“A robotic vacuum can help with maintaining your pristine floors, and a stick can help with quick messes alongside your bigger upright or canister.” “For some people, it might make sense to have multiple vacuums for different situations,” says Frank Rizzi, a senior lab technician who tests vacuums at CR. But while these convenient contenders may deserve a spot in your cleaning arsenal, they still can’t replace your trusty upright or canister, according to Consumer Reports’ vacuum tests. Robotic vacuums have also become more capable cleaners, and their prices keep dropping, making them worth a look, too. The performance of cordless stick vacuums continues to get even better, though based on our exclusive member survey, reliability remains a concern.
With vacuums ranging from under $50 to well over $1,500-and in configurations from a slim stick to a beefy canister-it can be difficult to figure out what’s right for your home.