It’s getting hard to find a good one now, and it’s been a while since we’ve tested any. Most of the sub-$100 models are suction-only, so they’ll work well on bare floors and maybe some flatweave rugs, but not thicker carpets. We’ve recommended the Eureka 3670M Mighty Mite in the past; it was a great deal back when it cost $40, though now that it’s $80, it’s harder to endorse. We’ve tested the basic XL2100RHS and the higher-end Magnesium RS (both use bags) and love how effortlessly they move. But they only clean well on bare floors or short carpet, and none of them have a hose or attachments.
We’ve been reporting on and testing vacuum cleaners at Wirecutter since 2011, and we cover everything from robots and handhelds to cordless vacs and plug-ins. A control panel on the handle houses a power button, but there’s also one on the canister so you can switch it on using either. A suction level button allows you to easily cycle between the three suction levels using your thumb, and a third button lets you choose between carpet or hard floor modes. For this as well as the suction levels there are easy-to-understand symbols that light up to display the selections you’ve made.
Like most good canister vacuums, the Kenmore includes a retractable power cord. There’s an adjustable-length wand that goes from 43 to 55 inches, both for the comfort of taller or shorter users and for reaching up to the ceiling shark dustbuster with the cleaning brush attachments. If you’re thinking about a $800 or $1200 vacuum because you need powered tools for cleaning your carpet, the Kenmore – Elite is a very competitive option that doesn’t give up any features.
PowerFins™ and the selfcleaning brushroll give you multi-floor cleaning with no hair wrap. The low-profile head of a canister vacuum’s pickup tool fits under furniture, and the lower weight makes tight corners less tiring. The drawbacks start when you have to move the canister body while you’re vacuuming.
We plan to test it, but since it is almost identical in weight and appearance, we suspect we’ll run into similar problems as with the Ball 2. Dyson makes good plug-in vacuum cleaners that cost way too much money by current standards. We’ve tested several Dyson upright vacuums over the past few years, including the Ball MultiFloor 2, and haven’t found a great reason to recommend one over our other picks. The main reason we love Miele canister vacuum cleaners is that they’re impressively sturdy, without feeling clunky. Miele reps have told us that the company designs all its products to last 20 years. Brian Driscoll, the Reddit vacuum guy, told us that he has seen 30-year-old Miele canisters.
If something does break, Shark’s customer service is generally good about honoring the five-year warranty. It’s rare to see such an affordable vacuum backed by a policy that basically guarantees this kind of longevity. Handling is smooth and light, the extra tools are useful and conveniently store onboard the vacuum, it’s easy to empty, and owners tend to love this vacuum. If you live in an apartment with a small dog or cat and you don’t have room to store a large upright vacuum, this convertible hand-and-stick vacuum from Shark is a great option.
Instead of using scissors to clear hair wrapped around the brush roll, some new Shark vacuums are equipped with a self-cleaning brush roll that is designed to clear accumulated hair and pet fur without user intervention. Our best stick pick, the Shark WANDVAC with Self-Empty Base, has a self-cleaning brush roll that’s also detachable so the vacuum can easily shark canister vacuum convert into a compact handheld tool. The self-emptying base is also a game changer for users with allergies who don’t enjoy the cloud of debris that puff out when emptying standard vacuum bins. Against the tougher competition of bagged canister vacuums, the Apex let more fine dust into the air than Kenmore’s top-of-the-line sealed bag system did.