Vacuum Cleaner Ratings

Choosing a vacuum cleaner today isn't easy due to a staggering number of choices. Should you get an upright or canister?  Bagged or bagless?  Will the cheapest meet your needs or do you want it to last 20 years or more? 

In order to take the guess-work out of purchasing your new vacuum, we have compiled ratings of the top vacuum cleaners on the market.  Our ratings are based on a combination of price, ease of use, reliability, and vacuum reviews from other customers who own these vacuums. 

We want you to be informed when making your vacuum purchase.  After all, even the most inexpensive vacuums aren't exactly inexpensive.  Here are our top picks for superior carpet cleaning.


The Hoover U5140-900 Tempo Widepath Bagged Upright Vacuum is a super cleaner at a super price.  If you have a lot of floor space to vacuum, the Hoover Widepath vacuum will make shorter work of cleaning.  The hefty 12-amp motor provides plenty of suction to clean all the bits and pieces in and on your carpets.

• The Tempo's innovative filtration method captures common pollens, ragweed, and dust mites, cleaning your air as well as your floors.

• The wide 15" cleaning path cuts cleaning time

• Onboard cleaning attachments for dusting, furniture and crevice cleaning means you don't have to run back and forth for the different attachments

• Very affordable with a retail price of less than $80

Save hundreds of dollars on steam cleaner rentals with a Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac with Clean Surge.  Not only will this beauty save you money, you'll also eliminate all the time and hassle to pick up and return rental cleaners.  Plus, you will always have a steam cleaner handy for quick clean up of spills or other messes before they set.

• Versatile design cleans carpet, bare floors, and upholstery

• It uses a powerful 12-amp motor for deep cleaning, plus a Clean Surge feature for an extra burst of cleaning power on high traffic or heavily soiled areas

• The dual water tank system keeps dirty water away from clean water

• Retails for about $150

Designed for pet owners, the Dyson DC14 Animal Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner is powerful and versatile. Its motorized brushbar can be left engaged while vacuuming pet hair from floors, but is easily turned off when cleaning rugs or delicate flooring.  A mini-turbine head cleans pet hair from smaller spaces like upholstery and automobile seats.

• Certified “Asthma Friendly” by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation due to it's dual motor filter system and lifetime HEPA filtration system

• An attached, telescoping wand extends to 17 feet at the touch of a button.  Great for cleaning stairs and high, hard to reach ceiling areas.

• Hygienic collection bin is easily emptied with the pull of a trigger. You don't have to touch the dust and dirt or mess with replacement bags

• Made of the same durable materials as crash helmets, so you know it will last.

• Comes with a 5-year warranty

• Retail price is about $550

Dyson vacuums are known for their exceptional suction power and now this Dyson DC25 Ball All-Floors Upright Vacuum Cleaner adds incredible steering ability to its list of powerful features. In fact, the ball technology is multi-faceted.  Not only does the unique ball steering method allow for quick maneuverability, it also houses the beefy, 11-amp motor, giving the vacuum a lower center of gravity than most cleaners, which also improves maneuverability.

Dyson's durability is backed up by their 5-year warranty.

• Unique ball steering method allows for superior maneuverability around furniture without back-and-forth vacuuming to reposition

• Includes motorized brushbar for easy cleaning of pet hair from carpets and upholstery.  Turn the brushbar off to clean rugs or delicate flooring.

• 17-foot telescoping wand takes the hassle out of long-reach and high-reach cleaning

• "No touch" emptying.  Simply pull a trigger to release dirt and debris from the cleaning canister without ever having to touch the mess.

• Lifetime HEPA filters keep pollen and bacteria in the filter, not in the air you breathe, making it certified "Asthma Friendly" by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

• Retail price is about $500

Dyson does it again with another powerful animal hair friendly vacuum cleaner with the Dyson DC17 Animal Cyclone Upright.  Their advanced Level 3 Root Cyclone suction technology will remove amazing amounts of unseen dirt, dust, and hair left behind by other, less powerful vacuums. 

Like the other Dysons we are happy to recommend, this, too has the motorized brushbar for animal hair as well as the handy telescoping wand.  Other features we like on this machine:

• Powerful, advanced Level 3 Root Cyclone cleaning makes this the most efficient vacuum for cleaning microscopic dust particles, pollens, and allergens

• Large 5/8 gallon collection bin with Dyson's easy-empty design.  Just pull a trigger to empty the dirt into the trash without touching it.

• Lifetime HEPA filter and an "Asthma Friendly” rating from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

• Includes a low-reach floor tool to easily clean under furniture without having to move it

• Comes with a carpet cleaning kit, including Zorb dirt absorber and Dyzolve stain remover.

• Retail price is about $550