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Sep 04, 2023

9 Best Vacuums on Amazon of 2023

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process. The best, most highly-rated

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

The best, most highly-rated vacuums on Amazon for hardwood floors, pet hair, cars and more.

A vacuum cleaner is an important part of a complete cleaning toolkit, and there are hundreds, if not thousands of stick vacuums, uprights, canisters, robot vacuums and more you can buy from online retailers like Amazon.

Finding the best vacuums on Amazon might seem overwhelming, but thankfully our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab have the vacuum testing experience necessary to recommend only those worth your money.

In the Cleaning Lab, we have been testing vacuum cleaners for almost as long as they’ve been manufactured. We test dozens of models each year and serve as members of the ASTM International F11 Vacuum Cleaner Committee tasked with developing the standards used to test vacuums across the industry. All of the vacuums that make it into our Lab are tested across performance and ease of use tests that evaluate models’ ability to pick up debris on hard flooring and carpets, ease of maintenance and the quality of the user manual. Many of the picks we recommend below are currently featured in our best-tested vacuum guides, while the models we have not yet gotten hands-on with in our Lab are from brands we have tested before and trust.

Below our reviews, we share what to look for when shopping for a vacuum from what type to buy for your needs to what attachments to look for.

We’ve tested many models from Shark in the Cleaning Lab and have found that they perform well. The Navigator Lift-Away can be used as an upright or a canister vacuum and its sealed HEPA system keeps dust and other allergens securely trapped in the dust bin.

We haven’t tested this exact model yet, but an older model with the same Lift-Away feature was named our best overall vacuum pick before it was discontinued. The Navigator Lift-Away can be used on both high pile carpets and hard flooring thanks to its brush roll shutoff. Maintenance is easy with washable filters and a bagless dustbin can be emptied without having to reach into the bin to pull debris out.

With over 31,000 reviews on Amazon, it is one of the best-selling upright vacuums on the site and boasts an overwhelmingly positive 4.5 out of 5 stars. One of many notable reviews on Amazon says, “This vacuum is absolutely spectacular! Whoever designed it deserves an engineering medal." A few reviewers mention a too-small dustbin as something they wish they could change, but many highlight its impressively strong suction power and handy crevice and upholstery tools.

The last time we featured this ultra-lightweight model from Bissell in our best cheap vacuums guide it had 69,000 reviews on Amazon. Today, it has over 96,000 reviews with dozens of impressive photos of huge amounts of pet fur picked up by this affordable stick vacuum.

The Featherweight lives up to its name, clocking in at just 3 pounds. To use this model as a handheld vacuum, detach the pole and use the built-in crevice tool to clean small areas or keep the floor nozzle on and use it to clean stairs. There’s no brush roll on this model, so it won’t work as well on high-pile carpets, but for small spaces with mostly hard flooring and low-pile area rugs, it is a solid option. The bagless dustbin does not have a HEPA filter, but it is washable and there is nowhere for hair to become tangled in the dustbin so cleanup is simple.

One reviewer titled their review of the Featherweight “AS GOD IS MY WITNESS I'M NEVER SWEEPING AGAIN” and went on to say, “This little guy has CHANGED MY LIFE. I was in despair over the state of my floors, but due to back pain and other issues, I just can't sweep often enough to keep up with the dust. Thanks to this vacuum, my floors are cleaner than they've been in years. My first time using it was a bit of a marathon because my floors were a disaster, but it's very quick and easy now to run it and keep things from building up like that again.”

The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing products almost as long as Bissell has been making floor cleaners.

We've tested many models from the brand in our Lab — including this CleanView model — that have performed well in our tests. Bissell’s Cleanview Swivel Pet Upright Vacuum has a Pet TurboEraser tool to tackle pet hair on stairs and upholstered furniture and dozens of positive reviews from pet owners, plus every purchase from the brand supports Bissell’s pet foundation which supports homeless pets. Several reviews contain impressive photos of the huge masses of pet hair picked up by this vacuum. A triple action brush roll, technology that prevents scattering of debris and a dust bin that empties with one button are more features we are pleased to find on such an affordable model.

A pet owner on Amazon had this to say about the Cleanview Swivel Pet: “This is not a paid review or anything. I bought the vacuum full price and feel like I HAVE to leave a review because HOLY SMOKES THIS VACUUM IS AMAZING! [...] I have a black lab mix who sheds quite a bit and her short hair sticks into the carpets/furniture. I couldn’t figure out which vacuum to buy but I went with this one and I couldn’t be happier!” With almost 68,000 reviews, this vacuum is the best-selling upright on Amazon.

No vacuum cleaner round-up is complete without a model from Good Housekeeping Seal-holder Miele. The brand’s consistently strong performance in our Lab tests and positive reviews from users online make us comfortable recommending this model, even though we haven't tested it in our Lab yet.

The Classic C1 Canister Vacuum comes loaded with four different attachments including a crevice tool, hard floor brush head and upholstery tool which can be stored onboard. Like with other Miele models, switching from hard flooring to carpets is easy thanks to the foot pedal conveniently placed on the brush head. The Classic C1 also has six different suction power settings. Reviewers love the compact size of this canister, how easy it is to move and the retractable cord, but wish the 18-foot cord length was a little bit longer.

One reviewer said, “I wanna marry this vacuum!” and went on to share, “I did a lot of research and had never paid this much for a vacuum, but I would say it's totally worth it! Not only will it save time with my work, but I recently moved into a very old home with uneven tile floors, and sweeping the floors with a broom is tedious at best. But most vacuums weren't great either due to the uneven flooring. But this vacuum is so powerful it gets everything up whether the floor is level or not!”

The Dyson V15 Detect is so good, we’re currently featuring it in four of our top-tested vacuum round-ups and it earned one of our Best Cleaning and Organizing Awards.

In our Lab tests, it wowed our experts with its impressive suction power, useful attachments and illuminating laser light which brought invisible dust into view. Cool features like an auto mode that automatically adjusts the suction according to the floor type and an LCD screen that shows you the size and amount of debris the vacuum is picking up round out this stick vac’s list of features. The HEPA filter in this model is washable; just make sure to let it air dry completely before putting it back inside the vacuum.

Of its nearly 1,000 Amazon reviews, 79% are 5-star ratings. Our own panel of consumer testers gave the V15 a score of 4.95 out of 5, and all said they would continue to use the vacuum in their homes after testing it. One reviewer on Amazon says, “I don’t have time to write reviews but here we are... It’s that impressive. This vacuum costs approximately one billion dollars and yet I would pay double.”

A few other reviewers online find this model a bit heavy, especially when using it in handheld mode.

Black + Decker’s Dustbuster Advanced Hand Vacuum has just shy of 96,000 reviews on Amazon. We haven’t tested this exact model in the Lab yet, but have tested an earlier version with a similar design and many other high-performing vacuums from the brand, including another Dustbuster model that was included in our list of the best handheld vacuums.

A dusting attachment and crevice tool are built into the vacuum’s nozzle so there’s no chance you’ll lose them. Also unique to this model is the nozzle's ability to rotate 180º to fit into small or awkward, tight spaces easily. Though the hand vac itself can be mounted to a wall for storage, the charging base cannot so you won’t be able to charge the vacuum while it is mounted. The dustbin is not detachable from the vacuum’s main body, but emptying it is easy and the filter can be washed under running water when necessary.

It was hard to choose just one notable quote from its long list of reviews, but one review said, “These are great for cars and hard-to-reach spaces, but amazing cleanup for my sewing room. Gets all the thread and fabric scraps super easily. My husband and even Dad tried to nab my original — but I won’t let them have it!” Take note that a few comments were made about how loud the vacuum is when in use and one went so far as to recommend earplugs!

The Kenmore 600 Series Canister Vacuum took home an award in our most recent Cleaning and Organizing Awards, is featured in our guide to the best vacuums for hardwood floors and is among our top-tested canister vacuums.

During our testing, we found this model easy to maneuver thanks to its large wheels and appreciated how easy it was to attach the hardwood floor brush. Dry oats that we scattered across hardwood floors, tiled floors and low-pile carpets were picked up quickly. It uses bags and has a HEPA filter, so allergy sufferers can be sure that any dust this vacuum sucks up stays inside. After you’ve finished vacuuming, storage is easy thanks to a cord rewind button and onboard tool storage. Take note that this canister vacuum weighs over 20 pounds, so getting it up and down a long flight of stairs takes a bit of work.

Among nearly 8,000 reviews on Amazon, one notable comment comes from a user who says, “I bought this to replace a cheap, bagless vacuum. I love the bags this vacuum uses…How effective was it? I filled the bag after two uses. I especially love the on/off switch on the handle. I am wheelchair-bound and turning off the vacuum is super easy.”

Affordable, lightweight and stylish are just three of the adjectives Amazon reviewers used to describe this little handheld vacuum from Bissell.

We have tested dozens of vacuum cleaners from Bissell and trust the brand's performance. The Aeroslim is the perfect size to keep in your car for spilled snacks on the way home from school or to clean up your WFH desk after a busy afternoon. The two-in-one crevice tool and dusting brush can be stored with the vacuum. Many reviewers commented on the vacuum’s quiet operation despite its powerful suction. The dustbin on this handheld vac is very small and the battery runtime is just 12 minutes, so you’ll have to empty and recharge it often.

“It even sucks up sand and crumbs stuck in the carpet in my car. I've literally been walking around the house with this little vacuum, sucking up every piece of dust or dirt I can find. It's that much fun,” reads one 5-star review on Amazon.

We’ve tested many robot vacuums from Eufy in the Cleaning Lab and have featured several models in our roundups of the best robot vacuums and the best self-emptying robot vacuums.

This robot vacuum from the brand is Amazon’s most-reviewed robot, with over 64,000 reviews on the site. Like other models we’ve tested from Eufy, the 11S has BoostIQ technology which automatically increases suction when the robot detects it has moved onto a carpet or rug. This model doesn’t have some of the newer features like a self-emptying base or the ability to control and monitor the device from an app, but for the price, it's a great entry-level robot vac. It is under 3 inches tall so it fits under most low furniture too.

Reviewers online like how easy it is to empty and clean the dustbin, but warn that long pet hair becomes tangled easily on the brush roll. One reviewer of the Eufy 11S who has owned other robot vacuums had this to say about this model’s performance: “To set your expectation, consider yourself LUCKY to have found this Eufy even though it is not app operated, YET still outperforms all competition.” Other positive comments from reviewers tout its quiet operation, long battery runtime and subtle bump navigation.

✔️ Vacuum type: Corded upright vacuums offer unlimited runtimes and clean well on hard flooring and medium to high pile carpets. They stand without any support making them easier to store, though they do have a larger footprint than stick vacuums. Cordless stick vacuums are a good option for smaller spaces. These models work best on hard flooring and low-pile carpets and their slim design is convenient for reaching deep under low furniture. Keep in mind that their shorter runtimes and smaller dustbins mean more frequent stopping to recharge and empty. For small messes, consider a hand vacuum. Hand vacuums are especially useful for vacuuming car interiors and often come with many tools that help reach into tight spaces. Canister vacuums are a convenient option for homes with stairs as they are easier to carry and have long hoses to clean hard-to-reach areas like curtains and ceiling molding. These vacuums work best on hard flooring and low-pile carpets, though canister vacuums with a rotating brush power nozzle attachment, like the Kenmore model in this guide, can deep clean high-pile carpets, too.

✔️ Bag v. bagless: There are benefits to both kinds of vacuums, and the kind you choose largely depends on your personal preference. From our testing experience, there are no performance differences between bagged or bagless vacuums. With bagless vacuums, you don't have to worry about keeping bags stocked at home, but emptying the dust bin can get a bit messy. Some of the newest bagless stick vacuums we've tested come with self-emptying bases to make cleaning them easier and neater. Bagged vacuums are better for allergy sufferers as they keep dust and other allergens sealed in the bag, even when removing the bag from the vacuum. Just remember to keep your home well-stocked with replacements.

✔️ Attachments: Consider a model with a motorized pet attachment if your current vacuum can't quite pick up all of your pet's fur. Crevice tools are helpful for vacuuming dust from deep behind heavy furniture and other tight spaces. Dusting brushes and upholstery attachments are great for getting dust and hair off furniture. These tools are made to clean these more delicate items without causing any damage.

✔️ Reviews from other shoppers: See what others have to say about a model in online reviews. Search for keywords like "pets" and "small space" in reviews to read feedback from users with similar needs to yours.

Jodhaira Rodriguez has been testing and writing about vacuum cleaners, floor-cleaning appliances and dozens of other cleaning products since 2021. She selected the vacuums in this guide using her experience from vacuum testing and her knowledge of the brands included in many of the other vacuum cleaner guides on our site.

Jodhaira (she/her) is a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care & Cleaning Lab, where she tests and writes about home appliances, cleaning products and cleaning tips. Prior to joining GH in 2021, she graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor’s degree in forensic science and spent two years as an analyst in an environmental lab in Queens.

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