Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2024
We've tested and picked out the best vacuum cleaners for a variety of surfaces, including carpets, hardwood floors and more.
Our Experts
- Covered the mobile and smart home tech space for the past five years for multiple large publications.
What to consider
Vacuum type
Battery life
Cost and value
Pet hair proficiency
How long does a vacuum last?
How much should you spend on a vacuum?
Are Dysons worth the money?
Our Picks
What's the best vacuum cleaner?
Dust and debris are everywhere and sometimes it seems there is no stopping them from entering your living space. This means that no tool is more important than a vacuum cleaner. Ensuring you pick the right vacuum cleaner for the mess and your needs is vital. We've spent hours testing different styles of devices to find the best vacuum cleaner to tidy up the biggest of messes, and the Dyson V15 lightweight cordless vacuum earns our nod as the best overall vacuum cleaner to buy in 2024.
There are other excellent vacuum types you may want to consider. If you're looking for more of a hands-off approach to floor care, a robot vacuum will not only clean your floors with minimal effort from you, but a robot vacuum also makes less noise than a conventional vacuum cleaner. With hundreds of models to choose from, many are loaded with advanced features to help these robots operate autonomously using built-in cameras and sensors to avoid furniture and other obstacles. To get all the fancy features, many of them end up costing $1,000 or more. For our money, Dreametech's D10 Plus ($400) is the best robot vacuum in 2024, tallying excellent marks in our rigorous tests on par with far more expensive vacs.
Vacuum cleaners are also available at a variety of prices, whether you want a robot vacuum or a corded model. We’ve tried and tested a whole plethora of vacuum cleaners, from top-of-the-line cleaners to basic machines, and rounded up the best ones below.
We did many rounds of testing to bring you the best cordless vacuums and the best robot vacuums. You can check out each of those articles for thorough reviews on each subcategory. In this list, we've compiled our top picks for overall best vacuum cleaners into one handy location. Your convenience is of the utmost importance to us here at CNET. As new models and new features come out and we test new vacuum cleaner categories, we regularly update all of these best vacuum cleaner lists to keep them up-to-date.
Best vacuum cleaners
As the newest cordless vacuum in Dyson's lineup, the V15 Detect is one impressive machine. It's the best-performing stick vacuum of its kind that we've ever tested. The cordless vac excels at removing pet hair from multiple floor surfaces. It also pulled 88.4% of the test sand we placed on midpile carpeting. Also impressive, the V15 vacuum cleaner pulled 95.3% of the sand particles we dropped onto low-pile carpeting.
The vacuum's "Laser Slim Fluffy" cleaner head is unique as well. It's designed specifically for hard flooring and shines a green laser out onto the floor ahead as you clean. Its purpose is to highlight dust and other small bits of debris otherwise hard to spot with the naked eye. The system does work, and we observed plenty of dirt on the hard floor we'd normally miss. One drawback is that the laser isn't visible under strong indoor lighting or sunlight.
We also like the readout on the back of the vacuum. This report lists the ratio of dirt collected by particle size. The Dyson vacuum machine's battery is easy to remove too, and its dustbin is a snap to empty.
Best robot vacuum overall
Dreametech D10 Plus
At a retail price of $400, the D10 offers features like a self-emptying dustbin and a built-in mopping pad, while costing hundreds less than comparably equipped cleaners. Too good to be true? A dream, you might say? Turns out, no.
Although it wasn't the best at any one skill in our slate of tests, it was powerful and versatile enough to keep up with the competition at just about every turn. It's right on par with the top robot vacuums we test on low- and midpile carpets, and it outperformed every other cleaner on hardwood floors except for the Roomba J7 Plus.
Its lidar and laser-aided navigation were sharp and consistent, on par with other top brands such as Neato and Roborock. Built-in Wi-Fi supports voice-activated cleaning through Alexa or Google Assistant. We also like the self-emptying dock that holds up to 2.5 liters of dust and debris; good enough for 45 days of uninterrupted vacuuming.
All of that is well worth the $500 or more that you'd spend for a comparable, self-emptying, mopping-ready model from the likes of Roomba, Roborock, or any other top brand, but the Dreametech D10 Plus is available for around $300. That makes this highly versatile floor cleaner a top-value pick and the best robot vac to buy in 2024.
Best robot vacuum splurge
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra
Priced at $1,600 (currently on sale for $1,400), the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is the most expensive product on this list. With that high price tag comes some impressively smart and powerful cleaning from the automated cleaning machine.
Roborock's vacuum does an excellent job of picking up all sorts of dust and debris from hardwood floors, vinyl, rugs and carpets of varying lengths. The rated 6000Pa of suction power combined with the dual-brush sweeping system efficiently gathers whatever ends up on your floors without getting tangled nearly as often as some other robot vacuums.
Sweeping isn't the only way the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra cleans up your floors. Utilizing the new VibraRise 2.0 Mopping System, this device's mop scrubs at 3,000 times per minute to help remove any stubborn smudges on your hard floors. If your home has multiple flooring types in the areas you choose to let your robot vacuum clean, the smart 3D obstacle avoidance system and LiDAR will help recognize this and lift the mop so your carpets stay dry.
During the S8 Pro Ultra's cleaning cycle, it will return to the self-emptying dock to purge the dirty water from the device and refill it with clean water while cleaning the mop before resuming its tasks. The robot vacuum will not only clean and dry the mop but also empty the dust bin. This way, the next time it's time to clean the floors, your vacuum will be prepped and ready without you needing to lift a finger.
Best midrange cordless vacuum
Tineco A11
As a top performer in our current cordless vacuum test group, the Tineco A11 stick vacuum represents an outstanding deal. So much so that it has officially bumped the Shark Rocket Pet Pro Cordless out of our top pick for the best midrange cordless vacuum. This cordless stick vac costs less than the Shark, a fact that's hard to overlook.
The A11 cordless vac tackles pet hair without much trouble as well. Barely a trace of the material remained after the machine vacuumed midpile carpeting and hardwood floors. The A11 left some strands visible when traveling across our low-pile test carpet. Midpile carpeting usually causes vacuums more problems. Tineco's A11 lightweight vacuum has a solid battery that delivers up to 35 minutes of uninterrupted run time.
The design of the A11 series isn't too shabby either. Its dustbin is almost as easy to empty as the Rocket Pet Pro. The bin's release valve is tricky to engage compared with Shark's. That said, its battery pack is removable. There's also a handy trigger lock lever to keep the vacuum running without constant finger pressure. This portable handheld vacuum comes with a power brush, mini power brush, two-in-one dusting brush and a crevice tool for versatile cleaning.
Best midrange robot vacuum
iRobot Roomba J7 Plus
This was one of the best robot vacs we tested. Its list price is $800, putting it on the pricey side of average, but we often find the J7 Plus on sale for under $600.
It's engineered to avoid objects on the floor and was the best robot at dodging dog and cat poop in our tests. How does it do it? AI-powered cameras capable of recognizing and avoiding obstacles -- including piles of dog poop -- as it cleans. Its first feces-defying flagship was the Roomba J7 Plus, and sure enough, when we tested it against an armada of unnervingly convincing fake dog poop samples, it steered clear at every turn. Meanwhile, the Samsung JetBot AI Plus promises the same poop-detecting smarts but fails to dodge the doo-doo in our tests. Advantage, iRobot.
Aside from not pushing poop across your floors, the Roomba J7 Plus excels at other things too. It doesn't feature a built-in mop, but it's a semi-affordable self-emptying option, and an exceedingly well-rounded cleaner, boasting top-three averages on both hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. It fell short on plush, midpile carpets, so go with the if your dog is well-trained and you're more worried about its fur than its waste, but that's really the only weak spot here.
Best budget cordless vacuum
Lubluelu 009
Lubluelu is likely a name you haven't heard of. The Lubluelu 009 cordless bagless vacuum is a powerful budget device that is sure to impress, especially considering its low price. Despite costing much less than competing cordless vacuum cleaner options, the Lubluelu 009 holds its own.
The stick vac picked up 96% (on average) of our test sand from hardwood. On low-pile carpets, that figure dropped to a very respectable 66.7%. The Lubluelu 009 even fared well cleaning up the thicker mid-pile carpet, earning a higher sand pickup average of 59.2%.
Black rice, our large particle test soil, was a breeze for the Lubluelu vacuum. It managed pickup above 96% on hardwood and well above average on low-pile and mid-pile carpets (100 and 98%, respectively).
If you have pets, or someone with longer hair lives with you, the brush design does help avoid tangling, but the vacuum struggles a bit to get all of the pet dander out of the carpets.
If you want cordless vacuuming on a tight budget, consider the Lubluelu 009. This cordless stick vacuum cleaner just might fit the bill and lets you keep more cash in your pocket.
Best budget robot vacuum
Eufy RoboVac 25C
Everybody loves an underdog, which is why the RoboVac 25C makes us smile. This robot vacuum model doesn't just have a comparatively low price. It demonstrated performance more in line with what we expect from pricey machines. It pulled 78.9% of test sand from hardwood floors, which was on par with more expensive models.
The RoboVac 25C's showing on low-pile (53.5%) and medium-pile (52.2%) wasn't bad either. It even managed to leave just one tuft of pet hair from hardwood floors. Still, it pulled less hair from low-pile carpets and left even more hair on medium-pile carpets.
You'll also have to set aside lots of cleaning time for this robot. It needed an average of 91 minutes to cover our test room.
Best handheld cordless vacuum
Dirt Devil Grab & Go+
Dirt Devil is a name synonymous with cleaning. The brand has been making cleaning products for a long time, so it's no surprise to see it on this list. The Grab And Go Plus is very compact and has a comfortable design that makes it easy to hold while cleaning up small messes around the house, the car, the office or wherever else you need to make a quick clean-up.
The 75 watts of cleaning power fared well in our testing with an overall average score of 68.3% picking up sand from our test surfaces (95.6% on hardwood, 53.6% on low-pile carpet and 55.8% on mid-pile carpet.) When it came to sucking up their larger black rice from those surfaces, the Grab and Go Plus averaged 99.1% overall. It snagged 98.9% from the hardwood floor, 99.4% from low-pile carpet and 99.1% from mid-pile carpet -- all for $40.
The Dirt Devil Grab and Go Plus comes with a two-in-one dusting brush and crevice tool to help get into smaller spaces and a charging stand to keep your vacuum charged and ready to go. The biggest drawback to the Grab and Go Plus is that it can be a bit on the noisy side. So that's something to keep in mind when cleaning up a mess and others may be sleeping or watching a movie.
Factors to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner
Vacuum type: Robot vs. stick vs. full-sized
Narrowing your decision down to the vacuum type is your first task. Robot vacuums do a lot of the grunt work for you, and I'm not just talking about the vacuuming part. Most robot vacs also automatically empty debris into an easy dump holding bin, saving you from having to negotiate a dust storm every few weeks. Having a small machine buzzing around the home might not be your cup of tea.
Stick vacuums require you to do the pushing but most are light (under 10 pounds) and easy to handle. Stick vacuums come in both the corded and cordless variety. If you have a large home or sprawling space to clean, a cordless vacuum will save you several creaky bend-overs.
There are also full-sized upright vacuums that tend to pack a bit more power than stick models -- although the delta has narrowed greatly in recent years. Most of these machines are corded and require more storage space when not in use. Full-sized upright vacuums were not considered for this list.
Battery life and runtime
If you do choose a cordless vacuum, you'll want to note the battery life and choose one that can do your average vacuuming task on one full charge. If you have a larger home, you may want a longer runtime. Nothing is worse than being in the zone and ready to clean the whole house only to have your machine die before you've crossed the finish line.
Cordless vacuum runtimes vary, anywhere from 30 minutes up to an hour or more. Be warned that battery life will weaken over time, so it's best to err on the side of more battery life to start.
Cost and value
Dyson premium vacuums can cost as much as $1,000, but we've tested high-performance cordless stick vacs for less than $300.
Despite having come down in cost since their inception, quality robot vacuums tend to be far pricier than their stick and upright cousins. Our top-rated budget robot vacuum is $400, but most good bot vacs will cost you $500 or more, and some as much as $1,000 or more. These premium models often include a wet-mop feature, intelligent home mapping and powerful suction. Efficient as they may be, that's a lot to drop on dirt pickup.
Stick vacs start at a lower cost. We've tested serviceable models under $100, but most quality stick vacuums will run you between $200 and $800. You can certainly pay more than $800 for a souped-up stick, but we don't recommend doing so.
Pet hair proficiency
Hair is the No. 1 cause of a vacuum getting stuck and needing manual attention to become functional again. Some vacuums, both robot and stick, are designed specifically to avoid hair tangling in the brush and therefore are better suited to homes with pets.
How we test vacuum cleaners at CNET
How we test robot vacuums
Our method for evaluating robot vacuums is straightforward, yet grueling. There are two types of tests we run. The first trial is to figure out how well a robot covers the floor while it's cleaning. We built an industry-standard testing room as specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission, just for this purpose. The IEC is an international standards body responsible for managing robot vacuum testing procedures, among other things, for vacuum manufacturers.
Obstacles in our test room mimic what robot vacuums run into in the real world.
Inside this room are objects designed to simulate typical obstacles a robot vac encounters for navigation as it cleans. These obstacles include wall edges, table and chair legs, couches and other furniture, and so on, plus bare tile and hardwood floors, as well as carpet. We mount LED lights to the top of each vacuum cleaner. The dimensions of the lights correspond to the measured nozzle width of each particular robot vacuum we test.
As robots move through the room while cleaning, a camera overhead captures a long-exposure image of the entire room in low light. That photo will then have a light trail, created by the LEDs, that shows the exact areas where the robot traveled (and its nozzle position) during its runtime. We can also see areas of the floor where the vacuum may have missed or gotten stuck. You can see the navigation results of all the robot vacuums in our test group in the gallery below.
The second type of test reveals exactly how much physical debris a vacuum is able to pick up off of the floor. To mimic dirt of small particle size, we use a mixture of play-sand and landscaping sand. For bigger particle soil, we use grains of uncooked black rice. Robots then run in straight line mode across three types of flooring (low-pile carpet, medium-pile carpet and hardwood bare floors).
We test robot vacuums on three types of floor surfaces.
We control for the specific nozzle width of each vacuum, too. We constructed an adjustable tool to soil our test floors. It lets us lay down a strip of a precise area of soil to match the nozzle dimensions for every robot. The mass of soil isn't chosen at random either. We measure a proportional amount that's related to the flooring material, type of debris, plus each vacuum's nozzle width.
Our custom-built tool lets us match soil area to a robot vacuum's nozzle width.
We conduct three cleaning runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also perform cleaning tests with sand and rice separately. That comes to at least 18 tests per robot vac. We weigh the robot's dust bin both before and after each run. From there we can calculate the percentage of debris pickup for every cleaning run and the average amount of soil a machine manages to remove. Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each robot, on all three floor types.
We run robot vacuums in a straight line during the debris pickup tests.
Our rice-based, medium-size particle test didn't show enough differentiation between each cleaner, which says they can all handle larger particles without trouble. For fur removal for pet owners, we judged anecdotally.
How we test cordless vacuums
Putting cordless vacuums through their paces isn't as complicated as testing a robot vacuum cleaner, but it still takes lots of time and careful effort to find the best cordless vacuum. We run each vacuum in a straight line across three different surfaces (hardwood, low-pile carpet, midpile carpet). On all three test beds, the test area is the same length (30.25 inches).
We run tests in a straight line across all three floor types.
Just like in robot tests, the width of the test bed is proportional to the vacuum's nozzle width. We measure this width ourselves. We also use nozzle width, plus the flooring type, to calculate the soil density for each test, per IEC guidelines. We use the same soil types here as well; sand, rice and pet hair. We perform three runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also test suction power with sand and rice separately. That comes to at least 18 tests per vacuum. We weigh the vacuum's dust bin both before and after each run.
From there we can calculate the percentage of dirt and debris pickup for every run and the average amount of soil a vacuum manages to remove. Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each vacuum, on all three floor types to help us select the best cordless vacuum.