Charged and ready to go at a moment’s notice, they are the perfect tools for quickly picking up dry spills. They make it easy to clean small messes, in tight spaces and even the car. For the most part, battery performance and run time have improved over the years and many now come with attachments to tackle more cleaning tasks. From there we can calculate the percentage of dirt and debris pickup for every run and the average amount of soil a vacuum manages to remove.
There’s a crevice tool for cleaning tight corners and an upholstery nozzle with a clip-on hard-bristle brush to deal with debris on upholstery or to scrub away embedded dirt. In its ‘Barefloor’ surface setting with no attachments, you can expect a nearly shark stick vacuum 40-minute runtime, less than newer Shark vacuums with higher-capacity 2450 mAh battery packs. You can keep tabs on the remaining runtime via the trio of LED indicator lights on the battery, which turn off one by one as the charge level decreases.
Robot vacuums are ideal for people who want a hands-off cleaning experience, and they usually come with helpful apps you can use to schedule cleanings, set up a house map, and more. They tend to be pricey, though, and may still require some manual help if they get stuck in corners or on objects. The best part about this vacuum, though, is its no-touch disposable canister, which allows you to get rid of the pads without having to handle the mess yourself. That canister isn’t the largest, it should be noted, and of course, you’ll need to purchase pad refills often if you plan to use the vacuum regularly. But putting those downsides aside, this is a strong vacuum that’s especially great for small spaces where you want a two-in-one tool. As far as negatives go, the vacuum doesn’t come with a setting for longer nap carpets, which is a bit of a pain.
Its generous 1-gallon bags are slightly larger than those of our canister pick. Fur, cereal, coffee grounds, mites, sand, glitter, dust, pollutants, hair, dander, book lice, kitty litter—there’s a whole underworld of grossness hiding on your floors and deep inside your carpets and rugs. This vacuum’s superpower, however, is its completely sealed HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) system that traps 99.9% of pet dander, allergens and more inside. It also includes attachments that pet owners in particular will appreciate, like the Pet Power turbine brush that helps loosen and remove stray hair. Adding to its overall appeal is its high capacity, bagless XL canister of 0.9 liters that holds a lot of debris, causing less interruption.
It still delivers strong overall debris-pickup performance on various surfaces and is decently maneuverable. If you’re looking to keep costs low but still want a high-quality vacuum, check out this lower-priced model from Shark. The upright vacuum is great at picking up debris quickly, as we found during testing, and is effective not just on floors and furniture but also on stairs and in tight corners. After months of use, it’s stayed just as impressive, especially when it comes to picking up pet hair on higher pile rugs. “The brand’s commitment to adapting to consumer needs, providing durability, and offering user-friendly designs at an affordable price has contributed to their widespread appeal,” she says.
Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each vacuum, on all three floor types, to help us select the best cordless vacuum. To get started, we hauled in 15 of the latest models from leading vacuum brands with high user ratings and reviews and ran them through a series of tests designed to measure overall proficiency. We also tested cordless vacuums at a range of prices to see how much of a difference you can expect when you opt for a pricier model over a budget pick. When cleaning is finished, you can stash the thing away on its wall-mounted charging dock. Each of these types of machines have their own pros and cons to mull over. “You need to first decide your budget and what it is you’re looking for in a vacuum,” says Aaron Wilson, home appliance expert at JustAnswer.
Senior staff writer Tim Heffernan’s 15-year-old Miele “still runs like new and has never had a single issue,” even after he mistakenly vacuumed up a lot of plaster dust without a bag in place. Deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset has used hers for nearly a decade. SEBO has a decent network of repair specialists, but you can also send the vacuum to the manufacturer for free repairs under warranty, with shipping covered both ways. It’s got an outstanding warranty and excellent customer service. The SEBO Airbelt K3 offers a five-year warranty for parts and labor, with seven years of coverage for the motor.
However, keep in mind that it took many passes on the carpet to finally pick it up. Deep-pile carpet proved to be an even bigger problem because the debris got stuck deep in the fibers. While testing, we liked the extendable hose, which was great for getting into corners, even up on the ceiling.