Best Upright Vacuums of 2023

These upright vacuums tackle pet hair, carpet, and dirty floors with impressive results

When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.

If you’re looking for a new full-sized vacuum, you should first consider an upright vacuum because they’re workhorses that excel at deep-cleaning. You’re going to run into them in your search anyway—almost half of the vacuums on the market today are uprights, according to market research group NPD. That's because they’re easy to store, and they’re great at cleaning both carpets and hardwoods. That said, some upright vacuums are bulky and can be more noisy than other vacuum types. Beyond our picks below, we’ve featured upright vacuums in other coverage, including our picks of the best vacuum for pet hair and the quietest vacuums.

How Consumer Reports Tests Upright VacuumsTo rate upright vacuums, we lab tested dozens of models on how well they remove debris from carpet and bare floors, how easy they are to maneuver around (and under) furniture, how much suction they maintain, and how strong their airflow is. For example, we rigged each upright vacuum in our testing with a pressure gauge and measured airflow in three stages—with the vacuum bag or bin empty, with it filled with 100 grams of wood flour, and then with it filled with 200 grams of wood flour. To learn more about how we rate and test upright vacuums, consult our vacuum buying guide.On top of these calculations, we factor in the reliability and owner satisfaction score of upright vacuums from surveys based on members’ experiences with more than 58,000 upright vacuums bought between 2012 and 2022. As with all products that CR tests, the ratings they earn across our battery of tests and our surveys inform an Overall Score for each upright vacuum. How We Picked the Best Upright VacuumsTo determine the best upright vacuums listed below, we filtered upright vacuum models based on their Overall Score. As you scroll through the models—which are listed in alphabetical order—we recommend considering the model's size and weight, noise level, and reliability, as well as its pet-friendliness. You can find our ratings across these criteria and more in our comprehensive ratings of upright vacuums.

Hoover WindTunnel Max UH30600

CR's take: This sturdy upright excels at cleaning both bare floors and pet hair, earning an Excellent rating on both of those tests. It does almost as well on carpet, so if you have mixed floors, it could be a good choice for your cleaning collection. Airflow gets above-average marks, and its emissions are fairly clean. The brand earned a middle-of-the-road rating for predicted reliability but only a Fair score for owner satisfaction.

Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly 31150

CR's take: Although "pet" is part of this model's name, the Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly 31150 is better at cleaning bare floors than pet hair, earning an Excellent rating in our bare-floor test. It still earns a Very Good rating for removing pet hair, though. It reliably cleans carpet and has clean emissions, meaning everything it sucks up stays in the vacuum. It's a bit on the noisy side compared with some of the other models on this list. It's also heavier than most, weighing 21 pounds. It has a fairly long 35-foot cord and an indicator that lets you know when the bag should be replaced. Kenmore earned average scores for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.

Kenmore Pet Friendly 31140

CR's take: If you have a pet that sheds and your floors are hardwood or tile, the Kenmore Pet Friendly 31140 will serve you well. It earns Excellent ratings on the bare-floor test. It also does a fine job cleaning carpet. Suction through the hose is impressive, so if you use your attachments to clean curtains or upholstery, you won't be disappointed. Emissions are clean, meaning this bagged vacuum will retain what it sucks up. It comes with a HEPA filter, which is designed to capture more dirt particles, and a light that indicates when the bag is full so that you know when it's time to change it, two pluses if you’re sensitive to dust.

Kirby Avalir 2

CR's take: The Kirby Avalir 2 is one of the most expensive uprights in CR's ratings. But you do get impressive carpet cleaning capabilities; this model earns an Excellent rating in that test. It also aces our bare-floor and pet-hair cleaning tests, and does it all without spewing debris back into the air. But it has two shortcomings: It weighs a hefty 23 pounds, contributing to its Fair rating for handling, and it's one of the noisiest uprights we’ve tested. Based on our survey data, Kirby uprights earned a Very Good rating for predicted reliability and a Fair rating for owner satisfaction. Note that Kirby vacuums are sold only by independent Kirby distributors via in-home demonstrations.

Miele Dynamic U1 Cat & Dog

CR's take: If you have pets and carpeting, the bagged Miele Dynamic U1 Cat & Dog is the upright vacuum for you. It aces our tests for cleaning pet hair and carpet. In fact, there's not much this vacuum can't do. It earns an Excellent rating for cleaning bare floors, and no matter the surface, it doesn't spew debris back into the room. A bonus: It's quieter than most uprights. With a generous 40-foot cord, you’ll have a lot of running room, too. But our testers find the 22-pound vacuum to be a bit harder to handle than some other models. Miele earned top marks for owner satisfaction in our survey but only an average rating for predicted reliability.

Dyson Ball Animal 2

CR's take: The 17-pound Dyson Ball Animal 2 has impressive results in CR's lab tests for carpet cleaning. It aces our bare-floor and pet-hair tests, too. Emissions are clean, so this vacuum won't spew debris back into the room (although emptying the bin can stir up some dust). It comes with attachments that help you get into tight spaces. In our brand reliability survey, Dyson uprights earn middle-of-the-road scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.

Kenmore Pet Friendly Cross-Over DU3017

CR's take: A recent addition to our ratings, the Kenmore Pet Friendly Cross-Over DU3017 is another strong contender. It earns Excellent ratings for cleaning bare floors and removing pet hair, living up to its model name. It's almost as good at cleaning carpet, and tool airflow is impressive, making this a good choice if you use your attachments a lot to clean upholstery or curtains. Emissions are clean. But like some of its brandmates, this Kenmore is a bit noisy, and our testers report that it's not the easiest vacuum to maneuver around and under furniture.

Shark Navigator Powered Lift-Away NV586 (Target)

CR's take: A Target exclusive, the Shark Navigator Powered Lift-Away NV586 has a 26-foot cord and weighs about 16 pounds. It receives an Excellent rating in our pet-hair and bare-floors tests, though it doesn't fare as well on carpet. Our testers find that this vacuum handles well, but it's noisier than other upright vacuums. In our member survey, Shark earned Very Good marks for both predicted reliability and Excellent for owner satisfaction.

Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV DuoClean LA500 (Walmart)

CR's take: One of the many Sharks in our vacuum ratings, the newly tested Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV DuoClean LA500 rises almost to the top of our bagless upright ratings, acing our tests for bare floors and pet hair and earning a Very Good rating in our carpet-cleaning test. The "Lift-Away" in the model name refers to the fact that you can lift the collection bin away from the main handle and use it as a canister. This comes in handy when cleaning stairs and reaching into corners for cobwebs. Airflow is ample, and the Shark comes with several attachments.

Shark Vertex DuoClean AZ2002

CR's take: The 17-pound bagless Shark Vertex DuoClean has plenty of bells and whistles. Testers like the Duo brush roll, which is great for both carpet and bare floors. The vacuum also picks up pet hair especially well, earning an Excellent rating on that test. It has exceptional suction power and does a solid job containing small dust particles in the dustbin. The lift-away canister makes it easy to clean out-of-the-way places.

Mary H.J. Farrell

Mary H.J. Farrell is a senior editor at Consumer Reports whose real passion is for cooking and all that entails. She has expanded CR's cookware category to include not only more pots and pans but also other essentials like stand mixer attachments, sheet pans, and vacuum sealers. Mary also covers vacuums but finds cooking way more fun than cleaning. Since the mid-1990s, Mary has held senior positions at People.com, MSNBC, and Ladies’ Home Journal. One of her earliest jobs was at Good Housekeeping.