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In this report

See Also

Vacuums Rating Sources

Total of 19 Sources

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

1. ConsumerReports.org
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuum Cleaner Ratings and Reliability
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentOn its website, ConsumerReports.org maintains a continuously updated list of vacuum cleaners it has tested, along with their ratings. (Some vacuums that have not been tested are also recommended based on their similarity to tested models.) Vacuums are rated for their performance on bare floor and carpet (including their ability to pick up pet hair from carpet). Total airflow, noise, particle emissions and ease of use are also considered. Of the 82 upright vacuums on this list, 30 are recommended. Overall, bagging upright vacuums perform better than bagless ones, but they also tend to be more expensive.
2. Which? magazine
As of May 2012
Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of Which? magazine
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis U.K. equivalent of ConsumerReports.org tests vacuums regularly. We like that editors specifically test performance on different floor types. Editors have tested 149 upright and canister vacuums from 23 manufacturers. Miele and Dyson clean up in the upright category, claiming 29 out of 50 Best Buy ratings. Unlike many of the vacuum cleaners tested at Which?, most of these Dyson and Miele models are available in the U.S.
3. Good Housekeeping
Not dated
Vacuum Cleaner Reviews
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThe Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) conducts very thorough vacuum tests. Models are rated on their ability to remove ground-in dirt, pick up pet hair and clean bare floors. Editors also have consumers test the vacuums and give their impressions. The editors of GHRI provide detailed descriptions of each vacuum, including a summary of pros and cons. Ninevacuums are awarded an "A" rating from this site, including eight uprights.
4. Wired
As of May 2012
Vacuum Reviews
by Editors of Wired
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentReviewers at Wired evaluate 17 vacuum cleaners of various types in separate reviews; vacuum models range in price from $50 to $700 and are given a numeric rating. Discussion for each model includes pros and cons, as well as notes on performance and ease of use. Although 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, and five others earn overall ratings of 7 ("Good, but not quite great") or better.
5. Choice magazine
July 6, 2010
Vacuum Cleaners Buying Guide
by Editors of Choice
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentChoice 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 25 upright and canister vacuums, most of which are not available in the U.S. However, the 13 models the editors recommend are all canister vacuums.
6. ConsumerReports.org
Oct. 5, 2010
New Vacuum Cleaner Ratings: Our Pet-Hair Test Gets Tuft
by Gian Trotta
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis entry on the ConsumerReports.org blog, which can be viewed without a subscription to the main site, describes the process editors use to test vacuums for pet-hair removal. The fur from long-haired Maine coon cats is measured out and raked into carpets. Then each vacuum gets 14 passes to try to remove it, and the remaining hair is weighed. According to the blog entry, the best-performing upright in this test was the Kenmore Intuition 31100, which also fared well enough in other tests to earn a Best Buy rating. However, author Gian Trotta stresses that pet-hair removal is only one of seven tests vacuums are subjected to at ConsumerReports.org.
7. ConsumerReports.org
June 8, 2009
Does the Performance of the Dyson DC28 Animal Upright Vacuum Match Its Lofty Price?
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis entry from the ConsumerReports.org Home & Garden blog is available without a subscription. It focuses on a specific Dyson model, the DC28 Animal, which was tested for the March 2009 issue. The editors of ConsumerReports.org say that although this machine is powerful and performs very well on carpet, it does not handle well. Dyson has a strong repair record, but they say equally reliable brands make good machines that are much less expensive.
8. PopularMechanics.com
March 4, 2011
Comparison Test: Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaners
by Kathryn Kennedy
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentPopular Mechanics conducts a thorough head-to-head test comparing the Eureka Air Speed to the Dyson DC25 Multi-Floor and Dyson DC28 Animal. Each vacuum is tested for carpet suction, hose function, suction on hard floors and height (what size table it can comfortably maneuver under). The Dyson 28 comes out on top, which is also the most expensive model tested, followed by the Dyson DC25 and the Eureka. However, editors do note that for its price, the Eureka isn't a bad buy.
9. Amazon.com
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentWe found the largest volume of owner comments on vacuum cleaners at Amazon.com. The Hoover Tempo Widepath U5140-900, for example, receives more than 2,400 reviews, with a 4-star overall rating. Several other Hoovers, as well as uprights from Dyson and Eureka, receive hundreds of comments. However, many of the models listed have been discontinued, which can make sorting through the reviews confusing. Amazon.com is an excellent place to look once you've narrowed down your choices.
10. Walmart.com
As of May 2012
Vacuums & Floor Care
by Contributors to Walmart.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentWalmart.com sells a variety of upright vacuum cleaners, ranging from the Bissell Powerforce Upright Vacuum (sold here for $40) to the Dyson DC41 Animal (sold here for $600). Many of these models receive more than 100 reviews from users. However, a majority of the vacuums that are rated receive at least 4 stars out of 5 overall, making it difficult to sort out the really good models. At the time of this report, we found 10 upright vacuums with at least 250 reviews and average ratings of at least 4.5 stars, including four high-priced Dyson models and several less expensive uprights from Eureka, Shark and Hoover.
11. BestBuy.com
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to BestBuy.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThere are about 80 upright vacuum cleaners sold at BestBuy.com, and most of them receive at least a few comments from users. As on other sites, users at BestBuy.com are especially enthusiastic about Dyson uprights; two Dyson models earn high overall ratings from nearly 100 users each. Hoover uprights, both bagged and bagless, are also well rated, as are Eureka Pet series uprights. The site is fairly easy to navigate, and it offers a handy summary of the features customers like best about each product.
12. Target.com
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to Target.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentTarget sells about 50 upright vacuum cleaner models, but most models have fewer than 100 user reviews. The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser has more than 250 owner-written reviews, more than any other upright vacuum sold here, but it receives middling scores of just 3 stars out of 5. However, four upright vacuums -- the Dyson DC24 Multi-Floor, the Bissell CleanView Helix, the Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Pet and the Bissell Momentum Cyclonic -- earn high average ratings in 70 or more owner-written reviews each.
13. Sears.com
As of May 2012
Vacuums
by Contributors to Sears.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentSears.com sells more than 500 upright vacuums and related products, although only about 50 have accumulated a fair amount of reviews. Five models maintain average ratings of 4.5 stars (out of a possible 5) or better in 50 or more reviews, including three Dyson upright vacuum cleaners, one model made by Hoover and another made by Shark.
14. Kohls.com
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to Kohls.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentKohls.com sells about three dozen different upright vacuums, and most have at least a handful of reviews. There are a number of models that have accumulated nearly 50 reviews or more. However, like Walmart.com, reviews are mostly positive, so most upright vacuums have high average ratings. The Shark Navigator Lite Lift-Away Bagless garners an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 in nearly 115 owner-written reviews, while the Dyson DC25 Multi-Floor, Shark Navigator Swivel Bagless Upright and Dyson DC41 Animal maintain similar average ratings but have about half as many reviews.
15. Viewpoints.com
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuums
by Contributors to Viewpoints.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentViewpoints.com is a review site with an unusually broad scope: Contributors cover everything from universities to vitamin supplements. Around 30 upright vacuums are reviewed, although about half receive just a handful of reviews. Additionally, two of the top-rated models have been discontinued. Still, the Bissell Momentum Cyclonic Upright 82G7-1 and Kenmore Progressive Upright Vacuum with Inteli-Clean System each maintain average scores of 80 (out of a possible 100) or better in 30 or more owner-written reviews.
16. Epinions.com
As of May 2012
Upright Vacuum Cleaners
by Contributors to Epinions.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMore than 1,200 upright vacuum cleaner models are listed at Epinions.com, but most of them have only a handful of reviews or none at all. In addition, many of the models listed are discontinued, and there's no option to sort the results by rating. That means visitors may have to sort through dozens of pages to find upright vacuums with favorable feedback. There are more comments here for Dyson vacuums than others, and they are less uniformly positive than those on most other sites. Among the mainly positive postings, we found complaints about these vacuums' inadequate suction, awkward handling and high price.
17. AllergyBuyersClub.com
As of May 2012
HEPA Upright Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis 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. Although this is a good site for health information and articles for allergy sufferers, the recommendations must be taken with a grain of salt as their main business is selling vacuums, and it's interesting that the highest ratings go to the most expensive machines.
18. About.com
Not dated
Vacuum Cleaner Reviews
by Sarah Aguirre
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAbout.com housekeeping guide Sarah Aguirre reviews nine vacuums, seven of which are discontinued. It's not clear when the reviews were written, but Aguirre appears to have casually tested most of the models. She goes into a reasonable amount of detail and includes one or two negatives for each vacuum cleaner. Aguirre does not compare the models directly, but she rates most of the vacuums on a 1- to 5-star scale. The only currently available model that earns high marks is the Eureka Optima. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
19. The Wall Street Journal
Jan. 24, 2008
Stealthier Sweeping
by Sara Schaefer Muñoz
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentSara 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 from Bissell and the Oreck XL21 (discontinued). Testing evaluates only their claims of being quieter than other vacuum cleaners -- vacuums are run while the tester attempts to make a phone call. Both upright models are considered noisier than the two canisters, though quieter than older uprights.
     
 

This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.

Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.
 
 
 
  
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