Soft, shaggy carpet has always been popular with consumers that appreciate plush fiber beneath their feet. Shag carpet has been around since the 70s, and while it’s not as popular today, new styles of carpet from top manufacturers fall into that category when you’re looking for a vacuum thanks to their soft, deep pile.
As luxurious as this style of carpet can feel, soft carpet can be extremely hard to clean. That means there’s a good chance your existing system may not work with SmartStrand Silk or similar styles of carpet. The best vacuum for shag carpet will help you clean these new ultrasoft carpets, and we are here to help you choose the right model for your home.
At this time, there is no category for “plush” or shag carpet, which can make finding the perfect vacuum an impossible task. There’s a chance your current vacuum may be able to manage your new carpet, but the wrong machine can also damage it. If your vacuum doesn’t have a half-dozen height settings or is powerful enough to pull a softball across the floor, here are some areas you will need to consider.
Plush Carpet Problems
Carpet with long shaggy fibers or ultra-soft strands can wreck an otherwise outstanding vacuum cleaner. Want to use your powerful Dyson on your new Caress carpet? Good luck with that, and you won’t have much luck with Smartstrand Silk and other dense carpet styles with high fibers.
In fact, you can actually void the warranty of your carpet in some cases if you use the wrong type of system. When the suction is too strong, it can pull the carpet away from the pad and cause buckling or make the machine impossible to move. That’s not a lot of fun, especially if it’s an 18 pound upright.
Beater bars and brush rolls are the best way to get to dirt down deep in your carpet, but it’s not ideal for high pile. Rolling brushes spinning at high speed can damage softer fibers and leave you with fuzzy ends. Neither of these issues is ideal, especially considering the price of ultrasoft carpeting.
What’s the layout of your home?
You can’t vacuum plush carpet with a stick vacuum, and you can forget about using a cordless model if you need to deep clean high pile carpet – it’s just not going to happen. Vacuums designed to deal with these fluffy fibers are generally more expensive as well, so you need to consider the layout of your home.
If you have a large home, look for a vacuum with a long cord an save yourself from a headache later on. You will not find any cordless models on our list. It’s also important to think about the other rooms in your home as well, and how your new vacuum cleaner can handle those. While all of these systems have plenty of suction, you may not need a top-tier vacuum if you only have soft carpet in your living room or a few shag rugs to clean.
Height Adjustment
Height is the main issue with 90% of vacuum cleaners when it comes to thick, soft carpeting. A system with height adjustment will allow you to move the brush roll up or down depending on the height of your pile. Some vacuums handle this automatically, while others will have a dial or switch.
On cheaper vacuums or simple systems, you may get a setting for hardwood or bare flooring along with a setting for rugs and low-pile. With premium vacuum cleaners, you can find up to a half-dozen settings, which will suffice for most consumers – if they have normal carpet.
When you get into high-pile carpet, those may not be enough, especially if you can’t adjust the power or it has the wrong type of cleaning head. If you plan on trying to use a regular vacuum cleaner on soft carpet, this is the first feature to consider.
The Brush Roll
Remember when we said that a brush roll could actually damage certain types of fibers? Well, there is one way to ensure that it never happens. A brush roll switch allows you to turn off that spinning cylinder in an instant, which is handy for high pile and hard flooring surfaces as well. Some vacuums can do more harm than good on those surfaces by scattering dirt or scraping delicate finishes with stiff bristles.
There are several types of brush roll systems available for consumers today as well. Companies like Shark have vacuums with “dual heads” that feature two rollers while other manufacturers have turned towards hybrid systems or rubberized rollers. Vibrating or sonic cleaning systems are another alternative, although rare, aside from a few unique vacuums.
Ease of Use
Suction lock on a carpet can ruin your day quickly, but it’s far from the only thing that can make a vacuum cleaner difficult to use on thick carpet. Shag isn’t easy to clean, but you don’t need to break your back or waste half your day in one room if you purchase a system that’s easy to use.
Look for a vacuum with large wheels that are durable and easy to use. While small caster wheels may look good and give your system a low-profile, they won’t go far on plush carpet. Vacuums in this class should be easy to push or pull regardless of their weight. If you have a multi-level home, pay close attention to the weight as well.
The controls are another important aspect when it comes to ease of use with vacuum cleaners. When you need to manually adjust settings while you clean, controls located towards the top or on the handle of your vacuum are ideal. The same goes for dust bins or bags as they should be easy to remove, clean, or replace. While not an option on certain types of systems, a retractable cord is another feature that will make your life easy.
Capacity
With vacuum cleaners, capacity refers to the amount of dirt and dust a system can hold before you need to empty it. It’s an important specification where bigger numbers are better, and one that will vary depending on the style of vacuum cleaner you choose. A full-sized upright will hold more than a stick vacuum or robotic vacuum cleaner, but a canister vacuum may hold more than an upright.
While you should look for a vacuum with a large dust receptacle, the style is equally as important. Bagged vacuums are cleaner overall as they can keep dust from escaping into the air, something that’s common with a cup or bin-based system. You will have to replace those bags, however, which increases the cost of maintenance over time.
Filtration
Whether a vacuum is built for low to medium-pile carpet or capable of cleaning shag rugs, filtration is important and something every system on our list will have. Pre-filters can keep your motor from becoming damage and keep particles away from functioning parts while a post-filter ensures only clean air is blown back into your home.
If you have pets or suffer from allergies, you should look for a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filtration. It’s often included as part of a multi-stage system, but it’s the best way to keep small particles out of the air. Some filters will need to be replaced several times a year, depending on how frequently you vacuum. Others can be washed and reused, which can save you a bit of money over time.
Features
Vacuum cleaners have gotten easier to use over the years, although it’s a stretch to say the experience itself is enjoyable. There are several features that can help speed up your cleaning time, and while some are minor, others can significantly raise the price of a vacuum cleaner. In other words, consider what’s useful compared to features you may never use.
On-board storage for tools is common, although some systems have poorly designed holders, while others opt for a more discreet route. Headlights aren’t quite as common, but extremely handy and usually only found on mid-range and premium vacuum cleaners. Need a vacuum that can transform into a 2-in-1 so you can clean chairs, stairs and curtains? That’s an option as well, but somewhat rare in this class.
Cleaning Tools
This is another area where consumers can make a poor decision if you don’t think ahead. Do you have a lot of dust bunnies in the crevices and corners of your home? Well, most of us do, and a crevice tool will take care of that in short order.
You’ll find that accessory included with most vacuum cleaners along with a few other tools like dusting brushes and upholstery tools. In some cases, you may even have attachments from an old system that will fit your new machine depending on the brand – just don’t count on it.
Those tools are all air-driven, which means you simply need to attach them to a hose or head. Powered tools like turbo brushes, pet hair tools, and mini brush rolls and are ideal for a number of areas in your home. They can be expensive to purchase separately as well, so it’s often better to pick them up in a bundle that’s included with a vacuum.
Warranty
Ultrasoft carpet isn’t cheap, and neither are the best vacuum cleaners for shag carpet. A good warranty is always important, but it’s critical when buying a system that can be damage your carpet or be damaged by it. While that won’t be a problem with any of our picks, there are a few tips to keep in mind with warranties.
Most manufacturers offer warranties around 2-years on vacuum cleaners. The top companies often provide tiered warranties as well, which means you’ll get coverage on the motor and the casing or standard parts. A longer warranty is always better, but you also need to check the fine print to see if labor or shipping is covered.
The Best Vacuums for Shag Rugs and Soft Carpet
It’s not difficult to find a great vacuum for hardwood or carpet if you know what to look for. Finding the best vacuum for soft carpet and shag rugs is akin to looking for a needle in a haystack, however. With that in mind, all vacuums on our list all have features that make them ideal for ultrasoft carpeting and thick rugs.
The best vacuum for soft carpet comes from Soniclean and it’s a system widely regarded as the top choice for brands like Caress, Karastan, and SmartStrand. It definitely won’t affect the warranty of your plush carpet, and we think you’ll be impressed by the other features this machine brings to the table.
The Soniclean Soft Carpet cleaner comes equipped with a brush roll featuring soft nylon bristles. It’s easy on fibers and works alongside the company’s sonic cleaning technology. This vacuum vibrates up to 200 times per second, which shakes dirt loose, making your carpet easier to clean. Those vibrations only come into play during Deep Cleaning Mode, which is activated on the handle by a switch.
Floor & Carpet mode is ideal when you want to keep the noise level down while you clean, and we’re pleased to say jams won’t be an issue with this system. Jam Protection lets you know when you’ve sucked up a sock, or the brush roll is jammed and prevents damage by shutting down the system. An additional warning light will also let you know when it’s time to head to the trashcan.
The Soniclean SFC-7000 is a bagged system that uses 7.5-liter bags. They are HEPA bags which when combined with their patented Seal-Tech system, provide hospital-grade filtration. It also works with optional Fragrance Pods, which are capable of releasing pleasant smells while you vacuum. Other noteworthy features include large wheels which make it easy to push and their EZ-Push adjustable vent system.
When you want to be careful with your carpet, but still get it clean, it’s hard to go wrong with the Soniclean SFC-7000 Soft Carpet cleaner. It’s efficient and capable of cleaning other types of flooring, although it’s designed for soft, dense carpets. Consumers loved how easy it was to push, and you’ll get plenty of range from the 35-foot cord. On the downside, there are no attachments or hose which limits its capabilities.
Miele is one of the top vacuum manufacturers in the world, and while their products aren’t cheap, they live up to the hype. They are also one of the few companies that make machines dedicated to cleaning soft carpet like the Miele Complete C3 Vacuum.
This canister vacuum is built for comfort and is easier to deal with than most uprights. It has a simple but sharp design that’s easy on the eyes as well. It has a panel that hides three cleaning tools, and while it doesn’t have large wheels, it’s easy to drag along considering it only weighs a little over 10 pounds. The cord automatically rewinds when not in use, and you can adjust the suction or power level with the tap of your foot.
The machine itself has six power levels including modes for delicate and deep cleaning. The power comes from a Votex motor rated at 1,200-watts. It provides impressive suction whether you’re vacuuming carpet or simply going over hardwood or tile. You’ll get the option to do both with this system despite its name as it comes with two unique cleaning heads.
For shag or soft carpet, you’ll want to use the Electro Plus head, which has five levels of height adjustment for carpet. It can handle high pile and soft carpet with ease while the SBB 300-3 Parquet Twister uses suction and soft bristles to deal with delicate flooring and bare surfaces. All that dust is collected through Miele’s AirClean system, which uses a bag along with a pre-filter and HEPA exhaust filter.
Miele went all out with this vacuum from the dual parking system to the dual cleaning heads, which allow you to work with any type of flooring. The accessories let you reach places high and low, and the ergonomic handle ensures it’s comfortable to use. The price tag is the only drawback in our opinion. The Complete C3 Soft Clean has a 1-year warranty that covers everything, and 7 years on the motor and casing.
Upright vacuum cleaners have never been known for their svelte nature, and some can be downright bulky. With shag rugs or thick carpeting, you need a vacuum that's easy to move and Oreck has just the solution with the Magnesium RS upright vacuum cleaner.
With a weight of 7.7 pounds, the Magnesium RS is incredibly lightweight. It has a similar design to the previous model, which means you can look forward to wide wheels and swivel steering. You certainly won't have any problem caring this vacuum cleaner up the stairs. Unfortunately, there's no hose so your cleaning range is limited to the floor.
Upholstery may not be an option, but this vacuum excels on carpet of all heights along with hardwood and other types of flooring.Oreck design this vacuum with enough power to handle long pile carpeting. It can adjust its height automatically, but can also shut itself off in case there is a jam. As it's a bagged system, it's a great choice for allergy sufferers with a 5-layer HEPA filter.
When it comes to tech specs, you won’t be disappointed as Oreck managed to squeeze a 12” cleaning path out of this slim machine. It has a 30-foot power cord and a low profile design that allows it to go almost completely flat against the floor. The twin headlights are also a nice touch for those hard to see areas where dust collects.
This vacuum may not be as powerful as a system from Riccar or Kirby, but it’s impressive for the price and performs as advertised. It’s also one of the few vacuums that’s CRI certified and approved for a variety of soft carpet by the manufacturers. The Oreck Magnesium RS upright vacuum cleaner comes with a 7-year guarantee.
Riccar, Kirby, and Rainbow are three premium brands many consumers have heard of, even if they’ve never seen one of their vacuums in person. Riccar is the only company of the three that allows you to buy their products online without a salesman, and the SupraLite R17 Premium is an interesting option for shag carpet.
One of the highlights of the R17 is the unique special baseplate and brush roll. The plastic plate lifts the nozzle slightly, which makes the vacuum easier to push across ultrasoft carpet. Large rubber wheels help in that regard as well, so it won’t slow you down on high-pile. It also has a durable metal brush roll with replaceable brush strips.
This allows you to adjust the head with soft or aggressive bristles depending on your cleaning needs. Riccar SupraLite R17 Premium has a sleek design and is intelligent thanks to a hall sensor that shuts things down if there’s a jam. The filtration is top-notch as well with self-sealing HEPA bags rated to 99.97% efficiency. While Riccar didn’t design this model with a hose, it does have a long, sturdy 40-foot cord.
You’ll get a headlight on this machine to help highlight the dirt and a bare floor squeegee for rooms with hardwood, tile or other slick surfaces. The Deluxe Touch Grip is comfortable in the hand while the controls are right on the handle easy to access. It has two speeds and is well-built but lightweight. The body is made from high-impact ABS, which is durable but keeps the weight down to only 9 pounds.
This is another pricey vacuum, but one recommended by consumers and professionals for high pile plush carpet. The ability to change the bristles from nylon to natural is a huge bonus as well, and the warranty is best in class. The Riccar SupraLite R17 Premium comes with a 7-year warranty which includes VIP service with 17 tune-ups.
Miele is known for its outstanding line of canister vacuums, but they also make traditional uprights. If you would rather push than drag your machine, the Dynamic U1 Maverick is a vacuum to consider, and one that is perfect on plush.
You’ll find many of the same features on the Dynamic U1 as you'll find on Miele's canister vacuums. That means you can look forward to a sealed AirClean system with HEPA filtration and large 6-liter vacuum bags. It still has the high-powered 1,200-watt Vortex motor as well. Needless to say, suction won't be a problem on high pile, shag or hardwood.
The SwivelNeck design allows you to turn this vacuum cleaner a dime. It has a spring-loaded brush roller that automatically adjusts while the electrobrush works to dislodge debris from your carpet. There are four power settings so you can adjust the suction to suit your needs – a must for soft carpet. We also like the low profile design of this vacuum, which allows you to get low to the floor.
Another advantage of this system compared to other uprights on our list is the fact it has a 12-foot hose. While the included crevice tool, dusting brush and upholstery tool are standard, the extra-long hose and telescoping wand are well made. The Maverick had a 39-foot cord, which gives you a 54-foot cleaning radius to go along with a wide 12” cleaning path.
The cleaning radius and power make this machine a contender for the best vacuum for soft carpet and shag rugs. The rotary power dial and automatic height adjustment work hand-in-hand to provide you with an excellent cleaning experience. Like most of Miele’s vacuums, this one isn’t exactly budget-friendly, but it is built to last.
Pros
Powerful suction
Large cleaning radius
6-liter bags
12-foot hose
Cons
It’s heavy & expensive
6. Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly Ultra Plush Canister Vacuum
Kenmore has produced hundreds of different models of vacuum cleaners over the years, several of which are pet-friendly. The Kenmore Elite 81814 canister vacuum fits that bill, and while it’s great for pet owners, it made our list because of its capabilities on plush and shaggy carpet.
This canister vacuum is fairly large compared to our other options with a weight of around 22 pounds, but it's built to clean all areas of your home – not just the floor. It has a Stair Grip system to keep it from toppling off the top-level of your home as well. A telescoping adds an additional 10 feet to your cleaning radius as well. This vacuum has a retractable 26-foot cord and is designed to be easy to store despite its size.
A dual motor system ensures this vacuum is effective on carpet or bare flooring. You can adjust the power level from the handle, which is convenient in more ways than one considering its detachable. Inside a hidden panel on the canister, you'll find four tools with a dusting brush, floor brush, crevice tool and the Pet PowerMate motorized tool.
Accessories and the ability to clean more than your carpet is definitely a perk of the Kenmore Elite Ultra Plush vacuum cleaner, but so is the cleaning head. Their unique Ultra Plush nozzle is built for high pile carpet as you can adjust the height manually. While highly effective, it will be a bit heavy for some and isn’t as easy to maneuver as an upright.
Pros
Ultra Plush nozzle
Variable power control
Dual motor system
Retractable cord
Cons
It can be cumbersome
Short warranty
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do vacuums with higher amps have more power?
A: A vacuum cleaners amp rating only tells you how much electricity it uses, not how much airflow or suction the machine produces.
Q: Is a canister or upright vacuum better for my home?
A: It depends on the type of flooring. Canister vacuums can be just as efficient as a high powered upright, but are typically geared towards bare surfaces and rugs unless they have power brush heads. For carpet, an upright is typically your best choice.
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.
Related Posts:
The Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors and Carpet Carpet and hardwood are the two most popular types of flooring found in homes today. While luxury vinyl planks and engineered hardwood aren’t far behind, they don’t bring value to…
The Best Vacuum Cleaner for Carpet 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…
Best Cordless Vacuum for Hardwood There are some major advantages to having hardwood flooring in your home. It adds depth and beauty while increasing the value, but it’s also easier to clean than carpet. Brooms…
