Purchasing a low-cost vacuum can backfire and cost you more than expected if it breaks after only a few months of use. Fortunately, our specialists know what to look for to ensure that the inexpensive vacuum you buy is worthwhile. Cheap vacuums can be found on budget-friendly sites such as car vacuums, Cordless Stick Vacuums, Vacuum Cleaners, Robot Mops, Robot Vacuums, Cordless Handheld Vacuums,Best Vacuums on Amazon, cheap vacuum cleaners. Indeed, based on their expertise with some of the most well-known vacuum cleaner brands, our specialists have compiled a list of the finest vacuums on Amazon and the top vacuum models on Walmart.
The Home accessoris Institute Cleaning Lab has tested hundreds of vacuums over the years to evaluate how efficiently they pick up various sorts of dirt, from sand to pet hair, on carpeted and bare floors. We also test the capacity to travel across multiple types of flooring, around ordinary household objects, and up and down stairs. Everything from the intuitiveness of the controls to the process of changing bags, emptying dust bins, or cleaning filters is evaluated for simplicity of use.
Our evaluations revealed that the models listed below provide excellent value. Continue reading our suggestions for more information on how we test vacuum cleaners, what to consider when purchasing one, and why you should trust our recommendations.
1
BEST CHEAP CORDLESS HANDHELD VACUUM CLEANER
WORX Power Share Cordless Cube Compact Vacuum
PROS
- Lightweight
- Long, flexible hose
CONS
- Battery and charger sold separately
Weight: 3 lbs.
Cord length: Cordless.
Dustbin volume: 0.2 L.
Filter: washable HEPA.
Attachments: revise tool, dusting brush.
This little yet powerful vacuum weighs only 3 pounds and received the highest overall score in our most recent handheld test of vacuums. The Worx Power Share Cordless Cube passed six of our seven ease-of-use tests and five of our seven performance tests with flying colors. It’s even better because it’s cordless! The rechargeable battery is compatible with all 20v and 40v Worx power tools, so there’s no need to buy another if you already have one. If you don’t already have one, you’ll have to buy one separately, raising the price. In our testing, it ran for 23 minutes on a single charge, which is longer than many comparable handheld vacuums twice its size.
It has a HEPA filter that can be cleaned with warm water, a crevice tool, a dusting brush attachment, and a flexible hose stretching up to 4 feet, allowing you to reach under and between car seats or into difficult-to-reach areas. Surprisingly, we appreciated its distinct boxy design and convenient top handle.
2
BEST CHEAP VACUUM CLEANER FOR PET HAIR
BLACK+DECKER Furbuster Handheld Vacuum
NOW 20% OFF
PROS
- Powerful suction and brush for pet hair pickup
- Built-in extra long crevice tool
CONS
- Filter is not HEPA
Weight: 4.2 lbs.
Cord length: Cordless.
Dustbin volume: 0.7 L.
Filter: Washable standard.
Attachments: Extra long crevice tool, motorized pet brush.
This vacuum from Black+Decker provides excellent value for money. It received the second-highest overall score in our Cleaning Lab testing because of its powerful suction that resembled some of the higher-end models we evaluated. And, for a portable vacuum at this price, the motorized power brush attachment for eliminating pet hair and other embedded dirt is a great addition. Even in regular power mode, the amount of filth and pet hair we could remove from carpets with the power brush attachment was impressive.
Other noteworthy characteristics include a 32-minute runtime (extended for a portable vacuum), a washable filter, and an easy-to-empty dustbin. It also received good marks for being one of the quietest hand vacs we tested and having a comfortable handle. Because of its vast, easy-to-read battery indicator, you’ll always know when the power is running low. While it is designed for deep cleaning and pet hair removal, it lacks a HEPA filter, which would have benefitted allergy patients.
3
BEST CHEAP VACUUM CLEANER FOR BARE FLOORS
Eureka Mighty Mite Corded Canister Vacuum Cleaner
NOW 5% OFF
PROS
- Great at cleaning bare floors
- Very lightweight
- Dust bags easy to change
CONS
- No rotating brush for deep-cleaning carpets
Weight: 8.6 lbs.
Cord length: 20 ft.
Dustbin volume: 2.5 L (bag).
Filter: HEPA.
Attachments: Crevice tool, two-in-one dusting brush/upholstery combination tool, two extension wands, bare floor nozzle.
This tiny vacuum cleaner has been on the market for a long time for a reason: it works! We evaluated this top-rated canister vacuum in our Cleaning Lab years ago and still think it’s one of the finest for the money. The Eureka is a bare floor and hardwood vacuuming champ that is lightweight and easy to transport. It includes a HEPA filter to catch allergens and a hose, wands, and other accessories, such as a shoulder strap, to make floor-to-ceiling cleaning easier. The dust bags are simple to replace, and the blower port produces a forceful blast to clear trash from your workstation, garage, driveway, or deck.
The fingertip controls and 20-foot wire are especially appealing at this low price. While the floor nozzle can readily clean bare floors, flat and low-pile rugs, and carpets, it cannot retrieve dirt and debris deep within medium and high-pile carpets. This requires a revolving brush, which is not included.
4
PROS
- Rotating brush for carpet cleaning
- Converts to a handheld vacuum
CONS
- No HEPA filter
Weight: 4 lbs.
Cord length: 18 ft.
Dustbin volume: 0.7 L.
Filter: Washable standard.
Attachments: Crevice tool.
Stick vacuums are lightweight and convenient for homes with bare flooring but usually inconvenient for homes with carpeting. Bissell’s stick vacuum is different. Unlike most vacuums in this price range, it incorporates a rotating brush head to help collect pet hair and other debris from carpeting and upholstery. It can also be used as a handheld vacuum and is corded for continuous cleaning.
While we haven’t tried this specific model, we have tested several Bissell vacuums that are similar to it, and they perform admirably in GH Cleaning Lab tests, quickly collecting trash and litter from bare floors and low pile carpets without pushing or dispersing it. The Featherweight PowerBrush features a small washable filter on top of the dust cup, but it isn’t a HEPA filter, and the cleaning head doesn’t swivel, which some customers find inconvenient.
5
PROS
- Five height settings
- Easy-to-clean dust cup
- Turbo brush attachment for pet hair
CONS
- No HEPA filter
Weight: 13.5 lbs.
Cord length: 25 ft.
Dustbin volume: 1 L.
Filter: Multi-level filtration.
Attachments: Dusting brush/upholstery tool, turbo brush, crevice tool, extension wand.
For a long time, Bissell vacuums have proven reliable in our laboratory, particularly during carpet cleaning tests. Although we have yet to test this particular brand’s model, we have tried other upright versions that are remarkably comparable and have shown good test results. With its five-height settings, this Cleanview upright vacuum can clean bare floors, carpets with high and low piles, and everything in between. Our testing indicates that the bagless dust cup from Bissell generates less mess. Therefore, we enjoy that it empties from the bottom. Additionally, its turbo brush attachment is similar to those found on more costly vacuums and is designed to remove pet hair and lint from carpeted stairs and upholstery.
It has a 25-foot cord, a reusable foam filter, and a limited two-year Bissell warranty. At this price range, it lacks variable suction, HEPA filtration, and an on/off button for the brush roll, but it does have a brush roll that reduces dispersion on bare floors and multi-stage filtration that collects both large and small particles. It’s also lightweight—only 12.5 pounds—making it simple to move up and down stairs.
Other low-cost vacuums that we examined
Bissell Zing Canister Vacuum is another low-cost model from the well-known and well-liked company Bissell that includes features seen in higher-priced models. It’s a small canister vacuum with an automatic cable rewind, a washable filter, and attachments for cleaning in tight spaces and dusting. The Zing lacks a revolving brush, so it won’t be able to extract deeply buried dirt from thick carpets, but a simple switch on the multi-surface floor tool allows you to simply transition from hard flooring to carpet.
The Dirt Devil The Grab & Go Cordless Hand Vacuum was recently tested for consideration for our most recent Best Cleaning and Organizing Awards, and our expert praised it for its ease of use and excellent performance. This compact handheld model comes with a two-in-one crevice and dusting attachment, and it can be mounted on the wall for simple charging. This device is unlikely to pick up many large messes, but it’s ideal for little knots on the kitchen counter after dinner or crumbs off your car seats.
How vacuum cleaners are tested
All vacuums are evaluated precisely the same way in the Home accessoris Institute Cleaning Lab for more accurate performance comparisons, and our testing is based on ASTM International industry-standard test techniques. In our Lab, we’ve evaluated dozens of stick, upright, robot, and handheld vacuums, including models from every brand on this list. Each post, sound, and canister vacuum we test may be evaluated on a custom-built machine (shown above) that automatically embeds a weighed quantity of dirt into our test carpet before passing each vacuum over a certain number of times. The vacuum’s dustbin or bag is then considered, and the percentage of debris collected by the vacuum is calculated.
We examine all models on bare floors for their capacity to pick up pet hair and carpet cleaning. Suction at the hose, convenience of use, loudness, and additional supplementary attachments or features unique to a specific model may be evaluated. Each model is run through each test three times before the results are averaged to give it an overall score across all categories.
We utilize industry-standard rayon fibers to replicate pet hair that we evenly put on a carpet’s surface to evaluate pet hair removal. We made the same number of passes with each vacuum over the rug and weighed the dust bin to see how much the vacuum cleaner could pick up. Each vacuum must pass at least nine tests to assess floor cleaning performance.
Ease of use testing includes analyzing maneuverability (weight is also a consideration), battery run-time for cordless vacuum cleaners, control ease, and how simple it is to empty and clean the vacuum cleaner after each usage. These judgments are frequently performed not only by our Lab professionals but also by customer testers.
In addition, we analyze each vacuum cleaner’s owner’s manual and assign it a grade based on its robustness and convenience. Models tested for our Cleaning and Organizing Awards are also distributed to members of our panel of consumer testers, who test the vacuums at home and submit feedback to us.
What to look for when purchasing the finest affordable vacuum cleaner
There are a few factors to consider when looking for a low-cost vacuum cleaner. Because inexpensive vacuum cleaners have more plastic parts and are more easily broken, take the extra time to study user comments about durability to ensure you are satisfied with its sturdiness. Here are some other things to consider:
✔️ Vacuum type: Stick vacuums are lightweight but not always the most excellent choice for houses with many rugs or thick carpets. Upright vacuums can collect deeply embedded dust and debris from carpets and typically have adjustable height settings to accommodate a variety of pile carpets. If you intend to clean many floors in your home, a canister vacuum with a motorized brush attachment may be more convenient to transport up and down stairs. Handheld vacuums are ideal for cleaning up minor messes, particularly on kitchen counters, furniture, and other above-floor surfaces.
✔️ Bagged or bagless: Bagged vacuums are simple to empty; simply remove and discard the bag. They keep dust safely inside the bag, but you must always keep replacements on hand. Bagless vacuums have no additional charges, but they can be untidy to empty and may discharge dust into the air when you remove the dustbin to empty it.
✔️Choosing a power source: Consider whether you want a corded vacuum, which can limit how far you can vacuum before needing to find another outlet, or a cordless vacuum, which has a battery life that you’ll need to monitor between charges.
✔️Attachments: A motorized power nozzle can help you clean carpets and rugs more efficiently, while a crevice tool can help you reach difficult dust-collecting areas, such as beneath a couch or dresser. Various gadgets, like a tiny turbo brush, can be used to remove your pet’s hair from furniture.
✔️Warranty: Most are covered by a one-year limited warranty. Some may provide less. Use the vacuum frequently to evaluate its performance before the return or warranty period expires. Repairing cheap vacuums when anything breaks is often not practical or cost-effective. If a low-cost vacuum quit operating after a few years, it may be cheaper to replace it.
What is the average cost of a vacuum cleaner?
Vacuum cleaners range in price from around $100 to well over $1000. Handhelds, cordless stick types, and compact canisters for cleaning bare floors are frequently cheaply available. Uprights and fully-featured canisters with carpet cleaning attachments typically cost $200 or more. We couldn’t locate any inexpensive carpet-cleaning containers to recommend in this roundup! Vacuums with additional attachments, HEPA filters, and other helpful features such as cord rewind and adjustable suction are usually more expensive.
Robot vacuum cleaners are even more challenging at low prices, with most models costing over $500. You might be able to discover some older or refurbished devices from well-known companies for less money, but they won’t be as feature-rich as the more expensive new versions. Look for promotions and discounts near President’s Day and Amazon Prime Day.
Why trust Home accessoris?
Caroln Forté has extensive analytical testing and editing experience in categories such as vacuum cleaners, and she has been a member of ASTM’s F11 Vacuum Cleaner Committee for the past 22 years, serving as Chair of the Consumer Information Subcommittee. She meets regularly with vacuum cleaner business engineers and testing lab executives to create and establish the vacuum cleaner industry’s standard testing methodologies. She and the Cleaning Lab experts under her supervision chose all of the vacuum cleaners in this guide.
