of next week, I swear to you. Almost every use we had to empty the container, which made me feel full of regret for not ordering it sooner, because it was clearly having to do the work of my old vacuum on our area rugs. It transitions between the floor types with a quick click, and the wand and attachments are well stored and quickly accessible to make transitioning from floors to ceilings quick.” Another reviewer says, “Day one I decided to give this a ‘test drive.’ Six hours later, I ended up cleaning the entire place; not just the floor but all the corners — switching attachments was a breeze. This thing goes around corners and turns with your wrist.” The admirer continues, “The weird part is — I ENJOYED it. The canister really made you feel like you were winning, as you watch it fill up.” Another reviewer puts it simply: “Buy it. I can’t imagine you being disappointed.”
Best-rated (less expensive) vacuum cleaner
Bissell Featherweight Stick Vacuum Lightweight Bagless, Blue
4.2 stars, 2,647 reviews
“This little vacuum is small, lightweight,” notes one reviewer, “but also MIGHTY!” For just $25, the Bissell Featherweight Stick Lightweight Bagless Vacuum is a crowd-pleaser, not a compromise. True, “it’s not sucking up any gravel or chunks of mud,” acknowledges one reviewer, but it still has “nearly as much power as a machine twice its size…for what I need it for (pulling dust, hair, and other particulates out of the hallway rugs) it’s perfect.” Happy owners praise the “superior build quality,” “powerful” suction, the way the vacuum “gets into corners beautifully,” and the fact that it’s “very easy to change and clean.” As one enthusiastic purchaser notes, “I would absolutely buy this vacuum 100 more times. At this price, why not?”
And now for some micro-picks for every type of vacuum cleaner you might be looking for.
Best canister vacuum cleaner
Bissell Zing Canister, 2156A Bagless Vacuum, Green
4.1 stars, 5,666 reviews
Bissell’s Zing Canister vacuum gets top marks from those looking to save money without having to compromise on suction power. “This vacuum is so powerful!” writes one happy customer. “I expected it to work pretty well after reading the reviews, but I wasn’t expecting it to literally suck up everything in its path. You know those TV show scenes where someone takes the vacuum cleaner and sucks everything off the dining room table including the table cloth? That’s literally what I thought was happening.” Another reviewer adds, “There’s so much suction power, you can actually clean your hairbrushes with this vacuum cleaner.” There are fewer attachment tools included than with other pricier vacs, but customers don’t seem to mind. As one reviewer puts it, simply, “Do not hesitate to get this vacuum. It’s way cheaper than the others I’ve bought but outperforms them all!”
Best bagged vacuum
Oreck Commercial Upright Vacuum Cleaner XL
$134 | (was $169, now 21% off) | 4.1 stars, 3,007 reviews
“I love this ugly thing so much,” writes a satisfied reviewer, who’s one of hundreds who appreciates that this vacuum has a bag. “I like having a bagged vacuum because I hate emptying the bagless canisters because no matter what, dust gets everywhere — especially in the air. The bags for this vacuum are huge and last a long time.” Another says, “No matter what you do, the bagless vacs retain dirt and odor with all the nooks and crannies of their cyclone technology and hidden filters,” but with this, they explain, “The bag fills up, you toss it out along with all the odor and dust.” More than 200 reviewers also reference how powerful this Oreck is. “The aforementioned beefy motor sucks up everything just fine, from stale cereal my 1-year-old hid behind the couch for later to my wife’s forgotten hair ties to every single cord I forget to get out of the way before I start vacuuming,” one writes. It does all this while still remaining lightweight. The same user compares its weight to “about as much as a gallon of milk.”
Best vacuum cleaner with extra-long cord
Shark Rotator Professional Upright Corded Bagless Vacuum for Carpet and Hard Floor with Lift-Away Hand Vacuum and Anti-Allergy Seal
$158 | (was $300, now 47% off) | 4.4 stars, 5,347 reviews
The Shark Rotator Professional Corded Bagless Vacuum is a runaway favorite for its maneuverability and versatility, especially in tight spaces like stairs. “I was surprised at how easy it was to maneuver,” writes one exhilarated reviewer, who continues, “The Shark was very easy to push around, and the ball pivot head really makes maneuvering around furniture and corners a breeze. I love the removable tank portion for doing the stairs. That makes the stairs an order of magnitude easier.” A narrow head also wins praise from reviewers: “I love the width of the floor nozzle. It is narrower than what I am used to. I can get into all sorts of corners and spaces that I had to resort to hand attachments before.” And though it’s not cordless, reviewers insist that the extra-long cord more than makes up for the difference, writing, “The Shark cord is seriously incredibly long, allowing us to vacuum the entire house by just using a centrally located outlet.”
Best upright vacuum with HEPA filter
Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum for Carpet and Hard Floor with Lift-Away Handheld HEPA Filter, and Anti-Allergy Seal
4.4 stars, 4,192 reviews
“Allergens? Your days are numbered,” writes one reviewer, setting the tone for hundreds of others who feel the Shark Navigator is the solution to their lifelong struggles with allergies while cleaning. “I have allergies, and when I used to vacuum, I would get itchy eyes and end up with a runny nose the rest of the day. Now that is a problem of the past!” With a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, and anti-allergy one-way seal, this vacuum is designed to keep allergens out of the air while in use. “My allergies have improved, the carpets are softer and they look better. I actually know my carpets are clean now, which is a big deal when you have a 2-year-old rolling around on the floor.”
Best vacuum cleaner for pet hair
Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner 1831
$94 | (was $100, now 6% off) | 4.2 stars, 3,816 reviews
Pet parents rave about this Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless vacuum. “I am both delighted and horrified by this vacuum. The amount of dog hair (100-pound German shepherd and 65-pound lab/shepherd) this sucked out of the family room carpet is impressive and disgusting.” Writes another, “I have seven cats, a toddler, and I have long hair. In the past few years every vacuum we have bought could not stand up to the hair and dust our house accumulates. This is the ultimate pet and dust vacuum! Brings new life to my carpet! I even feel as though my air in my house is cleaner after vacuuming!” One happy owner adds, “I was amazed as the rug began to appear under all the fur that previous vacuum cleaners couldn’t touch.”
Unlike other models, clogging was not an issue for most reviewers. “Hair doesn’t get stuck in the roller. It picks up hair and fine dust.” The bagless system appeals to many as well. “I liked the way that the canister could be lifted off and taken somewhere to be emptied.” One happy customer sums it up neatly: “It seems like my dog has met his match and not a moment too soon. This is peak shedding season.”
Best lightweight upright vacuum cleaner
Eureka NEU182A PowerSpeed Lightweight Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Blue
$60 | (was $70, now 14% off) | 4.2 stars, 2,037 reviews
This Eureka vacuum cleaner “looks like it might be a little flimsy,” admits one reviewer, “but it really packs a punch.” Another happy owner writes, “When I first picked up this vacuum I was pretty convinced I’d been ripped off. The material felt light and cheap. But then I turned it on, and holy moly. This thing gets the job done.” Even seasoned vacuum-owners are impressed: “I am 74. I have purchased many different vacuum cleaners in my life — one for over $1,000. And none of them can compare to the cleaning power of this one. Lightweight, easy to assemble and run – easily one of the best purchases I have ever made.”
Best upright vacuum for hardwood and carpet
Shark DuoClean Powered Lift-Away
$261 | (was $330, now 21% off) | 4.3 stars, 1,264 reviews
It’s hard to sum this vacuum’s strengths up better than one Shark-obsessed reviewer, who says: “I purchased this model because of the supposed ease of cleaning the roller. Let me tell you, it more than met expectations. Between my cat and long-haired daughter, my previous vacuum roller was a nightmare to clean. This Shark’s roller is visible from above (so you can see when it needs cleaning), pops out easily, and is a snap to clean with the built-in hair cutter. The roller even features a groove, so you can lift and cut the hair away. Well-thought-out design indeed!” Other reviewers rave about this vacuum’s ability to tackle carpeted surfaces, as well as hardwood and even tile. One vacuumed an area rug and wrote, “I swear there is dog hair in there that is from dogs that haven’t been around for a couple years. This thing pulled everything out from in between the tufts and probably all the way down to the hardwood. And amazingly, my area rugs look brand new and like they’ve just been cleaned.” They add, “It also worked great on my bare hardwood, as there is an easy fingertip adjustment for high, medium and low. Absolutely perfect for my needs.”
Best vacuum for people with long hair
Shark APEX Upright Vacuum with DuoClean for Carpet and HardFloor Cleaning, Zero-M Anti-Hair Wrap, & Powered Lift-Away with Hand Vacuum
$351 | (was $400, now 12% off) | 4.2 stars, 824 reviews
Advocates for the Shark APEX Upright Vacuum love that it deals handily with the issue of raveling hair that gets spun around a vacuum’s roller. “My daughter has long curly hair and with my old vacuum I would be having to cut off hair with a knife and tweezers after every cleaning,” writes one such reviewer. “It is so easy to get anything stuck in or around the brushes. Just pop the top off and reach in there. It makes my life so much easier.” Other reviewers love that it’s “lightweight but powerful” and “cleans dog hair wonderfully on both the hard floor and the carpet.” It’s easy to change functions, too: “You can change from hard floor to carpet with just a push of the button, which is great since we have a number of throw rugs. You can change the power of the suction, too, with a twist on the handle.”
Best upright vacuum cleaner with retractable cord
BISSELL Cleanview Swivel Rewind Pet Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
4.4 stars, 962 reviews
More than 15 percent of reviewers reference this vacuum’s retractable cord as a selling point. One calls it “so handy,” while another says it “worked flawlessly.” But that’s not the only convenience of this vacuum. “I really like that there are no hand controls — incline, power, and cord retraction are all pedals you can operate with one foot,” one writes. Another says, “I really love and appreciate that it’s designed to hold all the attachments right on the vacuum itself,” and they add, “It’s convenient and saves me the never ending cycle of immediately losing them all.” As for its overall functionality, one user says it can pretty much pick up anything: “Dirt, small rocks, bits of branches and wood and cardboard, dog food, egg shells, coffee grounds, fluff from stuffed animals, strips of cloth (sometimes they get stuck in the roller, but they’re easy to pull right back off), paper, yarn… yeah, basically anything that’s on your floor it can suck up.”
Best vacuum cleaner with lights
Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum
$269 | (was $400, now 33% off) | 4.4 stars, 2,925 reviews
“I like to vacuum again,” says one delighted owner of the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet. “This baby has suction like a beast and maneuvers so nicely—it actually pulls you along like an eager pup.” Other reviewers concur, noting unique features like lights on the vacuum head: “This vacuum will light up your filth like luminol lights up a crime scene. You will be shocked at what you’ve unknowingly been living with.” They also appreciate the Shark’s relative quietness: “It makes no noise rolling across the floor.” The substantial cord is another selling point, with one writing, “The cord is like 5,000 feet long, so you don’t have to keep moving the plug around the house. I can vacuum my entire apartment plugged into the same outlet.”
Best lightweight cordless stick vacuum
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
$400 | (was $600, now 33% off) | 4.2 stars, 2,082 reviews
More than 10 percent of five-star reviewers mention how “light” this cordless stick vacuum is, even compared to other Dyson models. “We got it to replace our upright Dyson ball: it’s been wonderful, but it’s pretty bulky and annoying to lug up and down stairs,” one explains, calling the V10, “much lighter, and much more portable.” Another says it’s even “light enough and quiet enough for my 4-year-old to use it.” Dozens also mention the different settings. Many agree that the low setting offers plenty of power. One writes, “We use the vacuum in the lowest setting for the entire house and it does an excellent job.” They add, “We’ll only switch to medium if we’re going over a particularly dirty patch of carpet, and the highest setting starts to lift the carpet off the floor (we never need that setting).” And as the name suggest this works well at sucking up pet hair, but what’s even better according to one reviewer “The vacuum is very quiet so my dogs are not afraid of this product.”
Best lightweight corded stick vacuum
Shark Rocket DuoClean HV382 Ultra-Light Corded Bagless Carpet and Hard Floor with Lift-Away Hand Vacuum
4.2 stars, 1,741 reviews
“I have conflicting feelings about the Shark,” admits one reviewer. “One is being very impressed at the amount of dirt that it gets up and two, being embarrassed at the amount of dirt that it gets up.” Owners of the Shark Rocket DuoClean HV382 are near-evangelical about the vacuum, calling it their “best purchase on Amazon,” and claiming that they “actually enjoy vacuuming now!” Reviewers note that it’s “lightweight, yet it cleans like a heavyweight,” “small enough to get under furniture,” and “extremely maneuverable.” Plus, lights on the vacuum head allow you to “see something you would prefer not to pick up” and comes with the same useful hair-removal tool as the other Shark DuoClean models.
Best cordless stick vacuum cleaner for large homes
Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
$448 | (was $600, now 25% off) | 4.6 stars, 456 reviews
This vacuum “sucks more than the Cleveland Browns,” according to one reviewer who like many is impressed by how powerful this is, especially compared to older Dyson models. “The suction power, battery power, tank size, and emptying mechanisms blew me away,” writes another. “I’m a crazy lady that bends down to see if I can see any fur left in my carpet after vacuuming, and with the V6 it usually took a couple passes. Now, with the V11, one pass and my floor are fur free.” And about 10 percent of reviewers praise this model for the better battery power, which makes it popular among reviewers with larger homes. “It will last about 45 minutes which was more than clean our 3 story home in one charge,” writes one, while another says they “Have a 3200 square foot house with hardwood on main floor and carpet up. I can vacuum the entire house on one charge.”
Best stick vacuum for pet hair
Bissell PowerEdge Pet Hardwood Floor Bagless Cleaner, 81L2A Stick Vacuum, Gray
4.1 stars, 7,405 reviews
“I don’t know what I would do without it,” one four-year owner of this vacuum writes. Another reviewer notes, “This will also work on very low pile carpet or area rugs. I love how it gets into the corners and works along the baseboards.” Its high degree of maneuverability is mentioned in hundreds of reviews: “It’s very light, and the V-shape makes it much easier to maneuver around furniture legs.” Despite its small size, many five-star reviewers mention its superior suction power, like one who writes, “This vac has a ridiculously large amount of suction for its size. The suction power, together with the odd-looking but highly effective V-shape front edge, pulls the hair and dirt into the vac rather than pushing it around. It’s hard to overstate the ‘Wow!’ factor.” That makes it a go-to pick for those looking for a stick vacuum for pet hair. One writes, “I have two Great Danes which shed a ton and this vacuum can handle the hair, grass and dirt my dogs leave behind. I do need another vacuum for carpet, but this one is absolutely unbeatable for bare floors!”
Best stick vacuum for pet and human hair
Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
$291 | (was $499, now 42% off) | 4.3 stars, 1,627 reviews
“Between a Golden Re, a boxer, and two humans with hair as long as Crystal Gayle’s (okay, that is a bit much but you get the idea), this vacuum is approved by everyone,” writes one user, who like nearly 20 percent of reviewers comment on how well this picks up hair — from humans and pets alike. “I have long hair and a lot of it so I shed like a dog,” writes one reviewer. “Today I plugged this product in and tried it out. I pulled up so much dust and hair I’ve never been so excited to vacuum.” Another who has “three dogs, one of which sheds if you just look at her” says this works fabulously to combat the fur. And while a few reviewers were nervous about it being battery-operated, many agree that it holds a charge well. On regular mode, a dozen reviewers say one charge equals about 40 minutes of use.
Best cordless stick vacuum for hardwood and carpet
Dyson V7 Motorhead Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
$246 | (was $399, now 38% off) | 4.1 stars, 1,811 reviews
“Need to vacuum hardwood and carpets alike? Dyson can get it done. Corners? Floorboards? Under the bed? No problem!” writes one reviewer. Dozens of others also mention how well this works on all floor types, and for any type of mess. One reviewer, who has a “two-story, 1,800-square-foot home, a 60-pound black lab/German Shepherd mix … and hardwoods throughout my home (with large rugs in each room)” loves this because of its versatility. Another who was “was worried about the suction on carpet,” was pleasantly surprised to find “its just as good as my corded Dyson, if not even better. It works really well on hardwood also.” One feature that reviewers either hate or love is the trigger power button meaning “you must keep your finger on the power button while vacuuming,” says one reviewer but for them it means it’s “great for saving battery life when moving from space to space.”
Best (less expensive) cordless stick vacuum
Tineco A10 Hero Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner Lightweight 350W Digital Motor Lithium Battery and LED Brush
$180 | (was $200, now 10% off) | 4.1 stars, 4,002 reviews
For those looking to spend a bit less on a high-quality cordless stick vacuum, the Tineco A10 Hero is a top pick. In the words of one obsessive vacuumer: “I love this vacuum. Ask my friends, they think I’ve lost my mind but I’m that excited … over a vacuum. I have two cats, a longish-haired small dog, a teenage boy, and a husband tracking dirt into a ‘shoes on’ house. It was a constant battle against hair, dirt, and dust and I’m finally winning.” Another satisfied customer describes this as “far and away, the very best stick vacuum I have ever owned. I am an older woman, so weight and ease of use, plus effectiveness, are quite important. It is very light, intuitively easy to use.”
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