We haven’t tested any vacuums yet that we completely hate. The ones below are solid vacuums, and in some cases much cheaper than our top picks, but we didn’t like them all that much.
Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner for $230: This used to be one of the best options. Stock became limited, but seems to have stabilized, so if you can find it, it’s a solid vacuum. With a few passes, it sucked up all the hair, cat litter, and Cheerios I set out for it. I like its auto mode, which adjusts power as needed, like when I ran over a sandy area and it jumped to high suction and then back down again. It can also convert to a capable handheld vacuum like some more expensive vacuums.
Proscenic P13 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $170: I haven’t tested the previous Dyson vacuum with the green laser, so I was surprised at how well the green light on this vacuum illuminates dust and dirt. It was almost off-putting to see how much of it goes unnoticed in regular lighting. However, it took a lot of passes to really clean up most of that debris. For the price, it’s not bad as a cordless, everyday vacuum, but you’ll definitely need a more powerful upright vacuum for deeper cleans.
Eureka Innova Multi-Surface Cordless Stick Vacuum for $229: This is a good upright vacuum at a reasonable price. It cleaned a litter mat especially well, and has specific settings for carpet and hardwood floors. However, to vacuum up larger chunks like Cheerios, I had to pick up the vacuum and place it directly on top of them.
Shark Wandvac Self-Emptying Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $330: I love that it turns into a little handheld vacuum with its own little attachments. It worked well for cleaning my desk. It has a base that automatically collects dirt from the dust bin, meaning there are fewer clouds of dust you have to breathe in. I enjoyed cleaning with it, but it’s probably best used with a powerful upright vacuum, as its suction power isn’t as strong as I’d like. It also seems like it needs to be just an inch or two taller, and the dust bin is small, just 0.13 quarts.
Hoover OnePwr Emerge Pet Vacuum for $200: Our tester said it wasn’t a bad vacuum in normal mode, but the attachments felt flimsy and it had little suction power. Otherwise, it did its job.