Best Vacuum Cleaner for Carpets

The Kenmore Elite 31150 Pet & Allergy Friendly Upright Vacuum just might be one of the best vacuums out there. It’s not that expensive, but it packs a punch against carpet and hard floor dirt and is very good at collecting messy pet hair and dander.

It uses a Direct-Drive beltless Inducer motor that’s 20% more powerful than some Kenmore vacuum motors. This motor drives the brush roll without using any belt, effectively eliminating the need for belt replacements. The brush roll itself features stiff bristles that agitate carpet piles to dislodge dirt effectively. For those who worry about the bristles damaging the carpet, there’s no need to worry: this vacuum has five levels of height adjustment. Also, the brush roll can be turned off with just the flick of a switch so that you can vacuum flat surfaces without the worry of scratches.

Two bright headlights help you see dust, dirt, and pet hair in front of the vacuum. For dirt that’s hard to see, the Kenmore Elite 31150 has infrared sensors and LED lights that can indicate dirt. This means you’ll know if the carpet is already clean or still needs more vacuuming. The vacuum also features several attachments for hard to reach areas. A telescopic wand helps reach high areas: a crevice tool pulls dirt away from corners and crevices; and an air-powered Pet Handi-Mate attachment easily pulls away stubborn pet hair from your furniture.

As the name suggests, the Kenmore Elite 31150 is designed for people with dust and pollen allergies. A HEPA filter and HEPA-certified bag filters and traps dust and pollen, making sure that what goes inside stays inside until the bag is thrown away. This means you can breathe confidently while vacuuming knowing that the air stays clean. This vacuum also has a reset button that shuts the brush roll off when something gets stuck, allowing you to dislodge the debris safely.

Overall, the Kenmore Elite 31150 Pet & Allergy Friendly Bagged Upright Vacuum is a great choice, particularly for low to medium pile carpets.

If you love pets but can’t stand the pet hair and odor that sticks to your carpet, then the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum Cleaner just might be what you need. This easy-to-use canister vacuum is lightweight, has safety bumpers to protect furniture and features Miele’s park system for easy storage. It also has an 11-meter operating radius and offers one footswitch to allow the user to choose between six speed settings and another to retract the lengthy 36-foot cord. This model also comes with an ergonomic comfort handle that allows for easy maneuverability of vacuum heads.

The Cat & Dog uses a specially-designed head called the Electro Plus Electrobrush. This head has an independent motor and a brush roll that can be turned off or adjusted to accommodate different types of carpet including high pile. It sends out vibrations to the carpet surface, dislodging dirt and dust so that they can be sucked by the vacuum. It also has a mini turbobrush perfect for taking out pet hair from furniture and upholstery.

This vacuum also has what Miele calls a Parquet Twister head perfect for hard floors. This head turns 180 degrees with a turn of the wrist that allows for easy maneuverability. It’s perfect for spaces underneath beds, tables, chairs, couches, and other furnitures. It’s also great for cleaning around furniture legs. It comes with onboard attachments to help clean awkward areas as well as an upholstery nozzle, a crevice tool, and a dusting brush.

The Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog features an Active AirClean filtering system. This filter has active charcoal layers that effectively absorb and neutralize pet odors. It also uses self-sealing 4.5L-capacity HyClean bags that effectively trap dust and dirt inside. This model is perfect for pet owners who don’t have allergies and also want to make sure the carpet stays hair- and odor-free. It does not use HEPA filters but does a decent job keeping pet odors at bay.

Corded vacuums are generally better than battery-powered vacuums, but if you’re really hoping to get a cordless vacuum that’s adequately powerful for your carpets, then you’ve got to take a look at the Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless stick vacuum.

The company has claimed that the V8’s motor makes it the most powerful lightweight vacuum in the market. It does a great job at picking up fine dust and larger debris on most surfaces with its cleaning heads and attachments. It also transforms into a handheld which makes it a versatile tool for cleaning above floors like ceilings, window sills, and more. The V8 has up to 40 minutes of runtime (25-30 minutes with the head attachments and up to 7 minutes on max power mode). The recharge takes about 5 hours, which is significantly longer than the older models. The wall-mounted charging dock is used mainly to store the machine and most of its accessories, however the motorized heads have to be stored elsewhere.The great thing about the V8 Absolute is that the battery meter lets the user know how much juice the machine has left before needing to charge again.

The direct-drive cleaning head has nylon bristles designed for deep-cleaning carpets, although the soft roller is best for bare and hardwood floors. It works best on low to medium pile carpets. Both cleaner heads have bristles close to the edge that, when combined with strong suction, can easily clean along skirt boards and edges. For stubborn dirt, dust, or pet hair, the max power mode comes in handy, but the extra suction power drains the battery to just seven minutes of cleaning.

As a stick, vacuum the V8 Absolute is easily maneuverable, and its low profile design makes it more than capable of sliding under furniture. Several attachments including the mini-motorized tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, and combi tool, are great for stairs, crevices, and generally hard-to-reach areas. The beauty of this stick vacuum is that the attachments can be used for both the handheld mode and the extension tube. The vacuum uses the company’s signature whole machine filtration with 2-tier radial cyclones to increase airflow, and the HEPA filter allows it to filter finer particles. Manually getting rid of collected dirt and debris comes with the territory of bagless machines, but the V8 Absolute’s hygienic dust ejector makes the messy task easier.

This is an efficient machine that is capable of all-around cleaning. One caveat in terms of carpet cleaning, though, is that it is not as powerful as corded upright alternatives like the Kenmore Elite 31150 above. Still, if cordless is what you are looking for, the V8 is a great choice. Its only downside is that it is expensive. The cost is justified, though, by having premium features that save time when it comes to cleaning. If efficiency and convenience are the things you need in a lightweight vacuum cleaner, then get the V8 Absolute by all means. Those who want to save money but still want a Dyson can get the older models whose prices have significantly lowered since the release of the V8. The V8’s motor is more powerful, is 50% quieter, and can work for double the amount of time that the V6 can. It has a shorter battery life, however, and is not as powerful as the even more expensive Dyson V10.

The Soniclean Soft Carpet Vacuum Cleaner SFC-7000, designed with and endorsed by Mohawk Industries, has been awarded by the Carpet and Rug Institute for carpet cleaning, maintenance and energy efficiency.

The patented EZ-Push adjustable system, aided by large front wheels, makes it easy for you to push and pull this lightweight upright vacuum on any carpet type. This vacuum lays flat on the floor and can reach areas underneath furniture and upholstery. The vacuum boasts of an efficient motor design that uses 50% less electricity compared to some full-sized vacuums while still producing strong suction power.

It also has two speed options: a Quiet Mode for soft and delicate carpets and for regular vacuuming, and a deep cleaning mode for stronger and high traffic carpeted surfaces such as living rooms. Though it was designed for carpets, it can also clean hard surfaces using the Quiet Mode. The SFC-7000 uses an ultra-soft brush roll to agitate carpet fibers gently. It effectively dislodges dirt while gently grooming the carpet. If some debris lodges itself into the brush roll, the vacuum will automatically turn off so you can remove the obstruction safely.

It has Hospital-grade HEPA filtration alongside a patented sealing system that secures HEPA filter to the vacuum, which means you don’t have to worry about dust, dirt, and other particles leaking and spilling out of the vacuum. Aside from effectively sealing dust and dirt in, the Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner also releases a fresh scent every time thanks to Sonicfresh Fragrance Pods. Not only is the air made cleaner, it’s also made fresher and more fragrant.

If your home has soft delicate carpets or a variety of carpet styles, and you want it clean and fresh all the time, this vacuum just might be your best bet. It is important to note, though, that the vacuum is quite loud and doesn’t come with attachments or a hose. This means that you’ll need to purchase a portable or handheld vacuum to reach awkward spots. Finally, replacing bags and scented pods will be an added expensive over time; without the use of the scented pods, the vacuum might emit an unpleasant smell.

The Bissell Zing Bagged Canister Vacuum 4122 can clean carpets well without breaking the bank. With a 10-amp motor, this vacuum can take on dust and dirt on various surfaces. It also has an expansive 10.3-inch cleaning path and comes with both hose and attachments for conveniently cleaning above the floor.

The Bissell Zing 4122 doesn’t have a motorized brush for use on carpet, but the strong suction makes up for that. The floorhead does have a regular retractable brush for use when cleaning sensitive hardwood floors. It also does a great job in cleaning low pile carpets thanks to its adjustable suction power.  Keep in mind, however, that setting the suction power at a level higher than needed will make pushing and pulling on carpets or rugs difficult.

The vacuum is lightweight for easy movement between rooms but has a short power cord at 17 feet, which means you’ll have to transfer from one power outlet to another. This model also lacks HEPA filtration. The Bissell Zing Bagged Canister may not have all the same features of other vacuums, but it is attractive for its affordable price.