Best Upright Vacuums Review of 2022

Are you in the market for a vacuum cleaner? If so, you’ve probably aware of the dizzying array of options and features available on today’s modern vacuums. Finding the right one for your home is means searching for the right features and specs that are just right. There are a ton of things to consider, some are obvious while others are very specific. Although finding the right model is based largely on your needs, personal preference is a big part of the process as well.

To help you get to your vacuum shopping short list we’ve researched the best-reviewed upright vacuums on Amazon and put them under the microscope. We’ve taken all this information and formatted it into an easy to read guide that will help guide you in your search. Whether you are shopping for the first time or buying your fifth vacuum, our Best Upright Vacuum buying guide is a good place to start. Here are our picks for the 5 Best Upright Vacuums of 2018.

Shark Rotator: Professional Lift-Away (NV501) – Winner: Best for Asthma/Allergies

This modern Shark Lift-Away gives you excellent mobility and cleaning flexibility. Its advanced swivel steering gives it the maneuverability you need to work in tight spaces. Plus, the detachable canister and extra-large dustbin make cleaning hard to reach spaces quick and convenient. This model features complete seal technology and a HEPA filter for maximum air filtration that allows allergy and asthma sufferers to breathe easy. This extremely convenient model is a great option for just about anyone. It’s balanced carrying handle and extended cord make well suited for users with larger homes or homes with multiple levels. It even has a cord hook so that you can free up the hand you would usually use to hold the cord up and out of the way, this and the swivel steering make this vacuum a dream to operate with one hand. The low clearance and extended reach, combined with the enhanced cleaning power of the high-power motor, give it outstanding cleaning functionality, and the power brush attachment, great for picking up pet hair, deep cleans upholstery and carpets. There are very few cleaning challenges that this vacuum can’t tackle, and it’s enhanced HEPA air filtration system and air-seal technology make it a superior choice, and our top pick, for allergy or asthma sufferers.

• Superior Air Filtration

This vacuum has a HEPA filter for improving air quality and removing irritating dust particles from the air. The airflow system is completely sealed so no unfiltered air escapes through the case.

• Flexibility

Shark designed this vacuum to have maximum flexibility and convenience. Its swivel steering allows for one-handed steering and enhances maneuverability, and the conveniently placed handle gives you a balanced grip when lifting the vacuum. The 30-foot long power cord gives you great range and, with a low profile for getting under furniture and extended hose length, you can clean every nook and cranny of your home.

• Power.

The Shark Rotator Pro Lift-Away is equipped with a high-power motor that enhances suction strength and improves cleaning ability. It’s great for plush carpets and upholstery and, while it’s not marketed as “Pet-Friendly”, it does an excellent job on pet hair.

PROS

• Quiet Operation
• HEPA Filter
• Case Seal Technology
• One-Handed Operation
• 5 Year Warranty

CONS

• No Automatic Cord Rewind
• Poorly Placed Power Switch

Bissell 9595A CleanView Bagless with OnePass – Winner: Best Value

CleanView Style

The Bissell CleanView gets its name from the transparent dustbin that allows you to constantly monitor the level of dirt. When a dustbin is filled close to capacity it can cause decreased suction and poor performance but with the CleanView you’ll always be aware of the dirt levels. The dustbin is conveniently emptied by removing it and pressing a small button to release the dirt. The process is quick, easy and doesn’t make a mess, plus you won’t have to buy replacement bags.

Air Filtration

This model features a washable foam filter used to remove irritating allergens from the air it circulates, a great feature for allergy sufferers. The filter is easy to care for and doesn’t need to be replaced. It works by picking up particles from the brush head and passing them through its multi-stage filter and into the dustbin. The allergens can’t escape into the air and are passed directly into the dustbin.

Capacity

The transparent dust bin has a 2.2 Liter capacity and its hassle-free emptying functionality give this vacuum an edge. You won’t have to empty the dustbin as often and, when you do, it’s one-touch emptying system makes sure you won’t make a mess in the process.

Brush Design

The innovative OnePass brush design enhances cleaning performance by rotating the brush head down into the carpet, so you can pick up more dirt on your initial pass. With fewer passes, cleaning is quicker and easier.

PROS

• Best Value
• 2-Year Warranty
• Easy Emptying
• Bagless
• Transparent Dustbin

CONS

• No “Suction Only” Mode, not suitable for hard surface floors
• Short Hose
• Bulky, Hard to Maneuver

Oreck Commercial XL Commercial Vacuum, XL2100RHS – Winner: Best Feature: Lightweight

 

Enhanced Suction

The Oreck Commercial XL is a heavy duty vacuum that gives you commercial quality clean in your own home. The Microweep Technology give it increased power and suction, and its simple, streamlined design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces.

Capacity

This commercial-quality vacuum features an extra-large 11-quart bag for less emptying and downtime. The bag is designed for industrial use, but it’s great for homeowners as well. While it’s not bagless, the bags it uses are cheap. You can pick up a pack of 25 for less than $20, so it works out to be less than a $1 cost per bag, and the bags are hypoallergenic so they keep irritating dust and debris particles trapped in the bag. There is even an antimicrobial agent built into the bags that prevents bacteria and fungi growth.

Advanced Filtration

If you suffer from indoor allergies you are probably familiar with how vacuuming can affect the air quality in your home. This model features an Advanced Fine Filtration system that cleans irritating particles out of the air. The bags are equipped with Oreck’s Saniseal technology, an innovation that automatically closes the bag and prevents dust from escaping when you’re removing it for disposal.

Special features

The package contains one Fresh Air Scent Tab, a product from Oreck used to freshen the air and improve bad odors, and one Standard Filtration Vacuum Bag. You’ll have to purchase additional bags.

PROS

• Cheap Bags
• Lightweight (Only 8 lbs.)
• Effective Side Brush
• Allergy Friendly
• High Capacity Dustbin

CONS

• Loud, can scare pets or small children
• High Maintenance, needs new timing belt every 6 months
• No “Suction Only” Mode, not suitable for hard surface floors
• Self-Propelled
  

Hoover T-Series WindTunnel Rewind Plus Bagless Corded Upright Vacuum UH70120 – Lightweight

Easy to Use

The brush head has five different height settings, so you can adjust the brush to the perfect height for your floor. An adjustable brush head allows you to clean all of your surfaces, from deep plush rugs to hardwood and tile, with the right setting for the flooring. When the brush head is on the correct height setting the vacuum will glide smoothly over even the lushest carpets, you vacuum wont’t push back and resist you.

Low Maintenance

This Hoover vacuum has a 2 part filter system that includes both a washable foam filter and a HEPA filter. The foam part of the filter can be easily cleaned over the sink using a rag and water. Once it dries, you simply put it back in the machine. The HEPA filter, while not washable, is easily cleaned by tapping it out over a trash can and using a rag to help brush out the dirt that’s stuck. This model is also bagless, so you can easily empty the dustbin and get back to cleaning, and you won’t have to buy and maintain a supply of bags.

Versatile

If your home has high ceilings, stairs, or other cleaning obstacles you’re going to want a vacuum that’s flexible enough to be useful against every challenge your home offers. This Hoover has a flexible hose and a large array of attachments for specialized cleaning. The included air-powered, hose-attached hand tool is a great cleaning tool for upholstery and carpets.

PROS

• Adjustable Brush Height
• Two Stage Filtration System
• Rewindable 27 Foot Cord
• Versatile
• Hassle-Free Maintenance

CONS

• Noisy. 88 Decibels. Can be unbearable at times
• Head Doesn’t Swivel. Poor Maneuverability
• Bulky Design

Shark Navigator Upright SV1106 Bagless Vacuum – Winner: Best for Carpets, Hard Floors, and Pet Parents

This premium cordless vacuum from Shark is a great choice for anyone in the market for a new vacuum. It has a setting that stops the spinning brush head and offers enhanced suction, so vacuuming hard surfaces like tile and hardwood is easy and convenient. No cord means none of the hassles of working around an annoying power cord, and it’s extended run time means you can potentially clean your entire home on one charge. The Navigator is very similar to another Shark Model on our list, the Shark Rotator, except this model doesn’t have the Rotator’s LED headlight. While cordless models are more convenient and don’t hamper you with a cord, they are limited in range and runtime so they best utilized in a secondary or backup capacity.

Cordless Convenience

This is a cordless vacuum that features an extended life battery. Cordless functionality makes this vacuum super convenient and great for cleaning up quick messes and taking care of quick touch-ups.The 4 hour charge time is a bit long, but the extended battery life means you’ll be able to complete most cleanups on one charge.

Big Power, Small Package

Enhanced suction and power gives this vacuum a lot of punching power. Plus it only weighs 7.5 pounds so it’s easy to use and doesn’t tire you out as fast.

2-Speed Brushroll

The brush head has an adjustable setting that allows you to switch between carpets and hard floors easily. With the hard floor setting, you won’t have to worry about damaging your floors and can clean your hard surfaces with confidence.

Capacity

The dustbin is easy to empty and has a huge capacity. You’ll have less downtime because you’ll have to empty the dustbin less often. When the bin does need to empty, the process is quick, easy, and doesn’t make a mess.

PROS

• Convenient
• Lightweight (7.5 lbs.)
• Extra Large Dustbin
• Carpet and Hard Floors
• Washable Filter
• Shark Swivel Steering
• Value

CONS

• Self-Propelled
• 4 Hour Charge Time
• Not Practical for Large Homes

Conclusion

These rankings are based on our own research and Amazon reviews, so just because they are our top picks doesn’t mean they are the end-all best option for you. Buying the right vacuum for your home is an intensely personal process so you’re going to need to figure out which specific cleaning needs you have that you want to address with your vacuum purchase. Examples of things to consider are your home’s floor plan, the types of flooring in your home, and whether or not you own a pet, just to name a few. Overall, the best choices for carpet are going to be uprights, and most people find uprights to be more convenient due in part to their ability to be conveniently stored and their ease of use in comparison to other form factors. Here are a few more picks for “Best Of” in these categories.

Shark Navigator SV1106

Best For Carpeted Floors and Small Homes

The Shark Navigator is fully loaded. With its extended life battery and cordless functionality, cleaning up small messes is quick and easy, and the multi-speed brush head lets you clean all of your floors without having to worry about damaging your delicate hard surfaces, like hardwood,  that could be damaged by a brush head running on full power. An extra large dustbin and lightweight design lets you clean more area with less downtime, and the enhanced suction shortens cleaning time even more by getting more dirt out per pass. However, a cordless vacuum can be inconvenient for larger homes and the 4-hour battery charge time compounds this problem. For those reasons,  the Shark Navigator is best suited for small homes, but it’s functionality on multiple surfaces make it a great choice if battery operation is not an issue.

Bissell CleanView 9595A

Best Value

If you’re on a tighter budget, you’re probably in the market for a workhorse vacuum that can gets the job done at a great price. The Bissell ClearView 9595A is a clearcut winner. It’s the best selling vacuum on Amazon and boasts a very competitive price tag, especially when you take into consideration the ease of use. However, as the adage says, you get what you pay for and you won’t get a lot of the premium features available on higher priced models, but this vacuum is more than capable of getting the job done. Its powerful suction and easy to use design give it all the functionality you need to clean your home effectively. Additionally, this model is bagless so no need to spend extra money on bags, and the anti-allergen filter is removable and washable so can easily clean it at the sink, rather than buying replacements.