Dyson Cyclone V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum With 5 Tools
Cordless vacuums cost so much more than traditional plug-ins and rarely last as long, but they're incredibly convenient. If that sounds like a fair trade-off, and you're ready to go cord-free, we've found a handful of models to suit different homes and budgets. First, consider the cheapest Dyson you can find, which is often the Dyson V7 Motorhead.
Our pick
Dyson V7 Motorhead
Cordless convenience, great on rugs
Dyson sticks are much better at cleaning rugs than any other brand's cordless vacuums in this price range. This base-model Dyson V7 has enough battery life to clean most apartments and some smaller houses on a single charge.
For the money, Dyson stick vacuums are better at cleaning rugs than any other cordless vacuum we've tested, and it's not really a close competition. The thicker the rug and the clingier the debris, the bigger the advantage Dyson has. (Dyson's product lineup is in a state of flux as of spring 2021, and we apologize if any of these models are unavailable by the time you read this.) The entry-level V7 Motorhead is typically the most affordable option among cordless Dysons, but any of the V7 or V8 models can be a great deal for the right price. The V8 models all have extra battery life and a little extra cleaning power; the V8 Absolute is one of our favorite variants because it comes with a bunch of useful extra tools and is often on sale. Dyson's higher-end models are even better, if you're comfortable with the prices (more on those below). Common complaints about Dyson sticks include a short battery life, high price, and mediocre reliability—but those things are true of all cordless vacuums. One true Dyson downside is the handling: These vacuums are top-heavy and have a trigger-style power switch, which can make them uncomfortable to use for a long cleaning session.
Runner-up
Tineco Pure One S11
Decent cleaner for Dyson haters
This cordless stick vacuum has swappable battery packs, as well as a trigger lock (so you don't have to keep the trigger squeezed). Though it's not as strong as a Dyson, the Tineco has a dirt sensor and headlight that make up for that by helping you figure out where to concentrate your efforts.
Buying Options
The Tineco Pure One S11 is a weaker but more-comfortable alternative to the Dyson V7. It won't pull as much dust or hair out of thick rugs as Dyson sticks can, but it's a decent cleaner overall. The Tineco's advantage is that it's much easier to handle than a Dyson, with better weight balance and a locking power switch, so you don't have to constantly squeeze a trigger. One occasionally helpful feature is the dirt-detection sensor, which preserves battery life and gives you a cue for where you should focus your cleaning efforts. Also, the battery is swappable (rather than built-in, as it is on the V7). So you can extend the run time beyond the regular 30-ish minutes if you buy extra packs (though they're expensive and often out of stock).
Budget pick
Hoover Linx
Comfortable and durable, for easy jobs
This affordable cordless vacuum offers good-enough handling and sufficient power to tackle easy jobs on bare floors, and it comes with a decade's worth of solid reviews. It doesn't double as a handheld vacuum, though.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $190 .
If you're looking for a cheaper stick that you can use for quick cleanups—or maybe as a workhorse in a home without rugs or loads of thick pet hair—we're confident that the Hoover Linx will last longer than most of the discount Dyson knockoffs littering Amazon's listings these days. The Linx has been available for about a decade, building a respectable track record for durability. The battery life and cleaning performance are unspectacular, but they're fine for the price. You can't use the Linx as a handheld vacuum, as you can our other picks. But unlike many of its competitors, this stick vac can reliably stand up on its own, for easy storage.
Budget pick
If you want a decent cord-free carpet cleaner, but you don't want to spend much, the Black+Decker Powerseries Extreme is (usually) the least-expensive model we'd recommend. At this relatively low price, it's surprisingly effective on short- and even medium-pile rugs—at least for gritty types of debris like crumbs or sand. (It's not as great at digging out pet hair or fine dust.) This vac also runs on the same batteries as a lot of Black+Decker power tools, so spares are plentiful and affordable. The dust bin is atrocious, replacement filters aren't always in stock, and its bare-floor cleaning is just okay. But we regularly see the Extreme going for $150. And at that price, it's the cheap stick to beat if you want to be able to really pull debris out of your rugs, rather than just tickle the tops of the fibers.
Upgrade pick
Dyson V15 Detect
Exceptional cleaning, clever features
This high-end Dyson cleans carpets better than lots of plug-in vacuums, and has plenty of battery life for most homes. It also comes with loads of useful features like a bare-floor brush with a laser headlight, and an LCD with data readouts.
The Dyson V15 Detect cleans better than any other cordless vacuum we've tested, and it even beats a bunch of plug-in models. It also has a lot of features that make it easier to use, like a real-time battery-life countdown, suction that automatically increases when it senses dirt, a tangle-shredding comb built into the carpet-cleaning brush, a second cleaning head with a soft-fabric brush for bare floors, a laser headlight, animated maintenance reminders and troubleshooting tips right on the vacuum display, and more. There's even a built-in dust-particle counter, which is a feat of engineering and also kind of a gimmick. Yes, the V15 is wildly expensive, the handling can be uncomfortable, and we're not confident that it's more reliable than cheaper sticks from Dyson or any other brand. You could also opt for a more affordable Dyson V11 or V10 and get many of the same benefits. But the V15 has plenty of useful extras (which we cover below) that make it worth the price premium, if you're comfortable with that.
Upgrade pick
Miele Triflex HX1
Premium comfort and durability
The Triflex's innovative convertible design makes it more comfortable to use than the Dyson V11, and it's the next-strongest cleaner behind the V11, too. Only time will tell if it's sturdier than typical cordless vacs, but Miele has earned the benefit of the doubt.
If you want the most comfortable (and maybe durable) cordless vacuum that money can buy, check out the Miele Triflex HX1. You can convert between two different body styles by rearranging the order in which the parts fit together (no tools needed). In its traditional upright configuration, the Triflex is the most balanced, comfortable, sturdy-feeling cordless vac we've ever used. (The modern stick style is fine, too, and it can also separate into a Dustbuster-like handheld vac.) It hugs the ground in a way we haven't experienced with almost any other battery-powered machine, and (no surprise) the cleaning performance was excellent in our tests (though not quite as strong as that of the top-of-the-line Dyson models). The most common pain point cited by early owners is the hard-to-use dust bin. It's also Miele's first cordless vacuum and has been out only since 2020, so we don't know much about its true reliability and longevity. Early reviews are mostly encouraging, though, and the brand has an excellent track record of making sturdy, dependable appliances of all types, including one of our favorite plug-in vacuums.
Everything we recommend
Our pick
Dyson V7 Motorhead
Cordless convenience, great on rugs
Dyson sticks are much better at cleaning rugs than any other brand's cordless vacuums in this price range. This base-model Dyson V7 has enough battery life to clean most apartments and some smaller houses on a single charge.
Runner-up
Tineco Pure One S11
Decent cleaner for Dyson haters
This cordless stick vacuum has swappable battery packs, as well as a trigger lock (so you don't have to keep the trigger squeezed). Though it's not as strong as a Dyson, the Tineco has a dirt sensor and headlight that make up for that by helping you figure out where to concentrate your efforts.
Buying Options
Budget pick
Hoover Linx
Comfortable and durable, for easy jobs
This affordable cordless vacuum offers good-enough handling and sufficient power to tackle easy jobs on bare floors, and it comes with a decade's worth of solid reviews. It doesn't double as a handheld vacuum, though.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $190 .
Budget pick
Upgrade pick
Dyson V15 Detect
Exceptional cleaning, clever features
This high-end Dyson cleans carpets better than lots of plug-in vacuums, and has plenty of battery life for most homes. It also comes with loads of useful features like a bare-floor brush with a laser headlight, and an LCD with data readouts.
Upgrade pick
Miele Triflex HX1
Premium comfort and durability
The Triflex's innovative convertible design makes it more comfortable to use than the Dyson V11, and it's the next-strongest cleaner behind the V11, too. Only time will tell if it's sturdier than typical cordless vacs, but Miele has earned the benefit of the doubt.
Why you should trust us
Liam McCabe has written about vacuums for Wirecutter since 2013. He's logged hundreds of hours researching and testing a few dozen cordless vacuums, and well over 100 vacuums total (including plug-ins, handhelds, and robots). Wirecutter staff writer Sarah Bogdan, who has been on the vacuum beat since 2016, including a stint at the Good Housekeeping Institute, also devised and performed some of our tests.
We tested 12 new models for this late-2020 update alone, on top of about a dozen others that we'd previously tested and that are still widely available. In addition to our own testing, we've talked with dozens of real-life cordless-vacuum owners who live in all kinds of homes; read feedback from our readers about our picks; scanned hundreds of vacuum reviews on retail websites; compared our findings to other reviews at sources such as CNET, Consumer Reports, Vacuum Wars, and Good Housekeeping; and talked with representatives from several notable cordless-vacuum brands, including Miele, Roborock, Hoover, and LG. We even interviewed Sir James Dyson himself.
Are cordless vacuums worth it?
If you've ever skipped vacuuming (maybe for weeks at a time) because your heavy, bulky, plug-in vacuum feels like a huge burden, then a cordless vacuum could be a life-changer.
Most cordless models are skinny, lightweight, stick-style vacuums that are easy to handle, even on stairs or in cramped spaces. Because they're compact and often come with wall-mountable charging docks, it's common to store them in plain sight, rather than stuffed in a closet. Plus, you don't need to unwrap a cord, find an outlet, and deal with tangles and snags. That all lowers the barrier to actually using your vacuum, so you might find yourself cleaning more often—and living with fresher air, tidier floors, and cleaner feet as a result.
Cordless vacuums have been around for a few decades. But up until a few years ago, they were all weak cleaners meant for easy tasks—mostly vacuuming bare floors. If that's the role you still want your cordless vacuum to fill, one of our budget picks would be a good choice.
But today, some cordless sticks are good enough to be the primary cleaner in almost any home, digging dust and grit out of thick rugs, keeping up with hairy pets, and packing enough battery life to handle sprawling square footage.
As a bonus, most modern cordless stick vacuums can also transform into handheld vacuums, for super-convenient above-floor (upholstery or ceiling cobwebs, for example) and car cleaning.
Plus, they tend to be easy to maintain. They're almost all bagless, and they typically come with filters and brush belts that are meant to last the life of the vacuum. They also come apart in several key places, so clogs are easy to clear. A two-year warranty is the norm in the industry, but there are some exceptions.
Once you've gotten used to a cordless vacuum, it's really hard to go back to using a plug-in. Part of me wishes I'd never tried the Dyson DC59, widely regarded as the first cordless vacuum that could take the place of a plug-in (at least in an apartment). I can't un-know how convenient sticks can be, so I'm doomed to feel like plug-ins are a pain in the ass. Realistically, I'm going to spend an extra $1,000 on vacuums in the next few decades than I probably would if I'd just stuck with something sensible like a Shark Navigator plug-in.
Cordless vs. corded vacuums: the downsides of going cord-free
Because they use batteries, cordless vacuums are much more expensive and less reliable than plug-ins.
The most common complaint we hear is that owners expected better suction or cleaning power for their money. If you're used to a good plug-in vacuum, you'll need to reset your expectations. Expect to pay about three times as much for comparable cleaning power. A well-known $30 plug-in stick vacuum works about as well as a top-selling $100 cordless vac, for example, while a popular $150 corded upright cleans like an elite $500 battery-powered stick.
You should also expect a cordless vacuum to last about half as long as a comparable plug-in vacuum. There's a growing body of evidence that a notable percentage of battery packs in vacuums (and other small appliances) go bad after just a few years, if not sooner. The packs are expensive to replace, and we've found that several brands do not reliably keep spares available at all, so you might just have to replace the whole vacuum. Plus, sticks are still prone to the same clogs, cracked plastic, and other mechanical failures as plug-in machines. So if you choose a cordless vacuum, you can expect to pay extra in the long run.
If any of those downsides make you queasy, or if you live in a really big home (battery life is a limiting factor), have delicate flooring (cordless models don't tend to come with gentle cleaning heads), or have severe allergies or asthma (bagged vacuums can help), you might want to consider another type of vacuum. We have recommendations for all kinds, for many different floors, budgets, and handling preferences. (Don't forget about robot vacuums, which are even more convenient than cordless sticks and are often in the same price range.)
How we picked and tested
As of 2021, plenty of cordless vacuums are (finally) good enough to be the primary vacuum cleaner in most homes.
We're recommending two models each within three different price tiers (so six vacuums total). In each tier, one pick prioritizes cleaning ability (particularly on carpets), and the other is focused on comfort, convenience, and ease of use. Based on specs, reviews, experience with older models from some brands, and reader requests, we've tested more than 20 models that are currently available, including the Dyson V7 Motorhead, Dyson V8 Absolute, Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal, Dyson V11 Torque Drive, Dyson V11 Outsize, Dyson V15 Detect, Shark Ion F80 MultiFlex, Shark Rocket Pet Pro, Tineco A10 Master, Tineco Pure One S11, LG CordZero A9 (and the similar A9 Kompressor), Ryobi ONE+ EverCharge, Black+Decker PowerSeries Extreme, Bissell AirRam, Bissell IconPet Pro, Roborock H6 Adapt, Hoover OnePwr Evolve Pet, Eufy S11 Infinity, Eureka Stylus Premium, Miele Triflex HX1 Pro, Lupe Pure Cordless, Moosoo XL-618A, Aposen H250, and a handful of others over the past couple of years.
Here's how we evaluated them:
Cleaning ability
Carpet-cleaning performance was our main focus—it's a vacuum's most important job, after all. Plenty of cordless vacuums work well on short rugs with debris like crumbs, grit, and most hair. The real test is how a vacuum performs on longer, denser rugs, since most models struggle to dig out clingy debris (like dust or embedded hair) from these types of fibers.
Using different suction settings (when they're available), we test how each vacuum performs on all types of rugs with several types of debris. The main tests we run measure performance on both a loose, low-pile rug and a dense, plush, medium-pile rug, by weighing how much of a 45-gram mixed batch of sand and baking soda each vacuum can pick up.
But there's nothing like a real-world mess, so I also let the rugs around my house (a mix of all types) get dirty for a few weeks (lots of long cat and human hair, plus toddler crumbs) before a big batch of testing. Then I try out the top performers from the first trials.
Bare-floor performance is important, too. Although most models will completely clean uncarpeted surfaces after a few passes, not many will grab everything on the first or second push. Snowplowing—when big debris, like Cheerios or mulch, gets pushed around by a low-riding cleaning head—is a common problem at every price. (Some models struggle with big debris even if you plop the cleaning head right on top of the mess.) Most sticks don't have the option to turn off the brush roll, so they tend to scatter debris like cat litter (though there's usually a workaround, such as a special brush or just removing the cleaning head). It's also hit or miss as to whether a model will reliably clean up powdery debris, particularly when it's stuck in gaps between floorboards.
On bare floors, we tested each stick to see how well it did with Cheerios, cat litter, and a thin layer of flour. We found that a headlight really helped with the flour pickup in this test, as well as with other dusty debris and hair in general, simply because we could see it, so we were less likely to accidentally skip over it.
For what it's worth, specs and measurements of raw power do not reliably tell you how well a vacuum works. We tested most models' suction with a specialized gauge and some models' airflow with an anemometer. We also made a note of each model's advertised cleaning power, typically displayed in kilopascals (a measurement of suction) or air watts (a blend of suction and airflow), though sometimes the vacuum's motor wattage is the only spec available. All we really learned was that you can't count on any of these figures to tell you how effective a vacuum will be. More suction tends to help, but there are plenty of models with relatively weak suction (at least according to our tests) that picked up much more debris than models with stronger suction or airflow. Clearly, the brush roll and cleaning head design play a huge part in cleaning performance.
Comfort, convenience, and ease of use
Cordless vacuums tend to be lightweight, slim, and easy to steer, even in cramped areas. That's great for pretty much anyone in any home. It's especially handy if you need to carry your vacuum between different levels (and to clean the stairs in between), or if you have a tight floor plan with a lot of walls and furniture (as many small apartments do). The lightest cordless sticks are just a few pounds, and even the beefiest models weigh about as much as small plug-in uprights.
However, a lot of popular cordless sticks are top-heavy, with the bulk of the weight resting in your hand rather than near the floor. Certain models also have trigger-style power switches that need to be squeezed constantly to keep the vacuum running (Dyson models, most notably). By the end of a long cleaning session, that combination can be uncomfortable for anyone, and it can be especially painful for people with chronic wrist, hand, or forearm pain.
The good news is that as of 2021, there are plenty of models with better weight distribution and standard toggle-type power switches. You can now buy a great cordless machine that's relatively comfortable to handle, if that's your priority.
We paid close attention to how comfortable it was to clean with each vacuum; several of our picks are among the easiest-to-handle models that also offer good cleaning performance for the price.
Other sources of either delight or dismay that we looked for included: what it's like to empty the dust bin; whether the vacuum can stand up on its own, in an included floor stand, or in a wall-mounted dock for storage; and the variety and usefulness of extra attachments that come with each vacuum.
Battery
Our rule of thumb for battery life: Take the square footage of your home and divide it by 50. That's how many minutes you'll need (give or take) to clean your whole place in a single session, including a quick pass over the upholstery and the occasional cobweb on the ceiling. So if your apartment is 1,150 square feet, you'll need about 23 minutes of battery life to clean it all in one go.
Most people will rarely need even that much run time. Cordless vacuums are convenient enough that owners seem to get into the habit of cleaning in shorter bursts—maybe whenever they notice a mess, or in one or two rooms at a time—rather than doing a whole-house cleanup once a week.
You can get a vacuum with extra battery life if you want it, but it's usually a value trap. The price of lithium batteries (which power most cordless vacuums) has fallen but is still high, and you can easily overpay for extra minutes you'll rarely use. There are some reasonably priced models with long run times, but they tend to be too weak to work well on rugs.
Most of the time, the advertised battery life is about the same as the real-life run time. We confirm this by running the vacuum with no breaks, on medium-pile carpet (these are the harshest conditions for a battery and should result in the shortest possible battery life).
You may find yourself trying to choose between built-in (or screw-in) battery packs and click-in (or swappable) battery packs. We don't think the distinction is very important for most people because, again, you probably don't need as much battery life as you think you will.
Click-in packs give you the flexibility to extend the run time as long as you want and to charge packs separately from the vacuum. But there's no guarantee that they're easier to replace than built-in packs; we've found plenty of instances where spare click-in packs become unavailable within a year. (Contrary to popular belief, built-in packs are usually replaceable with a screwdriver.) But if the type of pack matters to you, pick whichever you prefer—there are good vacuums in both styles, and we have recommendations for both types.
Reliability
This catch-all term includes day-to-day reliability, long-term durability, repairability, ease of maintenance, warranty coverage, and customer service.
Our take: The category is too new, with too many models coming out all the time, to draw strong conclusions here. Statistics are hard to come by (and those that are available are flawed), most brands haven't been around long enough to generate useful historical data, and the changes from model to model are often significant enough that the historical data isn't very useful anyway. We look at owner ratings on Amazon and at other retailers to try to figure out if there are any obvious design flaws or quality-control issues (though it's hard to spot any obvious patterns until a vacuum has been out for at least six months). Warranties and customer service are hit or miss across all brands.
On the plus side, basic maintenance tends to be simple, and you'll rarely, if ever, have to replace consumable parts like filters or brush belts.
Our best guess is that you'll get something like three to five years of good use out of a typical cordless vacuum (depending on how you use it) before you need to replace an expensive part like the battery or cleaning head.
Filtration
This was not a major distinguishing factor in our picks. That's partly because vacuums with poor filtration tend to be bad at a lot of other things a vacuum is supposed to do. But also, restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic kept us out of our test space, which has air-quality-monitoring equipment, so we weren't able to test for this throughout 2020 and into early 2021. In the meantime, the filtration tests in Vacuum Wars's video reviews are worth checking out. And in general, if you have serious allergies or asthma, the conventional wisdom is that you'll be better off with a vacuum that collects debris in a self-sealing, disposable bag (or that uses water filtration).
Our pick: Dyson V7 Motorhead (or almost any Dyson), for carpet-cleaning prowess
Our pick
Dyson V7 Motorhead
Cordless convenience, great on rugs
Dyson sticks are much better at cleaning rugs than any other brand's cordless vacuums in this price range. This base-model Dyson V7 has enough battery life to clean most apartments and some smaller houses on a single charge.
Dyson is a premium brand, but its entry-level stick vacuums are actually the most affordable cordless models with enough power to dig clingy dust and hair out of most rugs. Other vacuums have more battery life, comfier handling, or better bare-floor pickup. But if you think effective carpet cleaning is a vacuum's most important job, a Dyson is easily the best option for the money.
Dyson's lineup is in a state of flux as of spring 2021, and we're not certain which models will remain consistently available throughout the year. But nearly any affordable Dyson model from the V7 or V8 line will be a safe bet—we've tested both. The lowest-cost option is often the Dyson V7 Motorhead, but some days it might be a slightly upgraded model like the Dyson V8 Animal. We'll mostly refer to the V7 in this section, but our points apply to both lines, and we'll talk more about the differences between the variants later in this section. (Just watch out for models with "Fluffy" in the name—they come with a cleaning head that's excellent on bare floors, but they don't come with one that will work well on rugs.) Dyson's higher-end models are excellent as well, and you should consider one if you're comfortable with their higher prices; we cover them separately, later in this guide.
In our controlled tests, the V7 sucked more sand and baking soda out of more kinds of rugs than other cordless vacuums at this price (and some pricier models, too), including popular sticks from brands like Tineco, Shark, Bissell, and others. It performed better on its lower-suction, battery-preserving setting than many (though not all) other vacuums do on their maximum-suction, battery-draining settings. On its Max setting, the V7 outperformed plenty of other models that cost much more.
But the V7 really stood out in our real-world, around-the-house testing, where it consistently dredged up more hair and dust than its closest competitors. The difference was especially noticeable on thicker rugs, where it completely outclassed other sticks at this price (and many beyond it). We're not sure why the Dyson V7 beat its competitors so soundly—the suction isn't any stronger than that of most competitors—but the advantage was clear. What's even more impressive is that we ran these tests with a heavily used V7 Motorhead, and it still beat a bunch of brand-new machines.
Apart from the cleaning performance, the V7 is pretty typical of cordless vacuums at this price, with lightweight (but top-heavy) handling, enough battery life to clean most apartments or small houses in a single session (but not larger homes), and relatively easy maintenance (but not-so-great reliability).
Most of what we've said about the V7 Motorhead applies to any other variants within the V7 or V8 series, so get whichever one suits your needs and your budget.
Any Dyson model with V7 in the name has the same battery life and raw cleaning power as the V7 Motorhead, but individual variants (such as the V7 HEPA or V7 Animal) might come with different tools, cleaning heads, or filters. (There's also a handheld-only version, the V7 Trigger, which is our upgrade pick in our guide to the best handheld vacuums.)
If you step up from the V7 to the V8, you'll get about eight extra minutes of battery life on the standard setting, not quite two extra minutes on the boosted-power setting, slightly stronger suction on Max mode at 115 air watts (up from 100), a slightly larger dustbin, a slightly larger-diameter cleaning head, and about 5 ounces of extra heft due to the larger battery. And again, different variants of the V8 come with different tools, cleaning heads, or filters.
Keep an eye out for deals on the V7 Absolute or V8 Absolute in particular. These come with the standard carpet-cleaning head, a second head with a soft-fabric roller (Dyson calls it the Fluffy) that's excellent at cleaning bare floors (which is one of the weak points of other variants), plus a mini motorized brush for cleaning upholstery and stairs. Dyson also sells certified refurbished stick vacuums.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
One of the most common complaints about Dyson stick vacuums, including the V7 and V8, is the trigger-style power switch. It needs to be squeezed constantly to keep the machine running. Combined with the top-heavy weight distribution, that can be tiring and uncomfortable over longer cleaning sessions (and possibly too painful for people with hand or wrist pain). Nearly all other current cordless vacuums have simpler on/off power toggles now. Sir James Dyson himself told us in an interview that the company will be moving away from the trigger-style power switches in future models. The new OmniGlide hard-floor cleaner already does away with the trigger, and some upcoming models will as well. "The reason we did it was to save battery power," Dyson said, "but people felt they had to press it hard. So we're dropping it."
The V7 and V8 also use built-in battery packs, so when the vacuum is out of juice (about 25 minutes for the V7 and 35 minutes for the V8 with regular suction for most surfaces, and 6 minutes for the V7 versus 8 minutes for the V8 on Max mode for thicker rugs), you're done cleaning for a few hours. Most people can be perfectly comfortable with these run times, but if you want more battery life, you'll need to pick a different model. (To be clear, the built-in packs are replaceable with a screwdriver when they fail. Dyson's official replacements are expensive and not always in stock, but that's also true of most other reputable brands's spare packs. Knockoffs are available, but buyer beware.)
Other potential irritants include: a dustbin that ejects debris like a mini T-shirt cannon (even if you aren't quite aiming at the trash can) and that can get creaky and hard to slide over time; customer service that's generally good by industry standards but still occasionally has long hold times, clueless or evasive representatives, or out-of-stock spare parts; and the model's inability to stand up on its own (though it does come with a wall-mountable charging dock, and third-party floor stands are available online).
What about Dyson's reliability?
Dyson sticks aren't particularly durable, long-lasting, or affordable to repair. But there's little evidence that other brands' cordless vacs are any better. If you want a long-lasting vacuum that's likely to give you more years of service for your money, your safest bet is to get a plug-in model.
It does seem like Dyson cordless vacuums receive more criticism for their poor reliability than other cordless brands. You'll find plenty of comments at the bottom of this article suggesting that the quality is below average, and there's no shortage of harsh reviews on retail sites about Dyson sticks that broke within a few years (or less).
Consumer Reports also published an article in 2019 announcing that it no longer recommended Dyson vacuums because of poor reliability. Since then we've had a steady stream of readers ask us why, if Consumer Reports warns against them, we still recommend Dyson vacuums.
Check this out: In January 2020, we asked Consumer Reports a couple of pointed questions about its ratings, and a spokesperson told us that, actually, Dyson cordless vacuums are just as reliable as any other brand of cordless vacuums that had earned a Very Good or Excellent reliability rating.
"When we looked at the raw problem rates of Dyson vs. cord-free stick vacuums in general, it appeared that Dyson wasn't more problematic than cord-free vacuums made by other brands," a spokesperson from CR told Wirecutter.
In June 2020, Consumer Reports updated the way that it rates cordless vacuums, and Dyson no longer looks like such a loser. Previously, CR had lumped all corded and cordless stick vacuums into the same category (a point we confirmed with a CR spokesperson). But that misclassification led to an unfair advantage for brands that sold plug-in stick vacuums, which are inherently more reliable. Now, CR has split corded and cordless models into separate categories, and Dyson sits near the top of the cordless category once again. (That said, CR doesn't award its official Recommended status to any cordless vacuums at all, because they're all so much less reliable than plug-in models. Note, however, that CR's original article calling out Dyson is still the top search result for "Dyson reliability" as of September 2020, and it hasn't been updated to note that CR has changed its categorizations.)
As for the surplus of critical owner ratings, we mostly chalk that up to Dyson's overwhelming dominance and years-long head start in this category. Between about 2014 and 2018, Dyson had no serious competitors—everything else was much weaker. Dyson was the only decent choice for a while, so there's been more time for negative reviews to pile up on Dyson vacuums. We looked at reviews for competing models from the past few years, and they have their fair share of poor ratings and tales of early breakdowns, too. It's going to be a while before anyone can make accurate comparisons with other brands' sticks that have cleaning power in the same ballpark as a Dyson. Also, Dyson's smug, our-design-is-perfect marketing style sets owners up for a bigger disappointment when their stuff doesn't work as well as they'd hoped.
Runner-up: Tineco Pure One S11, for ease of use
Runner-up
Tineco Pure One S11
Decent cleaner for Dyson haters
This cordless stick vacuum has swappable battery packs, as well as a trigger lock (so you don't have to keep the trigger squeezed). Though it's not as strong as a Dyson, the Tineco has a dirt sensor and headlight that make up for that by helping you figure out where to concentrate your efforts.
Buying Options
If you can't stand Dyson's cramp-inducing trigger-type power switch or the constraints of its built-in batteries, then the Tineco Pure One S11 is a decent alternative to the Dyson V7 or V8.
Comfort is one of the main things that separates the Tineco S11 from the sometimes-awkward Dyson V7. The S11 weighs about as much as the Dyson V7, but the weight is distributed in a way that makes it feel lighter. And though it has a trigger-style power switch, you can also flip a small lever to hold the trigger down, so you won't have to constantly squeeze it.
The Tineco S11 also uses a click-in, swappable battery pack, so the only limit on run time is how much you're willing to spend on spare batteries (though, as we've argued, extra battery life tends to be overrated). The S11 comes with a single pack, which runs anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, depending on which mode you use and how dirty your floors are (more on that shortly). Spare batteries cost $90 at the time of writing; note that spare batteries for the A10 and A11 models, which are only a couple years old, don't seem to be available anywhere, so it's probably unwise to assume that S11 spares will always be available.
The S11 can be a decent cleaner, but it's not a standout. It did well in most of our carpet-cleaning tests when it was running at maximum suction, picking up a similar amount of sand and baking soda as the Dyson V7. However, in real-world testing, it didn't dig up nearly as much embedded hair and dust as the V7—particularly on its default, battery-saving suction setting, where it was notably weak. Bare-floor cleaning was okay at best, aided by a headlight but hindered by difficulties picking up very large debris, even with the suction turned up.
Debris detection is a unique and mildly useful feature. The S11 has a ring of LEDs that changes color when the vacuum senses it's sucking something up, so the driver gets a visual cue to spend extra time on the dirtiest spots. And when the S11 senses a big mess, it automatically turns up the suction. It's not a life-changing thing, but we did like how it helped us focus our efforts in around-the-house cleaning.
Tineco's reputation is a bit of an unknown. It's a sub-brand of EcoVacs, the biggest vacuum manufacturer in China (and therefore probably the world) and best-known in the US for making some decent robot vacuums. According to publicly available import records (subscription required), EcoVacs has also manufactured vacuums for Shark (including newer versions of the beloved Navigator line of plug-ins) and Bissell. As enormous as its manufacturing operation is, its brand presence in the US is still relatively small, so we don't know what to expect in terms of customer or product support. What we do know about its product quality is nothing to get excited about—the company's robots tend to break within a couple of years.
We've tested a handful of similar Tineco vacuums, and even though we think the S11 has the best balance of performance and features for the price, you could consider the other models. There's the base model A10, which we found to be an okay cleaner if you have short rugs and bare floors, but it's obviously weaker than our picks. We haven't tested the A11, but specs suggest it's stronger than the A10 and weaker than the S11. Neither A-series model has the debris-detection feature. We did test the top-of-the-line S12, which is like the S11 with extra suction (but still with less deep-cleaning ability than a Dyson). Each model comes in a few different variants, differentiated by extra attachments, brush rolls, or battery packs included in the package.
Budget picks: Hoover Linx and Black+Decker PowerSeries Extreme
Budget pick
Hoover Linx
Comfortable and durable, for easy jobs
This affordable cordless vacuum offers good-enough handling and sufficient power to tackle easy jobs on bare floors, and it comes with a decade's worth of solid reviews. It doesn't double as a handheld vacuum, though.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $190 .
Budget pick
If you want a cheaper stick vacuum that won't break too quickly and works fine for easy jobs, we'd recommend the Hoover Linx. If your priority instead is to get decent cordless carpet cleaning for little money, the Black+Decker PowerSeries Extreme is usually the most affordable option that's good on rugs (at least with some types of debris).
The Hoover Linx
The Linx is a hoss, at least by the low standards of cordless vacuums. Other cheap stick vacuums perform well out of the box and earn decent ratings in their few first months of use, but the critical reviews begin to pile up within a year. Meanwhile, the Linx abides. It's been available since 2009, and Wirecutter has recommended it on and off since 2014. We like it because it's more durable than the legion of low-quality sticks we've seen come and go. Over the past decade, the owner rating has held steady, which is a testament to this model's all-around decent-ness. The Linx isn't invincible, but it should work fine for a few years—long enough that most owners tend to feel like they've gotten their money's worth. To wit: The first Linx unit we tested for this guide, back in 2014, still works as of 2020. (We bought one new battery along the way, for $60.)
The Linx won't pull much hair or dust out of any rugs, nor will it grab crumbs or grit nearly as effectively as the also-affordable Black+Decker PowerSeries Extreme. But it keeps surfaces looking and feeling tidy, so you won't feel much stuff stuck to the bottoms of your feet, and that's typical for the price. The traditional upright design, with a low center of gravity, also makes it more comfortable to drive than the top-heavy modern sticks that have dominated the category since Dyson introduced its iconic trigger-style design.
Remember: The Linx is meant for a relatively light workload. Don't expect it to clean plush carpets or to keep up with three dogs' worth of hair (not without clogging, anyway). When we say it should last at least a few years before the important parts wear out, that assumes you'll be using it for about 30 minutes per week. (It comes with a two-year warranty.) And, unlike most vacuums now, the Linx doesn't convert into a handheld vacuum or have a hose, so it can't clean your shelves, furniture, or car. So for tougher and more-frequent jobs, you have to upgrade.
Hoover has made a couple of versions of the Linx, but we've confirmed that they're essentially the same machine and "different in terms of looks only." The most common variant these days is the Linx Signature BH50020PC, but if you find the BH50010, it's also good.
If you need cleaner rugs than the Linx can offer, but you also want to spend as little as possible on a cordless vacuum, the cheapest model we'd recommend is the Black+Decker PowerSeries Extreme. (But, again, plug-in vacuums are always the smart-money option.)
The Black+Decker PowerSeries Extreme
This Black+Decker is a surprisingly adept carpet cleaner for the price. It actually sucked up a similar amount of gritty debris as the Dyson V7 in our tests (though not nearly as much pet hair, and hardly any fine dust). We chalk that up to the cleaning head, which feels like it grips the floor in a way that's uncommon among cordless vacuums—and totally unique at this price.
The Black+Decker is nothing special on bare floors. We measured relatively weak suction, and this is why we think it struggles with debris that's very heavy (mulch) or very light (flour). But the Black+Decker is among the minority of stick vacs that let you shut off the brush roll so that it won't scatter hard debris like cat litter. It also has a headlight, which is always helpful for spotting fine debris, though this one is pretty weak.
Even though the PowerSeries Extreme's battery has an average run time (12 minutes on the maximum suction setting, and about 20 on the middle setting), it's noteworthy because it's the same battery used in many Black+Decker power tools. If you've already bought into that system, you might have some spares lying around. If you like the idea of buying an entire battery-powered system, maybe this is an attractive feature. (Wirecutter's resident tool expert, senior staff writer Doug Mahoney, warns that B+D tools "are not great" and "pretty flimsy," so take that for what it's worth.) At the very least, it means there should be plenty of spare batteries available for several years, including some affordable knockoffs (though third-party packs may pose additional safety risks).
The low point is the awful dustbin. It falls off too easily if you bump it. We always struggled to reattach it because it has no tactile cues for where to line it up and no audible click when it slots into place. It's not a trap-door-style bin, either, so you'll need to pull off the filter by hand (often getting dusty in the process) to dump it out.
We don't know what to expect in terms of reliability. We recommend a few Black+Decker handheld vacuums, and they seem sturdy enough. But the brand's stick vacuums have been so bad for so long that, frankly, we haven't paid any attention to how reliable they've been lately. We'll have to wait and see.
Upgrade picks: Dyson V15 (or V11) and Miele Triflex HX1
Upgrade pick
Dyson V15 Detect
Exceptional cleaning, clever features
This high-end Dyson cleans carpets better than lots of plug-in vacuums, and has plenty of battery life for most homes. It also comes with loads of useful features like a bare-floor brush with a laser headlight, and an LCD with data readouts.
Upgrade pick
Miele Triflex HX1
Premium comfort and durability
The Triflex's innovative convertible design makes it more comfortable to use than the Dyson V11, and it's the next-strongest cleaner behind the V11, too. Only time will tell if it's sturdier than typical cordless vacs, but Miele has earned the benefit of the doubt.
If you're willing to throw down the cash for a machine that cleans better than any cordless (and many plug-in) vacuums from any other brand we've tested, upgrade to a higher-end Dyson model—the Dyson V15 Detect is especially great. But if you're after the most comfortable and possibly most durable cordless vacuum—that's still a powerful cleaner—consider the Miele Triflex HX1.
The Dyson V15 or V11
Dyson's higher-end vacuums, including the Dyson V11 and V15, are fantastic cleaners. For cleaning rugs, they're the category leaders by a mile. Even the mid-range Cyclone V10 is really good for the price. And depending on which variant you get, they're either very good or excellent for cleaning bare floors, too.
In our around-the-house testing, we found that the V11 and V15 picked up an astounding amount of fine dust and hair from rugs, even after we'd already cleaned those rugs with other vacuums. The V11 and V15 are the only cordless vacuums we've tested that dredge up any noticeable amount of super-fine, flaky or powdery debris from carpets—the sort of dross that you don't know is there until you use a good vacuum. I've personally used a V11 regularly for two years and counting (I bought one after returning the unit that Dyson initially loaned to Wirecutter), and I am still amazed and disgusted by how much dust it picks up, week after week.
The V15 Detect in particular is so strong that it essentially defeated our controlled rug-cleaning tests. On its middle (Auto) power and cleaning head settings, the V15 Detect picked up nearly all of the sand and baking soda that we'd laid out on both a low-pile rug (98%) and, more impressively, a dense, medium-pile rug (96%). Very few cordless vacuums can match that cleaning power even on their highest power settings, and none even come close on their lower settings. When we cranked it up to its top power setting, the V15 managed to pick up a full 100% of the debris we laid out on both types of rugs.
The next-best performer in our tests was the Dyson V11, which still handily outperforms everything else we've tried. Dyson told us that though the V15 and V11 have the same motor, the V15 is stronger because the company tweaked the cyclonic separators for more power; it's too soon to tell whether that change might affect reliability.
We also tested a Cyclone V10 years ago, before we started using our current test, so we don't have the data to make comparative statements, but it has similar hardware to the V11's and should work almost as well.
Another useful feature on both the V11 and V15 is Auto mode, which adjusts its suction to make the most of the battery life. It works a little differently depending on the model. For the V11, the suction will automatically change depending on the floor type, using a brush-resistance sensor. For the V15, the suction changes depending on how dirty an area is, based on what the built-in particle counter finds (more on that feature in a bit). The carpet-cleaning head also has adjustable "gates," which give you a little more control over the cleaning performance. The gates can be closed to increase the cleaning power, opened to allow big debris like breakfast cereal under the head (preventing "snowplowing"), or set in between.
The battery life for the V11 and V15 is ample, anywhere from nine to 60 minutes depending on the power setting, but typically around 30 to 40 minutes on Auto mode. Plenty of other cordless vacuums have similar or even longer run-times, but they aren't as powerful as these Dyson models, so it's an imperfect comparison. All the latest-generation V11 and V15 models also use swappable, click-in batteries, so you can buy spare packs to extend the run time if you think you'll need it. (That's a change from previous Dyson models, including the V11 when it was initially launched.) The packs are $140 each, though cheaper knockoffs are now available if you're willing to risk it. Our advice: Give yourself a few weeks with the single pack before you splurge on a spare—you'll probably be comfortable with just one.
The other feature that makes it a true pleasure to use the V15 and certain V11 variants (not the Animal) is the LCD screen. It's mostly useful because it provides a real-time battery-life countdown, which eases the "range anxiety" of worrying about how much time you have left to clean, as well as the rushed feeling that accompanies that uncertainty. We haven't tested any other vacuums with a feature like this yet. The LCD can also display animated maintenance reminders and troubleshooting tips, which is a feature that we haven't seen on any other vacuums, either.
If the V11 already does so much stuff well, why would someone spend an extra $100 for the V15? Because it has a handful of extra features that are easily worth the money, at least for some people, and there's nothing about it that's worse than the V11—it's a strictly better vacuum cleaner.
We've already discussed the V15's extra suction, and it also comes with better cleaning heads and attachments than the V11. The V15's carpet-cleaning head is essentially the same as the V11's, plus an anti-tangle comb. It's nothing sophisticated—just some rough plastic teeth at the back of the head—but it passively shreds any hair that gets tangled around the roller, so that you shouldn't have to cut it away by hand as often (or maybe ever). After six weeks of steady testing, we found no tangles on this brush. Similar anti-tangle features from other brands (like Shark) seem to increase the likelihood of clogs forming in the cleaning head, even if the brush stays clean; we'll have to wait for more user reviews to see if that happens with the V15.
We tested a version of the V15 Detect that has a sheathed combo-crevice tool built into the shaft of the vacuum (check out the photo below). It was incredibly convenient to have the tool built right into the vacuum, and it made it even more convenient than usual for a stick vac to switch into a ready-for-action handheld mode. We haven't seen anything like this on any other cordless vacuum.
However, you can't buy it yet in North America, as of April 2021. Dyson led us to believe that this sheathed tool feature would be included on all V15 Detect vacuums. They demonstrated the sheathed tool for us in a video briefing about the V15 (and other new vacuums) in late January 2021, and loaned us a unit with the sheathed tool to test in early February 2021. However, the version of the V15 Detect models that was released to the public in late March 2021 does not have this feature. (If you bought a V15 based on our recommendation expecting this feature, sorry!) Dyson says that the sheathed tool will be included with the V15 Detect+, which is due to be released in June 2021. That variant will also come with a spare battery. No word on pricing, but it's probably safe to assume it will cost more than the regular V15 Detect.
And then there's the Fluffy head. It makes the V15 excellent on bare floors, rather than merely "very good," as it would be with the default carpet-cleaning head. The roller is covered in soft microfiber fabric, which is great for a couple of reasons. The microfiber helps the head glide smoothly across wood and tile and linoleum and other hard surfaces. It's also better at reliably grabbing the kinds of debris that the stiff-bristled carpet-cleaning head can struggle with. Fine, clingy dust is one example. Pebbly debris like cat litter is another, as is large, "snowplowable" debris like Fruit Loops.
Dyson has made a version of the Fluffy head for a half decade (and plenty of other brands have copied it). A Fluffy comes packaged with some V7 and V8 models, and will work with the V10 and V11 if you purchase the head separately. But the Fluffy that comes with the V15 is a souped-up version of the old design. It's one of the lowest-profile cleaning heads we've used, which helps it sneak under shelves and other furniture.
The V15 Fluffy also has a headlight—a green laser headlight. Headlights are always useful on a vacuum because they can reveal dust and hair that you simply can't spot with the naked eye in normal lighting. They guide your path, showing what areas still need to be cleaned and reassuring you that the vacuum is actually picking up debris. Usually headlights are just a strip of white LEDs, and they work great. Does the Fluffy's headlight really need to be a laser? In typical Dyson fashion, it's part flashy gimmick, part actual innovation. The laser really does do a better job illuminating debris in brighter rooms and on lighter-colored floors than the LED headlights we've used. A Dyson representative also told us that since lasers are more compact than LEDs, that allowed its engineers to fit this type of light into the Fluffy's low-profile chassis, as well as to situate it very low to the ground, at a shallow angle, diffused widely, so the light glistens off more fine debris.
The laser is a bit over the top, but we can't think of any major downsides compared to a standard LED headlight. One nitpick is that it's almost too good at lighting up the floor—not just debris but also un-vacuumable, irritating flaws like scratches and dents and uneven boards that you might prefer not to know about. The laser's shade of cyberpunk green might look odd or uninviting to some people, too. Dyson reps told us that they tested other colors, but found that green did the best job highlighting debris.
One downside to the Fluffy is that it is not effective on rugs—it was terrible in our tests, but that's not what it's meant for. Another is that you have to manually switch between the heads. It's not complicated—you just press a big red button to release one, then slide the new head in until it clicks (just like switching attachments). But it's not elegant, either, since you'll need to store both heads separately, remember where you keep them, and crouch and fumble to switch them out. (Vacuums from Shark, Lupe, and some other brands avoid the awkward swapping by equipping their cleaning heads with both a soft-fabric roller and a stiff-bristle roller in the same chassis, and it works. But the trade-off is that they're awkwardly bulky.)
Then there's the V15's chief gimmick, the particle counter. Plenty of vacuums have a dust-sensor feature, including the Tineco Pure One S11 (a model that we recommend), and we think it's genuinely useful. At its best, it helps you focus your efforts on dirty areas and preserves battery life in clean areas. Dyson took this good idea way over the top. The V15 not only senses dust and adjusts the suction accordingly—it also estimates the exact number of particles that it's collecting, broken down into several different sizes (as small as 10 microns, which is a fraction of the width of a human hair) and displayed in a bar graph above the battery-life estimate on the LCD.
James Dyson told us that he had wanted to buy a particle counter like this for testing purposes when Dyson was a tiny company several decades ago, but it couldn't afford to spend $300,000 on it. Now, they've put something similar into a $700 vacuum, almost as a toss-in feature.
The particle counter is a cool engineering project, but we don't know what it really accomplishes in a vacuum cleaner. For one, it's really hard to verify whether it's counting accurately (though Wirecutter's resident air-quality expert and particle-counter user, senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, said he's willing to believe that it's reasonably accurate). But even if it's not, who cares? How important is it to know that you've collected 800,000,000 super-tiny particles and 1,500,000 medium-tiny particles? Do you feel cleaner when you can quantify your filth? Isn't that what the clear bin is for?
At best, the particle counter is more information for the kind of people who like to count and track everything. (I still don't know what you'd actually do with this info.) Most people will probably ignore it most of the time once the novelty has worn off. At worst, it could be a source of disgust or stress for people who don't want to know how many hundreds of thousands of dust mite eggs they've just collected or drive themselves batty hunting down the last 10,000 pollen spores that might be hiding on a bookshelf.
The first time I personally used the V15, I was astounded to learn from this vacuum that my bedroom, which had been cleaned by a Roomba the day before, could contain 300,000,000 of anything, especially since the dust bin appeared to be mostly empty when I was finished. The next few times I used the V15, I treated the particle count like a video game, trying to find every nook and crevice to jam the vacuum into so I could try to beat my high score. One time I caught 1.2 billion tiny particles, sick! Another time, the brush jammed on a small rug about halfway through my session (it can happen with any vacuum), and the particle count got reset, all of my work erased, you've got to be kidding me. I stopped paying attention at all after about a month. (No, I haven't used it to test how well other vacuum cleaners work—yet).
We've established that these Dyson vacuums are impressive, so what's the downside? The main one is that the V11 and V15 are exceptionally expensive vacuum cleaners. But there's no sign that they'll be more durable than other, more affordable cordless vacuums, let alone plug-in vacuums that clean just as well but cost many hundreds of dollars less.
Also, like the cheaper Dyson sticks, the V11 and V15 are top-heavy and use a trigger-style power switch, which you need to squeeze constantly. The switch can be uncomfortable to use for long sessions. (That said, we think that the V11 and V15 are actually more comfortable than the cheaper Dyson models, because their triggers don't need to be squeezed so hard, and their overall weight distribution is better). The extra bulk and wide snout also make the V11 and V15 unwieldy as handheld vacuums—they can't reach into super-tight spaces very well, even with the V15's built-in tools.
If you want a higher-end Dyson right now, here's what to know about all the variants as of March 2021.
The V15 Detect normally costs $700. The new Outsize (no V number) is the same as the V15 Detect, but with a wider carpet brush, bigger bin, and an extra battery for an extra $100. We think all the extra stuff will be overkill for most people, and it's even more top-heavy than the already heavy V15. That said, the older, similar V11 Outsize (now discontinued) had very good owner ratings, so this extra-large format works well for some people.
The Dyson V11 Animal normally costs $600. The V11 Torque Drive—which comes with extra clip-in tools and an info screen with the real-time battery-life countdown, maintenance reminders, and how-to animations—is no longer part of the "core" Dyson lineup, but company representatives said it would probably still be available in 2021. Other V11 variants are out there, too; the differences boil down to how many attachments you get and how much information you get on the screen.
You could even consider the older Dyson Cyclone V10. This model cleans almost as well as the V11, except that it doesn't have Auto mode or an LCD with a battery life readout. Dyson told us that the V10 Animal is part of the "core" lineup for 2021, should be consistently available through most retailers, and will normally cost $500. But we've seen other variants sell for as little as $350.
Miele Triflex HX1
If the V11 seems like it'll be too unwieldy, but you still want a premium cordless vacuum, consider the Miele Triflex HX1. It feels so good to use, right in the sweet spot between a traditional plug-in vacuum and a modern cordless vacuum. It's lightweight and easy to steer, without seeming creaky or hollow. It feels like it's hugging the ground, rather than simply rolling across the top of it, like most models, or pounding it, like some of the stronger ones.
The Triflex HX1 is also the only vacuum we know of that you can convert to two different formats—one like a versatile yet top-heavy Dyson, the other like a more-balanced, self-standing upright—simply by rearranging its parts. (In that sense, it really does split the difference between the old and new styles.) It takes only about 30 seconds to switch the arrangement, no tools needed. Like most sticks, the Triflex HX1 works as a handheld vacuum, too.
The Triflex is also an excellent cleaner on all surfaces. In our sand and baking soda pickup test, it actually outperformed the Dyson V11 on short rugs and nearly matched it on a thicker rug. The Triflex didn't quite match the V11 at finding fine dust buried in rugs, and it seems to get a bit more pet hair wrapped around its brush. But there's not much to complain about. It's also the second-best bare-floor cleaner we've tested among cordless vacuums (apart from sticks that come with a secondary soft roller, purpose-built for hard-surface cleaning). It sucked up debris of all weights and sizes like a magnet, even from the cracks between floorboards. (However, it did snowplow some large debris, like most sticks do.) We can't fully explain how; we actually found that the Triflex has relatively weak suction, so its effectiveness must have to do with the design of the cleaning head.
The main problem with the Triflex is the dust bin. It's clever, but there's a learning curve. To pop it off (and back onto) the vacuum, to empty the debris, and to get at the filter, you have to continue to twist the top of the assembly. But there aren't clear delineations between each step, so it's easy to overshoot and end up dumping the contents of the bin onto the floor. Reattaching the dust bin to the vacuum isn't intuitive, either, but we managed to get the hang of it after about five tries. Many owners can't get comfortable with it at all; more than 30% of all owner reviews on Amazon that are critical of the Miele Triflex cite the awkward dust bin as a pain point—the most common complaint by far.
The other open question is reliability. It's way too soon to tell whether the Triflex will prove to be durable over time. It's been out in Europe only since spring 2020 and in North America since summer 2020, and it's Miele's first-ever battery-powered vacuum. But if there's any appliance brand that has earned the benefit of the doubt, it's Miele. We recommend its expensive canister vacuums, washing machines, and dishwashers because the company has an unusually strong track record for reliability and longevity (20 years is common). Miele told us that it designed the Triflex with a 10-year lifespan in mind, and hopefully that's accurate. But if the lack of precedent makes you a bit nervous about spending so much money on a vacuum, we don't blame you.
Based on the reviews written by owners as of March 2021, the Triflex seems to be a reasonably reliable cordless vacuum. When owners cite a breakdown, it's most commonly related to the battery. That's not a huge surprise since it's Miele's first cordless vacuum, and the battery is the weak point for all cordless vacuums. The customer service is odd by modern standards, too; several owners have written that, instead of shipping the vacuums in for service, they've been told they'll have to drive the machine to an authorized technician, sometimes 50 miles away. That's standard practice for Miele's plug-in vacuums, but it's not the norm for cordless machines.
Three versions of the Triflex are available: The basic model comes with one battery and no headlight, the Cat & Dog model comes with a mini turbo brush for upholstery and special odor-reducing filters, and the Pro model comes with two battery packs and extra tools. (One battery pack lasts anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the power setting and whether the brush is attached. Spare packs are a whopping $160 each.)
Are refurbished cordless vacuums worth it?
You can sometimes find a good discount on gently used vacuums that have been reconditioned to work just as well as a brand-new one. We keep an eye out for notable deals on such models, and generally we recommend only those units that have been refurbished by the manufacturer (unless they come from sellers we've found to be reliable), have a minimum 90-day warranty, and can be returned for free (we've written elsewhere about our criteria for refurbished products in general). Although some refurbished vacs are available only from the manufacturer, many companies also sell them through storefronts on Amazon, eBay, or Newegg.
To see whether reconditioned vacuums are worth seeking out, we asked the manufacturers of some of our picks how they handle refurbished models.
Dyson takes models returned by retailers and customers, inspects them, and then disassembles them into sub-components. A representative from Dyson's US-based Reliability & Engineering Team told us that some items are immediately disqualified if they are too old or in poor condition, while others are passed on to the refurbishment line. From there, each part is cleaned, tested, and inspected. Minor defects are repaired, and parts are replaced as needed, including batteries that fail Dyson's testing. The unit is tested and inspected again after reassembly. Dyson sells its refurbs through the Dyson Outlet as well as through its eBay storefront and at retailers like Walmart, and all refurbished units come with either a six-month or one-year warranty depending on the item.
A Tineco representative said that the company "is working on a refurbishment effort," but that it's limited right now. Miele refurbishes vacuums and sells these units through the company's dealers only, not directly to individual buyers through Miele itself nor online through Miele or its dealers. (The Triflex is still pretty new, so we wouldn't expect to see too many refurbished units out in the world yet.)
Hoover usually sells a variety of refurbished items, including cordless and upright vacuums, a representative told us. The company paused its reconditioning program at the beginning of the pandemic (spring 2020), but typically it would refurbish units received from customer returns through direct sales or retailers. Hoover first inspects vacuums to determine whether they still work and can be reconditioned; if they meet standards, their parts are tested, thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, and fixed as needed. Those units that do not meet standards are recycled or broken down into spare parts for reuse. Reconditioned Hoover Linx models are available through many retailers, online and not, and come with a six-month warranty.
What to look forward to
A few noteworthy models have launched or been announced since we last did a big update to this guide in fall 2020.
LG is coming out with another variant of the A9 (which we've reviewed in this guide), the ThinQ A9 Kompressor. It will come with a charging dock that automatically empties the bin into a sealed bag.
Dreame is a newish vacuum brand that's loosely connected to Roborock; both are affiliated with Xiaomi. In fact, the current flagship model, the Dreame T20, looks a hell of a lot like the Roborock H6 (reviewed in this guide). Reps have told us that Dreame will be launching a new model in early 2021 that's twice as powerful as the Dyson V11. That's a ridiculous claim, but we'd love to be surprised.
The competition
Amazon is rife with cheap cordless sticks that cost about $100, sometimes less. After looking into the brands that sell them and testing a couple of the best-sellers (at the time of research), we think you're better off spending a little extra on one of our budget picks. The two models we tested, the Moosoo XL-618A and the Aposen H250, were poor cleaners on most surfaces and mediocre at best on others, with creaky construction and parts that sometimes didn't fit together quite right. We've decided not to waste any more of anybody's time trying to figure out which $100 Dyson knockoff might pick up a few extra grains of sand before it heads to the landfill in a year.
We could write a whole article on the tangled web of the companies behind these brands (and most of the other no-namers on the Amazon top-100 best-seller list, and the Chinese vacuum industry in general). But the gist of it is that no-name vacuums like these are imported by tiny brands with almost no traceable presence outside of Amazon. According to Denny You, a vacuum-industry blogger and founder of floor-care manufacturer Glourison, these brands usually don't manufacture the vacuums themselves. Instead, they simply pick vacuums made by one of dozens of small vacuum manufacturers around Shenzhen or Shanghai. And according to Lucas Lappe, who has become familiar with some intricacies of the supply chain in his job as the head of product at design firm Doris Dev, it's common for many manufacturers within a category to use a lot of the same components in their products. The Aposen and Moosoo vacuums, for example, use the same cleaning head. So we doubt any of them are especially good cleaners or that they will last very long.
We tested the Lupe Pure Cordless. It's billed as a long-lasting vacuum, designed by two former Dyson engineers, that will allow you to continually replace parts over time, rather than chucking the whole machine when a single part fails. It began as a Kickstarter project and actually came to fruition—good for them. The Lupe is actually the most powerful bare-floor cleaner we've tested, thanks to very strong suction and a unique head design (it has two rollers, including a squishy one that can form a flexible seal with the floor to increase suction). We found that it was excellent on carpets as well, in the ballpark of the Miele Triflex, though well behind the highest-end Dyson models. The Lupe's dual-roller design tends to jam on area rugs when the suction is turned all the way up. This vacuum is also very heavy for a cordless, but it's designed like a traditional upright, with most of the weight near the floor. It won't strain your wrist, but it might be hard to steer, especially with the suction at maximum. At $800, the Lupe is also tied for the most expensive cordless vacuum we know of.
The concept is great, but the details matter: If the individual components aren't very reliable, or the company can't follow through on the promise to keep spare parts available and easily replaceable, the Lupe could end up being an even more wasteful and expensive option than a typical stick vac. It certainly feels like a sturdy vacuum, but we don't have any solid evidence that it'll be a longer-lasting product than other expensive cordless vacuums we've tested.
We asked Lupe to describe why exactly its vacuum is more durable, and it didn't provide many specifics. The closest it came was to point out that Dyson vacuums are not durable because they use thin plastic, so maybe Lupe is saying its plastic is thicker? (Our understanding of the dead-stick phenomenon is that it's usually down to batteries or bad electronics, not broken plastic, but we could be wrong.) Lupe does have an extensive list of spare parts available for sale on its website, though the list doesn't include spare motors or control boards. Lupe representatives told us that the company would sell replacements and provide installation instructions upon request, though they "don't currently anticipate demand of boards or motors." The company also promises that the motor will be upgradeable in the future as technology improves; we asked for details and they said they are about to make a minor change to the current motor. "The improvements are not large enough that we would expect a demand to upgrade, but it does show that you can retrofit a motor change to the Pure Cordless."
We're being a little harsh here because the company is making big promises, and small, Kickstarter-backed hardware businesses have a track record of struggling to keep those promises. This is a new vacuum from a new company, and while Lupe is off to a good start, there's more to prove. If you love the concept and want to support the business, that's wonderful—innovation often relies on early adopters willing to take a gamble. Just gamble with your eyes open.
Roborock is known for its excellent robot vacuums, and it now makes cordless sticks, too. The Roborock H6 is a great carpet cleaner, landing between the Dyson V7 and V11 in our test results. At the time of writing, the price is right in the middle, too. It's a very light, compact vacuum, thanks in part to its built-in lithium polymer "soft pack" battery (rather than the standard AA-size lithium cells that everyone else uses). It also has a small display, and both a power trigger and a regular on-off switch. We like this vacuum a lot, but we're not ready to call it a great Dyson alternative because we are skeptical of its durability, or at least of the company's customer service. A Roborock representative told us the company doesn't yet have plans to sell replacement batteries and expects owners to plan to move on to a new vacuum every three years or so.
The LG CordZero A9 cleans nearly as well as the Dyson V7, but it's almost always much more expensive. It seems designed to be different from Dyson in all the big ways that people find Dyson sticks annoying: The CordZero has swappable batteries, a floor stand (instead of a wall-mount dock), a standard on-off power switch, and a height-adjustable shaft. This vac comes in a few variants, each with two battery packs (at the time of writing) but different attachments, and one with a bin-stuffing feature. They might be worth a look if they're on a deep sale.
We tried a couple of models from the Hoover OnePWR series, the upright-style Evolve and the modern-style Blade. Both of them were great on short rugs, and they did a solid job of getting heavy debris out of thicker rugs, especially considering their prices. If you find the Evolve on sale, you could consider it as a stronger alternative to the Hoover Linx. The main downside with both vacuums is that they snowplow big debris like nobody's business. Also, the Blade is awkwardly top-heavy, and it has a lot more critical reviews about battery failures than we'd expect to see. The Evolve uses the same battery system as the Blade; it doesn't have as many complaints about pack failures (yet), but we're skeptical of its longevity.
We've liked a few Shark cordless vacuums—the now-discontinued-but-sometimes-still-available Shark Ion F80 was a pick in this guide for a couple of years, because at the time it was one of the few not-Dyson options that cleaned well. But since more competitors have come out, we don't think any of Shark's current models are especially great. We tested the Shark Rocket Pet Pro IZ162 (which is similar to some cheaper cordless Rocket models) and found that it was not a very strong cleaner, and it seems more prone to clogging than is usual. When it's available, we plan to test the new flagship IZ462, which is more like the older F80.
We tested the Bissell AirRam a few years ago. It has good ratings from several other publications that test and review vacuums, but we didn't find it to be anything special on either bare floors or carpets. It doesn't convert to a handheld vacuum, and the handling is stiff—though not top-heavy, as with most other cordless sticks.
The expensive Bissell IconPet Pro was just okay on rugs and not great on bare floors. It also feels heavier in the hand than most models and is otherwise unremarkable. The regular IconPet is much more affordable, but it's still not anything special for the price.
The Eureka Stylus performed below average for the price on rugs and bare floors. The loop-style handle and light body weight are pretty comfortable to us. But otherwise there's no compelling reason to pick this vacuum over its countless competitors in the $200 price range.
We like a lot of Eufy products, but not the HomeVac S11. It's priced like a Dyson but cleans like a Linx. It could be worth a look if Eufy cuts the price to $150.
Tacony makes cordless vacuums under its Simplicity and Riccar labels, but none of them are standouts. The most impressive is the Simplicity Cordless Freedom, at $700. But it can't convert into a handheld vacuum, and it lacks a hose, offers less suction, has a less-aggressive brush roll, and is heavier and harder to steer than the Dyson V11 Torque Drive.
Several brands that sell cordless power tools also sell stick vacuums that use the same battery packs. Results are varied. Black+Decker's offering is good enough to be one of our budget picks. On the other hand, the Ryobi ONE+ EverCharge is one of the least-favorite stick vacuums we've ever used, with terrible top-heavy handling and mediocre cleaning performance. We know of about a half-dozen others. We may take a closer look at some of them someday. In the meantime, we'll put it this way: They'll all probably work okay in most cases, but the best vacuums tend to come from brands that focus on vacuums rather than on power tools.
The Dyson OmniGlide is a nimble, lightweight vacuum designed for cleaning bare floors; we'll cover it in greater depth in our guide to hard-floor vacuums.
Care and maintenance
The battery is the most delicate and expensive part of any cordless vacuum, so it's wise to do what you can to maintain battery health. Wirecutter's battery specialist Sarah Witman recommends storing it (as with any lithium-ion battery) in a cool, dry place, and if you don't plan to use it for a while, you should leave the pack half-charged. Brands also tend to recommend that you avoid overusing the maximum suction setting on your vacuum and also to let the battery pack cool off for a few minutes after use, before you plug it in to recharge.
Apart from their batteries, cordless vacuums need most of the same type of maintenance as any other vacuum. At least a few times a year, it's a good idea to clean the filters, and, if necessary, untangle the brush roll, unclog the intake, and unjam the bearings.
Staff writer Sarah Bogdan devised and performed some of the testing for this guide.
Sources
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Consumer Reports spokesperson, phone and email interviews, January 15–16, 2020
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Dyson spokesperson, phone and email interviews, January 15–17, 2020
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Vacuum Wars YouTube channel
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Carolyn Forte, 8 Best Stick Vacuums of 2020, According to Cleaning Appliance Experts, Good Housekeeping , June 17, 2020
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Brian Bennett, The best cordless vacuum for 2020: from Dyson, Shark, Bissell, Hoover, Moosoo and more, CNET , October 1, 2020
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Quick Guide: Vacuums , Consumer Reports (pp. 63-69), Buying Guide 2020
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Mary H.J. Farrell, Dyson Stick Vacuums Lose CR Recommendation Over Reliability Issues, Consumer Reports , March 28, 2019
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Mary H.J. Farrell, Most and Least Reliable Vacuum Cleaners, Consumer Reports , June 25, 2020
About your guide
Liam McCabe is a senior staff writer for Wirecutter, and has covered the wild world of appliances since 2011. After testing dozens of robot vacuums, he is neither worried about AI nor holding his breath for self-driving cars. He enjoys visiting factories and learning about regulatory loopholes, and has flooded our testing area only three times.
Dyson Cyclone V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum With 5 Tools
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