A Household Essential: The Best Vacuum Cleaner

Dyson is constantly pushing vacuum cleaning technology forwards, finding new ways to make their machines more powerful, more efficient, and more convenient. With this innovation comes a hefty price tag, but many people find the premium worth paying.

The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy uses Dyson’s new Cinetic technology, which features high frequency, oscillating tips to keep dust from building up and restricting air flow. Because of this, Dyson no longer uses a filter before the motor thus making this the first “filterless” vacuum; this means no maintenance is required, along with giving you consistent suction. Thanks to the vacuum being completely sealed and its use of HEPA filtration, this vacuum is a good choice for allergy sufferers.
Useful, basic vacuuming attachments are included such as tangle-free turbine attachment.

The Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy is quite heavy at just under 20 pounds, but Dyson says this is intentional for better stability. As to be expected, maneuverability is excellent but the oversized ball makes reaching underneath low furniture a challenge. Cleaning performance of the Cinetic vacuums isn’t necessarily better than a comparable model (such as Dyson’s excellent DC65 Animal), but the promise of consistent performance and less long-term maintenance will appeal to many. As with all of their models, the Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy is certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and comes with a five year warranty.

Standard vacuum cleaners can be heavy and hard to store away. This fantastic cordless vacuum cleaner has powerful suction technology, which allows you to keep your floors spotless. It also doesn’t have brushes so that your hardwood floors stay scratch-free.

You can choose from three different suction modes, and it has a 60-minute battery life for efficient cleaning. The large filtration helps to capture not only small but also large bits of debris. It also has LED lights to let you know when you’ve switched modes and when the battery is low.

The battery is also detachable and can be recharged. This amazing vacuum cleaner is definitely easy to use and lightweight, so you don’t have to lug it around.

The Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away offers tremendous versatility for a mere $200. With performance coming close to matching considerably more expensive models, this upright vacuum is an excellent choice for those looking for an affordable, all-around option. The Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away can transition easily from carpeting to hard floors, including the ability to shut off the brush roll to avoid scratching delicate wood floors.

Suction on both hard surfaces and carpet is very good, and the vacuum offers the ability to use it either like a standard upright model or like a canister vacuum thanks to its lift-away portion. Combined with the large amount of attachments included, this makes cleaning stairs, upholstery, and just about anything a simple task. Although at 16 pounds this vacuum isn’t a featherweight but its pivoting head and headlight make maneuvering and spotting dirt easy. It features a washable filter and a large, easy to empty dust cup. HEPA filtration and a sealed design help keep dust and other allergens trapped inside.

The Neato BotVac 85 might not be cheap, but this robot vacuum delivers significant performance advantages over comparable models that cost more. Neat vacuums are unique for their use of an embedded laser which scans the room to build a map of the area. This drastically alters their cleaning behavior, allowing them to perform in a more orderly manner, versus bouncing around when it detects objects or walls.

The BotVac 85 provides several improvements over previous models, including a side brush, larger main brush, and a larger dust bin. The vacuum has also been made quieter, making it possible to carry on a conversion while it’s in use. Run times are quick for a robot vacuum, and the magnetic boundary markers are easier to use than iRobot’s Virtual Walls system.

If you follow instructions to fully charge and discharge the unit two to three times before the first use, the BotVac 85 can operate for over an hour on a single charge. Although it’s a bit too expensive to get away with no included remote control, the Neato BotVac nonetheless is an excellent overall performer for a good price.

Although $100+ seems like an unreasonable price tag for a stick vacuum, it makes sense once you examine this model carefully. Unlike other stick vacuums which are simply handheld units with an extended grip, the LINX is a full-fledged bagless 'WindTunnel' vacuum condensed into a cordless stick format. The beater brush is motorized, and can be switched off for cleaning bare floors more effectively. The 18-volt lithium ion battery provides consistent power until it drains completely, and the battery life indicator lets you know at a glance how much charge is left. The dust cup is easy to empty - pressing one button will drop the bottom panel, allowing all of the dust to fall out.

The Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik is a convertible vacuum which instantly changes from being a standard stick vacuum into a handheld unit. This is done by removing the stalk from the handle so it can be used in all cleaning situations. Removing the floor cleaner head makes room for the crevice tool attachment which can be used to clean corners and tight spots. The power cord is long enough to avoid having to constantly search for new outlets while cleaning and the 3.8 pound weight ensures portability and easy maneuverability. The Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik is also extremely affordable, making it a great buy if you can't stand carting out a heavy full-size vacuum for each little mess.

This versatile vacuum offers the ability to clean both the floor and off the floor. The Shark Rocket is capable of changing from a stick vacuum to a hand vacuum, while its low profile means it easily reaches under furniture. Coming in at just under five pounds, the Rocket is very lightweight and while the cord can become cumbersome at times, it’s nonetheless quite long at 27 feet. This stick vacuum offers two cleaning modes; one for hard floors, and another that activates the brush roll for carpeted surfaces.

Performance is very good all-around, and the dust bin is easy to empty. The Rocket also comes with a long list of useful attachments, including an extension tube, floor nozzle, dusting brush, crevice tool, Dust-Away tool, and a pet upholstery tool; all of which are kept in the included storage bag. With performance rivaling more expensive models, the only major drawback is the occasional hassle of dealing with the cord.