While upright vacuums excel at cleaning large spaces, they can be versatile tools in any household. They're easy to use, and their distinct, bulky shape generally allows for a bigger dirt compartment, which can be beneficial if you have a big mess to clean. They're also quite good for cleaning carpets as they can clear most pet hair and debris without too much of a problem. However, upright vacuums can be heavier than stick or canister models, making them less portable and maneuverable, particularly on stairs or in narrower areas. We recommend you check out our FAQ section at the bottom of the article if you're curious to learn more about the merits and functionality of upright vacuums.
We've tested over 105 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best upright vacuums. These picks were selected based on their performance, design, feature set, and price. For more buying recommendations, look at our lists of the best vacuums for carpets, the best vacuums for high-pile carpet, the best corded vacuums, and the best vacuums.
Quick Look
We've independently bought and tested over 105 vacuums with no cherry-picked manufacturer samples. We run each vacuum through a gauntlet of tests whose results are validated by multiple teams to ensure you get an accurate picture of how each model will perform and can easily compare them. We keep the products in our lab so we can periodically go back and see how they stack up to the newest competition.
Want to learn more about our testing and review pipeline? Check out our How We Test Vacuums article for insight into our lab and writing processes.
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Best Upright Vacuum
Bare Floor7.8Low-Pile Carpet7.6High-Pile Carpet7.7Pets8.3Stairs6.4Vacuum TypeUprightBaglessYesCordlessNoAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesSee all our test resultsWet CompatibleMopping OnlyThe best upright vacuum we've tested is the Dyson Ball Animal 3. This bagless upright vacuum has a powerful suction motor and delivers exceptional cleaning performance on various floor types. The top-range Complete variant can be found through their storefront on Walmart or directly from Dyson's website and comes with a wide assortment of attachments for handheld use, including a mini turbo brush, a multi-angle brush, and even a dedicated pet grooming tool.
Its floorhead has three suction gate settings, so it's easy to adapt to everything from high-pile carpets to flat surfaces like hardwood or laminate. The floorhead also features a set of plastic combs that capture long hair, which helps reduce tangles. There's also a brushroll off switch, so you can clean hard floors without worrying about scattering large debris everywhere. You can also easily free the vacuum if it gets stuck on thicker carpeting.
Unfortunately, build quality isn't a strong point, as the vacuum's mainly plastic body creaks and flexes slightly while in use. You'll also need to roll back its power cord manually when you're done cleaning, which is a disappointing omission for such an expensive vacuum and can be a bit annoying since the cord is so long. While the Dyson vacuum's ball-shaped wheel makes it fairly maneuverable for an upright, it's still a bulky and heavy machine, and you might find it a bit of a hassle to grab from a closet and use for smaller cleaning jobs.
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Best Mid-Range Upright Vacuum
Bare Floor7.6Low-Pile Carpet6.9High-Pile Carpet6.8Pets7.4Stairs7.7Vacuum TypeUpright/HandheldBaglessYesCordlessNoAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesSee all our test resultsWet CompatibleNoIf you're looking for something less expensive and more portable, the Shark Stratos Upright is a great choice. It shares a common design with other Shark vacuums with its 'Lift-Away' design, which lets you detach its canister body from the floorhead and carry it around in one hand while cleaning tight spots with the hose in the other. This makes it a better option for cleaning tight, out-of-reach areas than the larger, bulkier Dyson Ball Animal 3. However, it doesn't perform as well as the Dyson on carpets, and you can't change its brushroll height, so it tends to get stuck on surfaces like shag carpeting more frequently. One of the Shark's more unique selling points is its odor neutralization system; a replaceable cartridge in its floorhead emits a detergent-like scent as you clean. However, it can become a tad overwhelming if you vacuum regularly, and it could be a downside if you're sensitive to scents.
While the Shark's attachment set isn't as varied as the Dyson's, it still comes with a miniature turbo brush, an upholstery nozzle, and a crevice tool, which will cover many of your needs. The vacuum's primary brushroll has a set of integrated fins that effectively prevent hair from getting wrapped around the roller, similar to the Dyson vacuum's anti-tangle combs. However, unlike the Dyson, the roller isn't removable, so cleaning it is a bit of a hassle.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Upright Vacuum
Bare Floor7.3Low-Pile Carpet7.1High-Pile Carpet7.5Pets7.1Stairs6.0Vacuum TypeUprightBaglessNoCordlessNoAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesSee all our test resultsWet CompatibleNoThe Kenmore Intuition Bagged is the best upright vacuum cleaner we've tested at a lower mid-range price point. It incurs higher ownership costs than bagless alternatives like the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 since you'll need to occasionally replace its disposable filters and dirtbag. However, it's cheaper up-front, and since it uses dirtbags that seal in debris and has a separate HEPA filter, it offers superb filtration performance. Better yet, you can release its dirtbag from its internal compartment with the press of a latch, so you won't dirty your hands when taking it out.
While the Kenmore's debris-pickup performance isn't as impressive as any of our more expensive picks above, it still delivers solid overall performance on carpets and bare floors. It also has a brushroll off switch, preventing it from scattering larger debris on hard flooring. Additionally, like Shark's series of 'Lift-Away' upright vacuums, you can disconnect its canister unit from the floorhead and carry it around, making it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas with the hose.
Unfortunately, there's no way of adjusting the floorhead height, so it can easily get stuck cleaning thick, high-pile carpeting. Its bulky dirtbag compartment also makes cleaning under tables and chairs difficult. If you've got plenty of thick carpeting to clean, check out the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus, which performs better on that surface type. The downside is that the BISSEL feels flimsier, and its bagless design is more demanding (but cheaper) in terms of maintenance since you'll need to empty its dustbin and clean its filters regularly.
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Best Budget Upright Vacuum
Bare Floor6.6Low-Pile Carpet6.4High-Pile Carpet6.2Pets6.0Stairs5.4Vacuum TypeUprightBaglessYesCordlessNoAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)NoSee all our test resultsWet CompatibleNoConsider the BISSELL PowerForce Helix if you're looking for an upright vacuum at a budget-friendly price. Right off the bat, it's crucial to note that this vacuum feels cheap and toy-like, even when compared to our previous pick, the Kenmore Intuition Bagged, though this isn't much of a surprise given its low price. It also does a terrible job of sealing fine allergens. Still, if all you're after is performance on a budget, it's worth a look.
It has a floorhead with five levels of height adjustment, enabling you to adapt rapidly to various carpet-pile heights, which is a rare feature at this price point. It's also powerful enough to lift away debris embedded deep within low- and high-pile carpeting with ease. While that all-plastic construction is a downside as far as build quality is concerned, it does make the vacuum relatively lightweight, especially for an upright model. Unfortunately, there's no brushroll off switch, so be careful when cleaning around obstructions like rug tassels, which can get wrapped around its brushroll and trapped in its floorhead quite easily. Taking out its brushroll for regular cleaning is also a bit of a hassle since you'll need to remove a few screws to pull it out.
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Best Bagged Upright Vacuum
Bare Floor7.6Low-Pile Carpet7.0High-Pile Carpet6.9Pets7.4Stairs5.7Vacuum TypeUprightBaglessNoCordlessNoAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesSee all our test resultsWet CompatibleNoIf the Dyson Ball Animal 3 doesn't appeal to you, with its all-plastic chassis and messy debris disposal process, you might be interested in something like the SEBO FELIX instead. This high-end upright model is more of a hassle to maneuver in tight spaces when compared to the all-plastic Dyson, even when you take into account its unique articulating floorhead mount, which allows it to lie almost flat to clean under tables and chairs. That said, it's fitted with a powerful and quiet 1,000W motor. Combined with the thorough surface agitation from its powered ET-1 head, it's a capable performer on carpeted floors, especially when it comes to more embedded debris. Speaking of that ET-1 head, it offers four levels of height adjustment, allowing it to handle a wide variety of carpet lengths, and features a thermal cut-out switch that'll turn off its motor in the event of a blockage. The overall build quality is a strong point, with a rigid chassis that doesn't flex too much while in use.
The SEBO's simple design makes it easy to swap in a new bag, which has a very generous 3.25 L capacity, so you won't need to do that all that often. Unfortunately, despite the purported 'hospital-grade' rating of its three-stage filtration system, which includes an S-Class exhaust microfilter (comparable to the North American HEPA standard), we didn't find it to be as effective in locking in particles as the SEBO Airbelt D4 Premium, which has a similar filter setup on paper.
Notable Mentions
- Hoover WindTunnel Tempo Bagged : Unlike the Kenmore Intuition Bagged, the Hoover WindTunnel Tempo Bagged is a bagged mid-range upright vacuum with five head height adjustment levels. However, it's heavier, less maneuverable, and doesn't perform as well on any surface type. See our review
- Dirt Devil Endura Max: The Dirt Devil Endura Max is a budget-friendly bagless upright with a higher-capacity dustbin than the BISSELL PowerForce Helix, but it doesn't perform quite as well on carpets. See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 05, 2025:
Removed the Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away UV900 from recommendations due to current availability. Recategorized the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 as the 'Best Mid-Range Upright Vacuum' due to current product pricing. Added SEBO FELIX as the new 'Best Bagged Upright Vacuum' category pick.
Apr 15, 2025:
We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock, but our recommendations haven't changed.
Jan 08, 2025:
We've removed the 'Best Cordless Upright Vacuum' category due to product availability and added links for our recommendations that are only available from select retailers. We've also made edits throughout for clarity and concision.
Sep 19, 2024: We've reviewed the article to ensure our picks represent the best products available, and we made minor edits for clarity.
Jun 06, 2024: Confirmed all picks are still available and represent the best options. Small text edit to add the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pet as an alternative to the Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away.
FAQ
How do upright vacuum cleaners work?
At their core, upright vacuums function like any other vacuum: an electric motor (drawing current from a wall outlet or a battery) spins a fan that drives air towards an exhaust port and creates a differential in air pressure, thereby generating suction. This flow of air gathers up lightweight dust and dirt, where it then passes into a dirtbag that's porous to air but thick enough to trap debris or through a complex spiraling path that effectively throws debris out of the path of the air and into a dustbin. Upright vacuums are characterized by having this entire system within a self-contained unit positioned above the floorhead but beneath the vacuum handle. They also differ from vacuums with a simpler pure suction head by having a powerhead with a motorized beater bar/brushroll that knocks loose embedded debris so that this air stream can collect it.
What's good about upright vacuums?
Upright vacuums should be the first type of vacuum you consider if you have a lot of carpeting. While they're generally the bulkiest and heaviest type of household vacuum on the market, their powered floorheads and fairly powerful motors make them a good fit for deep-cleaning sessions.
Can I use an upright vacuum on hardwood floors?
You can, but whether you actually should comes down to several factors. If you use an upright to clean hardwood, make sure it has a brushroll off switch to prevent the beater bar from leaving scratches on your floors. Leaving a brushroll/beater bar running on hard floors can also scatter larger debris around on bare surfaces. Some manufacturers, most prominently Shark, offer uprights with a secondary soft roller (like the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002), which is much better than a roller with stiff bristles for collecting fine dust or hair on bare floors.
Are upright vacuums better than canister vacuums?
It isn't really a case of one type of vacuum being better than the other. They simply suit different uses. As stated previously, uprights are ideal for carpet cleaning. Of course, you can buy a powerful canister vacuum with a powerhead, but it's also worth noting that this attachment is quite hard to find on budget-friendly models. In contrast, there are plenty of cheap uprights with 'premium' features, like a height-adjustable head for cleaning multiple carpet lengths.
Meanwhile, canister vacuums are generally easier to use and maneuver since their heavy motor unit is essentially in a carriage you pull behind you; you only have to hold up a simple handle and wand, which places much less strain on your shoulder and arms. Unlike most upright vacuums, you can easily swap the floorhead on a canister for a simpler, lighter pure suction head better suited to cleaning hard floors.
Should I get an upright or stick vacuum?
It depends on your living situation and needs. A stick vacuum is better suited for a smaller, tighter home or apartment with mostly bare floors. They're smaller and lighter, making them much easier to maneuver in tight spots.
In contrast, an upright vacuum makes more sense for larger homes with plenty of thick carpeting; its motorized floorheads and powerful motors enable it to draw out debris embedded deep within carpet fibers.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are currently the best upright vacuum cleaners. In addition to the test results, we consider availability, price, and reader feedback.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our upright vacuum reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no vacuum is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.