Best Canister Vacuum for Quick Cleanups: Fast and Effective Models

The Complete C3 Marin is Miele’s entry into the premium vacuum cleaner market. This vacuum’s primary audience is consumers with high purchasing power due to its thousand-dollar price tag.

So, is the vacuum worth the sky-high price tag it comes with? According to a large majority of consumers who have given it a chance, yes.

How Does It Perform?

Miele Complete C3 Marin has the kind of performance needed to appease just about anyone. Its 1,200-watt suction motor generates enough power to clean dust and dirt effectively on both bare floors and carpets (even the dense, high-pile types.) The vacuum also works very well against debris, having no problem at all cleaning up large messes like a cereal spill.

But the thing that users love most isn’t the raw performance, though that’s part of the reason. Rather, it is the vacuum’s “Automatic Power” mode.

On most vacuum cleaners, when transitioning from one floor type to another (from hardwood floors to carpet, for example,) you have to manually adjust suction or brush power to fit the new floor type. The Complete C3 Marin can automatically do this for you. It can tell what kind of floor type it is on by using a suite of smart sensors. The microprocessor on-board will use that data to adjust the vacuum’s performance accordingly.

Not many Miele vacuums come with Automatic Power, so this mode even sets the Complete C3 Marin apart from its own siblings, let alone competitor’s vacuums.

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Aside from Automatic Power, the vacuum has 6 speed settings and you can choose whichever via the control panel on the canister. Each function will prepare your vacuum’s power profile to better suit  a specific vacuuming task:

• Curtains and fabric.
• Upholstery and cushions.
• Deep-pile carpets, rugs, and runners.
• Energy-saving (or Quiet Mode). In this mode, performance is reduced in order to achieve a lower noise level. Useful for evening clean-ups and/or appeasing your jumpy next-door neighbors.
• Loop pile carpet and rugs.
• Hard floors and heavily soiled carpets and rugs.

This is the biggest selling point of the vacuum and the reason why a lot of people are okay with spending one thousand dollars for a vacuum cleaner, in my opinion: versatility.

As you can see from the list of available features above, the Miele Complete C3 covers just about every imaginable vacuuming scenario.

Often, a lot of people have to divide up cleaning jobs among several vacuums. For example, it’s not unusual for people to own at least 2 vacuums in a single house: a lightweight handheld for upholstery or light clean ups and a full-size upright for carpets and bigger messes.

The versatility of the Miele Complete C3 means you can do everything with a singular, convenient package.

The Design

Other than powerful, adaptable performance, this best canister vacuum cleaner also scores highly among consumers in terms of design. The canister weighs around 12 pounds and is mounted on 3 wheels, granting the vacuum excellent maneuverability. If you have stairs that require you to transport the vacuum by hand, the top of the canister has a carrying handle.

The vacuum is corded and uses a fairly long 24 feet power cord. For ease of storage, it has an automatic cord rewind mechanism.

To begin using the vacuum, you must first plug the flexible suction hose (comes inside the box) into the suction port. Then, attach the hose to 1 of 2 floor heads that the Marin is shipped with: either the SEB236 Electro Premium ElectroBrush or the SBB300-3 Parquet Twister.

Although they may be merely listed as “accessories”, they contribute significantly to the vacuum’s overall performance.

The SEB236 Electro Premium ElectroBrush is one of the premium tools that Miele sells. As a standalone purchase, this floor head costs a whopping $250. It is equipped with a motor-powered 13⅜-inch brush roll. As a result, this floor head is the ideal solution for medium to high-pile carpets and plush rugs.

To further enhance its performance on carpeting, Miele designed it with a 5-level manual brush height adjustment system. You can adjust the height via a foot pedal on top of the floor head. Additionally, you can opt to turn the brush on or off by using a control switch on the vacuum, as well.

On the other hand, the SBB300-3 Parquet Twister is made with bare floors like hardwood, tiling, and vinyl in mind. Inside the floor head is a brush made from “a mix of polyamide and natural hair”. According to Miele, the mix-match materials allow the brush to clean more effectively while preventing damage to delicate floor types like hardwood.

Both floor heads have a swivel steering mechanism for better mobility. The Parquet Twister, in particular, has the ability to rotate 180-degree, so you can quickly fit the floor head into small, awkward corners without much struggle.

Dust Bags

The Miele Complete C3 Marin uses the company’s AirClean Type-GN dust bags. They can store quite a lot of dirt before filling up with a maximum capacity of roughly 4.75 dry quarts.

Notably, the dust bag has a self-sealing collar. Miele called it the “Auto-Seal” system. When you have to remove it for disposal, the collar will automatically snap shut, protecting you from being exposed to the dirty content within. This is the reason why Miele vacuums have become quite popular among consumers with allergies or respiratory conditions like asthma.

The dust bags are quite durable, too. According to Miele, it is made up from 9 different layers. In order to prevent dirt particles from leaking out, the individual layers are electrostatically charged, allowing them to firmly trap the dirt particles and debris.

Although the dust bag is very well-made, the downside is that it is quite costly. So on top of the high initial cost, this vacuum also has pretty high recurrent costs. This is one of the very few issues I have with this vacuum.  As a result you’ll have to think very carefully whether you can keep up with this vacuum’s demand before putting down your order.

Fortunately enough, when you first buy the vacuum, Miele gives you 16 dust bags to get you started. This can last you for up to a year before you need to buy your own.

Filtering

The Complete C3 Marin’s primary filtration system is composed of 2 parts: a main Air Clean AH50 HEPA filter and a pre-motor protection filter.

The HEPA filter eliminates all of the microscopic, harmful particles from the airflow. What’s more, the filter has an extra layer of activated carbon, which also grants it odor-cleansing ability. This ability will greatly benefit pet owners, who often have to deal with unpleasant pet odors around the home.

Meanwhile, the pre-motor filter protects the vacuum’s motor from ingesting dirt and breaks down.

Both filters must be replaced regularly to keep the vacuum in top shape and performance nominal. As great as a canister vacuum with HEPA filter the Complete C3 Marin is, there’s nothing in the vacuum’s manual indicating that the filters are washable. This is quite a disappointment for a vacuum in this price range.

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What’s In the Box?

The shipping box of the Complete C3 Marin is filled with tools and accessories. Beside the vacuum itself, the 2 floor heads, extra bags and filters, you will find:

1. 1. A crevice tool
2. 2. An upholstery tool
3. 3. A dusting brush
4. 4. A metal telescopic wand

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The Dyson Big Ball’s unique, ball-shaped main body makes it stand out among other canister vacuums on the market. Other than points for style, I also give it credit for having fairly strong and versatile performance.

It’s got its flaws, sure, but between the price, performance, and Dyson’s renowned customer support, this vacuum is ultimately a good model to take into consideration.

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How Does It Perform?

The vacuum’s suction is high with Dyson’s 250-air watt motor. But although the vacuum certainly has the raw suction performance to spare, it doesn’t feature equal excellent performance on all fronts like the Miele Complete C3 Marin.

When tested on hardwood floors, the vacuum can only be described as having mediocre performance. It can clean up dust and dirt particles fairly easily, as well as small debris such as rice. The vacuum also has a great impact on pet hair.

It doesn’t do so well when it comes to large debris such as cereal, however.

The floor head would just push the cereal pieces around the floor, refusing to pick them up. And even when the floor head manages to snag up bits of cereal, the vacuum’s nozzle would become clogged.

For this reason, this best canister vacuum cleaner may not be a good idea if you have predominantly bare floors around your home. Nevertheless, there’s one silver lining if you want to stick with Dyson and this vacuum: the optional Articulating Hard Floor Tool.

Yes, it’s disappointing that you have to make an extra investment to get a more complete using experience. However, a lot of users mentioned that getting this tool is a “game-changer” and transforms the vacuum’s performance almost immediately on bare floors.

Though the vacuum has fairly disappointing bare floors performance, it makes it up by having remarkable carpet performance. On both low-pile and high-pile carpets, the vacuum can dig into the piling and pull out ground-in dirt with relative ease. Pet hair and fine particles like sugar and baking soda can be dealt with by the vacuum, too, according to tests.

The vacuum’s performance gets a little bit complicated when it comes to large debris. On low-pile carpets, it can clean up large debris with just one or two passes. When you transition to high-pile carpets, the vacuum could leave as much as half the amount of debris behind.

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Fortunately, there’s a solution for this. Some people found that you can clean up all of the debris by removing the floor head and just use the suction hose.

Overall, if your house has area carpeting, the Dyson Big Ball is going to be a wonderful fit with its carpet performance. But unless you purchase the optional floor head, frankly, you’ll have a hard time being satisfied with this vacuum on bare floors.

The Design

Just like its performance, the Dyson Big Ball has both pros and cons when it comes to design.

On the scale, the vacuum is quite heavy (about 18 pounds), but when picked up, a lot of consumers reported that it doesn’t “feel” as though it’s that heavy. The carrying handle helps relieve a bit of the weight, making it easier for you to carry it by hand from room to room or up and down the stairs.

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The length of the power cord is 21 feet, which is only a touch over  the industry average of 20 feet. Still, the cord provides the vacuum with enough range to cover most households.

The Dyson Big Ball’s unique design gives it remarkable maneuvering ability. Its ball-shaped canister allows the vacuum to glide smoothly across the floor while you’re vacuuming. Just tug the vacuum along by its suction hose and it will follow you as you move through the house. It may take you a while to get used to the way the canister handles, but the learning curve isn’t steep at all.

Unlike the Miele Complete C3 Marin, the Dyson Big Ball is not a bagged vacuum. Instead, it has a 0.9 dry quarts dust cup.

Normally, this would’ve been a strike for allergy sufferers, but Dyson, in my opinion, has done a great job at making the dust cup “hygienic”. The cup has a dirt ejecting mechanism that aids you with pushing dirt out of the cup. Therefore, you don’t have to reach inside with your hands to dislodge debris (which is a common issue in bagless vacuums.)

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Filtering

The Dyson Big Ball comes with a washable lifetime HEPA filter. This filter is designed to last all throughout the vacuum’s service life, hence the “lifetime” name. As long as you give it a wash in cold water every once in a while, you don’t have to replace it at all.

Thanks to this, there’s absolutely no recurring cost when it comes to the vacuum. It’s a one-off purchase.

What’s In the Box?

The vacuum comes with many different accessories and tools to help you with your vacuuming. You get a:

1. 1. Crevice Tool
2. 2. Dusting Brush
3. 3. Stair Tool
4. 4. Wand Rotator Tool

Two tools in particular need a closer examination.

The accompanying stair tool is actually a wide-head nozzle. Its wider cleaning path means you can vacuum stair treads and risers far more quickly and use less effort compared to a standard floor head.

Then there’s the wand rotator tool, my personal favorite. It goes between the vacuum’s suction hose and the wand. Basically, it gives you the ability to flexibly bend the suction hose. This will make it significantly more convenient to clean low-overhead places (beneath furniture, for example.)

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If you seek a more budget solution, the Eureka NEN110B Whirlwind could be a budget canister vacuum for you. Though its price and plastic design is a little bit dubious in terms of quality and durability, most customers are pleased with the way the vacuum holds up over time and the way it works.

With its budget price and good overall performance, this vacuum’s value is up there alongside the top rated canister vacuum cleaners.

How Does It Perform?

The vacuum’s performance is best on bare floors. Its strong suction allows it to capture most dust and debris in only one to two passes. Pet owners have also given the NEN110B a thumb-up for pet hair on bare floor types.

Low-pile and high-pile carpets performance are surprisingly also very good.

The vacuum can pick clean low-pile carpets and rugs, only experiencing some hiccups when it encounters small pieces of debris like rice grains.

Dusting performance is similarly good on high-pile carpets, but the same thing cannot be said for its effectiveness against debris. On denser carpets, the vacuum will have a hard time picking up debris both small and large.

But there’s a silver lining here: despite the weakened performance, the suction and overall performance is consistent. The vacuum doesn’t experience frequent clogs, even when it’s used to clean tough debris beyond its abilities.

A big reason why this vacuum is considered a good canister vacuum cleaner ratings on both floor types is because of the Suction Control system. Via a control knob at the front of the canister, you can either set-up the vacuum for “Bare Floor” or for “Carpet”.

Additionally, the floor head has retractable bristles. On bare floors, you can retract the bristles to minimize damage as well as letting the suction do its job. On carpets and rugs, deploy the bristles for it to comb through the carpet piling and pick out everything that’s nestled within.

Eureka NEN110B has great reviews when it comes to pet hair, as well. On both bare floors and carpeting, it was reported by customers to be able to pick up the majority of hair strands in a single pass.

There’s one caveat, though: occasionally, pet hair can weave in-between the bristles of the vacuum’s brush roll and creates a jam. When this happens, you have to disentangle the brush roll immediately, lest it snaps the roller belt and breaks your vacuum.

This vacuum is certainly not the highest performing vacuum on this list, but for a canister vacuum under $100, the Eureka NEN110B’s performance is commendable.

The Design

Eureka NEN110B is definitely a lightweight vacuum at around 8 pounds. Most people can pick up this best rated vacuum cleaner and comfortably carry it around by the top carrying handle.

The cleaning range is the biggest problem that most people have with this vacuum. With just a 14 feet power cord, it offers a very narrow cleaning radius. When the 5.5 feet suction hose is latched on, the range is extended to roughly 19.5 - 20 feet. Regardless, the vacuum’s short cord will force you to change outlets frequently as you make your way through the house, which can be annoying.

The cord as an automatic rewind mechanism.

Dust cup capacity for this vacuum is average at 0.54 dry quarts. It cannot carry as much dirt as either the Miele Complete C3 Marin or the Dyson Big Ball. By my estimate, though, the vacuum can clean through a sizable house without needing to be emptied halfway through the cleaning session.

Filtering

Reflecting its budget price, the Eureka NEN110B doesn’t come with a HEPA filter. Instead, it has a washable pre-motor and (also washable) post-motor filter.

These filters, although they certainly aren’t as effective as a HEPA filter, can do a decent job at catching most dust particles and eliminating a few types of allergens. If you don’t have any serious allergies, this vacuum’s filtering system will work just fine for you. Contrarily, if you do have allergies, it may not be the best choice.

This vacuum has no recurring costs. The filters are washable and as long as you maintain them correctly and frequently they will not require a replacement. Considering the fact that lifetime filters are usually only available for premium vacuums, this is a much-appreciated addition on Eureka’s part.

What’s In the Box?

There isn’t much to say about this vacuum in terms of accessories. It only comes with 2 tools: a metal extension wand and a soft bristle brush. This small, soft bristle brush will make it easier for you to vacuum sensitive materials like upholstery.

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In spite of its small size, the Bissell Zing 2156A can generate remarkably high suction. This, when combined with the vacuum’s decent-sized dust cup, has made this the vacuum of choice for small home-owners and apartment dwellers. Its affordable price is also one of the many reasons why it’s become one of the top rated canister vacuums on selling charts.

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How Does It Perform?

Most of the canister vacuum cleaner reviews stated that the Zing 2156A packs a mean punch for its size. The suction allows it to sort out dirty bare floors quickly and efficiently. I’m fairly certain that you will grow to like this vacuum quickly under the condition that your house has few carpets and rugs that need cleaning.

The vacuum’s efficiency markedly decreases when it’s used to clean carpets. For low-pile carpets, its performance is mediocre at best: it can pick up dust and dirt, but you can expect that it will leave quite a lot of debris behind.

High-pile carpet performance is non-existence, to be frank. If you have a lot of dense carpets and rugs to clean, this is not the vacuum to choose.

The reason for its lackluster carpet performance is because the floorhead doesn’t contain a roller brush within, which is absolutely crucial for any vacuum that hopes to be able to deal with carpeting.

I don’t recommend it for pet hair, either. Customer experiences have been mixed when it comes to this. Some said that the vacuum can handle pet hair well, while others said that it’s unusable. Nonetheless, there’s a common ground between all of the conflicting reviews: the cleaner head has a tendency to get tangled up by all the hair.

So while there may be hope that this vacuum can be useful for pet hair, I wouldn’t bet on it.

The suction power of the vacuum is adjustable via a control slider on the vacuum’s handle. It’s going to be useful for when you have to limit suction in order to clean delicate materials like upholstery and curtains.

The Design

The vacuum weighs approximately 10.2 pounds, which is still light enough to be comfortably carried by most people. You can carry it by means of a carrying handle at the top of the canister unit. Such is the degree of portability of this vacuum that some customers have stated that the vacuum can even function as a car vacuum with little fuss.

On the ground, the vacuum sits on a series of wheels. It glides across the floor easily without marring delicate surfaces.

The overall design is not all great, unfortunately. The power cord is only 16 feet long, which means that you will have to switch outlets very frequently. Its short cord is also the reason why, if you have a large home or apartment, you should reconsider getting this vacuum.

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On the bright side, the cord can be retracted for easier storage.

My favorite part about this vacuum is definitely the cavernous dust cup. With a capacity of 1.82 dry quarts, it’s going to take you quite some time to fill it up.

The cup opens up at the bottom, which presents a more hygienic way to empty the contents than a top lid. Hover the cup over a trash can, press the door release, and gravity will take over and handle the rest.

Filtering

Although this best rated canister vacuum doesn’t come with a HEPA filter, it utilizes washable and reusable pre-motor and post-motor filters. According to the company, the filters should be able to work without needing a replacement as long as adequate maintenance is performed.

Aside from the traditional filter, the Bissell Zing 2156A also has a cyclonic filtering system. It spins the air at a very fast pace, separating heavy particles like dirt and debris out of the air flow and depositing them into the dust canister. The result is not only that the vacuum’s filtration efficiency is improved, but also that its filters will stay clean for longer.

What’s In the Box?

The vacuum only comes with 2 tools inside the box: a crevice tool and a dusting brush.

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The Alize is part of the same family as the Complete C3 Marin. But while the Marin is made to be as good and as well-rounded a canister vacuum as can be, the Alize is made for one specific purpose: bare floors cleaning. Thus, if your house’s floor plan is predominantly bare floors, this good canister vacuum is going to be my foremost recommendation.

And before we begin to delve deeper into the review, I assume the biggest question you have  is what are the differences between the Alize and the Marin?

Well, you will be happy to learn that despite it being nearly half the price of the Marin, Alize doesn’t lack many crucial features that would’ve made a significant difference in your using experience. You still have the same design and filtering system. More importantly, Alize boasts performance just as versatile as its costlier sibling.

How Does It Perform?

Miele designed the Complete C3 Alize as a bare floors cleaning tool, so you’ll find the most use out of this vacuum if your house has a lot of hardwood, linoleum, vinyl, or tiled floors to clean.

The vacuum will take out most traces of dirt, debris, and pet hair with a singular pass. Tests showed that Alize is effective against both small and large debris, experiencing no suction drops or cloggings when it has to deal with tough messes.

Its Low-pile performance is regarded by most consumers as being excellent. Alize can handle everything on low-pile carpets, saves for small, fine particles such as baking soda.

Its performance on high-pile carpets is about the same as on low-pile: great against most dirt, but the performance falters slightly when it comes to small debris.

Alize, just like the Marin, shows remarkable consistency. I haven’t seen many reports of clogs or performance drops so far from users, even when its dust bag begins to reach capacity.

Surprisingly, Alize offers all of the more premium features found on the Marin. Automatic Power mode is available as well as 6-mode suction control.

Once again, here are the 6 settings that the Alize’s control panel carries. You can tune the vacuum to the appropriate mode using the +/- footswitch depending on the surface you’re vacuuming.

• • Curtains and fabric.
• • Upholstery and cushions.
• • Deep-pile carpets, rugs, and runners.
• • Energy-saving (or Quiet Mode).
• • Loop pile carpet and rugs.
• • Hard floors and heavily soiled carpets and rugs.

The Design

Weight wise, Alize weighs the same as the Marin at 12 pounds. The canister is also mounted on a trio of wheels for easier, more fluent and accurate movement across the floor. A carrying handle at the top of the canister will help you transport the vacuum by hand.

The power cord measures 25 feet and can be retracted using an on-board mechanism for storage.

But while the Marin has 2 floorheads, Alize only has 1: the AllTeQ Combination Floorhead (SBD 285-3). Thanks to its retractable bristle strip, the SBD 283-5 can clean both bare floors and carpeting by itself without requiring you to change out the floorhead like the Marin. Just retract the bristle while you’re cleaning bare floors and deploy it when you transition over to carpeting.

This is the primary cost-saver for the Alize and the reason it can undercut Marin's price. The SBD 285-3 is one of Miele’s budget floorhead, costing only $69 as a standalone purchase.

Dust Bags

The Complete C3 Alize accepts Miele’s Type-GN dust bags. It has an ample capacity of 4.75 dry quarts. Each bag comes with a spring-loaded collar (Auto-Seal system) that automatically snaps shut when the bag is removed from the vacuum, protecting the user from its contents.

Constructed from 9 layers of electrostatically-charged fabric, it is highly durable. I haven’t heard of any cases of leaks so far.

Filtering

The filtering system of the Complete C3 Alize is made up of a pre-motor filter. It is located directly behind the dust bag and it’s recommended that you replace this filter once every 4 dust bags.

Then, there’s the primary HEPA filter. I don’t see any information from Miele about whether the HEPA filter is washable, but it has to be replaced annually. There is a time strip on the filter that can serve as an indicator for you to know when the filter must be replaced.

What’s In the Box?

The complementary accessories are the same as the Marin: an upholstery tool, a crevice tool, a dusting brush, and a metallic wand.

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Just like the Eureka NEN110B, this is a budget canister vacuum, but its low price doesn’t mean it’s lacking either in terms of design or performance. This vacuum works particularly well on bare floors and low-pile carpets. Add with a compact, highly portable design, and hygienic bagless system, the Mighty Mite hits a sweet spot value-wise.

Because of this, it’s not at all surprising that it’s held the title of one of the top 10 canister vacuums for years.

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How Does It Perform?

Like I said, its performance power is most remarkable on bare floors and low-pile carpets.

On bare floors, the vacuum can make short work of undemanding filth like dust and dirt all the way to tougher ones like pet hair and various types of debris. Low-pile carpet performance is similar, but Mighty Mite may struggle a little bit when it comes to small, fine debris like sugar.

One thing that I like most about the Mighty Mite’s performance is its stable performance. Even when the bag starts to become packed (which usually results in a suction drop), the vacuum is capable of maintaining consistent suction.

You can also expect good performance on high-pile carpets against dust, dirt, and pet hair. But debris (both small and large) can pose an issue. Still, the majority of customers agreed that despite the vacuum’s inability to clean debris on thicker carpets, the vacuum neither clogs up nor experiences performance drop.

The Design

Its design is one of its greatest assets in the eyes of customers. The canister weighs 8.6 pounds, which makes it a highly portable canister vacuum. You will be able to carry the vacuum in your hand for a pretty long time without feeling fatigued.

As a corded vacuum, the Mighty Mite is equipped with a 20 feet power cord. Like I said, this is the industry average so the vacuum’s range is merely adequate. But when the vacuum is attached to the 6.9 feet suction hose, its cleaning radius is veritably expansive and can service larger houses without requiring you to frequently change outlets.

Furthermore, the long suction hose means you now have the reach necessary to clean higher-up places around the house such as the ceilings and shelves’ tops.

Dust Bags

Mighty Mite uses Eureka’s Style MM dust bag (serial number: 60295C), which has an approximate capacity of 2.54 dry quarts. As it is quite capacitous, each bag will set you up for a week or two before filling up and having to be replaced. The bag is integrated with an indicator that can tell you precisely when you need to switch out the bag for a new one.

Fortunately, the dust bags are relatively affordable and won’t add a lot to the vacuum’s recurring cost. Plus, Eureka shipped 5 extra bags alongside the vacuum, so you can go for a couple months before ordering replacements.

Filtering

Eureka 3670M Mighty Mite does not have a HEPA filter, but it does have a washable filter. The manual doesn’t specify whether it is washable or not, but some customers tried it out and said that the filter is indeed washable.

Even with this in mind, I recommend that you only wash it once or twice before replacing the whole filter. Like I said, having a broken or damaged filter can be even more harmful than not vacuuming at all. Furthermore, any damage occurred during a wash may be invisible to the naked eye, so it’s best that you don’t risk it. The filters are quite affordable, anyway.

What’s In the Box?

You will find in the box a combination tool that can function as a crevice tool as well as an upholstery tool. Then, there is a suction wand. The wand has 2 sections, one of which is removable. You can adjust its length this way.

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The Eureka Sanitaire S3681D Mighty Mite is the upgraded version of the Eureka 3670M Mighty Mite. It has about the same outward design as the 3670M (but rather than having a bright yellow paint coat, the S3681D has a marine blue color) and basically the same performance level, too.

The differentiating point between either models and the reason why the S3681D is almost twice the price of the 3670M is for its HEPA filtering system.

Thus, if you have allergies or pets and aren’t satisfied with the 3670M’s lacking filtration, this vacuum will be a good alternative.

How Does It Perform?

You can expect the same level of performance from the S3681D as the 3670M. From what I’ve gleaned, both feature the same 10-amp suction motor, thus, suction power between the two ought to be similar. And indeed, reviews from users indicate that the 3670M is “amazing!!!”, which was the same sentiment shared among 3670M’s users.

On bare floors and carpeting, this canister vacuum has received a lot of favorable reviews. However, one comment noted that the strong suction can be disadvantageous on area rugs. Specifically, the suction sticks the floor head firmly to the carpet piling. The suction force is so strong that it required two hands to maneuver.

This is a very common problem among vacuums without a manual height adjustment lever. The height of the floor head is way too low relative to the carpet piling, as a result, the suction sucks in the carpet piling and sticks the vacuum to the carpet. Unfortunately, the S3681D has no such feature.

But other than this problem, the vacuum’s performance, for the most part, is satisfactory.

The Design

Like I said, the external design is strikingly similar to the 3670M. If the S3681D doesn’t have a different paint scheme, it would’ve been impossible to tell either vacuum apart from one another.

The weight of the vacuum’s body is also in-and-around 8.5 to 8.6 pounds, which is equal to that of the 3670M also. Thus, this marine blue vacuum also shares the portability point with its yellow-painted sibling.

The length of the power cord is also similar (20 feet) and the S3681D also comes with a long suction hose to further expand its cleaning radius.

All in all, the design of these vacuums are similar to one another with little to no difference. If you enjoy the 3670M for its lightweight and compact design, you will also like the S3681D.

Dust Bags

The Sanitaire S3681D also uses the Sanitaire Style-MM dust bag. It’s technically identical to the Eureka Style-MM dust bag and should also have the same capacity (2.54 dry quarts.)

Filtration

Now this is where the S3681D separates itself from the shadow of its sibling. While the 3670M Mighty Mite has only a washable filter, the Sanitaire 3681D boasts a HEPA filter. If you have respiratory conditions or pets, the extra investment is going to be worth it.

What’s In the Box?

Accessories seem to be a match with the 3670M’s offerings, too. You would get a combination tool (crevice tool/upholstery tool) and an adjustable suction wand.

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Like its name may have already suggested, this version of the Complete C3 (curiously without a unique name like the Alize or Marin) is designed for soft carpet cleaning. But that doesn’t mean that you’ll find it lacking on other surfaces. This vacuum also has what’s necessary to clean bare floors like hardwood, both with its strong suction and bare floors-centric Parquet Twister floorhead.

This variation provides an excellent balance between bare floors and carpet performance. It will fit you well if your floor plan has a near-equal mixture between bare and carpet floors.

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How Does It Perform?

I won’t go further into the suction power of this Complete C3 due to the fact that it shares the same suction motor with the Alize and Marin. Suction-wise, they’re all similar to one another (along with all of the other Complete C3 best canister vacuum cleaners.)

With its Suction Control system, you can adapt its performance to maximize efficiency on a variety of surfaces. The Complete C3 for Soft Carpet also has 6 functions for 6 separate vacuuming scenarios, from bare floors, carpets, to upholstery and curtains. Unfortunately, this version doesn’t seem to have the Automated Power mode.

The Design

The overall design and the weight of the Complete C3 for Soft Carpet also match that of its other siblings. It weighs 12 pounds, easy to carry and maneuver with the carrying handle and gliding wheels. The long 24 feet power cord will ensure that you have ample cleaning range to clean your entire home.

Because the Complete C3 for Soft Carpet is among the premium models from Miele, it comes with several types of floor heads. First is the SEB 228 Electro Plus floorhead, which is specially designed with soft carpets in mind. Within this floor head is a motor-driven brush roll. Other than soft carpets, this floor head would also work well on high-pile carpets and plush rugs.

The second floor head is the SBB 300-3 Parquet Twister floorhead. This is the same model found on the Complete C3 Marin. Use this floorhead when you need to clean bare floors.

Dust Bags

This model also uses Miele’s Type-GN dust bag (capacity: 4.75 dry quarts.) It has an Auto-Seal collar for hygienic disposal. The 9-layer, electrostatically-charged design will make sure that no leakage would occur.

Filtration

Of course, as a Miele’s premium model, it would’ve been bad for the company’s reputation if they didn’t include a HEPA filter for this vacuum. This model uses Miele’s SF-HA 50 HEPA filter. According to the company, it has to be replaced after 50 hours of continuous use, or 12 months of normal cleaning.

What’s In the Box?

Other than the 2 floorheads, the standard complement of 3 accessories (crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool) can be found inside of the shipping box.

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Oreck vacuums are known for their performance. Other than residential, consumer-grade vacuums, Oreck also manufactures many commercial-grade vacuums for professional cleaners. So it’s no surprise that the company is one of the few brands on the market capable of packing substantial power into a package as small as the BB1200DB.

This small canister vacuum is going to be a great fit for you if you value compactness above all. It just so happens to have powerful performance to spare, also.

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How Does It Perform?

Like I said, for the size, the BB1200DB offers very strong suction power. With it, you will be able to clean bare floors with relative ease. Suction is strong enough to even draw accumulated gunk from out between the floorboards.

Unfortunately, because it lacks a carpet brush, this vacuum will not be a good fit for carpet cleaning. But by relying on its suction alone, the BB1200DB may be able to pull out dirt and debris on low-pile carpets. However, you shouldn’t expect a lot from this vacuum when it comes to high-pile carpets and plush rugs.

The interesting part about this vacuum is that other than vacuuming, it also has a blower function. You can use this function to dislodge dust, debris, and gunk from inside of crevices and corners around the house. After that, just switch back to vacuum mode and sweep them up.

As far as I’m aware, the BB1200DB is the only compact best canister vacuum cleaner with a blower function.

The Design

The whole vacuum is quite light, weighing roughly 5.5 pounds. Unlike all of the other canister vacuums which have wheels for you to push and pull around, the BB1200DB is designed to be carried by hand. Thus, the carrying handle at the top has rubber grips for extra comfort in the user’s hand.

In addition to the handle, Oreck also includes a shoulder strap in the shipping box. You can adjust the length of the strap to fit your physiology. The strap will be especially useful if you have to move around the house a lot.

It is a corded vacuum and has a 20 feet power cord to show for it. There’s no retracting mechanism, instead, you will have to wrap it around the base of the vacuum, which has a kind of cord reel. Though it makes storage a little bit less awkward than having to wrap the cord around the vacuum’s body, an automatic retracting mechanism would’ve been appreciated.

Dust Bags

The BB1200DB uses Oreck PKBB12DW dust bags, which have a green color. Do not use any bag with a different color for they can adversely affect the vacuum’s suction performance.

Each bag has a capacity of approximately 1.36 dry quarts. These bags are also hypoallergenic. According to Oreck, the bag is treated with “Germastat” technology which can inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, mildew, and other unpleasant stuff. This would be a boon for people with allergies.

Other than Germastat, each bag also has a built-in HEPA filter. This filter is separate from the vacuum’s own AirClean HEPA filter and serves as the first layer of filtration.

It’s worth mentioning that despite having all of these features, each bag is rather cheap. A pack of 12 bags is sold for about $15.95, which amounts to just $1.32 per bag. Thus, the recurring cost for this vacuum is relatively low (at least when it comes to dust bags.)

The vacuum is also compatible with Oreck’s new AK1BB8A dust bags, which the company believesto be a “replacement for the PKBB12DW”. It’s also hypoallergenic with an antimicrobial coating and has an built-in filter. Since customers have noted that sometimes they struggle with finding the correct PKBB12DW dust bags, it seems like Oreck is slowly phasing them out of production.

If you cannot find PKBB12DW bags, go for the AK1BB8A.

Filtration

The BB1200DB’s AirClean HEPA filter acts as the second— and primary— filtering layer. Oreck guarantees that their filter meets up with the rigorous HEPA standard, which is the elimination of 99.97% of particles around 0.3 microns.

With 2 layers of HEPA filtration, this small vacuum will be highly attractive to those with allergies and other respiratory conditions.

Oreck stated that the filter must be replaced twice a year, so it can be inferred that the filter is not washable. The vacuum accepts Oreck’s HF-1000 filter.

Since it’s a HEPA filter, it’s a lot more expensive than regular washable foam filters. This is the part that drives up the vacuum recurring costs the most, costing $21.5 per filter. So annually, you will have to spend around $40 just for the 2 replacement filters.

What’s In the Box?

The vacuum comes with a multitude of accessories. You get a crevice tool, a dusting brush, a wide nozzle tool (ideal for cleaning upholstery), and a bare floor tool with soft horsehair bristle.

Interestingly, aside from these tools Oreck also includes a tool adapter if you want to forego the flexible suction hose and use just the tool with the canister. Normally, canister vacuums would require you to attach the suction hose for it to even work.

A clip-on caddy is also included to make it more convenient for you to store and carry around accessories.

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While the previous Oreck canister vacuum (BB1200DB) is meant to be a household vacuum, the BB900DGR XL Pro 5 is a commercial-grade canister vacuum.

But don’t let the fancy buzzword scare you. Although it is targeted towards professional users, the average consumer can also use this vacuum just fine. Other than packing more power and coming with a wider range of accessories to appeal to professional users, it has the design and the controls of every other canister vacuum cleaner.

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How Does It Perform?

According to the technical sheet, the BB900DGR XL Pro 5 features a “4-amp, 2-stage bypass” motor. The double-stage motor is the reason why this vacuum can generate the remarkable amount of suction for its size. It allows the vacuum’s motor to have a lower amperage while still maintaining stronger suction than single-stage motors.

The vacuum’s powerful suction is most noticeable on bare floors, on which it can clean up everything from common dust to large debris with just a few passes.

Because the vacuum doesn’t come with a carpet brush, it’s not going to be able to handle carpeting well. For low-pile area carpet and carpeted stairs, its strong suction could potentially clean them up. But for high-pile carpets, this vacuum will be at a loss.

But personally, I don’t think that the vacuum’s area of expertise is in floor cleaning. Instead, it is for cleaning tricky spots such as ceilings, ceiling fans, overhead vents, tall shelves, and such. By leveraging the adjustable suction wand and the 4 feet long flexible hose, the types of work that require a high reach can be done quickly and efficiently.

The Design

Similar to the BB1200DB, the vacuum is very lightweight at around 5 pounds and is designed to be carried rather than rolled around. You will also get the soft rubber-padded carrying handle and adjustable shoulder strap as you would in the BB1200DB with this highest rated canister vacuum.

The BB900DGR XL Pro 5 has a 30 feet power cord, which is significantly longer than its residential-grade counterpart. This is one of the many professional-oriented features of this vacuum and will allow you to clean an expansive area without switching outlets.

Despite the long power cord, this best canister vacuum cleaner doesn’t have a cord retracting mechanism, either. You do have a cord bracket mounted to the side of the canister that you can wrap the cord around, though. It isn’t as good as a cord retractor, but it’s better than having to awkwardly wrap the cord around the canister.

Dust Bags

This canister vacuum also uses Oreck’s green-colored, hypoallergenic, and HEPA-equipped PKBB12DW dust bags. Each bag has a capacity of around 1.36 dry quarts.

Other than the PKBB12DW, you can also opt to use the newer AK1BB8A dust bag if you want to.

Filtration

Disappointingly, the vacuum doesn’t come with a HEPA filter. Instead, it only has a micro-filter serving as the central filter media. If not for the hypoallergenic dust bag taking up a portion of the filtering work, I wouldn’t have recommended this vacuum for those with allergies.

The dust bag replacement kits you find on Oreck’s storefront come with 1 replacement filter per pack.

A special thing about this best canister vacuum cleaner is that it is compatible with Oreck’s scented tablets. These tablets can eliminate unpleasant odors and freshen up your home’s atmosphere. It will be useful in the kitchen or in your pets’ kennels.

Using the tablets is quite simple, just drop them into the vacuum’s dust bag and vacuum as normal, the tablet will work on its own.

Unfortunately, Oreck no longer manufactures these tablets, but it is available from third-parties with the same effect, according to users.

What’s In the Box?

The vacuum comes with a very wide range of accessories. Aside from the flexible suction hose, shoulder strap, and telescoping wand, you will also get a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, a dusting brush, and a hard floors tool in the box.

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Compared to the Complete C3 series, which consists of Miele’s full-sized, premium canister vacuums, the Classic C1 series includes all of the company’s more affordable and basic vacuums.

Nonetheless, just because they’re considered “base versions” doesn’t mean that they aren’t good. In fact, many vacuums in the Classic C1 series are top rated canister vacuums. Among these are the Miele Classic C1 Cat & Dog. And like the title suggests, it is designed specifically with pet owners in mind.

How Does It Perform?

Surprisingly, despite being the “base” vacuum, the Classic C1 Cat & Dog boasts the same 1,200-watt motor that has made a name for its more expensive siblings like the Complete C3 Alize and Marin. For this reason, you will get the same amount of suction on this vacuum as the 2 other vacuums.

The Classic C1 Pet & Dog has been favorably reviewed by customers attesting to its ability to deal with pet hair on both hard floors and carpets (low-pile and high-pile alike.) Aside from pet hair, the vacuum can also deal with common household dirt, dust, and debris.

The 6-mode Suction Control system that has made the Complete C3 so versatile is also present on the Classic C1 Pet & Dog. It doesn’t have the Automated Power mode.

The Design

Externally, the design of the Classic C1 Pet & Dog is similar to other Complete C3 series vacuums. The twist here is that it (and the rest of the Classic C1 vacuums) has a smaller and lighter canister.

Case in point, the canister of the Classic C1 Pet & Dog weighs 9.5 pounds, which is a decent reduction from the 11 - 12 pounds of Complete C3 vacuums.

The dimension of a Complete C3 vacuum is around 19.52 x 11.18 x 8.94 inches, while a Classic C1 measures 18.2 x 8.7 x 11 inches.

For this reason, you will have an easier time carrying the canister of the Classic C1 around. Storage is going to be easier now that the overall footprint of the canister has been reduced.

Aside from the smaller and lighter design, there aren’t many other differences. It still has a 29.5 feet power cord, which will provide good enough range to clean even larger houses and apartments.

The secrets to this best canister vacuum cleaner’s performance are the 2 floorheads that it is shipped with. The first floorhead is the SEB228 Electro Plus floorhead. Its electrically-driven brush roll makes it the floor head of choice when you have to clean carpets and rugs. The brush proves to be effective on both low-pile and high-pile carpets, as well as plush rugs.

The second floorhead is the SBB 300-3 Parquet Twister, which will lend you a much-needed hand on bare floors.

Additionally, Miele has also thrown in an STB 20 “Handheld mini Turbo Brush” as part of the package. It is essentially a small air-driven brush with a flexible joint. When used on upholstery against pet hair, the effect will be great.

Dust Bags

Classic C1 series vacuums accept Miele’s 9-layer, electrostatically-charged Type-GN dust bag, providing 4.75 dry quarts of dirt storage capacity. A spring-loaded collar (Auto-Seal) ensures that the emptying process can be done hygienically and without mess.

Filtration

The Classic C1 Pet & Dog utilizes Miele’s SF-HA 50 AirClean HEPA filter. This filter also has an extra layer of activated carbon to neutralize pet odors.

Information from Miele stated that the filter has a service life of 50 hours (or approximately 1 year of regular use).

What’s In the Box?

Other than all of the aforementioned tools, the shipping box includes a dusting brush, a crevice tool, and an upholstery brush. Miele also includes a vario clip to make it more convenient for you to store tools and accessories.

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According to Kenmore canister vacuums reviews, there are three reasons why the Kenmore 10701 is one of the company’s best-selling canister vacuums to date.

First reason is its compact and lightweight design that’s both portable and comfortable to use. Second reason is the strong suction, which amounts to efficient and versatile cleaning performance on a wide variety of floor types. And thirdly, its filtering system is certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), which is perfect for customers with allergies and respiratory conditions.

How Does It Perform?

The majority of the Kenmore 10701’s users agreed that the vacuum’s suction is very powerful. This is all thanks to the 11-amp cyclonic motor inside of the vacuum.

Bare floors performance of this vacuum is excellent with little complaints from users. However, it is on carpeting that the Kenmore 10701 begins to struggle. Although it comes with a carpet brush, the brush is only effective on low-pile carpets. When it is used on thicker carpet, the vacuum is known to experience performance drops.

But household grime isn't the Kenmore 10701’s focus. In fact, it is marketed as a pet vacuum. And sure enough, most customers are happy with the way it can suck up pet hair on bare floors. But unfortunately, there are very little reports that say the same on carpeting.

For this reason, I only recommend this vacuum for bare floors and low-pile carpet cleaning.

The Design

This best canister vacuum cleaner weighs 17.5 pounds. Though the weight may sound like a lot, users were happy and rated the vacuum as lightweight and portable.

There are two ways you can transport the vacuum: either on its plastic wheels or by the carrying handle. Its carrying handle is comfortable in the hand. Meanwhile, the wheels are designed to be non-marring and will not damage your delicate floors.

Its power cord is quite short at 16 feet, so the cleaning radius of this vacuum isn’t at all large. You will also find yourself having to switch outlets a lot while you’re cleaning. Despite the fact that the vacuum does have a cord retracting mechanism, it’s been reported that the mechanism is very weak. People have said that they have had to manually wind down the cord, which was a source of annoyance.

This is a bagless vacuum, so it uses an in-built dust cup for waste storage. Unfortunately, I don’t have solid information on the exact capacity of this vacuum, but most Kenmore canister vacuums reviews said that the cup is generously-sized.

Filtering

The Kenmore 10701 comes with a HEPA filter. Like previously mentioned, this filter is certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), which will placate many anxious buyers.

But that doesn’t mean the filtering system doesn’t have issues.

The first problem is that it doesn’t seem to be washable. Only way for you to clean up the filter from accumulated filth is to use an included cleaning brush. For many people, the brush does a poor job at cleaning up the filter. Customer images showed that dirt, hair, and debris still remain on the filter after being scrubbed down.

Second issue is that Kenmore intends for the vacuum’s filter to be a lifetime filter. There’s no replacement filter available online. If you want to get a replacement filter, you have to contact Kenmore’s customer service in order for them to send you one.

Overall, while the benefit of the HEPA filter is there, Kenmore's filter is quite problematic to use and maintain.

What’s In the Box?

Two tools are in the box: Kenmore’s special Pet Handi-Mate tool and a combination tool (dusting brush and crevice nozzle).

While the combination tool is nothing new, the Pet Handi-Mate needs some exposition. Basically, it is a special air-driven brush. You’ll find use for it when you have to clean up pet hair on upholstery, furniture, and the likes.

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Atrix isn’t as familiar a name as Kenmore, Dyson, or Miele, but despite its vague reputation, their Atrix AHC-1 Turbo has risen to become one of the top rated canister vacuum cleaners. Affordable, lightweight, and portable with high performance, the AHC-1 Turbo has all of the desirable characteristics of a canister vacuum.

How Does It Perform?

Suction, provided by a 12-amp motor,  is universally regarded to be very good. As expected, its strong suction translates very well to bare floors and low-pile carpets performance.

Nonetheless, the vacuum doesn’t seem to fare well on high-pile carpets as it lacks a height adjustment function. The majority of the negative reviews I have read all lamented the vacuum becoming stuck on thick carpets, so keep this in mind before you make your purchase.

People who use this best canister vacuum cleaner to clean up pet hair also reported having a good experience with the vacuum.

The Atrix AHC-1 Turbo has 3 suction modes. You can fine-tune the suction using the slider on the canister’s body. At the highest setting, the vacuum’s power is ideal for cleaning tough messes and carpeting. When throttled down to minimum, suction becomes gentle enough for you to clean upholstery and curtains without fearing of inadvertently damaging them.

The Design

Atrix AHC-1 Turbo’s canister weighs 10.9 pounds, which is fairly decent. The whole thing sits atop a pair of oversized plastic wheels and you can tug it along behind you as you move. A discrete carrying handle is built at the top of the vacuum in case you need to transport it by hand.

The power cord is 20 feet long and has an automatic retracting mechanism. It works smoothly and will not require you to manually rewind it.

Dust Bags/Filtration

The AHC-1 Turbo uses Atrix’s AHC-2 HEPA filter bags. The official capacity for this bag is around 6 quarts, which will last you months easily.

Atrix integrated a HEPA filter directly into each one of the bags, so the bag serves as both a dirt storage space and the vacuum’s primary filter concurrently. Anything that escapes the bag’s filter will be dealt with by the canister’s HEPA exhaust filter.

There’s an indicator light on the vacuum that tells you exactly when you need to change out the filter bag.

What’s In the Box?

There are a lot of accessories in the box. Excepting the 6-foot suction hose and adjustable telescopic wand, you get a floor tool, an air-driven turbo brush, a round dust brush, an upholstery nozzle, and a crevice tool.

Additionally, you also get extra bags and filters.

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The Kona is  yet another variant of the Miele Complete C3 series. And while the Marin serves as the top-market model and the Alize a bare floors expert, the Complete C3 Kona’s purpose is— according to Miele— designed for “thorough cleaning of heavy-duty carpeting”.

Miele Complete C3 Kona Via: Amazon

How Does It Perform?

Suction is very good and, when combined with the 2 floorheads that the vacuum is shipped with, it provides excellent performance on both carpeting (with the SEB 228 Electro Plus Floorhead) and bare floors (the SBB 300-3 Parquet Twister.)

Just like the other Complete C3 canister vacuums, the Kona is highly versatile with a 6- mode Suction Control system. But beware that it doesn’t come with the company’s popular Automatic Power mode. When you transition from bare floors to carpeting, you will have to make the switch manually with the foot pedal.

The Design

The Complete C3 Kona has basically the same outward design, weight, and dimension as all of the other best canister vacuum cleaners in the series. Its power cord measures 21.4 feet, which is a tad bit shorter than the Marin and the Alize. But at this length, the vacuum will still be capable of servicing medium to large houses and apartments without requiring you to switch outlets often.

Like mentioned, the vacuum’s performance stems mostly from the 2 floorheads that it is shipped with. You get the SEB 228 Electro Plus Floorhead, whose height can be flexibly adjusted using the 5-level adjuster. This allows it to work effectively on bare floors, low-pile carpets, all the way to high-pile.

Then there’s the familiar Parquet Twister, which can help you out with bare floors cleaning.

Dust Bags

All Complete C3 series vacuums use Miele’s Type-GN dust bags (4.75 dry quarts). Its 9-layer construction lends excellent durability, electrostatically-charged walls provide some measures of filtration, and the Auto-Seal collar makes certain of a hygienic emptying process.

Filtering

The Complete C3 Kona is armed with Miele’s SF-HA 50 HEPA filter. Aside from providing basic filtration capability, it is also imbued with activated carbon for odor-eliminating.

What’s In the Box?

Other than the floorheads, the box contains 3 other tools: a dusting brush, a crevice tool, and an upholstery tool.

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Its name may have already clued you in on what this vacuum is all about: bare floors cleaning. The Bissell Deluxe Hard Floor Expert 1161’s greatest strength lies in its ability to clean bare floors types (hardwood, linoleum, tiling, vinyl, and so on). It will also be able to clean carpet rugs and low-pile carpets with relative efficiency.

How Does It Perform?

I only ever recommend this vacuum if your house’s floor plan is composed of mostly bare floors with a couple short-pile carpets. These are its area of expertise and you will not be able to extract much usefulness out of this vacuum on other floor types like high-pile carpeting.

It is not to be used to clean pet hair. Its brush is not designed to deal with pet hair and will get tangled up.

The most favored feature for this vacuum is the 5-level suction control. Though even at maximum level of suction, the vacuum wouldn’t be able to deal with tough surfaces like thick carpets. But at low-level suction, it can clean draperies, upholstery, and curtains quite effectively.

The Design

The vacuum is relatively light at 9.1 pounds. If you’re looking for a lightweight vacuum, the Bissell 1161 can snugly fit the envelope.

Bissell takes advantage of the vacuum’s low weight by loading the vacuum up with a bunch of mobility features. It has a discrete and relatively comfortable handle for when you need to carry it by hand. On the ground, it sits on a pair of non-marring wheels and can be maneuvered fairly easily.

On the handle, you will find a mode-switch button which seems to use infrared to register your finger’s touch. A series of LED lights indicate which suction mode you’re on.

Its canister is also very compact. Too compact, as a matter of fact. Because it is a bagless vacuum, the small canister also equates to a smaller dust compartment that can only hold about 0.9 dry quarts. Thus, if you have a large space that needs cleaning, you may find yourself having to empty out the cup often. Potentially, even in the middle of a session.

As someone who has also used low-capacity bagless vacuums, this can be annoying. Especially if you’re short on time or tired after work.

Filtration

The vacuum doesn’t use HEPA filtration, instead, it uses a number of conventional mechanical air filters. Filtering assembly includes a pre-motor portion and a post-motor portion.

In the pre-motor portion, there are 2 kinds of filters involved: a pleated filter and a foam filter. Although they are not as efficient HEPA filters, the robust system will be able to eliminate most of the immediate threats like fine dust and a couple types of larger allergens like dander and pollen. Anything that escapes the pre-motor would have to go through the second (and last round of filtration) post-motor filter.

According to Bissell, all of the filters are washable and thus should be able to last all throughout the vacuum’s lifespan.

What’s In the Box?

There are 3 major tools in the box: a low-pile carpet tool, a dusting tool, and a crevice tool.

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At last, we’re moving on to a new family of canister vacuums in Miele’s portfolio: Blizzard. Although it has the same guts as the Miele’s C-series vacuums with its 1,200-watt suction motor and about the same weight and size, what sets the Blizzard series apart from the C-series is that these are bagless.

Instead of accepting Type GN dust bags, Miele Blizzard vacuums are built with a dust cup, eliminating the need to repeatedly buy replacement bags altogether.

And just like how there are multiple variations in a single line of vacuum (Marin, Alize, Kona, and such) for different purposes, this naming convention also applies to the Blizzard line. The Pure Suction variant here will serve you well if you have a lot of tiled floors in your home.

How Does It Perform?

Suction is comparably strong to the Complete C3 as, like mentioned, both of them share the same 1,200-watt motor. On bare floors, the suction is going to help  by scooping up dirt and debris.

But like all the other vacuums, the true difference (in terms of performance) comes from the included floorheads. The Blizzard CX1 Pure Suction comes with 2: one is multi-purpose and can be used for both hard floors and carpeting (SBD 285-3 Pure Suction Combination Floorhead) and one specifically for hardwood (SBB 300-3 Parquet Twister).

For tiled floors, I recommend using the SBD 285-3 combination floorhead. The Parquet Twister is more cut out for parquet floors than tile, although it’s also been given a thumb-up for tiled floors by users.

But there’s one drawback that Blizzard has when compared to the C-series top rated canister vacuums. Instead of having a 6-mode Suction Control system, the Blizzard only gets 4.

• Curtains, fabric
• Cut pile carpets, rugs and runners
• Loop pile carpet and rugs
• Hard floors

Additionally, you don’t get a footswitch to change the suction mode (at least with the CX1 Pure Suction). If you need to change mode, you have to bend down and use the rotary dial on the canister to switch to the desired option.

The Design

At 8.6 pounds, this best canister vacuum cleaner is noticeably heftier than their bagged counterparts. Most of the extra weight is attributed to the heavy dust cup that it is saddled with. In spite of the heavier weight (relative to C-series vacuums), it is still considered light by most users. Its power cord length for this vacuum is acceptably long at 21 feet.

The integrated dust cup of this vacuum has a maximum capacity of approximately 1.8 dry quarts. It is large enough that, unless you have to deal with very big messes, you wouldn’t find yourself having to stop and empty it in the middle of a vacuuming job.

Filtering

The Miele CX1 Blizzard Pure Suction uses a washable lifetime AirClean HEPA filter. Give it the regular maintenance it requires and the filter will be usable all throughout the vacuum’s lifespan.

What’s In the Box?

Other than the 2 floorheads, 3 minor tools are included: a dusting brush, an upholstery tool, and a crevice tool.

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Like the Oreck BB900DGR XL Pro 5, the Hoover CH3000 PortaPower is a commercial canister vacuum. It’s geared more towards professional cleaners and cleaning companies than mainstream consumers.

Nonetheless, its compact, and highly portable design coupled with the fact that it has plenty of power to spare makes this an attractive vacuum for everyone, non-professional included. And since it’s priced quite affordably, I don’t see any reason why the average Joe and Jane can’t use this vacuum at home, also.

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How Does It Perform?

The commercial-grade 7.4-amp motor can output a hefty amount of suction, which gives this best rated vacuum cleaner an advantage on surfaces where suction strength is decisive, like bare floors and low-pile carpets. On these types of floors, the vacuum performs excellently, according to most users.

Because it doesn’t come with a power brush, this vacuum is not recommended for cleaning jobs that involve high-pile carpets or plush rugs.

The vacuum is also said to be able to deal with pet hair relatively well, but only on bare floors. It struggles with detangling long hair strands from out of carpet piling due to the lack of a motorized brush.

Beside vacuuming, the Hoover CH3000 can also double as a blower.

The Design

The design is one of the highlights of this vacuum. For such a powerful vacuum (suction-wise), it is very light at 8.3 pounds. The vacuum is about the size of a standard toolbox and is meant to be worn over the shoulder using an included shoulder strap. If not, you can also carry the vacuum around by its carrying handle.

Though the vacuum is quite light, wearing it over the shoulder for a long period can lead to soreness, as a lot of users have found out the hard way. Because of this, you should take frequent breaks during long cleaning sessions. If possible, you should also set the vacuum down the ground while vacuuming.

It is a corded vacuum and has a very long power cord (33 feet). You’ll be able to clean a large area without having to switch outlets often.

Dust Bags

The Hoover CH3000 can be used in conjunction with 2 types of bags. You can either use a reusable, 3-layer cloth bag or you can use a standard paper bag.

The cloth bag is cheaper per unit. Since it is reusable, it’s also going to drastically reduce recurring cost. But the disadvantage here is that it isn’t as hygienic as a paper bag. Personally, I don’t endorse using this type if you have allergies and other respiratory conditions.

On the other hand, the vacuum can also accept Hoover’s Type-N paper bags. But beware that the vacuum has to be installed with a paper bag adapter before you can begin using them. This type is more hygienic, but in return, you’ll have to regularly buy new bags as replacement.

Filtering

The vacuum is merely equipped with a motor filter. It only serves to protect the motor from being pummeled and stained by dirt, thus, the air cleaning effect of this filter isn’t much.

The bulk of the filtering and dust-capturing is done by the vacuum’s dust bag, instead.

What’s In the Box?

The vacuum is shipped with a bunch of accessories. In the box is a crevice tool, a wall-floor brush, a dusting brush, a furniture nozzle, and a rug-floor nozzle.

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The Grey Classic C1 is Miele’s “budget” vacuum. As of right now, I believe it is the affordable one available in their portfolio. Considering it is the most accessible model for the majority of consumers, it’s only fair that I put it as the best Miele on the list.

How Does It Perform?

Surprisingly, despite it being marketed as a “budget” vacuum, its performance is anything but “cheap”. The Grey Classic C1 still maintains high performance across the board, being effective on both bare floors and carpets of various heights (including high-pile.)

Certainly, it has its occasional issues. It experiences visible difficulty when it has to lift small debris (baking soda and sand, for example) off of low-pile carpets. Furthermore, it slightly struggles with picking up large debris on high-pile carpets. But overall, its performance level is excellent for the price. But overall, these aren’t anything that would ruin your using experience.

Depending on the kind of floor type you’re dealing with, you can choose one out of the 2 included floorheads. The SBD 295-3 Combination Floor Tool for bare floors and carpets, while the SBB 300-3 Parquet Twister for hardwood floors.

And for the pet owners out there, the good news is that the Grey Classic C1 has also been reviewed to have a good effect against pet hair.

You also get the 6-mode Suction Control system in this vacuum, but you will have to switch in-between the modes using a control dial rather than a footswitch like in more premium models.

The Design

This best canister vacuum cleaner weighs around 12 pounds, which is relatively heavy. Nonetheless, like with all canister vacuums you’re not supposed to carry the canister by hand as you use it, so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Plus, the carrying handle is designed well enough that even in case that you need to lift it up and carry it, the weight shouldn’t pose too much of a challenge.

Cord length is quite disappointing at a measly 17.8 feet. You’re going to need to switch your outlet quite frequently if you have a large apartment or home to clean.

Like all the other C-series canister vacuums, the Grey Classic C1 canister vacuum does have an automatic retracting mechanism for more convenient storage.

Dust Bags

The Grey Classic C1 uses Type GN dust bags with a maximum capacity of 4.75 dry quarts. It’s durably constructed and has measures in place to help with filtering, Miele’s dust bags are one of the best there are.

Of course, their high price reflects their quality. Recurring costs for C-series vacuums are notoriously high, even for a budget model like this one.

Filtering

The AirClean filter that’s shipped with the vacuum isn’t HEPA-rated, but if you want to have HEPA filtration, the Miele Grey Classic C1 is compatible with Miele’s AirClean HEPA HA 30.

What’s In the Box?

The selection of complementary tools is similar to all of the other C-series vacuums I’ve featured. There are 3 in total: a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, and a dusting brush.

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Just in case you’re still wondering...
 

Why Should I Get A Canister Vacuum?

Canister vacuums, in my opinion, are the most balanced type of vacuum currently available. Because their default position is on the ground, they aren’t as difficult to handle as a heavy and bulky upright. Furthermore, as they are on wheels, they’re far more maneuverable, too.

In terms of flexibility, since you’ll be using a suction hose with the vacuum, canister vacuums can be considered a touch more flexible and versatile than stick vacuums.

And, as the best canister vacuum cleaners I have earlier introduced has shown, their performance is just as good— even better, sometimes— than uprights, which are considered the strongest type of vacuum cleaners there is.

Due to the fact that most canister vacuums are bagged, they’re also one of the more hygienic options out there if you have allergies and respiratory conditions.

Are HEPA Filters Really That Important?

HEPA filters are not necessary. If you don’t have an allergy or any kind of respiratory condition such as asthma or COPD, you won’t be able to discern the difference between a normal filter and a HEPA filter. Remember that non-HEPA filters can also have very good filtration efficiency between 90% to as high as 97% of micro-particles. But the near-perfect rate of 99.97% of HEPA filters are hard to beat.

If you do have respiratory issues, HEPA filters’ high efficiency can make a huge difference for your quality of life. With most of the irritants and allergens cleansed from the airflow, allergic symptoms will be markedly reduced.

It all boils down to your needs in the end. But I still think that you should get a HEPA filter even if you don’t have any aforementioned medical problems. In the background of the current COVID-19 pandemic, cleaning the house with a HEPA-equipped vacuum can be quite assuring, especially when they’re known to be effective against the virus. For this reason, a HEPA filter is a crucial part in my assessment of the best rated canister vacuum cleaners.

Should I Get A Bagged Canister Vacuum Or A Bagless One?

A bagged vacuum is typically a better choice for those with allergies and other conditions since they’re significantly cleaner and less messy to use. But since you will have to replace them often with new bags, it can be fairly expensive over the long term, especially if you need to get high-quality filter bags like the Miele Type GN bags.

On the other hand, while bagless vacuums are messier, they don’t have any extra cost.

Conclusion

Now that all of the best canister vacuum cleaners are selected, I hope that you have found one model that has satisfiably answered your question of “What is the best canister vacuum?”

But if I have to choose my top model for the day I think I’ll go for the Miele Complete C3 Marin.

Admittedly, it is quite costly, however, there’s no doubt that it is an excellent investment. Not just for its design or performance, Miele vacuums have also been known to be highly durable and can last years down the line.