But carpet-cleaning claims fall short of bigger upright vacuums Three new stick vacuums have taken the top three spots in Consumer Reports’ tests of small vacuum cleaners. And although they didn’t meet claims that they clean like full-size vacuums, the lightweight contenders got excellent marks for cleaning bare floors and picking up pet hair, and also for light carpet cleaning. Frankly, we didn’t expect them to excel at deep carpet cleaning; that chore is best left to heavier uprights. Topping our stick vacuum tests is the cordless Dyson DC59 Animal, $500, which the company claims “sucks up as much dust as a conventional vacuum." Next is the cordless Dyson DC59 Motorhead, $550, with claims that it can "out-clean the top five best-selling full-size vacuums across carpets and hard floors." Both weigh 5 pounds. In third place is the corded Shark Rocket HV302, $200, which claims it deep-cleans carpets better than the Dyson DC40, $500, a bagless upright that was lackluster in our tests.

At almost 9 pounds, the Shark is the heaviest of the three. Our tests of small vacuums include a lighter carpet cleaning test than that for full-size uprights and canisters and measure how well a lightweight vacuum removes surface debris from a carpet. The Dyson DC59 Animal, powered by a 21.6-volt lithium-ion battery, excelled at this test and was also superb at cleaning bare floors, edges, and pet hair. On the minus side, you get just 7 minutes of run time in high-power boost mode, and charging takes 4 hours. And the Animal was a beast on noise, the most raucous of the small vacuums in our tests. The Dyson DC59 Motorhead did nearly as well and is quieter. It uses the same battery but gets only 6 minutes of run time in boost mode, with the same charging time. The Shark Rocket HV302 came in just behind the Dyson DC59 Motorhead, scoring a notch lower for edge cleaning (due to the left edge, where the drive belt runs) with similarly quiet operation. And the corded Shark doesn’t need charging.

When we put the stick vacuums through the tougher carpet cleaning test that we use for larger vacuums, they showed their true colors. The Dyson DC59 Motorhead and the Shark Rocket HV302 were only mediocre for carpets, and the Dyson DC59 Animal scored a bit lower, only fair. Ironically, the Shark met its claims that it cleans like the Dyson DC40 Multi Floor because that vacuum also scored fair in the carpet test. Although the Dysons are expensive, you could do a lot worse than this trio if you want a light vacuum for bare floors, pet hair, and other surface messes. Then leave the deep cleaning to the big guys. For more choices see our Ratings of almost 140 hand, stick, upright, and canister vacuums and learn how to choose the right vacuum with our vacuum buying guide. Build & Buy Car Buying Service Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience. Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shopThe Shark HV302 Rocket ultralight upright vacuum cleaner is perfect for people who want the convenience of an upright vacuum, but who don’t want to lug around a heavy machine.

The Shark Rocket has a black and orange plastic casing, with a power head base, and a long tube leading up to the “rocket” end, which collects dust and debris, and contains the internal motor which features Rocket Technology.best cordless vacuum cleaner uk This is technology that you expect from most modern vacuum cleaners today.best way to clean microsuede couches This vacuum cleaner was engineered to trim away the unnecessary bits of plastic and mechanics that you don’t need. cleaning wood floors shinyThis also enables the manufacturer to keep the price low. The Rocket also has a lot of versatility. Some upright vacuums don’t clean carpets, but the Rocket cleans not only carpets but hardwood floors too.

You can even detach the power head and lift the tubing up into the air to clean those corners of the ceiling prone to cobwebs. The Rocket sucks up dirt through various holes in the base of the head. A microfibre cloth attaches here, to collect those microscopic particles that can’t be seen with the human eye, but that can wreck havoc with the allergy sufferer’s sinuses. It promises to never lose suction power, even when the canister is completely filled up. This is technology that you expect from most modern vacuum cleaners today. The Sharp Rocket is perfect for cleaning carpets or floors, and it will get into the deepest reaches of a carpet to remove dust, dirt, and debris. You’ll be able to clean the entire room, from ceiling to floor. The cleaning wand has a quick release button, so you can use it to clean the tops of shelves or ceilings. The Sharp Rocket has swivel steering, making it easier to maneuver around corners and under furniture so you can clean the entire floor, and not have to mop up any missed patches afterwards.

Check Price of Shark HV302 You’ll find that you can easily lift the entire Rocket vacuum cleaner with one hand. The Rocket is extremely compact. You can attach a knob to the wall, inside your closet or on a post, and hang up the vacuum. The bottom of the rocket hangs down, not out, so it can be safely stowed away. You’ll find that you can easily lift the entire Rocket vacuum cleaner with one hand. The Rocket has some great attachments so that you can vacuum your entire home without having to worry about three different vacuum cleaners to tackle every job. One of the most handy features is the small vacuum brush tool. This brush is perfect for cleaning the keyboard of your computer or laptop, which you may not wish to subject to the larger suction power of your vacuum cleaner. You can use the Rocket as a handheld vacuum, which is perfect to clean furniture, shelves, and cushions. You can also use it to clean the stairs, as normally it would be difficult to carry an upright vacuum up and down stairs, particularly for senior people.

There is also a crevice tool for cleaning tiny spaces, and a pet upholstery tool to get pet hair out of furniture. A dusting brush will help to remove dust from tables and shelves. The bottom of the Sharp Rocket takes microfiber pads which can be easily taken on and off to be washed. These capture minute particles that the suction function of the vacuum cleaner might miss. The brush roll on the base runs at two different speed settings. One is for deep cleaning of carpets to remove embedded dirt, and the other is a more gentler setting to sweep up dirt from hardwood floors, tiles, and small area rugs. You can also purchase your Sharp Rocket with the extended tool kit, which is highly recommended so that you don’t have to buy a second vacuum cleaner for any purpose. The Rocket comes with a removable dust cup that doesn’t require any disposable bags so you can save money. You can easily hold the dust cup over the garbage bin, then press the release button on the base.

This opens it up, so it can be conveniently emptied. The base of the vacuum cleaner has a motorized brush roll, and swivel steering. The two speed brush roll button is on the top of the cleaner. There is an ergonomic handle which makes holding it easier, and provides less strain on your hands. The handle is coated with rubber, to make it easier to grip, and avoid sliding around while you’re vacuuming. Around the top of the vacuum is also a storage hook where you can keep the cord. The dust cap canister is just underneath. The Shark Rocket runs on 500 watts of cleaning power. It has a long thirty foot cord, so that it can reach two or three rooms without having to be unplugged and moved to a new outlet. The Shark HV302 Rocket weighs only 7.5 pounds. It comes with washable filters, so you don’t need to replace them. Inside the Shark HV302 Rocket box you’ll receive the Shark HV302 Rocket ultralight vacuum cleaner, the twelve inch crevice tool, an upholstery tool, the dusting brush, the Dust-Away hard floor attachment, a microfiber pad for the floor attachment, a car detail kit, a wall mount kit, and the accessories bag.