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Vacuum Cleaners: Ratings of Sources
Total of 19 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. ConsumerReports.org
As of Nov. 2009
Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
5 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Editors at ConsumerReports.org rate 51 upright vacuums in the most recent version of this report. Each vacuum is evaluated for cleaning ability on carpet and bare floors, as well as with tools. Vacuums are… also scored on noise, emissions, ease of use and pet-hair removal. ConsumerReports.org's methodology is consistent and extremely thorough, making this the most valuable review we found. Online videos offer buying advice, and the results of an annual reader survey judging brand reliability are provided.

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2. Which? magazine
Oct. 2009
Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of Which? magazine
5 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This British equivalent of ConsumerReports.org tests vacuums regularly. We like that editors specifically test performance on different floor types. Editors have tested 108 vacuums from 21 different brands… (including canister, upright and handheld models). Dyson cleans up in the upright category, claiming five out of nine Best Buy ratings. Unlike about half of the vacuum cleaners tested at Which? magazine, the Dyson line is available in the United States.

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3. Choice magazine
Updated Oct. 12, 2009
Buying Guide: Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of Choice magazine
5 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Choice magazine is an Australian counterpart to ConsumerReports.org. Editors divide vacuum ratings into three price categories and test them for sand pickup (including in corners and along edges), pet-hair… pickup, ease of use and noise level. Choice magazine tests 36 upright and canister vacuums, many of which are not available in the United States. Editors recommend 20 models in their what-to-buy listings.

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4. Amazon.com
As of Oct. 2009
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to Amazon.com
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

We found the best owner reports on vacuum cleaners at Amazon.com. Reviews are especially prolific for Dyson uprights, with well over 1,000 posts. Various versions of the iRobot Roomba receive a lot of… evaluations. The Hoover U5140-900 Tempo Widepath is also a favorite here, averaging near-perfect scores in more than 1,500 reviews. Amazon.com is an excellent place to look once you've narrowed down your choices.

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5. Wired
As of Oct. 2009
Product Reviews: Household: Vacuums
by Editors of Wired
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Reviewers at Wired evaluate nine vacuum cleaners ranging in price from $130 to $700 and give each a numeric rating. Discussion for each model includes pros and cons, as well as notes on performance and ease of use. While it's clear that each vacuum has been tested, models aren't compared to each other. The Dyson DC28 Animal receives an Editors' Pick award.
6. TheGreenGuide.com
Not Dated
Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide
by Editors of TheGreenGuide.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Editors at TheGreenGuide.com provide shopping tips and information on the environmental impact of vacuum cleaners. The focus here is on effective filtration and low emissions to reduce allergens in the home. Two upright vacuum cleaners, the Kenmore Progressive 35922 and the Dyson DC25 Ball, are recommended, but there's no indication as to whether the products were actually tested.
7. Walmart.com
As of Nov. 2009
Vacuums and Floor Care
by Contributors to Walmart.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Walmart.com sells a variety of upright vacuum cleaners, ranging from the Dirt Devil Dynamite (*Est. $35) to the Dyson DC28 Animal (*Est. $600). Several low-to-mid-priced vacuums receive hundreds of reviews each. Of these, the Hoover Whisper Cyclonic U5184-900, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser, the Eureka Boss SmartVac 4870MZ and the Bissell PowerForce Turbo 6596 receive very high average ratings.
8. Target.com
As of Nov. 2009
Vacuums + Floor Care
by Contributors to Target.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment While there aren't quite as many reviews at Target.com as there are at Walmart.com, reviewers here tend to be more critical. The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser receives mixed reviews, but the Bissell Velocity Dual Cyclonic 3950, the Bissell Lift-Off Revolution Pet Vac 37602 and the Dyson DC17 Animal are highly rated.
9. Sears.com
As of Nov. 2009
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to Sears.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Although most of the vacuums cleaners here get few -- if any -- reviews, Sears.com is one of the few places you can find user reviews for Kenmore vacuums. The Kenmore Progressive vacuums receive a few hundred reviews each with high overall scores. Another Kenmore vacuum, the Kenmore Upright 37020, is panned by nearly 50 owners who report problems major problems with this model's filtration system.
10. About.com
Not Dated
Vacuum Cleaner Reviews
by Sarah Aguirre
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

About.com housekeeping guide Sarah Aguirre reviews eight vacuums, including the Dyson DC15 and the Oreck XL 21. She goes into a reasonable amount of detail and includes one or two negatives for each vacuum… cleaner. Aguirre also makes a few comparisons with other vacuums and appears to have casually tested most of the models. Aguirre never chooses any particular model as best, however, and we can't tell when these reviews were written. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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11. Good Housekeeping
Oct. 2007
Best Vacuums
by Nathaniel Benforado
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment This short article describes four vacuum cleaners: the Electrolux Intensity EL5020, Dyson Slim DC18, Halo UVX and iRobot Roomba 560. While Benforado mostly lists features and pros, the author does include two cons -- the Electrolux's lack of attachments and the Roomba's inability to deep clean. There's no information given about whether vacuums were tested before being included.
12. The Wall Street Journal
Jan. 24, 2008
Stealthier Sweeping
by Sara Schaefer Muñoz
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Sara Schaefer Muñoz tests four vacuum cleaners: the Electrolux Oxygen3 Ultra with Quiet Clean powerhead and Miele Callisto (both canister vacs), the upright Healthy Home Vacuum, and the Oreck XL21 Titanium… Upright with IntellaShield Technology. Testing evaluates only their claims of being quieter than other vacuum cleaners -- vacuums are run while the tester attempts to make a phone call. Bissell's Healthy Home Vacuum and the Oreck upright are considered noisier than other vacuums tested.

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13. Viewpoints.com
As of Oct. 2009
Upright Vacuum Reviews
by Contributors to Viewpoints.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Viewpoints.com is a review site with an unusually broad scope: Contributors cover everything from universities to vitamin supplements. There's a decent section on vacuums here, with basic coverage of more than 200 models. Navigation at Viewpoints.com is easy and intuitive, and many of the reviews are quite detailed.
14. ReviewCentre.com
As of Nov. 2009
Vacuum Cleaners
by Contributors to ReviewCentre.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment ReviewCentre.com has mixed vacuum coverage, with individual models getting anywhere from a handful to more than a hundred individual reviews. Entries tend to be shorter here than at Epinions.com and Viewpoints.com, and many of the models on this U.K.-based site aren't available in the United States.
15. Ristenbatt Vacuum Cleaner Service, Inc.
As of Nov. 2009
Ristenbatt Vacuum's Preferred Models
by David E. Ristenbatt
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This retailer sells more than 75 different models of cleaners and publishes comprehensive product summaries, features and specifications on a limited number of models. Preferred picks include the Miele… Swing S7580, the Miele Salsa S7280, the Sebo X5 and the Sebo X4. There's great information here about types of cleaners, filter differences and agitator types. Because there's no independent testing information -- and because models recommended here are also sold here -- this site has limited scope.

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16. Allergy Buyers Club.com
As of Nov. 2009
Vacuum Cleaners: For Rugs, Carpets and Bare Floors
by Editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This retail site, which includes many comparison charts and articles, focuses on the needs of allergy sufferers. Vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are recommended for people who need maximum removal of… allergens. While this is a good site for health information and articles for allergy sufferers, the recommendations must be taken with a grain of salt, and it's interesting that the highest ratings go to the most expensive machines.

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17. ConsumerGuide.com
As of Oct. 2009
Upright Vacuum Cleaners Reviews and Prices
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

ConsumerGuide.com reviews a number of vacuums, but write-ups for the models featured here are entirely based on features and specifications. No product testing appears to have been performed at all, which… makes this source less valuable. Best Buy awards are given to 14 vacuums, but it's difficult to tell exactly why editors chose these over others. Lastly, many of these picks have been discontinued.

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18. Epinions.com
As of Nov. 2009
Upright Vacuum Cleaners
by Contributors to Epinions.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Most vacuum ratings on this consumer-opinion website are positive, so it's difficult to get any idea of which models might be better than others. There are more comments here for Dyson vacuums than others, and the mainly positive postings are peppered with a few who say the pet-hair brush does not work as advertised. The Eureka 4870 gets a more mixed response here than at Amazon.com.
19. Appliance.com
As of Nov. 2009
Vacuum Cleaners and Floor Care Appliances -- The Latest New Products
by Editors of Appliance.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Although Appliance.com does not offer reviews or testing of upright vacuums, they do describe new models in extensive detail. There's no comparison information here, however. Helpful buying guides and articles with general information about the different types of vacuums and features are also available on this website.

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