A water filtration vacuum is the practical answer for cleaning up dry and wet messes – including debris or pet hair – without having to invest in a shop vac. They’re like super powerful regular vacuums as they vacuum and purify the air at the same time.
They use water as the filter for superior air quality, preventing dust from going back into the air. Plus, they’re powerful and effortless to use.
Backed by our thorough research, here are the best water filtration vacuums on the market so you can appreciate a fresh and dust-free home.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
:Sirena Canister Vacuum Cleaner
What We Like
- Quiet operation
- Helps in eliminating odors
- Suitable for a wide range of surfaces
What We Don’t Like
- Cumbersome
The Sirena canister vacuum cleaner impressed us with its overall ease of use, low maintenance design, and exceptional cleaning capacities.
While this water filtration vacuum may not have all the features of a standard vacuum cleaner, it efficiently cleans the floors, but also carpets, drapes, or mattresses.
We especially enjoyed the two-speed modes, which provide agreeable cleaning versatility. The high-speed setting gives powerful deep cleaning on any surface while the low-setting option purifies the air to get rid of smelly odors.
We also found the power nozzle height settings convenient, especially when moving from carpets to hard flooring, or from thin carpets to thick carpets – where it will easily pet hair and dust from both high- and low-pile carpets.
Also, the attachments are incredibly helpful for cleaning furniture, fabrics, stairs, and corners. It includes a powered brush roll to effortlessly lift up hairs from the floors or carpets while the wet-dry hose helps to pick up dirt, dust, and liquids from the floors.
What set it apart is the transparent canister design, smooth maneuverability, and clever built-in water tank that makes it a cinch to empty without touching anything messy. The separator holds back large debris when you’re pouring the dirty water out.
And while this vacuum is quite an investment, it’s largely counterbalanced by the 10 years warranty on the motor when you purchase directly from the manufacturer. You also receive 3 years on parts and a year on labor.
All in all, this water filtration vacuum compares very well to the big standard vacuum brand names in both effectiveness and versatility. Additional features like a telescopic and curved wand and a HEPA filter are the crowning glory.
Many happy users enjoyed Sirena’s powerful suction mentioning how it effectively removed dirt and dust from the floors in just one go. And thanks to the water filtration system, they could experience better breathing in the house.
However, because the canister is made of plastic, some reviewers noted that it can easily crack. Make sure you take care when vacuuming with this unit to avoid cracking or damaging the canister.
- $989 from Amazon
Key specifications
Weight: 15 lbs
Suction Power: 1000W
Filter Type: HEPA Filter
Included Accessories: power nozzle, dusting, floor brush, crevice tool, upholstery tool, inflation tool
Ideal for: hard floor, carpet, pet hair
Best Budget
:KALORIK Water Filtration Canister Vacuum Cleaner
What We Like
- No need for disposable bags
- Versatile to clean various surfaces
- Reduced odors
What We Don’t Like
- Bulky
When choosing a water filter vacuum cleaner, you want an option that is affordable and performs well. The KALORIK vacuum cleaner checks both boxes.
It also has a 2-in-1 cleaning head to provide you with more versatility, to clean hard floors and carpets as well.
Aside from being adaptable, four wheels assure you that it’s very maneuverable, too – making it our top recommendation for a budget-friendly water filtration vacuum for most homes.
This KALORIK water filtration vacuum has an extra motor gasket that reduces the noise, so it’s designed to be quieter than other options on our list.
What’s more, the handy indicator light is a unique feature not found on all water filter vacuum cleaners. Instead of needing to play guess-and-check when it comes to cleaning the water tank and dust canister, this system lets you know when it’s time to empty them to keep your vacuum well-maintained and fresh.
Aside from being user-friendly, everything needed to clean various areas is included from the dust brush to the crevice tool.
Fitted with onboard storage space, you’ll always have your accessories and attachments ready to use.
At less than $140, this option is about half the cost of more robust water filtration vacuums. It doesn’t address as many design quality concerns as other models, but you won’t drain your wallet to purchase this option.
Satisfied users praised the vacuum’s excellent suction and particularly enjoyed that the water keeps the dust from blowing everywhere. Others appreciated how easy to clean this vacuum is.
But many reviewers complained that the hose is too short to use, making it hard for them to reach some areas.
- $130 from Amazon
Key specifications
Weight: 14.3 lbs
Suction Power: 1200W
Capacity: 4.7 quart
Filter Type: Cyclonic water filtration system
Included Accessories: 2-in-1 floorhead, crevice, dust brush
Ideal for: hardwood floors, carpets, hard floors
Best for Carpets
:Quantum X Upright Water Filter Vacuum
What We Like
- Improved air quality
- Versatile
- Included storage bag for attachments
What We Don’t Like
- No cord keeper for storing
We recommend the Quantum X Upright water filtration vacuum if you want a highly efficient water filter vacuum for your carpets.
Besides being one of the most affordable options you can find, you’ll also get stellar features – telescoping body, impressive reach, and adjustable suction for both hard and carpeted areas, that make it stand out from the competition.
First, the telescopic body is adjustable and extends to almost 18 inches under tight spaces giving you an impressive amount of reach.
We also really appreciated the automatically adjustable suction allowing you to vacuum multiple surfaces, from hard floors to carpets – without having to manually set a specific height setting and with no loss in suction.
Combined with a motorized head and spinning bristles; this bagless upright will get deep in carpets fibers to loosen and lift embedded dirt and dust and keep your carpets spotless and shiny.
By nature and design, upright vacuums are usually bulky and hefty and that’s also true for this Quantum water filter vacuum. Weighing over 17 lbs, it’s the heaviest on our list and it really feels like a hardy machine.
But because you can vacuum water and wet spills, you have a bit of flexibility in how you use it. That means there are a variety of options to choose from.
Another thing you should know is that this vacuum has built-in MicroSilver filtration technology, neutralizing odors as you clean. This technology will certainly help reduce any lingering odors in your home.
Many happy users reported how this Quantum is easy to set up and clean. The transparent parts also allow them to see the dirt that the vacuum is pulling up from carpets and they particularly enjoyed it.
Negative reviews suggest that it doesn’t roll up onto area rugs as easily as it may seem – especially in thin carpets.
- $439 from Amazon
Key specifications
Weight: 17 lbs
Suction Power: 700W
Capacity: 1 quart
Filter Type: None
Included Accessories: crevice, upholstery brush, dusting brush
Ideal for: hardwood floors, carpets
Best for Pets
:Sirena Bagless Vacuum Cleaner Black Platinum
What We Like
- Pet friendly features
- Bagless
- Durable
What We Don’t Like
- Noisy
This monster of a vacuum delivers superior suction, bagless technology, and a variety of standout features to help you triumph over pet hair on any surface – from hard surfaces to carpeted areas.
Included attachments like a floor brush, an upholstery brush, a crevice tool, a dusting brush, and an inflation tool add to its overall convenience. There’s even a pet turbo brush to help maintain carpets, furniture, pet beds, and car interior as well.
Unlike regular vacuums and just like any Sirena vacuums, it’s pricey. But it backs up its expense with performance and durability (expect at least 10 years of loyal services), making it our top choice for pet messes.
This Sirena black platinum vacuum is designed to be extremely mobile with its 4 wheels, 21-foot power cord, and extendable telescoping and curved wand.
Not only it’s easy to maneuver, but it’s wonderfully versatile too. It’s able to pick up wet messes of course. But combined with the floor brush, you’ll able to mop and scrub the floors while picking up the scrub water.
At 15 lbs, it’s not exactly a lightweight water filtration vacuum cleaner — yet not the heaviest option. But, with weight, comes power and we think this is a robust water filtration vacuum you can rely on.
At first, it can feel a bit overwhelming with its hefty size and multiple attachments to deal with. But the more you’ll use it, the more you’ll get used to it.
Pleased reviewers valued Sirena’s durability. You have to break the bank to purchase this model. But some customers are using it for more than a decade and it’s still going strong.
Some also have multiple pets and the Sirena excels at sucking up all the hair and dander.
But critical reviewers pointed out the (cheap) plastic construction and the important poundage.
- $889 from Amazon
Key specifications
Weight: 17 lbs
Suction Power: N/A
Capacity: N/A
Filter Type: HEPA filters + cartridge replacement filter
Included Accessories: 10 attachments
Ideal for: hard floors, carpet, pet hair
Best for Allergies
:Prolux CTX Canister Vacuum Cleaner
What We Like
- Quiet operation
- Very strong suction
- Easy-to-empty dustbin
What We Don’t Like
- No on-board holders
Any water filter vacuums manage to improve the air quality, don’t get us wrong. But this Prolux CTX canister water filtration vacuum will wow you with its impressive clean air characteristic.
This model has a 2-speed motor with two different speed levels offering more cleaning possibilities than most models on our list. Not only it’s possible to adjust the suction, but it also promises a special air purifier mode.
With a simple switch to the lowest setting – or “air purifier mode” – this vacuum adjusts to accommodate and expel clean air rather than air that potentially still has dust particles in it. This makes it a strong choice for allergy season.
We also loved its versatility for cleaning up wet and dry messes, obviously. But surprisingly, this vacuum cleaner transforms into a carpet shampooer with the simple addition of the Prolux storm shampooer (not included).
Although this canister model doesn’t have the most storage-friendly design, we think the bagless dust container and other smart features such as LED lights, quiet rubber wheels, and auto safety shut-off still make this a worthy pick.
Plus, the bagless feature makes it a great vacuum for allergy sufferers who wants to eliminate the need to handle dirty bags.
This canister vacuum is on the expensive side – the most expensive on our list. However, if you’re wanting to splurge on a vacuum that truly delivers cleaning power while purifying your home, consider the Prolux CTX an excellent candidate.
Read Next: Best Vacuums for Allergies
Many users bought the shampooer to test the carpet shampoo feature and simply loved it. They could bring their rugs back to life. They also expressed how this machine is easy to assemble.
Disappointed customers suggest that there might be a design flaw. To access the dirt container, you have to disconnect the vacuum hose, meaning that any debris caught between the hose and the tank winds up on the floor when you disconnect it. Quite disappointing for the price.
- $1,199 from Amazon
Key specifications
Weight: 17 lbs
Suction Power: 130 CFM
Capacity: 3 quart
Filter Type: Cartridge
Included Accessories: extra long crevice tool, pet hair tool, dust brush, shampooer extension wand, handheld shampooer, upholstery tool, crevice tool, squeegee floor tool, hardwood floor tool, carpet cleaner
Ideal for: carpets, hard floors, hardwood floors
How We Picked
To choose the best water filtration vacuums, we conducted in-depth market research on the characteristics to weigh in when purchasing this type of vacuum.
We examined various sources from cleaning expert blog posts, customer reviews, manufacturers’ specifications as well as the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America forum discussions. We also read many blog posts from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. We also took time to watch dozen of Youtube videos of testers using water filtration vacuums. We consulted Sirena, Kalorik and Prolux manufacturer’s websites and reach out to them.
Based on this intensive research phase, we identified the leading models and shortlisted the most performing of vacuum cleaners. We also took their features into account and in particular, we checked if they had:
- Enough capacity
- Strong suction power
- The most suitable attachments
- An easy maintenance process
- Bonus: a good warranty
We also considered other criteria such as the price or the brand reputation.
Next, we analyzed each of the above-mentioned features of each vacuum.
We studied user feedback from various marketplaces to judge the real-world performance and reliability of each model. And we took into account the experiences and opinions the many homeowners and cleaning professionals.
We also read all the technical and functional specifications of each water filtration vacuum.
Finally, we gathered all of this information in a spreadsheet and we have a rating for each criterion out of 10.
By considering all these factors, we picked the top water filtration on the market and determined what the best category of each of them was.
What To Look For in a Water Filtration Vacuum
Types
Because of the water filtration technology they use which requires large water tanks and a separate filtration system, most models are canister vacuums. The design is even very close to shop vac construction.
These types of vacuums are best suited for heavy-duty tasks and they generally have a much larger capacity. But unlike shop vacs, some of them have carpet shampoo or mopping abilities.
All models on our list are canisters, except this Quantum X, which is upright.
The advantage of upright vacuums is that they’re great for whole-home cleaning and can capture more debris at once, especially if corded. They’re also champions at picking up dirt and dust on carpets and generally offer great suction power.
Capacity
As with any vacuum, a water filtration vacuum’s capacity is something you might want to take a close look at.
Most options have a dirt bin that collects dry and wet messes but upright models will have a separate dirt water tank.
And keep in mind that smaller tanks mean that you’ll have to refill them more frequently while larger tanks add bulkiness.
Bigger capacity doesn’t necessarily mean a higher price since the KALORIK Water Filtration Vacuum has the largest capacity (4.7 quarts) while being our best budget pick.
Suction Power
The strength of your water filtration vacuum determines how performant (or not) it will be. So it may be worth taking a look at the vacuum’s power or suction measurements.
However, the difficulty lies in comparing the suction power when different brands use different measures. Some brands will indicate the wattage, while others will speak of CFM.
A way of resolving this issue is to rely on customers’ reviews or the intended purpose of the machine to determine whether this model is the right fit for your needs.
Attachments
Attachments are a bit of a hit or a miss when you purchase a water filtration vacuum. The type and number may vary significantly across the models, adding more or less versatility for an equivalent cost.
Thankfully, the most useful attachments like a crevice tool, a pet power brush, or a dust brush are often present.
Telescopic wands are also often provided and are essential to reach tight spaces.
However, with lots of attachments comes also storage issues, especially with loose attachments. Most vacuum filtration vacuums on our list don’t include a storage bag or onboard storage, except for the Quantum and KALORIK.
Ease of Cleaning
One of the most common drawbacks of water filtration vacuums is that they can be gross to clean. All the dirt, dust, and debris are mixed up together in the water, resulting in a gunky mess and unpleasant odors.
And usually, these machines don’t include advanced features such as self-cleaning feature.
But they’re counterbalanced by the fact that most models are easy to empty, clean, and maintain. Some brands even offer or sell a complimentary set of fragrances to put in the water.
Warranty
Many water filtration vacuums offer a warranty. Considering the high price of some models, this will certainly weigh in the balance.
Usually, a one-year warranty is standard but some brands offer much more.
As an example, Sirena offers a 10-year motor warranty, a 3-year parts warranty, as well as a 1-year labor warranty for the Sirena Black Platinum , or our best overall Sirena Premium Pack.
FAQ
A water filtration vacuum is a vacuum that uses water to filter dust and dirt.
Unlike a regular vacuum, it filters and traps dust particles inside a water chamber so that it doesn’t expel back into the air after vacuuming. As a result, it provides fresh, clean air that’s been filtered through water.
They don’t have bags or dust containers and they can vacuum liquid messes.
A water filtration vacuum works actually like a regular vacuum cleaner, except it uses a water filtration technology system.
Dirt and debris are sucked up with normal air suction and passed then through the water. Contaminants such as pet hair, debris, and dust are trapped and dissolved in the water.
A fan motor inside of the vacuum rotates the water rapidly to efficiently filter out pollutants.
Finally, after being filtered and washed, the clean air is then expelled back into the environment.
- Empty the dirty water by releasing the latches on the side of your vacuum cleaner. Remove the main body and lift the filtration system. Pour the dirty water out of the container into a bucket, in your toilets or down the drain.
- Rinse the water container under clear water.
- Remove the filter from the vacuum cleaner and rinse it in water. Air-dry the filter completely before putting it back into the vacuum.
Why Trust The Housewire
Claire Onidi, a professional tester, editor, and writer in the cleaning industry since 2013, writes for Thehousewire since 2018. For this article, she researched and evaluated products for writing this roundup. She evaluated customers’ feedback for each vacuum to provide product descriptions that reflect real-life experiences. She also researched the key characteristics of water filter vacuums and considered factors such as performance, capacity, versatility, and more. Claire writes articles on various topics for The House Wire but she has a particular focus on content relating to cleaning, organization, and decor. She also has first-hand experience testing a wide range of cleaning products amongst many others. For more expert insights on the features and benefits of the products she listed, she also contacted the manufacturers Sirena, Kalorik and Prolux as well as the Asthma and allergy foundation of America.