There’s also not a designated spot for attachments, which was disappointing, so you’ll need to repurpose a box or bin to keep the attachments together in your home. If we didn’t mention a particular model you’re curious about, we did actually consider it but decided not to recommend it. Repair technicians tend to love Riccar, Simplicity, and Fuller Brush uprights (all made by Tacony Corporation). We tested the Riccar Vibrance R20D a few years ago, based on some techs’ recommendations. It is a sturdy, American-manufactured machine made to be repaired pretty easily.
Handling is smooth and light, the extra tools are useful and conveniently store onboard the vacuum, and it’s easy to empty. Similar to the Navigator series, this early Rotator design from Shark is a great option if your home has lots of carpeted areas. We found the adjustable suction power to be a game changer for effectively cleaning all types of carpet. This model was simple to set up and it also had an average noise level equivalent to a hair dryer.
The wand is already bulky and the tool clip, with tools attached, just makes it more so. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). After our pet vacuum tester’s lackluster experience with his own Miele – Calima, though, we thought long and hard about how to qualify value for a general review. If you’re seriously considering the less expensive Eureka – 3670h without the $40 filter, look closely at the Bissell – Zing first.
We chose to include the Shark – Apex lift-away vacuum in this roundup of canister designs because it represents a unique set of attributes at an excellent value. This is more closely related to an upright vacuum than a canister, but it’s one of the few uprights that makes just as much sense for a household that would typically prefer a canister design. Shark envisions it sticking around the shark pet hair vacuum kitchen or the garage, where it’ll complement a larger upright unit as a more portable option. How powerful it is remains to be seen, and we’re looking forward to testing one in our lab as soon as we can get our hands on one. We’ve done this test on many vacuum cleaners over the years and in the table below you can see how the Canister Pet fared compared to a sampling of other vacuums.
The Shark Vertex PowerFins Vacuum features powerful suction on all surfaces, a storage-friendly handle, and generally quiet operation. As we discovered in The Lab, it has the power you need to leave your carpets deeply clean and your hardwood floors sparkling. This model earned a perfect rating for its effectiveness and didn’t cause any debris to scatter in the process. In fact, it cleaned up every material in just a pass or two, regardless of flooring type. We found that the 1.4-quart dust bin empties easily, but given the vacuum’s powerful suction and long-lasting battery, we do wish it had more capacity. All of the Shark Navigator Lift-Away models in the NV350, NV360, or NV370 series are essentially the same vacuum cleaner, just with minor differences in their tool sets, colors, and button placements.
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. You get all the dust control and utility of the German designs, plus a unique convertible multi-floor head. The best canister vacuums we picked earned the highest Overall Score in our rigorous lab tests. As you browse through the models, consider which vacuum would work best for you in terms of weight, versatility across different surfaces, noise level, and reliability. You can find more criteria and how we rated models for each factor in our comprehensive canister vacuum ratings. The cleaner head pulls itself forward a bit on carpet due to the spinning brushroll.
After testing dozens of robot vacuums, he is neither worried about AI nor holding his breath for self-driving cars. He enjoys visiting factories and learning about regulatory loopholes, and has flooded our testing area only three times. To check the efficacy of the vacuums’ filters, we needed a test chamber that registered only what was in the air after it had been filtered by the vacuum. It also needs very little maintenance and has essentially no recurring costs. That’s because its parts are made to last the lifetime of the machine, whereas most affordable vacuums need fresh filters and belts to keep running well. Most of Shark’s accessories have a handy storage spot, but the various model numbers (we tested the AZ1000W) may include accessory brushes that don’t have a home.
This vacuum’s five-year warranty gives us every reason to believe it will last at least that long for most owners. Some vacuum cleaners are notorious for “snowplowing” (or pushing around) large debris, such as breakfast cereal, on a bare floor. So we used each vacuum to try to suck up a handful of Cheerios and Chex. We started our research by making a list of every plug-in upright or canister vacuum cleaner we could find—seriously, all of them, from every brand. Over the years, we’ve assembled a spreadsheet of 560 different vacuums (though a chunk of them are now discontinued).
We ended up re-testing the vacuum on the other flooring surfaces and it then began performing very well. While the Navigator series is now one of Shark’s more basic lines in terms of advanced features, this model still has a removable dust bin and plenty of cord length for cleaning average-sized rooms. An 11-foot-long extension hose also makes it easy to clean drapes or steps without lugging the entire unit with you.