Upright vacuums have been a household staple for decades, and they've earned their place for good reason: they're straightforward to use, hold a lot of debris, and clean large areas quickly. The best upright vacuums are well-suited to carpet-heavy homes, because their wide, motorized floorheads dig into carpet fibers to lift embedded debris more aggressively than most other vacuum types.
We've tested over 110 vacuums, and below are our recommendations for the best upright vacuums you can buy. Our recommendations are based on lab test results for cleaning performance, air quality, and portability. Here's a quick rundown of what to keep in mind as you shop:
- Weight: Most uprights fall between 12 and 17 lbs. Lighter models are easier to carry upstairs and maneuver in tighter spaces.
- Range: Most uprights are corded. Look for a cord longer than 25 ft to avoid switching outlets mid-clean in larger rooms.
- Bagged vs. Bagless: Bagged models are much cleaner to maintain, especially for allergy sufferers. Bagless models skip the ongoing cost of replacement bags, but emptying the bin releases a cloud of fine dust.
- Air Quality: Look for a Particle Filtration score of 8.0 or higher for effective dust and allergen control during cleaning. If anyone in your home has allergies, also check the Air Quality During Emptying score and consider a bagged model.
For a deeper explanation of each factor, see our buyer's guide below to help you find the best upright vacuum for you. 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.
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Best Upright Vacuum
House8.8Small Apartment8.1Bare Floor Pickup7.7Carpet Pickup5.8Pet Hair Pickup9.0Maneuverability6.5Total Weight16.53 lbs (7.50 kg)Cord Length31.46 ft (9.6 m)See all our test resultsAir Quality7.3The SEBO FELIX is the best upright vacuum we've tested, and it earns that spot with a combination of excellent build quality and an easy-to-maintain bagged design. This stylish upright is fitted with a powerful and quiet 1,000W motor, offering good performance on bare floors. The ET-1 bristled powerhead does an outstanding job of picking up pet hair from carpets, making it ideal for pet owners. The overall build quality is excellent, with a rigid chassis that doesn't flex too much while in use. Its simple design makes it easy to swap in a new bag, and each bag has a very generous 3.25 L capacity, so you won't need to do so often.
The primary downside is that although it's powerful enough to lift medium and fine material, it's hard to find an ideal floorhead height to pull in large debris on carpet while still lifting deeply embedded dirt. This model is also a hassle to maneuver in tight spaces, even when you take into account its unique articulating floorhead mount, which allows it to lie almost flat to clean under tables and chairs. As well, despite the three-stage filtration system, it's not very effective at locking in particles, so it will have a moderately negative impact on air quality.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Upright Vacuum
House8.7Small Apartment8.4Bare Floor Pickup8.3Carpet Pickup7.0Pet Hair Pickup9.3Maneuverability7.5Total Weight17.46 lbs (7.92 kg)Cord Length35.10 ft (10.7 m)See all our test resultsAir Quality8.1If you're looking to avoid the ongoing costs of dirt bags, consider the Dyson Ball Animal 3. This bagless upright vacuum has a powerful suction motor and delivers solid cleaning performance across floor types. The highest-end Complete variant comes with a wide assortment of attachments, 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.
Unfortunately, unlike the SEBO FELIX, build quality isn't a strong point, as the vacuum's mainly plastic body creaks and flexes slightly while in use. It offers outstanding filtration while you use it, but since it's bagless, emptying the dustbin releases a cloud of fine dust, so it's best to do it outdoors if anyone in your home has allergies. You'll also need to roll back its power cord manually when you're done cleaning, which is a disappointing omission at this price and can be a bit annoying since the cord is so long. While the Dyson vacuum's ball-shaped wheel makes it one of the more maneuverable uprights we've tested, 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
House8.6Small Apartment8.1Bare Floor Pickup8.2Carpet Pickup6.0Pet Hair Pickup8.2Maneuverability6.5Total Weight16.53 lbs (7.50 kg)Cord Length29.53 ft (9.0 m)See all our test resultsAir Quality8.0For homes with many hard-to-reach areas and a need for a device that can pull double duty, the Shark Stratos Upright is a great choice thanks to its convertible form factor. Its 'Lift-Away' design 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. While its attachment set isn't as varied as the Dyson Ball Animal 3's, it still includes a miniature turbo brush, an upholstery nozzle, and a crevice tool, which will cover many of your needs.
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. Since it's bagless, emptying the dustbin releases a cloud of fine dust, so it's best to do it outdoors if anyone in your home has allergies. 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. The roller isn't removable, though, so cleaning it is a bit of a hassle.
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Best Budget Upright Vacuum
House8.6Small Apartment8.6Bare Floor Pickup7.9Carpet Pickup8.0Pet Hair Pickup7.9Maneuverability6.0Total Weight14.95 lbs (6.78 kg)Cord Length30.02 ft (9.2 m)See all our test resultsAir Quality9.3The Kenmore Intuition Bagged is our budget pick, and its standout strength is air quality. As a bagged vacuum, its HEPA filter achieves an outstanding Particle Filtration score, and its self-sealing dirtbag keeps dust well-contained when you dispose of it, making it a strong choice for allergy sufferers despite its affordable price. It still delivers solid overall performance on carpets and bare floors, and its brushroll-off switch prevents it from scattering larger debris on hard flooring. You can also disconnect its canister from the floorhead and carry it around, making it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas with the hose.
Unfortunately, there's no way to adjust the floorhead height, so it can easily get stuck while cleaning thick, high-pile carpeting. It's also one of the harder vacuums on this list to maneuver, so it can feel cumbersome in tighter spaces. 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.
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Best Cheap Upright Vacuum
House7.5Small Apartment6.3Bare Floor Pickup6.1Carpet Pickup5.8Pet Hair Pickup6.7Maneuverability5.5Total Weight10.36 lbs (4.70 kg)Cord Length22.97 ft (7.0 m)See all our test resultsAir Quality3.3Consider the BISSELL PowerForce Helix if you're looking for an ultra-affordable upright vacuum. Its bristled brushroll is powerful enough to lift embedded debris from low- and high-pile carpeting with ease, and its floorhead offers five height adjustment levels, enabling you to adapt to various carpet pile heights. That's a rare feature at this price point. Its all-plastic build also makes it relatively lightweight for an upright, which is a practical upside if portability matters.
That said, the trade-offs are significant. This vacuum feels cheap and toy-like, even when compared to the Kenmore Intuition Bagged, and as a bagless vacuum, it does a poor job of sealing fine allergens during cleaning, which is typical at this price point. 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.
Recent Updates
May 15, 2026:
We added a buying guide to the bottom of the article to help readers make a more informed decision while shopping. We also verified our picks are available and represent the best options.
Feb 05, 2026:
We shortened all sections for better readability. We promoted the SEBO FELIX to the 'Best Upright' and moved the other recommendations down a category. We removed all Notable Mentions and the FAQ.
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.
What To Consider When Choosing An Upright Vacuum
A few factors determine which model is the best upright vacuum for you. Here are some things to keep in mind as you shop:
Weight and Maneuverability
Upright vacuums are typically heavy, and their weight matters if you have to carry them upstairs.
- Under 12 lbs is relatively light for an upright
- 12 to 17 lbs is typical
- Over 17 lbs is on the heavier side
Of all the vacuum types, uprights tend to be the trickiest to maneuver; none of the uprights we've tested score exceptionally on our maneuverability test. Still, some perform better than others. Look for a score of at least 6.5 if you want a vacuum that can adequately maneuver in a smaller, more cluttered home. If you're looking for a vacuum that's even easier to navigate around obstacles, consider one of our best canister vacuum picks instead.
Range
The vast majority of upright vacuums are corded, so their cleaning range is determined by the length of their power cord. A longer cord means you'll have to switch outlets less often, which matters more the larger your home is.
- Under 30 ft is short.
- 30 to 35 ft is typical.
- Over 35 ft is long.
Bagged vs. Bagless
Whether a vacuum is bagged or bagless has a major impact on how it impacts your home's air quality when you empty it.
- Bagged vacuums collect dust inside a sealed bag that you swap out when it's full. They score much higher on our Air Quality During Emptying test than bagless vacuums, and models with self-sealing dirtbags do even better. The trade-off is that you need to keep buying replacement bags.
- Bagless vacuums collect dust in a reusable bin you empty into the trash. While this means that you don't have to worry about replacing bags, emptying the bin releases a cloud of fine dust, even on models with otherwise excellent filtration. If anyone in your home has allergies, it's best to empty the bin outdoors.
For a more in-depth comparison, read our article on bagged vs. bagless air quality.
Air Quality
We measure air quality using two separate tests:
- Particle Filtration measures how well the vacuum traps fine particles during cleaning. Many premium vacuums use HEPA-rated filters within a sealed system, which keeps dust from leaking back into the air as you clean. Look for a Particle Filtration score of 8.0 or higher, especially if anyone in your home suffers from allergies.
- Air Quality During Emptying is a separate test that measures how much dust escapes when you empty the dirtbag or dustbin. Bagless models score poorly across the board, since dumping the bin inevitably releases a cloud of fine particles.
Attachments
Upright vacuums clean floors well on their own, but a good attachment set extends their usefulness to furniture, stairs, and tight spaces. Here are some tools to look for:
- Motorized mini brush: For upholstery, pet beds, and stair treads.
- Crevice tool: For corners, baseboards, and the gaps between cushions.
- Dusting brush: For shelves, vents, and delicate surfaces.
- Detachable hose or "lift-away" canister: Some upright vacuums let you detach the body from the floorhead for handheld use. This significantly expands what you can clean without switching to a separate tool.
If you'd like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our upright vacuum reviews.