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.
This robot vacuum provides deep-cleaning power, great for large and small areas as well as pet hair on carpets and floors. The Shark Cordless Pet Plus Vacuum with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal combines powerful suction with cordless convenience to deliver deep cleaning on all floor types. Its lightweight design and removable hand vac allow for cleaning from floor to ceiling. We know from experience that buying the best vacuum cleaner is a confusing proposition no matter what brands or models you are considering. And inevitably, I’m also asked my opinion of two very specific and very popular vacuum cleaner brands, Shark and Dyson. Manufacturers will often boast about their vacuum’s suction power in terms of air watts, a figure that quantifies airflow in terms of power usage.
At this writing, you have the option to buy the vacuum alone for $35 or in a kit with a charger and battery for $70. The CHV1410L can’t clean upholstery all that thoroughly, as debris, especially hair, tends to cling to fabric, and this model has neither the suction nor the right tools to offset that clinginess. And because this model has no hose or pivoting nozzle, and its crevice tool is comparably large, using it to clean at odd angles is a hassle. The AdvancedClean+ HHVK515JP07 has an intuitive emptying mechanism and the largest dustbin of any handheld vacuum we tested in our most recent round (models with smaller bins got quickly clogged with fur).
Its floorhead also doesn’t pivot flat to clean under tables and chairs, but its bottom-mounted dustbin would get in the way even if it did. It does get stuck on carpet tassels and thick rugs, too, requiring you to turn the vacuum off to lift it free. If you’re looking for an alternative, check out our list of recommendations for the shark stick vacuum best cordless stick vacuums, the best cordless vacuums, and the best cordless vacuums for pet hair. The Shark Rocket Pro is impressively effective on high-pile carpet. It can lift away solid debris and pet hair from this surface type, though some material can get stuck near its floorhead rather than being sucked into its dustbin.
Thankfully, you can still buy a replacement pack if its performance degrades over time. The multiple variants of this vacuum differ only in terms of regional availability, color, and floorhead design. Emptying the dust canister was difficult, too, and we needed to remove hair that got caught around the roller and wheel every time we used it.
Generally speaking, more air watts means a more powerful vacuum cleaner, but the actual design of the vacuum head plays a significant role, as well. The tighter a vacuum is against the floor, the greater the suction — but if it’s too tight against the floor, larger bits of debris won’t be able to make it underneath the cleaning head, at all. The type of flooring you’re trying to clean makes a big difference, too. Apart from being a strong performer in our pet hair tests, the A11 was excellent on hardwood floors, vacuuming up 97% of sand and 98% of black rice. It finished just outside the top 5 on low-pile carpet, removing a respectable 83% of sand and a near-perfect 99% of black rice — and every vacuum that did better in that test costs hundreds more. With all of those extra fibers for dirt to cling to, midpile carpet was more of a struggle, as the A11 sand score fell to 73%, but it still nailed the black rice test, sucking up 98% of the stuff.
It was our No. 1 finisher on low-pile carpet, with a sand score of 93% and another perfect 100% with the black rice. It’s a strong performer on plushier, midpile carpets, too, which is our most difficult test. The Pure One S11 finished in third here, gathering up 78% of the sand and, once again, 100% of the black rice. Dyson has been a powerhouse name in vacuums for decades, and it’s only natural to compare Shark vacuums to Dyson vacuums. While Dyson models typically have more power than Sharks, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should opt for a Dyson.
When she is not following her dream of an immaculate home and a flood-proof basement, she is taking care of her menagerie and creating magical animal quilts. The Felix uses S-class filters, which need to be exchanged only every 10 to 20 bags but filter a tiny bit less particles than HEPA filters. Due to the short exposure time, hearing protection is not required. If you’re not satisfied with your purchase forany reason, our return policy allows you to send back returns-eligiblemerchandise within 30 days of the date you received the package for anexchange. Payment methods other than a credit card may resultin an order cancellation & a refund may be issued.
We considered the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ but were put off by its poor airflow and suction, as well as its six-hour charge time. Its crevice tool was too narrow to pick up larger debris, and its motorized brush was significantly inferior to that of our also-great pick. Although the CHV1410L suffers from the same hand-heaviness as most handheld vacuums do, we’ve found it comfortable enough to maneuver. At 2.6 pounds, shark stick vacuum it is comparably light, and its curved, closed handle allows for an easy grip. If you don’t own pets and need a hand vac only for the occasional spilled Cheerios or coffee grounds, buy the Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean CHV1410L. We’ve recommended the CHV1410L since 2017, and in our most recent round of testing, it proved once again to be one of the best basic handheld vacuums available—with a few caveats.