8 Best Vacuum Cleaners in 2023 — Reviews & Top Picks

Vacuum cleaners are an unfortunate necessity of day-to-day life, keeping our homes from turning into a mess of dirt and dust, and for pet parents, animal hair. The days of tank-sized vacuums are at an end, and the newest vacuums are on the cutting edge of technology and ergonomics alike. To help you find the best vacuum for your life, we’ve compiled a handy list comprising the very best vacuums on reviews on each one. Let’s check them out so you can find the best one for your home and preferences.

A Glance at Our Top Picks (2023 Update)

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		hark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe	Portable Lift-Away conversion makes cleaning convenient Large capacity HEPA filter traps 99.9% of dust and allergens	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Bissell 1984 Air Ram Cordless Vacuum	Multi-surface brush roller LED lights Handle lays flat on the floor for cleaning underneath furniture	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Dyson Cyclone v10 Animal	Lightweight 60-minute cordless runtime 60-minute cordless runtime	CHECK PRICE
Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner		iRobot Roomba s9+	Strong suction Features corner brushes to help clean tricky nooks Automatically adjusts suction for carpets, tile, and hardwood	CHECK PRICE
		Black+Decker 20V Max Handheld Vacuum	Portable and lightweight Pivot nozzle with attachments High suction power works on carpet, tile, and hardwood	CHECK PRICE

The 8 Best Vacuum Cleaners

1. Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe – Best Overall

For day-to-day life, you need something both portable and powerful. If it’s a pain to pull out your old tank, engine-style vacuum, you’ll be less likely to clean. The Shark Lift-Away Deluxe combines the best of a traditional corded vacuum and a portable vacuum, featuring Lift-Away tech that lets you simply pull the pod system out of the vacuum base. Need to vacuum some hard-to-reach cobwebs? Lift-Away sucks them up with ease. The sealed HEPA filter helps trap allergens, which helps clinch this as our best overall pick. If we had to pick one con, it would be that it is a bit top-heavy.

2. Bissell 1984 Air Ram Cordless Vacuum – Best Value

For your money, it’s hard to beat the Bissell 1984 Air Ram. Unlike many other cordless vacuums, the Air Ram doesn’t lack power and can be used on multiple surfaces in the same cleaning session. Even better is that you don’t have to change any settings to change the flooring type. The lithium-ion battery is removable, so you could order an extra and just swap them out for long vacuum jobs. The biggest con of this vacuum is that it doesn’t come with attachments or convert into a handheld vacuum, but those aren’t that big of a deal for a quick clean.

3. Dyson Cyclone v10 Animal – Premium Choice

Dyson is one of the most respected vacuum brands, combining futuristic aesthetics and technology to bring us some of the best vacuums on the market. The v10 Animal vacuum is no exception, with a space-saving wall mount and 60 minutes of runtime. One of the most lightweight vacuums available, it can reach all those tight spaces where pet hair lands.  It features three different cleaning modes for all situations, and it has a simple point-and-shoot disposal system. For pet hair, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better vacuum.

4. iRobot Roomba s9+ – Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Is this cheating? We don’t think so because many people are replacing their vacuums with robot vacuums, and the Roomba is the most well-known one of the lot. If you don’t like how long it takes to vacuum your home every day, consider a Roomba. It’s expensive up front, but once it learns your floor plan, it will regularly vacuum your home without intervention. Even better, it can empty itself with the included Clean Base. Finally, you can tell your Roomba to spot clean messes as they happen with an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device. The future has truly arrived.

5. Black+Decker 20V Max Handheld Vacuum

For on-the-fly cleaning and maximum portability, Black+Decker’s Max Handheld vacuum is one of the best. The pivoting nozzle, crevice tool, and brush allow you to easily and thoroughly clean spots like low cabinets, between couch cushions, and more. While we like this vacuum for spot cleaning, it’s not a substitute for a full vacuum. One notable con mentioned by several users indicates the side door for emptying is poorly constructed and a bit flimsy. Other than that, it’s a great handheld vacuum.

6. Tineco Pure ONE S11

Featuring unique iLoop Smart Sensor technology, the Tineco Pure One can detect hidden messes and adjust suction power based on the scale and density of the mess. For light messes, it conserves power by only sucking lightly, but it can ramp up the suction for thick carpet too. The unique design is lightweight and comfortable, and it converts to a handheld vacuum as well. It also includes a power brush attachment for cleaning up embedded dust and animal hair. However, disposal can be messy, and the vacuum isn’t as sturdy as other vacuums.

7. Miele Complete C3 Calima

Canister vacuum cleaners are somewhat overlooked, but they’re still useful in this age of cordless and robot vacuums. Few vacuums are as maneuverable as the Miele Complete C3 Calima, which is great for cleaning all types of flooring. With six speeds, you can clean your delicate drapes and walls, and then amp up the power to clean your thick carpet. The rubber wheels won’t make marks on your floors and come with locks to keep the vacuum in place while you clean.

8. DeWalt 20V Max Wet-Dry Vacuum

Anyone who’s ever owned a shop vac knows how handy they are, and the DeWalt Wet-Dry shop vac is perhaps the most useful one yet. It can handle large dry or wet messes, unlike a lot of regular vacuums that can’t handle liquids. This iteration is portable and runs off 18-volt and 20-volt batteries, which makes it a better choice when portability is key, like cleaning the shed.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Vacuum Cleaners

When you’re looking for a vacuum, there are several major factors you need to consider. Maybe you like vacuums with the latest techno bells and whistles. Or maybe you need something that will pick up all the pet hair in the house. Let’s run down some of the most important factors to think about when choosing your next vacuum.

Cordless vs. Cordless

For a long time, cordless vacuums got a bad reputation as being weak. It’s true that corded vacuums are more powerful, but they have a range limited by their cord length. In the past decade or so, recent technological advances have made cordless vacuums more competitive. Most of the vacuums on this list are cordless for that very reason.

In days past, a cordless vacuum was good for little more than picking up dust, but today’s cordless vacuums are powerful enough for all but the most discerning customers. Unless you need a shop vacuum, most cordless vacuums are good enough for household cleaning.

Ergonomics & Weight

The tricky part about vacuums is that the more powerful (and therefore useful) ones tend to be bulkier. The heavier a vacuum is to lug around, the less likely you are to use it. That’s why easy-to-use and powerful vacuums are trending this year, so you can pick it up, clean it, and be done without feeling like you spent an hour at the gym.

Stick vacuums tend to be the easiest to use, albeit they are a bit top-heavy. Look out for features like retractable handles, pivot nozzles, and vacuums that lay flat to fit under low furniture. Canister vacuums offer a lot of reach, too, but the vacuum itself can be a pain to wheel from room to room.

Multi-Surface Capability

Not all vacuums can be used on multiple types of surfaces, or they require you to change a setting to do so. Customizable power or speed settings are extremely useful for cleaning a wide range of areas, like going from light welcome mats to shag carpet. If you have pets, you should be extra careful to look for tangle-proof vacuums and ones that can extract embedded hair.

A Note About Filters

Don’t cheap out on filters for your vacuum, especially if you have allergies or pets. Poor quality filters won’t extract as many contaminants, and they don’t last as long as manufacturer-recommended replacement filters because of cheap construction. Your health and cleanliness are worth the extra few bucks.

Conclusion

Vacuum cleaners aren’t a fun purchase for most people, but it pays off to buy a high-quality vacuum because your home will stay much cleaner. From light, portable vacuums, robot vacuums, and more heavy-duty options, there’s a perfect choice for everyone on this list. We recommend the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe as our best overall option. However, the Dyson Cyclone V10 vacuum is well worth the money if you are looking to make an investment.

Featured Image Credit: No Revisions, Unsplash