If you live in a small apartment, there’s a strong chance you’ll need more than a broom and dustpan to keep your place tidy. A great vacuum cleaner is your best bet, but despite what the internet may lead you to believe, there are no vacuum cleaner designed specifically for small apartments. Our team of experts did manage to track down the top options for smaller homes, however, and we’ve compiled a short guide that can help you make the right choice.
While living in a small apartment may have some limitations, it doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself when it comes to vacuum cleaners. With that in mind, here are a few tips to remember before you pull the trigger on a new vacuum for your apartment.
How large is your apartment?
According to Webster’s, the definition of small is something that has slight dimensions or is comparatively little in size. Well, a “small” apartment in some complexes can be just as large as a small house, so square footage is important when considering a new vacuum cleaner. While you don’t need a specific number, it plays a part when deciding between a corded or cordless vacuum cleaner.
Corded vacuums geared towards small apartments will be cheaper than a battery-powered model in most cases, but do you really want to deal with a cord? Think about where the plugs are in your apartment, and how many times you may need to switch during a single cleaning session. The length of that cord is obviously crucial as well.
If you prefer cordless vacuums, there are still a number of factors that can trip you up. While you may think battery life won’t be a problem in your tiny abode, that’s not the case. When you use a motorized brush roll or any powered tool, the battery life of a vacuum will take a major hit. Turbo or Max Power modes will also have the same effect.
A top-tier system with a runtime of 40 minutes may only provide you with 15 to 20 minutes of power, depending on the tool and mode. Charging times can range from around 2 hours to well over four hours although some models allow you to change batteries as needed for continuous cleaning.
Flooring Types
What type of flooring do you have in your apartment? If you have carpet in the living room and bedrooms, two areas that see a lot of traffic, you’ll definitely want a system with a brush roll. If the flooring in your home mainly consists of luxury vinyl, hardwood or laminate, you may want to consider a different type of vacuum.
A more powerful vacuum with a good brush roll is required for thick carpet. While brush rolls are designed to be easy on hardwood, but they will scatter debris when poorly designed. When you have multiple styles of flooring in your apartment, a vacuum cleaner with several levels of height adjustment or a brush roll switch should be high on your shopping list. With carpet, consider the fibers and your security deposit before you buy a high-powered system.
Do you have Pets?
Pets can bring a lot of joy into your life, but they can cause issues indoors. Cats and dogs are prone to shedding throughout the year and have also been known to soil carpet on occasion. If you own pets, you’ll want a system built to deal with pet hair. While there are hundreds of vacuums that claim to fit that bill, many are hit or miss.
Pet hair can wreak havoc on your sinuses, and the brush roll on your vacuum. Tangle-free brush rolls are a great way to deal with the hair, but dander is a different story. If you suffer from allergies, you may want to consider one of the best vacuums for allergies or a machine with multi-stage filtration utilizing a HEPA filter.
Vacuum Cleaner Storage
There are an endless number of vacuum cleaners available on the market today between traditional uprights, canister vacuums, stick vacs, robots, and handhelds. While each style has its own advantages and disadvantages, the dimensions are more important if you live in a small apartment.
A stick vacuum will not take up nearly as much space as a full-sized upright. Bagged uprights can weigh close to 20 pounds and will eat up half your closet, while cordless stick vacuum may hang on a wall. That may seem like an ideal solution… until you start to drill holes in the wall.
The smallest vacuum cleaners for apartments are robot vacuum cleaners. You’ll still need room for the charging dock on the floor, but they will not take up much space. Stick vacuums are right behind robotic cleaners, and canister vacuums come in a variety of sizes. They can be hard to store, however, due to their design.
Ease of Use
Household appliances have gone from requiring manual power to the cordless wonders we use today. How a vacuum cleaner is engineered can have a major impact on how easy it is to use, so here are a few areas to keep in mind.
Wheels – The wheels on a vacuum cleaner are important but often overlooked by most consumers. A vacuum cleaner should be easy to roll, and the wheels should never leave marks behind on tile, laminate or hardwood flooring.
Controls – Depending on the style of vacuum you choose, the controls could be at the top or bottom of the machine. Unless you plan to purchase a robotic system, consider the placement of the controls, including the on/off switch, height adjustment, and power modes.
Filters – Filtration is important with vacuum cleaners, especially if you appreciate good air quality indoors. HEPA filters excel in that regard, but pre-filters and exhaust filters are also important. Think about the cost of replacements, and whether the filters are washable as well.
Dirt Collection – The debris sucked up by a vacuum cleaner will go into a dust bin or bag. Bags are replaced when they are full, but you’ll need to dump a bin. A vacuum with a dust bin that’s easy to clean and remove is something you’ll be thankful for down the line.
Cords – If you purchase a corded system, pay close attention to the length of the cord and how it’s stored on the vacuum. Uprights generally have a bracket that you wrap the cord around, but canister vacuums can have retractable cords.
Tool Storage – Almost every vacuum cleaner will come with a few tools or accessories. When your space is limited, tool storage is going to be important. A vacuum cleaner with a half-dozen attachments is nice, but leaving your tools in a drawer or on the floor isn’t ideal.
Noise Level
While there are a lot of advantages to living in apartments, neighbors and noise can be a drawback in some complexes. We can’t help you find new neighbors, but we can help you find a quiet vacuum that won’t annoy them or anyone in your home.
There’s no magic number for noise levels, and even the best vacuum cleaners can be quite loud. It can also be difficult to find this particular specification, but anything between 60 to 70 dBA is considered quiet by most standards.
Accessories
When your space is limited, you aren’t going to have room for multiple cleaning solutions in your home. This is an area where you’ll need to think ahead about any other areas you may need to clean. Small apartments can have two floors, and stairs can be a pain to clean without a hose. A 2-in-1 or convertible vacuum cleaner can solve that problem, but there are a number of other tools to consider as well.
Generally, the more tools or accessories a vacuum cleaner comes with, the more it will cost. That said, you will receive a few simple attachments with most cordless convertibles, but you may not get any with an upright. If you have pets, consider a system with a motorized attachment for upholstery as they will work wonders on pet hair.
The Best Vacuums for Small Apartments
Considering small vacuum cleaners are all the rage, there are hundreds of vacuum cleaners that won’t take up much space in your home. While it’s nice to have a large selection, the best vacuums for small apartments should suit your needs and budget. Our choices include a mix of machines that are corded, cordless and popular due to their size. We also kept budget in mind, as you don’t necessarily need an overpowered vacuum to clean a smaller home.
When you’re tight on space, cordless stick vacuums are always a great choice, and Dyson is the leader in that area. Any of their cordless cleaners are great for an apartment, but the V7 Motorhead is the best deal for smaller spaces.
The V7 Motorhead is a direct-drive system with a powerful brush roll. It does well on low to medium-pile carpeting and can fill a bin quickly if you have a pet hair problem. The digital motor won’t let you down, while the battery provides enough power for around 30 minutes of continuous cleaning in handheld mode. With the head attached, that number will drop and you’ll only get 6 minutes in MAX mode.
That’s one of the only downsides to this vacuum or any cordless with multiple cleaning modes. If you need MAX power on the V7, prepare to set aside 3.5 hours while it recharges. It’s incredibly handy in handheld mode, however, and comes with a crevice and combination tool. The docking station is designed for wall use, but easy to mount and handles the tools as well.
When it comes to tech specs, the Dyson V7 vacuum cleaner is towards the head of the pack. It has a 9.84” cleaning path width and weighs 5.84 pounds, but is even lighter in handheld mode. The bin is easy to dump and rated with a capacity of 0.15 gallons. We don’t have an official rating for their 2-tier radial cyclone system but trust us when we say it’s powerful.
If you live in a home or large condo, you may want to consider a bigger model from Dyson, but we feel the V7 is the best choice for smaller spaces due to the price. It doesn’t have as many attachments as you’ll find in some of their packages, but the brush roll does a great job on bare surfaces, and a soft roller is available as well. The Dyson V7 Motorhead comes with a 2-year warranty.
Shark has always been a great brand to turn to when you need an affordable vacuum for your home. From corded to cordless, they have a number of excellent systems, and the Rocket Pet Pro is one of their best vacuums for small apartments.
With a battery life of 40 minutes, the Shark Rocket Pet Pro has more than enough juice to clean small to medium-sized apartments. The 21.6-volt battery is removable, and the system is light and easy to handle with a weight of 7.2 pounds. That makes it one of the lighter stick vacuums on our list, and consumers found it easy to use on multiple types of flooring.
Shark’s Dirt Engage brush roll is designed to deep cleaning carpets with a cleaning path width of 10.6”. As it’s a self-cleaning brush roll, you won’t have to worry about hair. The Pet Pro also has a Complete Seal HEPA filter to help with allergies and a reasonably sized dust bin listed at 0.1 gallons. The pole detaches in seconds if you want to use the system in handheld mode as well.
While we love the design and style of the Shark Rocket Pet Pro, it’s a little light on features and accessories aside from a few standard bells & whistles. It only comes with two tools, so you’ll have to make do with a crevice tool and 2-in-1 tool. That’s a little disappointing although somewhat common with cordless stick vacuums in this range.
If you’re interested in a cordless stick vacuum that doesn’t break the bank and tackle low to medium-pile carpet in your home, the Pet Pro is certainly an option. There are better alternatives for bare floors, but overall, consumers were pleased with the performance of this system given the price. The Shark Rocket Pet Pro comes with a 5-year warranty from the manufacturer.
Pros
Up to 40 minutes of runtime
Dirt Engage brush roll
Only 7.2 pounds
HEPA filtration
Cons
Light on accessories
3. Miele Compact C1 Pure Suction Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Miele is a company that produces high-end vacuum cleaners, most of which are in the canister class. At any given time, there are a half-dozen models to choose from, and while all are excellent systems, the Compact C1 is our top pick for small apartments.
A rotary dial with six settings allows you to set the Compact C1 Pure Suction to suit your needs. There are settings for rugs, upholstery, along with minimum and maximum power modes. There’s also a setting that keeps the decibel level down if you don’t want to disturb the neighbors. Regardless of the mode, the 1,200-watt Vortex motor is extremely efficient.
This vacuum has what’s referred to as a sealed system, which makes it ideal for pet owners. It uses a dust bag combined with an AirClean exhaust filter and pre-filter for maximum impact. The bags will hold 3.4 liters of debris, and a light will let you know when it’s time to replace them. Low-profile wheels ensure the system is easy to use, and they won’t harm hardwood due to their rubberized nature.
The Pure Suction comes with the SBD 285-3, which is a combination nozzle for hard flooring and rugs. While it’s not on par with the company’s electrically-driven tools, it’s suitable for hardwood, tile, rugs, and low-pile carpeting. It has a 13” cleaning path and weighs 14.8 pounds with a 30-foot cord. That cord is retractable, and the dusting brush, crevice and upholstery tools are held in place by a plastic device called a VarioClip.
The Compact C1 Pure Suction is one of the best canister vacuums on the market, and a great way to introduce yourself to Miele’s line of products. It’s not as easy to store as a stick vacuum, but it’s built to last and has plenty of power. The tool storage could be better, but that’s really the only common complaint on this vacuum cleaner.
Robot vacuum cleaners usually aren’t the first option to come to mind for people that live in an apartment. Well, the iRobot Roomba 981 is actually an amazing solution for smaller spaces, especially if storage is tight.
The Roomba 891 is only 3.6” tall with a diameter of 13.9” so it won’t take up much space in your home. You only need to find a home for the docking station somewhere near a wall socket, and it will take care of the rest. This robot will return to its home to recharge before the battery hits zero. With a runtime of 90 minutes, it will have enough juice to clean a small apartment.
IRobot designed this vacuum so that it’s suitable for carpet but will also clean engineered flooring, laminate, or vinyl. The cleaning head automatically adjusts to match the height of your flooring, which ensures the dual rubber brushes keep in contact with the floor. Their 3-stage system works well, and it’s smart enough to find its way through your home without banging into furniture or dropping off a ledge.
The cleaning path width is narrow at 7,” but it’s automatic and holds quite a bit of dust at 0.2 gallons. Sweeper brushes work to remove dirt from corners, but the real perk of this particular model are the connectivity options. The Roomba 981 has Wi-Fi, which means you can schedule cleaning from within their app or control it with your voice via Alexa or Google Assistant.
If you detest vacuuming and want a system that’s small, but powerful the Roomba 891 is well worth your time. It doesn’t have advanced navigation or recharge & resume like their Roomba 960, but it’s cheaper and connected.
Bissell produces an array of vacuums that are perfect for apartment life, and the Air RAM 1984 is one of our favorites. It has a unique sense of style and is just as agile as a skinny stick vacuum despite the vacuum’s unusual design.
At first glance, you can tell the Air Ram 1984 is different. It has a wide cleaning area thanks to the company’s power foot design and sports a multi-surface brush roll that’s capable of cleaning both bare surfaces and carpet. While it excels in that regard, you can’t expect miracles from this machine if you have thick carpet that’s in need of a good deep cleaning.
A 22-volt battery provides the power to this vacuum, and it’s rated for around 40 minutes of runtime. It will take close to 4 hours to recharge this vacuum, but it has more than enough battery life for a small apartment. Consumers also found it easy to store. The Bissell AirRam weighs 7.7 pounds, and the handle collapses to save space. It stands upright during storage as well, so you will need to store this one instead of hanging it off the wall.
This cordless vacuum cleaner doesn’t break down into a 2-in-1 like many systems, but homeowners thought it easy to steer and loved its low-profile design. The bright LED headlights are another nice touch and Bissell designed the dust bin to be easy to use as well. It’s removable, rated at 0.6 liters, and has a slider that helps push out the dust and debris.
Bissell designed a versatile vacuum cleaner with the Air Ram. It has plenty of suction power, and solid battery life to boot. It’s lightweight and easy to use for cordless uprights, although your cleaning range is limited to the floors due to the lack of accessories with this system. The Bissell AirRam 1984 is backed by a 2-year limited warranty from the company.
As flooring manufacturers strive to provide consumers with more options for their homes, we’ve seen new types of cleaning machines come to the market. The STV-1 was born from a partnership between Soniclean and Mohawk as a way to battle dirt on multiple types of flooring.
This vacuum cleaner caught our eye due to its design and the cleaning heads. It has a standard brush roll that’s built for low-pile carpet and rugs, but also comes with two additional brush rolls. The hybrid roll can tackle rugs, light carpeting, and bare surfaces while the microfiber brush roll is ideal for hardwood, tile or LVP.
All three brush rolls are easy to change, and the head itself has a row of four built-in LED headlights. The dust bin is completely detachable from the base, and the pole detaches so you can use the vacuum in handheld mode. The battery pack is removable and provides 30 minutes of power during regular usage or 15 minutes in Boost mode.
Soniclean equipped this vacuum with a 3-stage cyclonic HEPA filtration system. The primary and secondary filters can be washed and will only need to be replaced occasionally. It comes with a non-charging wall mount and weighs less than 6 pounds, so it’s lightweight and extremely easy to use. You’ll also receive a mini motorized head, crevice tool, and a 2-in-1 dusting brush.
The Soniclean STV-1 is an interesting alternative to the Dyson Absolute line as you’re getting multiple brush rolls on a convertible system at a respectable price. While there aren’t many reviews for this model, Soniclean has an excellent reputation, and this vacuum has a 5-year guarantee on the motor to go along with a 1-year warranty on parts.
Our second canister vacuum is a little easier to store than the first. Severin is a brand that may not be well known in the United States, but the Nonstop is a canister vacuum with should be on your list if you are in the market for an efficient and affordable vacuum cleaner.
Severin designed the Nonstop with convenience in mind. It comes with an upholstery brush, crevice tool, and furniture brush, all of which are stored in a bag. The 35” cleaning pole is telescopic, and the 6-foot hose is easy to manage. We’re also fans of the large wheels compared to smaller rollers found on similar models in this class. The cord is a bit short at around 19 feet but retractable.
While the Nonstop is easy to use, it’s also easy to clean. Instead of a bag, there is a large 1.8-liter dust bin. The cyclonic system picks up particles with ease while blowing out clean air thanks to HEPA 14 filtration. It’s rated to remove 99.995% of particles that can set off your allergies like pollen, dust and spores. The cleaning head works well but is geared towards hardwood, laminate, tile, and other hard surfaces – not carpet.
This affordable vacuum cleaner has a surprising amount of power and is well-made despite its plastic exterior and lightweight design. Consumers also thought it was relatively quiet, which is certainly a bonus if you live in a small apartment. The Severin Nonstop canister vacuum comes with a 2-year guarantee.
When you have a small apartment or a very short lease, you may not want to spend a lot of money on a vacuum cleaner. The Eureka Quick-Up is a skinny system that won’t break the bank, and we think you’ll be impressed at just how effective it is in a small apartment.
With a weight of 4.4 pounds, the Quick-Up is incredibly light. It has a detachable handle, which makes it easy to store but it fucntions as a 2-in-1 handheld as well. It’s versatile and small enough to fit in a corner or slide under a bed. It’s surprisingly powerful given its size, and has a wider cleaning path than many vacuums on our list at 10”.
The Quick-Up’s modular design makes it easy to use, but your cleaning reach is a bit limited at 15 feet. It has a washable filter and a brush roll switch, but that’s all you’ll get when it comes to flagship features. With that in mind, don’t expect too much from that brush roll as it’s only made to deal with rugs, not carpet.
If you need a light-duty system, the only drawback to the Eureka Quick-Up 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner is the fact it’s geared towards bare surfaces like hardwood and tile, so it doesn’t work well on carpet. The brush roll switch is a nice touch for the price if you need to clean a rug, and it’s one of the easier vacuums to clean or maintain.
Pros
2-in-1 design
Only 4.4 pounds
10” cleaning path
Easy to store
Cons
Short cord
Bare floors & rugs only
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: 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.
Q: How durable are robot vacuums, are replacement parts easy to find?
A: Smaller things like side or edge brushes are usually the first to go buy easy to replace. It’s always a good idea to check for replacement parts beforehand if quality is a concern.
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