What is the Best Rated Vacuum Cleaner?
- Details
What Does “Best Rated” Mean?
People often ask what is the best rated vacuum cleaner? So in this article we highlight the very highest rated vacuums on our site as of November, 2017.
But determining the best rated vacuums is not really so easy. Why? Well, there a few reasons:
1) There is no real definition of “best rated”.
- Best rated according to who (consumers, vacuum cleaner reviewers, retail outlets, etc.)?
- Best out of how many (how many vacuums have been analysed – 10, 100, 1000)?
2) “Best at what?” Different vacuums are sometimes good at different things. For example, one vacuum may be great at cleaning bare floors but poor on carpet, while another may be fantastic on carpet but poor on bare floors. So you could go out and buy a highly rated vacuum cleaner only to find out it is not a good fit for your home.
Nevertheless, some kind of scoring system is very beneficial for consumers when trying to sort out the good machines from the bad.
Scoring Vacuums on Vacuum Cleaner Advisor Consumer ratings for the Bagless Wonder by HooverLux:
Amamart = (100/120 x (4/5)) = 0.67 Therefore the score is 0.67 + 0.10 = 0.77 = 77/100 |
The Best Rated Vacuums
So, in determining the best rated vacuums we will use our scoring system - which at this time includes OVER 160,000 RATINGS and is one of the most extensive vacuum owner ratings databases online. We will only include canisters, uprights and stick vacs. We will then break the vacuums down into popular categories so you can find the best rated vacuum in an area that is of most interest to you. Also, some vacuums have the same rating so you will sometimes notice more than one vacuum per category.
BEST RATED INEXPENSIVE VACUUM
The best rated inexpensive vacuum is one that can be bought for under $100. Nothing over $100 is considered.
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Bissell CleanView 1330
Avg. consumer rating = 90/100
This is a simple, inexpensive vacuum cleaner that is getting some good reviews and ratings from consumers. It is very similar to the Bissell CleanView 9595 but has a new brushroll designed for better pickup (according to Bissell).
The vacuum is very reasonably priced and is usually under $100. It is also capable on pet hair, carpet and hard surfaces, and it has strong suction. However the brushroll cannot be turned off and the power cord is a bit short.
BEST RATED EXPENSIVE VACUUM
The best rated expensive vacuum is one that costs over $400. Nothing under $400 is considered.
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Miele Complete C3 Soft Carpet
Avg. consumer rating = 95/100
This mid-range Miele canister vacuum is getting top-notch reviews and ratings from owners. It is hard to find much in the way of faults with this machine. It is capable of handling low, medium, deep pile and soft/plush carpet as well as bare floors, and it is even good at pulling up pet hair. Owners are thrilled with how quiet the unit is and also the variable suction controls. It is made in Germany – a rarity these days – and it feels sturdy and durable. Probably the biggest issue with this canister vacuum is the cost - it doesn’t come cheap.
BEST RATED VACUUM FOR PET HAIR
The best rated vacuum for pet hair is one that provides excellent pet hair pickup on both carpet and bare floors, includes specialized pet hair tools, has a HEPA filter, and includes a sealed system.
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Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum Cleaner gets excellent ratings and reviews from owners. It is also an attractive, well-built machine. Consumers praise the unit’s quiet operation, ability to pick up pet hair, strong suction and robust filtration features. It also comes with separate cleaner heads for carpet and bare floors, and the carpet tool is motorized so it is capable on low, medium and high pile carpet.
This is an expensive vacuum cleaner however and at most retail outlets it will set you back over $900.
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Dyson Ball Animal 2
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is one of the latest upright vacuums in the Dyson stable. The term “Animal” is intended to highlight its capabilities in households with pets, however there may be another reason. This vacuum cleaner is something of a beast. It is hugely powerful and also a bit of a handful to wield. Is this is a good thing? Well, for the most part it is good but in some cases it isn’t. The machine’s colossal suction ensures top notch cleaning of pet hair, bare floors, carpet, etc. but the weight of the vacuum makes it a little cumbersome despite the added maneuverabiity of “Ball Technology”.
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Shark Rotator NV752
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
Ranked as our best upright for 2016 and our 2nd best vacuum for dealing with pet hair, the Shark Rotator NV752 Powered Lift-Away TruePet Vacuum delivers solid performance and is popular with consumers. Owners give it consistently high ratings, and cite its powerful suction, 3-in-1 capabilities, and easy maneuverability as reasons. It also comes standard with a host of useful attachments and tools. However, like almost any vacuum the NV752 is not quite perfect and there are some issues.
BEST RATED VACUUM FOR CARPET
The best rated vacuum for carpet is one that can properly clean low pile, medium pile and deep pile carpet (there are many machines that can do only low pile or only low & medium pile – we’ve decided to focus on the vacuum that can do it all).
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Miele Complete C3 Soft Carpet
Avg. consumer rating = 95/100
This mid-range Miele canister vacuum is getting top-notch reviews and ratings from owners. It is hard to find much in the way of faults with this machine. It is capable of handling low, medium, deep pile and soft/plush carpet as well as bare floors, and it is even good at pulling up pet hair. Owners are thrilled with how quiet the unit is and also the variable suction controls. It is made in Germany – a rarity these days – and it feels sturdy and durable. Probably the biggest issue with this canister vacuum is the cost - it doesn’t come cheap.
BEST RATED VACUUM FOR BARE FLOORS
The best rated vacuum for bare floors is one that does a fantastic job on cleaning all manner of smooth flooring and also does not mar or scratch delicate hardwood floors. Not necessarily designed for carpet.
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Miele Complete C3 Alize
Avg. consumer rating = 93/100
The Alize is a fantastic canister vacuum but it is important to understand what you are buying before you purchase. Miele makes a wide range of canister vacuums each with a host of different features and attachments. The Alize is a great machine for cleaning smooth surfaces like hardwood floors, tile or vinyl. It is also effective on flat weave rugs and low pile carpet. However with its existing set of attachments it may not be the best choice for homes with lots of carpet (especially medium to deep pile carpet).
BEST RATED STICK VAC
The best rated stick vacuum is the highest scoring of ALL the stick vacuums.
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Dyson V8 Absolute
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
We just got our hands on the Dyson V8 Absolute cordless stick vacuum and have been running the machine through its paces. For the most part, we’ve been impressed. The V8 is a lightweight vacuum that is both a stick vacuum and a handheld. It is maneuverable, easy to empty and very powerful for a cordless (in High Power Mode). It includes an assortment of tools in addition to 2 specialized cleaning heads; one for carpet and one for bare floors. It also sports a HEPA filter and a new hygienic system for removing debris from the dust canister. Is it better than the still-popular Dyson V6 Absolute? In our opinion, in many ways it is.
BEST RATED UPRIGHT VACUUM
The best rated upright vacuum is the highest scoring of ALL the upright vacuums.
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Shark Rotator NV752
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
Ranked as our best upright for 2016 and our 2nd best vacuum for dealing with pet hair, the Shark Rotator NV752 Powered Lift-Away TruePet Vacuum delivers solid performance and is popular with consumers. Owners give it consistently high ratings, and cite its powerful suction, 3-in-1 capabilities, and easy maneuverability as reasons. It also comes standard with a host of useful attachments and tools. However, like almost any vacuum the NV752 is not quite perfect and there are some issues.
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Dyson Ball Animal 2
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is one of the latest upright vacuums in the Dyson stable. The term “Animal” is intended to highlight its capabilities in households with pets, however there may be another reason. This vacuum cleaner is something of a beast. It is hugely powerful and also a bit of a handful to wield. Is this is a good thing? Well, for the most part it is good but in some cases it isn’t. The machine’s colossal suction ensures top notch cleaning of pet hair, bare floors, carpet, etc. but the weight of the vacuum makes it a little cumbersome despite the added maneuverabiity of “Ball Technology”.
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Dyson DC65 Animal
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The DC65 is Dyson's latest upright vacuum and is the replacement for the DC41. This is a full size upright and consumer ratings to date are fantastic. The DC65 animal is very powerful and the suction, amplified by an active base plate system in the nozzle, is tremendous on both bare floors and carpet. The vacuum also performs well on pet hair and it comes with Dysons tangle-free turbine tool. The vacuum is expensive however and the price is often over $500. It is also a little on the heavy side at over 17 lbs.
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Shark Rotator NV801
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Speed with DuoClean Technology (model NV801) uses the latest in upright vacuum technology from Shark. We’ve used this vacuum for a number of weeks and have also run it through several tests - so far we have been impressed. It is great on bare floors, effective on carpet, and capable on pet hair. DuoClean technology does appear to add to the cleaning ability of the vacuum. This is also a lift-away machine which really adds to its versatility. In terms of drawbacks, we would have liked a longer hose and the unit does have a rather narrow cleaner head.
BEST RATED CANISTER VACUUM
The best rated canister vacuum is the highest scoring of ALL the canister vacuums.
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Miele Complete C3 Soft Carpet
Avg. consumer rating = 95/100
This mid-range Miele canister vacuum is getting top-notch reviews and ratings from owners. It is hard to find much in the way of faults with this machine. It is capable of handling low, medium, deep pile and soft/plush carpet as well as bare floors, and it is even good at pulling up pet hair. Owners are thrilled with how quiet the unit is and also the variable suction controls. It is made in Germany – a rarity these days – and it feels sturdy and durable. Probably the biggest issue with this canister vacuum is the cost - it doesn’t come cheap.
BEST RATED BAGLESS VACUUM
The best rated bagless vacuum is the highest scoring of ALL the bagless vacuums.
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Shark Rotator NV752
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
Ranked as our best upright for 2016 and our 2nd best vacuum for dealing with pet hair, the Shark Rotator NV752 Powered Lift-Away TruePet Vacuum delivers solid performance and is popular with consumers. Owners give it consistently high ratings, and cite its powerful suction, 3-in-1 capabilities, and easy maneuverability as reasons. It also comes standard with a host of useful attachments and tools. However, like almost any vacuum the NV752 is not quite perfect and there are some issues.
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Dyson Ball Animal 2
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is one of the latest upright vacuums in the Dyson stable. The term “Animal” is intended to highlight its capabilities in households with pets, however there may be another reason. This vacuum cleaner is something of a beast. It is hugely powerful and also a bit of a handful to wield. Is this is a good thing? Well, for the most part it is good but in some cases it isn’t. The machine’s colossal suction ensures top notch cleaning of pet hair, bare floors, carpet, etc. but the weight of the vacuum makes it a little cumbersome despite the added maneuverabiity of “Ball Technology”.
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Dyson DC65 Animal
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The DC65 is Dyson's latest upright vacuum and is the replacement for the DC41. This is a full size upright and consumer ratings to date are fantastic. The DC65 animal is very powerful and the suction, amplified by an active base plate system in the nozzle, is tremendous on both bare floors and carpet. The vacuum also performs well on pet hair and it comes with Dyson's tangle-free turbine tool. The vacuum is expensive however and the price is often over $500. It is also a little on the heavy side at over 17 lbs.
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Shark Rotator NV801
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Speed with DuoClean Technology (model NV801) uses the latest in upright vacuum technology from Shark. We’ve used this vacuum for a number of weeks and have also run it through several tests - so far we have been impressed. It is great on bare floors, effective on carpet, and capable on pet hair. DuoClean technology does appear to add to the cleaning ability of the vacuum. This is also a lift-away machine which really adds to its versatility. In terms of drawbacks, we would have liked a longer hose and the unit does have a rather narrow cleaner head.
BEST RATED BAGGED VACUUM
The best rated bagged vacuum is the highest scoring of ALL the bagged vacuums.
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Miele Complete C3 Soft Carpet
Avg. consumer rating = 95/100
This mid-range Miele canister vacuum is getting top-notch reviews and ratings from owners. It is hard to find much in the way of faults with this machine. It is capable of handling low, medium, deep pile and soft/plush carpet as well as bare floors, and it is even good at pulling up pet hair. Owners are thrilled with how quiet the unit is and also the variable suction controls. It is made in Germany – a rarity these days – and it feels sturdy and durable. Probably the biggest issue with this canister vacuum is the cost - it doesn’t come cheap.
Frequently Asked Questions
> What is the best vacuum for pet hair?
> What is the best Shark Vacuum for pet hair?
> What is the best Shark Vacuum for hardwood floors?
> Shark vs Dyson - Which is best?
> How do you fix a vacuum cleaner?
> What is the best cheap vacuum?
> What is the best vacuum under $200
> What is the best vacuum for hardwood floors?
> Bagged vs bagless vacuums - which is best?
> What is the best bagged vacuum?
> What is the best bagless vacuum?
> What is the difference between canister vacuums and uprights?
> What is the best upright vacuum?
> What is the best canister vacuum?
> What is the best stick vacuum?
> What is the best cordless vacuum?
> What is HEPA filtration?
> What is the best lightweight vacuum?
> What is the best brand of vacuum?