7 Best Carpet Vacuums – 2022 Buying Guide

By Maria Hernandez / February 7, 2022 / 2 Comments

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The carpets and rugs inside your home collect dust, crumbs, and animal fur in the fibers. But selecting the best carpet vacuums to clean your rugs can be a daunting task. There are so many different vacuums on the market that you may struggle to find the correct one.

Perhaps today’s reviews will help you find the ideal carpet vacuum for your requirements. After all, you want a machine that’s powerful enough to remove all dirt and dust from the fibers of your carpets.

Take a look at the seven best carpet vacuums that we’ve reviewed. Each one has a different size and specifications that will help with your cleaning tasks. We’ll also be covering some frequently asked questions about carpet vacuums to help you with your purchase decision. So without further ado, let’s get started.

Our Top Picks

  1. Best Overall: Shark APEX Upright with DuoClean
  2. Best for Plush Carpet: Miele Complete C3 Marin
  3. Best for Allergies: Kenmore 31150 Pet & Allergy Friendly
  4. Best for Small Areas: Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight
  5. Best for Quick Messes: Shark Rocket Corded Ultra Light Vacuum
  6. Best Robot: Neato Robotics D7 Robot Vacuum
  7. Best Budget: Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind

Carpet Vacuum Buying Advice

Best Overall: Shark APEX Upright with DuoClean

Floor Critics Rating (4.9):

  • Style: Upright
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: A
  • Dust Bin: A
  • Noise: A
  • Accessories: A
  • Empty Weight: 23.6 lbs.
Shark APEX Upright With DuoClean
Shark APEX Upright AZ1002

At the desirable intersection of power, flexibility, features and reliability, you’ll find this Shark APEX. It isn’t all things to all people, but it fits most needs for the vast majority, making it the selection of choice for many objective review agencies and consumers alike. The ability to change settings with fingertip controls offers users flexibility depending on their dirt conditions and surfaces.

The brush roll cleans itself of hair you’d otherwise have to remove by hand on other vacuums. Features such as the ability to turn off the brush head to clean bare floors and the extra brush torque for deeper carpets make it a good vac for households with pet hair or tracked-in grit. The DuoClean brush head makes it effective on deep pile carpeting and bare floors alike.

This Shark’s HEPA filters remove allergens and odors from the exhaust air. It comes with a Lift-Away that turns the full unit into a handheld mini-vac, great for stairs or hard-to-reach places. The large dust bin empties with a single touch too.

It’s difficult to find significant trends in complaints other than basic design. Some consumers don’t want a vacuum that is multidirectional and swivels, because they find it hard to direct. Random remarks about parts breaking (no consistent trends here either) are also noted.

While the price on this Shark vacuum marks it as the top of their line, its many satisfied uses make it well worth the cost. If you have more cleaning needs besides deep carpet or shallow pile, its settings for variable brush height will make moving from surface to surface easy. It’s a great multipurpose cleaning tool that does an excellent job on your carpeting and much more.

Best for Plush Carpet: Miele Complete C3 Marin

Floor Critics Rating (4.7):

  • Style: Canister
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A-
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: A
  • Dust Bin: B
  • Noise: A-
  • Accessories: A
  • Empty Weight: 32.2 lbs.
Miele Complete C3 Marin
Miele Complete C3 Marin

The best canister on our list also carries the highest price tag, but considering Miele offers reliability and should last for a couple of decades, you might not worry about that. If you buy the Performance Pack, you have a tool or attachment to fit any vacuuming need, including those you haven’t thought a canister could cover. The high air-watt motor is said to suck crushed pile back into shape and remove any pet hair and dander from even the thickest carpets.

Other features that make this investment attractive are the multiple brush heads, including one designed specifically to deep clean plush or thick carpets. If the automatic sensor height adjustments aren’t enough adjustment for you, a tap on the foot control will do the rest. HEPA filters keep the microparticles inside the canister and leave clean air behind.

Consumers note that this unit has a small bag size. Replacement bags and replacement HEPA filters are comparatively expensive and need to be changed often. There appears to be a design flaw in a 90-degree angle in the hose connection, making clogs a potential issue.

Overall, the steel construction and over-engineering of components in this vacuum give you a hint about how long it will last. Allergy sufferers report an improvement in their health when this Miele vacuum is used regularly. Consumers report the suction surpasses anything else they’ve used while remaining easy to handle.

Best for Allergies: Kenmore 31150 Pet & Allergy Friendly

Floor Critics Rating (4.5):

  • Style: Upright
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: A
  • Dust Bin: A
  • Noise: A-
  • Accessories: A-
  • Empty Weight: 20.0 lbs.
Kenmore 31150 Pet & Allergy Friendly
Kenmore 31150 Pet & Allergy

f severe allergies are an issue in your household, this Kenmore bagged vacuum will suck the dust away with every use. It begins with the triple HEPA filter system removing 99.97% of pet dander, pollen, and other particles from your carpeting. Certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), this process will release fresh air as it works.

The other feature helping you breathe easier is the cloth bag for a dustbin. You never need to touch the debris when removing and disposing of the bag, and replacement of it is easy to do. Proprietary brand bags and filters are available as multipacks at a reasonable cost.

Suction is intense on this machine, picking up debris on carpets previously vacuumed with other brands’ models. The vacuum senses when dirt stays in the rug, with an LED light alerting you to an area that needs another pass. Five brush head height adjustments accommodate the scope of everyone’s cleaning needs.

Chief complaints about this vacuum seem to center on the wand and other attachments. Consumers also comment that the suction seems too much to move the machine at times. Others note the amount of fresh air exhaust from the back is too strong, stirring up dust in areas yet to clean.

If keeping allergens to a minimum is your concern, though, the suction and fresh air can be positives. Kenmore appears to stand behind the occasional lemon that doesn’t work out of the box. The strengths of this machine outweigh that risk, though, with a significant following of happy users who feel healthier for the job it does.

Best for Small Areas: Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight

Floor Critics Rating (4.7):

  • Style: Stick
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: B+
  • Dust Bin: A-
  • Noise: A-
  • Accessories: A
  • Empty Weight: 5.86 lbs.
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal

Suction is king, and this Dyson stick model is reported to have the highest suction rating of any cordless stick unit. It runs for 60 minutes in its regular cleaning mode, and 20 minutes when set at high power required by some of its tool attachments. Full charge time is three and a half hours.

Two things set this stick apart: its effectiveness in homes with pets and its filtration system that picks up microparticles. While the dust bin isn’t huge, it’s more than up to the task of picking up standard cleaning debris during a cycle. Emptying it over your trash can is easy with a single lever press.

While this stick has a great filtration system, it isn’t designed to keep odors away. Filters are washable, and if you’re willing to do this often, you avoid the harsh smells some pet parents report. Some also note that the dustbin does not empty as easily as stated, depending on what kind of debris is inside.

Remember that any cordless power use drains a battery. Running it for a while on a high suction setting means you have less low power setting left, too. However, if you want a stick to use in between your deeper cleanings, for low-pile area rugs or as a handheld, this Dyson vacuum should be a serious contender.

Best for Quick Messes: Shark Rocket Corded Ultralight Handheld

Floor Critics Rating (4.8):

  • Style: Handheld
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: B+
  • Dust Bin: B
  • Noise: A-
  • Accessories: A-
  • Empty Weight: 3.7 lbs.
Shark Rocket Corded Ultralight Handheld
Shark Rocket Corded Handheld

Don’t confuse this model with the Shark stick vacuum of a very similar name. This is a corded unit that gives the Shark more motor power to pick up pet hair and pieces of whatever on the floor while offering you flexibility since that cord is 15 feet long.

While a handheld will probably not be your primary vacuum for carpeting, it fills a specific need for quick cleanups and areas like on stairs, under furniture, and in hard-to-reach corners.

The Rocket doesn’t have a long list of tools, but it has what you need to take care of crevices against walls and cushions on the sofa, plus remove pet hair from the upholstery and cereal from the carpet. The noise it makes is minor when compared to full-size vacuums. Best of all, its weight won’t exhaust you, even if you’re using it to clean the minivan.

Users mention wishing for more tools, since the unit itself seems to have the power they’re looking for. A few complaints of broken dustbin hinges have been noted. Some people would like a longer power cord, and others would like to remove it for winding when not in use.

All in all, this Shark Rocket can be a great companion to your regular full-sized vacuum, or for those with small area rugs and vacuum storage constraints. It accomplishes the same job as many lift-away components on upright vacuum systems. If you don’t have that flexibility, this model will fill that gap.

Best Robot: Neato Robotics D7 Robot Vacuum

Floor Critics Rating (4.0):

  • Style: Robot
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: A-
  • Dust Bin: B-
  • Noise: A
  • Accessories: F
  • Empty Weight: 8 lbs.
Neato Robotics D7 Connected Laser Guided Robot Vacuum
Neato Robotics D7 Robot

The Neato Robotics D7 is perfect for those who have busy lifestyles and don’t always have time to complete their carpet-cleaning chores. This is a robotic carpet vacuum that has laser-smart mapping and navigation so that it doesn’t miss a spot on your carpets.

This robotic carpet vacuum has a spiral combo brush that will pull all the dust and dirt from deep within your carpet fibers. The powerful vacuum will then suck up all the dirt and place it in an airtight waste bin.

The Neato Robotics D7 is ideal for people who have pets that shed fur regularly. This tiny machine will remove stubborn pet hair from your carpets without hassle. It’s also a versatile robotic vacuum because it can be used for tiled, laminate, or wood floors.

This robo carpet vacuum works on a battery that will provide power for up to 150 minutes per charge.

Lastly, you can connect the Neato Robotic D7 to Alexa so you can operate the device remotely. This means you can get your robo carpet vacuum to start working even before you get home.

Best Budget: Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind

Floor Critics Rating (4.8):

  • Style: Upright
  • Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A-
  • Cleaning Effectiveness: B+
  • Dust Bin: A-
  • Noise: B+
  • Accessories: B
  • Empty Weight: 19.3 lbs.
Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind
Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind

or those of us on a tight budget but with wall-to-wall carpeting to clean, the Bissell covers your basics and then some, but sacrifices some features. It has a built-in hose with a cleaning tool for stairs or furniture. Suction is very good and will do well on medium pile or sculpted carpets in households that don’t produce a lot of pet hair or major debris.

Bissell calls its dust bin a dirt tank, which is large and empties with the press of a lever. The triple brush head is said to be designed so that one pass over most carpets is all you’ll need to get them clean, and loose debris will not scatter if not sucked up. The 27-foot power cord rewinds at the touch of a button.

This might not be the best system for high-allergy households because it lacks a HEPA filter. The brush head height adjustment is manual, which can slow you down when you’re working over different pile depths. Some consumers note the suction is not as great as other upright models they’ve owned.

If you don’t need a lot of features, this Bissell should keep you satisfied for the next few years. Keep in mind that it isn’t the best choice for those of us with heavy shedding pets or carpets that hold on to every bit of dust. It’s a great option, though, for those looking for a budget vacuum under $100 or $200.

Side by Side Comparison

ProductOur RatingWeight
Shark APEX Upright With DuoClean
Shark APEX Upright
View on Amazon –>
View on Walmart –>
Best Overall

Overall: 4.9
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
Cleaning Effectiveness: A
Dust Bin: A
Noise: A
Accessories: A
23.6 lbs.
Miele Complete C3 Marin
Miele Complete C3 Marin
View on Amazon –>
View on Walmart –>
Best for Plush Carpet

Overall: 4.7
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A-
Cleaning Effectiveness: A
Dust Bin: B
Noise: A-
Accessories: A
32.2 lbs.
Kenmore 31150 Pet & Allergy Friendly
Kenmore 31150 Pet & Allergy
View on Amazon –>
View on Walmart –>
Best for Allergies

Overall: 4.5
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
Cleaning Effectiveness: A
Dust Bin: A
Noise: A-
Accessories: A-
20.0 lbs.
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal
View on Amazon –>
View on Dyson –>
Best for Small Areas

Overall: 4.7
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
Cleaning Effectiveness: B+
Dust Bin: A-
Noise: A-
Accessories: A
5.86 lbs.
Shark Rocket Corded Ultralight Handheld
Shark Rocket Corded Handheld
View on Amazon –>
View on Walmart –>
Best for Quick Messes

Overall: 4.8
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
Cleaning Effectiveness: B+
Dust Bin: B
Noise: A-
Accessories: A-
3.7 lbs.
Neato Robotics D7 Connected Laser Guided Robot Vacuum
Neato Robotics D7 Robot
View on Amazon –>
View on Lowe’s –>
Best Robot

Overall: 4.0
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A
Cleaning Effectiveness: A-
Dust Bin: B-
Noise: A
Accessories: F
8 lbs.
Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind
Bissell Cleanview Swivel
View on Bissell –>
View on Amazon –>
Best Budget

Overall: 4.8
Ergonomics/Ease of Use: A-
Cleaning Effectiveness: B+
Dust Bin: A-
Noise: B+
Accessories: B
19.3 lbs.

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The Complete Carpet Vacuums Buyer’s Guide

Styles Of Carpet Vacuums

How a vacuum works is no mystery to most of us: There’s suction to pick up the dirt and a place to deposit it. Past these rudimentary features, though, we face choices about the whats and the hows of how effectively this is done. Styles range from cordless vac handhelds to super-suction canisters and a range of options in between.

In this section, we’re going to talk about features and why you should take inventory of your needs before you fall in love with the next vacuum you see in the big-box or warehouse store. Make the right decision and you’ll have a cleaning partner for a decade. The wrong one will leave you frustrated.

Canisters

This category encompasses those systems that separate the canister or dustbin from the hose and head. As you vacuum, the canister follows you in a separate unit, which means you aren’t moving a heavy motor with each pass across your carpet.

Over the years, these vacuums were often sold door -to-door for a substantial price tag, and people liked their special features, like air that bubbled through water reservoirs to eliminate odors and well-sized replaceable bags to capture the dirt. As they became a common household tool, most major manufacturers jumped on board with models cloned to market suction power and offer an array of attachments for non-carpet uses.

While making cleaning easy is a huge benefit, these systems are often loud. Moving the dustbin and mechanical unit behind you isn’t always convenient, and when it comes to changing floors in a house, you’re lugging a suitcase along with the hose and head. Still popular, though, these canisters today come in both bag and bagless models, with an astounding number of attachments for upholstery and other uses.

Uprights

As the name suggests, these vacuums have the motor, dustbin, and head all in one upright piece. The handle connects the pieces, and since they’re together, you’re moving the mass with each pass over your carpet. They come in models with wheels that roll straight forward and back, and with multi-directional swivels too.

Dust bins have transformed as well, with many of these units now offering bagless canisters you empty as needed. Some have air fresheners, most have extra hoses for attachments, and a few offer lift-off handheld mini-vacs too. Bottom line: You still move the whole unit, making ergonomics particularly important in this category.

The negatives for uprights come down to a subset of features, like if the cord retracts or needs to be wound by hand. Users typically question how hard it is to change the bag or empty the bagless canister, and where settings and controls are located. Still, this is what most consider the workhorse style of vacuum that will endure until something much better comes along.

Sticks

A cordless stick vacuum might replace those uprights, as it’s growing in both features and popularity. First, it’s cordless, which means you aren’t limited to a distance from power or dragging around a canister. Plug the vacuum into a charging station when you’re done, and it will be ready for your next round of cleaning, often at multiple suction settings like regular and high.

Just as important, stick vacuums are lighter and easier to use for those challenging places like stairs and tight corners, and for light uses like low pile rugs or small areas, they are hard to beat. They typically come as bagless canisters with a dustbin you open over your trash can to empty. Multipurpose uses are easy to accommodate, as the stick itself disconnects to shorten the unit or add on attachments.

The chief complaint for stick units has been the length of time you can vacuum before your battery loses power: 40 to 60 minutes on regular, and 20 or less on high.

Suction isn’t what you’ll find on a corded unit, which means it isn’t the best choice for deep-pile carpets. Advancements in these units seem to arrive daily, though, which means the newest offerings run longer and have even more power in their battery life.

Robots

If vacuuming isn’t your favorite chore or ranks below getting a root canal without the benefit of a painkiller, a robot vacuum has your carpet covered. These systems are programmed to run in designated areas around your floor to pick up whatever it finds. If it bumps into something it senses it can’t or shouldn’t clean, it changes direction.

What’s great about these units is they take care of the carpet vacuuming chore for you at a time you designate, like while you’re at work. The dust bin is inside the unit, and some empty into larger receptacles at the home station. The robotic part runs on batteries that recharge when it goes ‘home.’

Two factors come into play for negatives on robots, and that’s deep pile (think shag or heavy texture) and amount of suction. They don’t handle the first well (along with any significant change in elevation) and they lack enough of the second to perform a deep cleaning. These units have no attachments or accessories to allow you to vacuum carpeted stairs or clean furniture.

Handhelds

Handheld units are uniquely matched to some applications like long, carpeted staircases. While they won’t necessarily do the trick if you have a lot of area to cover, for small rugs or the occasional dry spill on a large one, they make cleanup quick and easy. Some have awesome suction to get deep pile clean, too.

These vacuums are also good for apartments and condos with very limited storage space and only area rugs and bare floors, because their suction is not as intense as the larger models. Yes, cleaning anything larger than a small carpet will be tedious, but if you live in a shoebox, you won’t be worrying about large floors. Many of these units also come with a full array of attachments to make them an all-around answer to your cleaning needs.

Complaints about handhelds usually mention the lack of power, which makes sense given their relative motor size. Since big cleaning jobs aren’t their purpose, figure you’ll use them for carpet in hard-to-clean places or as a vac for your car or SUV. They have a place in homes, sometimes alongside larger siblings and sometimes as the sole unit in tight spaces.

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How We Ranked The Best Carpet Vacuums

Not all carpeting needs the same kind of cleaning, and not all vacuums fit all situations best. For this reason, rather than rank our options from best to worst, we’re noting what a particular model is best for and giving each a letter grade for the selection criteria listed below.

Style

We discussed the styles of vacuums earlier in this article. If you favor one type over another or have a specific need for one kind, you’ll want to note what we list for this criterion. There is no grade specified since one kind is not universally best.

Ergonomics/Ease Of Use

Moving a vacuum easily means you stand a better chance of using it and keeping your home cleaner as a result. The highest grades here indicate a vacuum you don’t have to struggle to use in normal conditions. Carrying weight is listed separately.

Cleaning Effectiveness

Unfortunately, there’s no universally listed reading for the amount of suction, and even if there was, that same suction on a system with a less -than-adequate brush head won’t be as thorough. For this reason, we lump suction and brush head together under cleaning effectiveness. Refer to the notes under each listed best-of to understand why it receives the grade that it does.

Dust Bin

Bagged or bagless, canister or other, it depends on what you need. We list the type along with the grade, and that grade relates to how easy it is to empty or replace it. Location plays a role, too, since some are lift-away for under-furniture cleaning.

If you select a bagless dustbin, know that there is no easy way to avoid getting a slight misting of fine dust when you empty it. If you have pets, there will be a slight pet dander odor too. Empty this in a laundry room or outside your primary living space to keep your nose happier.

Noise

Big suction can equal big noise because a big motor is required. Some powerful models include special noise-dampening components to combat this. If sleeping babies or sensitive pets (or adult humans) are an issue, look for machines with high grades since that means noise is reasonable or under control.

Accessories

Overall, attachments and accessories can do a lot to help you clean more thoroughly and with greater ease. Not all vacuums come with myriad solutions, though. The higher the grade here, the more bells and whistles you have to work with.

Weight

Weight is expressed as the overall empty weight of the complete vacuuming unit. If you are considering a canister, this includes the part you have in your hand when cleaning and the part you drag behind. For robots, it is the robot itself.

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FAQs About Carpet Vacuums

Let’s circle back to asking those all-important questions about your needs so you can make an informed carpet vacuum selection. What do you need to make your vacuuming as pain-free as possible? Take a look at the things people commonly ask.

What Kind Of Carpet Will I Be Cleaning?

Name your favorite: textured or sculpted, deep shag, low pile, wall-to-wall, or area rugs. Each type of carpet brings its own specific needs. For wall-to-wall, you want deep suction to bring up as much of the debris as possible so that, over time, traffic won’t grind it down into the pad, backing, and underlayment where it can’t be cleaned with a household vacuum.

If you put that same suction on an area rug, though, you’ll be sucking it into the brush head and the machine will whine and stop working. Shag can get caught in some brush heads, while other kinds won’t beat the dirt out of low pile. For textured carpets, you want a vacuum that’s easy to roll over the unevenness while still adjusting the brush head to the varying depths of pile.

There are no wrong answers here, only choices. If you are building or remodeling and haven’t made your carpet selection yet, hold off on the vacuum decision until you do. If you have different kinds of carpeting, you might need more than one kind of vacuum.


What Kinds Of Dirt Are Tracked Into My Carpeting?

Dirt is dirt, or so you might want to think, but what you’re planning to suck out of your carpeting is as important as the type of carpeting itself. A house that accumulates a lot of sand or grit has a heavier-duty need than a city apartment where more casual dust or pet hair is a concern. Larger pieces such as tracked-in leaves or wayward cereal are best sucked up with a head that can adjust for them.


How Often Will I Be Vacuuming This Space?

Be honest now. How many of us really vacuum on a regular schedule, and how many of us wait for the inevitable dust bunnies to turn into an army? The more frequently you clean the carpeting, the less dirt there will be to vacuum at each pass.

Most of us have the best of intentions and want to keep our homes tidy with a regular plan, but life interferes. If you’re waiting until you just can’t stand it anymore or don’t think you can get to it often, you want more suction and power to pull everything out of the carpet pile at once. If you do vacuum frequently, features such as ergonomics and ease of use will become more important to save your shoulders and back.


How Large An Area Will I Be Cleaning?

The amount of carpeting you’ll be vacuuming (along with the kinds of dirt and how often you vacuum) comes into play when you think about the size and type of dustbin and the power source. Cordless units have a finite cleaning cycle equating to the level of cleaning suction you set on the vacuum and the charge in the battery. Ease of rolling that brush head around becomes exponentially more important if you have a large house with wall-to-wall carpet and you’ll be vacuuming a lot.

Think not only about the amount of square footage but how many times you’re likely to go over the same space in each cleaning. A long-haired dog or cat that sheds prodigiously (to the point where you swear you could create another critter out of the fuzz) can mean multiple passes. Some pile acts like a magnet and holds onto hair like it’s glued in place.

Another space consideration is where the carpet is located, such as behind furniture (you need attachments or a wand with a head), on stairs (extra-long hose with good brushes or a lift-off mini-vac unit), or on different floors of the house (lightweight and easy to carry). Think about how often you’ll need to empty the bag or dustbin and its size relative to what you suck up. It’s a good idea to time how long it takes you to vacuum the space you clean in order to understand if a cordless can work for you.


What Other Surfaces Will I Need A Carpet Vacuum To Clean?

Most of us like our tools to be multipurpose so we aren’t putting down one thing and picking up another as we move through our cleaning tasks. Some carpet vacuums also work well as hardwood vacuums (or for other bare floors), while others have only one type of suction and brush setting that wouldn’t function well on debris-laden wood, vinyl, or tile. If you want to vacuum furniture upholstery or capture the cobwebs in ceiling corners, think about attachments and accessories too.


Is The Removal Of Allergens Or Odors A Real Concern?

Not all vacuums are created equal when it comes to the removal of microparticles. Things like pet dander or outdoor allergens might be sucked up, but without a filtering system they return to your home via the air expelled from the vacuuming process. If you have pets on the carpets or lots of sports gear lying around, you might also have strong smells to contend with.

Many vacuums today come with HEPA-rated filters, which means they should clean the air down to the microparticle level. Some include branded air fresheners too. These filters may be washable or replaceable.


How Much Storage Space Do I Have For The Vacuum?

Vacuums need a home in your home. If you live in a city apartment and space is tight, a stick can be the best choice for you. Remember that it’s not just the vacuum itself that you should consider, but any extra hoses, wands, or attachments and accessories that come with it.

The best vacuum will be one you can easily access to use, because that removes one excuse to getting the vacuuming done and encourages you to use it. Carrying something up a lot of stairs from a basement with no carpet to the living or bedroom level with wall-to-wall carpet isn’t all that encouraging. Find a place to store your model as close to where you use it as possible.


What is the best vacuum for carpet?

The best vacuum cleaner for carpets is the APEX Upright with DuoClean. This is a powerful vacuum cleaner that’s versatile, because you can use it on carpets as well as hard floors. This carpet vacuum has powerful suction that removes hair, debris, and dust from deep within your carpet’s fibers.

What’s more, the flexible vacuum head allows you to vacuum areas under low furniture easily. The APEX carpet vacuum has an ergonomic design, so it’s comfortable to work with and effortless to maintain.

You’ll also appreciate the durable construction of this vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, the technology integrated into the APEX Upright vacuum allows the machine to clean itself, so there’s never any hair stuck around the brushes of the machine.

The self cleaning technology optimizes the performance of this vacuum cleaner, so hair, dirt, and dust can be removed from your carpets effectively.


What Vacuum Works Best On Thick Carpet?

The Kenmore Elite is the perfect vacuum cleaner for thick carpets. This is because the Kenmore machine has incredible suction capabilities that work on hard floorings and carpets. This carpet vacuum has a powerful 3D inducer motor that combines the operation of three motors.

This vacuum cleaner’s powerful motor and suction capability remove dust, fur, and dirt from deep within the fibers of your carpet no matter how thick it is.
The vacuum cleaner also has an integrated filter that prevents dust and pollutants from escaping the machine.

The Kenmore is ideal for pet owners because it removes stubborn fur from thick carpets with ease. This style of vacuum is better than handheld vacuums because it has a larger waste bin or bag.

This particular vacuum cleaner also has an adjustable handle, so you can customize the structure according to your height. It’s suitable to use on large, thick carpets too, because it makes short work of removing dirt from your floors thanks to the big vacuum head.


How Often Should I Vacuum My Carpet?

Ideally, you want to vacuum your carpets twice a week. Carpets collect plenty of dirt that gets trampled in from outside. Dust from your windows can also get stuck in the fibers of your carpets easily. If you have a pet, his or her fur can work its way into the fabric of the carpet, making it difficult to remove.

If you don’t vacuum your carpets regularly, you may start to experience allergies from the dust floating around your house that gets kicked up from the carpets. Another reason why you should maintain your carpets regularly is the odors that dust and dirt emit.

It’s advised that you pick a powerful canister vacuum cleaner so that you can move the machine around easily when you clean. This type of vacuum comes with a large waste basket and has wheels integrated on the base. These vacuums have removable heads, so you can use the suction hose to clean in small spaces such as corners or under furniture.

Miele canisters are ideal when cleaning your carpet twice a week. These vacuums draw out all the dust and dirt trapped in your carpet, which leaves the carpet cleaner.


Which Vacuum Cleaner Has The Most Powerful Suction?

The Miele Complete C3 has the most powerful suction out of all the vacuums on our list. It works on a powerful 350AW, which makes this canister vacuum ideal for deep cleaning carpets.

This vacuum cleaner is suitable for high piles because it will remove and untangle stubborn debris from shaggy carpets easily. Even though this is a lightweight vacuum cleaner that has a streamlined design, it packs a mighty punch when it comes to cleaning any type of carpet.

So if you have shaggy or fluffy carpets, use a vacuum cleaner that has a powerful suction. You want a vacuum cleaner that will work on all types of carpets and rugs. You could even use the vacuum to clean your upholstery if you have couches and chairs wrapped in fabric.

A vacuum with powerful suction will clean pet fur, dust, and other types of dirt off of your furniture. You can even use the vacuum hose to clean in between the cushions of your couch, where crumbs and dirt are typically found.

You also don’t want a vacuum cleaner that will break if you accidentally suck up coins, bobby pins or loose plastic items. The bag of the vacuum cleaner must be durable enough that it won’t tear when you accidentally suck up foreign items.


Why Do People Use Robotic Carpet Vacuums?

People use robotic carpet vacuums because they automatically clean your floors without the need for manual operation. Robotic vacuum cleaners usually come with a compatible app so users can operate the device remotely.

A robotic vacuum cleaner is ideal for people who have busy lifestyles. Sometimes completing chores can be difficult when you work long hours, so the best way to maintain your carpets is to use a device that will work automatically.

The benefit of a robotic carpet vacuum is that you can map out the areas you want the device to work on through a compatible app. You want a robotic carpet vacuum that works in straight lines rather than random patterns, so the device doesn’t miss a spot.

Furthermore, robotic carpet vacuums are small and flat, so they can fit under couches and beds easily. So if you want to keep your carpets clean without moving furniture around, then this is the perfect vacuum cleaner for you.


What type of vacuum is best for carpets?

The best type of vacuum cleaner for carpets is a canister model because it offers more suction power compared to upright types. The Miele Complete C3 Marin is ideal because it features a 1200 watt vortex motor that’s ideal for short to medium pile carpets. 

Canister vacuum cleaners are also lightweight and you can get battery powered types for portability; however, the most powerful canister types are the corded ones with powerful motors


What is the best way to vacuum carpet?

Some people prefer to vacuum carpets back and forth, but professionals have advised against this method. The ideal way to vacuum is by cleaning your carpet row by row. Vacuum the first row in one direction from wall to wall and against the nap of the carpet. 

This releases the dirt trapped within your carpet fibers so your vacuum cleaner can suck up the dirt easily without leaving debris behind. You can also opt for a vacuum cleaner with a headlight to ensure you don’t miss spots.


Which vacuum has the strongest suction?

The Kenmore 31150 vacuum cleaner has the strongest suction power compared with all the other vacuums in this article. Its powerful 3D Inducer Motor combines the power of three motors for the ultimate suction power. With it’s powerful suction capabilities it can remove 99.97% of pet dander and debris from your carpet.

Kemore’s 31150 pet-friendly vacuum cleaner also features a Power Flow design so that you don’t lose suction power even when the bag is full.


Is Shark better than Dyson?

Shark vacuums tend to be lighter and more budget-friendly compared to Dyson. On the other hand, Dyson vacuum cleaners offer more suction power which is ideal for cleaning carpets. Even though Dyson vacuums are heavier and come at a higher price, they do offer better performance when cleaning low to high pile carpets. 

Additionally, both Dyson and Shark offer cordless vacuum cleaners but Dyson’s has a longer run time than Shark’s.


Is Shark or Bissell better?

Many users state that Shark is a better vacuum brand than Bissell because it offers bigger dirt cups and it’s easier to handle. What’s more, Shark vacuums have a higher performance for suction power than Bissell. Shark also has a longer warranty. 

On the other hand, Bissell is better at cleaning up pet hair, so if you have animals this vacuum may be a better choice. Bissell also has an affordable price tag, so if you want to buy a vacuum cleaner on a budget it may be the appliance for you.

Final Thoughts

We hope that our product reviews on the best carpet vacuums helped you with your purchase decision. But if you’re still of two minds about which vacuum you should pick, then we suggest the Shark APEX Upright DuoClean machine. This vacuum is suitable for hard floors and for carpets.

The carpet vacuum has powerful lift-away technology, so you can remove dirt and debris under furniture. This vacuum has a long cord, so you can move around your area freely without getting tangled. Maintaining the vacuum cleaner is effortless, too. Simply take the cover off the vacuum head and remove tangled debris in the rollers.

You’ll appreciate that this vacuum has a self-cleaning system, so you don’t have to do much to clean out the machine. Since the APEX Upright vacuum has a streamlined design, it’s also easy to store.

So, which of the best carpet vacuums are you going to pick from our list? And what are your carpet cleaning methods? Let us know in the comments below. It would be interesting to know how our readers maintain their carpets.

About Maria Hernandez

Senior Floor Critic, 25 years of experience in residential and commercial cleaning

Maria Hernandez has 25 years of experience in residential and commercial janitorial and cleaning services. From hardwood to carpet to marble floors, Maria has developed a deep expertise in cleaning and maintaining many different flooring types. Visit Website.

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2 thoughts on “7 Best Carpet Vacuums – 2022 Buying Guide”

  1. wet-mop your floors simultaneously, using an innovative electronic water pump, reservoir, and either reusable or disposable pads. And you don t have to worry about your carpet getting wet while using the DEEBOT. Thanks to its carpet detection capabilities, the robot automatically avoids them. While vacuuming, the DEEBOT knows when it’s on carpet and automatically increases the suction to clean more deeply.

  2. A lot of info, however the Orek brand was never mentioned. A sales rep is trying to sell me an Orek. Can you give me that info?

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