Best Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Although their products are often several hundred dollars below their Dyson counterparts, Shark has quickly earned a reputation of quality through their versatile and lightweight vacuums. Their upright Navigator Lift-Away Professional is no exception.

At under 14 pounds, this is the lightest upright vacuum on our list. In addition, the Lift-Away technology allows users to leave the brush roll behind and carry the vacuum by the handle so that any one of the many attachments can be deployed to gain easier access to those hard to reach areas. Speaking of hard to reach areas—the Navigator Lift-Away utilizes several attachments; such as the pet power brush, dusting brush, and crevice tool. The real star of the show is the Hard Floor Hero attachment, which cleans hardwood surfaces in a single swipe.

The Navigator Lift-Away cleans all types of surfaces, and with brush roll control at the push of a button, moving straight from carpet to hardwood is a breeze. While the brush roll can’t be adjusted for height, it will turn itself off in case of a jam and doesn’t struggle much with any type of carpet.

Unfortunately, upright vacuums are dependent upon their weight to support the pulling and tugging found when using many of the attachments. If you’re not taking advantage of the Lift-Away technology, you may find yourself struggling to keep this vacuum upright. You also won’t be cleaning under furniture anytime soon, as the clearance on this vacuum is usually far too high to make it under a couch or bed frame. Still, we found that HEPA filtration is very effective, and despite recommending periodic cleaning of the filter, Shark promises that this feature will last for the lifespan of the vacuum.

TheShark Navigator Lift-Away NV360 is not as flashy as the Dyson, nor it is as affordable as the Bissell 9595A CleanView. The included attachments and portability, however, make this vacuum the go-to machine for anyone who needs to clean practically any surface.

Bissell offers several upright vacuums that are lauded for powerful performance at a reasonable cost, but the 9595A CleanView may take the cake on cost. It is the most affordable vacuum on this list by a considerable margin, and despite the implication that may have, the reviews don’t reflect this.

The Bissell CleanView 9595A performs admirably on pet hair, high-pile carpets, and low-pile carpets. The suction power promised by the Cyclonic system is very much present in this versatile and lightweight machine. The 2-year limited warranty was admirably comprehensive—especially considering the cost.

That all being said, there are a few issues with the 9595A CleanView that even the most ardent of savers will need to understand. For instance, there is no way to turn off the brush roller, so cleaning in homes filled with hardwood flooring will pose a bit of an issue. Likewise, the simple foam filter does an alright enough job of picking up smaller particles, but even light or bi-weekly cleaning will clog the foam up quickly and cut down on suction power. These issues may not be deal breakers for those with primarily carpeted flooring or those willing to keep on top of the filters, but that level of maintenance may incite some to seek out a slightly more expensive model with fewer quirks.

At the budget level, however, there’s honestly not much better than the 9595A ClearView. The four included attachments make cleaning debris in even those hard to reach areas, and provided you keep on top of maintenance; this machine will far outlast anything else near this price point.

Dyson has a love-it-or-hate-it reputation amongst most for its boisterous claims and showy aesthetics. Regardless, there is no denying the power behind the Dyson Ball Animal 2.

Dyson touts their Animal 2 as the most powerful upright vacuum, and while that validity may be called into question, it can certainly make that claim against all other vacuums on this list. That being said, suction power is the only part that makes an upright vacuum great, and when you remove such a claim from this Dyson vacuum, the leftover features seem less amazing.

The self-adjusting cleaner head is said to make switching between hardwood and carpet as simple as rolling from one to the other. While you’ll still need to turn the brush roll on and off, we found that this adjustment tends to suffer from shag carpets and other high-pile home rugs.

When used on low-pile carpets or against pet hair, the Animal 2 finds itself in its natural habitat. A well-made brush roll combined with the suction power means that pet hair stands little chance against either the main vacuum or the tangle-free turbine tool, which is great for upholstery. The instant release wand and hose is another good feature, but the hose can only offer a limited reach.

Still, whole-machine HEPA filtration can be a lifesaver for those who suffer from severe allergies, and Dyson’s 5-year limited warranty can cover nearly any issue you may have with the Animal 2. You may struggle to adjust to the quirks of the adjusting cleaner head or the lack of attachment storage on the unit itself, but despite these detractors this Dyson model can clean exceedingly well.

Hoover makes a variety of vacuums at many price points, but the WindTunnel 2 UH71250 seems to take direct aim at the Bissell 9595A and similar budget vacuums. Choosing to focus on pet owners, Hoover’s WindTunnel 2 has a variety of attachments aimed to pull hair off on just about any surface.

The choice of focus is particularly apt for the Hoover WindTunnel 2, which may be the best overall product for pet owners in this category. The pet upholstery tool picks up the smallest kitten hair up to the longest dog hair, and the pet turbo tool is one of the best stair tools around. The focus on pet owners had to come at the expense of some things, however, and when it comes to the WindTunnel 2, that sacrifice came at the strength of the brush roll and the difficulty in picking up small particles.

Like the Bissell 9595A, the WindTunnel 2 cannot turn off its brush roll. The adjustability is perfect for a carpet of any pile, but on hardwood floors, this vacuum struggles to compete. The brush roll can also clog up from excessive pet hair, and since the unit doesn’t automatically cut the brush roll off, belt problems can be an issue.

HEPA filtration on this model is good and keeps particles from re-entering the room via exhaust ventilation. The hose isn’t as long as some of our other upright vacuum choices, but a retractable cord is a big selling point for many. Using the WindTunnel 2 is a breeze, and the high-capacity bin also means fewer trips to the trash can while cleaning the home. Those with hardwood may not be a fan of the brush roll, but the feature set and price point make the Hoover WindTunnel 2 our top recommendation for pet owners.

While we’ve made little mention of it thus far, bagged upright vacuums aren’t a thing of the past just yet. In fact, there are a growing number of homeowners who prefer bagged vacuums for effortless and sanitary debris disposal and lower filter maintenance cost. If bagged vacuums are your preference, then this highly-reviewed option from Hoover might be your best option in the upright category.

The Hoover Anniversary WindTunnel, not to be confused with the bagless variant on our list, is a bagged vacuum that features HEPA filtration and a closed bag system to help minimize allergens in the air. Any bagged vacuum will be heavier and larger on average than comparable bagless models, but the Hoover Anniversary offers something that even the bagless vacuums on our list can’t reach.

Coming with 2 connectable extension wands and a myriad of other tools, it’s easy to use a few of the attachments and clean several stairs or behind any piece of furniture. Combined with a 30ft cord, you might not get further reach with any other vacuum.

However, not all is perfect with the Hoover Anniversary. Limited and awkward adjustability can slow this vacuum down when swapping from carpet to hardwood, even though the vacuum performs admirably on both. The size can also make this vacuum difficult to maneuver around cluttered rooms, and the self-propelled functionality, while effective, can’t help if you’re lugging the Hoover Anniversary up and down several flights of stairs.

Provided your cleaning area is on a single floor, and you don’t mind bags, the Hoover Anniversary excels in most other categories. Public perception is positive—with many citing the DirtFinder tool as an invaluable feature. Considering the modest price point and excellent suction power, we think the Hoover Anniversary is a no-brainer for anyone who needs a bagged vacuum with lots of attachments.