The 5 Best HEPA Vacuums - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best HEPA vacuum we've tested is the Miele Complete C3 Brilliant PowerLine. The Brilliant variant sits at the top of the C3 lineup, so it'll be no surprise that it's loaded with features. It comes bundled with Miele's highest-end SF-HA 50 HEPA-rated exhaust filter, advertised to trap 99.95% of common allergens like dust or pet dander. Its dirtbags even have spring-loaded covers that fall into place when you remove the bag, preventing dust or debris from escaping as you pull them out. It also has an allergen-sealed body, so it's a great option if you're sensitive to dust or pet dander.

This variant of the C3 comes with a trio of floorheads: a straight-suction parquet head for cleaning hard floors, a universal pure suction floorhead with retractable bristles for cleaning low-pile carpet, and a height-adjustable SEB 236 powerhead for cleaning various lengths of carpeting. Unlike cheaper C3 models, the Brilliant also features additional sound insulation for its motor, handle-mounted power controls, and an automatic power adjustment mode, which allows the vacuum to automatically adjust to differences in surface type.

That said, recurring costs are a little on the high side; it uses 2.5L dirtbags, which aren't the largest you'll find in a bagged vacuum but tend to be fairly common. If you're looking for a vacuum with similar air filtration performance that incurs lower ownership costs, the SEBO Airbelt D4 is a great option that uses much higher capacity dirtbags and filters with a longer lifespan. It's heavier and bulkier than the Miele and has a stiffer hose, making it a bit of a hassle to use in tight spaces.

If you're shopping for a HEPA vacuum at a slightly lower price point, the Miele Classic C1 HomeCare PowerLine is a good option. Build quality falls short of the Miele Complete C3, and it lacks some of the Brilliant variant's specific features, with no surface detection system and no handle-mounted power adjustment controls. However, it offers similar filtration performance at a slightly cheaper price. The Home Care variant comes bundled with a HEPA-rated exhaust filter. It uses the same 2.5L self-sealing dirtbags as the C3, which have a flap that closes when you open the vacuum's dirtbag compartment. Note that this Home Care model isn't available online and can only be purchased from specialized vacuum retailers.

The HomeCare variant is the flagship C1 model and comes with a wide assortment of tools, like Miele's SEB 228 powerbrush, which has five levels of height adjustment for cleaning thick carpeting, as well as the SBD 365-3 floorhead with retractable bristles for cleaning both hard floors and low-pile rugs. It has the same powerful 1200W motor as the Complete C3 and debris pickup performance is similarly strong across various surfaces. Unfortunately, its power cord is shorter than its pricier stablemate, so you'll need to swap outlets when cleaning faraway areas.

The best mid-range HEPA vacuum we've tested is the Airsign HEPA Vacuum. While it feels less well-built than a high-end model like the Miele Complete C3, it does deliver good air filtration performance at a more affordable price point. As the name implies, this bagged canister vacuum comes with an onboard HEPA-14 filter, which the manufacturer advertises to trap 99.995% of airborne allergens. Performance on bare floors is superb, and its powerful 1200W motor allows it to clear away most debris on low-pile carpet with a fairly rudimentary pure suction floorhead. Still, unlike the flagship Home Care variant of the Miele Classic C1, it isn't compatible with a powered floorhead, so look elsewhere if you frequently clean thick carpeting and rugs.

The Airsign comes bundled with a set of eco-friendly biodegradable paper bags, but if you want to further improve its filtration performance, you could spring for aftermarket cloth bags; the Airsign uses a pretty common 2.5L sizing. Unfortunately, it also has a short power cord, so you'll probably need to swap outlets when cleaning larger rooms. It's also worth noting that this vacuum is from a smaller manufacturer, so the supply of replacement parts like bags or filters might not be as consistent as it would be with more well-established companies.

If you don't mind using something less maneuverable and compact than the Airsign HEPA Vacuum, the Kenmore Intuition Bagged is a great option. Despite its affordable price point, it's a fantastic option for those with allergies, with an onboard HEPA filter and dirtbags made of HEPA-rated media. Better yet, you can remove its dirtbag from its housing with the press of a single latch, so you won't get your hands dirty when taking it out. Its 'Lift-Up' design lets you pick up and carry its canister body separately from its upright portion, making it easier to clean tight spots. It's still more awkward to use in this configuration than a standard canister vacuum.

This vacuum does a fantastic job of cleaning pet hair and small and bulky debris on surfaces like hardwood or linoleum. It performs impressively well on low and high-pile carpet too. Unfortunately, you can't change the height of its floorhead, so it can easily get bogged down on surfaces like shag carpeting, though thankfully, you can stop its brushroll's rotation to free it more easily if it does get stuck.

The best cordless HEPA vacuum we've tested is the Samsung Bespoke Jet. Like most cordless stick vacuums, it's a bagless vacuum, which are traditionally at a disadvantage compared to a bagged model like the Miele Complete C3 when it comes to allergen-sealing; not only are they lacking a layer of filtration (in the form of a bag), most bagless vacuums require you to empty their dustbins manually, which can release a cloud of dust all over the area you just cleaned. However, this high-end stick vacuum comes with a stand-up self-emptying station/charging dock. With the vacuum docked, debris is sucked from its dustbin into an anti-bacterial dirtbag inside the station at the press of a button, making for a far more hygienic means of debris disposal. The vacuum also features a five-stage filtration system that's effective at sealing fine particles.

Performance is great on a variety of surfaces, from bare floors to low and high-pile carpet. However, it isn't the best choice for cleaning thick shag carpeting since there's no floorhead height adjustment. It comes with two batteries, which is great for longer cleaning sessions, especially considering you can charge both simultaneously. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, the Samsung Jet 75 delivers similar overall performance. It's also compatible with a slightly different version of Samsung's self-emptying base station, which unfortunately doesn't also charge the vacuum like the Bespoke Jet's dock does.