The 4 Best BISSELL Vacuums of 2024: Reviews

Table of Contents
Intro
Review Updates
Best Vacuum
Best Cheap
Best Canister
Best Cordless
Comparison
Lineup
Page Updates
Conclusion
Comments

BISSELL is an American manufacturer of vacuum cleaners and floor care appliances. They offer a wide selection of vacuum cleaners, ranging from compact handheld cordless vacuums to bulky corded uprights. Most of their offerings are somewhat budget-friendly and use bagless designs, meaning recurring costs tend to be pretty low. That said, quite a few of their more compact offerings struggle with clearing bulky debris, while their bigger corded uprights generally feel somewhat cheap.

We've tested over 160 vacuums, and 10 of those are by BISSELL. Below are our recommendations for the best BISSELL vacuums.

Updates

08/01/2024 BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam reviewed
05/09/2023 BISSELL CleanView/CleanView Swivel Pet Rewind updated
04/19/2023 BISSELL PowerForce Helix updated
04/14/2023 BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro updated
07/29/2022 BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max reviewed

Best BISSELL Vacuums

Best BISSELL Vacuum

BISSELL PowerForce Helix 0

Bare Floor

6.6

Low-Pile Carpet

6.4

High-Pile Carpet

6.2

Pets

6.0

Stairs

5.4

Cars

5.9

Workshop

4.2

Vacuum Type
Upright

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

The BISSELL PowerForce Helix is the best vacuum from BISSELL we've tested. Unusual for a budget-friendly model, its floorhead has five levels of height adjustment, allowing you to adapt to various floor types in your home. It does an excellent job of clearing away debris on carpets and performs impressively well on bare floors. It can easily handle hair on various surfaces, ranging from bare floors to carpets, making it the best BISSELL vacuum for pet hair we've tested.

That said, untangling hair from its brushroll can be a bit of a hassle, as you can only remove the roller after removing the brush guard, which is held in place with a handful of easily stripped plastic screws. Its bagless design and washable pre-motor filter keep the cost of ownership low, while its spacious dirt compartment won't need frequent emptying. It's fairly lightweight for an upright vacuum, so you can carry it up and down stairs without too much of a problem. You can also spot-clean small areas by using its wand and attaching either its soft-bristle dusting brush or its crevice tool.

Unfortunately, this vacuum isn't very maneuverable because of its bulky design and fixed-angle head. Given its low price, it's no surprise that the build quality is mediocre, with its floorhead wheels, brushroll plate, and dustbin feeling especially fragile. It also lacks a brushroll on/off switch, so it can get stuck on obstructions like rug tassels if the head height isn't set high enough and can force you to turn the vacuum off to free the tassels. If the brushroll on/off switch is a feature you want, consider the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo, which is much easier to maneuver on thick carpeting and feels better built. However, it's a lot more expensive and has quite a few maintenance requirements.

See our review
Best Cheap BISSELL Vacuum

BISSELL Featherweight Stick 0

Bare Floor

6.8

Low-Pile Carpet

5.8

High-Pile Carpet

5.4

Pets

5.2

Stairs

6.7

Cars

6.8

Workshop

3.8

Vacuum Type
Upright/Handheld

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

If you're on a tighter budget, check out the BISSELL Featherweight Stick. This corded upright doesn't offer anywhere near the deep-cleaning performance of the larger, heavier BISSELL PowerForce Helix. However, it's cheaper than the latter, and its extremely compact, lightweight design makes it much better suited for short clean-ups. It's also remarkably easy to maintain, with the few parts requiring regular maintenance being easy to access. While it struggles with clearing away heavy or bulky debris, like whole chunks of cereal or other debris that size, it has no trouble dealing with pet hair and lighter household debris.

Like many other corded BISSELL vacuums, the Featherweight Stick has a very short power cord, so you'll have to swap outlets when cleaning larger rooms. Also, its range of attachments is very limited, as it only comes with a crevice tool you can attach to the end of its body. Another downside is its cheap construction, sporting a body made mainly from hollow-feeling plastic. If you don't need a stick vacuum like the Featherweight and only need an inexpensive handheld for spot-cleaning messes, the BISSELL AeroSlim/TurboSlim is a highly compact option that will fit almost anywhere.

See our review
Best BISSELL Canister Vacuum

BISSELL Zing Bagged Canister 0

Bare Floor

7.3

Low-Pile Carpet

7.5

High-Pile Carpet

7.3

Pets

6.7

Stairs

7.5

Cars

7.7

Workshop

5.3

Vacuum Type
Canister

Bagless
No

Cordless
No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

If you prefer using a canister vacuum instead of an upright model to clean your home, check out the BISSELL Zing Bagged Canister. Its straight-suction floorhead doesn't offer the same level of surface agitation as the BISSELL PowerForce Helix's powered floorhead, so it isn't really suitable for cleaning thick carpeting. That said, it's much smaller and far more maneuverable in cluttered environments. Its lightweight wand and body, as well as its easy-to-use design, also make it a great fit for elderly users. Since its filter and dirtbag are easy to access and replace, user maintenance is also simple. It struggles somewhat when clearing away heavy debris, but it doesn't have much trouble with pet hair or lighter material.

Unfortunately, its power cord is very short. As a result, you'll probably have to swap outlets when cleaning larger rooms. On the upside, the cord rewinds with the press of a button, a convenience feature that's rare but very welcome for an entry-level vacuum. If you don't want to buy new dirtbags periodically, the BISSELL Zing Bagless Canister is a bagless equivalent that delivers similar overall performance and incurs minimal recurring costs. However, the lack of dirtbags results in inferior air filtration performance and a less hygienic means of debris disposal since emptying its dustbin can release a cloud of dust and debris.

See our review
Best Cordless BISSELL Vacuum

BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max 0

Bare Floor

6.6

Low-Pile Carpet

5.5

High-Pile Carpet

5.3

Pets

4.4

Stairs

6.0

Cars

5.1

Workshop

5.6

Vacuum Type
Upright

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
Compatible without immersion

See all our test results

If you want to go cordless, the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is among the best BISSELL vacuum cleaners we've tested. This hybrid vacuum/mop isn't nearly as maneuverable or portable as a canister model like the BISSELL Zing Bagged Canister. It also doesn't deliver the deep-cleaning performance of an upright like the BISSELL PowerForce Helix, especially on carpets, since the CrossWave's fluffy brushroll provides minimal surface agitation on carpets. However, it's a fantastic option if you want something that can tackle dry and wet messes as well as stains on bare floors, thanks to its detergent-dispersal function, which allows it to saturate and scrub away dried-on messes on hard floors.

This vacuum's cordless design lets you clean areas far from any power outlets, and its battery life of about 40 minutes will be sufficient for cleaning a fair amount of space. If you'd prefer a corded model instead, the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro delivers a similar performance. However, it has a rather short power cable, so you'll need to swap outlets when cleaning faraway areas.

Lastly, this vacuum has more parts that need regular cleaning. There's also no way of adjusting the speed of the brushroll or stopping its rotation, so you must be careful when cleaning around loose obstructions like rug tassels, which can jam and get stuck in its floorhead.

See our review

Compared To Other Brands

Budget-friendly pricing.

BISSELL vacuums tend to be quite affordable, with a wide variety of offerings that suit different needs for buyers on a budget.
Low recurring costs.
Most BISSELL vacuums use a bagless design that keeps recurring costs down, and a few of their products have washable filters that don't need replacing over time.
Outstanding pet hair cleaning performance.

BISSELL vacuums deal well with pet hair on most surfaces, and they make several models meant to deal with shed fur.

Plasticky build quality.

BISSELL vacuums use a lot of plastic in their construction, keeping their weight and price tag low but causing them to feel cheap.
Mediocre bare floor performance.

Many BISSELL vacuums we've tested struggle with debris on bare floors and especially have trouble tackling bulky material like cereal.
Limited selection of tools and accessories.
BISSELL vacuums generally don't have a wide mix of specialized tools or brushes, limiting their overall versatility when dealing with messes on upholstery or shelves.

BISSELL vs Dyson

Dyson vacuums tend to occupy a much higher price point than BISSELL's offerings and generally provide superior performance and better build quality. That said, BISSELL's selection of corded models is far more extensive than what Dyson offers. You can see our recommendations for the best Dyson vacuums.

BISSELL vs Shark

Shark vacuums are generally better built than BISSELL's comparable offerings and deliver better overall performance. However, some BISSELL models are a little easier to maintain—many new Shark models use non-removable brushrolls that can be a hassle to clean properly. Here, you can also see our recommendations for the best Shark vacuums.

BISSELL vs Eureka

Eureka and BISSELL vacuums occupy a similar budget-friendly niche, and offerings from each brand tend to have different strengths: BISSELLs usually have a wider array of convenience features when comparing like-for-like models, while Eurekas offer superior debris pickup performance.

BISSELL vacuums usually fall into a budget-friendly price range. However, the trade-off for affordability tends to be some measure of cleaning performance, build quality, or quality-of-life feature. Though they're similarly affordable, they tend to perform worse on all surface types than Shark vacuums (but require less maintenance) and struggle more with clearing large debris than most Eureka vacuums (but come with more features).

Lineup

BISSELL has a diverse lineup of vacuums, and their naming convention can sometimes be confusing. In broad strokes, you can outline their model lineup as follows.

Upright Models

AeroSwift: Entry-level upright vacuum series.
CleanView: Bagless low- to mid-range upright vacuum series. Available in a wide selection of trims with differing feature sets, some offering 'Lift-Off' capability, self-winding power cords, or pivoting floorheads.
CleanView Bagged: Bagged low- to mid-range vacuum series.
Pet Hair Eraser: Mid-range upright vacuum with a lighter, more maneuverable design than other BISSELL Uprights.
PowerGroom: Mid-range upright with a high-powered 8 amp motor.
PowerGlide: Upper mid-range upright vacuum with a high-powered 9.5 amp motor.
SurfaceSense: Flagship upright vacuum lineup with a surface detection system and automatic power adjustment capability.
CrossWave: Hybrid mop/vacuum lineup with detergent-dispersal function.

Cordless/Corded Stick Models

Featherweight: Entry-level corded stick model.
Featherweight Turbo: Upgraded variant of the standard Featherweight with a powered floorhead for improved surface agitation.
PowerClean: Entry-level cordless vacuum lineup.
PowerSwift: Upgraded version of PowerClean model with superior battery performance.
PowerGlide: Mid-range corded stick vacuum lineup.
AirRam: High-powered cordless stick vacuum with a high-capacity dustbin.
PowerEdge: Upper mid-range cordless stick vacuum with a specially designed floorhead for cleaning along baseboards and corners.
ICONPET: Flagship cordless stick model lineup.

Canister Models

Zing II Bagged: Entry-level bagged canister vacuum lineup.
Zing II Bagless: Entry-level bagless canister vacuum lineup.
OptiClean: Mid-range bagless canister vacuum with upgraded Multi-Cyclonic motor unit.
PowerClean Wet and Dry: A workshop-oriented vacuum that can clear liquid messes.
MultiClean Wet and Dry: Upgraded version of PowerClean vacuum with a longer hose and more tools.
Garage Pro: Flagship wet/dry-compatible shop vac with a more advanced filtration system and larger attachment set than the MultiClean or PowerClean models, not to mention a longer hose.
Hard Floor Expert: Mid-range canister vacuum with a specialized turbine tool for sealed wooden floors.
PowerClean: Upper mid-range bagless canister vacuum with a 9.2 amp motor.
SmartClean: Flagship bagless canister vacuum with a powerful 11.6 amp motor.

Common Trims/Features

Swivel: Refers to a vacuum with a pivoting floorhead for improved maneuverability.
Rewind: Designation for a vacuum with automatic power cord retraction.
Lift-Off: Designation for an upright vacuum that lets you separate its canister body from its floorhead, making it easier to clean tight spots with its wand.
Turbo: Refers to a vacuum with a powered floorhead for improved surface agitation, most useful on carpeted floors.
XRT: Designation given to cordless models with a higher-capacity battery.
Slim: Lightweight version of existing vacuum.

Recent Updates

Oct 02, 2024: We've verified that all our recommendations are available and represent the best picks. We also made small edits for concision and clarity.
Jun 21, 2024: Minor text changes for clarity and conciseness. No change in recommendations.
Mar 19, 2024: Verified that all main picks still represent the best option for user needs.
Jan 17, 2024: Minor in-text adjustments to further clarify product details.
Oct 18, 2023: Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best option for user needs.

Conclusion

BISSELL builds a wide variety of vacuums to suit different needs, ranging from cordless handheld vacuums for spot-cleaning countertops and furniture to bulky corded upright vacuums that you can use to clean large carpeted areas. BISSELL vacuums tend to be affordable and use bagless designs that keep recurring costs down. Unfortunately, they aren't usually the best choice for all-out cleaning performance and can feel cheaply made.

Test Results

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