The 10 Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners of 2026, Ranked

For large areas of carpet, usually yes. An upright has a wide, motorised brush bar directly under the motor, so it covers more floor per pass and keeps its suction. A cylinder is lighter to carry and has the edge on stairs, bare floors and under furniture. Cordless sticks are easier still, but they run down, and cordless uprights are in the cordless guide.

All ten here are bagless, so there are no bags to buy, but emptying the bin can throw up dust. Bagged uprights seal dust in until you bin the bag, which suits allergy sufferers, but bags are a running cost.

Look for around 5kg or less. The Vax Air Stretch Pet Max is around 5kg, and the Hoover Breeze Pet and Ewbank are light too. Lift-away models such as the Shark and Vax Air Lift 2 Pet let you carry only the pod up the stairs. The Dyson, Hoover HL5 and Shark PowerDetect are heavier, so they suit flat floors.

Pick one with an anti-tangle or self-clearing brush bar and a turbo pet tool. The Shark NZ690UKT and PowerDetect and the Dyson Ball Animal Origin are built for this. Budget options such as the Hoover Breeze Pet, Vax Air Stretch Pet Max and the Ewbank Motion Pet add a pet tool for stairs and upholstery. A bigger bin saves emptying in a multi-pet home.

Mostly. Most uprights here clean hard floors well when the brush bar is switched off or the head adjusts. Without that, a spinning bar can scatter debris. For a home that is mostly hard floor, a cylinder or a cordless stick is often easier.

Do not judge by wattage, because makers measure it as input power rather than suction. Compare the brush bar design, the sealed system and the filter instead. For allergies, look for HEPA or EPA filtration and a sealed body, which most models here have. Washable filters should be rinsed and fully dried about every few months, and replaced on the brand's schedule.