Best Bagless Vacuum Cleaner Options of 2023

Upright Vacuums

Upright vacuums have an all-in-one design with a head, handle, and canister. Because it’s one unit that is pushed in front of you when cleaning, they tend to feel heavier to use. But, the extra weight tends to provide more suction power.

They also have a rotating roller-brush or beater bar that vibrates and sweeps to effectively remove dirt as you clean. Plus, they can be either corded or cordless, depending on your needs.

For example, see this bagless upright vacuum cleaner Eureka Floor Rover.

Stick Vacuum Cleaner

Stick vacuum cleaners have a tall body, handle, and powerhead, similar to upright vacuum cleaners. But, they’re lightweight and offer convenience for quick clean-ups. So they’re perfect if you have a smaller home.

Plus, they offer enough suction power to handle allergens and lift dirt or dust particles from carpet fibers. They also come in corded or cordless vacuum models.

For example, see this MOOSOO cordless stick vacuum.

Canister Vacuum Cleaner

Canister vacuums have a wheeled body with a flexible plastic hose, wand, and powerhead. Because you only move the powerhead and wand while vacuuming, these models usually feel lighter to use.

In addition, the wheeled body makes it easy to drag canister vacuum cleaners around the room. But, they can get caught on high-pile carpet and other surfaces.

Most canister vacuum cleaners are bagged, but there are some bagless models too. For example, like this Miele Blizzard.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuum cleaners are machines that can do the work for you.

They can save you both time and effort cleaning. Plus, they can get to tight spaces that bigger models can’t reach like under furniture or shelving.

But, robot vacuums are expensive and don’t offer as much suction as other models. Plus, they’re often designed for use on bare floors only.

And of course, all robot vacuum cleaners are bagless.

Handheld Vacuum

Finally, handheld vacuums are smaller models. They can be comfortably held for quick clean-ups or small spills.

They can easily get to hard to reach areas but they aren’t designed for general floor cleaning. Rather, handheld vacuums are mostly suitable for on-the-go spot cleaning.

But, they’re affordable and are available in corded or cordless vacuum cleaner options, like this Black&Decker cordless handheld.

Consider your needs to find the right type for your flooring. For example, if you need a vacuum that’s easy to maneuver, you might want to consider a stick model.

For example, many manufacturers will state different measures of suction. But keep in mind that amp, RPM, or Pa indicators, are separate measures. They indicate respectively the amount of electricity used by the motor, its speed, or a unit of pressure. But these have nothing to do specifically with the suction level of the vacuum.

Usually, CFM will indicate the suction power. This refers to the cubic feet per minute of airflow. Which is the amount of moving air that is used to suction up the dirt into the canister. So better bagless vacuum cleaners will have higher CFM ratings and tend to be more expensive. Air watts can also indicate the measure of airflow. But this is mostly used only by Dyson.

Therefore there’s no simple way to measure suction across different models. For example, this Shark APEX cleaner indicates 1200 motor watts. Whereas this Shark Navigator Lift-Away indicates 10 amp.

Consider customer reviews to find a good indication of the suction level of your vacuum

A bigger capacity will mean you won’t have to empty it as often. And this can save you a lot of time when you’re cleaning. So it’s important to think about the size of the areas you’ll be cleaning.

If you’ll only be cleaning small areas with your vacuum, you could consider a smaller capacity. However, if you’ll be cleaning large areas, you should consider a vacuum with a bigger capacity. That way you can focus more on your cleaning than frequently emptying your vacuum.

For example, this Shark NV752 has a large .88 quart dust cup capacity.

Certified HEPA filters are one of the best types of filters to look for. They tend to trap more dirt than other types. HEPA filters trap 99.97% of all dust and airborne particles that are larger than 0.3 microns.

They can remove even microscopic particles in the air that can lead to health risks. For example, they can remove pollen, allergens, molds, and pet dander from the air.

For instance, this Hoover WindTunnel Air upright vacuum has a HEPA filtration system.

For example, if you’ll be cleaning across multiple floors and levels, or if you have stairs, you should consider a lightweight model. Carrying a heavy model up and down stairs can cause a lot of strain on your back.

You might also want to consider a cordless vacuum or handheld model compared to a heavier upright vacuum or canister model. This way you won’t have to worry about hurting your back carrying it up stairs.

But, if you’ll mostly be cleaning on one level, then the weight of your vacuum won’t be a big problem.

For example, carpets need stronger suction to clean dirt stuck in the fibers. Therefore, motorized brushes would be helpful for deep cleaning carpet fibers. Whereas for bare-floors, you should consider soft brushes that won’t scratch the surface.

If you have pets, a special floor-nozzle attachment can effectively clean stubborn pet hair. Plus, an upholstery tool or turbo brush attachment can be used to clean furniture without damaging the fabric.

A crevice tool can get to hard-to-reach places or along skirting boards. And extension hose attachments can clean tight or elevated spaces.