In sci-fi depictions of the 21st century, everything always seems so clean and dust-free. The reality is something different. Dirt, dust bunnies and debris all conspire to make our homes less than spotless.
Fortunately, vacuum cleaners have become better and more versatile cleaning, both in terms of the size and the nature of the mess. There are cordless vacuum cleaners for quickly picking up small messes and wet-dry vacs for the not-so-small messes. Many of the vacuum cleaners on this list include filters to help keep allergies at bay, too.
The future is here. These are our picks for the best vacuum cleaners for all needs and budgets.
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 isn't the newest model on the market, but its market longevity shows that it is one of the best vacuum cleaners. Numerous reviews of this budget-friendly vacuum note its excellent suction on both carpets and bare floors. In lab tests, it picked up pet hair and cereal with equal aplomb. One of the neater features on the Navigator Lift-Away NV352 is the suction-release valve, which reviewers say comes in handy when vacuuming small rugs and shag carpets.
Though it looks and functions like an upright, the NV352 comes with several hose attachments, so it can convert to a cannister-like vac for reaching small spaces or drapes. Because its main body lacks wheels, you'll have to carry this vacuum around, but there's a well-placed handle for just this reason.
The Shark Apex DuoClean (AZ1002) makes our list of the best vacuum cleaners because it's loaded with features, including two separate rollers — one with brushes for rugs and a soft, brushless one for hardwood floors. Like the Navigator NV352, the Apex DuoClean works as an upright but also converts into a canister-like vacuum cleaner, with several attachments for cleaning hard-to-reach places. Unlike its budget-minded sibling, the Apex DuoClean has three separate suction settings plus LED lights on the handle and floor nozzle that illuminate the dirt in front of it.
In addition to receiving high marks for cleaning a variety of surfaces, the Apex DuoClean got excellent reviews for picking up pet hair without getting it wrapped around the brush roll. Reviewers also praised the included motorized pet attachment for cleaning up cat hair on furniture.
Canister vacuum cleaners mean business. Traditionally, they have been more powerful than upright vacuums but also more of a production to use — especially when it came to wresting the hose, attachments and main body out of the closet to clean up Fluffy's fur in the living room. The Miele C3 Complete Calima is the best vacuum cleaner for those looking for a canister-style model. It has tight rubber seals, HEPA filtration and bagged design, calling this the ideal vacuum for allergy sufferers.
Evaluations of different models of the C3 Complete line, including the Kona and Marin, note how well the vacuums pick up embedded pet hair and dust on both bare floors and carpet.
Sometimes a mess isn't big enough to warrant pulling out a full-size vacuum cleaner, or maybe your hardwood floors just need a quick once-over before company arrives. That's where the Hoover BH50020PC Linx cordless stick vacuum cleaner shines. It's the best vacuum cleaner for those looking for a wallet-friendly upright. It doesn't take up a lot of space in the closet, and it's light enough to easily move between floors. Reviews praise this vacuum's performance on wood floors and its ability to stand upright freely, unlike other stick vacuums that have the motor near the handle.
The Linx is available with or without an additional battery, and based on Amazon reviews, you might want that feature, as several reviewers report that the battery lasts from 15 to 25 minutes.
The cordless V7 Motorhead is the least expensive stick vacuum sold by Dyson, but that doesn't mean it skimps on suction. It's the best vacuum cleaner of this type for picking up pet hair and dust from carpet, and users extoll its light weight and 30-minute battery life. The V7 Motorhead further sets itself apart from the staid beige vacuums of our youth with its fuschia, purple and red color scheme.
There are more wallet-friendly stick and full-size vacuums available, but the motor-on-handle design along with the included crevice and 2-in-1 brush tools give the V7 Motorhead a second life as a handheld vac.
Sometimes, the littlest messes are the biggest hassles, such as a box of spilled rice or kitty litter tracked through the house, but for smaller spills, you don't always want to lug it around. The Black+Decker Dustbuster is the best vacuum cleaner for picking up those small messes. The This basic handheld vacuum charges in about 4 hours and will run for about 12 minutes on a charge, according to Wirecutter.
While reviewers note that it's not the best option for cleaning Garfield's spot on the couch, this Dustbuster is ideal for eradicating the dust bunnies hiding out in the corner of the living room.
The Shark Ion R85 is the reigning Tom's Guide Editor's Choice for the best robot vacuum, thanks to its excellent performance in our lab tests and its impressive results in our home. It features three cleaning modes and a no-fuss dustbin.
The Ion R85 is seemingly possessed by a will to leave no surface unvacuumed, and though it wasn't the fastest robot vac we tested, we appreciated its thorough cleaning.
The iLife V3s Pro is, without a doubt, our favorite budget robot vacuum and a Tom's Guide Editor's Choice. While it lacks the bells and whistles of fancier robot vacuums, the V3s Pro cleans house and does it well. Though it struggled a bit on thick rugs, it's ideal for homes with bare floors or thin rugs and multiple pets. In our lab tests, it picked up nearly all the pet hair we left for it, outperforming other vacs that cost three times as much.
Hopefully, you'll never need to use it to clean out a wet basement, but if you do, the 9-gallon DeWalt wet/dry shop vac (DXV09P) is the best vacuum cleaner for the job. It's nimble enough for smaller homes but large enough for cleaning up watery messes.
This vacuum comes packaged with two extension wands; crevice, floor and utility nozzles; and a bag for all of them that attaches to the rear of the vacuum. Reviewers complimented the shop vac's superior build quality and excellent suction on everything from broken glass to wet carpeting.
