Types

Before you buy a new vacuum, learn about the different types on the market. While one type might have features that appeal to you, it might not fit your budget or your lifestyle.

Upright vacuums

This traditional design is still the most popular. Uprights tend to cost less than canister vacuums.

Pros:Uprights generally provide a wider cleaning swath than canisters, and they tend to be better at deep-cleaning carpets. Most are also easier to store.
Cons:You must drag the entire machine back and forth for most floor and carpet cleaning. The top performers we tested weigh 20 pounds or more, although many competent machines are much lighter. Uprights also tend to be noisier than canisters overall.

Canister vacuums

The best ones clean carpets just about as well as uprights. (Pet owners note: The uprights and canisters that did best at regular cleaning also tended to excel at picking up cat and dog fur.)

Pros:Canisters tend to be better than uprights for cleaning bare floors, drapes, upholstery, and under furniture, and they’re easier to handle on stairs. Most are quieter, and you mostly need to move only the hose and powerhead, not the entire machine.
Cons:The entire vacuum tends to be heavier and bulkier than an upright, and the hose and wand make a canister harder to store.

Central vacuums

Although they’re convenient, central vacuums are pricey, and they typically require professional installation.

Pros:They’re even easier to use than a canister. You carry only the hose and powerhead, and there’s no vacuum body to pull along. Central vacuums tend to be relatively quiet, and they don’t need to be emptied frequently.
Cons:Their 30-foot hose can be cumbersome and takes up storage space. And there’s no place to store cleaning tools while you work.

Small vacuums

These miniature electric models come with or without a power cord.

Pros:They’re handy for light, quick surface cleaning on short-pile carpets and bare floors.
Cons:They lack the power and capacity of full-sized models.

Robotic vacuums

Think of these more as expensive novelties than practical appliances.

Pros:do the grunge work while you relax. In uncluttered rooms, a robotic vacuum can fill in between regular vacuuming sessions.
Cons:They’re time-consuming to set up and run, and they tended to miss edges and corners in our tests. Some also tended to close doors behind them, locking themselves in a room.

Stick vacuums

Stick vacuums generally provide smaller capacities than upright models but they do weigh less. Like uprights, they have long bodies and handles, and foot nozzles. Many are battery powered.

Pros:They're convenient when you need to quickly clean up a mess. Plus, they eliminate your having to bend to clean up a dirty floor.
Cons:Most don't perform as well on carpet as handheld vacuums, the capacity of their dirt bin is typically small, and most are fairly noisy.

See also:

Wet/dry vacs

Air purifiers

Dehumidifiers

Humidifiers