Because of this, battery life was not weighted as heavily as other features. If you have mainly bare floors with a few rugs you might also want to consider the Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction, the most basic, lowest-priced vacuum in Miele’s extensive lineup of canister vacuums. Although it doesn’t work well on thick rugs, it’s exceptionally effective and comfortable to use on bare floors. Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction has a universal floorhead, which features rubberized wheels and bristles that you can extend or retract, so it’s excellent on bare floors and solid on flat-weave or low-pile rugs, too. Though it lacks the power and extra features of our top pick, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 vacuum cleaner is the most effective and reliable under-$200 vacuum we’ve tried. But it doesn’t do well on thicker carpets and rugs, and its warranty is extremely limited.
You deserve better than to risk throwing your back out for a vacuum that’s on its last legs and only picks up about 60% of the dust on your floors anyways. Rather, this is the perfect opportunity to hit the refresh button on your cleaning appliances and invest in some new vacuum cleaners that will keep your floors spotlessly clean for years to come. Even the universe seems to be sending a sign, because Walmart happens to have some of the top-rated vacuums at majorly discounted prices, including brands like Dyson, Bissell, Shark & more. This Shark cordless vacuum boasts a self-cleaning brush roll that can transform into a handheld device and is equipped with anti-allergen features. On sale for $100 off, you don’t want to miss this early Prime Day deal. Save on Shark’s powerful robot vacuum with a HEPA filtration system that captures pet hair, dust mites, dander and allergens with ease.
To test pet-hair pickup, we spread a handful of fur (from a local groomer) into a rug and then try to pick it up with each vacuum. If a model comes with an attachment that may improve pet-hair pickup, such as rubber nubs—or better yet, a motorized brush—we use it. The Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ HHVK515JP07 cleans up pet fur better than any other handheld model we’ve tried. It has great suction, which is enhanced by a motorized brush that agitates debris and dislodges stubborn fur from grippy upholstery.
We assess the ease of removing and emptying the dust cup or bag, the usability of the attachments, a vacuum’s maneuverability and more. The Sebo Airbelt K3 was a top performer in our cleaning tests, gobbling up glitter, birdseed, fur, and Cheerios more thoroughly, and in fewer passes, than almost all its competitors. In our sand test, it outperformed our runner-up canister pick, the Miele C3 Calima but ran (negligibly) behind its upright cousin, the SEBO Felix. Its electric cleaner head struggled to remove all of the baking soda on bare floors close to the baseboards, but its parquet attachment excelled at this.
You can expect to spend a few hundred dollars at least, with some options going up to at least $600. However, they do not typically have as much suction power as their electric-powered (and much bigger) counterparts. Corded vacuums, on the other hand, can be quite heavy and sometimes hard to maneuver, but their suction power is superior. With this vacuum, it’s very easy to remove the dust canister; however, emptying it was a different story, as hair tended to get caught on top. It’s small, which means you’ll have to take the time to empty it more often, too. However, we were thrilled to notice that there was no hair wrapped around the front roller, so we’ll take the tradeoff.
The best Shark vacuums of 2024 are powerful and reliable, with prices that won’t break the bank. This feature typically uses a transmission and drive system to assist the pushing and pulling of the vacuum, thereby requiring little effort by the user. This feature, however, typically adds weight that can make some vacuums very heavy and difficult to carry or use on stairs. Unlike the pricier Shark Cordless Pet Plus, its battery isn’t easily removable; instead of the press of a latch, you’ll need to remove four Philips-head screws to remove the battery cover and access the pack.
This is a reliable canister vacuum for picking up any type of hair—pet or human—on hard floors and carpet. It’s easy to switch modes because the control buttons are on the handle; no bending over is required! Even though it’s a corded model, it’s relatively lightweight and easy to store.
You can’t beat them—especially the handheld models—for quick pickups. At just under 3 pounds, we found the UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ to be lightweight, easy to use, and one of the best Shark vacuums for pet hair. Setup is very easy—just snap the two pieces shark handheld vacuum together and charge it up. It comes with attachments (stored separately) so you can customize it when needed for cleaning crevices and dusting surfaces. “Depending on the model, most are fairly easy to disassemble for cleaning,” White says.
The Stratos is certainly the best upright vacuum under $500 we’ve tested—no other model in that price range came close to its power and convenience. But the risk of brush roll failure, and the cost of replacing the part, is unacceptable. That said, if you’re willing to roll the dice, and if you can find it at a deep discount, it may be a valid choice. If you have mainly bare floors with just a few rugs and you want a powerful vacuum cleaner made by a company with an excellent reputation, the Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine is a great choice.
Its filters are washable and replaceable, too, and its bin volume is the largest of the handheld vacs we’ve tested. The best Shark vacuums for pet hair are designed to efficiently trap fur, dander and dust everywhere … Interestingly, that shortlist of perfect-rated cleaners includes two of our value picks, the Shark Rocket Pet Pro and the Moosoo XL-618.