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5 Best Cheap Vacuum Cleaners, According to Cleaning Experts
The best budget-friendly vacuum cleaners to pick up dirt, dust and pet hair from carpets and hardwood floors.
Some of the most feature-packed vacuum cleaners we’ve tested cost upwards of $500, but you don’t have to break your budget if you need a new vacuum. There are budget-friendly vacuums that can get the job done for a fraction of the price.
Buying a cheap vacuum can sometimes backfire and end up costing you more than you intended to spend if it breaks after just a few months of use. Thankfully our experts know what you should look out for to make sure that the cheap vacuum you buy is worth it. Budget-friendly retailers like Amazon and Walmart are great places to look for cheap vacuums. In fact, our experts have put together a guide of the best vacuums on Amazon and the best vacuum models on Walmart based on their experience with some of the most well-known vacuum cleaner brands on the market.
Our top picks:
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The Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab regularly tests all kinds of vacuums — hundreds over the decades — to see how well each picks up different types of debris, from sand to pet hair on both carpeting and bare floors. We also assess the maneuverability across different types of flooring, around common household obstacles and up and down stairs. We look for ease of use in everything from the intuitiveness of the controls to the process for changing bags, emptying dust bins or cleaning filters.
The picks below stood out in our assessments as models offering great value. After our picks, keep reading for more info on how we test vacuum cleaners along with what to consider when buying one and why you should trust our recommendations.
Bissell CleanView Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
Bissell CleanView Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
Pros
- Five height settings
- Easy-to-clean dust cup
- Turbo brush attachment for pet hair
Cons
- No HEPA filter
Bissell vacuums have long been strong performers in our Lab, especially in our carpet cleaning tests. This model from the brand isn’t one we’ve tested before, but we have tested other very similar upright models that have performed well in our tests. This Cleanview upright vac has five height settings meaning you can clean high- and low-pile carpeting, bare floors and everything in between. We like that Bissell's bagless dust cup empties from the bottom because our tests show that this design creates less mess. And its turbo brush attachment mimics those we've seen on more expensive vacuums for removing pet hair and lint from upholstery and carpeted stairs.
It comes with a washable foam filter, a 25-foot cord and a two-year limited warranty from Bissell. Though it doesn't offer HEPA filtration, variable suction or a brush roll on/off switch at this price point, the brush roll is designed to minimize scattering on bare floors, and the multi-stage filtration captures both large and tiny particles. And weighing only 12.5 pounds, it’s easy to carry up and down stairs.
| 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 |
Bissell Featherweight PowerBrush Stick Vacuum
Bissell Featherweight PowerBrush Stick Vacuum
Pros
- Rotating brush for carpet cleaning
- Converts to a handheld vacuum
Cons
- No HEPA filter
Stick vacuums are lightweight and convenient for homes with lots of bare flooring, but they're usually not so convenient for heavily carpeted areas. Not the case with this stick vac from Bissell. Unlike others at this price point, has a rotating brush head to better remove pet hair and other debris from carpeting and upholstery. It also converts to a handheld vacuum, and it's corded for nonstop cleaning.
While we haven't tested this exact model, we have tested other vacuums from Bissell quite similar to it, and they do very well in GH Cleaning Lab tests, quickly picking up debris and litter from bare floors and low pile carpets without pushing or scattering it. The Featherweight PowerBrush has a small washable filter at the top of the dust cup, but it's not a HEPA filter and the cleaning head doesn't swivel, which bothers some users.
| Weight | 4 lbs |
|---|---|
| Cord length | 18 ft. |
| Dustbin volume | 0.7 L |
| Filter | Washable standard |
| Attachments | Crevice tool |
Eureka Mighty Mite Corded Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Eureka Mighty Mite Corded Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Pros
- Great at cleaning bare floors
- Very lightweight
- Dust bags easy to change
Cons
- No rotating brush for deep-cleaning carpets
There’s a reason this mini vacuum cleaner has been on the market so long: It works! We tested this top-rated canister vacuum years ago in our Cleaning Lab and still consider it one of the best for the price. Lightweight and easy to tote around, the Eureka is a bare floor and hardwood vacuuming champ. It comes with a HEPA filter to trap allergens and a hose, wands and other attachments, like a shoulder strap, for easier floor-to-ceiling cleaning. The dust bags are easy to change, and the blower port emits a powerful blast to rid your workbench, garage, driveway or deck of debris.
Especially nice at this cheap price are the fingertip controls and a 20-foot cord. While the floor nozzle can easily clean up bare floors and flat and low pile rugs and carpets, don't expect it to retrieve dirt and debris embedded deep into medium and high pile carpets: You need a rotating brush for that and this doesn't come with one.
| 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 |
BLACK+DECKER Furbuster Handheld Vacuum
BLACK+DECKER Furbuster Handheld Vacuum
Pros
- Powerful suction and brush for pet hair pickup
- Built-in extra long crevice tool
Cons
- Filter is not HEPA
This vacuum from Black+Decker gives you lots of bang for your buck. In our Cleaning Lab tests, it earned the second-highest overall score thanks to its powerful suction that rivaled some of the higher-end models we tested. And the motorized power brush attachment for removing pet hair and other embedded debris is a nice extra for a handheld vacuum at this price. We were impressed with the amount of dirt and pet hair we were able to remove from carpets with the power brush attachment, even on the standard power mode.
Other notable features include a runtime of 32 minutes (long for a handheld vacuum), a washable filter and an easy-to-empty dustbin. It also earned high scores for being one of the quietest hand vacs we tested and for having a comfortable handle. Its large, easy-to-read battery indicator means you'll always know when the power is running low, too. While it's geared up for deep cleaning and removing pet hair, it lacks a HEPA filter which would have been helpful for allergy sufferers.
| Weight | 4.2 lbs |
|---|---|
| Cord length | Cordless |
| Dustbin volume | 0.7 L |
| Filter | Washable standard |
| Attachments | Extra long crevice tool, motorized pet brush |
WORX Power Share Cordless Cube Compact Vacuum
WORX Power Share Cordless Cube Compact Vacuum
Pros
- Lightweight
- Long, flexible hose
Cons
- Battery and charger sold separately
This small but mighty vacuum weighs only 3 pounds and earned the highest overall score in our last test of 18 handheld vacuums. The Worx Power Share Cordless Cube earned a perfect score across six of our seven ease-of-use tests and five of our seven performance tests. What makes it even better is that it's cordless! The rechargeable battery is compatible with any 20v or 40v Worx power tools, so there is no need to buy another battery if you already have one at home. If you don't already have one, though, you'll have to buy one separately which will ultimately drive up the price. It ran for 23 minutes on a single charge in our test, longer than many other handheld vacuums twice its size.
It features a HEPA filter that can be cleaned with warm water, a crevice tool and a dusting brush attachment and a flexible hose that extends up to 4 feet making it easy to reach under and between car seats or into hard-to-reach corners. Surprisingly, we liked its unique boxy shape and easy-carry top handle.
| Weight | 3 lbs |
|---|---|
| Cord length | Cordless |
| Dustbin volume | 0.2 L |
| Filter | Washable HEPA |
| Attachments | Crevice tool, dusting brush |
Other cheap vacuums we've tested
- Bissell Zing Canister Vacuum is another budget-friendly model from expert and consumer-loved brand Bissell that has features we look for in more high-end models. It's a compact canister vacuum with auto cord rewind, a washable filter and attachments to clean in tight corners and for dusting. The Zing does not have a rotating brush so it won't be able to get deeply embedded dirt out of thick carpets, but a flip of the switch on the multi-surface floor tool allows you to go from hard flooring to carpet easily.
- Dirt Devil Grab & Go Cordless Hand Vacuum was recently tested in consideration for our most recent Best Cleaning and Organizing Awards and noted by our expert for its ease of use and great performance. A two-in-one crevice and dusting attachment are included with this compact handheld model and you can mount the model on the wall for easy charging. You likely won't be picking up many big messes with this model, but for small messes on the kitchen counter after dinner or crumbs from your car seats, it's a great option.
How we test vacuum cleaners
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, all vacuums are tested exactly the same way for more accurate performance comparisons, and our tests are based on the ASTM International industry-standard test methods. We've tested countless stick, upright, robots and handheld vacuums in our Lab, including several models from every brand on this list. Each stick, upright and canister vacuum we test may be evaluated on a custom-built machine (pictured here) that automatically embeds a weighed amount of debris into our test carpet, then passes each vacuum over the carpet a standard number of times. We then weigh the vacuum's dustbin or bag and calculate the percentage of the debris that is picked up by the vacuum.
In addition to carpet cleaning testing, we test all models on bare floors and for their ability to pick up pet hair. We may evaluate suction at the hose, ease of use, loudness and any other extra attachments or features unique to a specific model. Every model goes through each test three times before we average the results to give it an overall score across all categories.
To test pet hair removal, we use industry-standard rayon fibers to simulate pet hair that we evenly spread on a carpet’s surface. We pass each vacuum the same number of passes over the carpet and take the weight of the dust bin to measure how much the vacuum cleaner was able to pick up. In total, each vacuum goes through a minimum of nine separate tests just to assess floor cleaning performance.
Testing for ease of use includes evaluating maneuverability (weight is a factor here, too), battery run-time for cordless vacuum cleaners, ease of the controls and how simple it is to empty and clean the vacuum cleaner after each use. These assessments are often made not just by our Lab experts but by consumer testers, too.
Additionally, we evaluate the owner’s manual for each vacuum cleaner and assign it a grade for robustness and ease of following instructions for use. Models that are tested in consideration for our Cleaning and Organizing Awards are also sent to members of our panel of consumer testers who test the vacuums at home and provide us with feedback.
What to look for when shopping for the best cheap vacuum cleaner
When shopping for a budget-friendly vacuum cleaner, there are a few things you should pay particular attention to. Because cheaper vacuum cleaners have more plastic parts and are more easily prone to breakage, take an extra moment to thoroughly read user comments about durability to make sure you are comfortable with its sturdiness. Here’s what else to keep in mind:
✔️ Vacuum type: Stick vacuums are lightweight, but are usually not the best option for homes with many rugs or thick carpets. Upright vacuums can remove deeply embedded dust and debris from carpets and usually have adjustable height settings to accommodate different pile carpets, too. If you plan to clean multiple floors of your home, you may want to consider a canister vacuum with a motorized brush attachment as these are easier to carry up and down stairs. Handheld vacuums are great for cleaning up small messes, especially from kitchen counters, furniture and other above-floor areas.
✔️ Bagged or bagless: Bagged vacuums are easy to empty; just remove and dispose of the bag. They keep dust safely inside the bag, but you’ll have to remember to keep replacements stocked at home. Bagless vacuums have no extra costs associated with them, but can sometimes be messy to empty and may release dust into the air when you remove the dustbin to empty it.
✔️ Power source: Decide whether you want a vacuum with a cord, which can limit how far you can vacuum until you need to find another outlet, or whether you prefer cordless, which has a battery life 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 tough spots that tend to collect dust, such as behind a couch or dresser. There are also tools such as a mini turbo brush that work wonders when it comes to getting your pet’s hair off furniture.
✔️ Warranty: Most come with a one-year limited warranty. Some may offer less. Make sure you use the vacuum often enough to assess its performance before the return or warranty period is up. Getting cheap vacuums repaired if something fails is usually not possible or not worth the cost. If a cheap vacuum stops working after a few years of use, it may just be cheaper to replace it.
What is a normal price for a vacuum?
Vacuums cost anywhere from under $100 to well over $1000. Most often, you'll be able to get handhelds, cordless stick models and compact canisters for cleaning bare floors at budget prices. Uprights and fully-featured canisters with attachments for carpet cleaning usually cost closer to $200 or more. In fact, we couldn't find any cheap carpet-cleaning canisters to recommend in this roundup! Vacuums with extra attachments, HEPA filters and other convenient features like cord rewind and adjustable suction usually cost more, too.
Robot vacuum cleaners are even harder to find at budget prices, with most models costing upwards of $500. You may be able to find some older or refurbished models from good-performing brands for cheaper, but they likely won’t be as feature-packed as the more expensive new models available. Keep an eye out for sales and discounts around President’s Day and Amazon Prime Day.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Carolyn Forté has deep analytical testing and editorial expertise in categories like vacuum cleaners, and for the past 22 years, Carolyn has been a member of ASTM's F11 Vacuum Cleaner Committee where she serves as Chair of the Consumer Information Subcommittee. She meets regularly with vacuum cleaner company engineers and testing lab executives to develop and set the standard testing methods used by the vacuum cleaner industry. All of the vacuum cleaners included in this guide were selected by her and by Cleaning Lab analysts with her guidance.
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.
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