10 best vacuums for carpets in 2026 (336+ compared)

The best Bissell vacuum cleaner for carpets is Bissell SmartClean Canister Vacuum, with an overall score of 7.47 points, a suction power of 227 AW, a weight of 10 kg, and a price of around £290.

The Bissell SmartClean Canister Vacuum is a corded, bagless cylinder vacuum equipped with a powerful 770-watt motor that delivers up to 227 air watts of suction power, alongside a massive 3-litre debris bin and an expansive 12-metre operating radius. Its standout technical feature is a motorized, patented Tangle-Free Brush Roll paired with smart floor-type recognition sensors that automatically adjust suction performance when transitioning between hard floors and carpets.

Runner-up: Bissell CleanView Max Tangle-Free Rewind Vacuum, with an overall score of 6.67 points, a suction power of 117.3 AW, a weight of 6.53 kg, and a price of around £95.

Check out our in-depth best Bissell vacuum cleaners guide to view detailed specifications and ratings.

Ranking first among Dyson models for carpets is Dyson V15 Detect, with an overall score of 8.94 points, a suction power of 240 AW, a weight of 2.96 kg, and available for around £530.

The Dyson V15 Detect is an intelligent cordless stick vacuum powered by a Hyperdymium motor spinning up to 125,000rpm to deliver a formidable 230 to 240 air watts of suction power. Key characteristics include a Fluffy Optic cleaner head that illuminates microscopic dust on hard floors, a piezo sensor that counts particles to automatically adjust suction across three power modes (Eco, Auto, Boost), and an LCD screen providing real-time data and runtime countdowns.

Runner-up: Dyson V11 Absolute, with an overall score of 8.24 points, a suction power of 185 AW, a weight of 3.05 kg, and a price of around £570.

For more top-rated models from this brand, check our best Dyson vacuum cleaners guide.

Leading the Nilfisk lineup for carpets is Nilfisk ELITE CHCO14P10A1, delivering an overall score of 6.92 points, a suction power of 270 AW, a weight of 7.2 kg, and retailing for around £290.

The Nilfisk Elite CHCO14P10A1 Champagne is an eco-friendly, bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner featuring a energy-efficient 650W motor that delivers powerful suction across both hard floors and carpets. Its primary characteristic is an ultra-protective allergy filtration system consisting of an airtight construction and a medical-grade HEPA 14 filter endorsed by the British Allergy Foundation to trap micro-particles, dust mites, and pet allergens.

Best value alternative: Nilfisk Select Allergy EU, with an overall score of 6.75 points, a suction power of 300 AW, a weight of 6.4 kg, and a price of around £170.

Discover additional top picks in our full best Nilfisk vacuum cleaners guide.

Topping the Philips selection for carpets is Philips 5000 Series Bagless, earning an overall score of 7.45 points, a suction power of 410 AW, a weight of 4.5 kg, and costing around £160.

The Philips 5000 Series Bagless Vacuum Cleaner is a compact canister model featuring a high-performance 900W to 2000W motor that generates up to 410W of suction power alongside PowerCyclone 7 aerodynamic technology.

Runner-up: Philips 8000 Series Aqua Plus XC8347/01, with an overall score of 7.33 points, a suction power of 120 AW, a weight of 2.7 kg, and a price of around £350.

Check out our in-depth best Philips vacuum cleaners guide to view detailed specifications and ratings.

The best Ariete vacuum cleaner for carpets is Ariete 2704/00, with an overall score of 7.17 points, a suction power of 150 AW, a weight of 3.1 kg, and a price of around £95.

The Ariete 2704/00 is a 2-in-1 cordless electric stick and handheld vacuum cleaner featuring a 150W motor, a 22.2V 2200 mAh removable lithium battery, and a large 1-litre dust tank capacity. Main characteristics include an intuitive digital panel for power adjustment and battery tracking, a 4-stage filtration setup with a HEPA filter, and an articulated motorized brush with front LED lights.

Runner-up: Ariete 2761 Handy Force, with an overall score of 6.21 points, a suction power of 200 AW, a weight of 1.98 kg, and a price of around £45.

Browse our dedicated best Ariete vacuum cleaners guide to compare all evaluated models.

Topping the Dreame selection for carpets is Dreame R20, earning an overall score of 8.64 points, a suction power of 190 AW, a weight of 2.7 kg, and costing around £250.

The Dreame R20 is a cordless stick vacuum featuring a 190 AW suction power, a 150,000 RPM brushless motor, and an automated dust-detection system that adjusts suction dynamically. Its main characteristics and pros include a 90-minute maximum runtime from its 8x2,900 mAh battery pack, a versatile multi-surface brush head with blue LED lights to expose hidden dust, a specialized motorized mini-brush for pet hair, and a multi-layer filtration system that captures 99.9% of particles.

Runner-up: Dreame Z20, with an overall score of 8.55 points, a suction power of 250 AW, a weight of 2.2 kg, and a price of around £220.

For more top-rated models from this brand, check our best Dreame vacuum cleaners guide.

Ranking first among Numatic models for carpets is Henry Quick Turbo HEN.100, with an overall score of 7.65 points, a suction power of 192 AW, a weight of 3.2 kg, and available for around £290.

The Numatic Henry Quick Turbo HEN.100 is a 25.2V cordless stick vacuum powered by a 300W digital motor that delivers up to 70 minutes of runtime on low mode and 16 minutes on boost mode from a single 2.5-hour charge. This 3.2kg model features a unique 1-litre compressed pod filtration system for mess-free, one-click dust emptying and is equipped with a motorised brush head to efficiently clean carpets and hard floors.

Runner-up: Henry Quick Pro 919149, with an overall score of 7.65 points, a suction power of 192 AW, a weight of 3.2 kg, and a price of around £420.

See our complete best Numatic Henry vacuum cleaners guide for in-depth comparisons and alternatives.

The best Rowenta vacuum cleaner for carpets is Rowenta X-Force Flex 13.60 RH9A36WV, with an overall score of 8.03 points, a suction power of 150 AW, a weight of 1.6 kg, and a price of around £220.

The Rowenta X-Force Flex 13.60 RH9A36WV is a cordless stick vacuum cleaner featuring a 150 Air Watt motor, a 25.9V removable lithium-ion battery delivering up to 60 minutes of runtime, and a 650 ml dust container. Its standout characteristics include automated suction power adjustment across different floor types, an integrated smart digital display for status tracking, and a flexible joint tube paired with a motorized LED nozzle for easy reach under low furniture.

Runner-up: Rowenta RH9958 X-Force Flex 14.60, with an overall score of 7.98 points, a suction power of 200 AW, a weight of 3.2 kg, and a price of around £340.

Explore our dedicated best Rowenta vacuum cleaners guide for full model rankings.

Our top-rated Shark vacuum cleaner for carpets is Shark Stratos IZ420UKT, achieving an overall score of 8.46 points, a suction power of 219 AW, a weight of 4.1 kg, and priced around £420.

The Shark Stratos IZ420UKT is a 309-watt premium bagless cordless stick vacuum engineered specifically for pet owners, featuring a 0.7-litre dust capacity, an Anti-Allergen Complete Seal HEPA filtration system, and an operating noise level of 86dB. Key performance-driven features include Clean Sense IQ technology that uses an infrared sensor to automatically optimize power, a DuoClean floorhead integrated with Anti Hair Wrap Plus to actively clear tangled hair from the brush-roll, and a flexible Flexology wand that bends easily under furniture.

Best value alternative: Shark IZ400UKT, with an overall score of 8.23 points, a suction power of 142 AW, a weight of 4.1 kg, and a price of around £260.

For more top-rated models from this brand, check our best Shark vacuum cleaners guide.