Vacuum cleaner reviews & vacuum ratings by a professional engineer
Let me help you find the best vacuum before you buy. Check out our unbiased vacuum reviews. With so many manufacturers and models to choose from, getting the right vacuum for the right job requires research. At vacuum cleaner advisor we do that work for you!
Avg. consumer rating = 93/100
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 is the latest upright vacuum cleaner in the Dyson stable. The term “Animal” denotes that this machine is designed for households with pets. This vacuum is hugely powerful and also a bit of a handful to wield. In our opinion the Animal 3 is something of a brute. It does a fantastic job of pulling up almost everything you throw at it - both carpet and hard floors - and it has the added convenience of a no-tangle cleaner head (no more pulling/cutting hair off the brushroll). However, it is on the heavy side and it takes some effort to move it around, despite the maneuverabiity of “Ball Technology”.
Avg. consumer rating = 88/100
The Shark CZ351 is a canister-style vacuum cleaner, and while Shark has made canister vacuums before, it is a style rarely produced by this manufacturer. In our tests the Shark Canister Pet CZ351 performed very well on both short pile carpet and hard flooring – we were impressed. The unique brushroll with a combination of bristles and flexible fins really does help with pickup. We also found the unit to be fairly quiet which is always a nice feature in a vacuum cleaner. However, it only comes with two basic tools (crevice tool, upholstery tool) and accessory storage is awkward.
Avg. consumer rating = 90/100
We’ve reviewed a host of cordless vacuum cleaners over the years and found that many machines are just not up to snuff. However, there are some, like those from Tineco, that have pleasantly surprised us. In this review we take a look at the Tineco Pure One S11 Tango, a mid-range cordless with plenty of interesting features, including a specialized cleaner head for carpet and another for hard flooring.
Avg. consumer rating = 89/100
In this review we look at the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus cordless handheld vacuum, model CH951. This lithium-ion battery powered vacuum is touted as a lightweight machine for cleaning the home, office, boat or car as well as homes with pets. It includes a motorized tool with a self-cleaning brushroll that is designed to pick up pet hair without tangling. We walk through all the vacuum features and test both the motorized and non-motorized tools on a host of different debris and surfaces.
Avg. consumer rating = 89/100
The Dyson Omni-glide is unlike any other cordless machine we’ve seen from Dyson. It is a lightweight, slim, omnidirectional vacuum cleaner with two counter-rotating soft brushrolls, and it is designed specifically for hard floor cleaning. It is also highly maneuverable and versatile, operating as both a stick vacuum and a handheld vacuum. In this review we perform cleaning tests on hard surfaces, hair and edges. In addition, we test the unit’s noise level, run times, and we look at its specifications and features.
Avg. consumer rating = 90/100
The Shark WANDVAC System is both a stick vacuum and a handheld vacuum. It is also cordless and the lightest Shark stick vacuum that we’ve reviewed to date. We were impressed with the unit’s cleaning abilities and we tested it on carpet, hard flooring, edges and even pet hair. But the Shark WANDVAC System is really best for small home cleaning and quick pickups. Leave the larger, deep cleaning sessions to bigger more powerful machines.
The V15 Detect is Dyson’s latest cordless stick vacuum and like every new Dyson machine it is making headlines. To see if all the hype was true we tested the V15 on carpet and hard floors, on edges and on hair. We also performed run time tests and looked at a host of the vacuum’s features, including the green laser in the fluffy cleaner head. Like every vacuum the V15 has some good points and some not-so-good points. We walk through them all in this article – and we have included videos that show and discuss every point.
Our Dyson V15 vs V11 comparison includes carpet cleaning tests, hair cleaning tests, hard floor cleaning tests, noise level tests, battery life tests and much more. The V11 is the V15’s predecessor and while similar, there are a lot of differences between the two cordless vacuums. One may be a better choice than the other but it really depends on your budget and your cleaning needs.
Avg. consumer rating = 96/100
Is this the best Dyson stick vacuum to date? It may well be. In this review we run the Dyson V15 Detect cordless vacuum through a host of tests and look at the unit’s many features. The V15 is a stick vac and a handheld vac so it is very versatile (vehicles, homes, stairs, etc). Unlike any of its predecessors it comes with special no-tangle tools which make it a great choice for homes with pets. It is designed for carpet and hard floors, and has a click-in battery which will double your run time if you buy a second battery. The V15 also has a few other tricks up its sleeve including a bright green laser in the cleaner head.
Avg. consumer rating = 91/100
In this review we look at the Hoover ONEPWR Evolve. It is a very simple, bagless and cordless stick vacuum. It is also quite reasonably priced. We ran it through a carpet cleaning test and a hard floor cleaning test and it performed adequately in both. The unit is also easy to maintain. However we did find that the brushroll got easily tangled with hair, the vacuum did not clean up tight against edges, and it was on the noisy side. We were also a little disappointed in how much plastic is used in the unit’s construction. It doesn’t feel very robust.
Avg. consumer rating = 89/100
The Shark Vertex Cordless stick vacuum is chock full of technology and features. After all, the Vertex vacuums are Shark’s premier machines. The Vertex cordless has two brushrolls (one of which is self-cleaning), a HEPA filter, a sealed system, headlights, a detachable battery, and a flexible wand. We ran the unit through cleaning tests and it did a great job on both carpet and bare floors. Hair pickup was also good while limiting tangle in the brushroll. In addition, the ability to use the unit as a handheld by simply detaching the wand is very handy. However, it is a little hefty for a stick vac and it would have been nice if it came with a second battery.
Avg. consumer rating = 84/100
Miele is famous for its quality bagged, corded canister vacuums, but they recently pulled a 180 with the new Miele TriFlex. The TriFlex is a stick vacuum that is both bagless and cordless. So, is this is a good vacuum cleaner? In our opinion - yes and no. The TriFlex is a sleek looking machine with a swappable battery. It’s quiet, it moves well, and the power will automatically adjust depending on the floor type. On the other hand it’s a bit on the heavy side (for a stick vac), the dust canister is small, and the brushroll gets easily tangled with hair.
Avg. consumer rating = 87/100
Shark makes a host of stick vacuums. Some are cordless and some are corded. Some have two brushrolls while others have one. Some stick vacs have a special brushroll that limits hair tangle, others do not. First and foremost in getting the right Shark stick vacuum is knowing your requirements. Do you have only carpet? Only hard flooring? Both? Do you have pets? Are you partial to corded or cordless? Does the vacuum need to be lightweight? Etc. In this review we investigate the Shark Rocket corded vacuum and we highlight where this unit excels and where it fails – and ultimately if it is a fit for you.
SHARK APEX VS SHARK VERTEX
In this face-off we pit the Shark Vertex upright vacuum (AZ2002) against the Shark APEX Zero-M (AZ1002). The Shark Vertex upright is currently the pinnacle of uprights at Shark. It has many features and a host of different technologies. However, before this newcomer there was the Shark APEX, and as the name suggests it was the king-of-the-hill when it was released. So what’s the difference between these two big boys and which one should you get?
Dyson recently released the new cordless kid on the block – the Dyson V11 Outsize. But what makes this cordless machine special and how is it different from the already popular Dyson V11 Torque Drive? In this article we walk you through the differences and discuss which vacuum is best for your cleaning needs.
Avg. consumer rating = 95/100
Shark recently launched their “Vertex” series of vacuum cleaners. They are powerful machines with a host of features including two brushrolls, one soft and one with fins (Shark calls them fins but we think of them more as flexible, rubbery blades). We’ve always liked Shark’s willingness to try new and different ideas and they sometimes hit upon something that really works. We analyzed the Vertex AZ2002 upright vacuum, compared it to other popular Shark uprights, and ran it through a series of tests. This vacuum performed extremely well and in our opinion Shark may have found another keeper.
The Shark Vertex Cordless vacuum (model IZ462H) is a very interesting and very popular machine. Shark has thrown a host of technology at this unit and it shows. It has two brushrolls, a flexible wand, headlights, a self-cleaning brushroll, a sealed body, and more. We analyzed the different vacuum features and also ran the Vertex through a host of cleaning tests. We were impressed in many ways but there were a few areas that fell a little short.
Avg. consumer rating = 88/100
The Eureka RapidClean Pro is a lightweight, cordless stick vacuum that doubles as a handheld. It is best for cleaning bare floors and low pile carpet. The RapidClean is generally not too expensive and it is easy to move and to empty. Overall, owner ratings for the unit are reasonably good (88/100). However there are some issues and a number of owners cite problems with charging the unit and with weak suction. In addition, there are also comments indicating that the unit’s build quality could be better.
Avg. consumer rating = 93/100
We were excited to get our hands on the new Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away ZU632 upright vacuum. It looks and feels a lot like the Shark Rotator NV752 TruePet, the most popular vacuum cleaner on our website for several years running. At a glance the machines are very similar but Shark has added a self-cleaning brushroll to the ZU632 which should really help in households with pets. In this review we break down the ZU632, run it through a series of tests, and also determine if it is an improvement on the already excellent NV752.
The Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away ZU632 upright vacuum is fairly new to the market. But we have noticed that it is a very similar machine to the older (but very popular) Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet NV752 upright vacuum. In some ways it appears to be an evolution of the NV752 and they’ve even added a self-cleaning brushroll. However not all the changes are for the better and in some instances (but not all) you may still be better off with the older NV752.
Avg. consumer rating = 91/100
The graphite grey Miele Blizzard CX1 Pure Suction is a bagless canister vacuum cleaner. It is powerful yet quiet, and the filters never need to be replaced. This is also a rather sleek looking machine and it is made in Germany. The Pure Suction is great on hard floors and it also very good at pet hair pickup. However, we wouldn’t recommend this for homes with carpet. The floorhead does not have a brushroll so this vacuum is best for homes with mostly hard flooring and limited areas of low pile carpet (and the occasional area rug).
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Hello!I'm Nigel Russco, a 50 year old professional engineer originally from the west coast of Canada. I love to review vacuums and I’ve been doing just that since 2008.
I make every effort to write unbiased, intelligent vacuum cleaner reviews and I provide average consumer ratings for each and every vacuum cleaner I investigate. My ultimate goal is to ensure you find the best vacuum for your cleaning needs.
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