19 hours ago 2

The best canister vacuum we tested is also my Facebook group's fave, and it's on sale

Have you started your spring cleaning yet? I'll admit, I'm a little behind — an embarrassing admission for someone who makes a living writing about all things home-related! The thing is, I'm stalling because I'm in the market for a new vacuum. Yes, I have both a lightweight stick vacuum and a heavy-duty hand vacuum, and I love 'em both. But sometimes you need something a little more powerful that covers more ground ... er, floor. I started looking into some upright models when I realized that opting for a canister vacuum might be more suitable for my not-so-muscular, five-foot-tall frame.

Yahoo Senior Commerce Writer Kristin Granero named the Miele Classic C1 Turbo Team Bagged Canister Vacuum her top canister pick after testing many models. It also happened to be the vacuum many members of the Facebook group I belong to (shoutout to Philaqueens!) recommended. Something else to recommend it: At full price, it's a steep $469, but it's currently on sale for $375 at Amazon. I'd better dust off my cart!

"It is so much better than any stick or cordless vacuum I tested," wrote one of my fellow Philaqueens group members. "Super lightweight and easy to carry up/down stairs, and the bags filter out way more dust/hair than a stick."

$375 at Amazon

Why is it a good deal? 💰

Not gonna lie: Even with $94 shaved off, this vacuum is still an investment — but a worthy one. According to my price trackers, this model rarely dips lower than this, and when it does, it's usually by just a few dollars. Plus, you're getting incredible suction with this thing (more on that in a bit) and it comes with multiple attachments to target just about any surface in your home. While I've never owned a Miele vacuum, I do have the brand's dishwasher and can say that it is elite, so I have high hopes for this dust-sucker.

Why do I need this? 🤔

Canister vacuums don't get as much attention as their sexier stick, upright and robotic cousins, so here's a little explainer about what sets them apart: "In a canister vacuum, the dust bin is on wheels and trails behind the cleaner head, whereas with a traditional upright vacuum, the dust bin sits in front," says Granero. "The benefit of a canister vacuum is that the wand is freed up and therefore more nimble. And the Classic C1 Turbo is among the most powerful and versatile models we tried."

It's also user-friendly: "You just attach the hose to the canister on one side and to the wand on the other, then click the wand into whichever cleaner head base — or attachment — you'd like to use," she explains. "There's a dial on the canister for selecting your desired suction strength depending on the job at hand, along with power and cord-rewind buttons."

She adds, "[It] comes with a 0.95-liter canister containing a dust bag, a long hose, an adjustable wand and two cleaning head bases — a bristled brush for hard floors and a TurboTeq brush for carpeted surfaces. It also has three attachments for detailing purposes: a dusting brush, a crevice tool and an upholstery tool."

Got pets? I don't, but my hair does shed a lot (sorry if that's TMI!). Luckily, Granero says that "where this vac really outpaced the competition was in our 'passenger pet' test — when we used the TurboTeq brush, it sucked up stubborn pet hair in just a few passes."

Among its other strengths? Versatility ("We liked how we could customize the suction settings to optimize for not only different surfaces but different materials in varying heights"), its adjustable pole, "effective" attachments, maneuverability, large capacity and three-tiered filtration system for trapping airborne particles and irritants.

Of course, this vacuum does require dustbags, which need to be swapped out, but hey — they make emptying it a lot easier!

The blue Miele canister vacuum on a wood floor

What reviewers say 💬

Granero (and my Facebook group) aren't alone — more than 2,200 Amazon customers say this vacuum deserves a perfect rating.

Pros 👍

"I've been a self-proclaimed vacuum connoisseur for years — I've sampled the Shark, Dyson, Kenmore and more, each one falling victim to the wear and tear of my three kids and multiple pets," shared one cleaning obsessive. "But enter the Miele, my dream vacuum. Since I welcomed it into my chaotic, post-remodel dust storm in early August 2024, it’s been nothing short of miraculous. This powerhouse is reliable, consistent and its suction strength is unreal — it practically vacuums up my frustrations along with the debris! Whether on hard floors or carpet, the Miele performs flawlessly."

"This vacuum is seriously amazing," raved another impressed buyer. "It not only got the rugs in my new house looking brand-new, it also got dust off of my lampshades that sticky rollers and damp cloths never removed. Now I’m regretting waiting so long to get this. It makes cleaning so much faster and makes you realize how much dirt and dust you’re missing with other less powerful stick vacuums. I’m in awe."

"This guy replaced two other vacuum cleaners that we had for carpet and floors," wrote this neatnik. "It works great, with tremendous suction that is very easily adjusted for more delicate rugs, etc. It's nice and light, so easy to use on the stairs and it is much quieter than the old cleaners. I absolutely LOVE how well the air that cycles through the cleaner is filtered before blowing back into the room."

Cons 👎

"No more cat hair or dust bunnies on my hardwood floor, in the corners or underneath furniture," said a mostly pleased shopper. "This Miele is well made, has strong suction and is lightweight — which I need for my arthritic hands to pull around." Their one note? "The cord could be longer. I have a 1,800-square-foot house, and I thought the cord length wouldn't matter, but I do plug it into different outlets in nearly every room, but I don't mind."

"I actually don’t hate vacuuming as much as I used to, and I’m vacuuming more," revealed a final fan. "[The] only cons are that now I have to buy bags. Bad for the environment and the wallet, but honestly emptying [my] Dyson, the dirt would go all over the place, in the air, so I don’t know how good that was for the environment, either. I [also] wish the cord was longer."

And if you're in the market for a reasonably priced stick vacuum, this is the one I use:

You're not gonna need a bigger boat — er, shopping cart — for this Shark, because it weighs just 4 pounds. Seeing as I'm five feet tall with little upper body strength, I appreciate how easy it is to move from room to room. I even convinced my parents to get one, and they're pleased as well.

You're getting a sleek stick vac and handheld in one, meaning it's equally as useful for zapping up dust from your floor as it is for cleaning furniture, stairs and even the interior of your car. Plus, you can't beat its cordless design — isn't having to find a new outlet every time you switch rooms the worst part of vacuuming?

Check out my full Shark review for more.

$150 at Amazon

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.