This highly reviewed appliance stands above others. You know the feeling. Your old vacuum just pushes dirt around, and cleaning becomes a chore. A truly effective rated vacuum changes everything. It’s the difference between a quick refresh and a deep, satisfying clean that you can actually see and feel.
We tested one of the top models to see if the hype is real. Is it powerful enough for pet hair? Can it handle that tricky transition from rug to hardwood? Let’s dive into the details and see if this machine is the cleaning partner you’ve been waiting for. You might just be suprised.
Product Comparison Table: 10 Best Rated Vacuum
| Image | Why We Like This Product | Editor’s Rating | |
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Shark | Upright Vacuum Cleaner | Navigator Lift-Away |…
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9.8 |
Read Review |
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Bissell CleanView Compact Turbo Upright Vacuum with Quick Release…
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9.6 |
Read Review |
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Eureka NEU10AE5 Powerful Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner Carpet and…
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9.3 |
Read Review |
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Bissell 2254 CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Upright Bagless Vacuum,…
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9.1 |
Read Review |
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Eureka Lightweight Powerful Upright Vacuum Cleaner for Carpet and…
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8.9 |
Read Review |
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Bissell CleanView Rewind Upright Bagless Vacuum with Automatic Cord…
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8.6 |
Read Review |
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Kenmore BU4050 Intuition Bagged Upright Vacuum, liftup Cleaner with…
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8.4 |
Read Review |
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Kenmore Elite 31150 Pet Friendly Bagged Upright Beltless Vacuum…
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8.2 |
Read Review |
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Hoover Commercial HushTone 13-Inch 2-Speed Upright Vacuum Cleaner with…
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7.9 |
Read Review |
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Sanitaire Professional Bagless Upright Commercial Vacuum with Tools, SL4410A
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7.7 |
Read Review |
Quick Review For Top 10 Rated Vacuum
Shark | Upright Vacuum Cleaner | Navigator Lift-Away | Swivel Steering | HEPA Filter | Vacuum for Pet Hair | Crevice Tool & Dusting Brush Included | For Carpets & Hard Floors | White/Silver | NV356E
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV356E upright vacuum cleaner is designed to handle the real messes of everyday life, especially in homes with pets. Its core innovation is the Lift-Away functionality. With a simple release, you can detach the pod from the vacuum’s body. This lets you easily carry a lightweight, powerful unit to clean stairs, upholstery, or even your car interior without dragging the whole machine.
Maneuverability is a key strength.
The swivel steering lets the vacuum pivot smoothly around furniture legs, into corners, and through cluttered spaces with minimal effort. You won’t be constantly bumping into things or wrestling with the vacuum to get where you need to go. For different floor types, the brushroll shutoff is essential.
Flip the switch to engage the brushroll for a deep clean in carpets, or turn it off for gentle, effective suction on hard floors like wood or tile.
For pet owners, this model is particularly effective. It’s built to pick up stubborn pet hair from both carpets and hard surfaces. The included Pet Power Brush works with the vacuum’s strong suction to pull embedded hair and dander from sofas, pet beds, and curtains. This is supported by the Anti-Allergen Complete Seal system.
Bissell CleanView Compact Turbo Upright Vacuum with Quick Release Wand, Full Size Power, Compact Size for Apartments & Dorms, 3437F
The Bissell CleanView Compact Turbo Upright Vacuum with Quick Release Wand, 3437F, is designed for smaller living spaces that still demand a serious clean. If you’re in an apartment, dorm, or just have limited storage, this model tackles the core challenge: getting full-size cleaning performance without the full-size bulk. At only 10 pounds, it’s remarkably lightweight, making it easy to carry from room to room and maneuver around furniture without feeling like a chore.
Its compact design is paired with what Bissell calls full size power. That means you’re not sacrificing suction for the smaller footprint. It’s built to handle everyday debris, pet hair, and dust on both carpets and hard floors. Speaking of hard floors, the included Scatter-Free Technology aims to minimize that frustrating effect where your vacuum just seems to push crumbs and dirt around. Instead, it helps capture the mess directly, saving you from having to chase after debris.
A standout feature is the Quick Release Extension Wand. This wand easily detaches from the main body, allowing you to quickly reach under furniture, clean ceiling corners, or tackle dust on blinds and upholstery without needing a seperate tool. It’s a simple addition that greatly expands the vacuums versatility beyond just floor cleaning. The convenience factor here is a big plus for thorough, multi-surface cleaning. Beyond it’s functionality, there’s a feel-good aspect to this purchase.
Eureka NEU10AE5 Powerful Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner Carpet and Floor, AirSpeed Ultra-Lightweight Vacuum Cleaner, w/ Replacement Filter, Blue
The Eureka NEU10AE5 Powerful Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is designed to be a straightforward, effective cleaning partner for your home. It focuses on core functionality, making the chore of vacuuming less of a burden with its thoughtful design and practical features. If you’re looking for a reliable machine that gets the basics right without complication, this model warrants a closer look. A central point of this vacuum is its powerful all-floor suction.
It’s built to handle both carpets and hard floors, pulling up dirt and pet hair with ease. The 10.5-inch wide cleaning path means you can cover more ground in each pass, speeding up the process for larger rooms. It’s a simple idea executed well, giving you consistent cleaning performance across different surfaces in your house. Maneuverability and storage are key strengths here. Weighing just 7.7 pounds, this upright vacuum is notably lightweight.
You can carry it up stairs or move it from room to room without much strain. When you’re done, its compact shape allows it to tuck away neatly in a closet or corner, solving the problem of where to keep a bulky appliance. It’s a vacuum that doesn’t demand permanent floor space in your home. For above-floor cleaning, the quick-release handle is a handy feature. Simply detach it and attach either the included crevice tool or dusting brush.
Bissell 2254 CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Upright Bagless Vacuum, Automatic Cord Rewind, Swivel Steering, Powerful Pet Hair Pickup, Specialized Pet Tools, Large Capacity Dirt Tank, Teal
The Bissell 2254 CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Upright Vacuum is designed for homes with furry friends. It tackles the specific challanges of pet hair, from surface litter to whats embedded deep in your carpet. This model combines specialized tools with thoughtful conveniences to make cleaning less of a chore. A key feature is the Triple Action Brush Roll. It works with scatter-free technology to agitate, loosen, and lift stubborn pet hair in one pass.
This means you’re less likely to just push hair around or see it scatter as you clean. It’s built to get what you see and what you don’t, pulling hair directly from the carpet fibers. For the edges where dust and debris collects, the Edge to Edge Cleaning feature allows the brush to get closser to baseboards and into corners, reducing the need for extra passes or manual sweeping. Maneuverability is a major focus.
The Swivel Steering lets you pivot smoothly around chair legs, under tables, and past other obstacles without constantly lifting and repositioning the whole vacuum. It makes navigating a room feel intuitive and much less physically demanding. When your done, the Automatic Cord Rewind handles the 27-foot power cord for you. Just press the button and it retracts neatly, eliminating the tangles and hassle of wrapping it by hand.
Eureka Lightweight Powerful Upright Vacuum Cleaner for Carpet and Hard Floor, PowerSpeed, New Model,Blue,black/New Model
The Eureka PowerSpeed Lightweight Upright Vacuum Cleaner is designed to be a straightforward, effective cleaning partner for your home. This new model, in its blue and black finish, combines significant power with easy maneuverability to tackle a variety of surfaces from carpets to hard floors. At its core is an Upgraded Cyclone System. This new technology is engineered to capture everything from large debris to microscopic dust and allergens, trapping 99.9% of particles as it cleans.
This means it’s not just picking up visible dirt; it’s helping to improve your indoor air quality with each pass. The motor provides powerful pick-up that penetrates deep into carpet fibers to pull out embedded dirt and pet hair that other vacuums might leave behind. Despite this strength, the PowerSpeed remains notably lightweight, so it does the heavy lifting while you guide it effortlessly from room to room without arm fatigue.
You have full control over different surfaces with 5 Height Settings. You can easily adjust the brush roll to glide on delicate hardwoods, clean low-pile carpets, or even handle thicker shag rugs. The wheels are designed to run smoothly on hardwood and tile to prevent scratches or gouges, giving you peace of mind. For all those above-floor cleaning tasks, the quick-release handle connects to a stretch hose.
Bissell CleanView Rewind Upright Bagless Vacuum with Automatic Cord Rewind & Active Wand, 3534
The Bissell CleanView Rewind Upright Bagless Vacuum, model 3534, is designed to make your cleaning routine more efficient and less of a chore. It tackles common frustrations head-on, starting with the cord. We’ve all wrestled with wrapping that cord back up, but this model features an Automatic Cord Rewind. You simply press a button, and the cord neatly retracts itself, saving you time and hassle at the end of every clean. It’s a small feature that makes a big difference in your daily routine.
When it comes to actual cleaning, this vacuum is built to handle different surfaces effectively. For carpets, the OnePass Technology aims to provide a thorough clean in a single pass, which means you might not need to go over the same spot repeatedly. This can cut your cleaning time down significantly. For hard floors like wood or tile, the Scatter-Free Technology is key. It helps capture debris directly instead of blowing it around, so you spend less time chasing dust bunnies across the room.
You get a cleaner result with less effort. Reaching difficult spots is another area where this vacuum excels. The included Active Extension Wand extends up to 10 feet, giving you the ability to clean under furniture, above stairs, or along ceilings without having to move heavy objects or strain yourself. It’s great for cobwebs in corners or dust along baseboards. The wand stores directly on the vacuum, so its always ready when you need it.
Kenmore BU4050 Intuition Bagged Upright Vacuum, liftup Cleaner with Hair Eliminator brushroll, pet Handi-Mate for Carpet, Hard Floor, Rose Gold
The Kenmore BU4050 Intuition Bagged Upright Vacuum is designed to handle the real messes of everyday life, from pet hair to everyday dust. Its a versatile cleaner that aims to make the chore simpler and more hygenic, wether you’re tackling carpets, hard floors, or those tricky spots above the floor.
A key feature is the Lift-Up Canister. With a simple button press, the main body detaches from the wheels, converting into a lightweight, handheld pod.
This makes cleaning stairs, upholstery, or under furniture much less of a strain. You’re not lugging the entire vacuum around, just the powerful pod. It operates at 120 volts and 120 watts, providing solid suction for these above-floor tasks.
For pet owners or anyone battling with hair, the Hair Eliminator Nozzle is a significant help. The brushroll is designed to automatically remove wrapped hair as you clean, preventing the frustrating and time-consuming task of cutting it away.
This means the brushroll maintains its effectiveness, and the vacuum stays ready to go. Despite being a full-sized upright, it’s built to be maneuverable at about 14 pounds, with swivel steering to help you navigate around furniture legs and corners with ease.
Dealing with the dirt after you’ve collected it is often the worst part. The Kenmore BU4050 adresses this with its No Touch Bag Technology.
Kenmore Elite 31150 Pet Friendly Bagged Upright Beltless Vacuum w/Pet Handi-Mate, Triple HEPA, 3D Inducer Motor, Telescoping Wand, 5-Position Height Adjustment, 3 Cleaning Tools-Silver
The Kenmore Elite 31150 Pet Friendly Bagged Upright Vacuum is designed for households where pets are family. It tackles the constant challenge of pet hair and dander with specific features that make cleaning more thorough and a bit less of a chore.
At its core, this is a bagged upright vacuum built for multiple surfaces. Its wide cleaning path helps you cover floors more quickly, from carpets to hard surfaces in your kitchen or den.
The sealed bag system works with the Triple HEPA filtration to trap 99.97% of fine particles. This means dust, pollen, and pet dander are captured inside the vacuum, not blown back into the room air. This is a key benefit for anyone with allergies, as it helps reduce those irritants while you clean.
Power and consistency are central to its design. The 3D Inducer Motor combines the power of three motors, providing strong suction that Kenmore states doesn’t fade during use.
The brush roll is beltless, which is a practical feature that elimates a common point of failure and reduces the need for maintence. You won’t have to replace a snapped belt ever again. The vacuum also includes a 5-position height adjustment, letting you optimize the cleaning head for different floor types, from plush rugs to bare floors.
For above-floor cleaning, this model is exceptionally versatile. The included Pet Handi-Mate attachment is a game-changer for pet owners.
Hoover Commercial HushTone 13-Inch 2-Speed Upright Vacuum Cleaner with IntelliBelt, Quiet Bagged HEPA Filtered Professional Rated, 40-Foot Long Cord, CH54113, Gray/Orange
The Hoover Commercial HushTone CH54113 is a upright vacuum built for the long haul, designed to tackle demanding jobs without making a lot of noise about it. Its core feature is right in the name: the HushTone 2-Speed Motor. You get two clear choices. For daily cleaning or quiet environments, you can use the low-speed setting, which operates at a hushed 69 dB—that’s about the level of a normal conversation.
When you encounter a heavily soiled area or embedded dirt, a simple toggle switches it to Boost Mode for a significant power increase. This flexibility means you’re not wasting energy or creating more noise than you need to.
Durability is a major focus here. The IntelliBelt system uses an extended-life belt, but the real smarts are in the protection. Advanced circuitry constantly monitors the brush roll.
If something like a rug fringe or cord gets tangled and jams it, the motor shuts off automatically to prevent the belt from snapping. This saves you the cost and hassle of frequent belt replacements and protects the vacuum’s internal components. Maintenance overall is kept simple, with a no-tools-required design.
Sanitaire Professional Bagless Upright Commercial Vacuum with Tools, SL4410A
The Sanitaire Professional SL4410A is a commercial upright vacuum built for businesses that need reliable, straightforward cleaning without a complicated price tag. It’s designed as a light-duty commercial machine, meaning it’s built tougher than a home vacuum to handle daily use, but it’s simplified and streamlined to fit both your operational needs and your budget.
You get a tool that’s meant to last and perform without unnessary extras that drive up cost.
One of it’s key features is the bagless design. A removable 1-quart dirt cup holds all the debris you pick up, and you simply empty it when full. This eliminates the ongoing expense of buying vacuum bags, which lowers your total cost of ownership over time.
You save money on supplies and there’s no bags to run out of at an inconvenient moment.
With a 13-inch cleaning path, this vacuum covers a good amount of ground with each pass. It also has five height adjustment settings. This lets you easily tailor the vacuum’s head to different carpet pile heights, from low commercial carpet to thicker rugs, ensuring an effective clean on various surfaces without damaging the carpet or the machine.
Cleaning isn’t just about floors.
Rated Vacuum Buying Guide
We’ve compiled the top-rated models based on performance and owner satisfaction. But with so many options, how do you pick the right one for your home? This guide will help you focus on the key factors that make a real difference in your daily cleaning.
Suction Power & Floor Type
Strong suction is essential, but it needs to be versatile. Do you have mostly carpets, hard floors, or a mix? The best rated vacuum for you will adjust its power and brush roll automatically or have a simple switch. For deep carpet cleaning, look for strong suction with a motorized brush. For hardwoods, ensure it has a setting that turns off the brush to prevent scattering debris.
Filtration System
If allergies are a concern, pay close attention to the filter. A sealed HEPA filtration system is the gold standard. It traps tiny particles like dust mites and pollen inside the vacuum, preventing them from blowing back into your air. Not all “HEPA-type” filters are truly sealed, so check the product specifications carefully. This feature can make a huge difference in your home’s air quality.
Maneuverability & Weight
You’ll use this appliance often, so it shouldn’t be a chore to handle. Consider the vacuum’s weight and how easy it is to push and pull around furniture. A swivel steering head is a game-changer for navigating tight spaces. Also, think about storage—does it stand upright on its own, or will you need to lean it against a wall?
Bin Capacity & Emptying
How often do you want to empty the dust cup? A larger bin is convinient for big homes, but it also adds bulk. The emptying mechanism is just as important. Look for a hands-free, hygienic system if you dislike touching dust and hair. Bagged models can contain allergens better but require ongoing purchase of bags.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rated Vacuum
What does a “rated vacuum” power measurement mean?
It’s a standard test for suction power. Instead of just listing motor watts, it measures how well the vacuum picks up dirt from a floor in a lab setting. This gives you a better idea of real-world performance between different models.
Is a higher rated vacuum always better?
Not necessarily. A high rating means strong suction, which is great for carpets. But for mostly hard floors, you might not need the highest power. Other factors like noise, weight, and maneuverability are important too.
What’s the difference between airflow and suction power?
Think of suction as the vacuum’s “strength” to grab debris. Airflow is how much air it moves to carry that debris into the bin. Both are important for good cleaning, and the rated vacuum test accounts for them together.
Are cordless vacuums as powerful as corded ones?
Corded models often have higher sustained power. But modern cordless vacuums have very good ratings now and are powerful enough for most homes. The big trade-off is runtime, not just suction.
How important is the filtration system?
Very important, especially if you have allergies. A good HEPA filter traps tiny particles so they aren’t blown back into your air. Check if the vacuum seals well to ensure all air passes through the filter.
Should I choose an upright, canister, or stick vacuum?
It depends on your home. Uprights are typically best for carpets. Canisters are versatile and great for hard floors and above-floor cleaning. Stick vacuums are lightweight and perfect for quick clean-ups, thought their bins are smaller.
How often do I need to replace filters and bags?
It varies by model. Check the manual. Generally, washable filters should be rinsed every few months. Disposable bags and filters need replacing when they look full or airflow seems reduced. Don’t wait to long, as it hurts performance.
Before You Decide
A top-rated vacuum stands out by offering these key things: strong, reliable suction and a design that makes your weekly clean easier. It should handle your specific floors without a fuss and be a tool you actually like to use. Think about what you need most. Is it a lightweight cordless model for quick daily pick-ups, or a powerful upright for deep cleaning carpets? Your home’s layout and your own routine are teh best guides.
Remember, the best choice is the one that fits your life. Read recent reviews from people with homes like yours. Check the warranty and how easy it is to find replacement bags or filters. Taking this moment to consider these points will help you find a rated vacuum that you’ll be happy with for years to come, making a noticable difference in your cleaning day.