There are many styles of vacuums today, but traditional upright models continue to hold their own among the best vacuums — and for good reason. The best upright vacuums generally offer the most powerful suction on hard floors and carpeting, unrestrained cleaning time, easy maneuverability, and large dustbins for extended cleaning.
To find the best upright vacuums, we consulted with a cleaning professional and tested eight top-rated models for suction power, ease of use, and more. Our top pick is the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum, which is impressively versatile and can handle all types of flooring and debris. If you're looking for something more affordable, you can't go wrong with the Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet Vacuum, which is still effective with good suction, albeit less sleek.
Our picks of the best upright vacuum cleaners
Best overall: Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum - See at Amazon
Best budget: Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet Vacuum - See at Amazon
Best for pet hair: Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright Vacuum - See at Dyson
Best bagged: Kenmore Intuition Bagged Upright Vacuum - See at Amazon
Best cordless: Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet Elite - See at Walmart
Best overall
The Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum is unmatched in its cleaning performance and versatility. It quickly picks up all types of debris from both hard floors and carpeting, and its unique lift-away design makes it easy to clean under low-profile furniture.
- Exceptional performance on all floor types
- Versatile, well-balanced and easy to maneuver
- No-tangle brushrolls
- Short-lived odor neutralizing
- Low fill line on dustbin
Whether your home has hard floors, carpeting, or a combination of the two, the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum is a top choice as your primary cleaning tool. This powerful upright vacuum incorporates Shark's signature dual brushroll design—a soft, fluffy bar that traps dust and fine particles and a second bar with stiff fins that dig deep into carpeting to pull out trapped debris. It was impressively effective in our testing, and the Stratos was able to pick up everything from fine flour particles to large pieces of cereal and pet kibble in just a few easy passes.
The Stratos has a powerful 1,416-watt motor that helps propel the vacuum forward as you clean, making its 16-pound weight more manageable, and its LED lights helped us pinpoint debris we might have missed, especially on hard floors. However, our favorite feature is its special "Powered Lift-Away," which allows you to remove the canister from the base of the vacuum and still operate its floorhead. This made it easy to clean under low-profile furniture like sofas, and it's a feature that none of the other upright vacuums offered. The Stratos also comes with a few basic attachments, which have onboard storage spots on the back of the vacuum.
The vacuum dustbin looks sizable, but the max fill line is actually quite low, so you may have to empty it a few times while cleaning. The good news is that it's easy to do: A lever on the back of the dustbin swings open a door at the bottom, allowing the debris to fall into your trash can.
Read our Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum review for more details.
Best budget
The Bissell Cleanview Swivel Vacuum is a bit large but powerful and operates smoothly. It comes with attachments to pick up pet hair and clean hard-to-reach spots.
- Powerful suction
- Large and hygienic dust bin
- Convenient foot controls
- A bit heavy and clunky
- Loud
If you're looking for something affordable and consistent, the Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet Vacuum Cleaner is a classic choice with a few convenient features sprinkled in. Despite its reasonable price point, this upright vacuum has strong, consistent suction and performed well in our tests, picking up everything from whole Cheerios to fine flour across different types of flooring. We also love that all its controls are located at the base of the vacuum and can be powered with your foot, saving you from bending over to turn it on and off. However, you will have to reach down to adjust the height of the brushroll; there are five settings for different types of flooring.
The floorhead has special side brushes that capture dirt and debris along the edges of walls. We were impressed with its swivel steering, which made navigating furniture and other obstacles easy. The vacuum also has a 6-foot hose that you can use with the included accessories. It even has a special pet tool that's particularly useful for removing hair from upholstery.
While it offers impressive suction power, the CleanView is bulkier than many of the other vacuums we tested. Its large floorhead takes up a good chunk of space in storage, and it was also louder to run. Still, if you're shopping on a budget, this vacuum is a great value, costing hundreds less than many of our other top picks.
Read our full guide to the best cheap vacuum cleaners.
Best for pet hair
Thanks to the Dyson Ball Animal 3's powerful motor and brush roll featuring stiff bristles, this vacuum can get deep into thick carpeting, pulling up more dirt, dust, and pet hair than other upright models.
- Powerful suction
- Especially effective on thick carpeting
- Large Dustbin
- Detangling vanes on brushroll
- Wide variety of compatible accessories
- Easy to manuever
- Heavy
- Stiff hose
If you share your home with furry friends, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is a worthwhile investment. It can handle any pet hair, dander, and allergens that your pets track in. This is Dyson's sole upright vacuum among the best Dyson vacuums; the 17-pound model packs a serious punch when it comes to power, pulling in debris from all around its floorhead.
In testing, we found that the Ball Animal 3 is particularly effective on thick carpeting, with its stiff bristles digging deep into the fibers to pull out hair and dirt that other vacuums might leave behind. (Just be sure to set it to the right brushroll height, which you can adjust on the front of the floorhead—if it's too low, the strong suction makes it challenging to pull across the rug.) We also loved that the vacuum has detangling vanes that pull hair off the brushroll as it spins. Even after cleaning a rug covered in strands of long pet hair, there wasn't a single piece wrapped around the brushroll. While the basic version of this vacuum only comes with two tools, models like the Extra and Complete offer a more comprehensive accessories package with pet-specific options like a no-tangle motorized upholstery tool, carbon fiber dusting brush, and even a pet grooming brush.
The one thing we didn't love about this vacuum is that its hose, which stretches to 15 feet, is quite stiff and hard to use. It required quite a bit of effort to keep it extended while the vacuum was running, making it tricky to clean areas like stairs.
Read our guide to the best vacuum for pet hair for more recommendations.
Best bagged
Thanks to its bagged design, the Kenmore Intuition Upright Vacuum traps more allergens from going back into the air and can hold more debris before needing to be emptied.
- Powerful suction on carpeting and hard floors
- Extra-large bags with HEPA filtration
- Versatile attachments
- Liftaway design
- Easy to maneuver
- Not enough onboard storage for all attachments
- Controls in awkward location
The Kenmore Intuition Bagged Upright Vacuum offers a few benefits over bagless models. First, each of its bags can hold up to 3.1 liters of debris — twice the size of even the largest dustbins we tested. Additionally, by capturing all the dust, allergens, and debris inside a bag, the vacuum is much tidier to empty, making it an ideal option for those with allergies. There's a lever that lets you release the bag directly into the trash can, and there's no cloud of dust like when you empty a bagless model.
In addition to its sanitary emptying, this vacuum performed well on a wide range of debris. We were impressed by its ability to suck up large particles that other vacuums pushed around, and there's even a button that lets you turn off the brushroll, if needed. After cleaning up pet hair, there wasn't any hair wrapped around the brushroll, and the only area where this vacuum struggled a little bit was sucking up fine particles on carpet. I believe it likely would have performed better if the height of the brushroll could have been adjusted.
The Intuition has a lift-away design that makes it easy to clean areas like stairs, and it comes with the most attachments of all the vacuums we tested. Just keep in mind that there are only two onboard slots for accessories, so you have to find storage for all the others. The controls for this vacuum are on the top of the canister, which can be a bit awkward to reach, but we did love that there's an indicator bar that lets you know how full the bag is and when it needs to be changed. Kenmore sells replacement bags in packs of six for about $25.
Best cordless
The battery-powered Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet Elite runs for more than 20 minutes on a single charge, and while the model is lightweight, it performs surprisingly well on carpeting.
- Convenient cordless design
- 20 minute runtime, swappable with Hoover batteries
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
- Impressive on carpets
- No hose or attachments
- Struggled with fine particles
- No charging dock
- Battery life is shorter than many cordless stick vacuums
The Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet Elite offers the power of an upright vacuum with the grab-and-go convenience of a cordless model. This cordless upright model is powered by the brand's 4Ah ONEPWR lithium-ion battery, and in testing, we found that it lasts more than 20 minutes per charge with no loss of suction. It wasn't the best at sucking up fine particles from hard floors, but it wowed us with its ability to pick up dirt, debris, and hair from carpeting, sucking up sugar, lentils, and even pet kibble in just two or three passes.
The other big benefit of this compact vacuum is its lightweight design. At just over 9 pounds, it's much easier to carry up stairs than the other upright vacuums we tested, and its easy-to-maneuver form would be ideal for anyone with mobility limitations. It does occasionally need a little help getting up onto carpet or over a threshold due to its small wheels, but it requires minimal effort because it's so light. Plus, the vacuum stands upright on its own — a big advantage over cordless stick vacuums. It also measured as one of the quietest and least disruptive upright vacuums we tested.
This cordless model has a few downsides. It doesn't have a detachable hose or cleaning tools, so you're limited to floor cleaning, only. It also lacks a charging dock. Instead, you must remove the battery and clip it into a separate charger.
What else we tested
- Dirt Devil Multi-Surface Rewind+ Upright Vacuum: The budget-friendly Dirt Devil Rewind+ offered great suction power and debris pickup, and we absolutely loved its retractable power cord, which made it easier to store. However, this vacuum fell flat in a few key areas: It doesn't have swivel steering, which made it challenging to maneuver, and its attachments were often awkward to use due to the design of the wand. It was also the loudest of the vacuums we've tested.
- Bissell Cleanview Swivel Pet with Automatic Rewind: This Bissell builds on the features of the Bissell Cleanview, and is differentiated with an automatic cord rewind and additional pet accessories like a pet hair corner tool. While convenient and affordable, it still costs $50 more than our best budget pick.
- Shark Navigator Liftaway Deluxe: When you think of Shark vacuums, you're probably thinking about the Navigator, which has a very loyal following among its customers. It's available in a number of variations and models across different retailers — we tested the NV360. It can frequently be found on sale for under $200, a great, mid-range price. It features Shark's Liftaway design, HEPA filtration, and a brushroll shut-off feature. However, its size and weight made it a little more cumbersome to maneuver, and it struggled to pick up large debris like kibble.
What to look for in an upright vacuum
Because upright vacuums are so popular, most brands offer multiple models, which can make it challenging to find just the right fit for your needs. Here are some of the key features you'll want to consider as you compare different upright vacuums.
Cleaning performance
The most important feature for selecting any vacuum, including upright models, is suction power. "Stronger suction power, typically measured in air watts or AW, means the vacuum is more efficient and collects more dirt," explains Toby Schulz, CEO and co-founder of housekeeping service Maid2Match.
The wattage of a vacuum can also indicate its overall power. Models with higher wattage have more powerful motors, which often equates to better suction.
Maneuverability
One of the downsides of upright vacuums is they're typically heavier than other styles, so it's important to select one that you can comfortably manage. There are upright models that weigh as little as 8 pounds, but more power models can be as heavy as 20 pounds. This is especially important to consider if you're going to be carrying the vacuum up and down stairs.
However, certain features can make a heavier vacuum more manageable. A self-propelled vacuum will automatically move forward on its own, making it easier to push, and swivel steering makes it easier to maneuver around obstacles and corners, requiring less effort on your part.
Dust collection
Upright vacuums come in bagged and bagless designs, and both styles have benefits. "The biggest advantage of bagged vacuum cleaners is the absence of contact with dust and debris," explains Schulz. There's no risk of releasing any particles back into the air, and you won't need to touch any dirt. They also tend to have a larger capacity than bagless models."
However, there are downsides to bagged upright vacuums that you'll want to consider. "Bagged vacuums are less eco-friendly, as disposable bags are typically made of plastic, and if you have a pet or a large home, you'll end up buying and throwing away bags frequently," he notes. There are also recurring costs.
With a bagless vacuum, you simply empty the dirt directly into the trash, so you don't have to buy replacement bags. However, bagless dustbins require more frequent cleaning and tend to release some particles back into the air when you dump out the debris. Some people work around this by emptying their dustbins outdoors.
Filtration
A vacuum with a good filtration system is important if anyone in your house has allergies. HEPA filters are the best option, as they can capture fine dust particles and other allergens. "Homeowners with allergies or pets should look for models with HEPA filtration, which traps particles down to 0.3 microns in size," explains Schulz.
You'll also want to consider the maintenance requirements of any filters. Some may need to be replaced every few months, while others can be washed to extend their lifespan.
Attachments
Some upright vacuums are solely designed for cleaning floors, but others come with tools and attachments that make them more versatile around the house. Crevice tools are handy for cleaning along baseboards or in between floorboards while dusting brushes capture fine particles from blinds, windowsills, and more. Upholstery tools are also popular, as they make it easy to clean furniture or even the interior of cars.
How we tested upright vacuum cleaners
- Cleaning performance: In addition to using each vacuum for everyday cleaning, we put them through a series of technical tests to assess suction power and how well they picked up everyday materials. We ran these tests on both carpeting and hardwood floors, using the vacuums to pick up a measured amount of flour, sugar, lentils, cat kibble, and pet fur. We noted how many passes each vacuum took to pick up the debris and weighed the dustbins to evaluate how much of the debris was picked up.
- Ease of use: While using each vacuum, we considered whether it was comfortable and intuitive to use. This included factors like the location of the control buttons, maneuverability, weight, and noise. We also noted if the vacuum offered additional features that improved functionality, such as a headlight or cord storage.
- Attachments: For the vacuums that came with additional tools or attachments, we tried out each one in its recommended use case—we cleaned furniture with upholstery attachments, tight corners with crevice tools, and so on.
- Debris disposal: During our tests, we noted how long it took for each dustbin or bag to fill up. We emptied each bin at least once (but usually several times throughout testing) and evaluated whether it was easy and sanitary to do.
- Storage: We also considered how easy each vacuum was to store. We looked at whether the cord wrapped up neatly, how much space the vacuum took up, and whether there were storage spots for any accessories.
Upright vacuum cleaner FAQs
How much does a good vacuum cleaner cost?
If you want a vacuum that will last for several years and perform well on different types of flooring, you'll likely need to spend a few hundred dollars. "Vacuum cleaners can cost anywhere between $100 to $1,000+, but a good mid-range vacuum will fall somewhere between $300 to $500," says Schulz. "These vacuums typically have the standard features, good suction power, and accessories such as upholstery attachments, giving you good performance without breaking the bank."
There are budget-friendly options out there, but they may not last quite as long, as they're often made with lesser-quality materials.
What are the pros and cons of an upright vacuum cleaner?
Upright vacuums are popular thanks to their powerful suction and ease of use. "Because they stand upright, they're easier to use and maneuver since you're standing up while pushing the vac around," Schulz explains. "The vacuum head is wide and flexible, making it easier to vacuum large areas and around furniture." Many upright vacuums also have good filtration systems, and they come in both bagged and bagless models.
There are some downsides to these vacuums that you'll want to consider, though. "Upright vacuums can be heavy and harder to carry around and cost more upfront," he notes. "You're also limited by the placement of outlets and the length of the power cord, which is often not retractable and can get tangled."
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
