The 9 Best Canister Vacuums, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Miele Classic C1 Turbo Team PowerLine

$461 at Amazon $468 at Wayfair View on Mieleusa.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

Not all vacuums are built for all surfaces, but the Miele Classic takes on various types of flooring quite effectively. This canister vacuum has multiple suction levels—adjustable by a dial on the canister—so you can transition easily from carpet to hard floor and back again. The vacuum head swivels nicely, so it’s easy to get around furniture legs and other obstacles while cleaning. We liked the telescoping handle that can be adjusted for more comfort and further reach, like when cleaning stairs and even high ceilings. 

The vacuum was very effective in cleaning carpets by picking up debris with just a few passes, but it was also good on hardwood floors when the appropriate attachment was used. Most of the attachments clip to the handle, so it’s quick and easy to swap one out as needed. It’s also simple to pull the bag out of the unit and dispose of it without getting dust all over your hands. Removing tangled hair from the brush roller is a different story; we used a seam ripper since no tool was included to assist.

The wheels on the canister make for even smoother maneuvering, so cleaning won’t be a workout that you get with some other canister vacs. The automatic and retractable cord was probably the easiest vacuum cord we’ve ever dealt with—with just the click of a button, the cord swiftly pulls in. Both the retractable power cord and the hose are quite lengthy, so it’s easy to clean large rooms without having to move the canister or outlet. It’s pretty quiet, too; we thought the noise sounded more like the whirring of a tower fan rather than a loud vacuum.

After using it for two months, the vacuum continued to exceed our expectations. It is a bit pricey, but given its performance and how easy it is to adjust settings and switch out attachments, it is a great value. 

Type: Bagged | Capacity: 4.8 quarts | Cord Length: 18 feet | Weight: 13 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best Budget

Kenmore Compact Bagless Canister Vacuum

$120 at Amazon View on Kenmorefloorcare.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.8/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

We found this canister vac to work on all surfaces equally well, from hard floors to carpets and even upholstery. The wheeled canister moves and swivels smoothly, so you won’t find vacuuming to be a workout. At just around 10 pounds, it doesn’t require both hands to operate; it was easy to maneuver just by pulling the hose. 

Vacuuming the stairs was simple, thanks to easy-to-use attachments and a long hose. We loved the crevice tool, which was very effective on both upholstery and around furniture legs. While it performed well on all surfaces in our household, this vacuum especially excelled on our carpeting—after two months of use, our rugs and carpeting looked brand new. We would have liked the power cord to be a bit longer (it’s only 16 feet). Still, we like that it’s retractable, fast-moving, and never tangles around our vacuum. We found that hair tends to get wrapped around the roller, which was difficult to clean since it can’t be removed from the vacuum head. However, the dirt bin is incredibly easy to remove and empty, and it cleans up with just water (the manufacturer says skip dish soap). In addition to its ease of removal, we were also impressed by the collection bin’s large capacity. After two months of testing, we’ve hardly had to empty it.

Overall, this Kenmore is a great value because of its impressive suction power on various surfaces and its ease of use. 

Type: Bagless | Capacity: 0.6 pounds | Cord Length: 16 feet | Weight: 15.21 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best Splurge

Riccar R50FSN.4 Prima Power Team with Full-Size Nozzle Canister Vacuum

View on Riccar.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

We were impressed with how the smooth wheels on this Riccar canister vac made it so easy to use on carpet. Thanks to a super long cord, we could keep vacuuming without getting caught on anything, too. The vacuum head extends to take on corners and furniture legs with ease, but even better than that was how it flattened out to fit under low furniture. The canister moves smoothly even on carpet, but we found that we didn’t have to move it much given how long and flexible the hose is. 

We found this was better at cleaning carpets and upholstered surfaces than hard floors. It cleaned hair and debris in just one or two passes on the carpet, but it would often spit out or push debris around on hard floors, especially grouted tile. In the end, it did clean those floors, too, though it took extra passes to do the job. 

The crevice tool is effective at vacuuming in tight corners and on stairs. We liked that the regular vacuum head did a great job of picking up pet hair, and nothing remained on the roller, either. Surprisingly, we found the dedicated pet attachment to be less effective, and we even had to pick hair out of the brush after using it. We found the canister bag was easy to remove, though it’s roomy enough that we didn’t have to empty it during the testing process.

We were a bit disappointed by the model’s longevity, though. After two months of use, the power nozzle got caught on the corner of the rug and stopped working. Despite the product being under warranty, we were unable to contact the brand directly. At this price, the Riccar is definitely a splurge, and we expected better customer service. But if you’ve got mostly carpets in your home and want a powerful vacuum, you might find it worth the price for its ease of use.

Type: Bagged | Capacity: Not listed | Cord Length: 28 feet | Weight: Not listed | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best for Carpet

Kenmore Elite 21814 CrossOver Canister Vacuum

$450 at Amazon $450 at Walmart

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.8/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.5/5
• Portability
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

The Kenmore was very effective on carpet, upholstery, and car mats, which is a huge win for pet parents. The suction is quite powerful, especially when the vacuum was set to the carpet setting. On the car mat, we found the debris was mostly gone in just one pass. Even better was that there wasn’t much hair stuck to the roller brush. It took more passes to clean up on tile and hardwood flooring because debris would get spit out, so it’s definitely more effective on carpeted and upholstered surfaces. 

Setup was fairly easy given that there was no manual included. The vacuum features a compartment under the flap in the canister to store the smaller attachments, making it compact and sleek. It did take us a few minutes to figure out how to empty the bag, which required us to use both hands and disconnect the hose. After two months of use, the vacuum maintained its powerful performance. We particularly love the different light indicators, which sense dirt and tell you when the bag needs emptying.    

The cord is long enough to clean an entire room, and the canister wheels glide well for easy maneuverability, except for a few times when the hose got tangled around furniture legs during testing. The floor attachment is lightweight, which makes cleaning stairs much less of a chore. We also found it to be rather quiet, which is a bonus.

Type: Bagged | Capacity: Not listed | Cord Length: 26 feet | Weight: 23 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best for Hard Floors

Miele SBAN0 Classic C1 Pure Suction PowerLine

$349 at Amazon View on Mieleusa.com $349 at Crate & Barrel

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Maneuverability
  4.8/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

We were impressed with the Miele’s suction power, which picked up everything in just one pass on both the carpet and the hard floors. The canister has three wheels and maneuvers quite well. However, the vacuum head itself doesn’t have any wheels, so it does take some effort on each pass when using it on the carpet. As such, we found it much easier to use on hard floors. 

The suction is quite powerful on the attachments, too. In fact, they’re a little bit too powerful at times. We noticed it was particularly hard to use on car mats—it lifted the mat rather than just the debris, so it might take a bit of getting used to if you plan to use this for cleaning out your car. The attachments are easy to use and store right on the hose, so there’s no worry about losing them. 

We like that there’s no brush roll, so there’s no worry about hair or other debris getting stuck on a roller. It’s easy to empty the bag with just one hand, and there’s no guesswork on when to do it—an indicator light will illuminate when it’s full. 

After two months of use, this vacuum has continued operating smoothly. We appreciate its swift maneuverability—there were no spaces that we couldn’t reach by changing out the nozzle— and its strong suction. The Miele is pricey, but given its quiet, powerful performance and super easy maintenance, we think it’s a great value.

Type: Bagged | Capacity: Not listed | Cord Length: 18 feet | Weight: 13 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best for Pet Hair

Kenmore Pet Friendly Pop-N-Go Canister Vacuum

$300 at Amazon $290 at Wayfair $300 at Home Depot

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

This canister vacuum boasts a powerful suction on nearly all settings .  In our tests, it only took one pass on the high suction level to effectively pick up all the debris on the carpet. On the medium setting, one or two stragglers of kibble were left after a single pass, which was still impressive. And even on the low setting, it picked up some debris and pushed some around, though this is to be expected with heavier debris. It sucked up all the hair from the carpet with ease, and the best part? None of it got stuck on the brush roll or the wheels. Hair proved a bit more challenging on the hard surface, but we were eventually successful. 

In terms of setup, this canister vac takes no time at all to put together—everything clicks into place, and the attachments fit on board quite nicely, too. We recommend toggling through the suction settings to see what’s most effective on certain surfaces, though we found it performed best on the carpet regardless of the setting. 

The vacuum operates quietly, even on the highest setting, Plus, it’s light enough to carry in one hand so you can easily maneuver the wand/attachment in the other. Thanks to its long, retractable cord, the canister followed us effortlessly around the room.

The bag is quite easy to access and remove, though it did take some time to reinsert the bag so the panel could close. It comes with a variety of attachments—we especially liked the telescoping wand—that can all be stored on board. The attachments, coupled with the three suction settings, give you plenty of options for cleaning up a variety of surfaces, including upholstery and stairs.

Overall, we were impressed with the suction power of this vacuum. Pet parents will love how easily it picks up hair, even from high-pile rugs (that’s why it’s also our favorite vacuum for pet hair). That same power might be a bit too much for hard surfaces, but again, with plenty of suction settings and attachments, it’s easy to make adjustments to clean whatever and wherever you need.

FYI: Depending on where you buy this vacuum, certain aspects may change. The blue version has a 26-foot cord, while the purple version has a 28-foot cord—but the manufacturer confirmed that both are the same vacuum in different colors.

Type: Bagged | Capacity: Not listed | Cord Length: 28 feet | Weight: 22.6 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best Lightweight

Bissell Zing Canister Vacuum

$74 at Amazon $80 at Wayfair $80 at Walmart

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.3/5
• Maneuverability
  3.5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.3/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

Forget those bulky canister vacs of the past. This lightweight Bissell definitely puts some “zing” into your cleaning routine. Not only did we find it quieter than other vacuums we’ve used, but its super lightweight design makes it easy to clean anywhere inside and outside your home, from stairs to furniture to car mats. Despite its size, this small yet mighty vacuum is a powerhouse.

While the vacuum maneuvers easily, there is a bit of a learning curve with this vacuum when it comes to getting it to the right surface/suction setting. A lever at the head toggles back and forth between hard floors and carpet, plus there’s a slider on the vacuum handle that allows for air to pass through. You’ll have to toggle both the floor setting and the airflow to get the proper combination for your needs; for example, we found we needed to use the hard floor setting to clean the carpet more easily.

We were surprised to find that hardly any hair got tangled on the brush, though we did notice it picked up a few carpet fibers. After two months of use, the vacuum maintained its powerful suction. It picked up debris with ease, and the handy kick button on the brush head enabled us to adjust the suction mode, allowing us to seamlessly transition from hardwood to carpet. We like the bagless design, too—it’s a cinch to empty after a cleaning session. 

This budget-friendly vacuum comes with a number of useful attachments, particularly a crevice tool that makes cleaning upholstery quite easy. The attachments seem like they are made of a cheap plastic material, though, so we do question their durability overtime. 

Type: Bagless | Capacity: 2 liters | Cord Length: 15 feet | Weight: 10.23 pounds | HEPA Filter: No

Best Bagless

Bissell SmartClean Canister Vacuum

$235 at Amazon View on Bissell.com $258 at Target

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.7/5
• Maneuverability
  4.5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.5/5
• Portability
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

The SmartClean transitions well to different surfaces. It’s compact and rolls around quite smoothly, making it easy to maneuver even on the stairs. The retractable power cord is long enough so that you don’t have to switch outlets to finish a room. It’s also rather quiet, which is a bonus. 

Although this canister vac comes with several attachments, we found that it was able to pick up almost all debris just by using the foot attachment on the floors and stairs. It did need a few additional passes to pick up all the hair, though. The crevice attachment worked very well, especially on upholstery, picking up all the debris with no trouble. Since the carpet roller is detachable, this vacuum is incredibly versatile—you can use the long wand to reach higher hard-to-reach shelves or remove it for a handheld vacuum. Just keep in mind that while it’s lightweight, the extension wand is also very long, so it can be a little unwieldy at first. The hose is also a bit awkward to store. 

This is a bagless vacuum which makes emptying the dust container less of a hassle, though it did take a moment to get a hang of how to do just that. Once we found the right way to unlatch the bin, it takes just a few seconds to empty it out into your trash—no need to spend extra money or time on replacement bags. After using the vacuum for two months, we noticed no changes in quality. We find this pick to have the power of a corded vacuum and the maneuverability of a stick vacuum, making it the best of both worlds. 

Type: Bagless | Capacity: 2 liters | Cord Length: 30 feet | Weight: 18.1 pounds | HEPA Filter: No

Best with HEPA Filter

Kenmore Bagged Canister Vacuum

$240 at Amazon

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.6/5
• Maneuverability
  4.3/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

There’s a lot to like about this vacuum. For starters, it’s relatively lightweight, so it’s easy to move from room to room as well as upstairs and down. But don’t confuse a lightweight design for being light on suction. We were impressed with the Kenmore’s suction power on various surfaces. It won’t always pick everything up in a single pass, but we were happy to see every mess we tested it on was eventually gone.

The large wheels on the canister make it easy for it to “follow” you as you clean. Despite its impressive maneuverability, this model is very clunky.  The wide vacuum head is a little tricky to get around corners, and it’s so heavy that you may have to lift it and relocate it when tackling a new area. The head is also a bit too wide for stair treads, so you’ll definitely need the floor head attachment instead. Still, the design does allow it to effectively get beneath low furniture. 

The retractable cord is very long, so you won’t need to switch between outlets often. The cord storage is one of our favorite things about this vacuum, as the hose retracts quickly without tangling. The vacuum’s body can also hold two attachments at once, keeping everything together. The crevice tool works great. We noticed it was even able to remove dust from cushions, a sign that the HEPA filter is working as it should. The dust bag is quite roomy, but when it’s full, it’s easy to remove from the vacuum.

Aside from its clunky design, we have no complaints about this vacuum, even after two months of use. Generally, we found the Kenmore to be more effective at cleaning carpet and upholstery than hardwood. The floor head attachment does make a difference, though; the only problem is that it’s small and doesn’t cover as much surface area as the regular head does.

Type: Bagged | Capacity: Not listed | Cord Length: 26 feet | Weight: 22.6 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes