The $150 Shark Navigator Lift-Away. But bagged canister vacuums have advantages too, depending on your needs and situation. We measured a C3 model—running with the power head attached and the brush roll spinning at the maximum suction setting—at 74 dBc, which is about five dBc quieter than our main pick. Have I broken it? Miele canisters are also among the quietest vacuums anywhere. In reviews, several owners say that Shark made them pay for shipping costs on motor-related failures (which are uncommon). In our testing, it picked up the most common shapes and sizes of debris (from the variety of flooring types that you’d find in most homes) in just a single pass or a few passes. Some of the experts we talked to said that if they could recommend just one vacuum, they’d recommend a Miele canister vacuum cleaner. Almost identical to our pick for best upright vacuum, A top-notch canister vacuum, built to last, Who should get an upright or canister vacuum. Staff writer Joanne Chen, who owns an upright Dyson, said, “It’s so heavy and clumsy to push around it makes me vacuum less often than I should.” Our Miele pick is heavier overall, but most of the weight sits on the floor in the canister body, not on your wrists. They don’t need maintenance very often. If you have several long-haired pets, the bags fill up faster—that can be a dealbreaker, and in this case you might want to consider a bagless vacuum cleaner like our main pick. You probably don’t need HEPA filters—for most people, regular filters are totally fine. You can still use the vacuum even if the rewinder is stuck, though it will be a pain to deal with a free-swinging 33-foot cord. In our most intense test, we sprinkled a mixture of 30 grams of sand and 15 grams of baking soda onto a midsize area rug, cleaned for two minutes, and then used a kitchen scale to measure how much of the debris the vacuum had collected. We repeated this test two more times, and also with a six-month-old model that had seen regular use, and we got similar results. I very much prefer the new instant blade start-up once the canister is placed on the base, eliminating the need to perform a locking twist (which had resulted in broken plastic "teeth" with earlier models). But any of the other models are also good choices. The bags are self-sealing, too: When you swap out the old one, it closes its own rubber flap as you remove it from the vacuum, so dust and allergens can’t escape that way. While any vacuum can clean bare floors, some models make the task a little easier. Most people can handle the replacement themselves, or you can go to a shop.) The relative downsides: The Miele vacuum cleaners we like best are bagged and canister vacs, neither of which are very popular in North America circa 2020. In comparison, the V10 and V11 models uses a two-tier, 14-cyclone system. We used to recommend the Miele Dynamic U1 line of upright bagged vacuum cleaners, but we’ve watched the owner ratings plummet. The Miele canister vacuums are among the quietest vacuum cleaners you can buy. the problem seems to be it doesn't set - Answered by a verified Small Appliance Technician We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. One of the most common design complaints (that is, gripes about a feature that’s present on purpose and not a problem that results from a part breaking) is that the Navigator Lift-Away has a tendency to tip over if you yank the hose too hard. Cordless sticks and robot vacuums are convenient, but the best plug-in uprights and canisters clean better and last longer. If you’re concerned about it, try buying from one of those other places, like Target or Bed Bath & Beyond, and double-check to make sure you’re getting one of the mini turbo brushes.) To release the dirt, press the red bin release button. Wirecutter is reader-supported. Canister or upright vacuum? We’ve noted this throughout the guide. The Miele canister vacuums also have a handy auto-rewinding power cord, which is a really convenient feature compared with most upright vacuum cleaners’ manual cord hooks. But we wanted to point out the Complete C3 Calima in particular; we found in our tests that the air-powered turbo brush head it comes with works better on rugs than the electrified head included with some other Miele models. To minimise dust/allergen contact when emptying, encase the clear bin tightly in a plastic bag and empty. The V11 Outsize steps up to 18 cycles. The last big downside to buying a Miele is that you may not have an authorized service center near you. When she’s not tackling messes, she’s tackling rivals on the rugby field. CYCLONE TECHNOLOGY | The V6, V7, and V8 have a two-tier, 15-cyclone system that uses the power of cyclonic centrifuge to spin dirt, dust, and debris—collecting particles as small as 0.3 microns. No problem, but they changed the design from the early ones. Amazon doesn’t clearly list which accessories are included, but other retailers do. HEPA filters are defined as those that remove 99.97 percent or more of airborne particles of 0.3 micron in diameter; nothing captures 100 percent, though, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (PDF). That’s because its parts are made to last the lifetime of the machine, whereas most affordable vacuums need fresh filters and belts to keep running well. (You don’t really need a special vacuum for pets, though.). If they do clog (which can happen to any vacuum of any type), Miele vacuums come apart at all the major joints, without needing any tools. Bagless vacuum cleaners, on the other hand, can end up slowly clogging over time as debris builds up in hard-to-clean parts of the cyclonic separators. Some models got everything out of a corner with no effort, because they had air channels built for that purpose, and others left some debris behind or picked it up only after several passes. We’ve seen conflicting reports about this feature’s effectiveness: Some reviewers say it doesn’t work, and other reviewers say they have had great experiences. We’re not sure exactly what happened. They’re good options If you find them on sale for less than the NV352. They’re easier to carry up stairs, too, because the heft is split. Release it when all the indicator lights will float. Tons of customer reviews, even a bunch of the negative ones, mention that the Navigator Lift-Away is an excellent cleaner. The automatic cord-rewinding mechanism can get stuck in the not-rewound position. Although the vacuum cleaner is relatively lightweight and easy to steer, we did find that the handle was prone to standing itself back into an upright position while we were pushing the vacuum across bare floors. Tim Heffernan contributed reporting to this guide. The mechanism is covered under warranty for the first year (though the full seven years of coverage would be better). To test for ease of maintenance, we tried to clog and tangle each machine with shredded copy paper, Cheerios, Lego pieces, and toy dinosaurs. At eVacuumStore.com we're proud to offer the best prices possible on all dyson parts, hoses, filters and more. We also tried out the Big Ball Multi Floor bagless canister vacuum, but it fell short during testing in similar ways to the Ball Animal 2. In a now-famous Reddit AMA from 2013, vacuum-shop manager and repair technician Brian Driscoll called out the Shark brand as being repair-prone. Dyson also announced in March 2018 that it had stopped developing new plug-in vacuum cleaners, and was instead focusing on cordless models. It won’t go up or down now. Sarah Bogdan is a staff writer at Wirecutter covering appliances. This upright vacuum cleaner is quieter, lighter, and easier to handle than others we’ve tested, partly due to its flexible swivel head. And every vacuum we tested except for our upgrade pick struggled immensely on the longer-fiber fabric. Snowplowing is an issue with many vacuums. This repair should be covered under warranty anyway. High-pile carpets, such as shag or cable cuts, pose a problem for the Navigator Lift-Away. The Hoover React UH73100 looks like our main pick on paper, but we found that it can’t handle high-pile or shag carpet at all, and you’ll need to replace its two filters regularly, at $20 each. This vacuum’s five-year warranty gives us every reason to believe it will last at least that long for most owners. This reliable, effective, easy-to-use, and reasonably priced bagless upright vacuum cleaner will work well in most homes, and it’s been our pick for seven years running. It can feel weird to use one at first, since you’re pulling a little pod around behind you with a long hose. My wife is looking forward to making soups with the heating feature, but it's Summer and too hot in the South to consider that feature. *At the time of publishing, the price was $700. The main reason we love Miele canister vacuum cleaners is that they’re impressively sturdy, without feeling clunky. Our testers vacuumed parts of the ceiling and a medium-pile and high-pile carpet, and they maneuvered the machines into corners and tight spots. That being said, this canister vacuum isn’t cheap, and you’ll also pay for new filters and bags pretty regularly (around $20 per year, if you buy online). For most people, that’s good-enough filtration. We’ve been using the same NV352 unit since January 2014. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 is our top pick for most carpets. The Forerunners reigned for millennia as the ascendant civilization in the galaxy until the activation of the Halo Array, their Pyrrhic solution to halt the Flood, in 97,445 BCE. Liam McCabe is a senior staff writer for Wirecutter, and has covered the wild world of appliances since 2011. We’d buy a C3 model, but a C1 isn’t a bad choice if you want to save the money now. Bags can help a vacuum last longer. 6. Dyson plays up its self-righting feature—it can pick itself up when knocked over. These are the features that a vacuum cleaner needs in order to clean your entire home (bare floors, carpets, and some surfaces off of the floor, too) and to work reliably for more than a few months at a time. We’ve collectively looked at over 1,000 different vacuum models; spent hundreds of hours testing more than 80 contenders, in houses and apartments with different floor layouts; interviewed more than a dozen experts, including engineers, repair technicians, and indoor-air-quality specialists; and talked to regular vacuum owners around the country. The app measured both volume (in decibels) and frequency (in hertz). Below, we list the factors that we prioritized. A vacuum cleaner hose enables areas of the home to be cleaned using the suction power provided by the vacuum’s motor. Liam McCabe has covered vacuums for Wirecutter since 2013, and he once had 20 different vacuums in his apartment at the same time. Buying a plug-in vacuum is like saving for retirement or sorting your laundry—a boring but sensible endeavor that should pay off in the long run. It’s been our pick since 2014, and we’re glad it’s still available. (And for severe allergies, HEPA filters can also help, though they’re not a magic bullet.) It starts with the parts: The canister casing is a lightweight plastic with a rubberlike anti-cracking quality. We covered the pros and cons of this style earlier in this guide, so we won’t repeat those here. When we tested the vac on a shag rug, the brush roll jammed, but the suction alone still picked up more on the surface than most other vacuums we tested. We sprinkled some baking soda next to corners and baseboards to test how each vacuum tackled those. In our testing, we found the NV352 to be a capable, well-rounded cleaner that can pick up all the typical types of debris (dust, crumbs, pet hair, and more) from almost any kind of flooring (including bare floors, and short and long carpets). We tested a similar model (now discontinued), and when the vacuum was on the correct setting, with some effort we were able to push it around in our test on higher-pile carpeting, whereas it was nearly impossible to do so with most other vacuums we tested. To release the dirt, press the red bin release button. “It’s still going strong,” he says. The focus of this guide is limited to plug-in upright or canister vacuums that can clean rugs and carpets. But the evidence we’ve seen leads us to believe that the Navigator Lift-Away is actually more reliable than most vacuum cleaners in this price range. If you’re willing to upgrade to a vacuum that can clean the heck out of your home and last for decades, buy a Miele C3 canister vacuum cleaner. Bed Bath & Beyond is another authorized dealer. The variants come with different combinations of cleaning heads and filters. You can solve the bugs by rebooting the device. We really take these insights to heart. Still, you’d hope that they’d be able to stay in service longer than that, even with improper use. Spoke with brand reps, product managers, and engineers of brands we reviewed, including Dirt Devil, Dyson, Miele, Sebo, and Tacony (manufacturer of Simplicity and Riccar vacuums). We’ve read a couple of accounts of its failing after just a year. We don’t recommend this vacuum cleaner anymore. We’ve tested dozens of plug-in vacuums over the years, and the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 has been our favorite since 2014. You can read about some of these, as well as other models we’ve tested in the past, in the Competition. Combined with a swiveling joint at the cleaning head, that relatively light weight makes it easy to steer this model around corners and against wall edges. That meant isolating the vacuums’ ventilation. You can take off the canister so you’re left with just the low-profile, stick-like body. We tested the top-of-the-line Shark Apex and found it to be a good vacuum, but probably not worth the extra cost over the Navigator. You’ll often see brands label certain vacuums as “pet” versions. That said, you’ll need to replace the bags a few times per year, and the good ones can cost up to $5 each. It’s got dirt in that I can’t get out. Still other vacuums have trouble transitioning from bare floor to carpeting, and some have dustbins that are relatively more difficult to empty. It’s also a good idea to buy the Navigator Lift-Away from a Shark-authorized retailer to ensure that the company won’t make you jump through hoops if you try to make a warranty claim. The best plug-in vacuum cleaners are almost always stronger cleaners than most other vacuum types. Every industry expert we’ve spoken with (even one from a competing brand!) Other reviewers point out that the clips attaching the dust cup to the rest of the main assembly can break off after a couple years’ use, particularly if you carry the assembly by the handle in lift-away mode. We came close to recommending the Shark Navigator Swivel Pro NV150 because the dustbin is easy to empty and the handle is comfortable to hold. In our own emissions test, we also found that the Navigator Lift-Away released less than 2,000 particles sized 0.5 micron or larger per cubic foot. It did not glide across floors as easily as the Simplicity or Miele canister vacuums we tested. Accessories are attached to the end of the … If something does break, Shark’s customer service is generally good about honoring the five-year warranty. The Forerunners were an ancient species of extremely technologically advanced beings whose empire—known as the ecumene—encompassed three million fertile worlds in the Milky Way Galaxy. With the brush roller turned on (its loudest setting), we measured the vacuum’s volume at about 76 decibels. This model is great for those with asthma and allergies, but it requires bags. If you have high-pile carpeting, you may prefer a Miele model with an electrified cleaning head, such as the Miele Complete C3 Kona. (Miele’s new Blizzard line is bagless, but we didn’t find the model we tested to be as effective a cleaner as the company’s traditional models.). Plenty of non-pet vacuums have that tool, too, including many variants of the Shark Navigator, so you don’t need to go out of your way to find a vacuum cleaner marketed to pet owners. I have a photo of the broken plastic piece. With the Shark Navigator Lift-Away guaranteed to last five years on warranty alone, the math proves that paying a little more for a vacuum cleaner will almost always save you money over time. The C3 Calima is the most affordable model with a turbo brush head in the Miele lineup, and like other Miele vacs, it has a crush-proof hose and a totally sealed body, for better dust control and quieter operation. The Dyson doesn’t work on very-high-pile shag carpet, and it also struggles on some regular high-pile rugs because the super-strong suction chokes on the fibers, and there’s no way to manually turn it down. The newer Shark Navigator ZU62 and ZU561 performed well in our tests, coming in third after our main pick, the Navigator Lift-Away NV352, and our runner-up, the Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe NV360. Filters are another consumable part in many other vacuums; most people don’t bother to replace them, and this can severely affect cleaning performance later on. In previous versions of this guide (and in our other vacuum guides), we also did a bunch of testing, but we didn’t measure the results as carefully. if you are referring to a Dyson “stick” vacuum, when emptying the bin, click on the button twice in succession, and this will release the bin section. Some of our staff testers disliked having to use the clips to take off the dust cup. (As of late 2020, Miele also sells several “HomeCare” variants, which are similar to the rest of the lineup but come with extra attachments and are officially sold only through small-ish retailers.). The major parts of the vacuum are the dust bin, pre-filter, post-filter, soft roller, and brush bar. To minimise dust/allergen contact when emptying, encase the clear bin tightly in a plastic bag and empty. Remove the bin, then it’s easy to just brush off the dust, etc. So don’t wait around for newer, better Dyson uprights or canister vacuums—the company is out of the game now. It won't push in, and I can't remove the canister to empty it - or to fix/replace the release catch. Staff writer Signe Brewster says it picks up cat hair from a shag-like rug in a single pass. We think it’s pretty cool that, even though we keep refining our tests, the same vacuums keep coming out on top year after year. The ADV LA322 is a new version of this great vacuum, a little bit lighter and better-looking, but with essentially the same performance in our tests as the classic Navigator Lift-Away models. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. It weighs about 12 pounds, which is much lighter than most full-size upright vacuum cleaners (15 pounds is pretty typical). This was a little annoying to deal with. Amazon reviewers complain about the integrated accessories (which are unique to the Blizzard line) being difficult to use and note that the vacuum’s suction is weaker than that of the bagged models. All it’s done is lifted the metal filter thing a bit out of the clear rubbish canister. This annoyance is typical of any canister vacuum with an electric cleaning head. For example, our Shark pick costs about half as much as our favorite Dyson cordless and is under warranty for much longer. that accumulates in the bin. We also took apart a few of the vacuums to see how difficult it would be to unclog them. And so I haven't been able to "jimmy" it open. And the five-year comprehensive warranty almost guarantees that this model will last longer than anything else at the price. And meanwhile, you’ll have a vacuum that’s easier to maintain and use. It works, but that’s not a huge problem with canister vacuums anyway. The filtration is excellent, which is good for everyone, but especially great for people with asthma or allergies. That’s incredible longevity for any kind of electric product these days. Granted, most Miele models use bags, which are less convenient and incur additional costs over time compared with bagless vacuums. Staff writer Michael Sullivan has owned this model for four years and uses it once a week. The device will then restart. This article outlines the … This model had a good rating with Consumer Reports and was priced at about half the cost of other canisters with just slightly higher ratings. The most versatile option of these is the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352. The plastic latch for the bag door can break, leaving you unable to keep the door closed securely. Type B machines have a small screw located just below the MAX power or boost button. Got one of the older DC41 with a broken cyclone catch. Even if you skip those, we read many reviews about it wearing down (or just breaking) after about a year. With the Shark Navigator Lift-Away guaranteed to last five years on warranty alone, the math proves that paying a little more right now will almost always save you money over time. A handful of other high-end vacuum cleaners from brands such as Riccar and Sebo are similarly durable, but Miele has a wider service network than either of those competitors, so you’ll usually have more technicians to choose from once your vacuum cleaner needs its inevitable midlife tune-up. These traits set the best upright and canister vacuum models apart from the good ones. And even a perfectly sealed bagless vacuum cleaner will eject a bunch of dust whenever you empty it. All Dyson vacuum cleaners are bagless machines that require filters. The Navigator Lift-Away does a decent job of filtering out dust and other allergens. The hoses on the C3 models have metal wiring (sort of like a Slinky), which prevents the airway from getting crushed if you accidentally step on it. We tested the Riccar Vibrance R20D and the Simplicity Freedom S10S a few years ago, based on some techs’ recommendations. However, they cost more than comparable models from other brands, they didn’t clean as well in our tests, and they are much heavier and harder to steer than our favorites (even the “lightweight” model). Hundreds of Amazon and Google Shopping reviewers praise this model for its lightweight frame and easy handling. They are lightweight, repairable machines. The Navigator Lift-Away’s side-suction performance stood out: It picked up almost all of the lentils and cat litter we scattered into a corner and up against baseboards, outperforming even some high-end vacuum cleaners we’ve tested in that regard. Everyday reliability is another upside to the Miele canister vacuums. That makes it easy to get into the cleaning head, the wand, or the hose to knock any obstructions loose. The geared belt in the Navigator Lift-Away won’t stretch out like the traditional flat rubber belt that most vacuum cleaners use, so you shouldn’t see a drop-off in carpet-cleaning performance for many, many years. To release the battery, use a small screwdriver to remove the screw. Sometimes she has to dig hair out of the dustbin by hand, but we’ve found that’s often the case for all bagless vacs. Canisters usually feel lighter to steer because most of the weight is on the ground, not in your hand. Once the screw has been taken out, the battery can be fully removed from the machine. Sure, a $400 Dyson vacuum won’t need new bags or filters or other replacement parts, its five-year warranty is solid, the customer service is great, and Dysons do a great job of cleaning the most common types of flooring. I lifted the little red catch with picture of a bin on. It is recommended that you change these filters as needed in order to maintain optimal performance of your canister or. Keep in mind a few warranty-related caveats: The warranty doesn’t cover replacement filters, the brush roll, or electrical parts, if yours suffer damage, and you’ll have to pay at least $20 in return shipping. The fewer tools and the less time needed, the better. We noticed that we got the same results whether or not we used an external microphone. For most models, only the first year is comprehensive, but the body casing and motors are covered for seven. Another complaint regarding the hose is that the stiffness limits its mobility, and it doesn’t extend far enough to reach places that are high up. Ultimately, some other vacuum cleaners match or nearly match the Miele models’ filtration, but we’re not aware of any that outperform it. To rid a rug of any leftover sand or baking powder in the fibers, we shook the rug out as hard as we could in between tests. And, finally: Nobody can guarantee that your particular Miele canister vacuum will last as long as other people’s Miele canister vacuum cleaners. Sara Rabstenek, Wirecutter’s director of product management, has owned a Miele canister vacuum going on nine years, using it two to three times per week, and says it’s still fantastic. That’s actually pretty loud compared with the best high-end vacuums, but it’s quieter than other cheap vacs we’ve tested, which regularly exceeded 80 decibels. To check the efficacy of the vacuums’ filters, we needed a test chamber that registered only what was in the air after it had been filtered by the vacuum. In our fine-debris pick-up test, however, it picked up less sand and baking soda than any of the other upright models we tested. Some older models, including those from the recently discontinued the C2 line, may still be available at certain retailers, although we expect them to be phased out at some point. The Makita Cyclonic vacuum attachment is engineered for easy disposal of debris. Of the 500-plus vacuum cleaners available today, this is the one that we think will make the most people the happiest. Owners tend to be happy with the Navigator Lift-Away’s cleaning performance, too. Senior staff writer Tim Heffernan’s 12-year-old Miele “still runs like new and has never had a single issue,” even after he mistakenly vacuumed up a lot of plaster dust without a bag in place. If you’re sold on the idea of a high-end bagged vacuum but not a canister vacuum, we love the Sebo Felix upright. Plug-in vacuums have an unlimited run time, so they can work in homes of all sizes. We’ve taken pains to make sure that the links in this guide point only to authorized retailers, but you should double-check before you hit the checkout button. Is it a good idea to pay so much for a vacuum up front and risk a premature breakdown? It cleaned well in our tests, it’s comfortable to use, and it comes with a good set of tools. DISCLAIMER: This is not an instructional post. That being said, cordless-vac run times are now almost long enough that a battery is no longer a limitation. For such pricey vacuum cleaners, they feel a little cheap. Better yet, the spaces in-between the bristles increase the overall airflow to maximize suction. This vacuum is also one of a few models with a lift-away feature, which helps it get under furniture that many other upright vacuums just bash into. It picked up nearly all of the baking soda–sand mixture we sprinkled onto medium-pile carpet, whereas the next-best performer, the Miele Complete C3 Calima, picked up 84 percent. Some people find the wand to be a little heavy, especially with the variants that have wiring to power electric cleaning heads. Remove the clear bin carefully, seal the bag tightly and dispose of as normal.