Searching for the best upright vacuum is one of those things that I’m sure most people don’t want to do.
Luckily for you the Appliance Hunter has got your back and is here to do it for you!
The thing is, upright vacuums can be somewhat pricey, so buying the wrong model for your needs can be something that eats away at you.
One of the reasons I started this website was because of a terrible purchase of a cylinder vacuum. It happened because I didn’t do the proper research thinking all vacuums were the same.
Have a look at the table below for the top picks and click the button to order yours.
How To Pick The Right Upright Vacuum
In general, upright vacuums are more powerful than their cylinder vacuums and can make quick work of your cleaning duties.
With that said, however, there is more to the story. There are a few things to consider when setting out on your vacuum purchase journey.
Type Of Area Needing Cleaned
The most important thing to consider is what type of area needs cleaning. If it is mainly floor and less carpet, you should pick an upright vacuum that works as well on floors as it does carpet.
Also the type of carpet you have is important. Many upright vacuums have a rotating brush to beat the debris out of the carpet. Some might be too powerful for the type of carpet you have.
If you have stairs, then you need a vacuum that has a hose attachment so you can safely clean. You don’t want to have your upright vacuum above you as they are heavy and awkward and may cause you injury.
Bagged vs Bagless
Then there is the bagged vs bagless debate. Bagless ones are usually stronger than their bagged counterparts, but the downside is that emptying the canister can be a bit messy with some models. Bagged vacuums can see some loss of suction as the bag fills, so if your area to clean is larger then this is something to consider.
Corded vs Cordless
There are also cordless varieties to consider. If your home is lacking sockets, then a cordless might be your best option to be able to cover lots of ground. If it takes you more than 40 minutes of hoovering, then you’ll need to choose carefully as this is pushing the limits of cleaning time per charge.
Let’s get right to the buying guide for the best upright vacuum. As always, if you have any questions about the models I have reviewed, please reach out and I will answer as soon as I can!
The 4 Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Nv801 UKT Powered Lift-Away TruePet
Brand: Shark
Charge Type: Corded
Pros
- Ideal for cleaning after pets
- Bagless
- Lots of useful accessories
- Easy to clean
- Quiet at 73dB
- ‘A’ rated for allergy sufferers
- Doubles as lightweight cylinder vacuum
Cons:
- Small bin
- Pricey
The Shark Lift-Away is a wonderfully versatile vacuum that works for many cleaning scenarios but excels at cleaning up after your pet.
Its twin brush floor head can pick up the most stubborn hairs and the finest of dust at the same time. One roller is there for the fine dust and hair with rubber cleats to keep it clean. The high suction will suck it right in and the other traditional rotating brush can pick up the heavier dirt. Pets don’t just shed hair, they also love bringing in as much mud as possible!
In addition to the excellent suction and effective floor head, the accessories are specialized to help clean up after your pet.
For one, the turbo brush is ideal for getting pet hair off of your furniture and pet beds. It isn’t motorized, but it does have a rotating brush to get that matted hair. There’s no loss of suction using the hose and turbo brush either.
For lighter duties there is a dusting tool with delicate brush needles and a crevice tool.
It’s got an ‘A’ rating for containing allergens with a HEPA filter in addition to two other filters. All the filters are washable.
The Shark is highly manoeuvrable as an upright vacuum and boasts a very bright light to see when you are trying to get under your furniture.
True to its name, the cylinder can Lift-Away and double as a canister vacuum for use on stairs or tight areas that an upright can’t reach.
One downside is the bin is small. If you are tackling a big cleaning area, you may find yourself emptying more than once since the cylinder is only half litre capacity.
It works equally well on carpet as on hard floors. Deep pile or low, it will make quick work of it since you won’t need to do multiple passes.
The twin rollers and excellent suction power make this a logical choice for best upright bagless vacuum for pet hairs.
Whirlwind Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Brand: Hoover
Charge Type: Corded
Pros
- Great price
- Large bagless canister, 2.5 litre
- One touch easy emptying bin
- 750 watt motor
- ‘A’ rating for energy efficiency
- Lightweight 4.2 kg
- 2.5 metre hose
- 2 in 1 brush and crevice tool.
Cons:
- Not great on deep pile carpets
- Not allergy friendly without HEPA filter
This bagless upright vacuum by Hoover is the most popular upright vacuum on Amazon.
Let’s dive in and see why that might be.
The first thing that might jump out at you is the price. With most upright vacuum models going for over £175, the fact that this model is around half that deserves a closer look.
The Hoover Whirlwind Upright delivers in performance and cost savings. Not only is the initial price going to save you money, but operating costs are also lower.
For one, being bagless means that you save on needing to buy bags for the life of the vacuum.
It has an A energy rating with a 750-watt motor. The suction is very strong, without needing to increase the wattage of the motor, saving you in electricity costs while still delivering a thorough cleaning.
Cleaning stairs are safe and effective with the 2.5-metre stretchy hose. You can keep the vacuum on the stairs behind you and clean those stairs without needing to carry a heavy vacuum up with you.
The canister is a generous 2.5-litre capacity saving you from needing to empty multiple times in a cleaning. Depending on how much dust you’re cleaning up, you could probably go several cleanings before you need to dump it. Luckily, dumping the dust box is easy and mess free. It uses a one-touch system to open from the bottom, preventing a dust-up common with models where you need to tilt the bin.
For accessories you get a 2 in 1 dusting brush and crevice tool that is stored on board.
How is the performance? It works well on floors and carpets. Where it does come up short is on deep pile carpets, unfortunately. If your carpet is low pile, the rotating brush does a good job of beating the deep down debris and lifting it out with the powerful suction.
If Hoover allowed for an adjustable height for the brushes, that would easily solve that problem. For the price, though, you simply can’t have it all.
The verdict? This Hoover is popular because it cleans well and suits most people’s needs for a very good price. You won’t get many deluxe features, but if you aren’t looking for a luxurious cleaning experience, then this fits the bill.
AirRam MK2 Vacuum Cleaner
Brand: Gtech
Charge Type: Cordless
Pros
- Lightweight 3.5 kg
- Holds a charge for 40 minutes
- Very maneuverable
- Easy to empty bin
- Works well on carpet and floor
- Bright LED light
Cons:
- No attachments for detail cleaning
- Not great for heavy duty cleaning
This strange looking vacuum by Gtech is not even actually a vacuum. It sucks up dirt, but it uses a fan and brush system rather than an actual vacuum. The rotating brush kicks up the dirt and the fan blows it into the bagless cylinder.
But it does the job as any traditional vacuum would.
In smaller flats, it fits the bill really well. It takes up little space and with a full charge can be used for 40 minutes. That’s more than most small cleaning jobs need. With no cord to fumble around with, it can be used for quick spot cleans.
It’s very lightweight at 3.5 kg and very manoeuvrable. It swivels so it can negotiate tight turns around furniture and low profile enough to find its way underneath as well.
The GTech cleans right up to the edge of the floor or carpet and the bright LED light makes sure you don’t miss a spot.
The dirt collection system in the cylinder is genius. It compacts the dirt and debris, then, when it comes time to empty, you simply slide out the mess. It’s easy and mess-free.
It works great on hard floor or carpet. The fact that it doesn’t use a vacuum means it won’t lose suction.
Verdict? If you prefer doing frequent, quick spot cleans over a thorough long cleaning session, then this may be the right vacuum for you. Lightweight and easy to use, it means you think less about doing the cleaning and just get on with it.
U90 Air Reach Upright vacuum Cleaner
Brand: Vax
Charge Type: Corded
Pros
Cons:
- Carrying the body when using the hose is awkward
- Has some maneuverability issues
The Vax Air reach is a superb vacuum cleaner that gets the job done for a reasonable price.
Lightweight so it’s easy enough to push, though it doesn’t trun the best, and it’s bagless so no faff of having to buy bags.
You’ll get a very thorough clean thanks to the multi-cyclonic suction technology. And, as I like to point out often when a vacuum is designed for pet owners, you can expect very good performance all around.
With settings on the floor head for low pile carpet, hard floor and deep pile carpet, you can ensure you get a good clean on all surfaces.
The hose is also very convenient as it is stored in the body of the vacuum. This gives it a slim profile and allows you to get into some hard to reach areas. Other accessories include a crevice tool, an upholstery brush and a turbo brush for pet hair and stubborn debris.
It isn’t loaded with bells and whistles, but it gives a superior clean and the bagless technology means you get great suction power for a low price.
If none of those are quite right then check out my overall guide to the Best Vacuum Cleaners