The Dirt Devil Endura Max is a budget-friendly bagless upright vacuum. While it has a pretty basic design, there are still a few convenient features to make cleaning easier. These include a high-capacity dustbin, a floorhead that offers four levels of height adjustment, and a quick-release wand with a fairly long hose for cleaning hard-to-reach areas.
Our Verdict
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is okay for bare floors. It has no trouble dealing with pet hair on this surface type but can nudge around larger debris instead of sucking it up. Thankfully, suction performance doesn't decrease as its spacious dirt compartment fills up, so you won't need to empty it very often. It's pretty lightweight for a vacuum of this type, but its bulky design and fixed-angle floorhead makes it hard to maneuver in tight spaces.
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Low recurring costs.
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Superb pet hair cleaning performance on floors.
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Large dustbin.
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Cheap build quality.
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Not very maneuverable.
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Minimum floorhead height is too high.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is an alright option for cleaning low-pile carpet. It delivers fantastic overall pet hair-cleaning performance on this surface type. However, you'll probably need to make an extra pass or two to fully clear larger debris, even with its floorhead set to its lowest position. Recurring costs are few, but the vacuum itself has many parts that you need to wash or clean periodically.
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Low recurring costs.
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Superb pet hair cleaning performance on floors.
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Large dustbin.
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Cheap build quality.
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Tangle-prone floorhead.
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Not very maneuverable.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is fairly well-suited to cleaning high-pile carpet. It's pretty effective in clearing away pet hair, though it can leave behind some larger debris embedded in carpet fibers due to the low suction force at the floorhead. Its floorhead has a wide range of height adjustment options, though even at its highest level, the brushroll can still get caught on shag-pile rugs. There's no brushroll off switch either, so you'll need to turn the vacuum off when it gets stuck.
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Low recurring costs.
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Superb pet hair cleaning performance on floors.
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Large dustbin.
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Cheap build quality.
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Tangle-prone floorhead.
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Not very maneuverable.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is an adequate option for pet owners. It has little trouble clearing away pet hair on most surfaces. The crevice tool is effective when picking up pet hair on upholstery, though its nozzle is a little too small to make it practical for bigger areas. Cleaning its brushroll can be a hassle, as it's both tangle-prone and somewhat hard to access. The vacuum also does a terrible job of sealing in fine allergens like pet dander.
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Low recurring costs.
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Superb pet hair cleaning performance on floors.
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Terrible air filtration performance.
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Difficult-to-access brushroll.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is a poor fit for cleaning stairs. While it's pretty lightweight for an upright, it's still quite bulky and lacks a dedicated handheld configuration that would allow you to carry it up and down flights of stairs and clean hard-to-reach spots.
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Relatively lightweight construction.
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Cheap build quality.
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Not very maneuverable.
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Minimum floorhead height is too high.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is an upright vacuum without a real handheld configuration, and it isn't designed for cleaning difficult-to-access areas like the inside of your car.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is a bad option for workshop cleaning, though this isn't something that it's designed for. You can't use it to clean up liquid spills, and using it to clean very bulky debris like metal or wood shavings is likely to result in damage.
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Large dustbin.
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Cheap build quality.
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Terrible air filtration performance.
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You can't use it to clear away liquid spills.
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Minimum floorhead height is too high.
- 6.8 Bare Floor
- 6.8 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.7 High-Pile Carpet
- 6.8 Pets
- 5.3 Stairs
- 5.5 Cars
- 3.9 Workshop
- Updated Aug 05, 2024: We've added a link to the Eureka Airspeed in the 'Portability' section of the review to provide an alternative that weighs less.
- Updated Dec 14, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update builds on our previous 'Suction' test with a new 'Airflow' test that more accurately measures a vacuum's ability to generate air movement. If you'd like to see an in-depth look at the reasoning and methodology behind this change, you can see our full changelog here..
- Updated Oct 13, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Oct 07, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 04, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Sep 23, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Sep 19, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is only available in a single variant: 'Red'. You can see the label for our test unit here.
Let us know in the discussions if you come across another variant of this vacuum, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is pretty basic as far as upright vacuums go. It's a solid alternative to the comparably inexpensive BISSELL PowerForce Helix, with a higher-capacity dustbin and a longer overall range. That said, the BISSELL should be your first choice if it's deep cleaning performance that you're after, as it does a better job of cleaning low and high-pile carpeting.
If you're looking for an alternative, check out our list of recommendations of the best cheap and budget vacuums, the best vacuums under $100, and the best upright vacuums.
The BISSELL CleanView/CleanView Swivel Pet Rewind is better than the Dirt Devil Endura Max for most uses. The BISSELL has a longer overall range, making it a little easier to clean larger spaces, comes with a much wider assortment of tools, including a miniature turbo brush, and delivers significantly better overall cleaning performance. That said, the Dirt Devil has a larger dustbin, incurs lower ownership costs, and weighs less.
The BISSELL PowerForce Helix is better than the Dirt Devil Endura Max for most uses. The BISSELL weighs less, performs better on carpeted floors, and makes slightly less noise. On the other hand, the Dirt Devil has a bigger dustbin that won't need emptying as often, as well as a longer overall range.
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe is better than the Dirt Devil Endura Max. The Shark feels a little sturdier, is easier to maintain, comes with a wider array of attachments, and makes less noise. Its 'Lift-Away' design enables you to pick up and carry its canister body separately from the main floorhead, making it easier to clean tight spots. The Shark also delivers better debris-pickup performance on bare floors as well as low- and high-pile carpets, though the Dirt Devil does a better job of handling pet hair. The Dirt Devil also has a bigger dirt compartment that won't need emptying as often.
The Eureka Mighty Mite is a better vacuum than the Dirt Devil Endura Max, though they vary quite drastically in terms of design. As a result of its bagged design, the Eureka incurs higher recurring costs than the bagless Dirt Devil since you'll need to replace its dirtbag once it's filled up. This also makes it much easier and more hygienic to dispose of any accumulated debris, and it results in significantly better filtration performance. The Eureka also weighs less, making it far more maneuverable, and delivers significantly better overall performance on all surface types, even with just a straight suction floorhead.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is better than the Eureka Airspeed. The Dirt Devil is a more robust-feeling vacuum with a considerably longer overall cleaning range. It also has a higher capacity dustbin that won't need to be emptied as often and has a multi-level floorhead height adjustment feature that makes it easier to maneuver on thicker carpeting. On the other hand, the Eureka is a lighter vacuum.
Test Results
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has mediocre build quality. It's made almost entirely from hard plastic, which looks and feels cheap to the touch. Its hose doesn't feel as durable as that of pricier vacuums like the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV. Thankfully, attaching and detaching various accessories is pretty effortless.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has quite a few parts that need regular cleaning.
- Dirt compartment: You can lift the dirt compartment from its slot by pressing the release button near the grab handle. Pressing the button at the base of the dirt compartment opens the bottom door so that you can dump out any accumulated debris. The top cover can also be lifted free to access the pre-motor filters and the cyclone. The dirt compartment empty button is inconveniently placed and can be depressed accidentally when re-seating it in its slot.
- Brushroll: You'll need to remove six screws to access and remove the brushroll, which can be a hassle if you want to quickly clean it. Hair tends to get wrapped around it pretty tightly, so you might find it easier to cut it away with a pair of scissors. Putting it back into place can also be a tricky process, as you'll need to align it with the drive belt, which can force it out of place. No maintenance interval is given, but you should still clear away any stuck-on debris regularly.
- Exhaust Filter: The exhaust filter is pretty easy to access, being located just on top of the vacuum's floorhead. No maintenance interval is given, but you should rinse it under water periodically to maintain peak performance. Make sure to let it dry for at least 24 hours before putting it back in the vacuum
- Pre-motor filters: The foam and felt pre-motor filters are located under the top cover of the dirt compartment and can be easily lifted free. No maintenance instructions are given.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max incurs low recurring costs.
- Pre-motor filter: No replacement interval is given for the F112 Endura pre-motor filter, but it's still considered a replaceable component. A replacement can be purchased here.
- Exhaust filter: No replacement interval is given for this filter, but it's still considered a replaceable component. A replacement can be purchased here.
- Belt drive: The user manual directs you to check the manufacturer's website for replacement intervals, which states that you should swap out the belt drive every three to six months. here.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is fairly easy to store. Its overall dimensions are very similar to other upright vacuums like the BISSELL PowerForce Helix, and you might find it a bit of a hassle to store in a smaller closet. You'll also need to manually wrap up its power cord when you're finished cleaning, which can be somewhat tedious. Thankfully, you can store its extension wand and combination tool on-board the vacuum.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has an impressively large dirt compartment. It's considerably bigger than comparable bagless uprights like the BISSELL PowerForce Helix. Since it's made of clear plastic and has a visible max fill line, you'll know when it's time to empty it.
- Dirt Devil Endura Max upright vacuum body
- Extension wand
- Wand handle
- Dirt compartment
- Hose
- Combination tool
- Cyclone
- Pre-motor filters
- Exhaust filter
- Front filter cover
- User manual
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has an adequate range. Its power cord is pretty short, so you'll need to swap outlets when cleaning faraway areas. Thankfully, it comes with an extension hose to increase your reach when you use it in its semi-handheld configuration. Combined with its reasonably long hose, you should find it a little easier to clean on top of shelves or behind couches and chairs.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is pretty portable for an upright model. While it's still considerably heavier than almost any cordless stick vacuum, its mainly lightweight plastic construction makes it noticeably easier to carry around than some other more expensive uprights, like the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away. That being said, it also isn't the lightest upright on the market; if you're looking for an alternative that puts even less strain on your arm, the Eureka Airspeed is worth a look.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is pretty limited in terms of quality-of-life features. Its floorhead offers four levels of surface adjustment, which can be selected using the dial at the base of its floorhead. The first two settings are suitable for bare floors and low-pile carpet, while the last two are intended for high-pile and shag carpeting.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max only comes with an extension wand to extend your reach and a 2-in-1 combination tool that you can use as a crevice cleaner or a soft-bristle dusting brush.
You can use this vacuum in a semi-handheld configuration by pressing the quick-release button on the D-shaped carrying handle to lift it free of its socket, then attaching the hose to the top of the handle.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has okay performance on bare floors with the floorhead set to its 'HARD FLOOR/LOW' setting. It clears away bulky debris like cereal with little issue but struggles more with smaller debris like rice. Even with the floorhead set to its lowest position, it's still too high off the ground to make full contact and can push debris around rather than suck it up.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max does a mediocre job of clearing away debris on low-pile carpet. With its floorhead set to the 'HARD FLOOR/LOW' setting, you'll probably have to make several extra passes to fully clear away larger debris like sand and fine material like baking soda.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max delivers okay performance on high-pile carpet when using the '1' surface setting. It's somewhat effective in dealing with fine material like baking soda but struggles with larger material like sand.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max does a fantastic job of clearing away pet hair on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet. However, debris tends to get wrapped around its brushroll pretty tightly, and it can be a nuisance to clean.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has terrible real-world suction performance. Its suction inlet is positioned too far above the contact surface to generate a tight seal on hard floors.
Note: If you're looking for all-out suction performance, you should use the vacuum's hose, as it exerts a much greater suction force of 15.67 kPa, as seen here.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max is somewhat noisy. It's noticeably louder when running compared to most other pricier bagless uprights like the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV, and the sound of it running is sufficient to drown out most nearby conversation.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has mediocre overall maneuverability. While it's relatively lightweight for this style of vacuum, its fixed floorhead makes it hard to round sharp corners. The floorhead is also rather tall, so you can't clean under some couches and chairs. There's also no brushroll off switch, meaning the vacuum can get tangled on thick rugs quite easily. On the plus side, it's easy to reconfigure into its semi-handheld configuration and to mount or remove the included combination tool.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max does a good job cleaning pet hair from upholstered surfaces. The crevice tool's narrow suction nozzle requires you to make several passes to clean even a relatively small area.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has terrible air filtration performance, with fine allergens being blown clean through its exhaust filter as well as various seams across the vacuum body. The manufacturer doesn't advertise it as having any form of HEPA filtration, and its exhaust filter seems is quite porous, which would play a part in its inability to trap particles.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has poor crack-cleaning performance. Simply put, it doesn't exert enough suction force at its floorhead to suck up debris wedged in most cracks and crevices. It's recommended that you use the vacuum in its semi-handheld configuration with the crevice tool for this kind of application.
The Dirt Devil Endura Max has terrible stain-clearing performance. However, this isn't the type of mess its floorhead is designed to deal with.
