The 7 Best Vacuums For High-Pile Carpet - Fall 2021 Reviews

The Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Upright is the best upright vacuum for high-pile carpet that we've tested. This bagless upright does a fantastic job cleaning pet hair and larger debris like sand from this surface type, though you might need to make an extra pass to fully clear fine debris like baking soda. The vacuum head also features three levels of surface adjustment, allowing you to change its height on the fly depending on the surface that you're cleaning.

Its 'Lift-Away' design makes it a little easier to clean hard-to-reach spots by allowing you to unlatch its main canister and then carry it around, though be aware that it's somewhat heavy. You can fit a turbo brush, a crevice tool, or a dedicated upholstery tool to the end of its wand, depending on your cleaning needs. The vacuum's bagless design and washable, reusable pre-motor and HEPA filters keep recurring costs to a minimum.

However, it has quite a few parts that need regular cleaning. Also, its bulky dirt compartment can get in the way when trying to clean under tables and chairs, while rugs can occasionally get caught in its main brushroll. Its vacuum hose is also short, making it a little tricky to clean some spots when using it in its semi-handheld configuration. Still, thanks to its strong suction performance, it's the best vacuum for thick carpets that we've tested.

The best vacuum for high-pile carpet with a stick/handheld design that we've tested is the Dyson V15 Detect. This cordless stick vacuum delivers exceptional overall performance on both low and high-pile carpets, where it sucks up pet hair as well as fine and large debris like baking soda or sand. It features three different suction power modes and has a gate on its motorized head that you can rotate to clean on different surface types.

Its lightweight, compact design makes it easy to pick up and carry, and reconfiguring it into a handheld vacuum is a simple process. Its onboard tool storage allows you to carry around two of its included accessories as you clean. It also comes with a slim vacuum head with a laser light that makes it easier to see small debris. Battery performance is acceptable overall, with a runtime of roughly anywhere between 10 to 75 minutes depending on the power setting and usage habits, but this can vary in the real world.

Unfortunately, its high suction force can cause it to drag around some lighter rugs or even make it hard to push around on some carpets. There are a few parts that need regular cleaning, though it doesn't have many recurring costs thanks to its washable filters and bagless design. Still, this vacuum's versatility and broad selection of tools and accessories make it one of the best cordless vacuums that we've tested.

The Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine is the best canister vacuum for high-pile carpet that we've tested. This bagged canister vacuum delivers impressive performance on high-pile carpet, where it cleans pet hair and the majority of large debris like sand without too much difficulty. While you may need to make another pass to fully suck up fine material like baking soda on this surface type, its performance in this regard is still relatively good. It's also worth mentioning that suction performance doesn't drop by a noticeable amount even as its dirtbag fills up.

This vacuum has a seven-level suction power adjustment feature that enables you to adapt to different surface types on the fly. It feels amazingly well-built, with a dense plastic body and rubber-like wheels that allow it to roll smoothly over obstructions like electrical cords. The few parts that require periodic cleaning are fantastically easy to access, and its use of a dirtbag combined with its onboard HEPA filter should keep the spread of allergens to a minimum.

Unfortunately, its hose is short, making it somewhat hard to clean out-of-reach areas when using the vacuum in a semi-handheld configuration. It's also a little heavy, which can make it a bit of a hassle to carry up and down long flights of stairs. Otherwise, if you're looking for a highly versatile canister vacuum that can handle messes on a wide variety of surface types, this is a great choice.

The best robot vacuum for high-pile carpet that we've tested is the yeedi vac station. This robot vacuum has a self-emptying function that lets it dump any accumulated debris from its internal dustbin to an external dirt compartment built into its charging dock, slightly reducing hands-on maintenance requirements. It also features many other automation functions, including virtual boundary markers and scheduling cleaning sessions for individual areas.

This vacuum's performance on high-pile carpet is impressive, as it easily cleans pet hair as well as the majority of fine debris like baking soda, though it may need to make an extra pass to fully clean up larger material like sand. Its surface detection feature enables it to adjust its suction power mode automatically once it starts rolling on carpets. Depending on suction power mode and usage habits, it supplies anywhere between 80 minutes to roughly three hours of runtime on a single charge, which should be more than sufficient for most homes. It can climb over obstructions like electrical cords without getting stuck.

That said, its brushroll can occasionally get stuck on rug tassels, and the manufacturer recommends tucking them under carpets to prevent this from happening. It also lacks a HEPA filter to trap allergens as it cleans. Recurring costs are high, and many parts need periodic cleaning. Still, it's a good choice if you're looking for a robot vacuum that can easily handle messes on carpets.

The best vacuum for high-pile carpet that we've tested in the budget category is the BISSELL PowerForce Helix. This affordable upright model delivers a great performance on high-pile carpets, where it easily picks up pet hair and most debris. It has five different surface-type settings, including one for high-pile carpets, so you can adapt as you clean your home.

Despite its bulkier size, it feels light in your hand. It has a good-sized dirt compartment, and it doesn't lose suction as it fills up, so it's suitable for longer cleaning sessions. You can change it to a semi-handheld configuration, which helps clean your car or stairs. There are some accessories included, like an extension wand for hard-to-reach spots and a soft-bristle brush for delicate objects like curtains. Only the pre-motor filter needs regular replacing, so recurring costs are low.

However, it has a short hose that some may find limiting when using it in its semi-handheld configuration. Also, it lacks a rotating head and isn't very maneuverable, so it may not be ideal if you need to vacuum under low furniture like a couch or coffee table. That said, if you want an affordable option that can tackle high-pile carpets, it's a solid choice.