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We purchased 15 top stick vacuums and subjected them to incredibly rigorous testing in our new vacuum test lab. We designed new test rigs to measure suction power and particulate removal. We updated our side-by-side comparisons, laying down over 200 cups of debris to evaluate the cleaning ability of each model. We ensured each test mimicked the real-world conditions you face.
The Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight is the model most people should buy. It has exceptional carpet and hardwood performance, is one of the easiest vacuums to use, and is hundreds of dollars less than any vacuum with marginally higher performance. If you want the absolute best performance at a premium price, get the Dyson V15 Detect. It won nearly every cleaning test and is an incredibly effective and advanced vacuum that delighted our testers.
While stick vacuums are improving at an exciting rate, they still don't have the pure suction power and carpet performance of an upright vacuum. And as convenient as they are, a robot vacuum might also be a part of your daily cleaning routine.
Editor's Note: On November 28, 2024, we published a fresh look at all products in our lineup. This means we tested all 15 on our completely new test plan. We hope you enjoy it!
The Shark Vertex Pro bridges the gap between mid-range products and top-tier elites, punching well above its weight class in many of our tests. With only 6% less than the leader, Dyson Gen5, this vacuum sucked up 90% of all debris from our low pile tests. This is pretty impressive, considering that the Gen5 costs about twice as much. The Vertex also tied for first in picking up the most debris from our high pile test trials, making it ideal for homes with thicker carpets or rugs. These results can be attributed to the unique DuoClean system, incorporating two rollers in the vacuum head that make for a combination punch on messes around the house. Seeing this vacuum climb over the largest messes like a monster truck is amazing. “I bet if we put down something larger on the floor, this vacuum can still pick it up,” mentioned our lead tester, Rachael. To complement its cleaning performance, the Vertex has the MultiFLEX, a hinge along the rod that bends outward, allowing us to reach under furniture without breaking our backs. While the handheld weight landed in the middle of the pack at 3.8 pounds, it glided across our obstacle course with minimal effort from us, making tight turns and transitioning so smoothly that it made this chore more bearable compared to other top performers.
So what's the catch? The introduction of an additional roller brings in a major design drawback. One of the biggest goals for vacuums is to harness as much power as possible to stand a fighting chance against dust that settles deep into carpets. The seal of the vacuum head helps take the potential energy from the motor and reduces any loss at the interface of the vacuum head and carpet fibers. The additional soft roller is exposed on the front, not allowing a great seal, which develops inefficiencies that the vacuum cannot compensate for. As a result, this vacuum doesn't have the capabilities to deep clean like the others in this lineup. To put this into perspective, our newly built suction measuring platform recorded the Vertex at a measly 323 pascals. That's well below the average at 834 pascals. And while it does well overall with picking up after our furry family members, capturing 67% between both carpets, the hair tends to get stuck in the tines of the vacuum and can produce a big hair bunch if it doesn't get tended. Like with other products, long hair gets caught in the Vertex's Powerfins roller, which, ironically, is the roller we could not remove. For those seeking an easy-maintenance vacuum, the Samsung Bespoke features an easy-access roller and an automated dust bin station for quick and simple cleaning. However, for households without pets or those okay with occasional fur checks, the Vertex is our top recommendation for most households. We truly loved how easy it was to work with and were impressed with its cleaning results.
In our most heavily weighted test metrics, the Levoit VortexIQ 40 scores almost matched competitors that cost two to four times as much. “This little guy is a slayer,” noted our tester after running multiple trials of our low pile testing. What's nice about the pickup characteristics of this vacuum is that unlike the Vertex and Dyson, the Levoit doesn't choose its favorites to grab. With a visual assessment, we could see a mixture of the three different-sized debris in the dust bin. At the head, it has slits that we think help to let in the larger material while not completely exposing the full front to help retain some kind of seal. Compared to the Dyson V8, which costs twice as much, this performed the same on low-pile carpets, both sucking up 92% but mustered an additional 10% more debris during our shag carpet testing. This vacuum lifted up 88% of the sand, rice, and Cheerios on hardwood floors, which is commendable since it doesn't have a soft roller. When it's time to give the Levoit some self-care, accessing all the needed parts with a button or tab is intuitive. No need for a coin or Phillips screwdriver to unlatch compartments like other products in the lineup.
While all this seems lovely, there are a few factors to consider. The Levoit only sucked up 2/3 of the fur and hair extensions we placed down for the low pile pet hair test. The cheaper Black+Decker collected 11% more, making it a viable option for pet owners looking to keep costs down. We also couldn't complete much cleaning in the 33 minutes of battery life on low. Cranking the power to high will only last a hasty 7 minutes and 34 seconds. It routinely stopped when we were settling into the flow of a chore. There are additional batteries for purchase (we suggest one for all of them since battery life isn't the best for these machines), but we might need multiple to tackle a full house with the Levoit, which quickly ramps up the overall cost. This isn't ideal when considering a budget option. In an apartment or small house, this might not pose a significant issue, as cleanups are typically quick with a cordless stick vacuum. However, for larger spaces with more square footage, we recommend investing in a larger battery.
The Kenmore Elite wasn't a top performer, but it sells for a compelling price and performed reasonably well in our low pile carpet and hardwood testing. The drastic scoring reduction in its carpet performance is due to the cleaning score on shag carpets, making it a poor contender for homes with lots of high pile surfaces. To put some numbers to it, the Kenmore consistently sucked up an average of 77% on low piles and 70% on hardwood. That's not bad, considering we place a 1/2 cup of each sand, rice, and Cheerios in a single-timed test where each vacuum only has 24 seconds to clean up as much as possible. Alternatively, between clogging and weak suction, it was no match for the competition in our most stringent high pile test, performing the worst of the group with only 20% cleaned. A price bump is required for the Levoit to see a jump in cleaning performance. We will say the price increase isn't much compared to the big jump in cleaning performance, so it's worth a look.
For those on a limited budget, this vacuum can certainly be a viable option for more superficial messes. The Kenmore is the lightest on the list, in the featherweight division at only 2 pounds, making it easy to push around. However, it struggles with corners, hallways, or transition areas without additional effort. The swivel is more of a tilt, making tight turns unachievable. We also had to give it a lift assist when moving from hard surfaces to carpets. It does great at sucking up debris when we vacuum straight on, but running it along a baseboard leaves a layer of about a 1/4 inch from the wall. These are not serious deal breakers, but they are something to consider when selecting a budget model. The similarly priced Black+Decker can move around more easily, but we saw a slight reduction in cleaning performance in our tests. If these drawbacks seemed minimal, then we believe this vacuum is good for those on a tight budget. Folks living in an apartment, new dorm rooms, or first-time homeowners might see this product as just the right pick.
The Kenmore doesn't suck up well when pulling back, so to help it when coming up to a dirty lane of debris, make sure it is tackling its fears head-on.
The Black+Decker PowerSeries+ 20V is for pet owners who spend more money on their fur babies than on themselves. Between all the food, treats, and, hopefully, adorable seasonal outfits for your animals, it's hard to save enough money to spend on a premium vacuum. The Black+Decker has entered the chat. Its shining achievement is sucking up 78% of fur from low pile carpets. Only the elite (and expensive) Dysons bested the B+D in this test, which is pretty impressive for its small build and cost. It feels lighter than it weighs, which still isn't much at 3.5 pounds. Smooth swiveling and effortless pushing meant we didn't have to give it our all to complete our chores. It also gives a valiant effort on low pile carpets by picking up 73% of all material during our multiple trials. However, due to its remedial head design, it does a bit of plowing.
Like other budget models, the B+D took a turn in scoring due to its poor performance (only 24% cleaned) on high-pile carpets. “It barely made a dent,” noted our lead tester. It clogged in all three of our trials on shag, making it a frustrating experience to vacuum thicker pile rugs. Also, there was not much of a filtration system when we ran it through our newly developed filtration testing. While most of our selection could keep the small particle count down to sub-100 (that's the number of fine particles in the air), the Black+Decker couldn't counter the flour we were pulling through the system, resulting in a peak average of 1,542 small particles logged in our testing room. According to Dylos, the manufacturer of the two air quality monitors we use for our tests, this equates to poor air quality. The Levoit, our Best Buy pick, recorded the lowest count at 30 small particles in the air at the peak of vacuuming. The lower the number, the better, where anything under 75 particle count is considered excellent. For those sensitive to air quality, we do not suggest the Black+Decker. However, for lighter cleaning needs, using the Black+Decker more frequently—thanks to its quick and efficient performance—can help offset this drawback.
We were surprised by how well the Black+Decker did in our pet hair test. Although long hair gets stuck in the roller, we appreciated the easy slide tab to release the roller for a quicker clean.
We've never seen a bigger smile on our lead tester's face than when we asked her, “What is your favorite vacuum?” She grabbed the Dyson V15 Detect and held it like a proud mother. This machine is a beast, providing one of the most powerful suctions (2239 pascals) in our testing. This suction translated to superior scoring in most of our cleaning tests. What makes this product stand out is its ability to pull embedded sand out of low profile and shag carpets. This is the vacuum that will help make a house impeccably clean. It collected an average of 94% of all debris in our low pile carpet cleaning trials, only being beaten by other elite Dysons, Gen5 and V15s Submarine, by a couple of percentages. The Fluffy Optic roller designed for hard surfaces is top-notch, recording a near-perfect 98% of the debris we throw at it in our multiple testing trials. The roller is soft on floors but effective. The laser, placed strategically on the side of the head, projects a green-focused light on the floor, even highlighting a single strand of blonde hair on bamboo flooring. It registers dirt we didn't even know we had and, honestly, makes it kind of fun to do our chores. Pet owners will appreciate its ability to pick up fur successfully from low pile carpets, sucking up 88% of the 5 grams of hair we placed down, with the added advantage of a small motorized head attachment included in the package deal that works on couches.
The major drawback to all this power is poor maneuverability. It's not difficult to make tight turns, but it is certainly tough to push on any carpet. The suction is almost too powerful. We opened the gates of the head to reduce the counterforce, but this only helped a little. It's also heavy, weighing in at 4.5 pounds. Because it's all about getting a good seal to the carpet, the head doesn't leave much of a clearance for big messes to get through, so this vacuum tends to plow larger material like the Cheerios we chucked down during our cleaning tests. For vacuums that can tackle the largest debris, look to the Shark Stratos and Vertex DuoClean system that utilizes two rollers to collectively grab and ride over the biggest messes we have made at GearLab. Opposite to the Dysons, the Sharks don't have powerful suction at the head due to this design deviation, only registering 647 and 323 pascals, respectively. Although all Dysons have these limitations, we never felt it was detrimental to our experience. We favor a vacuum that can grab dirt deep below than superficial spills that can suck up with an additional pass easily. Dyson has been an innovative company from the beginning, designing the first bagless vacuums in the world. However, we think they missed a key factor when designing the V-series: we had to continuously hold down the trigger while vacuuming. “It doesn't sound like much effort, but we were surprised at how quickly our finger fatigues,” noted our testers. I think Dyson heard our concerns as their most recent series Gen5 ditched this requirement. As a last note, we can't finish without mentioning the elephant in the room, the sales price sticker shock. Dysons are spendy. For those unable to opt for this top-tier product, there's no need to worry; this lineup includes excellent alternatives, such as the mid-range Sharks or the budget-friendly Levoit Vortex. That being said, we consider cordless stick vacuums the most versatile tool due to their ability to turn into a conventional handheld vacuum or function easily in locations like the car or workshop. It might be worth the investment, and we highly recommend the Dyson V15 as our first option for the neat freaks out there.
The Shark Stratos Cordless and Shark Vertex Pro almost look identical, except possibly for the sleeker head of the Stratos. For the most part, they performed very similarly, closely leap-frogging each other throughout our testing. They both have the DuoClean double brush rollers at the base, which helped make great work of hardwood floors and larger materials like Cheerios. The Stratos was released after the Vertex, making it the younger, stronger sister. It recorded twice the suction power (647 pascals) compared to the Vertex at 323 pascals. This was a great improvement, but this might have affected its cleaning performance because the Stratos clogged in its initial testing trial on low pile carpets. Due to this mishap, Stratos's average dropped to 83%, 7% worse than its sibling. It did well in sucking up sand in our crevice test, sucking up 96% of what we packed into a single slit. This product can be great for grouted tiles or transition areas where there's a bit more demand in performance.
The Stratos has user experience perks similar to those of the Vertex. We love the MultiFLEX hinge that makes it easy to vacuum under the couch, coffee table, or other furniture. The double roller head eliminates the need to switch between vacuum heads, combining them into one versatile design. This makes it ready to handle any surface, unlike the Dyson elites, which require swapping out heads. As we mentioned with the Vertex, this design doesn't provide a beneficial seal on carpets, decreasing the amount of power utilized at the head. We need as much power as we can get to really grab deep within carpets where dirt loves to make a home. The Stratos comes with an odor neutralizer, which is essentially a card scent shoved at the base. It's potent, like we're surrounded by a bunch of teenage boys wearing Axe bodyspray. It's a bit intense, but luckily, we could easily remove it from the head. With these considerations, we still believe this vacuum is an excellent performer at the mid-range level. Between the Vertex and the Stratos, get whatever has the best deal!
The Stratos has a slew of very user-friendly features that make for a great vacuum companion.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
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We test all vacuums at our in-house testing facility, mimicking real-world messes and situations.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
How We Test
We've tested over 140 vacuums within the last decade, and during that time, we've learned a ton. Having never been the one to settle in our work, in this revised test version, we've completely cleaned the slate and put every product through our new Vacuum Performance 2.0 test protocol. First, we thoroughly researched problems plaguing homes everywhere. What are the most stubborn messes out there, and where do they occur most? What makes an exhausting chore easier? We ask questions like these to get to the root of what makes a vacuum great. From there, we've designed and built new rigs like the suction power platform to gather data to show these important factors. We've also developed new testing protocols, expanding on our original cleaning tests to get a more accurate representation of what we would see at home. We added in more thorough analysis of convenient features and design aspects to tease out the good from the great. After this whole process, we count more than 25 individual tests conducted on each and every product in this review. We've broken out all the stops to provide the most comprehensive review you can use to make a smart and informed purchase decision.
We measured effective suction power with a differential pressure meter (manometer).
We also invested in new logging devices and recorded important data to provide a clear comparison of how each product performs relative to others.
In our new cleaning performance analysis, we expand upon what we've done before. Quite literally, as we increase our testing area to 27 square feet. While many competitors test on tiny scraps, we create similar scenarios that are found in homes today. By expanding our test area, we gained more insight into the characteristics of these vacuums. It's funny to think, but each vacuum has its own personality that we get to know over the weeks of testing. We conduct multiple trials in each of the three main surface types: low pile carpet, high pile (shag) carpet, and hardwood. To account for every kind of mess someone might encounter, we also include a wide variety of sized materials, from fine sand to chunky Cheerios. We measure out the same amount and test in the same conditions for every single product so we can accurately compare our findings to one another.
Here's a look at our new filtration testing.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We also have a completely new test metric that is comprised of two very important factors: filtration and suction. Health concerns are paramount to us. So, after many experiments, we've established new guidelines to record emissions accurately. Other review companies like showing the intake from a fog machine, but that doesn't tell us much. Our process utilizes a particle counter that logs the amount of harmful fine particulates in the air, alerting us to any potential hazards. Our suction testing reviews the power struggle of these vacuums. Cordless stick vacuums have come a long way, now competing with many canister and upright vacuums. We built a new platform to measure the suction power at the head of the vacuum. Where we see power, we see effective results.
Our completely rejuvenated test plan is broken into the 6 test metrics below.
Carpet Performance (25% of overall score weighting)
Hardwood Performance (25% weighting)
Pet Hair (15% weighting)
Filtration and Suction (15% weighting)
Ease of Use (10% weighting)
Battery (10% weighting)
Here's Rachael, our lead tester, with some of our other support testers.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Why Trust GearLab
Lead tester, Rachael Lamore, brings a wealth of knowledge to this review. She's put dozens of vacuums of all types through a gauntlet of challenging tests. In this review, she is the mastermind behind our new and improved Vacuum 2.0 testing protocol which uses a variety of scientific measurement devices to get to the heart of vacuum cleaner performance. Over the past year, Rachael has dedicated significant time and effort to exploring and refining various testing methodologies. Her vigor for relentless experimentation until our test approaches can produce reliable, repeatable, and differentiating data is a testament to her hard work and commitment to scientifically evaluating vacuum cleaning performance. With an analytical mindset, she's always been curious about the numbers, whether it is the suction power of each product, the ability to pick up different types of debris and pet hair, or the measurement of the air quality of products claiming HEPA or superior filter systems. She earned a degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Biological Sciences. Rachael has years under her belt in the aquatic world, working in laboratories studying reef ecology. She's not new to gathering data, recording a slew of numbers, and formulating reports of her findings.
We've highlighted some of our testing, but not all of it. Here are a few photo shots that dive into the nuances of working with these vacuums.
Analysis and Test Results
In the following sections, we dive into our test results, comparing products that stood out in our testing, for better or worse. Depending on your cleaning crises, you may favor one metric over another, so we suggest focusing on the sections that matter to you most.
What's the Best Value?
Yes, sometimes you get what you pay for when it comes to performance and price, but not always. Our tests are designed to help make sure you get just what you need and at the best price. For those on a tight budget, the Kenmore Elite offers reasonable performance at a much lower-than-average under $200 list price. The Kenmore is not a rock star vacuum, but for those who need to do some light cleaning it does a satisfactory job, and it performs well in important tests like low pile carpet and hardwood. It's also super light, making you save time and effort vacuuming around the house. If pet hair is your key need, the Black+Decker is also under $200 list and had a relatively good showing with pet hair. So, again if you're focused on light cleaning and want to save some money, you may want to go with this product if you have any furry members in the family. If you have thicker piles or rugs lining your house, you'll need to spend more time in these areas with either the Kenmore or the Black+Decker since they don't harness much power. If you need a reliable deep-cleaning vacuum at a low price, you may want to consider a lightweight upright vacuum. Plugging into the wall gives you cheaper access to more power.
But, for most people looking for a good value, we think the Levoit VortexIQ offers the best trade-off between price and performance. Selling for just over $200 list price, it delivered an impressive performance in our highest weighted metrics like carpet and hardwood cleaning performance. It costs half the price of our Editor's Choice winner, the Shark Vertex Pro (which is awesome), and a fraction of the cost of the impressive Dyson 15 Detect. Yet, despite an affordable price, the Levoit punches above its weight on every test we threw at it except for pet hair, where it just did OK.
If you lean more toward buying quality, even if it costs a bit more initially, that is where the Shark Vertex Pro comes in. Coming in a half the price of the famous, and truly impressive, Dyson V15 Detect, the Vertex is nearly as good. It scored highest in our Ease of Use metric, and nearly matched the Dyson on carpet and hardwood cleaning performance. The Vertex won our Editor's Choice award because we sincerely believe it is the best stick vacuum choice for most people who lean toward buying a high-quality product.
We selected three different floor types to give you a comprehensive set of results. Low-pile carpets and hardwood floors will be the most prevalent in homes today, but we included shag carpet for houses that have rugs or higher-pile carpets to include all different situations.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Carpet Performance
Carpets come in different heights, from a quarter of an inch upwards to over an inch and a half. Believe it or not, height plays a big role in a vacuum's ability to work as intended. Every household is different, so we tested low and high pile carpets to determine performance scores.
Shorter carpets often have superficial messes where larger items can be challenging for the vacuum head to crawl over and suck up. Higher pile carpets are like hoarders. They like to trap everything and make it difficult to effectively agitate deep into the carpet, often leaving finer material behind.
Our testing has evolved over time, resulting in what we believe is our best version yet. We expanded our test area, vacuuming 27 square feet to better simulate a real-life application of vacuuming in a room. We added a time limit (24 seconds) to give us comparable results. Finally, we measured a 1/2 cup of sand, rice, and Cheerios to test each vacuum's ability to clean a full range of material sizes common in most homes.
To ensure we get results that we can compare apples-to-apples, we take exact measurements of the amount of material we use.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We do this test with each vacuum twice. If we find large inconsistencies, we repeat the trials, looking for causes. We repeatedly conduct tests on both pile heights to gather comparable data to find the best.
Carpet Cleaning Perfomance (%)
Product
Low Pile
High Pile
Tineco Pure ONE S11
92
57
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
90
57
Levoit VortexIQ 40
92
54
Dyson Gen5detect
96
46
Samsung Bespoke Jet
94
47
Shark Pet Plus
92
49
Dyson V15 Detect
94
46
Dyson V15s Submarine
95
44
Shark Stratos Cordless
83
53
Dyson V8
92
44
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
75
40
Homeika LED 8-in-1
72
27
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
73
24
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
77
20
Bissell Cleanview XR
24
35
Since we left most shag in the 70s, we weighted our scoring toward low pile carpet, but each home is different, and depending on your home, a different metric could feel more important to you.
Low Pile
The three elite Dyson models topped the charts in our low pile testing. The Gen5detect is a speed machine when sucking up fine material. The combination of powerful suction and short, stiff bristles helps to agitate the carpet and suck up the sand lying below. The Dyson V15s Submarine and V15 Detect exhibited similar functionality because they all have the same exact head. The only drawback to these products is the vacuum head limitations.
Each of the top Dyson products utilizes the coveted Digital Motorbar head produced by the company. Between the rubber backing and small, minimal gates, the head design is focused on creating the best seal for the carpet to increase suction power.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
As a result, Dyson's tend to plow bigger spills and larger debris. The gates of the head are like security at a nightclub, only allowing Cheerios and rice to pass incrementally. This is the tradeoff for a powerful suction, and we didn't find it to be detrimental overall. At the end of the timed sessions, we didn't see many Cheerios or rice grains left; instead, a higher percentage of debris was captured across the board (96% for the Gen5, 95% for the Submarine, and 94% for the V15) because of the difficulty of lifting dirt from below.
Before TestingAfter Testing
Here's a comparison of our best (Dyson Gen5 in the middle and Submarine on the right) to our absolute worst (Bissel on the left).
The Shark Stratos and Vertex take a different approach with their head design, creating different characteristics for picking up material than the Dysons. Instead of a dedicated carpet head, they have two rollers (Powerfins and a soft roller) that comprise their specialized Duo Clean system.
The double roller design works in tandem to suck up larger material. With its fine hair at the front, the soft roller almost reaches out and grabs large material.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
It's impressive to see them vacuuming large spills. We used Cheerios as our biggest material size, but we honestly think both the Stratos and Vertex can tackle much bigger.
See how the first roller easily grabs the larger debris? Both the Shark vacuums do a stellar job at sucking up material when going forward.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Although we were impressed with the capabilities of the DuoClean system, it comes with a major drawback. With the introduction of an additional roller, the vacuum head doesn't seal as well as other competitors. The exposed soft roller lets more air pass than the rubber or hard plastic barrier that we see on other products. Suction is one of the most significant factors in grabbing deep, fine materials like dust and dirt. The Vertex sucked up an average of 90% of all material in our tests. The Stratos had similar results in two of three trials. During our initial trial, however, the vacuum got clogged towards the end, leaving material in the hose that dropped out when we finished our testing. This dinged its score with only an 83% pick-up.
Among the top-tier Dyson products, the Samsung Bespoke held its own. It was a delight to see this vacuum work. Look at how smooth its performance is here.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Bespoke follows a similar design to the Sharks with a smaller diameter soft roller in the front. We're not sure if it's the decrease in the front roller size or the potential increased suction from the motor, but the Bespoke was able to grab slightly more than the Sharks, sucking up 94% of all debris. There was a slight clog during our second trial, but we were reassured by the vacuum's technology, which instantly shut off at first signs of distress. Our subsequent trials were almost flawless, with the vacuum head's ability to roll over Cheerios and get sand deep within the carpet.
Dyson's and Shark's stripped-back versions, the Pet Plus and V8, performed valiantly in our low pile test, reassuring us that we do not need to spend a fortune to get good results. The Pet Plus did a nice job overall but struggled when pulling material back. We could see some light spraying when we looked closely, moving material around instead of sucking it up when it faced larger amounts. However, it only left 9% of the material in the end, which was mostly sand.
The V8 and V15 head off in this video to show you the similarities in low pile performance.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The V-series roller and head design hasn't changed much in the last few years. Although more goes into the performance than just these design considerations, we believe the increased suction power helped propel the newer V-series models and Gen5 past the older V8. Still, it wasn't by much. The Dyson V8 recorded a 92% pick-up compared to the V15's 94%. Where did that 2% go? Deep in the carpet. There was more sand left over, but given the substantial price difference, we don't think the V8 did half bad.
Before TestingAfter Testing
The Samsung Bespoke (right) is showing off in our low pile carpet test. The Shark Detect (left) and Kenmore (middle) struggled for different reasons, the main being weak power.
The competition takes a step down from here as we see the Black+Decker, Homeika, Shark Detect, and Kenmore capture an average of 70% of the test materials. These cheaper models couldn't quite match the power of the more premium models in our lineup. The Homeika was like a lawn mower, gradually cutting the mess away almost layer by layer. It was an odd sight to see the Homeika ride over the materials and casually select what to pick up, leaving a staggering amount on its first pass.
The Kenmore is the best lower-tier performer in this test. Its strong suit isn't when pulling back. It also tends to plow rice and Cheerios slightly when pushing forward. That being said, it sucked up 77% during the timed testing, which isn't bad for a budget product.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Last, we want to illustrate what we call the clogging chronicles by the Bissell Cleanview. “Clogged again on this round, and then clogged again, and then again,” noted our tester. We even tried to give this product a fighting chance by pausing the timed test, removing debris, and then returning to the timed test, only to find it ran into the same problem.
A waterfall of rice and other debris isn't what we expected to find at the end of our short pile testing with the Bissell.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
So why does this particular vacuum clog more often than its competitors? When we started to investigate, we discovered a major flaw in its design.
The Kenmore has a small half-moon smiley face inlet to the dustbin. It doesn't make us happy, so we found this ironic. The hose for these vacuums is already pretty small in diameter, so the fact that designers cut the accessibility in half seems silly to us.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
High Pile
Higher pile shag carpets pose the biggest hurdle for the vacuums in our testing. It's difficult for bristle to dig deep to agitate messes lurking beneath the fibers of the carpet. We conduct our testing in the same fashion as low pile testing: measuring, weighing, and timing, all being standardized to present findings that we can compare. Models took a drastic hit regarding the effectiveness of collecting sand, rice, and Cheerios in these tests.
Here, we show the full process with our tied leader, the Tineco Pure One.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Tineco captured an average of 57% across three trials. This was tied for first with the Shark Vertex. The Tineco did a good job sucking up material but tended to push the Cheerios down into the fibers of the high-pile carpet. On the other hand, this is where the Vertex thrived, picking up the larger Cheerios. Unfortunately, it left rice and sand behind in our timed testing. This makes sense, as the Duo Clean double rollers work well for larger debris but do not provide the powerful suction needed to grab deep into the backing of the carpet.
The biggest surprise was the drop in performance by the elite Dyson models. The Dyson V15 and Gen5 both recorded under a majority at 46%. The Submarine wasn't much off, with 44% captured. So why did we see these dramatic drops? We believe the Dysons needed a bit more time to work on larger clumps of debris. While some competitors were better at sucking up larger materials and snagging them from the carpet quickly, the Dysons' deep cleaning needs additional time to collect the sand that likes to burrow into rugs. We did additional runs with the Submarine and found that it could collect up to 15% more with just a few extra passes.
At the top of the photo, the plowing (or pushing of debris) that occurs with the Dysons is evident. Still, from the visual here, the V15 didn't do that badly. However, what lurks deep in the rug takes more time to clean, in our experience.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Kenmore didn't fare as well on the high pile as it did on the short. It had the worst performance in our tests, picking up only 20% of the mess. It was a breeze to push past the heavy pile, as our expert noted, “Gliding the vacuum across the carpet, we can feel there isn't enough suction to pick up anything deeper than the surface level by the fact that it's moving so easily.”
Before TestingAfter Testing
This is what we saw during our carpet performance testing. Move the toggle to the left or right to see the initial test material and how effective the two products were in our most stringent tests.
After combining, averaging, and weighing each vacuum performance over each carpet type, we obtained the following final scores in our Carpet Performance metric.
Unsurprisingly, the lead Dyson models, V15, Gen5, and Submarine, all came out on top. Due to their relatively strong showing in our high pile tests, the Shark Vertex, Tineco, and Levoit came in close on their heels.
Hardwood Performance
For our Hardwood Performance test metric, we continued with our multiple trial runs, utilizing the same procedure that we had conducted in the carpet testing. Measured and weighed half a cup of sand, rice, and Cheerios. We stuck with 24 seconds and the same 27 square feet of test area.
At our core, we pride ourselves on delivering comparative results to provide clear and reliable facts. We continue our cleaning tests with the same vigor as our carpet testing.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
For hardwood testing, we included additional important factors to assess any lingering questions about cleaning performance on any hard surface, not just hardwood floors. We developed a new crevice test to simulate any profound cracks or gutted grout lines. Additionally, we ran these vacuums along long hallways and into corners to provide robust results on how they clean typical spaces found in homes.
Hardwood Performance Ratings
Product
Cleaning
Crevice
Edges
Dyson Gen5detect
9.0
9.0
9.0
Dyson V15s Submarine
9.0
9.0
9.0
Dyson V15 Detect
8.9
9.0
8.0
Shark Stratos Cordless
8.9
8.9
8.0
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
8.7
8.6
8.0
Dyson V8
7.5
8.0
9.0
Samsung Bespoke Jet
8.6
8.6
5.0
Levoit VortexIQ 40
8.0
8.7
5.0
Shark Pet Plus
8.5
8.6
4.0
Tineco Pure ONE S11
7.6
8.5
4.0
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
8.8
2.0
9.0
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
6.4
7.2
4.0
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
5.8
7.3
4.0
Homeika LED 8-in-1
4.9
6.8
5.0
Bissell Cleanview XR
2.0
7.9
4.0
Hardwood Cleaning
Many houses and apartments are ditching carpets for vinyl and hardwood floors. These flooring types are durable, have lower maintenance, and offer some hypoallergenic benefits (for reason number two). So, we value the hardwood performance tests as much as the carpet. Many of the vacuums got near-perfect results from our strenuous tests.
Once again, we see the Dyson triplets at the top. All three options include the Fluffy Optic cleaning head. It is super soft and delicate on hardwood floors while easily tackling big messes. The Dyson Gen5 and Submarine secured an almost perfect score of 99% of debris captured, while the V15 was one percent behind. When test trials were over, we noticed a grain or two left behind due to the slight plowing that occurs with larger messes, but we think these machines can gather anything on hard surfaces given time. Another pass after our timed trial and everything was gone.
A fun glitter mess highlights (and bring some pizzazz to) the similarities of these Dyson models.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
As our vacuum expert revealed, “For people who are absolutely obsessed with getting a floor super clean, one of the Dysons with the laser brush head is the best.” This head is our favorite for the cleaning performance and the laser. While other products use a light, there's something about the sharp, low-angle green laser that emits from the Dyson head that makes it stand apart from the rest. It's more effective at showing the tiny dust particles that lurk on the floor. It's really neat and, dare we say, fun to go house hunting down dust demons like it's a game.
Look at all those small bits of dirt in this video. Wild the things we were able to see with the use of this laser!
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Following close behind the Dyons are products with a soft roller, including the Shark Vertex, Stratos, and Samsung Bespoke. They make quick work moving forward through our vacuuming tests, as they all tend to plow material to some degree when pulling back, so you'll want to push away from yourself when cleaning.
Compared to deep pile carpets, hardwood is more straightforward to clean, posing less of a threat to chore time. However, some vacuums in our lineup just couldn't cut it, with a wide range of results.
Before TestingAfter Testing
Use the toggle to check out our before and after shots. Notice our star stud, Dyson V15 (center), squeaky clean finish versus the messes that still reside after testing for the Bissell Cleanview (left) and Homeika (right).
Continuing our clogging chronicles with the Bissell, our tester mentioned, “I reserved some hope that this vacuum might surprise me on the hardwood and maybe clean up a mess, but NOPE got quickly clogged, AGAIN.” This vacuum recorded the lowest capture percentage of our whole lineup, at a measly 20%. Seeing as this is our last set of cleaning trials, it's safe to say we don't recommend this product; it's too sensitive and prone to clogging.
The soft bristle roller heads flourished in our hardwood tests, while the conventional head designs tended to plow. This left us pushing around Cheerios and rice rather than grabbing and pulling them up. This includes the Shark Pet Plus, Levoit, Tineco, Kenmore, and Dyson V8. The extent of the plowing varied, however. The Pet Plus had a minor accumulation that we could get on our second pass, resulting in a great percentage cleaned at 93%.
The Tineco almost latched onto the Cheerios during testing but would eventually let its grip go and gather Cheerios and rice. It picked up 83% of the debris, with most being left when it had difficulty attacking a larger clutter of mess.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Kenmore and Homeika were noticeably weak in comparison to the crowd. The Kenmore left patches of sand throughout the lane; it either didn't agitate the carpet fibers enough or didn't have enough force to extract the small particles. Not all was lost, as it still cleaned 70% of all debris; in our experience, we could sometimes feel the lackluster power.
The Homeika took it a step further, crawling over the messes we made without sucking up anything substantial.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We can't finish this section without mentioning a special someone. The Dyson V15s Submarine comes with a mop attachment, which is the sole feature differentiating it from the regular V15 Detect. The Submarine Wet Roller Head is pretty cool. The head is completely separate from the handheld, holding the water in a compartment on the backside. We were excited to test out this convenient additional feature. We dropped fresh coffee on the ground and ran over dried paw prints. We weren't impressed.
The Submarine can help pick up morning coffee spill messes, but it takes a lot of passes to clean hardwood floors effectively.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We don't think the additional $200 price tag is worth the investment for the unique cleaning head. A better mess cleaner that costs less can be found in our steam mop review, as a dedicated product is often better for the job than a jack of all trades. Still, it is a neat addition for those that live in the Dyson ecosystem.
Our furry family members track in more dirt than anything, so we had plenty of dirty paw prints to test when we brought them in to test our Pet Hair metric.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Crevice
Cracks and crevices can pose problems when cleaning hard surface floors. Tile grout, mats, and transition areas can all benefit from the crevice cleanup. Not being able to tackle these critical areas can leave a cleaning job looking unfinished and cause frustration. To find out which competitors excel at the small stuff, we developed a new procedure to test the capabilities of these vacuums to go the extra distance or go in deep.
We utilized a bamboo mat to simulate deep cracks.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We used a bamboo mat to simulate deep cracks. First, we taped the underside of the mat to ensure the test debris didn't escape while vacuuming. Then, we placed 20 grams of sand in one of the cracks. This was the perfect amount to fully fill the breach between slats. We made four passes over the mat, giving each vacuum a chance to roll over the stubborn area enough times to make a difference.
It is easy to see why we fell in love with the Dyson Fluffy Optic roller. Here it is in the top left, lifting sand in the deep slits of the bamboo while all other products struggle.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
There are similarities between this performance and the suction power recordings. However, the Shark Pet Plus deserves a respectful head nod for performing adequately and defying the odds of its low suction power.
Edge Cleaning
For our final assessment, we considered how well these machines handle hallways and tight spaces where baseboards abound. Some of the products can tackle their problems head-on (pushing into the wall), while others excel running parallel to the wall along the edge, but only a few can truly master 100% pick-up in both tests. The Dyson Gen5, Submarine, V8, and Shark Detect Pro are the double threats we want to take home to mom.
Tineco won't help cleaning close to walls. It leaves a quarter of an inch of debris perimeter wherever it runs along an upright.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Kenmore also exhibited the same quarter-inch buffer that Tineco showed during its test, leaving us very unsatisfied since we know debris tends to settle far from foot traffic, pushing it close to walls on hard surfaces. Due to the bumper on the Shark Pet Plus, Vertex, and the Samsung Bespoke couldn't quite grab all the coffee off the floor when pushing it head-on, leaving a noticeable amount near the edges. The Bespoke's front roller isn't actually motorized, so it doesn't help grab material unless it's pushed through the debris. This is most likely why it could suck up coffee grounds head-on.
Overall Hardwood Performance
We see a consistent pattern with the Dyson triplets at the top. The Shark twins follow closer behind compared to carpet performance, thanks to the fluffy rollers (and potentially less stringent power cleaning requirements).
The last fluffy roller on this list finishes out the top competitors, the Bespoke, but we do note that the competition is much tighter in this race! Our chronicles of clogging continued with the Bissell deeming it unfit for any surface. The Homeika couldn't muster enough power to lift more than a thin layer of debris during each pass, so it couldn't efficiently complete our timed test trials. Lastly, while the Tineco does have enough power to easily lift material off hard surfaces, its bumper at the head acted like a plow and pushed Cheerios away, not allowing the suction to take hold.
Pet Hair
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 45.5% of US households own a dog, and 32.1% have a cat in the family. That translates to 163.5 million furry friends living in our homes nationwide. That's A LOT of fur. And those of you who own animals know how desperately we rely on our cleaning products to help curb the ongoing onslaught of relentless hair. It's a battle, nay a war, when it comes to keeping our home devoid of fur. Many of us at Gearlab own cats or dogs, so we get it. That's why we've placed importance on these specific tests, creating a separate metric for animal lovers. Our goal is to guide readers toward the best vacuums capable of handling the task.
You have no idea how many treats it took to get this shot of GearLab's furry friends.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We first enlisted our furry friends to help get us the goods. We gathered enough pet hair to provide 4 grams of fur for each vacuum. Although the single-digit gram mentioned doesn't sound like a lot, it's a huge, overflowing handful that tests the limits of these vacuums. We then add in 1 gram of long hair extensions. This is to test if hair length plays a factor in performance. With the combined total, we fully massage the hair into a grid of about 13 square feet. This is roughly half the area we did for carpet cleaning performance, so we also halved the timing to reflect the same rate across the board. After thoroughly massaging the hair into the carpet's fibers, we take a heavy linoleum roller to press the hair further into the carpet. This helps simulate walking over the hair and further grinding it into the weave.
This is the full process, step by step, of our pet hair tests. We do this for every product on both low pile and high pile carpets.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Pet Hair Cleaning Perfomance (%)
Product
Low
High
Dyson Gen5detect
90
62
Dyson V15 Detect
88
60
Dyson V15s Submarine
84
60
Shark Stratos Cordless
74
64
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
72
62
Dyson V8
78
52
Tineco Pure ONE S11
76
48
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
78
40
Levoit VortexIQ 40
67
48
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
73
40
Shark Pet Plus
72
40
Bissell Cleanview XR
62
46
Samsung Bespoke Jet
74
34
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
56
39
Homeika LED 8-in-1
48
12
A well-designed roller head is the key to picking up pet hair. One that can dislodge the static force of the hair from the carpet will help the most. While all of our stick vacuums have a roller, a small percentage on the market deviates from this mechanical mechanism, opting for a lower sale price tag instead. Stay clear from these cheap toys, as that is all they'll be since they lack the ability to truly capture hair from carpets.
Low Pile
The Gen5 led the pack with 90% cleaned up on the low pile test. The V15 and Submarine were not far behind with 88% and 84% respectively. These are going to be your heavy hitters to ensure you get all those strands of carpeted rooms. Only when we got up close and personal with the flooring did we notice subtle strands here and there, but from afar, we thought these vacuums performed flawlessly.
The Shark Detect Pro only sucked up 56% of the hair during our low pile testing. As shown, we know where the majority of the other hair ended up.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Shark Detect Pro was the worst offender for trapping clumps of pet hair. Other Shark models didn't fare well either, often getting clumps lodged in the tines of the vacuum head. The Shark Stratos, Vertex, and Pet Plus did okay overall, sucking up 74%, 72%, and 72% in their respective tests.
The Bespoke had cause for concern when the long hair clogged the roller and sent it into a panic. Luckily, the technological advancement of this vacuum shut it down before it got worse.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
High Pile
Again, the high pile posed a big hurdle for our vacuums. For those homes with lots of thick rugs, take notes. While the elite Dysons did well once again, the mid-range Sharks, Vertex, and Stratos closed the gap and actually performed similar to, or even slightly better than, their powerful competitors.
The V15 making quick work of our pet hair test.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
A letdown: the Shark model that has “pet” in its name, the Shark Pet Plus, wasn't much of a plus at all in ridding the rug of fur, with only 40% gathered. The Tineco and Levoit each cleaned up 48% of the pet and long hair. Visual clumps of hair were left sprinkled about, with some whisps of longer hair left behind.
Overall Pet Hair Performance
Factoring that most households have low pile carpets, we shifted the priority of our scores to favor those scores. If you're shaking your head and don't feel that is reflective of your household, utilize our stack bar chart at the start of the Pet Hair section to prioritize your needs.
Our usual standouts, Dyson V15, Submarine, and Gen5 are at the top. The Dyson V8 snuck into the next tier of performers, most likely due to its similar head design and decent power.
Pet owners, beware of the Homeika. This vacuum performed worst in both low and high pile testing by a considerable margin. Only vacuuming 48% for low pile and a disappointing 12% on our shag rug. The lack of suction here really stood out when vacuuming over the pet hair, often leaving large clumps behind. Our lead vacuum expert noted on the short pile test, “The carpet is still very dirty and mostly covered with pet hair, eww.” A sight you do not want to see when cleaning your own home.
An interesting note to leave off on: manufacturers really love hyping up their antitangle rollers, giving them fancy names and boasting how we'll never need to clean them from hair. Those claims are all fluff. Every single product and its “antitangle” roller wrapped up our extensions. Some did better than others at mitigating the entanglement, but inevitably, every roller will likely need a cleaning at some point.
Post pet hair testing of the Homeika (left), Shark Stratos (center), and Tineco (right). While they all held onto the extensions, we favor the Tineco for the least amount left.
Filtration and Suction
Why do we have these two aspects covered in their own metric? Well, they're pretty darn important. A filtration system is the primary defense against particle pollution in a home while vacuuming. Many people are sensitive to pollutants in the air where the effects can be costly. Irritated eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, chest tightness, and even shortness of breath are some of the side effects of polluted air. Furthermore, certain age groups, such as children and the elderly, are more likely to experience negative effects. This information made us wonder what kind of air was coming back out of the vacuums. So, we've done what no other review site has thoroughly completed: a set of test data that will help point out concerning products.
Filtration & Suction Performance Ratings
Product
Filtration
Suction
Dyson Gen5detect
9.0
9.5
Dyson V15 Detect
9.0
9.1
Dyson V15s Submarine
9.0
8.2
Tineco Pure ONE S11
9.0
6.5
Samsung Bespoke Jet
9.0
6.2
Shark Stratos Cordless
9.0
4.7
Levoit VortexIQ 40
9.0
4.6
Dyson V8
9.0
4.4
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
9.0
3.8
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
9.0
3.3
Bissell Cleanview XR
7.0
5.1
Homeika LED 8-in-1
7.0
3.1
Shark Pet Plus
7.0
3.1
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
4.0
3.3
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
2.0
3.0
On the other side, we have suction testing. Suction is one of the most important considerations when it comes to cleaning performance. We're not trying to pigeonhole ourselves; we fully understand that many factors contribute to a well-crafted cordless stick vacuum, but the suction is the job of any vacuum. Pure, powerful suction has its advantages. It can help with really getting deep into carpets, sucking up dirt that lies hidden in the fibers of the carpet. There's nothing more alarming than when we brought a new premium vacuum home and had to dump multiple full bins of debris from our house that we were oblivious to. Trust us, suction is worth a mention.
Regardless of certification or multi-layer system, we test every vacuum's filtration the same.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Filtration
We went to great lengths to get these results. No other review company has dedicated the time to developing a method that addresses key questions about this important aspect of vacuum performance. The process spans multiple days. First, we create a clean room by running air purifiers overnight to remove any unwanted factors from our test site. The next day, we begin our setup, starting with establishing a baseline with twolaser particle counters. These loggers record the number of particles in the air, both small (2.4-0.5 µm) and large (>2.5 µm). Generally speaking, the lower the count, the better.
Here's a look at the process in action.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Once we gather the ambient conditions, we start testing. We measure out 1/3 cup of flour, place it on the floor, and proceed to vacuum the fine material until it's all gone. During that time, our particle counters are at work, logging the influx of particles in the air. We record the peak average from three trials.
Filtration Particle Count (Average Peak)
Small (2.4-0.5 µm)
Large (>2.5 µm)
Levoit VortexIQ 40
30
10
Dyson V15s Submarine
31
13
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
33
10
Dyson V8
36
12
Dyson Gen5detect
37
20
Samsung Bespoke Jet
41
21
Shark Stratos Cordless
55
22
Dyson V15 Detect
55
28
Tineco Pure ONE S11
58
26
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
63
39
Homeika LED 8-in-1
212
49
Shark Pet Plus
260
25
Bissell Cleanview XR
267
8
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
976
15
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
1,542
617
According to the Dylos meters, a recording 75 and under is regarded as excellent air quality conditions. This count designation is specifically for small particles because those are the most concerning. Small or fine particles that range from 0.5-2.5 µm (micrometers) have the ability to enter into your bloodstream.
To be cautious, we suggest those sensitive to air quality, to avoid the Black+Decker due to its average peak count recorded at 1,542. From 1,050-3000 count, Dylos meters categorize the air quality as poor. Although our testing is demanding, it indicates that this model does not provide enough filtration to prevent a large jump in particulate matter. Kenmore also recorded a significant jump at 976 small particle count. This is considered fair according the Dylos meter.
There can be a rapid spike in particle count if a filtration system is not effective at containing debris.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Suction
Suction has been a learning moment. In the past, we measured the unobstructed power straight from the head of the vacuum. This would get us some steep numbers that were really impressive. However, over the years, we've learned that different design characteristics can impact suction.
We ensured the meter had a complete seal on all our tested products.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
As such, it became evidently clear that the accurate way to measure the power of these products is at the interface of the floor and vacuum head. So, we built a new mechanism to measure the unsealed suction power of each product to mimic what would be experienced in the typical home.
We drilled a small hole in the top of the platform and guided a hose from the cutout to our differential pressure meter. After measuring each device and comparing the numbers, we weren't entirely shocked by our findings. The Dyson triplets stacked the top again! The Gen5 was the winner of the Dyson battle. The Gen5 is the newest in the Dyson product series, and each succeeding line From Dyson seems to get bigger and more powerful.
The Gen5 is sandwiched between the two V15 Dyson products with the V8 on the right. While it doesn't look like a huge difference in bin capacity size, look to the base of the photo to see that the Gen5 has a slightly wider diameter, presumably for a larger, more powerful motor.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
What did surprise us were the Samsung Bespoke and Tineco Pure ONE. We expected the Bespoke to register more competitive results that might give Dyson a run for its money, but we were pleasantly surprised by the high register of the Tineco.
We used a differential pressure meter to determine the overall suction power of each vacuum, like the Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight.
A comparison of one of the weakest, Kenmore (left), versus one of the strongest, Dyson V15 Submarine (right). We converted the units for our meter results to provide information that is easier to understand and compare.
It was no surprise that the budget models Homeika, Kenmore, and Black+Decker didn't have strong readings. However, it was a surprise that the Shark Detect Pro, a product that cost three times as much, scored in the same range. That being said, we don't think this was Shark's aim with this new super light product line.
We thought our mid-range performers would exhibit a mid-range result. Not the case, as the Vertex only mustered up about one-sixth of the suction as the lowest elite Dyson.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Ease of Use
While cordless stick vacuums are reputable for being quick and easy to use, some factors should be considered before making a purchase. Depending on your goals, some factors may be more important than others.
Ease of Use Performance
Product
Maneuverability
Maintenance
Upholstery
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
9.0
6.5
9.0
Levoit VortexIQ 40
7.5
9.0
7.5
Shark Stratos Cordless
8.0
6.5
9.0
Samsung Bespoke Jet
6.0
8.0
7.5
Shark Pet Plus
7.5
6.5
7.5
Bissell Cleanview XR
7.5
8.0
5.5
Homeika LED 8-in-1
9.0
6.5
5.5
Dyson V8
7.5
5.5
7.5
Dyson V15s Submarine
5.0
6.0
9.0
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
9.0
6.0
5.0
Dyson V15 Detect
4.0
6.0
9.0
Dyson Gen5detect
4.0
5.5
9.0
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
7.5
6.8
4.0
Tineco Pure ONE S11
6.0
6.0
5.5
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
5.0
5.5
4.0
Maneuverability
To test maneuverability, we created an obstacle course that tested all flooring types, tight turns, corners, and transition areas. We rounded out our track with the back-breaking chore of getting under furniture.
Twist, turn, bend, we put these vacuums through it all to find strengths and weaknesses.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Detect Pro was an immediate standout for its light weight (2.8 lbs). The single, small brush head also helped when pushing it. It's almost too light, though, as it is prone to the roller lifting when making quick, tight turns. It also struggles to lift onto a bamboo mat. However, we enjoyed the minimal effort required with the Detect and would recommend it to anyone looking for a user-friendly vacuum.
The Homeika was one of the easiest to glide onto disjointed, elevated surfaces. The rotation on the swivel is stellar, making tight turns on a dime.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Shark Stratos and Vertex have a hinge at the middle of the shaft, allowing the head to easily glide outward and under furniture without bending over. This is a definite plus when there's a lot of furniture, as it removes back-breaking work from house cleaning. The combination roller means no need for head transfers, so no matter where the messes occur, it's ready.
Ease of use is where Dyson performed its weakest. All this power comes with great responsibility, which lands squarely on the person using the vacuum. These vacuums are heavy, measuring between 4.5 to 5 lbs for just the handheld. It's a noticeable weight the longer we hold it. When vacuuming for a long period of time, we certainly felt like we were going through a workout drill.
To help push these powerful beasts, the gates of the Dysons can open to reduce the suction force. It's a little help, but it will hinder cleaning performance. On thick shag, it still might be a tough battle.
Unfortunately, a lightweight vacuum won't automatically be destined for greatness. Our lightest model, the Kenmore (2 lbs), had difficulty gliding onto uneven surfaces, even when transitioning from hardwood to our super low pile carpet. Its head swivel tilts more than turns, making it frustrating to work in tight spaces.
Remember that back-saving mechanism from the Sharks? The Kenmore is the only other vacuum in our selection with this feature, but we weren't as happy with it. The joint is further towards the head of the vacuum, so it doesn't reach as far underneath furniture as we would have hoped.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Maintenance
Overall, there isn't a big difference between vacuums when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. They are all pretty straightforward. With a one-press button or latch to release the dirt from the dustbin, easy access to filters, and simplistic cleaning of the whole system, these types of vacuums are all relatively easy. However, we discovered a couple of annoyances during testing.
A minor offense includes rollers that are not detachable. Because tangled hair is inevitable, it should be easy to detangle the mess. It is a tale as old as time, and we think more attention should be given to this issue. With the Shark sisters, Stratos, and Vertex, the Powerfins roller cannot be removed. Because this is the roller that usually gets tangled with hair versus the soft roller that is easily removable, it is a bit of a head-scratcher.
As for the Black+Decker, we have a bone to pick. This design lacks the simplistic release button we saw on most of the competition. Instead, removing the bin includes lifting the filter system to dump the waste. Usually, static hair clings to the filter, so we had to grab the dust-coated hair off the filter to clean everything. Yuck. Also, it isn't very efficient, and because these vacuums don't hold a ton, this emptying can be frequent.
Here's the full Black+Decker cleaning process. It is an elegant sight thanks to previously vacuumed test glitter.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
In modern times, we often look to electronics to make busy lives easier. As a result, companies often include automatic emptying stations in vacuum designs. This is almost a standard for newer robot vacuums, but stick vacuums are gradually introducing this concept. Samsung Bespoke is a prime example. While we tend to shove vacuums into cleaning closets, the Bespoke's elegant design demands a special location for all to behold. It definitely turned heads as we brought it out for testing. The station provides 2 liters of storage before changing the dust bag. We don't think it holds enough, somewhat negating the reason for the original solution. We're also not big fans of reoccurring purchases with the dust bags. Still, it is a relief to avoid exploding dust bombs when emptying the bin.
For those who don't like dirty hands, the Samsung Bespoke cleaning station is a winner.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Uphostery and Attachments
Attachments are the unsung heroes of cordless stick vacuums. With an arsenal of options comes increased versatility, creating a more valuable cleaning companion. Since cordless stick vacuums are relatively new to the vacuum world, some might not consider their additional applications. However, when removing the stem of the vacuum and snap on an attachment, BOOM, we have a handheld vacuum. Spot cleans, deep crevice distresses, and crumbs lurking in cars from toddler temper tantrums can all be cleaned with a versatile stick vacuum.
The Tineco comes with a pre-filter cleaning tool (on the right) that helps better maintain the vacuum, which could potentially increase longevity.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
When it comes to attachments, we have a favorite. While the crevice tool lets us dig deep into tight spaces and the dusting bristle brush is good for settling dust, the real winner is a motorized head. Just like on carpets, upholstery needs some agitation from moving bristles to get the job done.
The Dyson V8 is making quick work in our upholstery test. The small motorized brush is excellent on couches. Animal owner will appreciate this tool for catching the fur that collects everywhere.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
You can compare the performance difference between the two different attachment designs from the Dyson V8 and Shark Pet Plus.
Although the Shark Pet Plus is marketed with pet owners in mind, it doesn't come with a motorized brush head. We used the upholstery tool, but it's less effective than the V8 attachment.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Attachments Included
Crevice
(Thin Head)
Duster
(Bristle Head)
Powered
(Mini Motorized Head)
Dyson Gen5detect
Nestled within the main hose
Dyson V8
Tineco Pure ONE S11
Homeika LED 8-in-1
✖
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
✖
✖
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
✖
✖
So who's got the goods? All of the Dysons come with a motorized tool attachment. However, the V8 doesn't come with the coveted Fluffy Optic roller, so there will be no disco laser light shows to illuminate debris.
The Dyson Gen5 has a hidden brush tool when removing the main hose. Pretty darn convenient for easy transitions from the floor to the couch or windowsill and back to the floor.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We were disappointed to find that the Shark Detect Pro only had a crevice tool. Unlike the Detect Pro, the Homeika costs hundreds of dollars less and at least includes a combination tool.
Noise
Noise isn't something we score on. Why? Well, they all sound relatively loud. None of these vacuums are nap-time cleaners, and while each has its own tone, the differences aren't enough to discern for the average human.
The Kenmore recorded the lowest decibel reading at 75 decibels, but that didn't sound far off than the highest readings from the Dyson Gen5 and Levoit at 84 decibels.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Overall Ease of Use
The mid-range Sharks take the lead in this metric due to their smooth handling and beneficial features. The Homeika also performs excellently due to its light and simple design. While the Bespoke is easy to maintain, we had difficulty pushing it around due to its small wheel and placement. The Dysons rear its design drawback to a powerful suction, heavy weight that is difficult to push around.
Battery
Battery life is the Achilles heel of cordless stick vacuums. Once we cut the cord, time is limited before the inevitable recharge occurs. None of the options offered a super impressive run time, and the time drastically drops when we used special features like turbo.
Measured Battery Runtime
Product
Low
High
Dyson V15s Submarine
68
9
Dyson Gen5detect
67
7
Dyson V15 Detect
64
9
Shark Stratos Cordless
55
11
Samsung Bespoke Jet
54
10
Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight
48
12
Shark Pet Plus
43
14
Homeika LED 8-in-1
29
23
Shark Detect Pro Cordless
40
10
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
34
14
Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V
26
18
Bissell Cleanview XR
31
11
Levoit VortexIQ 40
33
8
Dyson V8
33
7
Tineco Pure ONE S11
29
11
We originally worried that the more powerful products would have lower operating times, but our tests showed this wasn't necessarily the case. While the average product didn't reach the hour mark, some of the more subtle factors may persuade a buying decision. The biggest consideration is that we don't always need to run the Dysons on high. They can easily tackle most messes on low, and frankly, high is too darn hard to push anyway.
Also, don't be duped by the Homeika battery life while using on max. It outshined the competition because there isn't a lot of extra power boost between the two settings. After stepping away from the popular Shark and Dyson brands, the competition starts to near the 30-minute mark, which isn't enough time to get much done.
The battery runtime of the Vertex is virtually the same, standing still as it is actively vacuuming, which is about 48 minutes on average in low-power mode.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
A solution? All of the vacuums come with detachable batteries. Additional battery packs can be purchased to help clean the whole house without stopping to recharge. Some batteries are easier to find than others, so we recommend double-checking before purchasing. Unfortunately, lithium-ion batteries are not cheap and can cost more than a hundred dollars, depending on the brand. If you have other Black+Decker tools, the vacuum uses the same battery, which could make it one for your shortlist. Outside of the B+D batteries being useful for multiple tools, we didn't see this kind of multi-purpose battery in the competition.
A final hopeful note: Cordless stick vacuums completely change the game when it comes to chores. With much lighter weights and nimble maneuverability, ditching the cord is such a freeing experience that we suspect you'll never want to be tethered again.
Conclusion
Finding a great stick vacuum shouldn't suck. The nuanced differences between the options can be subtle but greatly impact performance, which is where we come in. With multiple scientific tests and metrics to choose from, our details provide the information you need to focus on the metrics that best align with your cleaning goals. We believe there is something for everyone in our lineup of potential contenders, but if you need more of a powerhouse or the prices give you hesitation, it might be worth seeing what the upright vacuums we've tested have to offer.
