Keeping carpet clean in your home can be a full-time job if you don’t have the right vacuum. While carpet is comfortable and adds warmth to a home, dirt will cling to its fibers, making it difficult to remove. If you have children or pets in your home, cleanup can be an impossible task if you don’t have the best vacuum cleaner for carpet.
The good news is 90% of the vacuum cleaners available on the market today are capable of cleaning carpet although whether you just need to quick clean the surface or a deep, thorough cleaning. From stick vacuums and powerful uprights to autonomous robot vacuum cleaners, there is a system to suit your needs as long as you know what to look for.
Everyone’s cleaning routines are different, and given the wealth of options available to homeowners today, finding the right vacuum cleaner can be complicated. The goal of our guide is to make things simple, as we’re going to key in on important features and specifications to keep in mind with vacuums geared towards carpet.
What type of carpet do you have?
The first thing to think about is the carpet in your home. Not how much you have or what rooms are carpeted, but rather the style and types of fibers. Any decent vacuum cleaner is capable of sucking the top layer of dirt off your carpet. You will need something powerful for deep cleaning, although you could require a gentle system for certain types of fibers.
Stiff bristles can rub pile the wrong way when they are moving at high speed. This can leave fibers fuzzy, and turn consumers towards vacuums with high-powered suction. Unfortunately, even those can pose problems when they become stuck in your carpet making your vacuum cleaner hard to move. That's a common problem with high suction systems and high pile or soft synthetic carpet where the fibers are densely packed.
Thankfully, there are a few agencies that set standards for the industry. The CRI, or Carpet and Rug Institute, is one such company. They are responsible for the popular Green Label Plus program, but also set standards for carpet installation and vacuum cleaners. They test areas like soil removal efficacy and energy consumption. While there are plenty of amazing systems not on their list, it’s a great place to learn about certified systems and carpet in general.
The Brush Roll
This is one of the more important parts of a vacuum cleaner built for carpet, and it will have a major impact on dirt extraction. Sometimes referred to as a brushroll or roller brush, this bristled cylinder spins at high speed on the bottom of your vacuum. They can be made from plastic, wood, or metal and can have bristles of different thicknesses and lengths depending on the manufacturer.
If you’re concerned about a brush roll damaging your carpet and don’t want to focus on a specialty unit, look for a system with a switch that allows you to turn it off. Some machines are designed for certain types of carpet as well, like the brushless Soniclean Series that’s built for soft carpets.
Size
If you plan on purchasing a stick vacuum, you can skip this section as weight won't be a problem. If you have thick carpet and plan to purchase corded upright, the weight of the vacuum cleaner is something you should take seriously. Some uprights in this class can weigh around 20 pounds and may be difficult to push depending on the design.
This is also another area where the layout of your home is important. A self-propelled vacuum will be heavy but can make your life easy on thick carpet. They aren't a great choice for homes with stairs, however. Dragging a heavy vacuum cleaner to an upper level in your home is not ideal. Canister vacuums are generally lighter than a traditional upright and a great alternative if weight is a concern, whereas a cordless stick vacuum can weigh as little as 5 pounds.
The overall dimensions may be a concern as well, considering some vacuums are easier to store than others. An upright will take up more space than a stick vacuum while a poorly designed canister vacuum can take up an entire closet. Consider storage along with the size and weight of the vacuum.
Design
Do you have a wide-open floor plan in your home or is it a bit more chaotic? Your floor plan can help you make a decision on which style of vacuum is the right choice for your home. Versatility isn’t something to be overlooked, especially if you have stairs. That’s where a 2-in-1 can come in handy, although it’s not the only option you have for carpet. Here are the most popular styles, and what you can expect from each one.
Uprights – A standard corded upright vacuum can run circles around other styles when it comes to power. While they can be heavy, most have powered brush rolls and a variety of features that are ideal carpets of all styles. You can find cordless models and vacuums with a “lift-away” feature in this class as well, along with bagged or bin-based models.
Cordless Vacuum – Thinner and lighter than a traditional upright, a cordless vacuum is easy to store and simple to use. They will have smaller dust bins and less power but are just as efficient as larger machines. Most can transform into a handheld vacuum and come with a variety of accessories. On the downside, you’re always going to be limited with battery life.
Canister – The oddball of the vacuum cleaner world, a canister vacuum, has a long hose and cleaning head which is attached to a wheeled canister. Some are geared towards hardwood, but the top models will have powered heads that can handle carpet with ease and have excellent filtration. Bagged canister vacuums are popular, but cordless canisters vacuums are rare.
Robotic – Robot vacuums are designed to clean autonomously and are a great choice for one-story homes with low to medium pile carpet. They can’t clean as deeply as an upright, but some are self-cleaning or work with connected devices from Google and Amazon. Smarter models are more expensive, however, and can cost considerably more than a traditional vacuum cleaner.
Bin or Bag?
While it's almost impossible to vacuum your home without getting your hands dirty eventually, some vacuums deal with this better than others. Capacity is important regardless of the style of vacuum you choose unless you're just cleaning a few small carpeted rooms. How much dirt and dust a vacuum cleaner can hold often depends on the design, but you also need to decide between a bin or bagged system.
You can find both corded and cordless vacuum cleaners that use dust cups, bins, or bags. With cordless vacuum cleaners, the bagged systems are sparse to say the least but you'll find plenty of options with canister vacuums. A bagged vacuum cleaner is always going to be tidier than one with a bin, but you will spend more in the long run due to the cost of replacement bags.
The Cordless Conundrum
Cordless vacuum cleaners are convenient; it's a well-known fact. They are usually lightweight and allow you to clean areas inside or even outside of your home without worrying about a power cord. This style of vacuum is often stylish and easy to store as well in comparison to a traditional corded upright vacuum cleaner or even a canister vacuum.
The drawback to a cordless vacuum cleaner is power, and it can be a significant problem with carpet. Most cordless vacuums are only designed for low to medium pile carpet. While a powered brush roll will provide you with deep cleaning on thicker carpet, it will also drain your battery quickly. If you need a unit that can pull dirt and dander from deep within your carpet, you're going to want a corded system more often than not.
Filtration
Every machine on our list of the best vacuums for carpet will have a filter, and most have excellent systems in place. The type of filtration makes a difference, and may impact your buying decision if you have allergies or pets in your home.
There are pre-filters and post-filters, which are often part of a multi-stage filtration system. HEPA filters are also popular options, while some simple systems may just have a washable foam filter. Cartridge-based systems are also an option along with vacuums that use allergen filter bags. You can even find vacuums that use water as a means of filtration as well.
Accessories
This all comes down to what’s in the box and included with a vacuum cleaner. Those extras are important, so you need to pay attention to the quality and type of tools that come with any vacuum cleaner you have your eye on. In most cases, the manufacturer will make those clear, but photos in product listings can be misleading.
A crevice tool is the most common accessory for any style of vacuum, followed by soft dusting brushes and 2-in-1 tools. You can also find plenty of models with a suction head geared towards hardwood, but a powered head for carpet isn’t cheap if it’s part of the package. Some manufacturers will have multiple versions of the same system, but each will have a different set of accessories.
Consider any tools you currently use to clean your home now and decide which ones are the most useful. Paying extra for a pet tool won’t do you much good if you have iguanas or a fish tank. On the other hand, some accessories are expensive if you have to buy them separately, so it pays to think ahead with attachments for your vacuum cleaner.
Features
This will vary depending on the style of vacuum you choose, but features are an area that helps separate the best from the rest. A self-propelled vacuum cleaner will make life easy if you own an overweight upright. While that won’t be of much use on a cordless stick vacuum, a system that allows you to remove the battery is something you’ll be thankful for.
LED lights are fairly common on the cleaning head, but rare on extensions. Cord rewind is another handy feature that’s only necessary on certain types of vacuums, but you’ll find a variety of machines that allow you to adjust the height. Suction control and brush roll switches are hit or miss, but two features we always keep an eye out for.
Budget
Each of the areas we’ve discussed will affect the price of a vacuum cleaner, whether it’s built for carpet or bare floors. Vacuums cleaners designed for carpets are generally more expensive, however, which means you will need to keep a budget in mind. With prices ranging from a few hundred to over a thousand bucks, rest assured there is a price point for everyone.
The biggest tip we can give you with vacuum cleaner prices is to think about how often you plan to vacuum. Do you have pets in your home that shed? If so, you may break out the vacuum daily, so it makes sense to spend up for a premium model that will last for years to come. If you only need to tidy up low-pile weekly, there’s no reason to break the bank unless you’re attracted to a particular brand or partial to certain features.
The Best Vacuum Cleaner for Carpet
Selecting the best vacuum cleaner for carpet was a tough task for our team of experts. They are generally the most expensive type of vacuums, and reviews are often skewed due to the price. After considering dozens of models, we chose eight vacuums that stand apart from the rest. We also selected systems for specific needs, so you’ll find cordless and canister vacuums on our list alongside traditional uprights.
Product Details
Best Carpet Vacuum from Dyson: Dyson Ball Animal 2
Dyson’s entry on our list of the best vacuums for carpet is their strongest vacuum to date. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is the company’s newest upright, and a system you should consider if you have a pet hair problem in your home.
The Ball Animal 2 features Radial Root Cyclone technology from Dyson, which provides an impressive amount of suction. It’s their most powerful vacuum with a rating of 306 air watts, and the brush roll will adjust automatically as you transition to different areas of your home. You can switch the motorized brush bar off as needed, and the vacuum is easy to steer despite a weight of 17 pounds.
Ball technology makes this vacuum a dream to navigate, and the cleaning radius is solid at 35 feet. You can extend that to 50 feet with the hose and accessory tool. The cleaning path width clocks in at 13.3” and the dust bin is 0.55 gallons. It won’t hold as much as bagged systems on our list, but it is sealed tight, so you’re getting whole-machine HEPA filtration from the Dyson Ball Animal 2.
This version of the Ball Animal 2 comes with the bare necessities, which include a stair tool, combination accessory tool, and a tangle-free turbine for pet hair. If you want the full array of tools, the Total Clean package is an option as it adds a multi-angle brush, reach under tool, mattress tool, dusting brush and articulated hard floor head along with a tool bag.
When you need a vacuum that can dig out the dirt, it’s hard to go wrong with an upright from Dyson. Owners of the Dyson Ball Animal 2 have been thrilled with its power and performance, even if many are a bit overwhelmed by the price. This vacuum comes with a 5-year warranty from Dyson, which covers shipping, parts and labor.
Miele is one of the older companies on our list, and a well-respected name in the cleaning world. They have an excellent lineup of uprights, but our top pick from the company is a premium canister vacuum, the Miele Complete C3 Marin.
This powerful machine has a PowerLine Vortex motor rated at 1,200 watts. Their Vortex system is powerful enough to pull dirt from deep down in the fibers of your carpet, and there are six power levels to choose from. You can adjust the speed from a footswitch to find the proper flow for the surface you are cleaning although the system itself can automatically adjust to level changes.
Filtration is handled through their AirClean system, which contains 99.9% of particles as it cleans. The G/N replacement bags aren’t exactly cheap, but they have a self-locking collar to keep dust in. They hold a little over 1 gallon of debris and a handy filter bag indicator will let you know when it’s time for a change. The system is light at 10.35 pounds sans attachments with an ample cleaning radius of 36 feet and a cord that rewinds with the touch of a button.
While this vacuum cleaner is powerful enough to suck up dirt with the hose alone, you’ll get two cleaning heads with the Complete C3 Marin. The highlight is the SEB 236 Electro Premium Powerbrush with its 13” brush roll. It can clean plush, high-pile, or medium carpet – something other machines can struggle with. The powered head also has LED lights, a swivel neck and 5 levels of height adjustment. The included Parquet Twister head for hardwood and smooth flooring is top of the line as well.
The C3 Marin is one of the most expensive models from Miele, but well worth it if having clean carpet is important to you and there is a lot of ground to cover in your home. The only downside is the price and the fact that some users have reported issues with the power head, so keep quality control in mind. This model comes with the two heads and has several tools tucked away in the comportment as well. You’ll get a 1-year general guarantee on parts and labor, but 7 years on the motor and casing.
SEBO is another German-made vacuum cleaner brand that provides high-efficiency cleaning systems that are built to outlast the competition. The SEBO Automatic X5 is a fan favorite, and a system we highly recommend if you care about your carpet and are looking for a well-built machine.
With a 15” cleaning path width, you can cover a lot of ground with the SEBO X5. It has two-sided edge cleaning and a powerful 1,300-watt motor, and will automatically adjust to flooring of different heights in your home. It’s smarter than most uprights as well considering it has an automatic shut-off feature to prevent overheating along with a variety of other sensors.
If the bag becomes full or an airway gets clogged, a warning light will kick on before the motor shuts down. Another set of warning lights will alert you if your vacuum has been sitting too long in a stationary, upright position or tell you when your brush roll has become worn. The X5 is ideal for carpets of all heights but works well on hard surfaces thanks to a sealing strip and that powerful motor.
Looking for great filtration? You’ll get it from the SEBO X5 courtesy of an S-Class filtration system. It captures 99.97% of dust, pollens and allergens down to 0.3 microns but has a 100% removal rate if the particles are 1 micron or larger. The multilayered filter bags are large at 1.4 gallons and you’ll have plenty of room to roam with a 40-foot power cord.
This tightly sealed system won’t have any problem keeping your carpet clean. Consumers love its cleaning prowess, and you’ll be impressed by the warranty as well. The X5 has 5 years' coverage on parts and labor with 7 years on the motor and a lifetime belt warranty. It’s expensive but will outlast other vacuums by years when properly maintained. On the downside, you can’t turn off the brush roll, so keep an eye on that warning light or title the machine back when cleaning with the hose.
For decades, vacuum manufacturers focused on two fibers with polyester and nylon. As unique softer fibers emerged, we began to see vacuums designed for these new synthetics. The Soniclean Soft Carpet Cleaner is one such system, and it’s designed in partnership with a Mohawk Flooring.
Plush carpet is what you want in your home when comfort is key, but it’s hard to maintain and requires a little more TLC than other types of fibers. The Soniclean SFC-7000 is built to bring dirt to the surface in a unique way through sonic cleaning technology. 200 vibrations per second will shake dirt-free, and the brush roll is designed to be gentle on even the most sensitive fibers.
The ultra-soft brush roll uses soft nylon bristles, and the digital motor provides multiple cleaning modes with the flick of a switch. This vacuum is also easy to push regardless of how thick and plush your pile is. It has large front wheels and a vent system which helps you roll across soft carpet with ease. It also helps that’s it’s one of the lighter uprights on our list at 10.5 pounds.
The direct-air Paramagnetic motor is efficient, and the company claims it uses 50% less power compared to similarly-sized systems. Features to note include jam protection, full bag alerts, and their Seal-Tech HEPA filtration system which uses large 1.7-gallon bags. It also has a wide 14” cleaning path and a 35-foot cord although there is no hose on the back which limits your cleaning ability to a degree.
If you have high pile carpet and softer strands, you’ll appreciate what this system brings to the table. It’s recommended for soft carpeting from leading brands like SmartStrand, Karastan, Air.O, StainMaster, and Shaw. The lack of a hose is going to be a drawback for some, but that’s really the only common complaint about this system in general.
Shark has a half dozen vacuum cleaners that work wonders on carpet, and they are always a popular choice due to price and availability. While we’re fans of their cordless collection, the Shark APEX UpLight is our favorite stick vacuum and an excellent choice for carpet.
While not quite as agile as the Rocket Pet Pro or ION F80, the APEX UpLight has more power. This hybrid system uses HyperVelocity accelerated suction to streamline the airflow and increase suction. The self-cleaning brushroll is a bonus if you have pets while the DuoClean head will work on hard surfaces or carpet. Need to clean cobwebs from corners or vacuum stairs? That won’t be a problem with the UpLight LZ601.
The Lift-Away feature on this vacuum allows you to extend your cleaning reach when you extend the hose and break out the attachments. The cleaning pod is easy to use, and the same can be said for the system as a whole. It tips the scales at 10.7 pounds, so it’s lighter than a regular upright, but has more power than you’ll get from a cordless stick vacuum.
Filtration is handled through a multi-stage system that uses foam and a washable HEPA filter. Homeowners found the bin system easy to deal with, and it will hold quite a bit of debris with a capacity of 0.68 quarts. It can’t cover as much ground as an upright, but the cleaning path is respectable at 9” wide. The APEX UpLight comes with a 30-foot cord, 4.2-foot hose, crevice tool, accessory holder and pet multi-tool.
This lightweight stick vacuum is a nice change of pace from large uprights, and the head is more than capable of removing dirt from low to medium-pile carpet with ease. The built-in hose and retractable wheels which let it stand on its own help set the APEX UpLight apart from similar machines as well. We haven’t seen any significant negatives on this machine although we do wish it came with a few more accessories.
When you’re looking for an autonomous vacuum cleaner, iRobot is the first place to turn. One of our favorite robot vacuums from the company is the Roomba 960, and it’s one of the best robot vacuum cleaners for carpet.
This robot vacuum cleaner is connected, which allows you to sync to Alexa, Google Assistant or the company’s official app. The iRobot HOME app is simple to use and allows an extra measure of control while opening the doors to scheduled cleaning and mapping. You can program this robot to vacuum daily or as needed, and there are three power levels to choose from as well.
The 960 can navigate around chairs and other obstacles in your home with ease thanks to vSLAM and iAdapt 2.0 technologies. It has a virtual boundary system and can clean a respectable swath of carpet in one pass. The Roomba 960 has a 7” wide cleaning path and a reasonably sized bin at 0.15 gallons. It can change surface levels automatically and will return to its dock to recharge before the battery dies.
You can expect around 75 minutes of battery life from this robot vacuum cleaner, depending on your usage. We’re big fans of their brush roll system as well which is quite capable on carpet or hardwood. The multi-surface rubber brushes are built for multi-surface homes and it has a 3-stage filtration system as well.
Roomba’s robotic lineup is impressive, and any of their smart systems can clean carpet – some just do it a little better than others. The 960 is one of their premium systems, and we feel it offers the right amount of power to price ratio for most carpeted homes. It comes with a virtual wall, charging base, and a 1-year guarantee from iRobot.
Cordless vacuums are hit or miss on any carpet higher than low-pile but are good choices for smaller homes or when you just have a few rooms to attend to. The Oreck POD is an interesting option for homeowners as it’s geared towards carpet and has a bagged filtration system.
One of the biggest complaints with canister-based vacuum cleaners is the fact the can be messy to dump and clean. Bagged systems solve that problem, and Oreck is bringing that to the masses with their cordless POD system. These self-sealing bags will keep your hands dirt-free which is rare for a cordless stick vacuum.
Those PODS are small and easy to store, but they will expand as they fill. We couldn’t find any concrete information on their overall capacity, so replacing them will come down to how often you clean. New bags are around $3 each depending on the quantity you purchase, but consumers found the POD system easy to deal with overall.
The battery life on this vacuum is rated at 35 minutes, and it’s one of the quicker cordless when it comes to recharging at only 2.5 hours. There’s an LED display built into the handle which gives you the lowdown on battery life, but also tells you when the POD is full. It sports an AirPower nozzle with a brush roll to pull hair and dirt from your carpet but can transform into a 2-in-1 in only a few seconds.
If you have a large home with thick carpet, you’ll want a high-powered upright, but the Oreck POD is a great choice for homes that only have a few carpeted rooms along with condos and apartments. Several consumers were surprised by the noise although pleased with its overall performance. This vacuum has a 3-year warranty and comes with five pods, a wide-path crevice tool, dust brush and a motorized mini powerhead.
The Sirena S10NA has the distinction of being the only vacuum cleaner on our list with a water-based filtration system. It’s highly effective, and a system to keep in mind if you need a total cleaning solution for your home.
Before we get to the features, let’s talk about filtration. The Sirena vacuum cleaner replaces a traditional dust bin with a transparent tank filled with water. A baffle keeps large debris or hair in place while you dump the basin, and the design means its clog-proof as well. This vacuum can also suck up water or other liquids if you have a spill and freshen the air as it cleans.
The exhaust is filtered through a traditional HEPA filter back into your home whether it’s scented or not. The SN10NA also has two modes although only one is used for cleaning. High speed is for carpet and hardwood while low speed deodorizes and aromatizes the air. It’s an excellent system if you have allergies and one that’s been certified Gold by the CRI and ECARF.
This vacuum cleaner lives up to its name as a “Total Home Cleaning System” as well. It comes with a power nozzle, floor brush, crevice tool, and brushes for dusting or upholstery. There’s also an inflation tool, a curved wand, two telescoping wands, a wet-dry hose, and an electric hose. It has far more accessories than your average canister vacuum but is heavier at 19 pounds and weighs considerably more with a tank full of water.
Due to the price and weight, this vacuum is not a system that will suit everyone’s cleaning needs. If you have a mix of carpet and suffer from asthma or allergies, it’s a unique alternative to traditional bagged system, however. It’s smaller and cheaper than a Rainbow Cleaning system and comes with a 10-year warranty from Sirena.
Pros
Water and HEPA filtration
1,200-watt motor
Excellent array of accessories
10-year warranty
Cons
It’s big and heavy
Difficult to put together
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does a cordless vacuum have enough battery life to clean an entire home?
A: It depends on the size of your home and the type of flooring. On average, you can expect 20 to 40 minutes from most systems although the runtime drops with powered heads and intense cleaning modes.
Q: Is a beater bar the same as a brush roll?
A: No, although the terms are used interchangeably. A beater bar uses vibration to loosen dirt while a “brush” roll has bristles like a hair brush.
Q: Why did my brushroll stop spinning?
A: While there could be a variety of reasons for that to happen, it generally means the belt is broken, there’s a clog or an electrical issue. Turn off the machine, look for any obvious issues, then consult your user manual.
Q: What’s a vacuum with a sealed system?
A: When you hear that term, it means the manufacturer has designed their machine to keep dust in so it won’t leak from the vacuum while you are cleaning.
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