The Best Cheap Vacuums to Help You Stay Ahead of the Mess

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Sucking up dirt, dust, pet hair, and more, these inexpensive vacuum models allow for clean floors at a reasonable price.

Editor’s Note: Testing for this article took place in late 2023 and these products remain our current top recommendations for 2024 until we revisit this category. Stay tuned for our 2024 updates.

There’s no need to spend an arm and a leg for clean floors—plenty of cheap vacuums nowadays do an excellent job. With so many models available, you don’t need to settle for a subpar vacuum, even if you’re on a budget.

But how do you choose the right one? We sought out expert advice! “Opt for a model with robust suction capabilities to tackle various surfaces, from carpets to hardwood floors, ensuring a thorough clean,” says Karina Toner, operations manager at Spekless Cleaning based in Washington, D.C. “Also look for versatile attachments and accessories, catering to different surfaces and challenging spots to reach, maximizing its utility. And lastly, consider units with easily accessible dust cups or bags, along with washable or replaceable filters for hassle-free maintenance.”

In short, while they might not have all the extra frills of their pricier counterparts, the best cheap vacuums clean floors, banish dust and dirt from other areas, and are a snap to maintain. We researched over 30 products from top brands to narrow down our lineup of Top Picks, and we made sure to include different model styles, including upright, canister, handheld, and robot. Read on for the best cheap vacuums to keep your home tidy while on a budget.

1. BEST OVERALL: Shark NV352 Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Bissell Featherweight Bagless Stick Vacuum
3. BEST CORDLESS: Kenmore Lightweight Cordless Brushless Stick Vacuum
4. BEST HANDHELD: Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean Handheld Vacuum
5. BEST CANISTER: Eureka Lightweight Canister Vacuum Cleaner
6. BEST ROBOT: ILife A4s Self-Charging Robot Vacuum Cleaner
7. BEST FOR PET HAIR: Bissell Cleanview Swivel Pet Plus Vacuum Cleaner
8. BEST VACUUM MOP: Shark VM252 Cordless VacMop Pro Vacuum Mop
9. ALSO CONSIDER: Shark SV1106 Navigator Freestyle Cordless Vacuum

How We Chose the Best Cheap Vacuum

We considered over 30 vacuums while narrowing down our list, all of them highly rated models from reputable brands. To find the best, we consulted each vacuum’s specifications as well as reputable third-party and shopper reviews to make sure these models live up to their promises. We’ve also tried some of these models ourselves for some of our other guides to the best vacuum and found they performed well in our hands-on testing.

First and foremost, the vacuums on our list are effective at cleaning floors, from hardwood to carpet. We prioritized versatile models that can help clean other surfaces around the home as well. Ease of use and ease of maintenance were also important criteria points; we have cordless, bagless, handheld, and robot models on our list, since convenience varies from person to person. Also, to qualify as a cheap vacuum, we mainly chose models under $200—that’s about the price point where shoppers can find options that balance performance and affordability.

Our Top Picks

Ready to find the best cheap vacuum cleaner? Powerful suction, great utility, and excellent performance set these cheap vacuums apart from the rest.

Best Overall

Shark NV352 Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum

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Product Specs

• Type: Upright
• Corded or cordless: Corded
• Weight: 12.5 pounds

Pros

• Lift-Away feature makes it easy to detach the canister from the vacuum head to tackle cleaning jobs other than vacuuming floors
• HEPA filtration does an excellent job of keeping dust and allergens contained
• Extended crevice tool improves the upward reach of this vacuum for up-high cleaning tasks

Cons

• Doesn’t perform very well on high-pile carpets and rugs

The Shark NV352 Navigator offers an impressive array of features for its sub-$200 price tag, the most distinctive being Lift-Away functionality. Users can detach the canister from the vacuum head and employ the hose to clean stairs, furniture, and hard-to-reach areas. Along with the powerful suction and optional brush roll, this vacuum can clean the entire house from top to bottom—from ceiling fans to carpets. It comes with accessories too, including an extended crevice tool and upholstery tool.

Swivel steering makes it easy to maneuver the vacuum along the floor. One big perk of this vacuum (quite uncommon in cheap models) is its high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration. Combined with anti-allergen complete seal technology, this bagless vacuum captures 99.9 percent of dust and allergens, which is welcome news for allergy sufferers.

Get the Shark Lift-Away cheap vacuum cleaner at Amazon, The Home Depot, Wayfair, or Walmart.

Best Bang For The Buck

Bissell Featherweight Bagless Stick Vacuum

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Product Specs

• Type: Stick
• Corded or cordless: Corded
• Weight: 2.6 pounds

Pros

• Incredibly affordable—the cheapest in our lineup by far—but still performs well
• At only 2.6 pounds, it’s very lightweight and a breeze to carry around
• Easily converts into a handheld vacuum yet can stay attached to the vacuum head; use the crevice tool for versatile cleaning

Cons

• Not powerful enough to clean thick rugs and carpets
• The small dirt cup is likely to require frequent emptying
• It’s corded, so cleaning will be restricted by the cord length and nearby outlets

Shoppers on a tight budget need not look further than the Bissell Featherweight Stick. This vacuum is so affordable that the price rivals some

broom and dustpan sets

. Price tag aside, we tested this vacuum for our best stick vacuums guide and were generally impressed by its performance. This vacuum is a corded stick model (so no running out of battery life in the middle of cleaning).

It’s lightweight and excellent for cleaning up daily messes. It doesn’t have enough suction power for thick carpets, but that didn’t surprise us at its price.

The vacuum stick handle detaches from the canister for use as a handheld vacuum (while still being attached to the original vacuum head, which allows for more coverage with each pass). Or swap to the included crevice tool for detailed duty in tight places. And this vacuum weighs in at only 2.6 pounds, so it’s a breeze to carry around.

What our testers say: Glenda Taylor and Debbie Wolfe, writers who both put the Bissell Featherweight Stick through its paces in our best stick vacuum guide, report: “This lightweight vacuum performed remarkably well in testing. Its 9.5-inch cleaning-path width made it easy to maneuver in tight corners and under furniture. It easily picked up dirt and debris, and we liked how easy it was to remove the stick and use it as a hand vac.”

Get the Bissell Featherweight cheap vacuum at Amazon, Ace Hardware, Wayfair, Walmart, or Bissell.

Best Cordless

Kenmore Lightweight Cordless Brushless Stick Vacuum

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Product Specs

• Type: Stick
• Corded or cordless: Cordless
• Weight: Under 6 pounds

Pros

• EasyReach wand allows the stick portion to flex to clean under furniture and in tricky spaces
• Has HEPA filtration, which traps over 99.9 percent of dust and allergens
• Comes with a wall mount for easier and neater storage

Cons

• Some reviewers note the runtime was short, especially when using it in the maximum power mode

Cleaning tight spaces just became easier with this Kenmore cordless stick model, thanks to its distinctive EasyReach Wand. At the push of a button, the wand (essentially, the stick part of this model) can flex to a deeper angle to glide the vacuum underneath furniture. To straighten the stick and proceed with cleaning, simply lift up the vacuum and it will click back into place.

This model is cordless for even more convenience, and it provides up to an ample 40 minutes of runtime (on the lower economy mode and hand vac setting; runtime is shorter during regular vacuuming). Users can choose between a battery-saving Eco mode or a more powerful Max mode. Weighing under 6 pounds, this vacuum is no hardship to carry from room to room.

Designed for all floor types, this model is a thorough cleaner due to its powerful suction and HEPA filter, which will trap over 99.9 percent of dust and particles inside the canister. It only includes one cleaning accessory, but it’s a useful one: a two-in-one crevice tool and dusting brush. A wall mount is also included for storage.

Get the Kenmore cheap vacuum at Amazon, Walmart, or Kenmore.

Best Handheld

Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean Handheld Vacuum

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Product Specs

• Type: Handheld
• Corded or cordless: Cordless
• Weight: 3.9 pounds

Pros

• Flip-up brush and extendable crevice tool are convenient for cleaning—and won’t get lost since they’re built in
• 180-degree rotating nozzle helps reach hard-to-clean areas, like the front of baseboards
• Very lightweight and portable, weighing only 3.9 pounds

Cons

• Our testers noted the relatively low air watts, which means less suction power

Little messes are no problem for the Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean handheld vacuum. This powerful handheld vacuum proved to be one of our favorites when tested for our best handheld vacuum guide. Though small, it’s powerful enough to use on all surfaces, including carpets, hard floors, car interiors, and furniture. It has a built-in flip-up brush and an extendable crevice tool to reach into nooks and crannies. The nozzle can rotate 180 degrees to tackle a host of tricky vacuuming jobs.

We love how portable this model is, weighing only 3.9 pounds, and it’s cordless, so users aren’t tethered to an outlet (a countertop charging base is included). A translucent dirt cup shows at a glance when the vacuum needs to be emptied.

What our testers say: Bob Vila writers and product testers Tony Carrick, Anne Holub, and Manasa Reddigari tried this handheld vacuum. They praised the lightweight design and noted the following in our best handheld vacuum guide: “Thanks to a 180-degree rotating nozzle with an extendable crevice tool and flip-up brush, the vacuum grasps grit even in hard-to-reach areas. During testing, we enjoyed the portability and grab-and-go access of its upright charger.”

Get the Black+Decker cheap vacuum at Amazon, The Home Depot, Wayfair, Target, or Black+Decker.

Best Canister

Eureka Lightweight Canister Vacuum Cleaner

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Product Specs

• Type: Canister
• Corded or cordless: Corded
• Weight: 8.6 pounds

Pros

• Very affordable for a canister vacuum, which usually has a higher price tag
• Powerful suction and large 2.5-capacity dust bag is well suited for deep cleaning
• Relatively light weight (8.6 pounds) and top carrying handle aids in toting this vacuum around

Cons

• Many reviewers note that build quality isn’t the best, with some plastic parts breaking

Canister vacuums tend to have lots of features and plenty of capacity, but they can be bulky and challenging to maneuver. This Eureka model is sleeker than most while also offering the advantages fans of canister vacuums appreciate. It boasts excellent suction to clean all types of flooring surfaces, and the ample 2.5-liter dust bag capacity means there’s no need to empty the vacuum while cleaning. Plus, the fact that the canister uses bags means dust is well trapped and won’t escape during emptying (users will want to buy additional bags in the future).

This vacuum is fairly light for a canister model, weighing 8.6 pounds. A top carrying handle makes it easier to cart the vacuum around. It also comes with two extension wands, a dust brush, and a crevice tool for more cleaning utility.

Get the Eureka cheap vacuum at Amazon, Walmart, or Eureka.

Best Robot

ILife A4s Self-Charging Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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Product Specs

• Type: Robot
• Corded or cordless: Cordless
• Weight: 4.85 pounds

Pros

• Solid battery life, running up to 100 minutes on a full charge
• Has multiple cleaning modes (Auto, Max, Spot, and Edge) to ensure floors are tidy
• Smart features give users the option to turn on and set schedule from an app

Cons

• Random navigation system means it can miss some spots, especially in larger rooms

The ILife A4s robot vacuum cleaner offers a hands-free way to take care of regular floor cleaning with just the press of a button—or a smartphone app. And while some robot models carry a hefty price tag for this convenience, the ILife won’t break the bank; it’s one of few high-performing robot models that falls under our $200 limit. It runs for up to 100 minutes on a full charge and has multiple cleaning modes (Auto, Max, Spot, and Edge).