Stick vacuums are the perfect tool for
quickly cleaning bare floors and low pile carpets when you don’t have
the time (or the energy) to lug out your heavier, full size canister or
upright model. As this category grows, you may also hear them described
as pole
vacuums. That's because many are now designed with a motor on
top near the handle, which connects to a narrow wand or pole that then
connects to the cleaning brush below. This upgraded format is more
effective since it makes the vacuum super maneuverable and better able
to reach under low furniture and around tables and chairs. The motored
top often also does double duty as a
hand vacuum that can be removed and
used with or without attachments.
In the Good Housekeeping Cleaning Lab, our expert team is constantly testing and recommending all kinds of
vacuums, like canisters, robots,
handheld vacuums, vacuums that zap pet hair, vacuums for hardwood floors and even cheap, budget-friendly vacuums under $100.
Since no one vacuum is perfect for every cleaning need, we recommend
keeping several styles in your cleaning arsenal and a stick vac should
certainly be part of the mix. "As a mechanical engineer and a working
mom of two, I rely on a stick vac as my everyday go-to because it's much
lighter than my
upright vacuum, very effective at sucking up dust and
dirt, and easy to take out and store away," explains Rachel Rothman, the
GH Institute's chief technologist and head engineer.
She's
right. Lightweight stick vacs are great for cleaning up crumbs on the
kitchen floor after dinner, gathering stray hairs in the bathroom, or
quickly refreshing carpets and floors before guests arrive. Most are
cordless, so they can easily be used even in spaces with nary an outlet
in sight. Newer models have longer run times, even as long as 51
minutes, before needing recharging. And they are pretty easy to store,
often coming with their own wall-mount caddies or bases and with
attachments like a crevice tool and dusting/upholstery brush.
The
GH Cleaning Lab is constantly testing vacuums, and we recently tested
15 of the newest stick vacuum cleaners. And because there are new models
coming to market all the time, we continually update our reviews. Add
this to the hundreds of hours we've spent testing uprights, canisters,
robots, and more, and it's safe to say we know our vacuums.
When
we evaluate a stick vacuum, we test it for how well it removes pet hair
spread over the surface of a carpet, how well it picks up large and fine
particles of debris, like rice, dry oatmeal, and gritty sand from hard
flooring like vinyl, how closely it cleans along edges, and how easy it
is to use. We weigh how heavy it is and measure the run time. Our tests
are based on the ASTM standard test methods
the industry uses. Ease-of-use testing includes evaluating
maneuverability on different surfaces and around corners and typical
household items, like furniture. We assess how easy or difficult the
controls are to access and use and how easy the dust cup is to clean and
empty. Then we recruit consumer testers to rate the
vacuums’
maneuverability on bare floor and carpet, around corners and under
furniture, the ease of removing the dust cup or bag, and the ease of
operating the
vacuums’ controls. We note and test any features, such as,
whether or not is has a battery charge indicator, a brush roll control
button, or other tools and attachments.
Scroll to the bottom of
this article to read more about what you should consider before buying a
stick vacuum. But first, here are our picks for the top stick vacuums
to buy in 2019. These recommendations are a combination of models we've
tested in the Lab, ones similar to those we’ve tested, and a consumer
favorite from online reviews of a brand that has done well in previous
tests:
Best Stick Vacuum for Going Under Furniture: Shark ION F80 Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum with MultiFLEX
Best Stick Vacuum Suction: Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cord-Free
Vacuum
Best Lightweight Stick Vacuum: Karcher VC4i Stick Cordless Vacuum
Best 2-in-1 Stick Vacuum: Black + Decker Powerseries Pro 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum
Best-Selling Stick Vacuum on Amazon: Eureka Blaze 3-in-1 Swivel Lightweight
Stick Vacuum Cleaner
You'll notice we included Quiet Mark ratings
for four of the seven top-tested picks (the rest were not part of a
sound test). Quiet Mark is an organization that aims to reduce noise pollution
and measured the noise output of each model for us. Three stars means
it’s quiet and rates “good” for sound compared to others in its
category, two stars is “average,” and one star is loud or “poor” for
sound relative to others.
Cyclone V10 Absolute Lightweight
Dyson
amazon.com
$699.99
$497.49 (29% off)
SHOP NOW
Dyson's super-lightweight model
is packed with features like a battery indicator, a sensor for when the
filter needs changing, and a 2-in-1 design that makes it a handheld vac,
too. Despite its slim look, this machine rivaled traditional uprights in our carpet embedded-dirt test, a very impressive feat for a stick vac.
A few testers had trouble emptying the dust cup, but still found it
easy to use overall. It was among the loudest stick vacs in our test.
Attachments: 2 cleaning heads, mini motorized tool, mini soft dusting brush, combination tool, crevice tool
Run time: up to 51 minutes
Quiet Mark Rating: Not quiet (1 out of 3 stars)
Bissell Air Ram Cordless Vacuum
amazon.com
$249.99
$209.99 (16% off)
SHOP NOW
This
Good Housekeeping Seal holder could almost pass for an upright with its wide brush roll and large back wheels. In our tests,
it ran for an impressive 37 minutes
on a single charge and was one of the quietest vacuums we tested. The
handle can lay flat on the ground, making it easier to vacuum under
furniture and in tough-to-reach places. Our only qualm was the slight
drag we felt when we pulled the
vacuum backward.
Attachments: None
Run time: 37 minutes in our test
Converts to a handheld vacuum: No
Quiet Mark Rating: Very quiet (3 out of 3 stars)
Best Stick Vacuum for Going Under Furniture
Shark ION F80 Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum with MultiFLEX
amazon.com
$449.99
$369.99 (18% off)
SHOP NOW
We love that the Shark ION F80 has two battery packs, so you have double the run-time
. We tested the very similar Shark F80 and found it to be heavier than other models in our assortment, but
the wand bends in the middle
so you can easily go under furniture without having to bend down
yourself. It aced our performance evaluations and snagged the top spot
besting all the other
stick vacuums we looked at for performance.
Attachments: 2-roll power head, crevice tool, upholstery tool
Run time: Up to 60 minutes using both batteries in ION Power mode per the manufacturer
Converts to a handheld vacuum: Yes
Best Stick Vacuum Suction
Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cord-Free Vacuum
SHOP NOW
Claiming to have 20% more suction power than its predecessor (the D10 and winner of our tests!), the Dyson V11 Torque Drive
bodes well for the future of
vacuum innovation. What else does it do?
It automatically adjusts its suction to whatever surface you're
vacuuming. On easier-to-clean bare floors the suction dials down, but
ramps up for deep cleaning carpets.
It's also the only vacuum we've seen with an LCD screen. The screen tells you how much battery power is left, when to clean the filter, if there are any blockages,
and how to clear those blockages using a quick on-screen video clip.
Attachments: Floor cleaner head, mini motorized
tool, combination tool, crevice tool, mini soft dusting brush, stubborn
dirt brush, wand storage clip
Run time: Up to 60 minutes in Eco mode per the manufacturer
Best Lightweight Stick Vacuum
VC4i Stick Cordless Vacuum
Karcher
amazon.com
$249.99
$170.64 (32% off)
SHOP NOW
Weighing in at just four pounds,
this Karcher cordless model gets the job done without expending much
effort or sacrificing any features. Its overall design is slimmer and less bulky than similar models we’ve
tested that have the motor and dust cup up top, so it’s perfect for
anyone with a small grip or limited hand mobility. The fingertip
controls make it easy to turn the vacuum on and off, adjust the speed
and start or stop the rotating brush right from the handle. In just two
passes, the Karcher picked up an impressive 96% of the sand, oatmeal,
baking soda, and dried Orzo pasta we sprinkled down onto a bare floor.
Attachments: floor nozzle with brush roll, crevice tool, upholstery brush
Run time: 47 minutes in our test on low speed
Best 2-in-1 Stick Vacuum
Black + Decker Powerseries Pro 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum
SHOP NOW
We loved that this combination 2-in-1
vacuum has a removable canister and hose that makes it super
convenient to vacuum stairs, curtains, and other hard-to-reach places that
a traditional stick vac may not reach. We like that the attachments
clip on board so you’ll always know where they are and that it has touch
controls and a compactor for the dust cup so you can compress the dirt
inside for less frequent empties. While it did pick up almost 99% of the
debris we put down, we did notice that a few bits got stuck on the
rubber wheels.
Attachments: 3-in-1 nozzle, crevice tool and upholstery brush
Run time: Up to 34 minutes in our tests
Converts to a handheld vacuum: No, but the canister is portable and can be used with attachments.
Quiet Mark Rating: Moderately quiet (2 out of 3 stars)
Best-Selling Stick Vacuum on Amazon
Eureka Blaze 3-in-1 Swivel Lightweight Stick Vacuum Cleaner
SHOP NOW
With 889 5-star reviews on Amazon, this inexpensive corded stick vacuum must be doing something right! Its
low price tag and 3-in-1 design
make it a must-have. Use it as a stick vac, a hand vac, or with the
steel handle removed and nozzle attached, it converts to a stair
vacuum.
At only four pounds, it's lightweight and reviewers love its swivel
head. Though we haven’t tested this model, Eureka vacuums have performed
well in previous tests and this would be a good choice for dorm rooms
and small apartments.
Attachments: Floor nozzle, crevice tool
Cord length: 18-feet
Converts to a handheld vacuum: Yes
What to consider before buying a stick vacuum
What are you cleaning?
Stick
vacuums make great secondary vacuums, because they usually aren't as
powerful or as effective at deep cleaning as a full-size canister or
upright vacuum is. We generally don’t recommend them as the only or
primary
vacuum to adequately clean a whole house with multiple rooms,
deep carpets, and a mix of hard and soft surfaces. For that, you need a
full-size upright or canister vacuum. Choose a stick
vacuum if you want
the flexibility to quickly clean small areas without dragging out a the
big guy. Stick vacuums can be stashed in a utility or small closet for
easy access and work best cleaning bare floors, low pile rugs and
carpets, and, for those that convert to a hand vac or have hand vacuums
on board, upholstery, stairs and even the car.
Do you want corded or cordless?
Corded
vacuums work, of course, non-stop so there’s no downtime and no need to
recharge the battery. The downside is that you are tethered to an
outlet and can only roam as far as the length of a cord. But they do
provide more long-lasting cleaning power. Cordless
vacuums run on
batteries. Today’s lithium-ion batteries have more power and last longer
than the nickel cadmium batteries of older models, but run time is
usually about 3 minutes unless the model comes with a second battery to
swap in when the first one runs out. We think that’s a nice extra to
have. Another design feature we applaud is when the battery pack itself
can be removed for charging. This allows you to simply plug in only the
battery for charging and store the rest of the
vacuum in a closet and
out of sight.
Do you need a brush roll?
More
fully-featured stick vacuums often come with rotating brush rolls to
clean more like full-size
vacuums. A rotating brush roll is important to
have if you have medium pile carpets to help remove dirt that’s settled
down into the tufts. Brush rolls can also help collect debris on bare
floors, but can sometimes cause scattering and should be soft enough not
to scratch them. If you are vacuuming only bare floors and very flat
rugs, a stick vacuum without a rotating brush roll will likely fit your
needs.
Do you also want a hand vacuum?
Having
one
vacuum that does double duty is always a bonus. For that reason,
virtually all stick vacs can either be converted to a
handheld vacuum by
popping off the motored top or removing the handle, or they come with a
separate handheld unit that snaps directly onto the body of the stick
vacuum. Both the handheld and stick vacuums operate off the same motor,
so they charge (and run down) at the same time. The handheld vacuums are
great for cleaning upholstery, stairs, the car and for quickly picking
up dry spills, like rice or cereal, off a bare floor.
How much storage space do you have?
Because
they are slim, stick
vacuums take up less storage space than full-size
vacuums, but most don’t stand up on their own, especially those with
heavy motors on top. For this reason, most come and snap into charging
brackets that you can mount to a wall. Others may have bases that you
set the stick vac onto to keep it upright for storage and charging.
Whichever type you choose, we recommend looking for a stand that also
holds any attachments so everything’s neatly stored in one place. Some
come with retractable or foldable handles to take up even less precious
closet space.
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