The best vacuum cleaners for every budget in 2021

Cleanliness is one of the most important elements of a happy and healthy home. Regular cleaning prevents allergens and pests from affecting you and your loved ones. A staple of everyone’s cleaning closet is a vacuum. Besides the standard upright vacuum, there are a variety of models offered to suit your specific needs. We found the best vacuum cleaners for every budget. No matter how much you have to spend, there’s a product here that will help you keep your home tidy and clean.

What type of vacuum best suits your needs?

When vacuum shopping, it’s important to keep in mind that there are a variety of models available for specific needs. There are a few things to consider to ensure you get the best vacuum for your dollar. Which vacuum will work best for your home’s needs depends on a few factors, such as:

• The size of your home.
• The amount of carpet vs. hardwood.
• Whether you have stairs or pets.
• Where an outlet will be accessible while you clean.

Upright vacuums

Traditional upright vacuums are best for carpets. But some newer models switch between cleaning hard surfaces and carpet with ease. Ideal for large living spaces and carpeted areas, though it’s rigid design doesn’t provide ease when cleaning stairs and small spaces. Some models allow for hose attachments to reach small spaces, but they often come at an extra cost.

Canister vacuums

Unlike traditional one-unit vacuums, canisters have a separate nozzle. This is helpful for cleaning smaller spaces, though some may find the canister to be clunky or in the way. But the added mobility allows for cleaning stairs and other tight spaces with ease. The design of most canister vacuums makes them better for cleaning hard surfaces, as upright vacuums tend to push dust around instead.

Stick vacuums

Like canister models, stick vacuums allow for more maneuverability and are more efficient on hard surfaces. Cordless vacuums are ideal when you don’t have an outlet accessible, such as when vacuuming your car, or in rooms where cords won’t reach. Stick vacuums tend to be cheaper than upright and canister models. This makes them ideal for smaller living spaces with hard floors where you won’t need a vacuum as often.

Handheld and robotic vacuums

Handhelds are popular with pet owners as it’s portable enough for a quick clean, while still packing enough power to clean up pet fur and dander. Robotic vacuums are great for daily upkeep to cut down on the build-up of dust and dander. You most likely won’t want to buy a handheld or robotic as your only vacuum. But they are nice to have to keep dust in check without having to pull out the big vacuum all the time.

The best vacuums for every budget

Under $150: Eureka Blaze Stick Vacuum – $33.99

The Eureka Blaze is a powerful corded stick vacuum. It’s perfect for hard surfaces such as wood and tile, and more effective on low pile carpets and rugs compared to other stick vacuums.

Best for smaller living spaces as the bag capacity isn’t high enough to hold all the dirt from a larger house without trips in-between to empty the bag.

Its 18-foot cord measures longer than most stick vacuums, which average around 15 inches. The longer cords allows for greater reach, and even a few extra inches can make a big difference. The Eureka BlazeNot isn’t ideal for long hair or pet fur. But it’s great for smaller debris and  is better at cleaning up large debris than its stick vacuum competitors.

$150 – $300: Dyson Ball Multi-Floor – $299.99

Dyson has been a top name in vacuums for many years and continues to deliver reliable customer support. This upright model packs a lot of power for its price, with comparable models breaking costing almost double. While better for homes with a majority of carpet, there are separate settings for carpet and hard surfaces to target dust and dander. The rotating ball design allows for maneuverability that’s more typical in canister or stick models. And it comes with a detachable tool for stairs and other hard-to-reach places. Though some may find the bagless design more efficient, they are not ideal for people with allergies. Bags prevent allergens and dander from becoming trapped within the vacuum itself.

Over $500: Riccar Deluxe Clean Air Upright Vacuum – $599.99

For a high-powered vacuum that’s effective on both carpet and hard surfaces, you can’t go wrong with the Riccar Deluxe. This upright model switches its brush roll on and off between carpet and hard surfaces for seamless cleaning. Compared to other upright vacuums that tend to be a bit clunky, this one can lay completely flat for hard-to-reach spaces. While other more expensive vacuum models are available, they don’t ship with enough features for it to be worth the extra cost. All Riccar vacuums come with a five-year warranty. This includes tune-ups every other year as well as reliable customer service if anything goes wrong.