Would a robot vacuum cleaner work for you? The GHI team visits Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to collect vacuum testing supplies 6 ways you could be cleaning your carpet better Video: How to remove red wine stain from carpetBest Budget Toasters ($50 or Less) Four models that are easy to manage — and really suck up dirt. Then, make sure all your floors are tidy with these top carpet-cleaning machines. Lightweight ChampLightweight ChampLugging a vacuum from room to room, floor to floor is enough to make you say, "I can live with those crumbs!" But the Electrolux Intensity ($299) takes the torture out of toting. It weighs just 16 pounds (about a third less than a typical upright), but don't let that fool you: The vacuum sucked up sand, talc, oatmeal, and sugar better than any other model in our tests. Plus, its handle folds down for compact storage, and a quick press of the rewind button slurps up the retractable cord. The Electrolux's downside is that it doesn't come with attachments.

Light and LoadedLight and LoadedIf you can't live without your crevice tool, check out the Dyson Slim ($470), which also weighs 16 pounds. The Slim cleaned almost as well as the Electrolux — and it comes with an extendable hose, lint brush, and other goodies. Added bonus: Its rounded base swivels, so cornering is a breeze. Tested and Trusted: The Best Slow Cookers We tested the latest of these helpful, compact appliances. These are the five that really cleaned up. How We TestedHow We TestedLighter than full-size vacuums, easier to push and less bulky for better storage, these compact vacuum cleaners make quick work of minor debris and big spills.To find the best, our lab pros wheeled 11 models over carpet and bare floors, sucking up baking soda, oatmeal, dried orzo and more. They measured noise levels, ease of washing and replacing parts and, on battery-operated models, run and recharge times. And they took note of the number of tools and special features. Finally, our consumer testers scored the vacs' maneuverability.

The Winner: Bissell Lift-Off 2-In-1 Cyclonic CordlessThe Winner: Bissell Lift-Off 2-In-1 Cyclonic CordlessWhat We Love About It: The Bissell outperformed the rest with the best combo of floor and carpet cleaning. vacuum cleaner amazon best sellerIt did especially well along walls; vacuum cleaner amazon best sellersoft wheels and a bumper won't leave nicks or scratches. best dark hardwood floor cleanerSteering is practically effortless, said testers: "very swivel-y" and "extremely smooth."dryer vent cleaning vacuumEvery part of its dust cup is washable, so the vac works efficiently every time. best hardwood floor cleaner consumer reports

Tools store neatly on its charging base. "I like how well balanced its weight feels." "On a scale of one to five, I give it a 10!" Watch Robo-Vacs in ActionAnyone with a dog or cat—or teenager—appreciates the power of a capable vacuum. cleaning wood floors bleachTo 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. This Kenmore is also a great choice if you have a cat or dog. Key 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. But handling this vac's 23 pounds took some muscle. 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.

Pluses include a large dust bin, onboard tool storage, and an electric rotating brush that adapts for vertical surfaces. But 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.