From robots to cordless to uprights, these are the best vacuum cleaners in 2018 that money can buy.
Like a clean house but hate to, you know, clean? Then you need to check out one of the best vacuum cleaners of 2018 to ease the chore.
With new advancements in vacuum cleaning tech, it’s gotten easier to snipe up unwanted dust and debris in a snap, but also harder to make a selection.
There are so many vacuum cleaners to choose from, and who really wants to spend their time picking out an appliance that means work around the house?
Luckily, once you’ve selected the best vacuum cleaner for you, turning your home into a sparkling, dust-free abode will never be easier.
Most of the best vacuum cleaners these days have done away with the massive cord that was always a tripping hazard, and instead feature a cordless design. Dyson, for one, has vowed to stop developing corded vacuums after the release of the new cordless Cyclone V10.
Vacuum cleaners today are much slimmer than the vacuums of yore, and some even have brains of their own. While it’s still a « chore » in the traditional sense, vacuum cleaning can now be done in far less time and with far greater ease thanks to cordless vacuums and those that clean your house while you’re out and about.
Digging out the best Dyson or Roomba to help lighten the load can be the sort of investment where the benefits become almost immediately clear. Like the budding Ghostbusters we are, sucking up junk into our proton-pack-aping vacuum cleaners can actually be quite satisfying. It’s instant gratification, seeing the dirt, grime and crumbs sucked away into the netherworld of the vacuum cleaner’s bin.
And it only gets better if you’ve got a top-notch gadget to help you do it all. Whether it’s a lightweight cordless, a super-powerful upright or a “who needs humans?” robot cleaner you’re after, these are the best vacuum cleaners TechRadar has used. They all suck, but in the best possible way.
Power supply:: Cordless, battery| Weight:: 5.9 lbs / 2.6 kg| Bin size:: 0.75L| Run time:: Up to 60 minutes
Dyson’s newest cordless vacuum cleaner is so good, the company is no longer producing new corded vacuums. That’s how confident Dyson is that the Cyclone V10 and the vacs that follow will meet all your cleaning needs.
Simply put, the Cyclone V10 is the best vacuum Dyson has ever made. Dyson has redefined its cyclone technology to produce more suction power than ever; the new V10 digital motor is 20% more powerful than the previous V8, and, we can assure, it sucks a lot (we mean that as a compliment).
You’ll notice a number of crucial changes between the V10 and older V models. For example, the barrel is now front-facing, and all attachments connect here directly. The design allows for greater suction efficiency, according to Dyson. The V10 is smarter than ever before, too, and can even detect differences in altitude, air pressure and temperature, and adjust itself for maximum performance.
Prices and models vary across regions, but needless to say, you pay for the Cyclone V10’s souped-up suction. And while the Cyclone V10 is more powerful than ever and boasts a more energy-dense battery than previous models, putting it on the highest setting will drain the battery in about five minutes. At the lowest setting, however, you’ll get up to 60 minutes of use, and that should be plenty for your everyday messes.
Read our full Dyson Cyclone V10 review
Power supply:: Cordless, battery| Weight:: 4kg| Bin size:: 0.33L| Suction power: 25.2AW
Don’t want a Dyson? This Shark IF250UK is a cheaper and suitable alternative to some of the top end products from Dyson that sit in this list. It’s another cordless cleaner that can run for 22 minutes from a single charge – but the best bit is there are two batteries in the box, so you can just hot swap out mid-clean and get 44 minutes in total.
We really like the design of the Shark IF250UK, although it is a little on the heavy side. It comes with Shark’s Flexology technology that means you can bend the cleaner at the mid-way point so you can get those hard to reach places like under your sofa without having to get down on your hands and knees.
It’s not as lightweight as the Dyson above, but we still found it easy enough to carry and suitably portable.
This thing is powerful too. If you own a pet, you can get a special edition version that comes with in-built pet cleaning features, but in an animal-free home we found the Shark IF250UK cleaned up easily when using its maximum suction mode.
For a lower price than the Dyson above in this list, the Shark IF250UK is suitable as your next vacuum cleaner as it’s just as powerful as the competition and easy to use.
Read the full Shark IF250UK review
Power supply:: Cordless, battery| Weight:: 2.16kg| Bin size:: 0.54L| Suction power: 22AW (115AW in MAX mode)
Formerly the best cordless vacuum experience that money could buy, the Dyson V8 Absolute is still a top-of-the-line battery powered vacuum cleaner, even as the Cyclone V10 has dethroned it as the very best. It also remains an absolute joy to use.
First, the design. With a removable extender pole and equipped with six different heads for different surfaces and use cases, the V8 Absolute is lightweight and easy to run around the house. But with the suction motor in the pistol-grip handle area, you can easily clip a head directly onto the main unit, turning the whole thing into a portable cleaner, perfect for going up the stairs of de-crumbing the car.
A full-charge will give you around 40 minutes of use, which is really impressive for a cordless cleaner – though mileage will vary once you start using on the motorized heads, or switch on the V8 Absolute’s MAX mode. You’ll rarely need it though – for a handheld, this cleaner will rival even an upright for sheers dirt-sucking power. Its large bin will take in plenty of trash too before needing emptying – another convenience not often seen in a cordless.
Best of all though, it genuinely is fun to use. The sci-fi aesthetic makes it one of the few “white goods” gadgets you’ll happily leave on show in the house, with the transforming design as useful as it is clever. It’s worth saving the cash for.
Power supply: Battery (cordless)| Weight: 3.5kg| Battery live: 40 minutes
The Gtech AirRam MK2 blends the flexibility of a cordless vacuum with strong suction performance and easy use, making it a great choice for those looking for a vac they can quickly whizz around the home.
It’s super easy to setup out of the box, and after the initial charge (it takes four hours to fully charge from flat) you’re ready to go. The need to charge however can be a hassle, especially if an accidental spillage has occurred and you want to quickly clean it, only to find the AirRam MK2 is out of battery. You could use it if plugged into the wall, but with such a short charging cable supplied that’d be wholly impractical.
An hour on the charger will give you a short burst of power to address a spillage, but if you’re planning on doing a general clean you’ll want a fall charge, which gives you around 40 minutes of use – similar to what you’d get from Dyson’s V8 Absolute.
While charging may be a little inconvenient at times, it means you’re never tethered to a cord when using the Gtech AirRam MK2 and that is where is comes into its own. It’s lightweight and highly manoeuvrable body allows you to quickly and efficiently move round your home.
Gtech’s Airlock technology automatically adjusts the head for different flooring types, and suction is generally very good – but it’s not the best on offer.
The collection bin may be a bit on the small side too, but it’s incredibly easy to empty and ensures you don’t get your hands dirty, with the removable cylinder featuring a sliding lever that pushes out all the nasties.
It’s easy to carry up and down stairs, but with no hose or attachments you can’t easily vacuum stairs with it, or hard to reach areas of your home. It’s price tag makes it a more approachable option than the Dyson however, so if you’re on a budget it’s well worth a look.
Power supply: Corded| Weight: 6.9kg| Cord length: 9.4m| Suction power: 90AW
If you want serious suction from your vacuum cleaner, Dyson is the market leader. Its cyclone technology has long been touted as the best sucker around, and on the Light Ball Multi Floor we can safely say; this thing sucks big time. In a good way.
With 90AW of suction power the Dyson Light Ball Multi Floor tackles carpet, wood floors, laminate and more. Each pass hoovers up dust, hair and other particles struck inside your carpets too, not just those sitting on top.
We were surprised, and impressed with the amount of stuff it picked up during the first few trips around our house – clearly our previous vacuum wasn’t doing the job as effectively.
When the large bin fills up, it’s just a simple one button release from the body of the Light Ball, and then another one button press to dispense its contents into the bin – although with the large flag that opens at the bottom you’ll need to angle the cylinder accordingly.
As well as acting as a standard upright cleaner, the Light Ball also comes with a built in hose and tools, allowing you to tackle hard to reach places, ceilings and stairs with relative ease.
