Every home needs a dependable vacuum, especially if you have pets!
Yes, I know robot vacuums are the latest hit since DiCaprio in Titanic, but today’s upright vacuums offer far better features, plus extra suction power.
Most on my list include detachable canisters for cleaning:
Upholstery, drapes, stairs, high furniture
To help you find the best upright vacuum cleaner, we ranked them based on performance, features, price & buyer reviews.
Table of Contents
The Best Upright Vacuums 2024
Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner
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The Hoover WindTunnel 3 is a heavy-duty, affordable vacuum w/ powerful suction.
Designed with a longer, 40 ft. cord – a good option for larger homes or residences with lots of carpets.
- Weight: 8.2 kg
- Reach: 40 ft. cord
- Pricing: Medium
Quick-Pass brush roll provides 2x faster cleaning (since you won’t need to go over the same area multiple times). An excellent option for lots of pet hair!
A full-home vacuum cleaner, the Hoover WindTunnel includes a detachable, handheld vacuum with 4 attachments.
Good vacuum for upholstery and furniture!
The Hoover Wind Tunnel is a top seller online.
Shark Upright Vacuum NV681UKT
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Shark NV681UKT is the best upright vacuum cleaner for dog hair.
Includes two surface settings for carpet or hard floors. Hardwood floors require a gentle vacuum – the Shark Rotator is a good option.
- Weight: 16.7 pounds
- Capacity: 1.5 quarts
- Pricing: Expensive
Powerful suction for carpets and gentle glide wheels are ideal for delicate flooring (i.e., oak or mahogany).
Buyers say the Shark NV681UKT motorized brush makes it the best upright vacuum cleaner for hair or carpets.
Fingertip controls and swivel steering make it super user-friendly.
Additional features:
LED lights, power-suction mode, detachable 1.5 qt canister
Expensive, but lots of positive buyer reviews.
Bissell Cleanview Swivel Pet Review
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The Bissell Cleanview vacuum is an affordable upright vacuum cleaner.
It comes w/ a specialized triple-action brush roll for pet hair – buyers confirm it picks up clumps or long hair that are tangled in the carpet.
- Weight: 18 pounds
- Reach: 25 ft. cord
- Pricing: Affordable
New Swivel Steering makes it easy to get around obstacles or awkward areas.
If there is a smaller area vacuum can’t be reached – no problem!
Easily disconnect the nozzle, and it can be used as a dry vac. The downside is the cord is a little shorter at only 27 ft. and a little heavier at 18 lbs.
Lots of good buyer reviews online!
Shark Rotator NV501 Reviews
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Shark Rotator NV501 is the most affordable upright vacuum cleaner on my list.
Includes a filter system and seal, which is designed to trap 99.9% of particles in the vacuum.
- Weight: 15.5 pounds
- Reach: 30 ft. cord
It is also reasonably priced and will appeal to those who want a 2-in-1 vacuum:
Upright and handheld vacuum (w/ lift-away pod).
One of Shark’s Lift-Away upright vacuums, it comes with an easy attach/detach canister for difficult areas.
Also includes LED lights for maneuvering in corners.
Read our review on Robot Vacuum Cleaners.
Oreck Commercial Vacuum Reviews
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For power suction, you can’t beat the price of the Oreck Commercial XL Upright vacuum cleaner.
Even though it is considered a “commercial” vacuum, buyers say it is one of the best upright vacuum cleaners for the home.
- Weight: 8.2 pounds
- Reach: 35 ft. cord
- Pricing: Medium
Designed for power, the Oreck Commercial XL comes with helix brushes that spin at a rate of 6500 RPM.
The super powerful suction is good for pet hair and can pull in particles in tiny crevices.
Also includes:
high-speed roller brush, fingertip controls, bumpers for protecting furniture
Good vacuum for residential or commercial use.
Medium price w/ good buyer reviews!
Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum
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The Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum is specifically designed to tackle pet hair (and pet dander).
With a very strong suction of 306 AW (air watts), it’s able to lift tangled hair right off the carpet — you shouldn’t need to run it over multiple times.
- Weight: 17.5 pounds
- Capacity: 12 dry quarts
- Pricing: Expensive
Includes a detachable wand to help you clean harder-to-reach areas. Simply press the button to detach it from its holster and use it as a lightweight carry vacuum.
Includes a special HEPA filter system that traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the dustbin.
This is a model that works great on multiple floor surfaces:
vinyl, tile, hardwood, and carpet
Downside – it’s pretty expensive.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Reviews
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The Shark Navigator Lift-Away is the most popular upright vacuum online.
User-friendly features and a “Lift Away Button” to detach and empty the HEPA vacuum filter.
- Weight: 12.5 pounds
- Capacity: 12 dry quarts
- Pricing: Medium
Good suction for carpets and gentle gliding wheels are perfect for delicate flooring (i.e., oak or mahogany).
Buyers say the Shark Navigator Lift-Away brushroll makes it one of the best upright vacuum cleaners for pet owners.
Easy fingertip controls w/ swivel steering make it even more user-friendly.
Medium price and lots of positive buyer reviews.
Hoover Air Lift Vacuum Reviews
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Hoover Air Lift Bagless Vacuum is one of my personal favorites:
- Affordable
- Cordless = rechargeable battery
- Large dirt bin (1.05 liters)
- Detachable = best handheld vacuum
- Boost mode for extra power
- Very lightweight
In terms of battery power, it comes with two rechargeable batteries giving you 50 mins of cordless vacuuming power. A large dust cup means you can vacuum uninterrupted (without needing to empty the bin).
What I love the most about this Hoover is the detachable canister vacuum – it easily disconnects and can be used as a handheld vacuum for your car, furniture, or stairs.
Super lightweight at 12.4 pounds, it weighs about 4-6 pounds detached.
Tons of positive buyer reviews confirm how very quiet it is – upright and handheld vacuum.
Charge time is 3 hours for a full 50 min battery.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pet Upright Vacuum
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Shark Navigator vacuum is built with an upgraded bin sealer and HEPA filter — it traps 99.9% of allergens inside once you’ve vacuumed them up.
An extendable wand lets you reach the upper corners of your rooms and clean things like blinds and drapes. You’ll also find the vacuum works well on hardwood floors and carpets.
The canister is removable, transforming it into a handheld vacuum — easily clean stairs and other parts of the house that are narrow or hard to reach.
What I really love is how big the dust cup is — it holds up to 1.2 dry quarts (which is a lot).
You won’t need to constantly empty the bin, which is great for homes that require 2-3x week vacuuming.
Shark Navigator has a medium weight of 13 pounds but is easy to assemble w/ excellent maneuvering capabilities.
Dyson Ball Multi Floor 2 Upright Vacuum
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The Dyson Ball, Multi Floor vacuum, comes with a 40 ft cord and uses new ball swivel technology.
Best of all, the Dyson Ball allows you can reach tight spaces throughout your home. It’s also designed for both carpet and hardwood floors.
What makes the Dyson Ball Upright Vacuum unique is its fantastic durability. It is tested to last 10 years totaling 12,800 hours of usage.
HEPA filter helps trap 99% of dirt and allergens inside the bin once they’ve been scooped. And the 1-button bin release makes it very easy to empty when you’re finished.
Comes with the new instant-release wand — clean under furniture or up high.
The downside is that it’s one of the heavier upright vacuums at 17.3 pounds.
Shark Navigator Vacuum Reviews
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Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional is one of the best upright vacuum cleaners with 2-in-1 functionality.
You can use it as a regular home vacuum or detach it for a handheld vacuum – great for furniture, stairs, or car interior!
- Weight: 15.5 pounds
- Reach: 25 ft. cord
- Pricing: Medium
Users find this model to be very quiet when running, which is great!
If you have toddlers napping upstairs, you can still vacuum without waking the whole house.
What I like most is the easy-button controls:
- brush-roll ON/OFF
- increase/decrease suction (min/max dial)
- 1-button to detach the canister
Moderate weight of 13.7 lb, but still powerful for its size/weight.
Best Upright Vacuum Cleaner UK
Even with newer models available upright vacuum cleaners are still preferred by some people. The greatest benefit is their suction power – unlike a cordless stick vacuum or a robotic vacuum, upright vacuums have up to 3 times the suction power. This is ideal for homeowners with pets, especially dogs that shed.
When it’s time to replace your vacuum cleaner, you’ll want a new machine that can remove dirt quickly and efficiently and keep that dirt locked away inside.
You should also consider things like which models will work on your flooring surfaces and what attachments are included since attachments can be used to reach high areas and remove specific types of dirt, like pet hair.