We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
Ready to buy now? Shop the best:
If there is one cleaning appliance you cannot do without, it's likely a vacuum. An upright model’s versatility and ease of use make it the go-to item in many cleaning situations. The only problem is an upright vacuum is so popular that you have a plethora of products to wade through to find a quality unit.
Finding the best means finding the best for you. The most important consideration is getting the most power in your price range. After that, you want a model that is light enough to easily maneuver, has a long power cord, is bagless, and has a high-quality filter. Although some households require a wide variety of attachments, the right vacuum for you is the one with the number and styles of attachments that fit your cleaning needs.
Our top pick is the versatile Shark AZ2002 Vertex Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum, which features powerful suction and special tools for tackling pet hair with ease.
Editors’ Favorite
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 0.95 L | Weight: 16.38 lb | Cord length: 30’ | Filtration: HEPA
The Shark AZ2002 Vertex Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum combines powerful suction and a dual-brushroll system to deep-clean both carpeting and hard floors. It features a soft roller that captures large debris, hair and fine particles, as well as a roller with Shark’s flexible PowerFins that stay in constant contact with floor surfaces to remove hidden dirt. The fins are also excellent at picking up pet hair, but the brushroll is self-cleaning, so you don’t have to worry about hair getting caught around it.
It's also highly versatile. Its detachable pod lets you clean under furniture, while its nozzle also detaches for cleaning above-floor surfaces. It comes with a self-cleaning Pet Power Brush for removing pet hair from furniture and other upholstered surfaces, a crevice tool for cleaning hard-to-reach areas like along baseboards or between furniture cushions, and even a dusting brush.
Allergy sufferers will love the AZ2002 Vertex because of its top-notch filtration system. It features an anti-allergen complete seal and a HEPA filter that captures up to 99.9% of dust, dander and other particles as small as 0.3 microns. Instead of a bag, it has a dust cup that holds nearly a liter of debris, so you can clean large areas without needing to empty it frequently.
Great Value
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 2.6 L | Weight: 10 lb | Cord length: 25' | Filtration: Foam filter
Don’t let the Eureka PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner's lightweight design and affordable price fool you. It's a powerful vacuum that can keep your home’s floors clean daily without missing a beat.
It weighs just 10 pounds, so it’s easy to move throughout even the largest homes. Its 25-foot power cord also means you can cover a lot of ground without needing to switch outlets.
The Eureka PowerSpeed lives up to its name, though. With 960 watts of power, it can easily clean both hard flooring and carpeting. In fact, its brush roll offers five height adjustment settings, so you can easily transition between floors.
It also has additional tools specifically designed for pet hair, including the pet turbo tool, the crevice tool and the upholstery tool. The dusting brush allows you to keep above-floor surfaces clean, too.
Customers also appreciate how little maintenance the Eureka PowerSpeed requires. It has a bagless design, so you don’t have to spend money on replacement bags. And its dust cup has a 2.6-liter capacity, which means less frequent emptying. Additionally, its filters are washable, so they don’t need to be replaced as often.
Best Lightweight Performer
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 0.76 L | Weight: 14.35 lb | Cord length: 25’ | Filtration: HEPA filter
The Shark LA702 Rotator Pet Lift-Away ADV Upright Vacuum weighs under 15 pounds, yet it still delivers enough power to clean both hard floors and carpeting. It features a two-brushroll system that consists of a soft roller for hard surfaces and a roller with Shark’s flexible DuoClean Powerfins to dig embedded dirt and hair from carpets. The brushrolls are self-cleaning, too, so you don’t have to worry about hair getting stuck around them.
In addition to its lightweight design, it boasts advanced swivel steering, making it easy to move around furniture and other obstacles. It also has a lift-away pod that detaches with the press of a pedal, so you can clean above-floor surfaces, including furniture and stairs. It includes accessories, too, such as a crevice tool, an upholstery tool and a dust brush, which make cleaning even easier.
The LA702 Rotator Pet Lift-Away is also an ideal model for homes with allergy sufferers. It has LED headlights on its cleaning head, ensuring you don’t miss any dust, pet hair or other allergens while cleaning. Best of all, it has a HEPA filter that captures 99.97% of allergens and other particles as small as 0.3 microns to keep them out of your home’s air.
Most Versatile
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 0.9 qt | Weight: 16 lb | Cord length: 25' | Filtration: HEPA filter
If you want a vacuum that can do it all, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum definitely fits the bill. While it functions like a traditional upright vacuum for hard floors and carpets, it has a detachable pod and nozzle, so you can clean under furniture and above-floor surfaces, including stairs, upholstery and more.
Pet owners will appreciate the Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe’s anti-allergen complete seal technology. It works with the vacuum’s high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to trap up to 99.9% of dust, dander and other allergens inside, so your home’s air stays as clean as possible. It also has an upholstery tool and a crevice tool that are particularly effective for picking up pet hair.
The Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe earns rave reviews from customers for its swivel steering. The vacuum is extremely easy to maneuver around furniture and into tight spaces like corners, so you can clean your floors thoroughly and efficiently. If you’re worried about damage to delicate hard flooring surfaces like hardwood, it also has a brushroll shutoff switch to protect bare floors without sacrificing deeper cleaning on carpeting.
Best for Pet Owners
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 1 L | Weight: 12.5 lb | Cord length: 27' | Filtration: Multi-level filtration system
With a triple-action brush roll, the Bissell 2252 CleanView Swivel Upright Bagless Vacuum is a pet owner’s dream. It loosens, lifts and removes deeply embedded dirt and pet hair, so all your floors, including carpeted areas, are thoroughly cleaned. However, the roll’s bristles are gentle enough to pick up pet hair from hard floors without any damage.
It also easily removes dry debris like kibble from hard surfaces because it features the same scatter-free technology as the Bissell CleanView Compact Upright Vacuum, which sucks in dirt and debris before it can go flying across hardwood, laminate, tile and other hard floors.
The CleanView Swivel Upright also includes specialized tools for dealing with pet messes. The Pet TurboEraser makes removing embedded hair from carpeted stairs, couches, pillows and more very easy. It attaches to the vacuum’s hose, so it can clean hard-to-reach areas. You can also use the crevice tool and dusting brush to get rid of pet hair from above-floor surfaces in your home.
You don’t have to worry about maneuvering around pet beds and bowls, either. The CleanView Swivel Upright has dynamic swivel steering technology, making moving around obstacles and under furniture a breeze. It also fits into tight corners and along walls and even boasts edge-to-edge suction that removes dirt, hair and debris from along a room’s edges.
Budget-Friendly
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 1 L | Weight: 9 lb | Cord length: 20' | Filtration: Pleated filter with foam
The Dirt Devil Endura Lite Bagless Vacuum Cleaner is a bargain-friendly upright vacuum that still offers impressive cleaning power. It's a compact, lightweight model that weighs just 9 pounds, so it's easy to move around your home and between floors. It also gets into tight spaces and between furniture, picking up all the dirt and dust on your floors.
Best of all, it offers strong, consistent suction on both hard floors and carpeting and has a multi-floor brush, so you can clean all your floors with one machine.
The onboard tool kit increases the Endura Lite’s versatility, allowing you to tackle various messes throughout your home. It includes a dusting brush and crevice tool that store easily right on the vacuum, so you never have to go hunting for the tool you need. For extended cleaning, the Endura Lite’s extension wand provides 6 feet of additional reach, making cleaning even out-of-the-way above-floor surfaces easier.
You won’t struggle to empty this bagless vacuum, either. The 1-liter dirt cup detaches quickly from the Endura Lite and features a simple button release that lets you empty right into the garbage can. Filter maintenance is simple, too, because you only have to rinse the filter to extend the vacuum’s life.
Efficient and Powerful
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 2.02 qt | Weight: 17.6 lb | Cord length: 30' | Filtration: HEPA filter
If you want a vacuum that makes quick work of cleaning all the floors in your home, Shark POWERDETECT Upright Cleaner can get the job done. It has some of the most powerful suction among the models on our list, so you need fewer passes over an area to get it fully cleaned. It also has two brushrolls with sensors that automatically react to hidden dirt, debris and air, so the vacuum can increase its suction and brush speed for more effective cleaning on all surfaces.
The POWERDETECT’s sensors identify what type of flooring it’s on, too. It once again adjusts power and speed to ensure that both hard floors and carpeted areas are thoroughly cleaned without any damage to the flooring.
Additionally, the vacuum senses when it's within 2 inches of a wall or edge and automatically boosts its suction to remove any dirt, dust and other debris that might collect along baseboards and corners, so you don’t need to use any additional cleaning tools after vacuuming.
Pet owners will also appreciate the POWERDETECT’s self-cleaning brushroll, which allows it to pick up pet hair without getting tangled or losing suction. It also features odor-neutralizing technology that prevents bad odors inside the machine, so your home always smells fresh.
Its HEPA filtration system is also fully sealed, allowing it to keep up to 99.99% of dust, dander and other allergens in the vacuum and make your home’s air cleaner.
Best for Large Areas
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 0.45 gal | Weight: 17.3 lb | Cord length: 32.8' | Filtration: HEPA filter
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is designed for maneuverability. Its ball technology allows you to move it precisely through your home and glide around obstacles with a simple turn of your wrist. It also has an ergonomically designed handle that makes vacuuming more comfortable than with traditional uprights.
But Dyson hasn’t sacrificed power for mobility. With a max power of 290 air watts (AW), the Ball Animal 3 Extra can pick up all types of debris on both hard floors and carpeting. It has three suction modes, so you can choose the right power based on the floor you’re cleaning.
Its highest level, Boost, is powerful enough to pull embedded dirt even from deep pile carpeting. Its vacuum head also features hair-removal vanes that automatically clear wrapped hair while you vacuum, so pet hair is no issue.
The Ball Animal 3 Extra has an advanced whole-machine HEPA filtration system, which ensures that particles remain inside the vacuum. In fact, the washable post-motor filter traps up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including bacteria. The large dustbin also holds nearly a half-gallon and empties easily with the push of a button.
Best for Deep Cleaning
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 1.3 L | Weight: 14.33 lb | Cord length: 30' | Filtration: HEPA filter
If your home is full of carpeting that often requires deep cleaning, the Eureka QuickShift Home OmniVerse Vacuum Cleaner delivers in a big way. It features an advanced dual motor that provides powerful suction to deep-clean carpets and hard floors with ease. You can easily switch between floor modes and suction levels with its fingertip controls, too, so you can clean your entire home without any interruptions.
The QuickShift Home Omniverse comes with different accessories for cleaning versatility. The crevice tool, dusting brush and motorized anti-tangle pet tool make it easy to clean above-floor surfaces. The main vacuum’s brush roll also prevents hair from tangling, so the vacuum doesn’t randomly lose suction in the middle of cleaning.
In addition to the specialized pet tool, pet owners benefit from the vacuum’s HEPA complete seal filtration system. It traps 99.9% of dust and dander, so they don’t wind up back in your home’s air, where they can trigger allergies.
Additionally, the QuickShift Home Omniverse features advanced swivel steering that allows you to move easily around and under your furniture. It also has an LED headlight that illuminates your cleaning path to ensure you don’t leave any dirt or debris behind.
Best for Long Hair
Bagless: Yes | Capacity: 0.95 L | Weight: 16.38 lb. | Cord length: 30 ft. | Filtration: HEPA filter
The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Upright Vacuum is a powerful vacuum that can thoroughly clean both hard floors and carpeting for complete floor cleaning. It has a soft roller and Shark’s unique Powerfins that dig deep into carpets and directly engage with floors, so they can remove more dirt and debris with every pass. The vacuum also has Active Glide Technology, allowing it to move smoothly on hard floors and carpets without losing suction.
The Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Vacuum is also engineered to pick up more hair than previous Shark models but without any getting tangled in the machine. That’s because it has a self-cleaning brush roll that moves hair along before it gets stuck, making it a perfect choice for pet hair or long hair.
You can also clean hair and other debris from above-floor surfaces because it has a lift-away pod for cleaning furniture, curtains, stairs and more. The pod also makes it easier to clean under furniture pet hair and along baseboards.
With a completely sealed HEPA filter, the Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Vacuum is also ideal for homes with allergy sufferers. It captures 99.9% of dust and dander, so you and your family can breathe clearly. Features like the LED headlight and accessories such as the dusting brush, pet crevice tool and self-cleaning pet power brush make for more versatile cleaning, too.
Most Comprehensive
Bagless: No | Capacity: 630 cu in | Weight: 9 lb | Cord length: 40' | Filtration: Non-HEPA standard filter
If you prefer a more traditional upright vacuum, the Oreck Commercial Upright Vacuum is an excellent option. The only bagged model on our list, its bag is designed to maintain suction and power even as the bag fills. You don’t have to worry about dirt, dander, hair and other particles escaping when you change your bag, either, because it automatically seals to keep your mess contained.
This Oreck model effectively cleans all flooring types, including hardwood, tile, laminate and carpet. Best of all, it doesn’t require manual height adjustment based on the surface you’re cleaning, so you don't have to stop in the middle of cleaning to change settings.
The Oreck Commercial Upright Vacuum is a surprisingly lightweight and compact model, weighing just 9 pounds. It fits easily under most furniture and allows you to get up close to the edge of walls and cabinets.
However, it still has a 12-inch cleaning path, so it covers a great deal of ground for quick, easy vacuuming. The 40-foot power cord also prevents you from switching outlets even when cleaning larger rooms or areas. You don’t have to worry about the cord getting run over, either. The vacuum is equipped with a cord guard to prevent damage while vacuuming.
Best Bagged Vacuum
Bagless: No | Capacity: 1.5 L | Weight: 21 lb | Cord length: 35' | Filtration: Triple HEPA Filter System
For those who prefer a bagged vacuum, the Kenmore Floor Care Elite Upright Bagged Vacuum delivers effective multi-floor cleaning. It has a 3D inducer motor that provides 20% more power than a standard vacuum and doesn’t lose suction. The vacuum also offers five height-level adjustments, which maintain optimal airflow based on the surface. The LED dirt sensor lets you know when an area is thoroughly cleaned, too.
You can clean more than just your floors with this vacuum, though. It has a flexible hose and a telescoping wand that provide a 10-foot reach for cleaning above-floor surfaces and tight corners. It also comes with a dusting brush, a crevice tool, a bare-floor tool and a motorized roller brush, which are perfect for removing stubborn pet hair. It’s ideal for homes with allergy sufferers, too. It has a triple HEPA filter system that can trap up to 99.97% of particles like dust and dander inside the machine, so the air in your home stays clean.
While the vacuum is heavier than most of the others on our list, it still has a user-friendly design. The controls are located right on the handle, so they’re right at your fingertips when you need to make adjustments. We also love that there’s onboard storage for all the accessories, making it easy to grab one when you need it.
In addition to the standard upright vacuum, you can find several other types available for purchase. Each has its pros and cons.
Canister vacuums consist of the main body with separate head and hose components. Because the canister remains on the ground while you vacuum, all you need to contend with is the lightweight hose portion with the vacuum cleaning head. Canister vacuums are a good option for those with reduced upper-body strength, and they are an excellent option for cleaning hard-to-reach areas, like window coverings and stairwells. Their size makes them a bit tougher to store, and while the hose and head portions are lightweight, you still need to lug the unit with you from room to room as you vacuum.
Stick vacuums are perfect for small spaces but provide less power than uprights because they often use batteries for power. They’re light and easy to maneuver, but they are not a good choice for heavily carpeted homes, nor are they suitable for homes with pets and/or people with severe allergies.
Handheld vacuums are a great option for cleaning the tough-to-reach areas in a home. They’re lightweight and can clean virtually anywhere since they’re usually fairly compact. You can find both cordless and corded handhelds, and because of their size, they’re easy to put away when the task of cleaning is complete. They’re not as powerful, though, and they need to be emptied much more often than uprights.
Robot vacuum cleaners are convenient because they clean on their own. However, they sometimes get stuck under furniture and pass right by areas that have not yet been vacuumed.
Keeping your filters clean will help your vacuum maintain its suction.
There are some advantages to choosing an upright vacuum for your home cleaning needs over any other kind of vacuuming device.
More powerful suction, making them ideal for homes with heavy carpeting
A wide design allows units to suck up more dust and debris at once than other types of vacuums
Suitable for various surfaces, from hardwood floors to high-pile carpet
Comfortable to use, since there’s no need to bend down when vacuuming
When deciding which upright vacuum model to purchase, don’t forget to consider the following features and functions.
Choose a vacuum that you feel comfortable pushing around the house. A unit that’s too heavy may be difficult to move, and it could put undue stress on the body. Not to mention, it will make the task of cleaning seem more daunting than it should be. Most upright vacuums range from 10 to 23 pounds, but a model between 15 and 18 pounds typically offers the best combination of maneuverability and power.
At only 9 pounds, the Shark LA702 Rotator Pet Lift-Away is the lightest model on our list, so it's easy to move around and carry between floors. The Eureka PowerSpeed Lightweight is another lightweight option, weighing just 10 pounds. At 12.5 pounds, the Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum is a bit heavier, but it's still highly maneuverable and easy to steer.
An upright vacuum should be easy to push, and it should have a comfortable handle. It should glide smoothly over surfaces, and you should not have to struggle to move it around. Users in homes with multiple levels should also make sure that they can transport the vacuum to each level.
Size matters, especially when it comes time to store the vacuum. If you have limited storage space, make sure your selected model fits inside your cleaning supply closet — or wherever you plan to put it when not in use.
Check underneath your vacuum to make sure that your brush rolls and hose are free from debris. This will help your vacuum keep its suction power.
Vacuum noise is measured in decibels. To find out if a vacuum is at the noisier end of the spectrum, check to see its listed decibel level.
Don’t expect most vacuums to be super quiet, though. Nearly all upright models will produce some kind of noise. The average upright operates at approximately 75 to 80 decibels, so look for a model with a decibel rating of 70 dB or less if you want a quieter vacuum.
Operating at 70 decibels, the Sebo Automatic X4 is the quietest upright on our list, making it a solid option if you don’t want to make too much noise while cleaning. Another quiet option is the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra, which typically reaches 72 to 76 decibels when in use.
What kind of space are you working with? Will the cord length of your potential vacuum be long enough that you don’t need to switch outlets constantly?
Thankfully, most upright vacuums have long cords, so you don’t have to worry about struggling to move furniture to gain access to inconvenient outlets to clean the other side of a room. The average cord is about 25 feet long, but you can find models with cords as long as 40 feet.
The Sebo Automatic X4 has a 40-foot cord, so it's ideal for larger homes. Similarly, the Kenmore Floor Care Elite Upright has a 35-foot cord that allows you to cover a lot of ground. Our top model, the Shark AZ2002 Vertex, has a 30-foot cord that also makes it easy to clean a room without switching outlets.
Bag or no bag
Upright vacuums are available in either bagged or bagless options. In bagged units, the bags contain dirt and keep it from going back into your home’s environment when you empty the vacuum. The downside? You’ll need to replace and purchase new bags every so often, which is an extra cost to think about.
Bagless units are more convenient because you don’t need to worry about having bags on hand to use your vacuum, and the canisters on these units are very easy to empty. When emptying a bagless vacuum, however, dust and debris are more likely to spill or escape back into the air accidentally. It’s easier to see when a bagless vacuum is full, but some bagged models feature indicators to let you know they need to be emptied.
The EUREKA PowerSpeed Lightweight has the largest dust canister, holding up to 2.6 liters of dirt and debris, so you don’t have to empty it too often. The Shark Stratos’s dust cup has a 1.4-liter capacity, making it another excellent option for cleaning larger areas. If you prefer a bagged vacuum, the Sebo Automatic X4 can hold 5.6-liter bags with an excellent seal to prevent dust from escaping.
Upright vacuums all come equipped with some kind of filter to trap allergens and keep them from flying back into the air. For households with pets or occupants with respiratory issues, HEPA filters are the Rolls Royce of filters, since they can trap nearly 100% of airborne dust and allergens.
The Shark AZ2002 Vertex, the Shark NV352 Navigator, the Shark Stratos, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra, the Kenmore Floor Care Elite Upright and the Shark NV501 Rotator are some of our top picks that have HEPA filters, so they work well if you have pets or suffer from allergies.
When selecting an upright vacuum, it’s also important to consider whether the unit’s filter is reusable and can be washed. You might also check to see how much replacement filters for a particular model cost. Keep in mind that even reusable filters clog up over time and cannot be reused anymore.
Cleaning your filters also helps to keep the air in your home clean and clear from allergens.
Some vacuums come with accessories and attachments that increase the usefulness and versatility of the unit. The number of accessories a vacuum comes with shouldn’t be your sole reason for choosing it, but attachments like rods, upholstery brushes, hard floor cleaners, and dusting attachments can add to the utility of a device, allowing you to clean above-floor surfaces, under furniture, along baseboards and more.
Nearly all the uprights on our list include an upholstery tool and a crevice tool, but the Shark AZ2002 Vertex, the Shark NV352 Navigator, the Kenmore Floor Care Elite Upright, the EUREKA PowerSpeed Lightweight and the Shark Stratos stand out for their additional motorized pet tool that allow them to tackle heavy pet hair.
You can find plenty of basic upright vacuum models, including the Eureka PowerSpeed Lightweight, for under $100.
For $100 to $200, you can find upgraded upright vacuums with special features like HEPA filters, such as the Shark NV352 Navigator and the Bissell CleanView Swivel Upright.
For more powerful suction and filtering, you should expect to pay over $200. Pricier models, including the Shark AZ2002 Vertex, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra, the Shark Stratos and the Sebo Automatic X4, usually come with more attachments, are lightweight (despite the power they provide), and feature more efficient filters.
A vacuum can make your life infinitely easier. Unlike a broom and dustpan, it’s far less likely that dust and allergens will escape back into the air during cleaning. Vacuuming is usually a quicker process than sweeping, and a vacuum can help you to clean places that are harder to reach. Here are a few pointers to help you use your vacuum more efficiently.
Don’t let things get overly soiled in the first place. Remove shoes in the home, wipe pet paws before they come in from outdoors and sweep up large spills and messes as soon as they occur.
Don’t just go over an area once. To really get your floors clean, you’ll need to pass the vacuum over an area a few times to pick up all that sneaky dust and debris.
If you have issues that may cause problems using and transporting a vacuum, you'll want to know a vacuum's total weight of the vacuum before purchasing it.
Vacuuming more often can actually make the task a lot easier. If you wait to vacuum until visible pet hair and dust fill your house, chances are that passing the vacuum will take a larger chunk of time, and you may need to empty the vacuum multiple times.
Don’t leave dirt inside your vacuum. Empty it frequently. A full canister will make vacuuming less efficient.
Do a quick check to move obstacles out of the way before vacuuming, and pick up anything that might accidentally get sucked into your device.
Dust before you vacuum so you can be sure you’re picking up every last bit of dirt.
A. Your filter may need to be replaced or washed. Most upright vacuum filters can easily be accessed. You’ll know just by looking at the filter if it’s time to swap it out or clean it.
A. Check the wattage of the vacuum you’re eyeing. Most upright vacuums should provide at least 1,000 watts to pick up dirt effectively.
A. Anyone with allergies should opt for a vacuum with a high-quality filter, such as a HEPA filter. A bagged model may also be a good choice, as it’ll be more effective at keeping dust from being released back into your home.
A. To minimize the incidence of allergens in your home, choose a model with a quality filter. Look for vacuums marketed as “pet vacuums.” They will often provide stronger suction than other models.
