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When choosing an upright vacuum, you need to ask yourself: Is it easy to use, maneuver, and hold, and can it thoroughly remove dust, dirt, and stains from all areas of my home?
However, choosing an upright vacuum cleaner for you and your home can be difficult.
That's why we reviewed the best upright vacuums in seven key categories.
Let’s get started.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “shark navigator upright vacuum”, the Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum is a lightweight and easy to use vacuum. Being the best vacuum cleaner for carpets, it traps 99.9 percent of dust and allergens inside the vacuum.
Weighing only 12.5 pounds, it is lightweight, portable, and very versatile. It is very easy to maneuver around furniture. It is very valuable, but does have a couple of minor flaws.
More effort needs to be put into managing the power cord so it wouldn't be a constant tripping hazard.
It leaves vacuum track marks in the carpet, and your room will smell fresher than when you use an old vacuum. With excellent suction, the Shark Navigator is priced at $149.00 with free shipping.
This vacuum is great for the price point. It has very strong suction, and is less than half the price of a most Dyson vacuums. We strongly recommend this vacuum because of its cleaning power and affordable price.
So, if you are looking for a lightweight and versatile upright vacuum, the Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum is your best bet.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “shark vacuum”, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum traps dust and allergens while only weighing 12.5 pounds.
You will receive an easily maneuverable vacuum that has a large capacity (12 dry quarts) to hold dust and dirt.
It helps you easily clean hard to reach areas with its lightweight maneuverability. When you begin to put the vacuum together when receiving it in the mail, it is very easy to set up and will only take a few minutes.
When it arrived and customers took it out of the box, they were a little fearful when they saw how narrow the vacuum was.
Their first thought was that they were going to have to do so much more work to get their floors clean. The vacuum arrived in several large pieces, so they used the manual to get it all put together.
It only took a couple minutes, and was not difficult. The detached canister did not sit well on the carpeted stairs. They had to make sure it didn't tip over and tumble down the stairs.
Also, there is an upholstery attachment with a roller that spins when attached to wand and vacuum is on.
There is a very long and extendible thin wand that is meant to help clean under couches and large furniture. There is also a crevice tool.
This vacuum has very powerful suction, and almost makes it seem like it is self propelled. You can also adjust the suction if you are vacuuming a thick carpet, or an area rug, and are trying to keep the vacuum from grabbing onto your carpet.
So, if you are looking for an affordable, easy to use, and powerful dust trapper, then the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum is a great pick.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “oreck vacuums”, the Oreck Commercial Upright Vacuum Cleaner weighs only 9 pounds, and is very easy to use and hold. At $145.56 with free shipping, it is at an affordable price.
With automatic floor adjustment, the vacuum cleaner moves between carpets and hard surfaces without any changes to manual settings. Its balanced brush roll whirls at 6,500 RPM and moves debris toward the vacuum inlet for cleaning.
It weighs just as much as a gallon of milk. The vacuum is easy to work on if you ever have to. You can have it apart in 10 to 15 minutes with nothing more than a #2 Phillips.
Swapping the motor shouldn't be more than a 20 minute job, but judging by the size of the motor, it should last a long time. The carbon brushes are also huge.
On top of that, it is very powerful. Swapping the bags is easy, just hold on each side of the hole on the stiff cardboard part and push straight toward the port.
Customers say the vacuum is fairly loud. However, it is a big bang for your buck. You get what you pay for, Oreck compromises on features to give you a good vacuum for its price.
So, if you want a lightweight, powerful, and high-speed vacuum, the Oreck Commercial Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a great option.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “dyson multi floor 2”, the Dyson Upright Vacuum Cleaner cleans carpets, wood floors, vinyl, and tile. For $299.99, you will get an easy to maneuver upright vacuum. Weighing 15.6 pounds, it is easy to hold.
With radial root cyclone technology, it captures more microscopic dust than any other on the market. Its instant release wand allows for cleaning up high or under furniture. You can easily and hygienically empty the bin with a push of a button.
This easy to clean vacuum has incredible suction with an extra long hose. It doesn't damage wood floors but isn't great for stairs. Using the hose in tight spaces is difficult, and this Dyson upright vacuum might not work well on a high pile or plush carpet.
Picking up everything, it's easy to use everywhere, and is not too heavy or light. This cleaner is worth the price because of the good job it does.
So, if you’re looking for a vacuum cleaner with incredible suction, then the Dyson Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a great choice.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “bissell 9595a”, the Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner powerfully removes stains with its suction and innovative brush design.
For only $94.37 with free shipping, you will get a lightweight and powerful vacuum that gets the job done. Its multi-level filtration makes it easy to carry and push without sacrificing power.
It is perfect for cleaning furniture, stairs, and furniture. The Turbo Brush Tool lifts dirt, debris, and hair from your stairs and upholstery. Weighing 15.4 pounds, it is easy to hold and is lightweight.
The bristles have grooves that prevent hair from caking on it, and it's very easy to clean it. The brushes are also adjustable, so you can deeply clean the carpet.
It's also fairly light for something so heavy duty. All of the attachments stay in the vacuum. For the price, it's a great vacuum and would really work if your place isn't very big, as the cord isn't super long.
This is an inexpensive bagless upright vacuum with a quiet motor and easy controls. To assemble, you will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to fasten the handle. Everything else easily snaps on. The power is controlled by a foot switch.
So, if you want a vacuum cleaner that powerfully removes stains, dirt, and hair, then the Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner is a great choice.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “upright vacuum cleaner”, the BISSELL Swivel Pet Upright Vacuum Cleaner weighs 16 pounds. At $119.99 with free shipping, it is affordable.
Its triple action brush roll + scatter free technology maximizes pet hair pickup, even if it’s fixed in place. Swivel steering makes cleaning around furniture and obstacles easy.
On top of that, its edge-to-edge cleaning feature gets closer to walls and corners with each pass. It also includes specialized pet tools like the pet hair corner tool and pet turbo eraser tool.
With a dirt cup capacity of 1 liter, it can hold lots of dirt and stains. It's easy to assemble out of the box. There are no hand controls, such as incline, power, and cord retraction. They are all pedals you can operate with one foot. You can't beat the price for the features.
While you can't pick it up with one finger, if you can handle a gallon of milk then you'll find it nice and light. Just adjust the deck height, and you’ll have no problems with it snagging or having lots of resistance on a medium to deep pile carpet.
Since there are no hand controls, the incline, power, and cord retraction are all pedals you can operate with one foot. The wheels are rubberized to roll on a hard floor, so it moves nice and smoothly without clanking and screwing up your floor.
The suction is very surprising for a vacuum its size. When you get it setup, it almost looks like a toy, but get going and it will get the job done. It does a fantastic job picking up both dust and debris, and it thoroughly cleans the edges.
Its swivel motion is easy to maneuver, and all you have to do is turn your wrist and you can run it right along the baseboards, where it sucks up the dirt and debris.
So, if you want an affordable and edge-to-edge vacuum cleaner, the BISSELL Swivel Pet Upright Vacuum Cleaner will get the job done.
Being Amazon’s Choice for “vacuum cleaner”, the BISSELL Swivel Pet Vacuum Cleaner powerfully picks up pet hair with its triple action brush. For just $99.99, you will be able to clean edges and corners with edge to edge cleaning.
You will also be able to easily remove pet hair with specialized pet tools. Its bottom, easy, and empty dirt bin makes emptying quick and mess free. Being an Amazon #1 best seller, it weighs only 15 pounds, and has a dirt tank capacity of 1 liter.
The included accessories are very efficient, and there is space to store them in the vacuum itself, with the exception of the pet turboeraser tool. Dumping the canister is simple and clean.
With this vacuum, every part, except the motor area, can be washed with soap and water. The reusable filter, dust bin, and the accessories are easily removable and washable. Of course, you must wait until all the parts are dry before using them again.
The dust bin is large, and the electric cord is very long, the longest we have ever seen in a vacuum. This enables us to clean many rooms before having to empty the dustbin, or unplug and plug the vacuum again.
It is easy to go from cleaning hardwood floors to rugs which is particularly useful when your house has hardwood flooring covered with rugs.
This Bagless Vacuum Cleaner from Bissell is spectacular in homes with pets and the price can't be beat. It is lightweight but has a very wide brush roller so it takes less time to vacuum.
The brush roller is fantastic for picking up pet hair. It also does an excellent job of picking up fine dust and dirt. The plastic casing around the brush roller is clear, too, so you can easily see if you have a lot of hair or fibers wrapped around it.
If you are looking for an affordable vacuum cleaner that easily removes pet hair, then the BISSELL Swivel Pet Vacuum Cleaner is a great choice.
According to an Australian study, old vacuums can do more harm than good. This is why it is necessary to use new, high-quality vacuums that will clean your carpets, and will reduce your allergies. Harvard says that to improve indoor air quality, vacuuming your carpets and area rugs at least once or twice a week will get the job done.
Upright vacuums are suction powerhouses that are capable of handling most dirt, stains, and debris. Floor heads, large holding capacities, and a strong construction pack tons of dirt destroying potential into a portable system.
A bagged vacuum cleaner works in the traditional way of using a replaceable bag as a filter to trap the dirt while allowing air to flow through the bag. When full, these bags must be replaced(which can be a hassle).
On the other hand, bagless vacuum cleaners use filters to trap dirt and dust in a chamber which can then be emptied. If you have an apartment, read our review of the recommended vacuums for apartments.
A vacuum is easier to use and clean with when it is lightweight and easy to carry. On the other hand, a vacuum that is on the heavier side will feel clunky and might lead to back pain down the road.
So, which upright vacuum will you buy?
