Anyone with a dog or cat—or teenager—appreciates the power of a capable vacuum. To test vacuum cleaners at Consumer Reports we buy special cat hair and embed it in medium pile carpet. Then we put the newest upright, canister, small, and robotic vacuums through a battery of tough tests to see how they perform. But we don’t stop there. We also toss sand on a bare floor and clean it up and we measure the emissions and noise from each model. Here are the best choices from this year’s batch of vacs. Kenmore Elite 31150, $350 Strong airflow for tools, scant emissions, and superb pet-hair pickup are top attractions of this Kenmore bagged upright. While you can get a fine performer for less, its price includes such helpful features as a brush on/off switch, which safeguards a bare floor's finish and prevents scattering of debris; suction control (protects drapes); and manual carpet pile-height adjustment. Kenmore has been a solid performer in our tests over the past several years, though a notch below Miele and LG overall.

Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Bagless UH70120, $130 Impressive cleaning and super pet-hair pickup helped put this bagless upright on our winner's list. This model also delivers lots of suction for tools, manual carpet pile-height adjustment (better for matching the brush to the surface), and a retractable cord—all in a low-priced, relatively light machine that weighs just 18 pounds. Two things this value-priced model doesn't include: suction control for drapes and a brush on/off switch to safeguard bare floors and prevent scattered debris. Among upright brands, Hoover has been a solid performer in our tests. Kenmore Elite 81714, $400 Overall this is a very good canister vacuum cleaner. It did a very good job removing embedded dirt from carpets. When cleaning surfaces such as kitchen and hardwood floors, this model was an excellent performer. Its impressive pet-hair pickup is a benefit for dog and cat owners. This model was judged good for handling and weighs 25 pounds.

The Kenmore has impressive suction when cleaning with tools. This model is one of the few that's compatible with the new ultra-plush carpets. Superb cleaning, lots of airflow for tools, and fairly quiet running helped make this bagless canister a top pick. hvac duct cleaning indiaThis Kenmore is also a great choice if you have a cat or dog. best way to clean microfiber furnitureKey features include manual carpet pile-height adjustment (better for matching brush to surface), suction control (protects drapes when using tools), a brush on/off switch (safeguards bare floors), and a retractable cord. easiest way to clean fake wood blindsBut handling this vac's 23 pounds took some muscle. best leather cleaner for jeep

And emptying a bagless vacuum's bin can be a messy chore. Among canister brands, Kenmore has consistently been among our top performers. Eureka Easy Clean 71B, $50 Eureka's corded hand vacuum was better suited for pickup on bare floors and at edges, but it was impressive overall and fairly quiet. how much does it cost to clean an air conditioning coilPluses include a large dust bin, onboard tool storage, and an electric rotating brush that adapts for vertical surfaces. best rated upright vacuum cleaner by consumer reportsBut the exhaust from the powerful motor can blow debris around before it can be picked up. And it’s on the heavy side for a hand vacuum. This tall, slim, stick vacuum has the trademark Dyson styling. It aced our tests for carpet, bare floors, pet hair, and edges, thus vaulting it to the top of the stick vacuum group.

Its scores for noise were middling and it takes four hours to charge the lithium ion battery, which results in just seven minutes of run time. But Dyson fans will find the V6 is a keeper. While on the expensive side, there's no beating this Roomba's ability to clean carpet surfaces and bare floors, including edges. You can set a different program for each day. And, as with the other robotics in our tests, it includes a quick-setup guide. On the minus side, we found programming a challenge, and we needed to clear cat hair from the brush. Still, this robotic is a winner overall. Put Your Feet Up and Vacuum LG HOM-BOT 3.0 LrV790R Robot Vacuum LG's robot vacuum also has a "Learning Function" that allows HOM-BOT to recognize the areas it has cleaned before, so it remembers the best cleaning path to take and what obstacles might be standing in its way. LG’s HOM-BOT 3.0 robot vacuum features a square design and long side brushes to better clean corners, wall edges and small areas.

It offers seven cleaning modes, including everything from Zig-Zag for large areas with few obstacles to Smart Turbo that automatically adjusts to floor and carpet surfaces and cleans with turbo-charged performance. A main brush loosens and sweeps dirt and dust throughout the home, while side brushes clean corners and edges. And at just 3 inches tall, it’s slim enough to fit under most furniture with ease. And with two cameras, one mount on the top and bottom, the HOM-BOT maps the area around your home as it cleans, calculating optimal cleaning paths 50 times each second to make sure it doesn’t miss a spot. The top camera takes as many as 30 images every second while the optical sensor on the bottom reads the surface up to 2,000 times per second for mapping and location purposes. HOM-BOT manages to do all this cleaning quietly at a low 50dB, thanks to its insulation that absorbs vibrations and reduces noise. LG’s robot vacuum also has a “Learning Function” that allows HOM-BOT to recognize the areas it has cleaned before, so it remembers the best cleaning path to take and what obstacles might be standing in its way.