Most stick vacuums are cordless and run on a rechargeable battery with limited runtime and are generally pricier than their plug-in counterparts. That said, the lack of tangled cords makes them easier to operate, so you can quickly tackle dirt and debris—even in hard-to-reach spaces—and in much less time. That means we are giving you more decision points to help you choose whether you want a stick vac or a full-sized vacuum. As a result of these changes, our pet hair tests are a bit more challenging and we now embed dirt in the carpeting instead of scattering it on the surface as we used to do. And for bare floor testing, instead of combining all the debris into a messy array of cereal, sand, and rice we vacuum up each type separately. All-in-all, we’ve made our stick vacuums better reflect real-world situations where it may be your only vacuum.
We’d argue that robot vacuums are the best tool for cleaning up pet hair because they can dutifully keep up with the mess at a pace that few humans have the time or patience to match. It’s handy to have a little handheld vacuum to deal with small messes. Today’s handheld bissell crosswave cordless vacuums can be surprisingly strong without costing too much. The best ones have enough oomph to quickly suck up crumbs, grit, and other types of obvious debris, with adjustable nozzles that can make it easier to get at hard-to-reach spots without wrenching your wrist.
She has expanded CR’s cookware category to include not only more pots and pans but also other essentials like stand mixer attachments, sheet pans, and vacuum sealers. Mary also covers vacuums but finds cooking way more fun than cleaning. Since the mid-1990s, Mary has held senior positions at People.com, MSNBC, and Ladies’ Home Journal. The Complete C3 is a bagged vacuum (they trap dust and dander better than bagless vacs), and the C3 is one of the tightest-sealed machines out there. This model is essentially the same as the NV352, our top canister vacuum pick, with very minor differences.
If this is the case, a cylinder vacuum could be a wise alternative. Give your home a fresh scent with this innovative new vac from Shark that features built in air-freshening technology to combat any stale smells. Its cleaning credentials are equally impressive; it lifted pet hair in one sweep and gobbled up every last speck of the biscuit crumbs laid on carpet. It’s worth noting that it is a bit cumbersome; it’s got a large charging station that works best mounted on a wall and testers found it quite heavy as a handheld vacuum.
No matter how we procure products, they all go through the same tests and must meet the same strict criteria to make the best-of cut. Shark has a diverse lineup bissell crosswave cordless of vacuums, and their naming convention can sometimes be very confusing to parse out. In broad strokes, you can outline their model lineup as follows.
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. While we initially had a few issues when first testing this model, it did impress us with new technology like a self-emptying base and a self-cleaning brush roll. The setup process is a little complicated for this model, as the individual vacuum pieces are not labeled, which makes the directions slightly confusing. However, we still managed to assemble this vacuum in just 10 minutes. When it came time for testing, our first two rounds of testing on carpet and hard flooring did not go smoothly.
In her spare time, you’ll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend. From tackling pet hair to cleaning your whole home, Dyson has a cordless vacuum for every need. Take our quick vacuum finder quiz to find the right one for you. According to the research firm Gap Intelligence, only about 1 in 4 stick vacuums on the market is a corded model and the rest—more than 100 models and counting—run on batteries. As their capabilities have increased, so has the toughness of our tests.
The Shark Cordless Pet Perfect was the first-generation vacuum by Shark, released in October of 2013. This model of Shark is acknowledged by the name Shark Cordless Pet Perfect on the side of the vacuum. Light up your life with Govee’s RGBIC LED strip lights, complete with built-in IC chips for simultaneously displaying multiple colors. Boasting more than 65 feet of illuminations, the strip lights are equipped with 5,050 LEDs for creating unique design options over a large area.
It runs cheaper than the NV352 too, which makes it a solid choice if you’re working with a smaller budget. We’re not comfortable recommending any specific vacuums that cost less than $150 (except when the models we just mentioned go on sale). Plenty of vacuums cost less than that, and some of them actually work pretty well—at least when they’re brand-new. But even the good ones tend to wear out quickly and often can’t be repaired at all. It will usually pay off in the long run to spend a little more today on a vacuum that will last longer. This is the Roomba i3 packaged with a charging dock that automatically sucks all the debris out of the robot after a cleaning session.
Shark’s way of doing things can be better or worse for you depending on the layout of your home. You should keep in mind when shopping that Shark vacuums offer both powered and non-powered lift-away canisters. When it comes to powered lift-away canisters, you’re able to use the motorized floor head with its spinning brush roll while in lift-away mode. Shark manufactures homeware goods like irons and mops in addition to vacuums. Their vacuums come at a variety of price points, so you can find something that fits your budget.