Bagless vacuums are becoming increasingly popular as their technology improves. The big advantage is that they eliminate the hassle of buying and replacing bags, which is better both for the environment and your wallet. Today's bagless vacuums have improved filtration systems to trap allergens and dust, keeping those tiny particles from flying around the room or resettling on the room's furnishings. They're also easier and neater to empty than they used to be. However, if you prefer the additional filtration of a bagging vacuum, see our discussion of the best bagged vacuums elsewhere in this report. Don't like to vacuum? See our recommendations for robotic vacuums and sit back and let them do the dirty work. In the bagless vacuum category it's always a close call between Dyson and Shark, and for this update, the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away NV501 (Est. $250) once again takes the top spot. The Rotator NV501 gets top ratings from both experts and owners, scoring just as well as or better than Dyson models in professional testing.

The NV501 is also highly versatile. It can be converted into a canister vacuum using the Shark's "Lift-Away" process to simply detach the main vacuum unit and power head from the upright's framework, which makes it a breeze to clean in tough spots like stairs and under beds. The NV501 has an 11.5-inch cleaning path, a bit narrow compared to some upright vacuum cleaners, and some say they wish it were wider; however, its extreme maneuverability and good array of included accessories make that a non-issue, most say. In fact, many owners note that it fits into spaces where larger, bulkier vacuums don't, like between and behind furnishings. Quite a few also comment that it's so easy to push that it doesn't feel like a chore to take those extra passes that its narrow width makes necessary. The power head is equipped with LED headlights, but most say they're too dim to provide much illumination. It weighs just under 16 pounds, which is considered lightweight compared to many other full-sized, upright vacuums.

As for accessories, the NV501 has a nice selection, although we saw some comments that, for the price, even more should be included. top rated vacuum cleaners for stairsOut of the box, the Shark Rotator includes an 11-inch crevice too, a dusting brush and a power brush for cleaning upholstery, and that particular attachment gets great reviews for picking up pet hair from furniture. where to rent duct cleaning equipmentIf you need more accessories, there are quite a few that are available to buy separately.best way to clean beige car seats Allergy sufferers and pet owners are the biggest fans of the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away In addition to the power brush that whisks pet hair off furniture, it features a sealed, HEPA filter to trap allergens.

Owners say they see very few emissions from this vacuum -- and it earns an Excellent in professional tests in that category -- something they say helps keep their air cleaner. Many say they see a noticeable improvement in deeper cleaning of carpets than previous vacuums they have owned. If you primarily have bare floors in your home, you may want to take a look at the Dyson Ball Multi Floor (Est. $400), formerly known as the Dyson DC65. Its self-adjusting cleaner head makes it a breeze to transition from hardwood floors, to area rugs, to carpet and back again, say owners. That makes it easy to use on area rugs without pulling their corners up into the vacuum. It also gets great reviews for picking up everything from the finest dust motes and pet hairs, to chunky challenges like pet food and litter without scattering it across the floor. Some owners say that its ball technology takes some getting used to as it feels skitterish on hard floors, but once they get used to it they praise the easy navigation.

The Dyson Multi Floor may be a better choice than the Shark NV501 for some because it has a 13.5-inch cleaning path, more than 2 inches wider than the NV501. It also includes a combination crevice and stair tool, but has nothing near the overall versatility of the Shark Rotator. Of course, the big downside to the Dyson is that it's pricey. Even the Shark, although it's quite a bit less expensive than the Dyson, may be a stretch for some wallets. The good news is that the Hoover WindTunnel T-Series (Est. $120) beats both the Shark and the Dyson in professional tests -- it's the only bagless vacuum awarded a score of Excellent for pet hair and tool airflow in one independent review. It also earns an Excellent rating for emissions, making it a great choice for allergy sufferers as well. The Hoover WindTunnel gets raves from owners for its performance on pet hair, but many note that it works better on carpet than on hardwood floors -- and professional testing bears that out. This is probably due to the fact that it lacks a brushroll shutoff, which can result in debris being spewed around the floor as it hits the roller.

However, The WindTunnel includes a crevice tool, powered hand tool, extension wand and combination upholstery tool/dusting brush -- a very good number of versatile attachments compared to even high-end bagless upright vacuum cleaners Unlike the 30-foot cords on the Shark and Dyson, the WindTunnel has a shorter 27-foot cord that is retractable, but some owners say the retraction mechanism stops functioning after just a few uses. The dirt cup is reported to be on the small side, owners say, and pet fur tends to accumulate and get stuck in the bottom of the cup, requiring manual cleaning or using your fingers to remove the packed-in fur.The top performers in our review are the Miele Dynamic U1 Twist, the Gold Award winner; the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal, the Silver Award winner; and Kenmore Intuition, the Bronze Award winner. Here’s more on choosing an upright vacuum to meet your needs, along with detail on how we arrived at our ranking of these 14 products. Your floors are dirty.

We’re not judging you; it’s just an unpleasant fact. Dirt and bacteria collect on carpets over time and get ground into carpet fibers where it all stays until you do something about it. Hardwood, linoleum and tile are no exception. Aside from the surface dirt and debris are the crevices between planks and tiles and alongside edges. An upright vacuum cleaner is one of the best ways you can give your floors a good, deep cleaning. These modern-day beasts of burden can eliminate evidence of spilled potting soil, pull up deeply set-in dust and allergens and remove stubborn pet hair. The best upright vacuum cleaners combine low profiles with foot-controlled buttons that allow you to dip the body of the vacuum down so it is parallel with the floor so you can slide the machine under a couch, a low coffee table and beds. They should use true HEPA filtration that traps almost 100 percent of allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander and pollen, and keeps them in their sealed systems. Most homes have a combination of floor types, so it’s helpful to have an upright vacuum cleaner that allows you to shut off its brush roller, so it won’t scratch floors or kick back dirt onto your legs.

It’s also useful to be able to adjust the height of the vacuum’s head – the closer it can get to the floor's surface, the better it can pick up debris. If you’re looking for a way to keep your home’s floors clean every day with minimal effort on your part, you want to consider a robot vacuum. There are some advantages to choosing a canister vacuum cleaner – especially if you have mostly hard-surface flooring or lots of stairs to vacuum, so be sure to check out our suggestions on the best canister vacuums available. To keep your carpets clean and fresh, you want to invest in a carpet cleaner, and you can find the best one for you based on our tests and analysis. Many other features, design details and accessories also play a big part in your decision when you’re ready to choose the upright vacuum cleaner. You can see the vacuum cleaners we tested in action and learn more from our videos and articles on upright vacuum cleaners. You can get an upright vacuum cleaner in blue, purple, black, orange and almost any other color.

Some come with every accessory you can imagine. Most importantly, though, is how well the vacuum sucks up all the icky stuff, so we put all of the machines on our list through a battery of tests. A great upright vacuum cleaner goes beyond just picking up surface area dirt and debris – it digs deep to reach all of the dust, pet dander, pet hair and other particulates that you can’t detect with the naked eye. So, in a home with combination flooring, we set out to determine which of these machines could clean thoroughly. We gave each vacuum cleaner the job of sucking up flour, pet hair, human hair, crumbs, cereal, cat litter and garlic skins. Each test gave us data that proved most vacuum cleaners are great at picking up dirt and debris, but some were able to do so faster and more thoroughly than others. If you suffer from allergies, vacuuming can seem like torture – the agitation of rugs and carpets inevitably kicks up dust and other particulates into the air – unless you have a vacuum cleaner with a sealed system and true HEPA filtration.

The combination of those features ensure that 99.87 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns and larger in size are blocked by the filter, which means the air that’s recirculated from the vacuum is cleaner and nearly free of allergens. Modern upright vacuum cleaners make it easy for you to clean all of your floors, regardless of the type. A common feature they now include is a button that allows you to turn off the brush roll, which makes your upright machine more effective at cleaning hard floors without causing damage. Combine that feature with height adjustment – whether it’s automatic or you control it with a knob – and you get stronger suction on low-pile carpets or hard floors. Upright vacuums do more than clean floors these days, and some of the models on our lineup include suction control. Different suction levels that you can choose means having the ability to use lower suction power so as not to damage delicate rugs or curtains. We included tests to demonstrate which upright vacuum was able to get into hard-to-reach places, too.

It’s important that you can easily turn a corner with your vacuum cleaner, reach cobwebs on ceilings and sneak under furniture to clear out dust bunnies, so a swiveling head and low profile are ideal. And a wide cleaning path means you can get your floors cleaner quicker. You can’t get around a noisy upright vacuum cleaner, really. The combination of the motor, the suction and the vibration that’s used to power the vacuum to clean effectively means there’s going to be some noise. The quieter it is, though, the better. So, we measured the decibel level of each vacuum cleaner. Also important are all of the features that make vacuuming easier, faster and more effective – the easier it is to use may mean fewer complaints from whoever has to do the chore. Details that may not seem important at first glance can reduce your frustration, such as power cord length – the longer it is, the more rooms you can vacuum before having to switch outlets. The location of the on switch should be intuitive and easy to reach.

Choosing a bagless or bagged upright vacuum cleaner comes down to how sensitive you are to allergens, personal preference and cost. Allergens can be more easily contained in a bag, and when you switch it out, you won’t be exposed to as much of the debris as with bagless dustbins. Some vacuum cleaners include indicators that let you know when it’s time to clean the filter or change the bag, which helps save you time and possibly money. We timed how long it took to empty the bin, change a bag and untangle a roller – though it’s much easier to just cut the hair off the bristles – and came up with a percentage that reflects how easy the vacuum is to maintain. Although you could benefit from an upright vacuum cleaner with no extendable hose or extra attachments, most include the hose and a couple of accessories at minimum. And like any home appliance, vacuum cleaners include warranties that generally cover the motor and other parts to ensure they’re free of defects.

Nearly every one of the vacuums we feature on our lineup includes an extendable hose, which is expected. The hose gives you extra reach for ceilings, corners and behind furniture – and an extendable wand gives you even more length. An upholstery tool can loosen hair and lint from your furniture and collect it all in your vacuum as you tidy up your living areas. A dusting brush makes it easy to get more chores done at one time, such as dusting blinds and computer keyboards. And a crevice tool is almost a necessity when you have a cat (Does the cat litter spread ever end?) and to use to get along baseboards and in tight spots where your vacuum can’t reach. Most upright vacuum cleaners include a solid warranty for at least one year that covers defective parts and the motor, but most manufacturers offer even better protection for the vacuum’s motor. It’s important that you’re able to communicate with customer support from the manufacturer when you have a question about your vacuum.

The manufacturers that have service centers make it easy for you to get your vacuum cleaner repaired when it needs it, which means long-term savings for you. After our extensive tests, we found that the Miele Dynamic U1 Twist offered the most impressive system overall, and especially for those who have allergies. It combines a sealed system, bags and true HEPA filtration to eliminate the most allergens possible. Its swiveling head made it simple to move around corners and its extra-long power cord meant we rarely had to unplug it to find a new outlet. One upright vacuum cleaner with impressive suction power came from the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal vacuum cleaner. Its long, flat head seems to almost make a seal between it and the floor to apply the maximum amount of suction – we pulled deep, set-in dirt and more from between planks of hardwood floor we didn’t expect. The ball design and swiveling head work together to make this unit very easy to move around the floor. Another bagged vacuum cleaner made it to the top of the list: The Kenmore Intuition had excellent suction, picking up 100 percent of the debris we tasked it with tackling, and most of the time, in the fewest passes comparatively.

This upright vacuum has one of the widest cleaning paths of the vacuum cleaners on our list, which means you can clean your floors faster than ever. Although the Oreck XL Classic did not rank as high as the other vacuums on our lineup, it is a compact, bagged unit that performs well. If you don’t need an extendable hose or accessories and prefer a bagged vacuum cleaner, this one might work well for you. If you’d rather not deal with a cord at all, the Hoover Air Cordless Series 3.0 fits the bill. It performed well in most of our tests, but you don’t get all of the features and convenience you do with a standard upright vacuum cleaner. In the end, what you want is a vacuum that really works to get your floors as clean as possible. If your priority is to eliminate the allergens that may be present in your carpets, then you want an upright vacuum that has a sealed system and true HEPA filtration, and perhaps one that requires bags. There are many units on our lineup that are versatile and can clean more than just your floors, so be sure to read all of the upright vacuum cleaner reviews to find one that’s perfect for your home.