Suction power and overall cleaning performance is based on the vacuum’s airflow, which relies on good filtration and the vacuum cleaner’s design. If you’re in search of a light-use vacuum for quick clean-ups and bare-floor touch-ups, the Bissell Featherweight Stick or Dyson V11 Animal are the easiest to operate. For pet hair or homes where allergies are an issue, Dyson’s V11 or Shark S2 Navigator both offer a high level of filtration, trapping 99.99% of particles. We looked for vacuums that had the most customer reviews for their ability to powerfully clean surfaces.
That said, cordless vacuums do take a beating and you shouldn’t expect any model to last much longer than five years if used regularly. As you can see, the black rice test is less of a challenge than the sand test, and a number of the vacuums we tested, including the top-rated Tineco Pure One S11, finished with a perfect rating across all three surfaces. Interestingly, that shortlist of perfect-rated cleaners includes two of our value picks, the Shark Rocket Pet Pro and the Moosoo XL-618. Neither one was a standout with sand (in fact, the Moosoo model was among the worst in those tests), but with larger crumbs at least, both are perfectly capable. To measure the results, we weigh the vacuum’s dust bin both before and after each run.
Also interesting is the readout on the back of the vacuum, which lists the ratio of dirt collected by particle size. Bissell Zing’s canister vacuum is a great option for smaller homes or apartments. The retractable, 15-foot power cable lets you move around most average-sized rooms without having to drag the canister around the entire time. When it is time to change rooms, the large wheels and integrated carrying handle make it easy to move the vacuum. The Zing may be small, but it has good suction and cyclonic action to collect most dirt and debris.
Dyson vacuums tend to occupy a much higher price point than BISSELL’s offerings, which is reflected in generally superior performance and better build quality. That said, BISSELL’s selection of corded models is far more extensive than what Dyson offers. However, they’re a must for those who experience allergy symptoms when exposed to bissell cordless vacuum pet dander, dust and other microscopic allergens on cat and dog hair, says Carl Prouty, product specialist at Abt, an appliance and electronics store. We run each vacuum in a straight line across three different surfaces (hardwood, low-pile carpet and midpile carpet). Say hello to the best Dyson cordless vacuum, the Dyson V15 Detect.
It offers two suction levels and has a battery indicator to let you know when it’s almost time for a recharge. The handheld vacuum gives you up to 25 minutes of run time on a single charge. With that being said, a corded vacuum provides a more consistent clean compared to a cordless model, which eventually runs out of battery power and needs to be recharged, Neumann says. For this reason, Mehmetoglu recommends corded vacuums if you have a lot of carpeted areas in your home. Vacuums have to work harder when cleaning carpeted areas, which can drain a cordless vacuum’s battery quickly and lead to a shorter run time. However, what you gain in consistent power you lose in portability with a corded vacuum, Neumann says.
A sealed vacuum with HEPA filtration may be the best option to ensure you’re trapping allergens such as dust mites, pet hair, dander, pollen and more without releasing them into the air. Another important factor behind why we chose the vacuums that made the list was maintenance ease. With the exception of the bissell cordless vacuum Miele, all the vacuums selected are bagless. They’re more cost-effective because you don’t need to buy vacuum bags regularly. Instead, you simply drop the contents into the wastebin when you’re done. Plus, the canisters (and in many cases, the filters) could be rinsed out if they appear to be extra dirty.
Not surprisingly, the V15 Detect was a powerful performer in our tests, particularly in our sand tests, where it removed the largest overall total of sand from our hardwood, low-pile carpet, and mid-pile carpet test floors. It was our No. 1 finisher on low-pile carpet, with a sand score of 93% and another perfect 100% with the black rice. It’s a strong performer on plushier, mid-pile carpet, too, which is our most difficult test. bissell vacuum cleaner The Pure One S11 finished in third here, gathering up 78% of the sand and, once again, 100% of the black rice. In our exclusive CR surveys, more than 40 percent of battery-powered stick vacs owned by our members developed problems with the battery within the first five years of ownership. Corded stick vacuums do not have this issue, which is why we give separate reliability ratings for cordless and corded stick vacuum brands.