8 Best Vacuum Cleaners at Walmart, Tested by Cleaning Experts
Keep your home spick and span with these top-tested options.
Reviewed by Carolyn FortéHome Care & Cleaning Lab Executive DirectorTested by Jodhaira RodriguezReviews Analyst
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Between pet hair, stray crumbs and the little leaves and dirt the kids track in from outside, it may feel like you're constantly reaching for your vacuum. The right vacuum for your home (and floor type), whether a stick vacuum or a canister vacuum, is simply an essential cleaning tool in any house. And you can score many of the best ones from Walmart at their "Every Day Low Price."
The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab have been testing vacuums for decades, so we know exactly what to look for from top-performing models. We run tests on dozens of vacuums each year to evaluate their ease of use and performance both in our Lab and at home with our consumer testers. Our top picks are made up of some of our favorite vacuums across all types, from handheld vacuums to robot vacuums, and come from brands we test and trust.
Pros
- HEPA filter
- Can turn into a portable canister vacuum
- Self-cleaning brush roll helps avoid hair clogging
Cons
- Heavier than some other options
The Shark Ninja is our top vacuum pick among all the vacuums on the market. We particularly like that this bagless vacuum features a two-brush-roll system, which makes it better at picking up all kinds of dirt, debris and pet hair from different surfaces including deep inside your carpets and on your hardwood floors. The self-cleaning brush roll means you don't have to worry about manually pulling clogged pet hair from the brush after every use, and the Odor Neutralizer Tech helps keep any smells securely inside the vacuum, according to the brand.
Perhaps our favorite thing about this hardworking vacuum is the ability to turn the model into a portable canister cleaner for versatility, making it easier to clean all of those hard-to-reach places like furniture, shelving and stair treads. A few other benefits include the HEPA filter that traps dust and allergens (perfect for pet owners!), powerful suction and LED headlights that illuminate dirt and hair so you never miss a spot. Complaints are minimal, but our biggest one: This model is on the heavier side, so it may not be ideal for large homes with a lot of stairs.
Type: Corded upright vacuum | Weight: 17.2 lbs | HEPA filter: Yes | Cordless: No
Bissell CleanView Rewind Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Pros
- Automatic cord rewind
- Long extension wand
- Large dust cup
Cons
- Brush roll always operates
Get a deep clean at an affordable price with this powerful pick. Our Lab pros are big fans of Bissell vacuums, and we particularly like this model for its large easy-to-empty dust cup and active extension wand, which helps you reach up to 10 feet — great for cleaning hard-to-reach places and crevices in stairs. It also has an automatic cord rewind to keep the 25-foot power cord tangle-free and easily accessible.
Users say the vacuum is very powerful and has no trouble picking up everything from cereal crumbs on hardwood floors to pet hair lodged in carpeting. For upholstery and difficult-to-clean areas like blinds, this model comes with a TurboBrush, a crevice tool and a dusting brush/upholstery tool — all stored right on the unit, so you don't have to worry about losing them. On the downside, the brush roll can't be turned off to clean hardwood floors.
Type: Bagless corded upright vacuum | Weight: 13.5 lbs | HEPA filter: No | Cordless: No
WORX Power Share Portable Vacuum Cleaner
Pros
- 4-foot hose
- Earned a perfect score in six out of of seven ease of use tests
- Portable and good for the car
Cons
- Some pet hair stuck to the brush tool in our test
If you want something a little more lightweight and portable, this handheld vacuum cleaner, which clocks in at under $100, can reach into all of those nooks and crannies in your home that you haven't cleaned in years. With a 4-foot hose, you'll be able to reach more out-of-the-way spots in your house from behind the TV stand to underneath the couch. While testing, we found that this vacuum was able to run for 23 minutes on one charge at standard power, and we liked that it was able to pick up all the debris and pet hair in our tests without ever having to be turned up to max power (although we did find some pet hair stuck to the brush tool).
At 3 pounds, it's not the lightest handheld vacuum we've tested, but thanks to its boxy shape and long hose, you can easily set the base down beside you and just hold the hose. This vac earned perfect scores from our at-home testers in six of the seven ease-of-use evaluations, meaning our testers found it comfortable and easy to use. Thanks to its portability, we found it particularly nice for cleaning your car or getting rid of small messes quickly.
Type: Handheld vacuum | Weight: 3 lbs | HEPA filter: Yes | Cordless: Yes
iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum
Pros
- Self-cleaning roller brushes don't get clogged with pet hair
- Smart voice command capabilities
- Picked up 99% of debris in hardwood floor tests
Cons
- Fairly loud
For a hands-off approach, the iRobot Roomba S9+ is a great solution for those who want their floors to be sparkling between their usual vacuuming sessions. While we don't necessarily recommend a robot vacuum as your sole source of floor cleaning, this nifty appliance means you won't have to clean nearly as often. While testing, we found this machine to be our favorite robot vacuum for a variety of reasons, including its amazing voice command capabilities that recognize when you ask it to clean around specific things in your house like the couch or coffee table. We were also impressed that its self-cleaning roller brushes didn't clog up with pet hair nearly as much as others did in our tests.
Of our test messes, this robot vacuum picked up 99% of dry oats, baking soda, nuts, sand and screws in our hardwood floor tests, but it did rank a little bit lower when cleaning carpet. We also found that it cleaned more thoroughly near the charging base than any other robot vacuum we tested, and the self-emptying automatic dirt disposal makes cleaning up after it as little work as possible. This model was particularly noisy, though, so it might not be a great pick if you have a skittish pet, plan to run it while sleeping or work from home.
Type: Robot vacuum | Weight: 19.9 lbs | HEPA filter: No | Cordless: Yes
Dyson V15 Detect Vacuum
Pros
- Features unique particle pickup display
- Lightweight and slim
- Automatically adjusts speed and suction depending on the amount of dirt and dust
Cons
- Pricey
In the market for something a little more lightweight and portable? The Dyson V15 is a great option. If storage space is limited, this slim design won't take up too much room in the broom closet. At just 6.8 pounds, it's lightweight and still packs a punch, making it perfect for those who want the convenience of cordless cleaning and don't want to lug around a full-size vacuum. We were particularly impressed by its suction power and illuminating laser light that helps you see dirt on dark surfaces that you may have missed the first time around.
It earned a spot in a past Cleaning and Organizing Awards due to its ability to get into every corner and crevice of your home and its plethora of useful attachments like the Stubborn Dirt Brush and Laser Slim Fluffy Cleaner Head. In our testing, we appreciated how easy it was to use this vacuum, especially with the addition of the clear display that showed the battery life and the particle pickup. It shows both the size of the particles you're picking up and the percentage of particles of each size. It's pricey, yes, but our at-home testers gave it a whopping 4.95 out of 5 stars and said they would all continue using it in their own homes.
Type: Cordless stick vacuum | Weight: 6.8 lbs | HEPA filter: Yes | Cordless: Yes
Pros
- Brush roll can be turned off to avoid scratching hardwood
- Features hair-spooling system and tangle-free brush in canister
- Multi-level suction
Cons
- Some users say it feels heavy in hand
Suck up all of that pesky pet hair with this powerful vacuum by Bissell. With a variety of tools to help you get into every corner of your home and a filter that uses Febreze technology to help eliminate odors and keep your vacuumed pet hair from smelling stale, this option is great for pet owners of all kinds.
We particularly like that this vacuum comes with a brush roll that can be turned off with the click of a button, so you don't have to worry about scratches on your sealed hardwood floors. We also like the design of the mess-free dust cup which can be emptied hands-free. It features a unique hair-spooling system and an in-canister tangle-free brush roll to help avoid clogs. Multi-level suction for low- and high-pile carpets and hardwood floors make cleaning as easy as possible, although some of our testers say it's heavier than they'd like.
Type: Corded upright vacuum | Weight: 13.75 lbs | HEPA filter: No | Cordless: No
Pros
- Easy to use
- Self-cleaning feature
- Lightweight
Cons
- May develop a smell over time
This one simple product both vacuums and mops, making it a one-stop shop for all your floor cleaning needs. Great for a variety of different surfaces, this vacuum mop proved to be one of the easiest to use — especially on hardwood floors. Our testers loved how efficient it was, thanks to an edge-to-edge design that allows you to get tight into corners and close to baseboards. It's just 10.5 pounds, so it's not hard to carry around the house either.
We love how large the used water tank is and that the model can run for up to 35 minutes on a single charge, allowing more flexibility for big tasks. Another feature that separates this vacuum mop from the pack is a convenient roller dryer feature after the unit self-cleans. In just 1 hour, it'll be completely dry, according to the brand. While this is key for keeping smells at bay, some testers did report a bit of a smell over time.
Type: Vacuum Mop | Weight: 10.5 lbs | HEPA filter: No | Cordless: Yes
Kenmore Pet Friendly POP-N-GO Bagged Canister Vacuum
Pros
- Comes with a motorized attachment for pet hair
- Sealed dust bag and HEPA filter
- Big wheels for easy maneuvering
Cons
- Heavy
Both versatile and powerful, our cleaning pros love this Kenmore vacuum for pet owners in particular. That's because it has a mini motorized brush tool that lifts pet hair from upholstered furniture and carpets. When you're done, it can be stored right on the unit along with other accessories like a crevice attachment, dusting brush and bare floor tool. The system is entirely sealed — just toss the disposable dust bag when it's full — and the HEPA filter on the exhaust is another plus for those with pets or allergies.
This vacuum aced all of the floor-cleaning tests our experts put it through, earning it a spot in a past Cleaning and Organizing Awards. Testers said the controls were easy to use and especially liked how quickly you can attach the floor brush. The big wheels helped with maneuverability, even though the vacuum is on the heavier side.
Type: Canister vacuum | Weight: 22.6 lbs | HEPA filter: Yes | Cordless: No
How we test vacuum cleaners
The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab test every type of vacuum cleaner on the market. From robot vacuums to vacuums for hardwood floors, we follow ASTM International industry standard test methods to run Lab tests to help find the best products on the market. Each vacuum we consider is put through the same thorough testing process that includes the following steps:
- Evaluating each vacuum's cleaning ability to pick up dirt, debris and pet hair by running tests on multiple different surfaces including hardwood, tile, medium pile carpets and linoleum
- Checking each vacuum's additional features, like soft brush rolls, to see if they damage hardwood floors, have effective suction and clean well along the edges of the floor
- Running ease-of-use testing to see how easy it is to turn on and manipulate each vacuum as well as considering factors like maneuverability, weight, battery run-time and ease of cleaning
What to consider when shopping for vacuums at Walmart
✔️ Vacuum type: One of the first things to consider is what type of vacuum you want. While corded upright vacuums are great for endless vacuuming since you don't need to rely on battery life, they have a limited distance they can travel from the outlet. They clean particularly well on hard flooring and medium- to high-pile carpets and are able to stand up on their own but will take up more space than their stick vacuum counterparts. Stick vacuums are better for small spaces and hard flooring or low-pile carpets. Since they're smaller, they're easier to store but also won't be able to hold as much dust and debris in their dustbins at one time. Hand vacuums make it possible to clean up all those tight spaces like shelving, car interiors and tight staircases but you can't vacuum a whole room with one. Canister vacuums are easier to carry up and down stairs than uprights and work best on hard flooring and low-pile carpet unless they come with a power nozzle attachment for cleaning deep-pile carpets which expands their versatility.
✔️ Your flooring: Those with both carpet and hard flooring will want vacuums that can easily transition between them. Likewise, if you have high-pile carpets, you'll want a machine that won't have trouble getting deep into the fibers to remove all the dirt and debris.
✔️ Attachments: Pet owners will find it beneficial to have a motorized pet attachment to ensure that you can pick up every single stray hair from your furry friend. Those with heavy furniture or detailed interior design setups will appreciate a crevice tool that can help vacuum dust from behind your couch and in tight spaces like shelving. If you have more delicate items and areas, dusting brushes and upholstery attachments will do the trick.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
In her role as Executive Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home and Cleaning Lab, Carolyn Forté has tested all types of major home appliances, including vacuum cleaners. She's tested and reviewed hundreds of vacuum cleaners over the past 40 years and is a member of the ASTM Committee on vacuum cleaners. In her role as Good Housekeeping's Home Care & Cleaning Lab Reviews Analyst, Jodhaira Rodriguez tested and reviewed all kinds of cleaning products, including vacuum cleaners, from 2021 to 2023.
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.
From 2021 to 2023, Jodhaira (she/her) was a product reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care & Cleaning Lab, where she tested and wrote about home appliances, cleaning products and cleaning tips. Prior to joining GH, she graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor’s degree in forensic science and spent two years as an analyst in an environmental lab in Queens.
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