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The best vacuum cleaner setup is subjective, heavily hinging on how badly (or not) you want to do the vacuuming yourself, or if you'd rather a robot do it for you.
But there's one universal factor that can make or break any type of vacuum's usefulness in your home, and that's how likely you are to use it. Hear me out.
Actual cleaning performance plays a huge role in how clean your floors will be, of course. But if that vacuum's a pain to use, you won't feel like using it — whether that's an upright vacuum that's too clunky to get out of the closet or a robot vacuum that gets stuck more often than not.
I've tested a ton of automatic vacuums and upright cordless vacuums, assessing from all of those angles along the way. And I have a handful of recommendations for both. But first, let's unpack which kind overall might work better in your living arrangement.
Should I get an upright or robot vacuum?
I could argue for both sides, considering I think the true dream setup is to have both on hand for different situations. While there are definitely ways to shop strategically and split your budget between one of each, that won't be the most practical choice for every household. If you're only choosing one type of vacuum, consider your main priority when it comes to vacuuming. Is your ideal vacuum cleaner one that automates the most steps to give you as little work as possible, or is it one that does the absolute most meticulous job, even if you still have to do the work?
Drawbacks of each also have to be considered. Trusting a robot vacuum to do this chore comes with the fine print that the robot vacuum is probably going to piss you off sometimes. While I absolutely can't knock the strides that have been made with smart mapping, AI small obstacle avoidance, automatic floor type recognition, and debris level sensors over the past few years, even the latest and greatest robot vacuums are still inanimate objects, not perceptive humans.
The downside of an upright vacuum is that you have to have free time, and spend some of that free time off the couch. Granted, the better the cordless vacuum, the less you'll have to get it out, and the less of a pain it'll be to whip around.
Do corded vacuums have better suction?
Typically, corded vacuums have better suction than cordless vacs, but at this point in the game, it's not a noteworthy enough increase to cover the headache of digging that monstrosity out of the closet and wrestling with the cord. if you detest getting your vacuum out, you probably won't vacuum too often — and that defeats the purpose of doing your research/spending your money on a nice, new vacuum in the first place.
With that in mind,no corded stick vacuums or corded canister vacuums will be recommended in this list.
Below, I've pulled my favorite cordless stick vacuums and robotic vacuums to create Mashable's ultimate mashup of all of the best vacuum cleaners as of September 2024.
If you're down to do the vacuuming yourself so long as you get to do it with a Dyson, the V12 Detect Slim should be the main one you're considering. It's not the most basic or the most heavy duty option. In fact, those hoping to not spend more than $500 on their new vacuum should be able to find the V12 Detect Slim on sale for $499.99 or $449.99 at almost any time of the year.
With up to 60 minutes of runtime, it can tackle full multi-bedroom apartments or a single floor of a home a few times without needing to be charged, but homes larger than 2,000 square feet or with more than two pets might prefer a heavier-duty Dyson. As Dyson's most compact cordless vacuum, the V12 Detect Slim will fit better than most cordless competitors into homes with limited storage space, even if that's under a couch or in a sliver of the closet.
Why we like it:
Crowning the V12 Detect Slim as a Mashable Choice winner was a no brainer: It's Dyson's most affordable vacuum that's equipped with the game-changing laser. I almost never choose the Digital Motorbar (the other cleaning head in the box) over the Fluffy Optic laser head because the laser really is that helpful. With it, I'm able to sniff out kitty litter dust, rogue hairs, crumbs, and even invisible broken glass on my apartment's hard floors that I wouldn't have seen otherwise, but definitely would have hated to step on with bare feet.
Though the laser alone could be enough to sway someone this way over the similarly-priced Dyson V10 or a model from another main brand, the V12 Detect Slim seals its "bang for your buck" status with totally sufficient suction power, a motorized handheld attachment that's essential for cleaning pet hair off furniture, and the best one-handed maneuverability I've experienced in a vacuum. Even with so many vacs in my house to choose from (including robots), the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is so efficient and easy to use that I find myself relying on it the most.
If you have a lot of hard floors, mopping might need to happen just as frequently as vacuuming. In this case, having to manually remove and rinse your botvac's soggy pads after each mop run could manifest into a whole new chore — and you may want to consider a robot vacuum with not just a self-emptying dock for the dust bin, but an all-encompassing cleaning station that also washes and dries the mopping pads.
A number of premium robot vacuums can do this, but for the budget conscious, the Eufy X10 Pro Omni achieves maximum self-sufficiency for $800 (or less on sale) — a significantly better value than that of the similarly-priced Roomba Combo j7+ or Roborock Q8 Max+, neither of which deal with their own mopping pads. Also packed into that budget are small obstacle avoidance technology (a must for lived-in homes with pet toys or cords laying around) and the longest battery life on our list, which would be clutch for tackling large floor plans in one fell swoop.
Why we picked this:
Eufy hadn't attempted the fully self-sufficient tank and mopping system before CES 2024, when it seemed like every main robot vacuum brand was jumping on the cleaning station bandwagon. Despite costing several hundred dollars less than the rest of the fleet released there, Eufy held its own with the X10 Pro Omni. The cleaning prowess and brainpower packed into a digestible price point has made the X10 Pro Omni my favorite robot vacuum that I've tested so far in 2024, and was the most popular robot vacuum among Mashable readers during Prime Day.
On top of the advanced mopping pad maintenance, I was also pleasantly surprised to see the X10 Pro Omni wielding dual spinning mopping pads. Compared to one solid, pressurized cloth (like we see with the mopping Roombas), I always have a little more confidence that the double spinning setup will successfully wipe up more stubborn stains or fully sop up larger spills with fewer passes. The X10 Pro Omni visibly took care of splatters of buffalo sauce, dirty shoe prints, and small chunks of wet cat food off of my hardwood and tile floors. Its 8,000 Pa of suction isn't the absolute strongest you can get nowadays, but definitely beats a majority of competitors, and was enough to keep up with daily debris from three roommates and two cats.
The only floor that the X10 Pro Omni struggled slightly on was the bathroom floor covered in two fluffy bath mats. I'd obviously prefer for these to be vacuumed because I know they're covered in my hair, but the X10 Pro Omni's obstacle avoidance was so cautious that it mistook these for towels and refused to clean them. It did accurately avoid charging cords and socks, though.
The Good
Frequently on sale for $679.99
Automatic water refill and mop pad washing/drying are rare at this price
8,000 Pa suction power wows in this price range
Affordable AI obstacle avoidance
Initial mapping run is quite accurate on first try
Multiple suction power and water level modes
The Bad
Loud automatic emptying
Occasionally inaccurately detects obstacles
Still only has a single roller brush
Details
Battery life: Up to 210 minutes (depending on mode)
So you don't just want any robot vacuum — you want the street cred that comes with a Roomba. I wouldn't instinctively recommend one of the most expensive Roombas just because they're the most advanced on paper. If your main priority past adequate suction power is the navigational ability to maneuver all around the house, the best Roomba value is actually the Roomba j7 or j7+.
This mid-range choice vacuums well enough to keep daily debris like pet shedding and crumbs at bay, and would be a particularly smart choice in apartments or other small spaces with a cluttered furniture setup — or a tendency to have a floor cluttered with phone chargers, pet bowls, or laundry.
Why we picked this:
iRobot offers a handful of iterations of the j7 so that you're not overpaying for features you won't use much: a standalone option that doesn't mop (as low as $299 on sale), a self-emptying option that doesn't mop (as low as $419.99 on sale), and a self-emptying option that does mop (as low as $699.99 on sale). All three go on sale pretty often, making them a much less intimidating investment than the more premium Roombas.
The j7 line is so clutch because they're an affordable way to bring home iRobot's stellar small obstacle avoidance technology. iRobot's room-to-room smart mapping has been super accurate in my experience, but most robot vacuums with smart mapping are pretty spot on at this point. iRobot pulls ahead with its front-facing camera that helps it steer clear of items that a less-advanced robot vacuum would surely try to eat, like cords, socks, or pet waste. Of all the vacuums with small obstacle avoidance tech that I've tried, that of a Roomba has been the most reliable.
If you like to do your vacuuming by hand, I typically suggest one of two cordless vacuums: This one, the Shark Detect Pro, or the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. Choosing between them is as easy as deciding whether you care about better cleaning with the dust-illuminating laser of the Dyson or not having to dump the vacuum's dust bin with the self-emptying dock of the Shark.
The inevitable cloud of dust that arises when dumping into the trash can trigger allergies or create another mess on the floor around the bin. If you'd prefer to keep that harrowing gray dust bunny out of sight and out of mind, you'll appreciate the Shark Detect Pro more — especially when that fancy dock still doesn't put you over $500.
Why we picked this:
Not to be confused with the Shark Detect Pro robot vacuum, the Shark Detect Pro cordless stick vacuum doesn't get enough attention for the value that it packs. The chance to combine the suction power and handheld control of a manual vacuum with the hands-free convenience of an auto-empty station is inherently huge because it's still pretty rare — automatic emptying isn't the norm for upright vacuums like it is for self-emptying robot vacuums. (FWIW, Dyson still hasn't attempted automatic emptying.)
The loud whoosh of the dock sucking out the contents of the vacuum's dust bin is startling, but short. And either way, it's easy to ignore when that noise means you're off dust bin duty for at least a month — and in my eyes, that's definitely worth it over inhaling a cloud of dust over the trash can every couple of days. At the end of each emptying session, you're greeted with a laundry-scented puff to neutralize any dust smell.
Regarding actual vacuuming, the Detect Pro is pretty on top of its game. The "Detect" part of the name refers to technology in the vacuum that assesses debris level and adjusts suction accordingly. The only complaint I had wasn't regarding the performance itself, but the bulkiness of the cleaning head that did prevent detailing around certain bends or under certain furniture.
The Good
Automatic emptying is a hygienic lifesaver
Boosts suction when dirty spots, carpet, and edges are detected
30% lighter than multiple other cordless Sharks
Self-empty dock doubles as storage without wall mounting
HEPA filter
Stylish color scheme
The Bad
Doesn't come with motorized handheld attachment
Bulky cleaning head doesn't fit under dressers or night stands
Auto-empty noise is a little startling
Disposable dust bag is super convenient, but not eco-friendly
25+ robot vacuums and cordless stick vacuums have come through the doors of my home since 2020 — the "home" in question actually consisting of several apartments of varying sizes as well as my family's larger single family home. In 2024 so far, I've gotten my hands on a number of the top new robot vacuum releases of the last year or so including the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Eufy X10 Pro Omni, Roomba Combo j5+, and Narwal Freo X Ultra, with my most recently-tested models being the Robrock Qrevo Master and Yeedi M12 Pro+.
Because I have at least three vacuums to review under my roof at any given time (plus my ol' reliable Dyson V12 Detect Slim), the ultimate test of a vacuum's value often boils down to how likely I am to choose it for a certain situation over the other ones.
How I assess a vacuum's value
Though reaching for one of said vacuums (or if it's a robot, reaching for my phone to get on the app) often ends up being a subconscious reflex, I arrive to that conclusion by conducting a series of uniform cleaning tests with each. All of the vacuums in my home are put to the test on hardwood floors, tile floors, and several rugs of various piles. They're all responsible for tackling a variety of debris that will probably pop up in someone's house at some point or another:
On-the-spot messes like giant piles of rice or chip crumbs that I've spilled on purpose, and if they mop, some sort of sauce, wine, or juice that I've spilled on purpose
Messes that build up over time like litter box dust or hair that's been pressed into the rug throughout months of being stepped on, and if they mop, shoe stains by the front door or water marks in the bathroom
For cordless vacuums, various attachments that can be used in handheld mode also impact how extensive your cleaning can get. Personally, I heavily value the inclusion of the motorized brush attachment to deal with cat hair on my furniture. Dysons are expensive, but this attachment comes in the box, whereas a vacuum that's cheaper on its face may require you to purchase this attachment separately.
Past technical cleaning performance itself, navigation and maneuverability play nearly just as big of a role.
For robot vacuums: Any model needs to have smart mapping to get a pass from me. This means that the robot vacuum can map out your home and be sent to specific rooms or zones within those rooms, whether that's on a regular cleaning schedule for rooms that get dirtier faster or for spontaneous spot cleaning. Small obstacle avoidance technology, a newer feature that's becoming more normalized, can also impact a robot vacuum's ability to navigate, as it ideally keeps the robot vacuum from getting stuck on things like chargers or pet toys. After all, cleaning performance can't even come into play unless the robot vacuum makes it to the right spot in the first place.
For cordless stick vacuums: Some upright vacuums are bulkier than others in both shape and size, making them less easy to push with one hand or maneuver around obstacles. I also consider the clunkiness factor during storage. Is this vacuum painless enough to get out and operate that the average person will have the motivation to use it?
Maintenance also matters. Does the vacuum require a lot of upkeep when it's not cleaning?
For robot vacuums: If you want a robot vacuum to do your cleaning for you, you're likely attracted to the premise of doing as little work as possible. Many robot vacuums extend this hands-off cleaning experience to dust bin duty by coming with a self-emptying dock. Some 2-in-1 models that mop go as far as automatic mopping pad washing and drying, which I've found to heavily influence how likely I am to let a robot vacuum mop.
For cordless vacuums: Though it's getting more common, automatic emptying isn't as much of a thing for upright vacuums as it is for robot vacuums. When I do try an upright vacuum that can empty itself (or at least offers the option to buy a self-emptying dock), I'm pretty excited. But in most cases, when I'm responsible for dumping the vacuum's onboard dust bin myself, I consider how quickly it fills up and how hygeniec the process is to dump it into the trash can. While a larger dust bin requires emptying less frequently, I also consider how the size affects weight distribution. The larger the dust bin, the more tiresome to operate with one hand.
Because they're always charging when at rest, the battery life of a robot vacuum is less of a make or break factor than it is with cordless vacuums. Most cordless vacuums can be stored on a dock that also charges it, but those require extra space, and sometimes wall mounting. Otherwise, you'll have to remember to plug your vacuum in if you don't want it to die mid-use.
Finally, the overall bang for your buck has to be considered. Is each vacuum's feature menu and actual cleaning competence worth the price tag, and how practical is that cost for the average household?
Leah Stodart
Senior Shopping Reporter
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers essential home tech like vacuums and TVs as well as sustainable swaps and travel. Her ever-growing experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
The robot vacuum beat in particular has cemented itself as Leah's main ~thing~ across the past few years. Since 2019, her expertise has been perpetually bolstered by the meticulous eye she keeps on robot vacuum deals and new releases, but more importantly, her hands-on experience with more than 25 robot vacuums tested in her own home. (This number has probably gone up by the time you're reading this.) That at-home testing is standardized through Mashable's robot testing guide — a granular scoring rubric for assessing all aspects of owning and using a robot vacuum on the daily — that Leah created herself.
Leah graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with dual degrees in Sociology and Media Studies. When she's not writing about shopping (or shopping online for herself), she's almost definitely watching a horror movie, "RuPaul's Drag Race," or "The Office." You can follow her on X at @notleah or email her at [email protected].
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