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More versatile than your average uprightand just as powerful.
Photo:Real Simple
Below, youll find the vacuum thats up to the task.
Its a bit bulky for a quick mess, and we had some issues with spitting debris back out.
The wheels easily glided around all of the floor types.
PHOTO: Amazon
It takes someextra work to get the hair wrapped around the brush removed.
In fact, we can’t imagine ever switching back to the upright vacuum we used to use.
Youll need to use the highest suction controls on hard floors for the most effective clean.
The Miele C1 canister vacuum transitioned well between hardwood, carpeting, and stairs, making it ideal for homes with different floor types.PHOTO: Real Simple
On carpet, this vacuum worked amazingly on all suction parameters.
On hard surfaces, however, the all suction options mostly just pushed the hair around.
Its a bit bulky and gets caught on furniture easily.
(Its the second-heaviest of the Kenmores on this list,butits tied for the longest cord length).
That said, its an impressive vacuum that still works as well as the day we got it.
The vacuum bag sensor sometimes falls out prematurely, and the vacuum stops working.
It’s easy to fix, but it’s not convenient.
Another Miele vacuum took our spot for the best vacuum for hardwood floors.
The only thing that it didnt do quite so well on was our car mat.
The suction wassostrong that it pulled the mat up, making it hard to move the vacuum head.
Another attachment picked everything up, though, except for some tiny debris that took multiple passes.
One clip releases the bag, so it only takes one hand.
It excelled on all fronts in terms of noise level, ease of use, and maneuverability as well.
How complex or simple was it, and were the instructions clear if any were provided?
and judged how much was leftover after doing one pass.
Last but not least was theease of emptying.
How complicated or easy was it to do, and was it messy or relatively clean?
If we had to empty it multiple times, we kept track of that as well.
We applied those insights and critique to our process here.
Heres a quick recap:
Canister vacuums are great for upholstery and carpet (especially surfaces withpet hair!
All of our vacuums scored well in terms of ease of rolling around and emptying.
PHOTO: Amazon
The canister rolled well in all directions, and the vacuum head maneuvered seamlessly, even on our carpet.PHOTO: Real Simple
PHOTO: The Home Depot
PHOTO: Real Simple
PHOTO: Amazon
It excelled at sucking up hair and smaller debris on our carpet, but required multiple passes to pick up larger pieces of orzo and Cheerios.PHOTO: Real Simple
PHOTO: Amazon
While the vacuum head initially pushed the debris, once we lifted it off the floor and placed it on the pet hair, it sucked it all up.PHOTO: Real Simple
We tested each vacuum’s performance on hardwood, carpet, and stairs, considering how well it transitioned between surfaces.Real Simple
The best canister vacuums are maneuverable enough to navigate around furniture and other obstacles with minimal effort.Real Simple
The vacuum head, lacking rollers, tended to get stuck on carpets, rugs, and car mats due to its strong suction.Real Simple