The Best Vacuum Cleaner of 2025, Tried And Tested By Experts

A small apartment with a few area rugs has very different vacuum needs than a 2,000-square-foot house with wall-to-wall carpeting. The right vacuum for you also depends on your physical strength, ergonomic preferences, and cleaning standards and habits. Whether you have delicate hardwood floors, clean up after kids or shedding pets, or suffer from indoor allergies, no single vacuum can do it all. We’ve rounded up the best of the best — from powerful and long-lasting plug-in vacuums to convenient robots — to help you decide.

Summary of best vacuum cleaners:

Best budget upright: Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352, $199 $139 at Amazon

Best premium canister: SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium, $949 at Amazon

Best for hardwood floors: Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction, $399 at Amazon

Best robot vacuum: Roborock Q7 M5+, $359 $219 at Amazon

*All products featured on Pure News are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.

1) Best budget upright: Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352, $199 $139

The Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 is a reliable, effective, and easy-to-use bagless upright vacuum cleaner that works well for most people in most homes. It has been a top pick for six years running because it offers a well-rounded experience at a reasonable price. It performs admirably on the most common types of flooring, including low- or mid-pile nylon carpeting and most bare floors, handling just about any type of vacuumable debris, including pet hair.

This vacuum is designed to be a great value. It should last at least five years without much maintenance since no new belts are required and the filters are washable. While it performs almost as well as the strongest overall vacuums for less than half the price, it does come with less-generous warranties than pricier models. It's important to note that as a bagless model, it may not seal away dust and debris as effectively as bagged models, which is a consideration if you have severe allergies.

Specs:
Type: Bagless Upright
Maintenance: Washable filters, no belts needed
Best for: Most carpets and bare floors
Est. Lifespan: 5+ years

2) Best premium canister: SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium, $949

If you prioritize very clean rugs and floors and are willing to invest in a machine that will last for the long haul, the SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium is the best canister vacuum. This bagged model excels on both bare floors and carpets. It offers maximum versatility, capable of sucking fine dust out of nearly any rug—even high-pile ones—while also offering gentle parquet brushes for delicate wood flooring.

Canister vacuums like the SEBO Airbelt K3 can feel lighter to steer and are easier to maneuver up and down stairs compared to uprights. This model comes with many adjustment options and useful attachments for cleaning furniture, shelves, and tight corners. It is designed to last a decade or longer, making it a durable choice for those who want excellent performance and reliability.

Specs:
Type: Bagged Canister
Warranty: 7-Year Standard
Best for: All flooring types, including high-pile rugs
Est. Lifespan: 10+ years

3) Best for hardwood floors: Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction, $399

For homes with primarily hardwood floors, the Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction is an excellent choice. This bagged canister model is powerful, durable, and versatile. Its standout feature is the universal cleaner head that allows you to switch between settings with the click of a switch to protect delicate hardwood floors.

Cleaning bare floors is generally easier than cleaning carpets, but using an aggressive brush roll can scatter debris or scratch certain floor finishes. The Miele Classic C1 allows you to avoid this issue entirely. It provides the strong suction Miele is known for in a package specifically optimized for bare floors, ensuring you pick up debris effectively without damaging your home's surfaces.

Specs:
Type: Bagged Canister
Best for: Hardwood and bare floors
Special Feature: Universal cleaner head
Durability: High

4) Best robot vacuum: Roborock Q7 M5+, $359 $219

The Roborock Q7 M5+ is a smart, quick robot vacuum that automates your floor cleaning. It is a top-notch cleaner and a great navigator that avoids most obstacles while staying on top of scattered debris. A major convenience of this model is the included charging dock that automatically sucks debris from the robot's dustbin after it cleans, meaning you don't have to empty it manually after every run.

While robot vacuums are best for superficial cleaning and can't fully replace the deep-cleaning power of a plug-in vacuum on rugs, they are incredible for maintaining tidiness. This robot is perfect if you have pets or kids, as it handles pet hair and crumbs effortlessly and never procrastinates. It keeps your home significantly tidier with little effort on your part.

Specs:
Type: Robot Vacuum
Navigation: Obstacle avoidance
Feature: Self-emptying dock
Best for: Daily maintenance, pet hair, and crumbs

This completes our list of the best vacuum cleaners. If you want more posts about health and gadgets, check our other home page here.