2024 Ultimate Vacuum Buying Guide

The best vacuum for your home is the one tailored to your needs. Each kind of vacuum comes with its own strengths; some vacuums are better for certain types of floors, some are better at picking up pet hair, and others are better at removing dust. Before you buy your next vacuum, make sure to read our Ultimate Buying Guide!

What Type of Vacuum is Best For Your Home?

There are many different types on the market, but there is no one-size-fits-all vacuum cleaner that will suit everyone's needs. Using our quick guide below, you can easily find which vacuums work best for the messes and surfaces in your home!

What to Look for in a Vacuum

If you're excited about purchasing your next vacuum but don't know where to start, make sure you consider the following:

Size

The size of a vacuum varies widely from model to model. If you need a lightweight vacuum that can fit into a small storage space, we recommend looking for compact handheld or stick vacuum. However, if you have to clean multiple rooms and storage isn’t an issue, an upright vacuum might be just what you’re looking for!

Dirt Capacity

The dirt capacity of the vacuum cleaner determines how much dirt, pet hair, and debris it can hold before it needs to be emptied. Our upright and canister vacuums typically have larger dirt capacity than their stick and handheld counterparts, which means it can be emptied less frequently.

Attachments

Vacuum attachments make cleaning your home a breeze! When you’re shopping for your next vacuum cleaner, make sure they come with the right tools for every surface in your home. Some of our favorites include crevice tools, dusting wands, pet hair brushes, and stair tools. Crevice tools for reaching into tight spaces Dusting wands for above-floor cleaning Pet brushes specially designed to pick up pet hair Stair tools to make cleaning the base, corners and edges of your steps easier

Ease of Maneuverability

Making sure you can easily reach messes is essential when you’re shopping for a vacuum. Lightweight vacuums like stick and handheld vacuums provide go-anywhere cleaning while being relatively easy to maneuver. Canister vacuums are also a great choice if you don’t want to manage the weight of an entire vacuum while you clean but still want to reach above-floor surfaces.

Vacuum Reach

A vacuum’s reach is determined by its cord length and available attachments. Upright, corded vacuums are limited by their cord length but often have extending hoses that allow you to clean stairs, furniture and above-floor surfaces. Ditch the cord altogether with cordless vacuums, which can also be used to reach above-floor surfaces, furniture and more between charges.

Run Time

Obviously, run time for corded vacuums isn’t a concern. But when you’re shopping for a cordless vacuum, make sure that it has a run time that allows you to clean what you need before it has to be charged again. Our cordless stick vacuums typically have a run time between 30-50 minutes, while our cordless handheld vacs run up to 20 minutes.

Do I Need More than One Vacuum?

The short answer: it depends! If you have a small home with just a few surface types, a space-saving stick vacuum might be the only one you need. If you need to vacuum wall-to-wall carpets, stairs and more, then you may benefit from having an upright vacuum for a powerful suction and a handheld vac for quick pickups and day-to-day maintenance. Robotic vacuums do the hard work for you and excel at keeping floors clear of crumbs, pet hair and dust, but they are limited in that they can’t clean above floors. In general, we recommend pairing your full-sized vacuum with a handheld or robotic vac, so you can keep everyday messes at bay and do a deeper clean when needed.

Upright Vacuums

If you live in a bigger house or have more surface areas to clean, an upright vacuum might be for you. Upright vacs are designed to clean large messes quickly, and come with attachments for other cleaning needs. Many also have an extending hose that can be used with the attachments to get into hard-to-reach spaces. Some of our upright vacuums lift dirt and hair away from your carpets using a tangle-free brush roll specially designed to avoid hair wrap. The dirt and hair is then sucked into a bagless dirt tank or vacuum bag which can be easily emptied, so you don’t have to touch the yuck. If you need the cleaning power of a full-sized vacuum in an even more maneuverable format, we recommend shopping for a lift-off vacuum. Lift-off vacuums have a dirt tank and hose that can be lifted away from the base, helping you reach messes on stairs, furniture and more!

What Should I Use an Upright Vacuum for?

Upright vacuums can thoroughly clean wall-to-wall carpets or large rooms and work well on multiple surfaces, including carpets, hardwood floors, tile, and nearly any other type of flooring you’re likely to encounter in your home! Upright vacuums also come with a variety of attachments that can be used to reach unique surfaces, like upholstery and stairs.

What Attachments Can Be Used with Upright Vacuums?

Many of our upright vacuums come with specialized tools that help keep your above-floor areas clean. While the included attachments vary by model, here are a few of our favorites:

LED Lighted Crevice Tool: This tool illuminates dark, hard-to-reach areas to ensure you don’t miss dust, crumbs and pet hair other crevice tools may leave behind. If you don’t need the LEDs, we also have a standard 12-inch crevice tool that can reach deep into your couch cushions, between car seats and more. Pet TurboEraser® Tool: Tackle pet hair in places that you can’t easily reach with a full-sized vacuum. This tool has a spinning brush roll that’s great for removing pet hair from pet beds, couches, stairs, and more! If you don’t want the spinning head feature, you can purchase a version that can be used with or without a vacuum here. 3-in-1 Vacuum Stair Tool: Keep your stairs free of dirt, crumbs and pet hair with this tool. Its three cleaning edges help you remove debris from the corners, edges and landing of your stairs. 2-in-1 Dusting Brush: This tool lets you gently agitate dust particles with soft bristles while your vacuum sucks them up before they spread around your home.

Wet Dry Vacuums

Wet dry vacuums come in two main configurations: in-home and garage. Both are ideal for cleaning up wet and dry messes, but you’ll want to consider the types of surfaces you’re cleaning before making a buying decision. In-home wet dry vacuums can clean a wide range of surfaces in your home, including tile, linoleum, area rugs, and sealed hard floors. They are excellent at removing stuck-on messes, dust, crumbs, and pet hair from high-traffic areas without having to use multiple machines. Our garage wet dry vacuums are a great tool for home owners. These units are designed to clean up big messes in garages, workshops, basements and vehicles. Their powerful suction and high capacity allow you to quickly clean up large areas. Plus, they can be brought indoors if needed.

Wet Dry Vacuums for Your Home

Wet dry vacuums are a great tool for high-traffic living spaces where you find yourself frequently vacuuming and mopping. These multi-surface machines both wash away stuck-on messes and vacuum up dry debris because of their vacuum or wash wet dry capabilities. Two-Tank Technology even keeps water and formula separate from dirty water, which can help reduce streaking on your floors. If you’ve ever been frustrated with your regular vacuum because of hard-to-clean messes across multiple floor types, check out the latest in CrossWave® wet dry technology here.

Wet Dry Vacuums for Your Garage

A wet dry vacuum is a powerful tool for keeping your garage clean. Designed to suck up liquid and debris, they can also dry floors with the blower functionality to help you keep your garage looking clean and tidy. Our garage-style wet dry vacuums feature a 4-6 gallon tank, which means you don’t need to empty it between cleans as frequently. The blower function can also help quickly clear dust and leaves. Garage vacuums typically come with tools for a wide variety of surfaces and wet and dry messes. Included tools vary slightly by model, but here are some to look for when you’re ready to buy:

Extension Wands: Extension wands go on the end of your canister vacuum’s hose to give it more cleaning range. Large Area Wet Floor Cleaning Tools: This attachment widens your vacuum’s cleaning path, so you can clean large areas of liquid quickly. Multi-Surface Floor Tools:These tools are perfect for cleaning up a wide variety of wet and dry messes, ranging from garage floors to carpet. Crevice Tools: Use these tools to get into hard-to-reach areas or tight corners in your home, garage or vehicle. Dusting Brushes: Dusting brushes are similar to other tools but have the added feature of soft bristles at the end to agitate dust and suck it up before it spreads. Small Upholstery and Precision Suction Tools: These are perfect for quickly picking up smaller messes on upholstery. They are slightly smaller than other attachment tools, making them perfect for detailing. Wall Mount: This tool saves storage space by mounting your wet dry vacuum right on the wall. It’s made specifically for our Garage Pro® wet dry vac.

Stick Vacuums

Stick vacuums are a great option for homes that have limited storage space. They are typically smaller than their upright or canister counterparts but still provide powerful suction. Many stick vacuums also convert to handheld configurations to easily clean above-floor surfaces. Some even use an extended wand with special attachments to vacuum blinds or remove cobwebs from ceilings! When they’re not in “cleaning mode”, you can store our stick vacuums on their wall mount or stand them upright in your storage area. Stick vacuums come both corded and cordless. Let’s dive into the differences below.

What Can I Clean with Stick Vacuums?

Stick vacuums are designed to be lightweight and easy to carry. Their compact design makes them a front runner for cleaning hard-to-reach spaces under furniture, along baseboards, upholstery, and more. Despite their smaller size, stick vacuums can also clean area rugs, low-pile carpet and hard floors. All-in-all, stick vacuums are an excellent option for keeping small-to-medium sized areas clean and take up minimal storage space.

Corded Stick Vacuums

Corded stick vacuums are designed to provide powerful suction in a space-saving design. The cord lengths on our models run from 15’ to 30’. A corded stick vacuum can take advantage of attachments that are specially designed to pick up pet hair, dirt or crumbs on upholstery, stairs and other areas that are harder to reach with a traditional vacuum's nozzle.

Cordless Stick Vacuums

Cordless stick vacuum cleaners are designed to be portable first and foremost. Ours come with a lithium ion battery, so you can clean without dragging a cord behind you. With a runtime of 30-50 minutes, you can clean more areas between charges, too. And, like other vacuums, our cordless stick vacuums come with attachments designed to help you clean a variety of surfaces in your home.

Handheld Vacuums

Handheld vacuum cleaners are best for cleaning small spaces like cars, countertops, furniture, and stairs. Their small size makes them easy to take right to the mess without bringing out your full-sized upright or canister vacuum. Handheld vacuums work by suctioning up dirt particles from surfaces like carpets or floors. Some come with a motorized brush roll while others rely on specialized nozzles. Our handheld vacuums come in both corded and cordless variations. Let’s discuss the benefits of each below.

Cordless Handheld Vacuums

Cordless handheld vacuum cleaners are a great companion device for people who own a full-sized vacuum, as well as for those who have pets. They excel at helping you manage the buildup of dirt and pet hair between deep clean days. Unlike our corded handheld vacuums, our cordless versions can also come with a motorized head that allows you to clean deep down into your upholstery. The main selling point of cordless handheld vacuums are their ability to run without being plugged in. Our cordless hand vacs have a runtime of up to 20 minutes which is perfect for cleaning up small messes around your home between charges!

Corded Handheld Vacuums

Corded handheld vacuums are a good choice for homes where dirt and pet hair accumulate quickly between deep cleans. They excel at managing day-to-day messes before they get out of hand. Like other vacuums, they also come with specialized cleaning tools to help you clean hard to reach areas. Our corded handheld vacuums come with a specialized, non-motorized nozzle that helps you tackle pet hair with ease. They are often times lighter than cordless variations since they don’t have a battery. However, this means that you’ll need to plug them into an outlet. With 16-18 ft cords, however, you shouldn’t have to worry about finding one close by!

Robotic Vacuums

Some days you don’t have the time to vacuum by hand. Robotic vacuum cleaners are designed to help you keep up with everyday messes by automatically cleaning your floors while you focus on spending time with your family or working from home! They are great for managing the buildup of pet hair, dirt and debris between deeper cleans, all with the press of a button. Schedule cleanings with our WiFi-connected robotic vacuums and mobile app, so you can just set it and forget it! Structured navigation allows robotic vacuums to tackle dirt and pet hair (almost) wherever it occurs on your floors.

What Should I Use Robotic Vacuums for?

Robotic vacuums are a great way to keep your hard floors, area rugs and carpets clean. In vacuum mode, our robotic vacuums clean dirt and debris from hard floors and low-medium pile area rugs and carpets. When set to wash floors, the vacuum will automatically avoid area rugs and carpets to ensure they don’t get wet while it gives your hard floors a spot-free mop! SpinWave® Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum mops and vacuums sealed hard floors but won’t move forward in wet mode once it reaches an area rug or carpet. You can also change it to ‘vacuum only’ mode, so it only picks up dirt and debris on hard floor and carpet. Our robotic vacuums work best on the following surfaces: Sealed hard floors (including hardwood floors) Low to medium pile area rugs Low to medium pile carpets When buying a robotic vacuum, there’s a lot more to consider than just the types of floors you’ll be cleaning. With features like cliff-sensing technology, keep-out zones, navigation mapping, and auto-programming, there’s a lot to consider in the world of robotic vacuums!

Canister Vacuums

A traditional canister vacuum has the power of a full-sized upright with the convenience of a stick vac. Our canister vacuums are popular for their versatility and ease in reaching into tight spaces. They’re also easy to maneuver since you only have to move the wand to clean.

What Should I Use Canister Vacuums for?

Canister vacuums are great for cleaning large areas or multiple rooms in your home. Spinning brush rolls are designed to lift dirt and pet hair from soft surfaces while still being gentle on hard floors. Canister vacuums also come with extensions which attach to the wand to clean upholstery and more. Plus, their extending wand is great for easily vacuuming stairs.

Wrapping Up

Who knew there were so many types of vacuums? Now you do! Have questions or need help deciding which vacuum is best for your home? Use our chat feature to speak with a support specialist — all they need is your budget, home size and the types of surfaces you plan to clean and they’ll help you find the perfect match!