Best Vacuum Cleaners (2026): Cordless Vacuums, Robot Vacuums, Dysons
adminUpdated 1 hour Ago6 Mins read
Comparing Our Favorite Vacuum Cleaners
Honorable Mentions
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder for $260: This was our previous top pick for the best cordless vacuum. It got bumped though because the regular Bissell PowerClean ($200) is a touch cheaper since it doesn’t come with the FurFinder upholstery attachment, while Dyson and Ryobi’s vacuums have more powerful suction for pet hair.
Black and Decker Dustbuster Flex for $130: This is another cool handheld vacuum that’s great for cars or even indoor areas like staircases. It has a 4-foot hose, longer than most compact vacuums, and a handy little charging mount that the accessories clip into. Thank goodness for the charging mount, though, since the battery only lasts 15 minutes.
Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai Robot Vacuum for $1200: This is Dyson’s first robot vacuum that doubles as a mop, and it serves both purposes well. It uses the same app as other Dyson vacuums and can learn multiple floors of your home. The base station is large and unique, with a visible dustbin that’s certainly a callback to the clear dustbins of the brand’s cordless vacuums. Dyson says it has artificial intelligence to spot stains and scrub them away, but I couldn’t tell a difference and it didn’t spot the cherry stains I intentionally created. It’s also tall, so it was often bumping into cabinets and low furniture.
Dyson V8 Cyclone for $400: This is a new version of the long-favored Dyson V8, but I wasn’t super impressed when testing it side by side with the only slightly more expensive V10 Konical. It did a fine job and has 150 air watts of power, but I’d recommend the V10 over the V8 any day.
Dyson V10 Konical for $500: I expected to prefer the V8 Cyclone, but the V10 Konical did a better job vacuuming up debris in my tests, comes with a HEPA filter, and has a built-in light so you can better spot dust and dirt when using it on hard floors. When tested and scored against all of the new and current Dyson vacuums, the V10 Konical was in third place, ahead of both the V8 Cyclone and the V15 Detect. It’s a great buy if you want a Dyson vacuum but don’t want to manage multiple heads, and it will be compatible with Dyson’s base station that comes out later this year.
Dyson V15Detect for $846: There are a lot of Dyson vacuum models, and the older V15 Detect is a good choice if you want two vacuum heads included without spending close to a grand. There’s an option to upgrade and get a Submarine wet roller head if you want it to double as a mop. It performed solidly in testing against Dyson’s other vacuums, but wasn’t the best. I’d recommend looking for it on sale for under $700; anything higher and there’s no point in not buying the Gen5Detect or V16 Piston Animal instead.
Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones for $600: This is a new take on a stick vacuum with the motor and dustbin built into the slender handle. There’s both a Fluffycones version, which I tested, that has four fluffy cone-shaped rollers in the head, and a cheaper Fluffy version. I was impressed with the maneuverability of the PencilVac Fluffycones and often find myself grabbing it between runs of my robot vacuum to keep debris and cat litter under control. It’s also lightweight and easy to push, and it has a freestanding charging mount. But it’s a little pricey for being only for hard floors.
Ecovacs Deebot X11 Omnicyclone for $1100: If you want a newer robot vacuum, the Ecovacs Deebot X11 Omnicyclone has a unique design with no dust bag. Instead, it has a rounded canister like a Dyson or stick vacuum, circling the debris to keep it from tangling. It’s a great robot vacuum overall, especially if you don’t want to buy dust bags over and over.
Eufy X10 Pro Omni for $700: This was our previous top robot vacuum pick. It’s a well-priced option that can vacuum and mop, and has a solid 8,000 Pa of suction power. But Eufy does have a newer model that you can pick up for just a little more if you want a self-cleaning roller mop instead of roller pads, with almost double the suction power.
Roborock Saros 20 for $1,600: Roborock’s latest robot vacuum is overall pretty good, but WIRED reviewer Adrienne So noticed it left debris behind on her hard floors, specifically on the divider when it moved from her carpet onto hard flooring. This could be a fault of the super-high suction, which hits 36,000 Pa. There are a few other features she hoped would work better, too, including the AdaptiLift (which raises the vacuum up on uneven surfaces) and beta stain-detection feature. We’re in touch with Roborock about these issues.
Shark PowerDetect Cordless Vacuum for $418: This is the original PowerDetect vacuum I recommended, with 380 watts of power, three cleaning models, two accessories, and an option to upgrade to include a self-emptying vase station. It can bend to get under furniture and often outpaced Dyson vacuums in my tests, especially when cleaning up sand or cereal on carpet. I prefer the Shark PowerDetect Speed a little more since it’s cheaper and has more options for its base station, but either vacuum is a smart buy.
Tineco Pure One Station 5 for $459: If you want a cordless stick vacuum but don’t want to deal with emptying it all the time, this Tineco vacuum comes with a self-emptying docking station. You’ll eventually have to empty the station, but it’s a great bonus feature and keeps the vacuum from falling over around your home since it’s stored safely in the docking station.
Worx Cordless Cube Vacuum for $120: This adorable, cube-shaped vacuum is one of my favorite handhelds, and is my go-to for vacuuming the car since it’s so easy to hold. It can also store all of its accessories inside itself, and the hose is four feet long to reach your entire carpeted car trunk.
FAQs
Which Style Vacuum Is Right for You?
To help you choose which one to buy, here’s what makes each vacuum style great.
- Cordless Vacuums or Stick Vacuums: These vacuums look like the name suggests, with a long, sticklike arm that connects the vacuum head to the canister and controls. You’ll need to hold this up in a way you wouldn’t have to with an upright vacuum, but these are powerful and super mobile. They make for a great main vacuum, and are especially useful if you have multiple floors to vacuum since they’re easy to carry up and down stairs.
- Robot Vacuums: Robot vacuums and are controlled with an app and allow for hands-free cleaning. Several models that double as mops, too. You’ll have to spend time moving furniture for the best clean possible, and you’ll usually still want a regular vacuum of some kind. But these are a huge help for frequent cleans in homes with kids and pets.
- Handheld Vacuums: Handheld vacuums are ideal for targeted cleans or for cleaning specific places like stairs and cars. Most stick vacuums can transform into a handheld vacuum, but true handhelds are much lighter and have a more compact design (but also sacrifice battery power and dustbin capacity).
What About Upright Vacuums?
An upright vacuum is the classic, original vacuum style that sits straight up on its own, is much heavier than a cordless stick vacuum, and requires an outlet connection to operate. We don’t have an upright vacuum we recommend, since cordless stick vacuums have become the main focus for most shoppers (and as frequent vacuumers ourselves, we usually reach for cordless and robot vacuums anyway). We’re considering upright vacuums to test in the future, however, so feel free to comment on this guide with models we should consider.
Do You Need a Stick Vacuum and a Handheld Vacuum?
Do you need a handheld vacuum if you already have a cordless vacuum? Likely not, because most stick vacuums can transform into a handheld vacuum. Stick or cordless vacuums usually allow you to remove the stick between the vacuum head and canister base and instead connect those two pieces directly, making it into a handheld vacuum. It’ll be much heavier than a handheld-only vacuum and might be irritating for some use cases, but you don’t need both unless there’s a specific reason. A handheld is a good add-on if you already have an upright vacuum you love that doesn’t need replacing.
How Often Should You Replace Your Vacuum?
Vacuums last about five years, depending on the use frequency and build quality. Some cheaper stick vacuums might last only a year or two, though, so it’s worth investing in a better vacuum rather than a cheap dupe. If you’re curious what signs might indicate your vacuum needs replacing, check out our guide to how long vacuums can last.
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