The Best Budget-Friendly Dyson Alternatives in 2023, Tested by TheHousewire

Dyson models tend to be the golden standard for beloved vacuum cleaners. But no matter their quality, these vacuums can be up to nearly $1,000.

Enter: Dyson vacuum alternatives. Nowadays, vacuum cleaners on the market can often match the deep cleaning capabilities of Dyson. And they’ll compete well with the price, too.

You can find anything from a quality handheld vac to cordless vacuum cleaners if you know where to look.

Reviews

Read Full Review: Bissell Featherweight Review

Nothing beats an affordable deal that can still get the job done.

The Bissell Featherweight is convenient to its core. You’ll get most of the necessary features you wanted from a Dyson vacuum without the high price.

It functions as a stick vacuum, handle vacuum, and a stair vacuum. Plus, we love its compact size, light weight (only 3lbs), and simple conversion process between vacuum states.

Everything about the Bissell screams “simple but effective.” Are you looking for a proper vacuum for your apartment or office? We definitely recommend it for small spaces and as an effective crevice cleaning device.

Compare: Dyson Micro 1.5kg vs. Bissell Featherweight

The Bissell Featherweight is a convenient alternative to the Dyson Micro 1.5kg.

Like the Bissell, this Dyson vacuum is beloved for its convenience and compact design. It functions well as a cordless vacuum cleaner – so more convenience around the home if you have more ground to cover.

But the Bissell Featherweight is not a cordless stick vacuum urging you to have an outlet ready for cleaning day.

Having approximately the same weight, both vacuums are extremely lightweight and easy to carry around your home.

But the main difference is that the Dyson Micro vacuum cleaner has a rotating head. You can navigate around hard-to-reach areas more easily this way.

A concern of getting a budget vacuum cleaner is often cleaning power – not with these two powerful cleaning supplies.

The Dyson 1.5kg will demonstrate no issues with picking up household grime. In comparison, the Bissell Featherweight may be small but it is definitely mighty. Users praise this vacuum cleaner’s powerful suction – its cleaning ability isn’t really a big issue.

What’s more, Dyson vacuum comes with a HEPA filter which isn’t included in the Bissell. But for this affordable price, it’s no surprise.

What Customers Say

Customers raved about the power of the vacuum for its price. Most users had an easy time navigating hard floors with this powerful vacuum.

But some were less impressed with the maneuverability of the Bissell Featherweight. It’s a convenient tool… but perhaps it’s not a lifelong investment. Also, some users noted difficulties keeping it upright.

Our Experience

We were impressed with the Bissell’s cleaning ability. This vacuum is an excellent performer. It can pick up pet hair, dust particles, and crumbs easily on hard floors. Plus, it’s easy to empty.

But a short cord means it’s not best-suited for larger areas. We recommend it for pet owners with hardwood floors and small spaces.

Furry friends can make for a fun… and messy home.It can be hard to find a vacuum that accesses the hard-to-reach places that pet hair can be.

Pet owners listen up: Our favorite Dyson alternative for pet hair is the Shark IZ163H Pet Plus.

This vacuum comes with a flexible wand and self-cleaning brush roll – no more pet hair in strange nooks and crannies.

This Shark is also a breeze on any bare floors. For a smaller vacuum, it also picks up a surprising amount of hair.

But over time, some pieces would require regular maintenance. Watch your brush roll to ensure no hair wraps occur.

It’s not just a dusting brush that makes this tool great, too. Let’s find out how much more there is to love.

Compare: Dyson Animal V11 vs. Shark IZ163H Pet Plus

The Dyson V11 is a beloved favorite for pet owners. But how does it hold up against the Shark?

Both vacuums feature a quality HEPA filter. This is a must for allergens and dander that easily get caught otherwise.

When it comes to pet hair, the Shark actually traps fine particles best. It comes with a separate dusting brush which helps do the job.

For a more powerful suction, you might expect a clunkier vacuum. The Shark vacuum still manages to be more lightweight than the Dyson V11 even for its cleaning capability. So, you can expect a convenient hair cleaning tool.

The Shark in particular features detachable batteries and a decent battery life. On the other hand, the Dyson V11 has a longer battery life and virtually no recurring costs.

And for the high price, Dyson includes a mini power brush – not included with the Shark.

What Customers Say

Users overwhelmingly praised the battery life of the Shark IZ363HT. Plus, some even specifically noted preferring it to the Dyson for picking up pet hair.

So, if you’re a pet owner, the Shark IZ363HT is an easy favorite. If you have other uses in mind, perhaps consider more carefully. Some users also commented on the loudness which may disturb some pets.

Stick vacuums are great for those on the go – but can still be an expensive purchase.

Discover the Tineco Pure One S11 Tango. This cordless stick vacuum can match Dyson quality. You won’t be asking for more power, but you won’t hurt your budget either.

For cleaning both hard floors and carpets, this cordless stick vacuum cleaner is an excellent option. Simple switch functionality between modes makes it suitable regardless of floor type.

On hardwood floors, this excellent stick pick glides easily and picks up all the debris. And powerful doesn’t necessarily mean noisy. At 72 decibels, you can easily use it with pets or children around.

It also has a handheld vacuum mode, making it especially easy to navigate.

As an added bonus, no more guesswork. An innovative sensor also detects hidden dust, dirt, and debris on your floors and automatically adjusts the suction power for more efficiency.

Especially for stick vacuums, the Tineco is more suited for intensive cleaning than it looks.

Compare: Dyson V15 Detect vs. Tineco Pure ONE S11

Dyson stick vacuums like the V15 Detect are known for versatility.

But the Tineco Pure One S11 is just as capable of switching between different modes. You can swap to handheld vac mode at any time.

Both vacuums share close to the same max mode. For cordless stick vacuums, they’re equally good at picking up dirt.

The main difference is that the Tineco Pure ONE S11 is cheaper and more lightweight overall. It may be slightly less powerful on carpets but it’ll still do the job.

Whether you’re looking for a cordless vacuum (or a handheld vacuum), the Tineco is a flexible match.

What Customers Say

Customers were impressed with the vacuum on multiple modes. They especially praised its cleaning capabilities on a hard floor.

However, some reviewers noted that you need to mount the charging station to a wall. This is less convenient if you live in a dorm or apartment and can’t drill holes.

But overall, users that were specifically looking for the best Dyson match were satisfied.

Read Full Review: Shark Navigator Lift-Away Review

If you have a larger space, an upright vacuum is often the right fit.

Cordless vacuums or a handheld vacuum may be built for convenience but not necessarily intense cleaning. If you have carpets instead of just hard floors, consider the Shark Navigator Lift-Away.

This vacuum has a good cleaning performance for multiple kinds of flooring — not just hardwood. To switch from hard floors to carpets, it’s as easy as pressing a button. When you do, the brush roll will automatically lift up.

Use it as an upright or a handheld – your call! Thanks to its lift-away technology, cleaning your stairs is possible. Simply detach the canister pod, select the right attachment and clean hard-to-reach areas with ease.

It also comes with little extras such as a dust-away attachment or an extendable wand to clean between the planks or on your couches.

Compare: Dyson Ball Animal 2 vs. Shark Navigator

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is an even match for this Shark vacuum. Both plug in vacuums do their job decently well when it comes to picking up dirt and grime.

You may prefer the Dyson if you also wish to clean your car or stairs. The Shark Navigator may have a handheld mode – but is less powerful within it.

No one expects a harmonious vacuum sound, but quieter can still be nice. The Shark Navigator is quieter than the Dyson Ball allowing you to have a more discreet cleaning experience.

What Customers Say

Customers appreciated the Shark Navigator for being easy to maneuver. You can move around carpets and pick up dirt even on more plush surfaces.

But the power cord was a common complaint. It’s shorter and close to the floor, which takes a notch off of the vacuum’s overall convenience.

Our Experience

For the price, we felt that the Shark Navigator is a great value find. We found it picks up anything from a bare floor and can hold its own just fine on carpet.

Plus, we appreciated the two extra crevice tools as a nice touch. These are ideal if you have harder to reach areas in the home.

It has drawbacks too. Overall, we found it heavy and bulky. At 13.7 pounds, it’s no surprise. This design made it hard to use under furniture or to get into narrow spaces.

Read Full Review: Miele C1 Review

Ready for the big leagues of vacuum cleaning?

Canister vacuums are known for cleaning out your harder to reach areas. There’s no limit on engine size on these cleaners. So the best canister vacuums will often be more powerful than upright vacuums as well.

The Miele C1 is one of the best Dyson alternatives in this genre of vacuums.

Talking about powerful suction – with a 1’200-watt vortex motor, you might find it efficient. Nonetheless, it stays relatively quiet. For extra comfort, it even has a quiet mode.

Choose among its 6 levels of suction. Whether you have curtains, upholstery, deep pile carpet, low pile, or hard floors, it covers them all. The symbols are difficult to understand though. Advice: keep the user guide close to you.

You may also appreciate the flexible telescoping wand allowing you to clean into tight spaces with ease.

Compare: Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister vs. Miele C1

The Miele is actually much stronger than the Dyson in this case. It performed much better on low-pile and high-pile carpets (which is an impressive feat).

This also goes for hard floors, stairs, and cars. The Dyson may be mighty – but in this situation it was beat.

Your vacuum should clean your home — but you don’t want to have to clean your vacuum. The Miele C1 has a slightly superior design that makes it easier to maintain.

Most quality vacuums come with a HEPA filter which is easy on allergies. The Miele comes with its own kind of filter which may be harder to replace.

The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister’s filter is not replaceable. So it’s not something you’d have to worry about.

What Customers Say

Overall, the Miele C1 is beloved for its power and strength. If you want a vacuum that picks up dirt on more complex surfaces, users give this tool a green light.

But if you care more for bonus features, the Miele may be lacking.

Our Experience

We were stunned by the Miele’s sturdiness. The model felt durable despite being simple to assemble. Overall it was easy to put together and effective in use.

Our one complaint would be that the cord could definitely be longer. This would have made it more convenient to use.

You may not think much could go into a simple handheld vac. But the Black&Decker Dustbuster is only deceptively simple.

A rotating nozzle and sleek design makes this dustbuster a powerful ally to car cleanings and tight spaces. You could also technically use it for carpets and furniture.

The Black&Decker also workes smoothly with most carpets and surfaces. And it definitely dug into hard to reach areas — which is its main job.

But it can have a harder time picking up pet hair. So it’s a strong tool but evidently has one cleaning weakness.

This cordless vacuum doesn’t come with a power brush or other fancier attachments neither. But you won’t need those if you only seek a convenient cleaning tool for smaller areas.

Compare: Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal 2 vs. Black&Decker Dustbuster

The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal 2 is slightly stronger than the Black&Decker. More specifically, it performs better on high-pile carpets.

Otherwise, the two are somewhat equal in terms of suction power.

Both vacuums are fairly lightweight. This means they’re easy to carry around — which is important for a handheld vacuum.

The Black&Decker takes up less space than the Dyson overall. This is important as handheld vacuums should be compact and easy to store.

What Customers Say

When it works, it works. Reviewers noted that the Black&Decker got the job done for tricky corners and tight spots.

But some complained that the charger was faulty. We recommend investing in a good warranty to make sure your product is protected from this. Some users also reported an unreliable charger.

Dyson Alternatives: What to Look For