Most and Least Reliable Vacuum Cleaners

We survey our members about any problems they experienced with their vacuums, and use the results to identify the most common issues affecting different types.

Cordless Stick Vacuums
According to survey results, the most prevalent problems plaguing cordless stick vacs are battery issues. Specifically, many owners report their vacuums’ battery life getting worse over time (18 percent), batteries dying completely (10 percent), and poor battery life to begin with (8 percent). Apart from battery problems, the most common issues that befall cordless sticks are hair entanglements (17 percent) and dust, dirt, and hair clogging some part of the vacuum (16 percent).

Corded Stick Vacuums
For corded stick vacuums, the top problem is hair getting entangled in the vacuum’s rollers. Twenty-two percent of corded stick vacs in our surveys are affected by this issue. Other notable problems include filters that need to be cleaned too often (12 percent) and clogs (11 percent).

Robot Vacuums and Robot Vacuum-Mop Combos
The most frequently reported problem for robot vacuums is hair getting tangled in the rollers. Thirty-six percent of owners have reported this issue. Battery problems are also prevalent, affecting 21 percent of robot vacuums, with a deteriorating battery life being the most common (14 percent). Other problems that plague robotics include clogs in the hoses or receptacles (15 percent), excessively dirty filters (14 percent), problems with the app or the vacuum’s online functions (13 percent), and WiFi connection struggles (12 percent).

The robot vacuum-mop combos in our surveys have lower problem rates than their vacuum-only counterparts, possibly because these newly popular combo units haven’t been owned as long. The most common issue reported is hair entanglements, which affects 24 percent of robot vacuum-mop combos. Notably, the second most prevalent frustration owners experience is problems with the app or online functions; 17 percent of models are reported to have this issue, which we suspect may be due to the fact that programming the two different functions on a robot model—both vacuuming and mopping—can be a complex process. Other common issues include dirt and hair clogs (16 percent), WiFi connection problems (13 percent), and filters that need cleaning too often (10 percent).

Upright Vacuums
Hair entanglements are also a big problem for upright vacuums, with 24 percent of upright owners reporting this issue. Other major problems include clogs (13 percent), brush rollers or power heads not working properly (8 percent), and filters that need cleaning too often (8 percent).

Canister Vacuums
Like the other vacuum types we’ve mentioned, canisters are similarly prone to hair entanglements (16 percent). Clogs are also prevalent (8 percent), as well as malfunctioning brush rollers or power heads (6 percent).

Stick vacuums are popular for their convenience and maneuverability, and they tend to perform well in our tests. As their overall performance has improved, we’ve increased the difficulty of our tests. Members can read on for details on how sticks and other types of vacuums did in our reliability surveys.