Like any informed customer, you want to ensure that a product delivers everything it promises and brings good value
for money. You start near the bottom of the price ladder and look upwards for the rare and exceptionally good vacuum cleaners. But where does cost-cutting end and decline in quality begin? This is the twilight zone where the best products lay. And that’s where we looked for the best vacuum cleaner under $300. We wanted to round up some high-performance vacuums that are just about affordable but also bring some of the power and top features of high-end vacuums. These are for the discriminating users who want to spend cautiously and get their money’s worth. The vacuums are ranged across the type of vacuum, the feature set and brands. We have also written a complete guide about the best vacuum cleaners under 200.
Are expensive vacuums worth the extra cost?
We selected the 15 best vacuum cleaner under $300 for a reason. We studied both the dirt cheap vacuums and the expensive ones ranging towards $1000 and everything in between. This is what we found:
Cheap Vacuums: The best vacuum cleaners under $100 have shown some good performance relative to their price. And yet the fact remains that although they clean up the mess, a lot of dust is emitted back out through their exhaust. If yours is an allergy-sensitive home, these dirt cheap vacuums will not fulfil the cleaning requirements.
Their lifetime is also 1-2 years at max. You must navigate the vacuum through your house and it will eventually bump against furniture or ride over bumpy surfaces. Most of these cheaper vacuums cannot sustain against this continuous usage. Users often report that such vacuums stop working suddenly for no apparent reason. Or their
parts or attachments break easily. The warranties and customer support are often inadequate.
Another most important disadvantage is maneuverability. The cheaper vacuums are usually hefty and lack a swiveling head which makes them difficult to maneuver through the furniture. . Most of them are quite noisy too compared to the expensive well-insulated vacuums.
Expensive Vacuums: This is a mixed bag when it comes to performance. Established brands like Miele, Dyson and Kenmore bring excellent products to the …well…floor. They have the kind of cleaning performance which leaves the house cleaner on surfaces and in terms of air quality. They also insulate the motor well and curb the noise of the operation. Expensive vacuums such as Dysons are usually way more maneuverable than their cheaper counterparts. They are quite durable too with Mieles lasting up to 15-20 years.
There are certain brands like Kirby and Aerus which charge premium but do not live up to the hype. The customers should steer clear of such products.
How are the best vacuum cleaners under 300 different from others?
The best vacuum cleaners under $300 were chosen carefully for claiming advantages of both cheap and expensive vacuums. On the one hand, they are affordable and bring excellent value for money. On the other hand they have the following benefits over cheap vacuums:
Cleaning: These vacuums simply clean better than the inexpensive vacuums. They often combine brushroll with powerful suction to get the dirt out of carpets. There are no vacuums under $100 that can clean medium- or high-pile carpets convincingly. But the ones closer to the $300 mark can. Most of the cheaper vacuums also don’t have the facility of switch off the brush roll on bare floors. But suction-only vacuuming is recommended for laminate and other bare floors which can get scratched easily.
Filtration: A filtration system goes between the suction head and the exhaust of the vacuum. The suction is created by a negative air pressure and it has to be balanced by a positive air pressure at the exhaust. A filtration assembly ensures that the air going out is not spewing dust back into the atmosphere. Most inexpensive vacuums seem to clean well on the surface but have high emission levels. The vacuums closer to $300 mark tend to have better filtration.
Filters: It also matters which filters your vacuum has. A HEPA filter can remove upto to 99.7% of the particles greater than 0.3 micron from the air that passes through it. While some inexpensive vacuums have HEPA filters, they don’t complement them with sealed filters chambers. So some of the dusty air escapes through the sides and ends up polluting the air inside your home. Quality vacuums have chambers sealed with gaskets at joints and HEPA or equal filtration.
Longevity: The best vacuum cleaners under $300 tend to last longer than the inexpensive vacuums. They have better warranty of parts too which makes a better case in front of their customer service. In the longer run, these quality vacuums may end up costing lesser than the overall expense of buying, repairing and replacing an inexpensive vacuum.
Features: The best vacuums under $300 pack just enough features that they are relevant and relatively more convenient than the cheaper vacuums. These include functions like ability to turn off brush roll, automatic cord rewind, cordlessness, better weight distribution for maneuverability etc.. But they aren’t so far advanced that you feel like you are paying for features you don’t need. In short, a nice balance between your pocket and your requirement.
What are the features of high quality vacuum cleaners under $300?
When we looked for the best vacuum cleaner under $300, we checked out the following parameters:
Cleaning: We looked at their overall prowess of cleaning. We checked out their performances on bare floors and carpets against the promise they make in their advertising and their price. Their motor power was taken into account. We check them against a variety of particles on multiple surfaces. We also used them on problem areas like edges and upholstery.
Usability: We focused on the general maneuverability of the vacuum cleaners. We started with their weight and looked at the distribution of weight along the body. If the vacuum converts to a smaller unit we checked that it was convenient to use. We also checked the location of controls and the general ease of operation including emptying the dust cup.
Features: We wanted to know if the features of the vacuum were balanced well against the prize. You don’t want to end up buying a costly multisurface vacuum only to realize that the brush roll doesn’t turn off or that the filtration isn’t adequate.
Type: We covered all five major types of vacuum: stick, upright, canister, handheld and robot vacuums. We included vacuum better suited for bare floors, to ones for carpets to multisurface vacuums.
Budget: We have selected most of these best vacuum cleaners from the $200-$300 range. These are excellent units that are affordable to some extent while also classifying as high-end quality products.
Top 15 Best Vacuum Cleaners Under 300 – Chart
1. Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional NV356E
We found the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional NV356E vacuum to be the most dependable unit and
advanced in the $200-300 price range. It’s giving the Mieles twice its price a run for their money. But instead of being a plain of old canister vacuum this is a convertible upright and canister vacuum. The intelligent design with top-rated filtration makes it best suited for allergy-sensitive homes on a budget. This is the best vacuum cleaner under $300 in all aspects.
Design
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional NV356E vacuum has an interesting design. That have packed in some innovation without sacrificing maneuverability. This is an upright vacuum on the face value. With one foot on the cleaning head, you can recline the body. The head swivels and rides smoothly on two rubberized wheels.
The complete body is quite slender all things considered. The looped handle deceptively connects to a wand which doubles as the backbone of the upright body. It can be released with a single button push. You can also release the canister and motor assembly with another button push. This converts the unit into a canister vacuum with the handle serving as the handle to the wand. You can also disconnect at the junction between the wand and the handle for close cleaning of upholstery and the stairs.
The power cord of this vacuum runs 30 feet long. There’s no auto cord rewind. The build is mainly plastic but it’s the sturdy kind. There haven’t be any complaints about the longevity of the vacuum and the weight is capped at a lowly 14 pounds.
Features
The main cleaning head of the Shark Navigator Lift-away upright vacuum has motorized brush roll. The brush roll agitates the dirt off the low and medium carpet. The suction is powerful even with a 10amp motor as opposed to the usual 12amp motor. It has suction control via a rotating sleeve on the handle. There are no height adjustments although we haven’t heard about any issues with movement on deep carpets. Even so the motor has a failsafe which turns it off if the nozzle stalls and the motor overloads. The cleaning head in narrower than usual at 9.25 inches. But this turned out to be a blessing because it helps you quickly weave in and out of the furniture.
This vacuum cleaner uses HEPA filtration to ensure 99.97% of dust particles over 0.3 micron are effectively filtered. The dust particles are separated via cyclonic suction which ensure that the filters stay clean longer. But more importantly, they pair them with anti-allergen complete sealed chamber, so all the air entering the vacuum is filtered. This is one of the top allergy vacuums. The transparent dust cup has a capacity of 0.55 gallons. It has easy-reject bottom hatch which enables non-messy emptying.
This Shark vacuum comes with a separate Hard Floor Hero tool for cleaning bare floors. While turning off the brush roll also works on bare floors, this tool is for superior cleaning and buffing of such floors. Its microfiber pads capture the smallest dust particles off the smooth floors. You get 2 replacement microfiber pads. You get an 8-inch and a 24-inch crevice tool. A dusting brush is included. We mostly appreciated the extra Pet hair brush for homes with pets that shed a lot.
Pros:
- Upright convertible to canister
- Motorized brush roll on/off
- Very easy to assemble and maneuver
- HEPA filtration in a sealed system
- Great haul of accessories
Cons:
- No automatic cord rewind
2. Dyson V6 Absolute Cord-free Vacuum
The Dyson V6 Absolute cordless vacuum is an exemplary specimen that dropped to sub-$300 price range only
because newer models have been released. This timeless Dyson stick design speaks convenience with every feature. It’s a lightweight but powerful tool for floor-to-ceiling cleaning. You finally get out of the hassle of plugging and unplugging your vacuum every 5 mins. The HEPA filtration seals its top place in the best vacuum cleaner under $300 list.
Design
The Dyson V6 Absolute cordless vacuum has the typical petite structure of this line-up. It is, in fact, more svelte than the latest Dyson V8. The artistic design has the handle connecting to futuristic-looking cylinder which packs the motor, the dust cup and the battery pack. This module connects to the wand via single lock. The wand further connects to a removable cleaning head. Its weighs 5.1 pounds total. The higher distribution of weight towards the hand gives you more control in its movement.
This is convertible vacuum. You can remove the wand and use it as a handheld vacuum. The power button is a trigger so you have to keep it pressed to get suction. This might seem tedious but it saves battery power. There’s a pretty neat docking station which doubles as the charger and an accessory holder.
Features
The Dyson V6 Absolute vacuum comes with 2 main cleaning heads. One if for the carpets. This motorized brush roll, 75% more powerful than the basic V6, gets the dirt excited out of carpets of all thicknesses. And the powerful cyclonic suction grabs the dirt. This hallmark Dyson technology filters dirt without clogging up the filters as fast as usual. The bare floor cleaning head has nylon and carbon fiber filaments which efficiently attract the dust and buff the floor. The cleaning heads have a width of 9.84 inches and they weave easily in and out of the furniture.
The attachments with this vacuum cleaner include a mini motorized tool for pet hair, stairs and car interiors. It can be used in the handheld mode. The crevice tool can be attached to the wand and used to clean the ceiling. Also available are a dusting brush and a combination brush. The battery lasts through 20 mins of performance on the standard operation mode fade-free. There’s a boost mode which generate 100AW and lasts 6 minutes. The standard mode is enough for usual cleaning. Battery is not removable and takes 3.5 hours to charge.
This Dyson vacuum provides HEPA filtration for allergy-sensitive homes. It also has airtight sealing to ensure all the air passes through this post-filter. The filters are washable. The only shortcoming is the dust cup. This is a 0.11 gallon cylinder. This is average for stick vacuums. But there’s also the problem that it’s difficult to completely empty it without getting some mess on your hands while unwrapping the hair around the filter assembly.
Pros:
- Lightweight 2-in-1 vacuum
- Cordless
- Great haul of accessories
- Sealed HEPA filtration
- Low battery charging time
Cons:
- Somewhat messy to empty dust cup
- Battery not removable
3. Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away Upright Vacuum (NV501)
The Shark Rotator Professional NV501 lift-away vacuum is a 3-in-1 genius unit from Shark. As usual, it delivers
excellent value for the money. The convertibility makes it versatile but it’s the numerous other features and characteristics which makes it easy to use. It is also power-packed with brilliant performance on bare floor, low-pile rugs and medium pile carpets. This is a no-brainer for a top spot on our best vacuum cleaner under $300 list.
Design
Like the Shark Navigator, the Shark Rotator NV501 vacuum has a petite body. It weighs average at 15.5 pounds. Much like the Navigator, its upper body can be detached to reveal a wand. The motor and dust cup assembly cab be dismantled from the body. Together with the hose and the wand, this forms a handheld vacuum which weighs around 8.4 pounds. With Rotator, you also get a canister caddy where the canister can be placed and rolled for true canister-like performance.
The power cord runs 30 feet. The cleaning head has a width of 11.5 inches which is relatively wider than the Navigator but still narrow enough to easily get under the furniture. The body reclines back and the cleaning head swivels for easy maneuverability.
Features
The Shark Rotator NV501 Professional lift-away vacuum has a motorized brush bar. It can be turned on for caret cleaning and off for bare floors. Without automatic height adjustment, it has the ability to pull in all sizes of debris. The suction and rotation of the bar is powerful enough to do a thorough cleaning of the surfaces. The cleaning head is led by an array of LED headlights. There is no real suction control but there’s a suction release valve if you want to lower the power of suction for some application.
This Shark vacuum has 3-level filtration. The pre-motor filter and the post motor filter are followed by a HEAP filter. Moreover the filtration is sealed with anti-allergen complete seal technology which ensures that 100% of the air stream passes through the HEPA filter. The cyclonic suction ensures that the filters don’t get clogged easily. The dust cup has an official capacity of 0.325 gallons, however it can be extended. This is an easy-reject cup which can be emptied by simply unlocking the bottom hatch.
The NV501 upright vacuum comes with a Premium Pet Power brush meant for cleaning pet hair and dander from various surfaces. The other attachments are an 18” crevice tool, and a multi-angle dusting brush. This pivots around in multiple angle intuitively based on the angle of the surface its cleaning. The other main accessory if the 8.6 feet long stretch hose. The motor has a failsafe where it automatically turns off if the brush bar is stalled while cleaning.
Pros:
- Motorized brush roll on/off
- Sealed HEPA filtration
- 3-in-1 design
- Long reach
- Great haul of accessories
Cons:
- Sometimes tips over easily
4. Dyson Ball Multi Floor 2 Upright Vacuum
The Dyson Ball Multi Floor2 upright vacuum is one of their more capable models but it’s surprisingly affordable, all
things considered. This is a HEPA-grade vacuum with an active cleaning head which adjusts its own height. This is a versatile unit which can be used on anything from bare floors to medium-pile carpets with excellent performance on all types of debris. The modern ball design and Dyson’s brand name tie up a strong case for it on the best vacuum under$300 list.
Design
The Dyson Ball Multi Floor 2 upright vacuum is one of their popular uber- maneuverable unit that turns on a dime. The ball structure is characteristic of this Dyson line and helps the body turn side to side with minimal effort. The vacuum has average weight at 15.6 pounds. The body rests on a wheel assembly which doubles as a kickstand in resting position. Above the ball, you have a large dust cup with filtration assembly.
The power cord runs 31 feet long which gives it plenty of reach. The additional hose and wand add another 12.5 feet to its reach. The cleaning head is pretty wide at 13.4 inches and reduces the number of swipes required for cleaning.
Features
The main cleaning head of the Dyson Ball Multi Floor2 vacuum has a motorized brush roll. It should be turned on for carpeted surface. It brushes out the dirt and conveys it to the suction stream. It is extremely powerful and can get the dirt out of the medium pile carpets convincingly. The head adjusts its height automatically and maintains a clean seal for maximum suction. However, the head sits a little low and tends to get stuck on high pile carpets. This single reason makes it less effective on such surface although it’s powerful enough to clean it with 245 air watt suction. There is no suction control.
Switching off the brush bar, you can clean and buff bare floors. Cleaning up the edges is one of its major strengths. Another area where the automatic height adjustment hinders is while cleaning up large debris. Some such particles are scattered initially because the seal between the head and the surface remains tight and they can’t get through. You get a stair tool, a combination tool and a crevice tool with the pack. You can connect these to the wand and use them to get dirt off multiple surfaces.
The filtration in this Dyson vacuum is through a pre-motor filter and a HEPA post motor filter. Both filters are washable. Their combined effort helped it get a certification from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The iconic Cyclone technology of Dyson appears here as well and enables the filters to remain unclogged longer than usual. The dust cup is transparent and has a capacity of 0.42 gallons. It is easy empty, though sometime you may have to help the dirt through.
Pros:
- Motorized brush roll on/off
- HEPA filtration, allergy-certified
- Powerful 245AW suction
- Highly maneuverable
- Extensive 43-feet reach
Cons:
- Struggles on deep-pile carpets
5. Shark DuoClean Rocket Corded Ultralight Upright Vacuum HV382
The Shark DuoClean Rocket is a powerful stick vacuum that’s rocking foundations of full-size uprights with it’s at par
performance. This is a versatile device that breezes over medium pile carpets to bare floors with a dual cleaning head. Their innovative technology and the design has won it a place in the best vacuum under $300 list. The HV382 version of the DuoClean packs the most comprehensive set of attachments at an affordable price.
Design
The Shark DuoClean Rocket HV382 corded stick vacuum looks like an unlikely candidate for deep cleaning. And that’s why it surprises you with its abilities. At 9.4 pounds, it’s heavier than usual stick vacuums but much lighter than similarly power uprights. Most of the weight is concentrated near the handle with the dust cup, motor and filters. It converts to a handheld when the wand is removed, but this is a bulky piece because it has to pack all these components. The handle is ergonomic and the controls are well placed.
The power cord has a length of 30 feet. The cleaning head is 8.4 inches wide and gets easily under the furniture. The stick body reclines almost flat and gives you a long reach under bulky furniture like tables and beds. The swivel head provides even better maneuverability.
Features
The Shark DuoClean Rocket HV382 stick vacuum has a specially-designed motorized brush roll with two rollers. The front size has a soft brush roll. While the back side has a hard bristled brush roll in helix pattern. The large brush deep cleans over carpets and the soft brush dusts the floors. Both rollers are engaged on both bare floors and carpets. While the brush roll cannot be turned off, you can choose between two brush rotation speeds. Both brushes are easily accessible, the main brush through a top panel and the soft brush from underneath. A hair detanglement toll is packed under the cleaning head.
This Shark vacuum picks up dirt particles of all sizes easily. It doesn’t scatter the debris as much as you would expect from a continuously rotating brush roll. The suction is very powerful and maintains the same power on both power modes. Further, this vacuum comes with 8 attachments. One of them is the TruePet mini motorized brush. This is exceptionally useful in the handheld mode for pet hair removal. There’s a special under appliance wand. It’s a flat 36” tool which can be slipped under appliances like refrigerators and washing machines to clean these problem areas.
The DuoClean Rocket has 3 filters. This includes 2 pre-motor filters and one exhaust filter. These filters are easily accessible and washable. The transparent dust cup has a capacity of 0.3 gallons. There is not facility for this Shark vacuum to stand upright. So its handle part has to be removed and clipped to the bottom of the wand. The only issue is when you need to let go of the cleaner while using it.
Pros:
- Motorized dual brushes
- Converts to handheld
- Motorized TruePet and under-appliance attachments
- Light but powerful suction
- Great haul of accessories
Cons:
- Not freestanding
6. Miele Compact C1 Pure Suction Canister Vacuum
Miele vacuums are considered top of the class because they maintain quality throughout the price range. The Miele
Compact C1 Pure suction canister vacuum is currently affordable but as powerful as you would expect a Miele to be. It is a suction-only vacuum that’s best suited for bare floors and low-pile carpets in small or medium-size apartments. Although compact, its seamless operation finally lands it in the best vacuum cleaner under $300 list.
Design
The Miele Compact C1 Pure Suction canister vacuum [rides itself for being one of the most compact of its type. The whole thing weighs only 14 pounds with accessories, much lighter than the average for their type. The stylish canister rolls on 360°-rotating wheels which enables hitch-free movement. All the controls and the hose attachment are up front. Most of the controls can be operated by foot. The crush-proof hose runs 5.5 feet. The telescopic stainless steel wand has 18 length detents.
The power cord runs a meager 21 feet but Miele makes up with automatic cord rewind. The total reach of the vacuum is 29 feet, which is why we said its best for compact living spaces.
Features
The main cleaning head attached to the Miele C1 Pure Suction canister vacuum is the STB-285-3 Floor tool. This is best used on bare floors, low-pile carpets and rugs. There’s a rocker button on the cleaning head which retracts the brush bar. The brush bar runs on suction power of the vacuum so it effectively agitates dirt only for thinner carpets. On bare floors, the powerful suction does the job for you. There are 6 suction settings selectable by a knob on the lower front side of the canister. While one claims to be for thick carpets, there’s only so much dirt that suction alone can remove from such surfaces.
This vacuum cleaner has a 3-level filtration. First level is the electrostatically-charged dust bag which traps larger dust particles. This is a 3.5L bag that seals itself when you open up the canister to replace it. This ensures minimum exposure to the allergens. There’s a pre-motor filter that guards the filter against dirt collected through the suction and maintains motor power. Lastly, you have a final exhaust filter. Its 3-layer filtration removes 99.95% of dust particles over 0.5 microns. Best part is that it’s replaceable with a HEPA filter or an activated charcoal filter that absorbs odors. There’s a dust bag change indicator which informs you when it’s time to replace the dust bag. The bag lasts a few months of regular use.
Apart from the basic construction, you also get a dusting brush, a crevice tool and an upholstery tool with this Miele vacuum. A VarioClip is provided to store these attachments on board the vacuum. This vacuum is also quite popular for having excellent noise insulation. It’s quieter than competition. It has a failsafe which automatically turns of the vacuum if it overheats.
Pros:
- Highly powerful suction-only cleaning
- Meticulous filtration
- Automatic cord rewind
- Compact and lightweight
- Suction control
Cons:
- Low overall reach
7. Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-Light Upright Corded VacuumHV322
The Shark Rocket TruePet HV322 stick vacuum is the predecessor of the HV382 vacuum. But it’s nifty device just
like NV382 and deserves place in the best vacuum under $300 list. This lightweight vacuum is can be converted into a handheld. It has exceptional ability to clean pet hair and dander off multiple surfaces and even comes with its own pet attachment. Also it derives heavily from some older Dysons, this is a winning unit.
Design
The Shark Rocket TruePet HV322 stick vacuum is a corded unit that weighs around 8 pounds. Most of the weight latches on to the handle which makes it easier to raise the stick and clean the ceiling. The cleaning head is low profile and adds a fully reclining body which gives you farther reach under the furniture than upright vacuums. The cleaning head is moderately wide and gets under chair legs without getting stuck. The head swivel up to 45° to either side which aids in maneuvering it.
This Shark vacuum has a 32 feet long power cord which gives it a lot of leeway for cleaning. It does not have automatic cord rewind though.
Features
The carpet-cleaning head of Shark Rocket TruePet HV322 stick vacuum has a motorized brush roll. It has the LED headlights leading the way into areas that require its attention. You cannot turn off the brush roll on this head but you can choose between two speeds. So if you have a stubborn bit of dirt on a hard floor, you can still use this head. Combined with strong suction, it operates well on up to medium-pile carpets. You get a separate hard floor genie which is suction only. It has a removable microfiber cloth pad which is supposed to buff and clean the floors. It’s a hassle to clean this cloth after a few wipes.
This Shark vacuum comes with a TruePet motorized brush. This can agitate the dirt and pet hair from stairs and upholstery and effectively clean them. It can be attached to the handheld unit for best results. You also get a 12” crevice tool, a dusting brush, and an extension wand. You get a tool clip to store some of the attachments onboard. The overall reach is around 38 feet from the plug. It has a motor failsafe wherein, if the nozzle gets stuck, the motor will stop automatically to prevent overheating and damage.
There are two filters on this Shark vacuum. Both are removable and washable. For storage, you can slide the motor assembly down the stick and lean it against the wall. It’s not freestanding. The dust cup is removable and moderately easy to empty via a bottom hatch.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Long reach
- Converts to handheld
- Excellent for pet hair
Cons:
- Floor genie is not convenient
8. Oreck Commercial U2000R-1 Commercial Upright Vacuum
The Oreck U2000R-1 upright vacuum is a commercial machine. But its excellent performance and surprisingly
lightweight structure have won over the buyers for household cleaning. It has exceptional carpet cleaning abilities certified by CRI as being stringently tested for superior cleaning of such surfaces. Although lacking any attachments, this is a unit that easily makes it to the best vacuum cleaner under $300 list because of its performance.
Design
The Oreck Commercial U2000R-1 upright vacuum is a bagged unit. The bag part of the vacuum is rather large with a 10.3L capacity for capturing dirt. In contrast usual bagged vacuums take only 3.5L of dirt before reaching full capacity. The rest of the body is more like that of a stick vacuum than an upright vacuum. The metal backbone caps at a sturdy handle with an ergonomic design. The total height of the structure is 43 inches but it weighs only around 8 pounds without the power cord. This is why users find it so maneuverable.
The power cord of this unit runs a generous 40 feet long. In a twist, the cord is removable and replaceable. There’s no cord rewind but there are two hooks to hang the cable.
Features
The Oreck Commercial U2000R-1 upright vacuum has a motorized brush bar. Bristles are arranged in a double helix structure on the bar. This Oreck is capable of producing 108CFM of air suction. This is powerful compared to the usual residential vacuums. This works in tandem with thebrush bar to deep clean low to medium pile carpets. The brush roll cannot be turned off. It can be used on bare floors but we would not recommend it for the delicate floors that might get scratched. For most of the hard floors though, this hasn’t been an issue and Oreck Commercial excels at cleaning floors to. Since the cleaning head doesn’t have height adjustments, it struggles a bit to move on deep shag carpets.
The body of the vacuum reclines flat to reach under the furniture extending your cleaning spree. There are bumpers around the cleaning head that protect it against the impact of the furniture. Although powered by a lower amp motor, its suction has been lauded by most of its users. The lack of attachments is not any issue more many users who don’t use thee attachments anyway. If you have a single level, large carpeted area to clean regularly, this vacuum cleaner fits right in. Because of its lightweight structure, it can be easily carried up and down the stairs using the built-in handle.
This upright vacuum uses paper dust bags which double as filters too. These are disposable bags with high capacity. Oreck recommends changing the bag as soon as it reaches the fill line to maintain the same suction power. This filter assembly is packed inside another bag which we see directly. This outer bag also has to be cleaned periodically. This vacuum comes as a bundle with 25 disposable bags.
Pros:
- Lightweight upright
- Motorized brush roll
- Powerful suction
- Bagged vacuum
- Reclines flat
Cons:
- No attachments or hose
9. Hoover Platinum Collection Bagged Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The Hoover Platinum UH3001COM vacuum cleaners come as a set: a light upright and a compact canister. Together,
these two can be used for floor to ceiling cleaning of the house. Both are lightweight units and can be carried around with ease. The HEPA filtration with bagged dirt disposal makes it a great budget vacuum for somewhat allergy-sensitive homes. It makes a strong case to be on the best vacuum cleaner under $300.
Design
Both pieces of the Hoover Platinum UH3001COM vacuum cleaners look decently robust in their clean black and silver lines. The upright is lightweight at 11 pounds. The large outer bag stand against the backbone of the handle. The cleaning head is only moderately low profile and mounted on two rubberized wheels. The excellent part is that the body reclines completely flat to get under the furniture and clean farther than vacuums like Dyson Ball Multi Floor2. The power buttons are close to the handle.
The canister is the size of an old radio with a large handle on top. It comes with a sling strap to hang it conveniently off the shoulder. We appreciate this accessory for how much it helps with portability. The upright has a 35 foot cable and the canister has a 25 foot cable. Neither of them have automatic cord rewind.
Features
The Hoover Platinum UH3001COM upright vacuum has a motorized brush roll. This cannot be turned off. It rolls along and excites the smaller dust particles off of low and mid pile carpets, deep-cleaning along the way. The brush may not be recommended for delicate floors but most bare floors can get away with its cleaning. The brush may scatter some of the larger debris on the smooth floors. It cleans up the crevices between the tiles very well. There are LED headlights that light up the way ahead of the vacuum while cleaning.
The canister Hoover vacuum has a 5 foot stretchable hose that enables you to clean other surfaces. It comes with a bunch of handy attachments to do just that. It has a separate floor tool to dust the hardwood floors. A crevice and brush tool are carried with the vacuum. There’s no separate attachment for pet attachments.
Being a bagged vacuum its cleaner to empty than a bagless vacuum. You simply have to dispose off the affordable dust bags when dirt crosses the fill line. This bag includes HEPA filtration which removes at least 99.97% of particles over 0.3 microns. A combination of these makes it a good choice for an allergy-sensitive home.
Pros:
- Upright + canister vacuum
- Motorized brush roll
- HEPA filtration
- Useful accessories
Cons:
- Motorized brush can’t be turned off
10. ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner with Strong Suction
The Ecovacs Deebot N79 is a budget-oriented robot vacuum with tong cleaning performance. It is slightly less
adaptable than the more expensive models but it does not compromise on cleaning abilities. The small device can clean all kinds of surfaces a satisfactory amount and exceeds the expectations from a robot vacuum of these size. This remains a strong contender in the best vacuum cleaner under $300 category.
Design
The Ecovacs Deebot N79 is a small portable robotic vacuum of 13.1 inches in diameter. It sits around 3.1 inches high. There’s a power button on top and that’s about the only control. The bottom side has one underbrush and two side brushes for edge cleaning. There are bumpers along the edges for protections against crashed and bumps into household items.
It comes with a docking station and a power adapter. Once Deebot completes its circle it comes back to the charger when in need of power. There’s a remote control and the vacuum requires Wi-Fi to get its commands from you.
Features
The Ecovacs Deebot N7 robot vacuum has three facilities for cleaning. It has the suction powered by a brush bar at the bottom and two side brushes. The helical bristle arrangement on the brush bar gets out more dirt that you would imagine such a small unit can clean. It can clean carpets and bare floors but cannot deep clean them as manual vacuums would. There are multiple cleaning modes as well. You have the auto mode where it takes a random path. Additionally, you have Spot, Edge and Single Room modes as well.
This is truly a smart vacuum. It can be controlled both my Android and iPhone apps. You can schedule cleaning sessions and track them. You get error alerts and receive notifications from this high-tech duster. The dust cap has a capacity of 0.3L. The 3-level filtration ensures that the dust is effectively picked up but not relayed back through the exhaust.
It proved to be robust when bumping into the furniture occasionally. The drop-protection works exceptionally well as it never nose dived off of the staircase. It has an excellent batter life. It lasts 90-120 minutes per charge. This is good too since it’s a little slow in cleaning an entire room. It always makes its way back to the charger successfully once the battery level drops low. It’s quiet and moves smoothly except when on occasion it has to scale larger heights, like from bare floor to high-pile carpets.
Pros:
- Smartphone-enabled
- Brush roll, side brushes and suction
- 90-120 mins battery life
- 3L dust cup
- Drop protection works well
Cons:
- Cleaning pattern could be more efficient
11. Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum NV360
The Shark NavigatorNV360 Deluxe lift-away vacuum is much like the NV356 vacuum. It has a bigger cleaning path
and larger dust cup than the NV356. It is also slightly more expensive, a Deluxe version of the NV356, if you will. It converts into a lift-away for easy cleaning of other surfaces. The excellent performance is based on the same mechanical and electronic specs as the NV356. An improvement on our top model deserves to be on the best vacuum under $300 list.
Design
The Shark Navigator NV360 Deluxe lift-away vacuum looks like the NV356 on the face value. What we don’t immediately notice is that it has an 11-inch wide cleaning head compared to the 9.25-inch head of the NV356. It is also slightly heavier at 16 pounds compared to the 14 pounds of NV356. The reason NV356 ranks top is that its more optimized for user needs and this one edges towards a niche customer base that needs a wide head at the trade-off of higher weight.
The front has a large dust cup, transparent to catch its progress. The handle plugs into the wand that doubles as the backbone of the vacuum. The motor and dust cup assembly can be lifted away and carried like a canister for vacuuming areas like stairs. The cord runs 25 feet long.
Features
The Shark Navigator NV360 Deluxe lift-away has a motorized cleaning head. It is powerful and capable of capturing dirt from low to medium pile carpets. The brush roll can be turned off. This helps on the bare floors where otherwise the brush would scatter the debris. There’s a suction release valveon the collar of the handle. The wider cleaning head means you need fewer swipes to clean up. The cleaning head swivels well.
This Shark vacuum has HEPA filtration inside a sealed system which ensure maximum filtration before the air is released through the exhaust. It is one of the top picks for allergy-sensitive homes. The attachments include a powered pet hair brush, a dusting brush and an under-appliance tool.
Pros:
- Motorized brush roll
- Convertible to lift-away
- Large cleaning head and dust cup
- Sealed HEPA filtration
- Good haul of attachments
Cons:
- Slightly heavy
12. Dyson DC34 Handheld
The Dyson DC34 handheld is a cordless vacuum that has the same high powered performance as the famed Dyson
stick vacuums. It has all the bells and whistles that you would expect of a Dyson in a very lightweight package. It makes a great candidate of for the best vacuum cleaner under $300.
Design
The Dyson DC34 handheld unit has the same futuristic look of Dysons V6-V8. The handle is attached to the motor assembly with filter and the dust cup. The total weight is 2.9 pounds while the usual handhelds go for 3.5 pounds and above. This could be because of the digital motor which spins faster and weighs less than a traditional motor. The body extends to a narrow 2-inch nozzle which can easily get into narrow spaces.
Features
The Dyson DC34 handheld unit has two power modes. In the standard mode, it is good to clean carpets, car interiors counters etc.. It generates 28W of suction in this mode and runs for 15 minutes fade-free. In the Maximum mode, it generates 65W of suction and runs for only 6 minutes. This is a major bone of contention between users and Dyson but one look at the standard run time of cordless vacuum tells this is average.
This cordless vacuums has a 0.35L transparent dust cup. It has an easy-reject bottom hatch which empties it without making a mess. It also has removable, washable filter. The cyclonic suction ensures that the filter don’t get clogged easily. The battery charges within 3.5 hours. When 1 minute of battery power is left, you get an LED warning. It comes with a wall-mounting docking station where the vacuum can be stored when not in use. There are two attachments with this handheld: a combination brush, a crevice tool and a wide debris nozzle tool.
Pros:
- Powerful suction
- Cordless and bagless
- Easy-reject dust cup
- Wall-mounting docking station
Cons:
- Battery life could be better
13. iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum with Wi-Fi Connectivity
The iRobot Roomba 690 robot vacuum is one of its budget numbers. It is an advanced device but with slight hitches
in the operation that come with this territory. This is a small and low profile vacuum integrated with voice command devices which makes it easy to control. The chops of this vacuum takes a place in the best vacuum cleaner under $300 list.
Design
The iRobot Roomba robot vacuum does the Roomba with a 13-inch diameter. It stands 3.7 inches tall and get easily under the furniture. But it might get stuck with really low-hung couches. It weighs 7.4 pounds and is on the heavier side. But since you don’t have to carry it around much, it does fine. The top face has two controls. It comes with a virtual wall which helps confine some areas against the vacuum. There’s a charging dock too which it should return to when about to run out of charge.
Features
The iRobot Roomba robot vacuum has a clean button on top which starts and stops the device. It can be connected with the Wi-Fi at home and then activated via an external web connection once you create an account on the iRobot app. You can control the weekly schedule and view the performance log on this app. You can start the vacuum using Amazon Alexa. The operation is fairly simple through Alexa except for some limited commands.
The Roomba 690 has two brush bars and two side brushes. Its cleaning performance is superior compared to the other robot vacuums in this price range. The suction is powerful and may even end up eating the wires on the floor. The virtual wall of this robot vacuum is battery operated. It comes with two AA batteries. It can either cast a 10 foot barrier for the vacuum or a 4-feet barrier. There’s a charging dock where the vacuum can be mounted for charging within 3.5 hours. The battery lasts for 70 minutes. There are IR cliff sensors which are extra careful over dark colors and may get stalled without any cliff in sight.
Pros:
- Integrated to Alexa
- Two brushes and side brushes
- Powerful suction
- Virtual wall
- Smartphone integrated
Cons:
- Floor should be relatively clutter-free for proper operation
14. BISSELL AirRam Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with Lithium Ion
The Bissell AirRam 1984 is a nifty cordless vacuum that performs better than even the manufacturer’s claims. This
has a new design that easy to store and use in compact living spaces. It’s a clean-cut device with all the relevant features and a appreciable run time. What’s not to like in one of the best vacuum cleaners under $300?
Design
The Bissell AirRam 1984 cordless vacuum is a lightweight unit. It weighs a meagre 7.75 pounds. The body has a trusty handle with a large square cleaning head. The handle is retractable. It extends up to 44 inches for increase reach. The cleaning head has a width of 10.5 inches. It is mounted on two large wheels for increased stability. The rubberized cover does well to move over the hard floors smoothly. The power button is on the cleaning head and can be operated by foot.
Features
The Bissell AirRam 1984 cordless vacuum has a motorized brush roll. You cannot turn the brush roll off. But Bissell claims it’s gentle to the floors without losing performance on the carpets. We found the performance good on both low pile and medium pile carpets. You can remove the brush roll in case you want to use it on delicate hard floors. LED headlight guides the cleaning.
The handle of this cordless vacuum reclines flat for deep under-furniture cleaning. The battery takes 4-5 hours to charge and runs for 30 minutes. Some users have even taken 40 mins out of it. The dust canister is removable and has a slider to empty easily.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Motorized brush roll
- Folds flat for cleaning
- Easy-empty dust cup
Cons:
- No attachments
15. Dyson Big Ball Multifloor Canister Vacuum
The Dyson Big Ball Multifloor canister vacuum is an innovative unit from Dyson. They address the common problem
of canisters tipping over with this ball canister. The power and features of Dysons accompany this unit as well, hence its place in the best vacuum cleaners under $300 list.
Design
The Dyson Big Ball Multifloor canister vacuum has a small ball-shaped canister. This has an automatic topple-reversing technology that raises the unit back if it ever tips over during your over-enthusiastic cleaning spree. The canister body is small and lightweight with a ball for easy maneuvering. This is a bagless canister. The dust cup sits on the ball module. It has a 21.7 foot power cord with automatic cord rewind.
Features
The Dyson Big Ball Multifloor canister vacuum has a TriggerHead motorized brush roll. It takes the dirt out of low and medium pile carpets. It can be switched off for floor cleaning. We noticed that it’s quieter than usual vacuums at this price point. The carbon fiber filaments of turbine floor tool which cleans the fine dust while the nylon bristles deep clean.
This vacuum has an XL sized transparent dust cup which you can watch as it fills up. It packs HEPA filtration post the duct collection and hence stands certified as allergy-friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. It comes with a separate stair and upholstery tool and a crevice tool. The former cleans up the pet hair pretty well.
Pros:
- Motorized brush roll
- HEPA filtration
- Topple-reversal technology
- Quiet
Cons:
- Inconsistent quality amongst pieces