Consumer Reports Names Worst Vacuums Across Five Categories
Consumer Reports has pinpointed the least effective vacuum models across five distinct categories: upright, canister, stick, robotic, and handheld. The Mainstays Bagless Upright, priced under $50, was noted for its inadequate carpet cleaning and particle emission issues. Among bagged uprights, the Oreck Elevate Control, costing around $300, received the lowest rating. In the canister category, the Atrix Vortex VR25BCV struggled with pet hair, while the Bissell Zing 2154A, available for under $100, performed poorly on carpets. For stick vacuums, both the Dirt Devil Vibe SD20020 (under $50) and Ryobi One+ HP 18V PBLSV716K were underwhelming. The Lefant M210 and Roborock Q10 X5+ did not meet expectations in robotic vacuums. The Black+Decker Dustbuster HLVC315B10 (approximately $58) emitted strong exhaust. Additionally, better options were mentioned. iRobot's parent company declared bankruptcy in late 2025.
Key facts
- Consumer Reports tested vacuums in five categories: upright, canister, stick, robotic, and handheld.
- The Mainstays Bagless Upright (under $50) performed poorly on carpets and blew particles back into the room.
- The Oreck Elevate Control (around $300) scored lowest among bagged uprights for carpet cleaning.
- The Atrix Vortex VR25BCV struggled with pet hair and had questionable HEPA filtration.
- The Bissell Zing 2154A (under $100) trailed all other bagged canisters in carpet cleaning.
- The Dirt Devil Vibe SD20020 (under $50) had poor carpet and edge cleaning, and a short 16.5-foot cord.
- The Ryobi One+ HP 18V PBLSV716K failed to remove deep dirt from carpets.
- The Lefant M210 lacked a brush roll, hurting pet hair pickup and edge cleaning.
- The Roborock Q10 X5+ failed at cleaning dried stains and its dock couldn't refill solution or wash pads.
- The Black+Decker Dustbuster HLVC315B10 had an excessively strong exhaust that pushed debris away.
- Better alternatives include Shark Navigator Swivel Pro Complete NV150, Kenmore Intuition BU4050, Eureka WhirlWind XL, Kenmore 200 Series 81214, Shark Rocket HV301, LG CordZero Q3, Eufy C10, iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max, and Black+Decker DustBuster ION.
- iRobot's manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in late 2025, but functionality is expected to remain unaffected.
Entities
Institutions
- Consumer Reports
- Walmart
- Shark
- Kenmore
- Oreck
- Atrix
- Eureka
- Bissell
- Dirt Devil
- Ryobi
- LG
- Lefant
- Eufy
- Roborock
- iRobot
- Black+Decker
Sources
- Quartz —