The best canister and upright vacuums for 2024, tested and reviewed

A good vacuum is powerful and practical, with strong, unwavering suction, high capacity and a generous cord. A great vacuum is also agile and versatile, ideally with swivel steering and customizable settings for different types of cleaning jobs and floors. The best canister and upright vacuums for 2024 take matters even further with innovative designs — plus accessories — that allow you to go where no upright or canister vacuum has gone before.

Whether you're looking for a vacuum that can highlight dust (the Shark PowerDetect sees beyond the naked eye) or give you limitless access (Miele's canister vacuum lets you reach nearly anywhere), we found an option worth buying. Keep scrolling to discover upright and canister vacuums that will give your cleaning a serious boost, plus shopping tips and more info on our thorough reviews. Don't see something that fits your needs? Check out our guides to the best lightweight vacuums and the best vacuums for pet hair.

A quick note before we dive in: The upright and canister vacuums on our list are recommended for use on both hardwood floors and carpets. When we mention height, we're referring to how tall the vacuums are assembled; length and width reflect how long and wide the cleaner heads are (also referred to as a vacuum's cleaning path). We focused our top picks on vacuums that appeared to have the most powerful suction, with additional bells and whistles to boot. Scroll down to our "others we tested" section for honorable mentions.

Table of contents:

Best upright and canister vacuums for 2024

Factors to consider when choosing a vacuum

Size: Bigger vacuums generally have larger dust cups and cleaner (brush) heads. Longer hoses, wands and cords equate to greater reach. Longer brush rolls mean fewer passes. Wider and dual brush rolls mean shorter passes.

Weight: The lighter the vacuum, the easier the lift (and steer). Lightweight designs glide across hardwood floors seamlessly but can mean less grip on thick carpets. Lighter models are often associated with smaller dust cups and fewer tech components (like LCD screens and the respective engineering that makes a vacuum top-heavy), though not always. Swivel cleaner heads and dust cups can help with maneuvering, especially when dealing with heavier vacuums.

Bin capacity: Larger cups house more dirt so you don’t have to take as many trips to the trash can. Aside from capacity, look for dust cups that release forcefully with the help of a lever so you don't have to manually unclip the cup lids and pull out debris with your fingers.

Vacuum type:

• Upright vacuums consist of a cleaner head, a dust cup, a hose and a wand. Dirt travels to the dust cup via the hose and the dust cup sits above the cleaner head, with the wand behind it and handle up top. Detachable hoses (and wands) can be paired with attachment tools, but canisters usually remain in place. If you don't want to have to carry an entire vacuum up the stairs, you may want a "lift-away"-style canister, which can be detached while cleaning. Also helpful: longer cords for greater reach, plus cord-rewind options so you don't have to wrap up the cord manually.

• Canister vacuums (also referred to as cylinder or barrel vacuums) have a body (motor and dust cup) that sits on the floor. That body trails behind the hose, attached to a wand (held by the user) and attachment tool or cleaner head.

• Stick vacuums consist of a cleaner head, a long tube (aka wand) which the dirt travels through and a vacuum head upper (or "brain") that features power controls and any LCD screens. The upper also houses the dust cup and can typically be detached and used as a handheld vacuum with attachments. Cordless stick options allow for more freedom and flexibility when vacuuming, but require charging and, in cases of non-freestanding options, docking.

Filters: Vacuum filters zap pollutants and improve air quality, with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters considered the gold standard. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), HEPA filters "theoretically remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns," with larger or smaller particles “trapped with even higher efficiency.” Follow instruction manuals for how and when to replace ⁠or clean filters for optimal results. Many brands like Dyson now use washable filters for cost efficiency.

Wattage: A higher wattage often correlates to greater suction power. When it comes to cordless vacuums, high-voltage batteries generally have a longer shelf life, or run time, so you can tackle more spaces or several jobs in one go without recharging.

Brushes and attachments: Most vacuums come with a detangling-style brush roller (in many cases, customizable or auto-adjusting) that can be used for multiple floor types. Brush cleaner headlights offer more visibility in low lighting and beneath furniture, while mini roller attachments help tackle tighter spaces (such as inside your car; they’re also great for getting stubborn pet fur from sofas). Attachment tools aid in detailing and spot-treating cushions and curtains, and crevice tools are a must for navigating ceilings and wall corners.

How we tested these vacuums

We set up several obstacle courses to test these canister and upright vacuums against materials with varying shapes, textures and densities on different surfaces like carpet and hardwood. We also tested their respective attachments on sofas and other upholstered furniture. Then we put the vacuums through their paces in real-life scenarios, prioritizing homes that needed a good cleaning and/or had pet inhabitants. The nitty gritty:

• "Carpet course" test: We spaced out materials — faux fur, rice, Cheerios, kitty litter and sand — across a plush carpet to see how the vacuums managed to cut through the clutter.

• "Kitchen sink" test: We poured rice and Cheerios on a hardwood kitchen floor to gauge how well the vacuums could get a grip — especially against trims and in cabinet crevices.

• "Passenger pet" test: We asked family and friends to avoid vacuuming for a week, then used car mats to collect the fur their pet companions had shed, to see which vacuums had the best suction.

• "Vacs gone wild" test: We didn’t stop there! We clocked hours testing these vacuums in different houses and settings to see if they could rise to different occasions.

Other canister and upright vacuums we tested

So many great vacuums, so little time! We were impressed by a lot of these models, even if they didn't make it to our top picks.

Eureka PowerSpeed ($90): This upright vacuum comes pretty much ready to go and is easily powered on and relaxed via foot pedals. The dust cup is massive (at 2.6 liters, it was the largest of this testing segment), and while the customizable settings on the base are helpful, they're not automatic like the Shark PowerDetect. Also, this vac doesn't have lights, and it wasn't as effective in the "passenger pet" test. That said, if you need a vacuum just for hardwood floors and/or light cleaning, the PowerSpeed offers good value.

Hoover WindTunnel Pro ($140): The WindTunnel Pro is similar in design to the Eureka PowerSpeed, but comes with fewer tools, a smaller dust cup and an additional setup step (a screw that goes into the wand/handle). The suction didn't compare to the Shark PowerDetect, but we'd consider the performance on par with the price, especially when you factor in that this Hoover has a cord rewind feature.

Hoover Complete Performance (Bagged) ($155): Hoover's Complete bagged upright vacuum is straightforward and cost-efficient, with four surface settings, a long hose and three attachments. It did great in our "kitchen sink" and "carpet course" tests, and sufficient in the "passenger pet" evaluation. The cons: It doesn't have headlights or swivel steering, the settings are manual and the bag will need replacing.

Shark Navigator Lift-Away ($200): The Shark Navigator Lift-Away upright is an Amazon No. 1 bestseller, with a nimble, swivel style frame and 1,200 watts of suction power. It doesn't have headlights, and it doesn't hold as much dirt as the Shark PowerDetect, but it proved sufficient in our testing, especially on hardwood surfaces. It'll probably work for someone who prefers to operate their vacuum manually and/or is looking for the same "lift-away" functionality for a lesser price and weight (it's 12.5 pounds).

Kenmore Featherlight Lift-up ($150): The Kenmore Featherweight zipped through our "kitchen sink" test. It fared slightly better than the Shark Navigator Lift-Away when it came to higher piles of sand and Cheerios in our "carpet course" test, and it did slightly worse in the "passenger pet" test. Like many vacs on this list, the Featherweight doesn't have headlights and has manual surface settings, though we'd consider it a good bet for those who have smaller spaces or prefer a more compact option.

Kenmore Canister Vacuum ($120): Like our top Miele pick, this canister vac from Kenmore boasts two cleaner heads, cord-rewind and an extendable wand. But it doesn't have as many customizable settings, as much capacity or quite as much carpet traction (evident in our "passenger pet" test; it also stumbled on some Cheerios).

Bissell Zing ($80): The Bissell Zing is the most affordable canister vacuum on our list, with the largest dust cup capacity (2 liters). The wheeled canister is svelte and swift and incredibly easy to empty. Alas, it doesn't have customizable settings or multiple brush cleaner heads like other canister vacuums we've tested — it also didn't fare as well on carpets and we didn't find the cleaner head or wand as flexible.

Upright and canister vacuum FAQs

What's the difference between a stick and an upright vacuum?

Stick vacuums typically consist of a handled vacuum head, complete with a battery, dust cup, control buttons, filter and sometimes a digital display screen (think of the head, or “upper,” as its central processing and operating unit). The vacuum head attaches to a thin tube, which then connects to a cleaner head with roller brush(es). The "upper" can be attached to various tools for handheld use.

Like many upright vacuums these days, stick vacuums are often bagless (thanks to their dust cups). They also are often cordless, whereas most upright vacuums have a cord. Given their svelte silhouettes and detachable parts, cordless stick vacuums tend to be more nimble and storage-friendly. But they may not pack as much power as an upright vacuum.

Are upright vacuums better than cylinder vacuums?

Cylinder (aka canister) vacuums are often lighter and more compact, and therefore easier to maneuver and store, than upright vacuums. As they typically have more room to support bigger motors, cylinder vacuums can also prove more powerful than uprights. The downside is that because a cylinder vacuum's body trails behind the cleaner head, it's more likely to bump into things.

How often should you vacuum?

It depends on how many people (and pets!) are in your home. As a general rule of thumb, cleaning services like Molly Maid suggest vacuuming carpeted floors twice per week, and hardwood and tile floors once. Pet owners should aim to do a quick maintenance vacuum daily to keep fur and dander at bay.

How do you clean an upright vacuum?

To ensure your vacuum remains in tip-top shape, many brands, such as Dyson, advise cleaning washable filters at least once a month with regular use. We recommend consulting your vacuum's manual for tips, including when to wash and/or replace filters and brush rollers. Look for dust cups that have levers for forcefully ejecting dirt into the trash can. And, because vacuums are often at the center of the action, wipe yours down regularly to reduce the amount of dust and dirt that can emanate.

We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.