9 Best Vacuums of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed

If you’re looking for an upright with strong suction, the Kenmore BU1018 is the one. It offers both top-level suction power and impressive cleaning performance. It earns top marks for cleaning bare floors and is no slouch at removing embedded dirt from carpets or tackling pet hair. The vacuum captures almost every particle on bare floors, keeping debris contained in its disposable bag. But it’s a little louder and tougher to handle than some others due to its 21-pound weight. Its ease of use score is in the lower range because it’s hard to get this model underneath furniture, such as couches, when you’re cleaning. The vacuum has an LED dirt sensor and a headlight, and can be adjusted to five different height levels. Based on our member surveys, Kenmore uprights as a brand receive a very good score for predicted reliability and a middling rating for owner satisfaction.

See our full ratings for bagged upright vacuums for other models.

The Shark PowerDetect AZ4002 offers strong cleaning performance and some convenient features. It’s stellar at cleaning bare floors, making it ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, and hardwood floors. It also earns near-top-level scores in our carpet-cleaning tests and automatically adjusts the brush-roll speed based on the floor type.

While this vacuum doesn’t have the largest bin capacity and isn’t always easy to use for cleaning under low furniture, it comes with handy features, such as a dirt sensor that boosts the vacuum’s power to pick up more debris. And unlike some vacuums that can only clean when you move them forward, this one picks up debris moving both forward and backward. Another plus: Shark uprights earn solid ratings in predicted reliability and owner satisfaction, based on our member surveys. Compared with many other brands, they are less likely to have belt problems, though their filters might require more frequent cleaning.

Find other great options in our full ratings for bagless upright vacuums.

Yes, the Miele Guard L1 is a bit pricey, but it’s a champ at handling bare floors and embedded pet hair, and its filtration system excels at capturing dust particles. It’s also very good at suctioning up debris stuck in carpets. You can adjust the suction power with your foot, and when you’re finished vacuuming, hook up the powerhead to the canister body for easier storage. But it gets dinged a bit in our handling test, which evaluates how easily a vacuum can be pushed, pulled, and carried, largely due to its weight (about 22.5 pounds), and the vacuum’s motorized powerhead is on the heavier side. Still, this model comes from the only canister vacuum brand we’ve lab-tested that gets top scores from our members for both reliability and owner satisfaction. Miele canisters also inspire a great degree of loyalty: 40 percent of Miele canister owners we’ve surveyed say it’s very important that their next vacuum come from that brand.

See our full ratings of bagged canister vacuums for other high-performing options.

The Kenmore 22614’s cleaning performance is among the best of the bagless canisters we test. It’s near the top at vacuuming up pet hair and debris from bare floors. It’s also very good at cleaning carpets, an area where some other canisters struggle. The vacuum comes with a motorized powerhead that makes it easier to pick up pet hair and dander from surfaces, and its telescoping wand can be extended an extra nine inches to reach out-of-the-way places. It has a HEPA filter and is impressive at containing particles it captures, making it ideal for people with allergies. However, at 23 pounds, it’s on the heavier side and is not the easiest vacuum to handle or carry around. Its dustbin capacity is also smaller than that of some other bagless canisters we’ve tested. As a brand, Kenmore canisters earn so-so ratings for reliability and owner satisfaction.

See our full bagless canister vacuum ratings for other high-performing options.

The corded Shark PowerDetect HZ4002 offers top-notch cleaning for bare floors and pet hair, and performs above par on carpets. It features an auto-detect mode that adjusts the brush roll speed to the surface, transitioning efficiently between carpets and hard floors. It also has two brush rolls: one with rubber fins for optimal surface contact and a soft roller to capture small particles. It can be converted into a handheld vacuum, making it easier to clean stairs and tight spots in your home. It also pulls apart for compact storage, allowing it to stand on its own and take up minimal space. In our member surveys, Shark corded vacuums earn a near-top-level mark for predicted reliability and a decent mark for owner satisfaction.

For more options, see our complete corded stick vacuum ratings.

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Lite VS80F28DMP/AA is decent at cleaning carpets, but really shines at vacuuming up pet hair and cleaning the edges of a room where dust and debris are likely to collect. It has an AI cleaning mode that automatically senses floor and carpet type and adjusts the vacuum’s suction power accordingly. Samsung cordless stick vacs in general earn a very good rating for both reliability and owner satisfaction. Based on our survey data, they’re also less likely than many other brands to have battery problems down the road, a common issue for cordless stick vacs.

For more options, see our complete cordless stick vacuum ratings.

One of the best features of the iRobot Roomba Max 705 is its ability to clean carpets effectively. It also impressed us with its navigation skills, covering a large square footage of our testing rooms while avoiding obstacles that could have trapped it. The vacuum comes with a self-emptying docking station, and its brush rolls are designed to prevent hair from becoming tangled. It’s not all rosy, though: according to our member surveys, iRobot robot vacuums earn a middling rating for predicted reliability and a below par rating for owner satisfaction.

See our full robotic vacuum ratings for more choices.

The Samsung Jet Bot VR7MD96514G is on the expensive side, but we found it surpasses other models in how well it mops up spills. It’s also excellent at suctioning up pet hair and clearing debris from bare, uncarpeted floors. The robot vacuum-mop combo uses lidar sensors to map and navigate through your home. In our lab tests, it’s decent at covering as much cleaning area as possible and avoiding getting trapped by obstacles. The model comes with a docking station that automatically empties the vacuum’s dustbin, refills its water tank, and washes and steams its mop pads.

See our full robot vacuum and mop combo ratings for more choices.

Not all handheld vacuums can handle pet hair well, but the Shark WandVac WV201 nails that task, earning an excellent rating. It’s also a champ at cleaning bare floors and getting into hard-to-reach places. It’s not too shabby at cleaning carpets, either. The vacuum and all of its attachments can be stored on the charging base, making it a real space-saver. And at just 1.4 pounds, it’s one of the lightest handheld vacs in our tests. The only downside to its small size is the small dustbin, which may have to be emptied more than once if you have a sizable mess. 

For more choices, see our full ratings of handheld vacuums.