The Best Vacuums for Thick Carpet

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The best vacuums for thick carpets go deep to dislodge dirt and remove grime from plush fibers without doing damage to the carpet.

Thick carpets look luxurious and feel plush underfoot, but their long fibers can make them tough to clean. The wrong vacuum can catch, twist, or fray long fibers, damaging carpets over time. Plus, some vacuums can get stuck trying to maneuver through thick pile, causing unnecessary wear and tear on the machine.

The best vacuum for thick carpet can tackle the challenges while protecting your investment. Some are specially designed to tackle high-pile carpets, while others are traditional machines that feature beater bars, variable-suction power, and height-adjustable heads to clean carpeted floors of all types well. Keep reading for details on our picks for the best vacuum for thick carpets as well as important shopping considerations that will help make choosing the ideal model even easier.

1. BEST OVERALL: Kenmore Elite Ultra Plush Lightweight Canister Vacuum
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Eureka PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
3. UPGRADE PICK: Miele Complete Marin Canister Vacuum Cleaner Bundle
4. BEST LIGHTWEIGHT: Tineco Pure One Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
5. BEST ROBOT: Ecovacs Deebot Pro+ Laser Navigation Robot Vacuum
6. BEST HANDHELD: Dyson Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
7. BEST UPRIGHT: Hoover WindTunnel Max Bagged Upright Vacuum Cleaner
8. BEST STICK: Shark Rocket Ultra-Light Corded Bagless Vacuum
9. BEST FOR PET HAIR: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Vacuum Cleaner

How We Chose the Best Vacuums for Thick Carpet

Not all vacuum cleaners work effectively on thick carpeting. In our research, we looked at the aspects of a vacuum that can achieve the best results on challenging plush pile. Our list of recommendations includes a range of options to suit a variety of requirements—from versatile units capable of cleaning a variety of surfaces to specialty machines designed to tackle thick carpets. We made sure to include a range of vacuum types—upright, canister, and stick vacuums—to suit specific user preferences. We also took care to include both corded and cordless options, since we know there are benefits and drawbacks to both types.

Lastly, and most importantly, our research took a good look at suction strength since this is a vital aspect of vacuums that are suitable for thick carpet. We made sure that our top picks are all capable of vacuuming a range of carpet thicknesses and lengths without getting stuck, making it easier for you to adjust the machine as you vacuum. Many of our picks also have adjustable suctions for you to choose your ideal suction power.

Our Top Picks

Regular vacuuming helps dislodge dust, dirt, hair, and dander from thick carpets. Vacuums suited for thick carpets suction grime from dense fibers without damage to the vacuum or carpet. These top picks in a host of different categories can help give thick carpets a thorough cleaning without sticking to or harming the lush, plush pile.

Best Overall

Kenmore Elite Ultra Plush Lightweight Canister Vacuum

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Though suction is important for cleaning, some powerful vacuums can seal to the dense surface of thick carpets, making them difficult to move. Kenmore solves this problem with its Ultra Plush Nozzle Technology: automated inlet vents that break the suction seal between the vacuum and plush pile. Rather than turning down the suction power, the inlet vents provide airflow over the beater brush to avoid a vacuum seal. This allows this canister vacuum to glide smoothly without getting stuck. The vacuum head also features a height-adjustment feature to choose from among four heights.

This model doesn’t stop at deep cleaning carpets. Variable suction settings help it move easily over hard floors and delicate rugs. It also includes four handy tools: a dusting brush, a crevice tool, a floor brush, and a motorized pet hair remover. A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter system keeps dirt and potential allergy-triggering particles trapped in the vacuum bag.

Product Specs

• Type: Corded canister vacuum
• Weight: 22 pounds
• Attachments: Pet Powermate, dusting brush, floor brush, crevice tool

Pros

• Great all-around machine from a trusted brand with ultraplush nozzle designed specifically for thick carpet
• Adjustable head helps get into tight areas, and suction can be varied for different surfaces
• Comes with convenient 26-foot power cord, and has a HEPA filter

Cons

• A few people found maneuverability awkward, and at 22 pounds, it’s heavy—even for a canister model
• There have been a few complaints about the filter cover popping off

Get the Kenmore vacuum for thick carpet at Amazon or Walmart.

Best Bang for the Buck

Eureka PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

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With five adjustable height settings, this upright vacuum from Eureka handles hardwood floors, thick carpets, and everything in between. Adjusting the height is easy with an intuitive dial on the vacuum head. Height settings include options for a shag rug, high-pile rug, plush carpet, low-medium pile carpet, and hardwood floor.

A powerful motor and beater brush work in tandem to get deep into carpet fibers and lift debris. The large bagless dust canister holds 1 liter of dirt. A quick-release handle conveniently detaches the stretch hose, while a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstering tool make this model a good choice for a range of other cleaning tasks at a cost-effective price.

Product Specs

• Type: Corded upright vacuum
• Weight: 10 pounds
• Attachments: Crevice tool, dusting brush, upholstery tool

Pros

• Remarkably affordable vacuum offers 5 settings to cope with carpet and other surfaces
• Lightweight design makes it easy to maneuver, and soft wheels won’t damage hardwood floors
• Extra-large dust cup means fewer trips to empty so vacuuming is finished sooner

Cons

• Constructed primarily of plastic, which gives some concerns about longevity

Get the Eureka vacuum for thick carpet at Amazon or Walmart.

Upgrade Pick

Miele Complete Marin Canister Vacuum Cleaner Bundle

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German manufacturer Miele is widely recognized for its high-quality, well-designed home appliances, and this canister vacuum cleaner is a fine example. Miele claims its vacuum’s average lifespan is 20 years, underlining how well it’s made.

This vacuum comes with not one but two cleaning heads: the Parquet Twister for hard floors and the Electrobrush (which has LED headlights) for deep cleaning carpet. Foot controls on the main unit allow suction power to be adjusted without bending. The telescopic suction wand has an ergonomic handle for maximum comfort when cleaning aboveground, and there are nozzles for upholstery, crevices, and dusting. There’s a HEPA filter for pet dander and other small particles, and both the filter and the dust bag alert you when they need changing. Though pricey, the bundle includes a replacement HEPA filter, four motor-protection filters, and 16 dust bags.

Product Specs 

• Type: Corded canister vacuum
• Weight: 23 pounds
• Attachments: Upholstery nozzle, crevice nozzle, dusting brush

Pros

• Has 2 separate heads—1 for hard floors, 1 carpet—to maximize cleaning efficiency
• High-quality manufacture claimed to provide a 20-year average lifespan
• Bundle includes a replacement HEPA filter, 16 dust bags, and 4 motor-protection filters

Cons

• A little heavy, though faults are rare

Get the Miele vacuum for thick carpet at Amazon or Walmart (vacuum only).

Best Lightweight

Tineco Pure One Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

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The slender design of stick vacuums generally makes them among the lightest vacuum cleaners, but none we looked at were as light as the Tineco Pure One. It’s a fraction over 6 pounds at full size and sheds another couple of pounds when converted to handheld. This makes it easy to use and gives it remarkable maneuverability.

Featherlight handling is nothing without good performance, and the Tineco is packed with smart features to ensure efficiency. The iLoop sensor can detect dirt hidden in carpet pile and adjust suction accordingly. The top flashes red for debris detected and blue for debris cleared. There are also LED alerts for brush roller tangles, air channel blockages, or if the sensor malfunctions. Wi-Fi connectivity and a free app provide performance monitoring and maintenance prompts (when the filter needs to be cleaned, for example). HEPA filtration is provided and runtime on this cordless model is up to 40 minutes.

Product Specs 

• Type: Cordless stick vacuum
• Weight: 6.1 pounds
• Attachments: Crevice tool, dusting tool, mini power brush

Pros

• One of the lightest vacuums on the market; it converts easily to even lighter handheld weight
• Comprehensive range of smart features, including automatic power adjustment for deep carpet cleaning
• Runtime of up to 40 minutes plus phone app for charging alerts and filter cleaning

Cons

• While most buyers are happy, a variety of faults suggest quality control is inconsistent

Get the Tineco vacuum for thick carpet at Walmart or The Home Depot (Pet edition).

Best Robot

Ecovacs Deebot Pro+ Laser Navigation Robot Vacuum

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A robot vacuum can make a necessary household chore effortless, but not all of these machines excel at cleaning carpet. The Ecovacs Deebot Pro+ overcomes the challenge by automatically increasing suction power when carpet is detected. It’s also capable of mopping floors, yet is engineered not to engage this function near carpet to avoid getting it wet.

The range of user-friendly features is extensive. TrueMapping technology allows the Ecovacs robot to create the most efficient cleaning paths through the home. It uses light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for obstacle avoidance, and custom boundaries can be set to keep it out of designated areas. The included app lets you set schedules and monitor cleaning progress from anywhere. It can also be integrated with Alexa for voice control.

Cleaning time is up to 110 minutes, and the robot vacuum will automatically return to the base station if the battery gets low. It is also self-emptying, with a hypoallergenic dust bag that seals automatically when removed.

Product Specs 

• Type: Automatic robot vacuum
• Weight: Not provided (there is seldom need to lift it)
• Attachments: Not applicable

Pros

• This robot vacuum uses sensors to double suction power when it detects carpet
• TrueMapping technology can create an efficient path through the home on several floors
• Wi-Fi allows remote monitoring and control via smartphone app as well as integration with Alexa

Cons

• May not have the ability to climb deep carpet edges
• Recharging takes at least 4 hours

Get the Ecovacs vacuum for thick carpet at Amazon or Walmart.

Best Handheld

Dyson Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

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Dyson shook up the vacuum cleaner industry with its “vortex” suction technology and continues to produce high-quality, innovative appliances—including this lightweight handheld vacuum that combines excellent performance with ergonomic control. Efficiency centers around the Hyperdymium motor that spins at an impressively rapid 125,000 revolutions per minute. In combination with 14 cyclones, an in-line dust path, and a choice of three cleaning modes, this handheld hotshot can tackle all surfaces, including thick carpet.

This Dyson is acoustically engineered for low noise, and it features whole-machine filtration to capture particles as small as 0.3 microns (0.0001 inch). Runtime is up to 60 minutes, and an LCD electronic display on the top of the device provides an easy-to-read countdown timer.

Product Specs 

• Type: Cordless stick vacuum
• Weight: 6.6 pounds
• Attachments: Hair screw tool, crevice tool, combination wide nozzle and brush

Pros

• A combination of powerful motor and in-line suction path provide excellent performance
• Whole-machine filtration traps 99.99 percent of particles down to 0.3 microns
• Up to 60 minutes runtime with useful charge indicator on the top of the device

Cons

• Has a premium price tag

Get the Dyson vacuum for thick carpet at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.

Best Upright

Hoover WindTunnel Max Bagged Upright Vacuum Cleaner

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Upright vacuum cleaners are sometimes seen as old-fashioned compared to bagless canister and stick models, but this Hoover WindTunnel can compete, delivering excellent performance at competitive prices. It’s a solid choice for folks who prefer a machine with a large disposable bag rather than a canister that requires more frequent cleaning.

The Hoover WindTunnel offers six height settings for carpet, with three suction channels designed to pull dirt from even the thickest pile. There is also a hard-floor setting. The 15-inch-wide head, larger than many competitors, covers more ground more quickly.

The handle conceals a telescopic extension hose that reaches an impressive 17 feet, making it easier to clean air vents, ceiling fans, up stairs, and other hard-to-access areas. There is also 30 feet of cord so users needn’t keep unplugging and replugging while vacuuming.

Product Specs 

• Type: Corded upright vacuum
• Weight: 18.4 pounds
• Attachments: Crevice tool, dusting brush, turbo tool

Pros

• Very competitively priced yet loaded with features, including 6 different carpet settings
• 15-inch-wide head and 3 suction channels provide efficient debris collection on all surfaces
• Telescopic extension hose for aboveground cleaning reaches an impressive 17 feet

Cons

• Extensive use of plastics reduces weight but gives us concerns about durability

Get the Hoover vacuum for thick carpet at