Best Canister Vacuum

1) Very highly rated by consumers.  There are very few disparaging remarks about these vacuums and the consumer ratings numbers – from virtually all sources - are consistently over 90%.

 

2) Great on both hard surfaces and carpet (the Neptune model comes with the much needed turbobrush for better carpet cleaning).

3) Designed to last a minimum of 1,000 operating hours or what Miele indicate is an average of 20 years residential use.  This is far beyond what most vacuum cleaner manufacturers provide these days (see our article entitled Are vacuums built to fail?).

4) 7 year warranty on the motor.  A very long warranty compared with most other vacuum cleaners.

5) Lightweight and easy to carry at 14 lbs.  Easy to maneuver and carry up and down the stairs.

6) Very quiet.  A common consumer complaint about many a vacuum is that it is too loud.  Consumers frequently comment upon how very quiet the S4 series vacuums are.

 

A list of pros and cons taken from our Miele Neptune Canister Vacuum Review is shown below:

PROS
- Sturdy and well-built
- Suction control (can even vacuum delicate curtains on the lowest settings)
- Very quiet
- Expensive but worth every penny
- Extremely lightweight
- Retractable cord
- Very maneuverable
- Compact
- 7 year warranty on the motor
- Rubber wheels do not scratch floors
- Wheels turn very easily

CONS
- Power cord is a bit short
- Brushbar is not motor driven so not so effective on some carpets (especially higher pile carpet)
- Bags somewhat pricey

 

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Several other good canister vacuums make up the remainder of our list and these are separated into vacuums costing over 200USD and those generally costing 100USD or less.
 
200USD and up
- Miele Polaris
- Miele S5281 Callisto

- Electrolux EL6984A UltraSilencer Green
- Electrolux EL6988E Oxygen

 

 

The Miele Polaris is part of the same series of vacuums as the Miele Neptune but it is the least expensive vacuum in the series (the S4 series).   As such, it is quite similar to the Miele Neptune except it does not come with the two specialized floor tools that are standard with the Neptune.  The Polaris comes with a single combination carpet/smooth floor tool.  To learn more about the differences between the Miele canisters you can view our quick comparison of Miele S2 and S4 series vacuums in the Miele Canister Vacuum Comparison.

Polaris pros and cons taken from our Miele Polaris review are provided below.

PROS
- Extremely Quiet
- Small footprint
- Lightweight
- Very maneuverable
- Powerful – with variable suction
- Solidly built

 

CONS
- Power cord is a bit short
- Attachment holder is on the hose
- The SBD450-3 nozzle is not great for medium to high pile carpet

 

 

The Miele S5281 Callisto rates about 92 out of 100 by consumers and is a fairly high-end canister vacuum.  It comes with most of the bells and whistles available in any Miele canister vacuum and it also uses the SEB228 Heavy Duty Powerhead tool which is designed to effectively vacuum low pile, medium pile and high pile carpet.  It also has a bare floor tools.  In addition, the Callisto comes with HEPA filtration which is a great feature for those suffering from asthma or allergies.

Pros and cons as found in our Miele Callisto vacuum review follow.

PROS
- The powerhead attachment is very good on carpet
- Tools are stored in canister
- Very quiet yet powerful
- Suction power can be controlled
- Works well both on carpet and hard floors
- Solidly built (in Germany)
- True HEPA filtration

CONS
- Expensive
- Vacuum bags are expensive
- Power cord is a bit short
- Heavier than other Miele canisters

 

 

The Electrolux canisters are generally less expensive than the Miele canisters and the reviews are not quite as stellar but they are still very good.   The EL6984A UltraSilencer is exceptional at cleaning hard surfaces (limited effectiveness on deep carpet) and is extremely quiet.   It also has HEPA filtration and is somewhat “green” as the plastic used in the vacuum construction is 55% recycled and the motor is very energy efficient, yet still powerful.  The Electrolux EL6984A UltraSilencer also weighs a paltry 12 lbs and many consumers comment on how easy the vacuum is to lift.  It also comes with a large carrying handle that helps when moving the unit around the house or up and down stairs.

Consumer pros and cons as described in the EL6984A review are below.

 

PROS
- strong & adjustable suction
- lightweight
- retractable power cord
- very quiet
- eco-friendly
- excellent on bare floors

 

CONS
- fairly average on low-pile carpet or area rugs
- not very effective on deep pile carpet
- some attachments clip onto the handle – an awkward place
- brushbar is not motorized
- nozzle can be hard to push on carpet

 

 

The EL6988E Oxygen is a bagged machine with HEPA level filtration. The HEPA filter is fairly long lasting and need only be changed about every 12 months or so.  The vacuum is also lightweight (only 13 lbs) and fairly quiet.  The EL6988E Oxygen comes with a wide array of attachments including a telescoping wand, power brush, bare floor brush, dusting brush, upholstery tool and crevice tool. This vacuum also comes with a bright LED headlight that helps to see into dark corners or under furniture.

Consumers give this vacuum good marks and the pros and cons found from consumer comments, and shown in the EL6988E vacuum review, are as follows.

 

PROS
-Powerful suction
-Very quiet
-Good edge cleaning
-Appears to work well on most surfaces
-Lightweight
-Long cord
-Bright LED light

 

CONS
-A little expensive
-Small vacuum bag
-Lots of plastic in construction

 

 

If you are in the market for a more moderately priced canister vacuum then the following machines are good choices, and they can usually be found online for about 100USD or less.  All of these also get favourable consumer ratings and reviews.

 

- Hoover Portapower

- Eureka 3670G Boss 

- Eureka 3684F Pet Lover

- Eureka ReadyForce 900A