Consumer reports did not rate them that high


CR Quick Recommendations Upright vacuum cleaners


Nearly all full-sized uprights cleaned bare floors quickly and neatly, but carpets remain the toughest challenge for most machines. Top-scoring models deep-cleaned impressively while providing strong airflow through the hose for use with tools.

Most full-sized uprights weigh about 20 pounds. The highest-scoring lightweight upright was the 9-pound Riccar SupraLite RSL3, but it has no tools and was noisy enough that we recommend you wear ear protection to prevent hearing loss. Another noisy upright for which you'll need ear plugs or muffs is the Dirt Devil Vision Self-Propelled M087900. Pay particular attention to our noise ratings if you have bare floors, which echo sound.

Our tests found one model, the Hoover Fusion U5180-900, that leaked dust or broke consistently enough to be judged Not Recommended. The Eureka Optima 431A released enough dust while vacuuming with tools to be judged Not Recommended.

The Ratings rank uprights by overall performance. See Quick Picks for models that combine performance and value.



Quick Picks

Best uprights for most tasks:

• Electrolux Oxygen3 EL5035A , $400
• Eureka Boss Smart Vac Ultra 4870 , $150, CR Best Buy
• Kenmore (Sears) Progressive with Direct Drive 35922 , $300, CR Best Buy


The Kenmore (Sears) Progressive with Direct Drive 35922 excels at cleaning carpets and bare floors, and vacuuming using tools. The Electrolux Oxygen3 EL5035A offers more features, but is a notch lower for bare floors and tools suction and costs more. Both models are excellent when it comes to emissions. The Eureka Boss Smart Vac Ultra 4870 trades some through-the-hose suction for a much lower price. But its carpet and bare floors cleaning are excellent.
If light weight and low cost are worth a few trade-offs:

• Hoover Tempo Widepath U5140-900 , $60
• Bissell PowerForce 3522-6 , $40


The 16-pound Hoover Tempo Widepath U5140-900 is among the best at cleaning carpets, a plus because you cannot switch off the brush. If you have more bare floors than carpet, seldom use the included tools, and need a low-emissions model, you may prefer the 18-pound, bagless Hoover EmPower U5262-910, which was otherwise judged similarly. For a quieter vacuum, the 14-pound Bissell PowerForce 3522-6 scored very good or better for carpets and bare floors, but is pretty basic.