9 Best Upright Vacuums for Home Use (November 2026)
The best upright vacuums for home cleaning include the Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner for whole-home cleaning, the Amazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner for carrying up stairs, and the Dirt Devil Endura Lite Upright Bagless Vacuum for small apartments.
On this page (10 sections)
- Best upright vacuums for home use, ranked
- How these upright vacuums compare
- How we compared these upright vacuums
- Which upright vacuum suits your floors?
- How much should an upright vacuum weigh?
- Bagged or bagless for a home upright?
- How wide should the cleaning path be?
- Which upright vacuum is best for pets?
- Which upright vacuum is easiest to store?
- Verdict: which home upright should you buy?
The best home upright vacuum cleaner for most people is the Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed, because its 12.6 in nozzle, 4.1L dust cup and five height settings cover a whole home with fewer passes and fewer stops. The Amazon Basics is the one to carry up stairs at 8.4 lb, and the Oreck XL is the bagged pick for long carpet runs.
An upright earns its place by standing ready in a closet and rolling out in seconds. The models here are all corded, so none of them needs a charge break in the middle of a floor.
The differences that matter are weight, cleaning width, cup or bag size, and how each one handles the switch between carpet and hard floors.
If pets share your home, our guide to the best upright vacuums for homes with pets covers hair pickup in more depth. For bagged options beyond the Oreck, see the best bagged upright vacuums.
Our picks at a glance
-
1
Best for whole-home cleaningEureka NEU182B PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
9.7/10 our score
See it on Amazon -
2
Best for carrying up stairsAmazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
9.6/10 our score
See it on Amazon -
3
Best for small apartmentsDirt Devil Endura Lite Upright Bagless Vacuum
9.3/10 our score
See it on Amazon
- 4
Check itShark Navigator Lift-Away NV352
Best for pet hair on stairs - 5
Check itOreck Commercial XL Bagged Upright
Best for long carpet runs - 6
Check itShark Navigator Lift-Away NV356E
Best for allergy-prone homes - 7
Best for light everyday touch-upsCheck it - 8
Check itKenmore Intuition Bagged Lightweight
Best for no-touch emptying - 9
Best for furniture-heavy roomsCheck it
Best upright vacuums for home use, ranked
The Eureka PowerSpeed wins on coverage and capacity for most homes, while the rest of the list fills a specific need: lighter weight, pet hair, bagged filtration or a tighter footprint. Choose your need first, then compare the specs.
Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner: Best for whole-home cleaning
- 12.6 in wide nozzle
- 4.1L dust cup
- 10 lb body
- 5 height adjustments
- 7 ft hose with three tools
A wide nozzle and a big dust cup let you finish a whole floor with fewer passes and fewer stops. The 10 lb body and five height settings keep it usable on both carpet and hard floors.
Pros
- Widest nozzle in this group
- 4.1L cup needs less emptying
- Five height settings cover shag, pile and bare floors
Cons
- 88 dB is the loudest here
- Bagless cup means dust on emptying
The PowerSpeed suits a whole-home routine across carpet, rugs and hard floors. Its 12.6 in nozzle is the widest in this group, so a living room takes fewer back-and-forth passes than with a 9.25 in head.
The 4.1L dust cup is the largest bagless capacity here, which means fewer trips to the trash during a full-house clean. Five height settings let you raise or lower the head for shag, low pile and bare floors without swapping anything.
At 10 lb it sits in the middle of the weight range, light enough to push around furniture but not as easy to carry upstairs as the 8.4 lb Amazon Basics. Eureka includes a 7 ft hose, a quick-release handle and three tools: a 7 in crevice tool, a dusting brush and an upholstery tool.
All of them store on board, so nothing is lost in a cupboard between cleans. The trade-off is noise at 88 dB, the loudest on this list.
Skip it if you clean while someone sleeps.
Amazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner: Best for carrying up stairs
- 8.4 lb body
- 1.7L dust cup
- 25 ft cord
- Washable filter
- Detachable handle
At 8.4 lb it is the second-lightest model here, so it is the one to carry between floors and rooms. The 25 ft cord and washable filter keep the running costs low.
Pros
- Second-lightest body in this group
- 25 ft cord reaches across rooms
- Washable filter
Cons
- Small 1.7L cup fills quickly
- Single speed only
The Amazon Basics upright suits anyone who hauls a vacuum between floors. At 8.4 lb it is the second-lightest model here, and the detachable handle lets you reach high spots without lifting the whole body.
A 25 ft cord means fewer outlet changes in a long hallway or open-plan room. The 1.7L dust cup is on the small side, so a big carpeted home will need more emptying stops than the PowerSpeed requires.
A washable filter cuts the cost of replacements. There is one speed and no brushroll shutoff, so delicate hard floors need a lighter touch and a careful eye.
The 82 dB rating makes it among the quieter models here, which matters in an apartment block. Choose it for a flat or a two-storey home where carrying weight matters more than cup size.
For a full buyer's breakdown of what separates these machines, read what is the best upright vacuum.
Dirt Devil Endura Lite Upright Bagless Vacuum: Best for small apartments
- 9 lb body
- Compact 10 x 11 in footprint
- 6 ft quick-release wand
- One-touch dirt cup
- Rinsable filter
The compact cabinet fits closets and corners where full-size uprights crowd the floor. The one-touch dirt cup and rinsable filter make emptying and upkeep quick.
Pros
- Small footprint for tight storage
- One-touch dirt cup
- Rinsable filter
Cons
- 6 ft wand reach is shorter than the Eureka hose
- Small cabinet means frequent emptying in big homes
The Endura Lite suits small apartments and closets where a full-size upright crowds the floor. Its cabinet measures 10 x 11 in, the smallest footprint here, so it tucks into a corner or a hall cupboard.
The Endura filtration system is built to hold suction as the cup fills, and the one-touch dirt cup releases with a button press. A rinsable foam filter keeps upkeep simple.
The 6 ft quick-release wand reaches high shelves and corners with the dusting brush and crevice tool. At 9 lb it is easy to move around a compact space.
The trade-off is capacity: a small cabinet holds less dirt, so a large carpeted home empties it more often than a big-cup model. The 80 dB noise rating is among the quieter models here.
Pick it if storage space is tight and your floors are modest in size.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352: Best for pet hair on stairs
- Lift-Away detachable pod
- Self-cleaning brushroll
- HEPA filter with anti-allergen seal
- Pet Power Brush
- LED headlights
The pod detaches so you can carry suction to stairs and upholstery without dragging the whole vacuum. A self-cleaning brushroll and a HEPA seal suit homes with pets and allergies.
Pros
- Detachable pod for above-floor work
- Self-cleaning brushroll
- HEPA filter and sealed system
Cons
- 12.5 lb is heavy for whole-home pushing
- Small 1.1 quart cup
The Shark NV352 suits homes where pet hair collects on stairs and furniture. Its Lift-Away pod detaches with a pedal press, so you carry the suction to the stairs rather than dragging the whole vacuum up.
A self-cleaning brushroll pulls hair off as it spins, which cuts the cutting and untangling that wrapped brushrolls need. Shark seals the system and adds a HEPA filter to trap dust and allergens.
The Pet Power Brush and upholstery tool handle sofa cushions and stair treads, while LED headlights show hair you would roll past. Swivel steering helps around table legs.
The trade-offs are weight and capacity: at 12.5 lb it is heavy for a long whole-home push, and the 1.1 quart cup is small. The 8 ft hose is the longest among the bagless picks.
Choose it when pet hair is the main job and stairs are part of the routine. See our corded upright vacuum cleaners comparison for how it stacks up against the rest.
Oreck Commercial XL Bagged Upright: Best for long carpet runs
- 9 lb body
- Bagged with HEPA filter
- High-speed brush roll
- Automatic height adjustment
- Wall bumpers
A bagged design traps dirt without a dust cloud, and automatic height adjustment takes the guesswork out of moving between rugs and pile. The 9 quart bag runs long between changes.
Pros
- 9 quart bag holds a lot
- Automatic height adjustment
- Light 9 lb body
Cons
- Replacement bags are an ongoing cost
- No on-board tools; attachments sold separately
The Oreck Commercial XL suits long carpet runs and buyers who prefer a bag. Its 9 quart bag holds far more than any cup here, so you change it rarely.
A bag also seals dirt inside, so emptying never throws dust back into the room. The high-speed brush roll agitates deep pile, and automatic height adjustment moves between rugs and carpet without a manual setting.
Side edge brushes reach corners, and wall bumpers protect skirting and furniture. At 9 lb it is light to carry from room to room, which makes it a fit for a two-storey carpeted house.
The trade-off is flexibility: this is a floor machine with no on-board tools, and attachments are sold separately. Replacement bags add a running cost.
The 80 dB rating keeps it reasonable in a quiet house.
Pick it for a carpeted home where bagged filtration and a big bag matter more than attachments.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV356E: Best for allergy-prone homes
- Lift-Away pod
- HEPA filter with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal
- Brushroll shutoff
- Pet Power Brush
- Washable HEPA filter
The sealed HEPA system and brushroll shutoff make this the pick when allergies and mixed flooring both matter. The pod lifts away for stairs and furniture.
Pros
- Sealed HEPA system
- Brushroll shutoff for hard floors
- Washable HEPA filter
Cons
- Heaviest vacuum in this group
- 0.87L cup fills fast
The Shark NV356E suits allergy-prone homes that mix carpet and hard flooring. Its sealed HEPA system traps dust and allergens inside the vacuum, and the washable HEPA filter can be rinsed instead of replaced.
Brushroll shutoff switches the head to gentle hard-floor mode without changing anything. The Lift-Away pod detaches for stairs and upholstery, and the Pet Power Brush and dusting brush cover furniture and baseboards.
An 8 in crevice tool reaches along skirting and into corners. The 9.25 in cleaning path is narrower than the PowerSpeed's, so large open rooms take more passes.
At 13.7 lb it is the heaviest vacuum here, and the 0.87L cup fills quickly. The 5 ft hose is shorter than the NV352's.
Choose it when filtration and the hard-floor switch matter more than weight. Skip it if you carry a vacuum upstairs often.
Eureka Airspeed NEU10AE5: Best for light everyday touch-ups
- 7.7 lb body
- 10.5 in cleaning path
- Quick-release handle
- Washable filter
- Tools on board
The lightest body here with a full-width 10.5 in path makes short work of a quick pass on hard floors and low pile. The washable filter keeps maintenance cheap.
Pros
- Lightest vacuum in this group
- Washable filter
- Tools store on board
Cons
- No brushroll shutoff for delicate floors
- Short 1.5 ft hose limits above-floor reach
The Airspeed NEU10AE5 suits quick everyday touch-ups on hard floors and low pile. At 7.7 lb it is the lightest vacuum in this group, and its compact body stores in a small space.
The 10.5 in cleaning path covers a decent width for its size. A washable filter keeps maintenance cheap, and the crevice tool and dusting brush snap on board so they are always within reach.
The quick-release handle extends for above-floor work on upholstery and windows. The trade-offs are simple: there is no brushroll shutoff, so delicate hard floors need care, and the 1.5 ft hose limits how far you can reach overhead.
The 1.7L cup matches the Amazon Basics. Eureka also advises clearing the roller brush and belt every two weeks.
Pick it for a flat with mostly hard floors where you vacuum little and often. For a deeper look at what an upright should do, see our buyer's guide.
Kenmore Intuition Bagged Lightweight: Best for no-touch emptying
- 12 lb body
- No Touch bag system
- Sealed HEPA air path
- 30 ft cord
- 6 ft hose
The bag seals itself when you release it, so you never touch the dirt. A 30 ft cord and 6 ft hose make it a comfortable fit for larger rooms.
Pros
- Self-sealing bag means no dust contact
- 30 ft cord reaches far
- Sealed HEPA air path
Cons
- 12 lb body is on the heavy side
- Bags add a running cost
The Kenmore Intuition suits buyers who dislike the dust cloud from emptying a bagless cup. Its No Touch bag system seals the bag as you release it, so your hands never meet the dirt.
A sealed HEPA air path traps 99.97% of dust inside the vacuum. The 30 ft cord is the longest here, and the 6 ft hose reaches floor to ceiling.
PowerFlow keeps suction strong as the bag fills, so the last clean before a change works nearly as well as the first. At 12 lb it is heavier than the PowerSpeed and close to the Shark models.
Bags add a running cost the bagless picks avoid, though the box includes four HEPA bags to start. The trade-off against the Oreck is capacity and weight: the Kenmore carries tools and a long cord but weighs more.
Choose it for a larger home where no-touch emptying and cord reach matter most. See our bagged upright vacuum guide for more bagged options.
Eureka MaxSwivel Pro NEU350: Best for furniture-heavy rooms
- Swivel steering
- Dual cyclone filtration
- Manual brushroll control
- LED headlights
- 12.6 in cleaning path
Swivel steering and LED headlights help you work around table legs and under sofas without lifting the vacuum. Manual brushroll control switches between hard floor and carpet.
Pros
- Swivel steering around furniture
- LED headlights show missed debris
- Manual brushroll control
Cons
- 1.5L cup is smaller than the PowerSpeed
- 86 dB is loud for a small room
The MaxSwivel Pro suits rooms packed with furniture. Swivel steering turns the head around table legs and sofa corners without lifting the vacuum, and LED headlights show dust you would otherwise roll past.
Manual brushroll control switches between hard floor and carpet, and a brush window lets you see the roll at work. Dual cyclone filtration is built to keep suction steady as the cup fills.
The 12.6 in path matches the PowerSpeed's width. The trade-offs are the smaller 1.5L cup and the 10.4 lb weight, both behind the PowerSpeed.
At 86 dB it is loud for a small room. Choose it when steering and visibility matter more than cup size.
Skip it if you want the biggest capacity in a bagless upright.
How these upright vacuums compare
Every pick here is corded and stands upright, so the real differences come down to weight, cleaning width, capacity and the features that suit your floors. The table puts the main specs side by side.
| Product | Best for | Weight | Dust cup | Height settings | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner | whole-home cleaning | 10 lb | 4.1L | 5 | 9.7 |
| Amazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner | carrying up stairs | 8.4 lb | 1.7L | 9.6 | |
| Dirt Devil Endura Lite Upright Bagless Vacuum | small apartments | 9 lb | 9.3 | ||
| Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 | pet hair on stairs | 12.5 lb | 1.1 quarts | 9.1 | |
| Oreck Commercial XL Bagged Upright | long carpet runs | 9 lb | 8.7 | ||
| Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV356E | allergy-prone homes | 13.7 lb | 0.87 liters | 8.5 | |
| Eureka Airspeed NEU10AE5 | light everyday touch-ups | 7.7 lb | 1.7 liters | 8.3 | |
| Kenmore Intuition Bagged Lightweight | no-touch emptying | 12 lb | 7.7 | ||
| Eureka MaxSwivel Pro NEU350 | furniture-heavy rooms | 10.4 lb | 1.5 liters | 7.6 |
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. The top score goes to the vacuum that covers the most homes well, not the one with the most features.
How we compared these upright vacuums
We compared the nine models on the specs that change daily use: body weight, cleaning path width, dust cup or bag capacity, cord and hose length, height settings or brushroll control, and filtration type. We also weighed the attachments each one includes, since a hose and tools decide whether a vacuum can handle stairs and furniture as well as floors.
Scores reflect how well each model fits a whole-home routine. A wide nozzle and a big cup score higher than a narrow head with a small cup, because they cut the time and stops in a full-house clean.
Weight counts against a model when it makes stairs or long pushes harder. Filtration and brushroll control raise the score for homes with allergies or mixed flooring.
We researched the specifications each brand publishes but did not run these vacuums in a test home.
Which upright vacuum suits your floors?
The right upright depends on what your floors are made of and how much carpet you cover. Match the head to your floor type before you compare weight or capacity.
What should you pick for mostly carpet?
Pick an upright with a high brush roll and height settings or automatic adjustment. The Oreck XL's high-speed brush roll and automatic height adjustment suit deep pile.
The Eureka PowerSpeed's five settings handle shag and low pile on the same machine.
What should you pick for mostly hard floors?
Look for brushroll shutoff or manual brushroll control. The Shark NV356E switches off the brushroll for gentle hard-floor cleaning.
The MaxSwivel Pro's manual control does the same job with a 12.6 in head. A model without either needs care on delicate finishes.
What about homes with both?
A vacuum with a height adjustment or a brushroll switch covers both without a second machine. The PowerSpeed's five settings and the Shark NV352's swivel head both move between surfaces.
If allergies matter too, the NV356E's sealed HEPA system adds filtration to the mix.
How much should an upright vacuum weigh?
Aim for under 10 lb if you carry the vacuum between floors or up stairs. The lightest models here are the Eureka Airspeed at 7.7 lb and the Amazon Basics at 8.4 lb.
Anything from 12 lb up is better left on one floor.
What is the lightest upright here?
The Eureka Airspeed NEU10AE5 is the lightest at 7.7 lb. It pairs that low weight with a 10.5 in path and a washable filter.
The Amazon Basics at 8.4 lb is close behind and adds a 25 ft cord.
How heavy is too heavy for stairs?
Above about 12 lb, carrying an upright up and down stairs gets tiring. The Shark NV352 at 12.5 lb and the NV356E at 13.7 lb are better suited to one floor, or to a home where the Lift-Away pod does the stair work.
Does a heavier upright clean better?
Not by itself. The Oreck XL weighs 9 lb and still carries the biggest bag here at 9 quarts.
Weight usually comes with a sealed HEPA system, a bigger motor or more plastic housing, not with stronger pickup. Read the brush roll and filtration specs before you assume the heavier machine wins.
Bagged or bagless for a home upright?
Bagged uprights seal dirt inside and suit allergy-prone homes, while bagless cups avoid replacement costs but need careful emptying. Your choice comes down to how much you mind dust and how often you want to buy supplies.
What are the benefits of a bagged upright?
A bag holds more dirt and seals it away. The Oreck XL's 9 quart bag runs long between changes, and the Kenmore's No Touch system means you never touch the dirt.
Both add a running cost for bags. See our bagged upright vacuum guide for the full picture.
When is bagless the better choice?
Bagless suits buyers who want no ongoing supply cost. The Eureka PowerSpeed's 4.1L cup holds more than any bagless cup here and needs no bags.
Empty it over a bin and rinse the filter. The trade-off is the dust cloud when you tip the cup.
How wide should the cleaning path be?
A 12.6 in path covers more floor per pass and suits large open rooms, while a 9.25 in head fits between furniture legs more easily. Match the width to your layout and how much open floor you clean.
Which models have the widest path?
The Eureka PowerSpeed and the Eureka MaxSwivel Pro both use a 12.6 in cleaning path. That width finishes a large living room in fewer passes.
The MaxSwivel Pro adds swivel steering so the wide head still turns around furniture.
When does a narrower head help?
A narrower head like the Shark NV356E's 9.25 in fits between chair legs and into tight corners more easily. In a room crowded with furniture, the extra reach can save more time than the wider path gains on open floor.
The Dirt Devil's compact cabinet follows the same logic.
Which upright vacuum is best for pets?
Pick an upright with a self-cleaning brushroll or a pet tool, and add HEPA filtration if allergies are part of the picture. The Shark NV352 is the strongest pet pick here, with a self-cleaning brushroll and a Pet Power Brush for stairs and upholstery.
Do you need a pet-specific upright?
Not always. A standard upright with a good brush roll and a hose for upholstery can handle hair.
What a pet tool adds is reach for sofa cushions and stair treads. The Shark NV352 and NV356E both include one, and the MaxSwivel Pro ships with a pet tool too.
What about hair wrap on the brushroll?
Hair wrap slows a brushroll and needs cutting off. The Shark NV352's self-cleaning brushroll removes hair as it spins.
On models without that feature, clear the brushroll regularly to keep suction steady. Our pets guide covers this in more detail.
Which upright vacuum is easiest to store?
The Dirt Devil Endura Lite is the easiest to store, with a 10 x 11 in footprint that tucks into a closet corner. A compact cabinet matters more than weight when floor and closet space is short.
How much floor space does an upright need?
A full-size upright like the Shark NV356E takes up a footprint around 15 x 11.4 in. The Dirt Devil's 10 x 11 in cabinet is noticeably smaller.
Measure your closet before you buy if storage is tight.
Can an upright lie flat under a bed?
An upright's handle and body limit how flat it can go. The Lift-Away pod on the Shark models detaches so you can reach under low furniture with the hose and tool instead.
That approach works better than trying to lay the whole vacuum down.
Verdict: which home upright should you buy?
The best home upright vacuum cleaner for most people is the Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed, because its wide 12.6 in nozzle, 4.1L cup and five height settings handle a whole home with fewer passes and fewer stops. Buy the Amazon Basics if you carry a vacuum up stairs and want a light body.
Choose the Oreck XL for bagged filtration and a 9 quart bag on long carpet runs. The Shark NV352 is the pick for pet hair on stairs and furniture, and the Dirt Devil Endura Lite wins when closet space is short.
For a narrower head and a sealed HEPA system, the Shark NV356E is the allergy-friendly option. Pick by the job your floors demand, then check the weight against how far you carry it.
Our top 3 picks at a glance
-
1
Best for whole-home cleaning
Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
9.7/10 our score
See it on Amazon -
2
Best for carrying up stairs
Amazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
9.6/10 our score
See it on Amazon -
3
Best for small apartments
Dirt Devil Endura Lite Upright Bagless Vacuum
9.3/10 our score
See it on Amazon
Frequently asked questions
What is the best home upright vacuum cleaner overall?
The Eureka NEU182B PowerSpeed is the best all-round pick because its 12.6 in nozzle, 4.1L dust cup and 10 lb body balance coverage, capacity and weight. Choose the Amazon Basics if you carry a vacuum up stairs, or the Oreck if you want bagged filtration.
Are corded upright vacuums better than cordless for home use?
Corded uprights run as long as you need without a battery recharge, so they suit whole-home cleaning. Cordless models trade that run time for freedom from a wall outlet.
For a full floor in one go, a corded upright does the job without a charge break.
Do bagged upright vacuums cost more to run?
Bagged models need replacement bags, so they carry an ongoing cost that bagless cups avoid. In return, bags seal dirt inside and you never touch the dust on emptying.
The Oreck XL holds a 9 quart bag, so changes are less frequent.
Which upright vacuum works best on both carpet and hard floors?
Look for height adjustments or a brushroll shutoff. The Eureka PowerSpeed has five height settings for shag, pile and bare floors.
The Shark NV356E adds a brushroll shutoff so you can switch to gentle hard-floor cleaning without changing the head.
