There’s an adjustable-length wand that goes from 43 to 55 inches, both for the comfort of taller or shorter users and for reaching up to the ceiling with the cleaning brush attachments. If you’re thinking about a $800 or $1200 vacuum because you need powered tools for cleaning your carpet, the Kenmore – Elite is a very competitive option that doesn’t give up any features. You get all the dust control and utility of the German designs, plus a unique convertible multi-floor head. We came close to recommending the Dirt Devil Razor Vac Plus UD70350B for anyone who wanted to take a chance on a cheap vacuum cleaner, but we decided not to. It cleaned well in our tests, it’s comfortable to use, and it comes with a good set of tools.
It seamlessly cruises around carpet and hard floors, and has a detachable pod for portable cleaning, along with an extender for stairs and shelves. But if you want hands-free cleaning, the Shark AI Ultra Robot is a great option—it’s controlled by an app on your phone and even empties itself. The Navigator Freestyle has a two-speed brushroll, and it comes with a shark dustbuster convenient charging stand for docking when it’s not in use. The brand doesn’t list the maximum runtime per charge of this cordless vacuum, but in testing, we were able to clean for 15 minutes without depleting the battery. Overall, we think this lightweight upright vacuum is ideal for small- to medium-sized homes, and you can’t beat its reasonable price point.
However, it’s an expensive vacuum cleaner, and the service network is relatively narrow. You probably don’t need HEPA filters—for most people, regular filters are totally fine. HEPA filters are defined as those that remove 99.97 percent or more of airborne particles of 0.3 micron in diameter; nothing captures 100 percent, though, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (PDF). (You can read a lot more about them in our guide to air purifiers.) But HEPA filters are not a magic bullet, according to Caroline Blazovsky, the indoor air quality specialist. If the gaskets around the HEPA filter aren’t perfectly tight, the filter itself is pointless—the vacuum is still emitting dust. And even a perfectly sealed bagless vacuum cleaner will eject a bunch of dust whenever you empty it.
The best models also include a place to keep every tool so they won’t get lost in your closet. A powered “beater” brushroll makes a big difference getting sand and dirt out of carpet, and it was easy to see the impact of agitation and brushing in the results. We also looked at consumer satisfaction numbers from Consumer Reports and J.D. Power, along with retailer customer reviews and YouTube reviews, to pick three more competing designs that could fit into tighter budgets along with the mid-range Kenmore and Shark vacuums. With the Shark Navigator Lift-Away guaranteed to last five years on warranty alone, the math proves that paying a little more for a vacuum cleaner will almost always save you money over time. Several Wirecutter staffers who own or have used Miele canister vacuums note that they can be unwieldy in small apartments, and their bulbous shape can make them difficult to store.
Before conducting lab testing, Casciano scoured brand and retailer websites, and considered price, verified customer reviews, features, and design when selecting the vacuums to test. She also considered the latest technology, practicality, and real-life cleaning situations. Emma Phelps, an updates writer for The Spruce, also assisted in updating this shark canister vacuum roundup to note the latest Shark vacuums we tested that didn’t quite make our final list. We found that the greatest strength of the Shark Navigator DLX is also its weakness. While the powerful suction made it faster and easier to remove debris, it also increased the effort we had to put forth to use the vacuum on the medium and high-pile carpets.
And they tend to clog less often than upright vacuum cleaners and are easier to unclog as well. We’ve been reporting on and testing vacuum cleaners at Wirecutter since 2011, and we cover everything from robots and handhelds to cordless vacs and plug-ins. Accessories for any vacuum will typically run up the cost of the model, and Shark is no exception. “Many vacuum models come with different attachments, but they might not all be necessary,” Micetich says. If you have carpeted stairs, it’s worth considering if you’d benefit from a stair tool. And, if you plan to use your vacuum on your couch and curtains, an upholstery tool is likely a good option.
These include the flexible wand that not only folds in half for more compact storage, but can bend during vacuuming to allow for easier reach under low furniture. By comparison, the air-powered brushroll on the Eureka brought the noise level up to 102 decibels — definitely not something you’ll want to use early in the morning. You still get essential features, like a retractable power cord and adjustable-length wand, but the only accessory comes in the form of a clip-on brush and crevice multi-purpose tool.
In her 6+ years of experience as a product tester, she’s reviewed hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as PEOPLE, The Spruce, Homes & Gardens, and more. Camryn is also the proud owner of a small homestead in Rhode Island, where she spends her spare time gardening, tending her many animals, and working through a never-ending list of home improvement projects. This is a bagless vacuum with a dirt holder that disconnects from the unit’s body with the release of a lever.
Most notable is its ability to remove ground in dirt from deep within a carpet pile. Even when vacuuming recently vacuumed rooms, it was able to remove far more dirt from within the carpet than we expected or even realized was there. Likewise, it has a similar effect on a long pile area rug, giving it a deep and thorough clean. All models we tested include a detail brush and a crevice tool to get into furniture cracks.