The 5 Best Vacuums For Shag Carpet - Winter 2023 Reviews

The best vacuum for shag carpet we've tested is the SEBO Airbelt D4. The Premium variant of this vacuum comes bundled with SEBO's ET-1 powerhead, which is one the most effective carpet-cleaning attachments on the market, with four levels of height adjustment and an automatic brushroll cutoff. If you want a slightly wider cleaning head, you can also spring for the ET-2 powerhead separately. In any case, you can quickly adjust the vacuum's suction power using the rocker switch on the handle, so you don't get bogged down on carpets. The vacuum is bulky but packed with convenience features, with a three-stage filtration system to help trap fine allergens, onboard storage for its three included attachments, and a long operating range of about fifty feet. It's also remarkably well-built, very easy to maintain, and incurs low ownership costs, as it uses high-capacity dirtbags and long-lasting filters.

If you're looking for something lighter and a little easier to maneuver, the Miele Complete C3 is a good option; however, it incurs higher recurring costs as a result of its smaller dirtbags and less durable filters. Like the SEBO, you'll need to purchase a C3 variant with a powerhead for cleaning shag carpeting, like the C3 Kona, C3 Marin, or C3 Brilliant.

The best vacuum for shag carpet we've tested in the upper mid-range price bracket is the Shark APEX Upright. This bagless upright vacuum isn't nearly as sturdily-built as the SEBO Airbelt D4 or as easy to maintain. Its floorhead is considerably less sophisticated than the SEBO's ET-1 powerhead, with no height adjustment or automatic motor cutoff, so it isn't quite as effective at deep-cleaning different carpet types. That said, unlike most other vacuums with fixed-height floorheads, its floorhead is positioned high enough off the ground for it not to get bogged down in thicker carpeting. It's also cheaper than the SEBO, especially in the latter's Premium trim.

Unlike most conventional uprights, you can decouple its canister body from the floorhead, making it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas, like shelves, or behind and underneath couches and tables. It has a large dustbin, so you won't need to empty it often.

Look at the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo if you're shopping on a tighter budget. It feels a little less sturdy than the Shark APEX Upright Vacuum and has a smaller dustbin, but it delivers broadly similar performance on thick carpeting. While you can't adjust its brushroll height, its position is set high enough to not get bogged down on long carpet fibers. If you're having trouble moving it around, you can lower its suction power using a slider switch. There's also a brushroll off switch, so you can easily push the vacuum free if its floorhead gets tangled in carpet fibers.

Unfortunately, while this vacuum's bagless design results in minimal recurring costs, quite a few parts need regular cleaning, and they aren't always easy to access; just removing the brushroll requires you to loosen ten screws. Its allergen-sealing performance isn't particularly impressive, either, with fine dust particles being able to escape from its dustbin.

Consider the Hoover WindTunnel Tempo Bagged if you want a budget-friendly vacuum to clean shag carpeting. Compared to the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo, it lags in debris pickup performance on thick carpeting. Its use of disposable dirtbags also results in higher ownership costs upfront, though it does use fairly high-capacity bags that you won't need to swap out too often. The Hoover is very affordable and much easier to maintain than the BISSELL. It still offers a few features that are handy for cleaning shag carpeting that aren't always guaranteed for models in this price point, including a floorhead with five levels of surface adjustment and a brushroll cutoff switch, which allows it to pass over thick rugs without getting overly bogged down.

Unfortunately, and despite its mainly plastic construction, this is still a bulky, heavy vacuum, which makes it a bit of a nuisance to store when not in use or to pick up and carry around. Its lack of a pivoting floorhead makes it challenging to maneuver in cluttered environments. If you're looking for a more portable upright, the Kenmore Intuition Bagged is a suitable alternative, though it doesn't offer any floorhead height adjustment.

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of a power cord, check out the Miele Triflex HX1. Generally speaking, cordless vacuums are rarely the best option for cleaning shag carpeting, as they tend to have smaller, lower-output motors than corded models like the SEBO Airbelt D4 and fairly rudimentary powerheads that can get tangled in thick carpeting. However, this high-end cordless vacuum has a fairly sophisticated surface detection system that lets it change its suction power automatically depending on the surface you're cleaning or stop its brushroll if something gets tangled in the mechanism. While it also has enough power to clear away debris embedded in carpet fibers, it doesn't form too tight a seal with the surface it's on, meaning it won't get stuck on shag-pile rugs.

Unfortunately, battery performance is unimpressive, as its battery life can vary roughly between 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the power setting and attachments you're using. It also has a small dustbin that'll need emptying often. If these are both deal-breakers for you, the Dyson V15 Detect is a solid option with better battery life and a larger dirt compartment, but its high-powered suction motor and low-lying floorhead can cause it to get bogged down on plush carpets.