Best Electric Brooms

Buying guide for Best electric brooms

In most households, it’s rare to go a day without minor messes. You could get out the vacuum, but it’s bulky and unwieldy, and traditional brooms often have difficulty getting every last speck of debris. Fortunately, there’s another option – an electric broom.

A cross between a vacuum and a traditional broom, electric brooms employ a combination of suction and brushes to clean your floors with the least effort possible. Like traditional vacuums, electric brooms come in a variety of models – some corded, some cordless, and some with and without attachments.

It can be difficult to choose the right one for your home, especially if you’re not sure what you’re looking for.

Electric brooms work great on hard surfaces and low-pile carpets, but they’re not designed for use on high-pile carpets and shag rugs.

Who needs an electric broom?

Step one is figuring out if an electric broom is even the right cleaning tool for your home. If your floors are mainly hardwood, vinyl, or tile, you’re golden.

If you have a lot of carpeting, an electric broom isn’t going to replace your vacuum. An electric broom may still work on some low-pile carpets, but plush carpets and shag rugs are going to trip it up immediately.

If you’re looking for a product that can also be used on carpet, look for one that enables you to turn the brush roll on and off depending on the surface you’re cleaning. With the brushroll off, you’ll be able to suction up small messes from the carpet without getting stuck.

You may also want to check out our review of the best stick vacuums. These tools are also lightweight and easy to maneuver, and they’re specifically designed for use on carpet.

Electric brooms excel at picking up dirt and debris on low-pile carpets. We evaluate each option for its ability to pick up dirt in a variety of situations.

Corded electric brooms should provide enough power to pick up larger pieces. We vet these options for both cord length and suction power.

Cordless electric brooms are made to be convenient and easy to use for small messes. We take a deep dive into these options to determine their battery life.

Maneuverability is one of the key factors in choosing an electric broom. We assess each product for its ability to get into compact spaces.

Some options allow you to adjust the brush roll speed and the suction power. We like these options for their ability to provide versatility for a wide variety of surfaces.

Hardwood flooring is where electric brooms excel the most. We research how well the brushes and suction power work together to keep this type of floor spotless.

The size of the dust cup can provide longer cleaning times, but can also increase the weight of the electric broom itself. We weigh the pros and cons of each size to see how well it works when in use.

Electric brooms shine thanks to how light they typically are. This is why we vet every option for its ability to be maneuvered by anyone who may need to use it.

An electric broom that gets used on a regular basis must be able to hold up for long periods of time. Our research assesses the durability and longevity of every aspect of these products.

Some electric brooms may come with additional attachments that make cleaning even easier. We vet each attachment to see how useful these extras actually are.

Electric broom features to consider

Suction power

If your electric broom can’t suck up debris, then it’s essentially useless. While it’s true that these units don’t have the same power as a vacuum cleaner, a good electric broom should still be able to suck up small pieces of debris without too much hassle. Make sure the product you choose is capable of suctioning dirt and debris out of corners and tight spaces. It won’t do you much good if it can only pick up pieces that are in the middle of the floor.

Maneuverability

Another key factor impacting the effectiveness of electric brooms is their maneuverability. The best models enable you to bend the handle down until it’s almost parallel to the floor so you can reach underneath furniture. Some models also swivel to clean those hard-to-reach places.

Also, consider the size of the base. While you can quickly cover more area with a larger unit, it could be too large to fit into tight spaces.

Versatility

If you’re looking for an electric broom that you can also use to clean up messes on carpet, you want a unit that lets you turn off – or at least adjust the speed of – the brush roll. This enables the machine to move smoothly over carpet without the brush roll getting caught.

Some units also convert to a handheld vacuum, so you can use it to clean upholstered furniture and hard-to-reach areas with ease.

Dust cup

Most electric brooms don’t use bags. Instead, they have a built-in dust container like modern bagless vacuums. The larger the container, the less frequently you have to empty it, but this will also increase the size and weight of the machine, so keep this in mind as well.

Look at how easy it is to empty the dust cup once it’s full. On some models, all you have to do is press a button and the dirt falls right out. On others, the dust tends to scatter when you open it, and this can create a brand-new mess. Or you may find that larger pieces of debris get stuck in the dust cup and you have to reach in to dislodge them.

Size

For most people, one of the most appealing things about electric brooms is that these devices are compact and lightweight. It makes for a nice alternative to a heavy vacuum cleaner when you need to clean up a small spill quickly. This is especially true for anyone who struggles to push a large vacuum cleaner.

Consider the weight of the unit you’re looking at and how much room it will take up in your storage closet. In most cases, this shouldn’t be an issue, but you don’t want to get the product home and realize you don’t have a place to store it.

Corded vs. cordless

Corded and cordless electric brooms each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

• Cordless units enable you to use them anywhere without constantly switching outlets. But these appliances run on a battery, and that battery only lasts so long, so consider the product’s runtime. Most electric brooms run for 20 to 30 minutes on a charge, which should be plenty of time to tackle most jobs. If you need a little more power, you can find units that run for up to 40 minutes at a time. Also check how long it takes the electric broom to recharge, the size of the charging station, and the type of battery. Some, like nickel-cadmium (Ni-Ca) batteries, lose their ability to hold a charge over time and so need to be replaced periodically.

• Corded units can run indefinitely as long as they’re connected to a power source, but the cord can only reach so far. If you’re considering a corded model, look at the length of the cord and check the measurement against the size of your room and the availability of outlets to ensure that the unit is suitable for your space. It’s usually best to go with a cord length of at least 20 feet. You might also want a model with a retractable cord, so you don’t have to manually wind it up when you’re done using it.

Attachments

Basic electric brooms may not come with any attachments at all, but there are options for people who want to increase the functionality of their machines. Most units have hoses for tackling hard-to-reach areas, and they may have other attachments like crevice tools or upholstery tools for use on furniture.

Think about where you intend to use your electric broom, and make sure you choose one that has all the attachments you’ll need.

Electric broom prices

Electric brooms can range in price from under $20 to $100 and more.

There isn’t a clear minimum that you should spend in order to get a quality product. It all depends on what you’re looking for. You can find a great basic electric broom for under $50, but if you want more advanced features, like the option to convert it to a handheld vacuum, you can expect to pay a lot more.

Tips

• When using an electric broom on carpet, turn off or slow the brush roll. This will make the broom more effective and reduce the amount of debris left behind.

• Store your cordless electric broom on the charging base. It will always be fully charged when you need to use it.

• Wind up the power cord after each use. Don’t allow the cord to get tangled. This will help make sure that the wires inside the cord don’t bend or break over time.

• Empty the dust cup after each use. This helps maintain maximum suction and performance every time.

• Periodically check the brush roll. Dust and pet hair can often get tangled in it, limiting its effectiveness.

Just like a regular vacuum, some electric brooms come with attachments for cleaning upholstery or tight spaces.

FAQ

Q. Can an electric broom replace my traditional vacuum?

A. That all depends on the types of floors you’re going to use it on, but in most cases, probably not. While electric brooms are a great way to clean up minor messes, they’re often not strong enough to tackle big messes, especially those on high-pile carpet. Electric brooms may be able to stand in for a vacuum in a small apartment, however, especially one that has primarily hard floors.

Q. Can I use an electric broom on upholstery?

A. Some models come with tools designed for use on upholstery, or if your unit has a hose, you can use that as well. If you’re interested in a product you can use on furniture, look for one that has a special attachment for that purpose.

Q. Can an electric broom pick up pet hair?

A. It might, but it depends on the suction power of the machine. If pet hair is a big problem at your house, you may have better luck with a traditional vacuum cleaner or a vacuum specifically designed for pet hair. These often come with special attachments that are more effective at removing pet hair than a simple hose or handheld vacuum.