Best Vacuum Cleaners Under $100 – 2019 Shopper’s Guide

Contrary to popular belief, a cheap vacuum cleaner doesn’t have to come with lousy suction, design flaws, or subpar durability. After combing through hundreds of user and expert reviews, we have compiled a list of the best vacuum cleaners that you can get this year for less than 100 bucks and which really deliver on their promises. Much of what the following inexpensive machines can do will surely amaze you. It sure did amaze us!

Best Vacuum Cleaners Under $100 (2019)

10. Shark Rocket HV292 – Corded Hand Vacuum

Are you tired of lugging a full-size vacuum cleaner to clean your carpeted stairs or are just disappointed with the handheld cordless vacuums’ lack of power or batteries losing power over time making it impossible to finish the job in one go? Fret not! The Shark Rocket HV292 is here. This little and ultra-light vacuum comes with fantastic suction power for its size, is lightweight, compact, durable, and despite being very powerful it has the noise level of a food processor (in other words, it won’t scare away your pets.)

Specifications

• TruePet Motorized Brush (for deep cleaning)
• Bagless (easy to empty dust bin)
• Lightweight (less than 4 pounds)
• 15-foot-long power cord
• Washable and reusable filters
• 3.4 amperage

Design & Usability

The Shark Rocket corded handheld vacuum cleaner is excellent for quick pick-ups and hard to reach places, especially if you are a pet owner and your furry friend sheds a lot. It is compact, small, but it has a strong motor. It weighs around 4 lbs, which makes it incredibly portable. It comes with several very handy attachments, including a TruePet motorized brush (for truly deep cleaning of carpeted stairs and sofas), a dusting brush, a crevice tool, and a 36” stretch hose that stretches out to 5 feet.

Quality & Performance

This tiny vac was built to last. It is sturdy, compact, looks durable and does its job excellently. It won’t disappoint. It is one of the best handheld vacuum cleaners for carpeted stairs there is, thanks to its motorized brush tool that removes even some of the most stubborn pet hairs. Most pet owners that have bought this vac are over thrilled with the device.

It also does a good job when it comes to cleaning car interiors, according to dozens of happy husbands. All of the unit’s attachments do what they claim to do, including cleaning carpeted stairs, baseboards, lampshades, blinds, and more. If corded hand vacs are not your thing, you can check out our selection of the best cordless handheld vacuums.

9. Eureka NEU182A PowerSpeed – Bagless Upright Vacuum

The Eureka NEU182A PowerSpeed upright vacuum cleaner is one of the lightest upright vacuum cleaners we have tested so far with a surprisingly great suction power. It is easy to push and maintain, and does an excellent job on both carpets and bare floors. The filter is removable and washable while all attachments (the 7” crevice tool, upholstery tool, dusting brush, and pet turbo brush) can be stored on board. It’s a great vacuum for the price.

Specifications

• Five height-adjustment settings (for multi-surface cleaning)
• 12.6” wide cleaning path
• Quick-release plastic handle
• Deluxe stretch hose
• XL dust bin
• Washable filter
• 8-amp motor

Design & Usability

The Eureka NEU182A PowerSpeed vacuum cleaner is surprisingly lightweight for its size. It is easy to push and maneuver thanks to its weight and comfortable handle that can be turned into a wand in an instant for those hard-to reach areas or above-the-floor surfaces. It comes with 5 height adjustment settings (four for carpets and rugs and one for bare floors). If you feel the unit is hard to push or maneuver, make sure that the setting is not too low for the surface you are vacuuming. What’s more, you won’t have to bend over to switch between carpet and bare floor.

Quality & Performance

This upright vacuum cleaner from Eureka will not disappoint. It picks up dirt beautifully from nearly any surface including carpets of all sizes, rugs, baseboards, hardwood floors, ceilings, upholstery, curtains and more. It has a fantastic suction for its size and weight. Unlike its predecessor, the NEU182A comes with a ‘pet turbo’ nozzle, which is an excellent tool for households with furry pets.

According to multiple user reports, this Eureka Powerspeed model could even handle the thick or soft carpets that a regular Dyson could not. It is so powerful that low-pile rugs and carpets are easily sucked into the roller. Just make sure to adjust the height to high- or low-pile before you start cleaning. Here are some additional cleaning tips for carpets that our readers have found handy.

8. Bissell CleanView 1330 – Bagless Upright Vacuum

Thanks to its multi-cyclonic suction system, the Bissell CleanView works like a dream in picking up dust, dirt, lint, pet hair, crumbs, and you name it. Also, the OnePass technology does what it says, so you won’t have to go over and over the same stretch of floor to get it properly cleaned. Plus, thanks to its dual filter system, the risk of household allergens is greatly reduced. Its only weak spot is bare floors, but it does a decent job with those too for the price. This is a great vacuum that does what a Dyson does at a fraction of the price.

Specifications

• OnePass technology
• Multi-level filtration
• Cyclonic system
• TurboBrush tool
• Washable foam filters
• 10 amp motor

Design & Usability

The Bissell CleanView 1330 has five levels of height adjustments for different types of flooring. It also comes with a handful of useful accessories like a super effective crevice tool (for hard-to-reach places), an oval brush (for soft surfaces), and a powerful Turbo brush (for hard-to-clean surfaces and pet hair). Also, the vac’s parts snap into place quickly and easily during assembly. It looks sturdy and seems built to last.

Quality & Performance

Most users are super excited about this model because of its outstanding suction power. In some cases, it did even a better job than more expensive units. This is mainly because its multi-cyclonic suction system and powerful motor (which may explain it being a bit on the heavy side). Unlike other models in this price range, it comes with two filters, which you will have to clean/ replace constantly.

Also, the dirt tank is large, clear and very easy to empty, but we do not recommend letting it fill to the brim as the filters might get clogged. The OnePass technology means that the vac catches up all the embedded dirt there is with minimum effort around 90% of the time. This powerful vacuum does live up to its promises. Performance-wise, the Bissell CleanView 1330 gets a clean A+.

7. Hoover T-Series WindTunnel Pet, UH30310 – Bagged Upright Vacuum

If you are ready to take the leap to bagged vacuums, then the Hoover T-Series WindTunnel is one of the best and most affordable bagged upright vacuums there are. Why a bagged vacuum? Well, for pet owners, bagged is the safest choice. Bagged vacuums have greater suction power, greater dirt retention, and smell a lot nicer than the bagless ones. For a bagged vacuum, the Hoover T-Series WindTunnel Pet (UH30310) has the perfect balance of features, weight and suction power.

Specifications

• Patented WindTunnel Technology
• P.A.W.S Pet Approved Windtunnel system®
• Clean-Drop Bag System
• Activated-Carbon HEPA Media Bag filters
• On/Off Brushroll
• 12 amp motor

Design & Usability

This lightweight vac comes with the patented Clean Drop Bag System, which means that you’ll dispose of a full bag without getting your hands or clothes dirty. Another big plus of this bagged vac is the smell, or the lack of it. Thanks to the activated-carbon HEPA Media Bag filters, all strong smells including pet smells are retained within the vacuum.

Also, the suction of this model matches that of many high-end vac models and all attachments do their job as advertised. As another big plus, this vac is very easy to move around and lift up thanks to being so lightweight. If you find it difficult to push, just ensure that the unit is set to the right height setting for the floor you are working on.

Quality & Performance

The Hoover T-Series WindTunnel Pet has many strong points, like the ability to turn off the rolling brush with a foot switch. This feature is especially handy when switching from carpet to bare floor and back. The machine does an excellent job at picking up the most stubborn pet hairs even when the animals shed heavily.

One very useful attachment is the “powered” upholstery brush, which can be used on stairs as well. It also acts like a full-powered mini-vacuum cleaner for upholstery (which is ideal for removing pet hairs). This particular attachment makes this model highly effective all around the house.

6. BLACK+DECKER HHVI315JO42 Dustbuster – Cordless Hand Vacuum

The BLACK+DECKER HHVI315JO42 Dustbuster is a fairly powerful cordless handheld vacuum cleaner with a wide mouth (to suck in large debris) and extended run time (when compared to similar or more expensive hand vacs). It will handle seeds, dust, lint, hay, crumbs, gravel, pellets, and hairs, a very useful function for households with pets or small children. The Dustbuster will make your daily routine of keeping your home (pet) hair-free a breeze.

Specifications

• Lithium technology (for extended run time)
• Washable bowl and filter
• Upholstery attachment and crevice tool included
• Wide-mouth design
• Cyclonic action (for strong suction)
• Wattage: 16 air watts

Design & Usability

This hand vac is great for light use in the home and car interiors. It is extremely compact, lightweight, and ideal for those of us too lazy to fetch the big vac for quick cleanup tasks. Just like all wireless vacuum cleaners, the Dustbuster will take a while to fully charge (around 16 hours), but you can leave it on the charger 24/7 to have it ready when you need it.

Quality & Performance

On a full charge, the Dustbuster HHVI315JO42 will last around 20 minutes of continuous use. You can charge it overnight or leave it on the charger to get it ready. It does an excellent job on dog or cat hair as it removes even the tinniest hairs from the floor or furniture. The included, push-in upholstery brush is very handy for this purpose. The push-in crevice tool is also handy for hard-to-reach areas. The device is lightweight and more powerful than other wireless hand vacs.

5. Hoover Sprint QuickVac – Bagless Upright Vacuum

If you are on a budget and looking for a basic vacuum cleaner to clean a small or medium sized home, then the Hoover Sprint QuickVac upright is for you. It is cheap, has decent suction, and gets the job done.

Specifications

• Multi-Cyclonic Technology
• No Loss of Suction Technology
• Removable cleaning wand
• Multi-use 2-in-1 dusting brush/crevice tool
• Washable filter
• 10-amp motor

Design & Usability

The Hoover Sprint QuickVac is basic and compact but surprisingly powerful thanks to the multi-cyclonic technology it sports. It is very easy to move around as it is small, compact and on the lightweight side. It is also easy to set up and ready to go out of the box. If it gets clogged, the problem can be easily fixed as the dirt cup opens at both ends and the hose is transparent. The design is very intuitive as the 2-in-1 tool, hose, and extension handle just snap together easily.

Quality & Performance

As the brush width is just 10″, this vacuum cleaner is best for small homes or apartments. Also, the dirt container is rather small, so it would take forever to vacuum a large living area as you would have to empty it frequently. Overall, the unit picks up lint, dirt, hair, and dust excellently, the power cord is relatively long, and the noise level is not greater than that of a mid-end vacuum cleaner. All in all, it does its job, but just with a little more effort.

4. Armor All 2.5 Gallon AA255 – Bagless Dry/Wet Canister Vacuum,

The Armor All 2.5 Gallon utility wet/dry vacuum AA255 is a very handy mini shop vacuum for very light work like quick clean-ups around the house, car maintenance, and keeping a (small) shop clean. It does a great job for the price, is very compact and easy to store, but you shouldn’t have high expectations of heavy-duty use (you better get a more expensive vac for that).

Specifications

• Auto shut-off feature
• Built-in air and noise diffuser
• Blower function
• 6-ft hose
• 2-in-1 utility nozzle
• CFM 110

Design & Usability

The Armor All 2.5 Gallon utility vacuum was specially designed for car maintenance. It is lightweight, compact and very easy to use inside a car or around the house. It comes with 5 basic attachments for either dry or wet use: detail brush, crevice tool, 2-in-1 utility nozzle, blower nozzle, and deluxe car nozzle. Just make sure that you have the foam sleeve filter on when vacuuming liquids and the cloth filter on when cleaning up solids. And if you plan on vacuuming very fine particles (like baking soda), purchase a fine dust filter.

Quality & Performance

This tiny vac’s suction hasn’t blown us away but for the price it has met (most of) our expectations. In our opinion, this is one of the best vacuum cleaners for car maintenance that you can get for under $100 since it is corded. Usually, cordless vacs only last around 15-20 minutes on a full charge.

The unit’s lint roller is excellent for fine pet hair. This tiny vac is excellent for vacuuming cars, cleaning dog hair off furniture and stairs, and light shop usage every now and then. As a bonus, it easily turns into a blower (you’ll just have to attach the hose to its back.)

3. Eureka Mighty Mite 3670G – Bagged Canister Vacuum

The Eureka Mighty Mite 3670G is a canister vacuum with surprisingly great suction power for the price that does a wonderful job on bare floors, hardwood floors, and tiles. It also comes with a powerful rotating brush that removes pet hair from upholstery, furniture, and carpeted stairs and a blower port. As a bonus, it sports a HEPA filter, which can be purchased separately.

Specifications

• Bagged canister vacuum
• Triple filtration bag system
• 2 extension wands (for drapes, over-the-floor cleaning)
• Blower port
• HEPA filter (optional)
• 12-amp motor

Design & Usability

The Eureka Mighty Mite 3670G is a great basic vacuum with great suction power that is very portable as it is both compact and lightweight. It is also easy to use, reliable, and the attachments are ideal for hard-to-reach places, furniture, and ceiling cobwebs. It is a great vacuum for the price, but it lacks a beater, so it does not work well on carpets. We recommend an upright vacuum for those. The bags are very easy to remove, and they do last a while. You can buy replacement bags here.

Quality & Performance

This small canister vacuum works best on very low-pile carpeting and hard floors like hardwood or vinyl as it lacks a beater bar for deep cleaning of carpets. So, if pet hair gets stuck within the fabric of a rug or carpet, it is really hard to pick up. The good part about not having a roller brush for carpets is that long (human) hair won’t get stuck in the brush.

Also, it is worth noting that this vacuum has incredible suction, much greater than its predecessor’s. The Mighty Mite does a wonderful job under the furniture and other hard-to-reach spaces including ceilings and stairs as it easily gets around and under things. It is a great vacuum for the money.

2. Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik SD20000RED – Corded Bagless Stick Vacuum

The Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik SD20000RED is a welcome replacement for the broom and dustpan, but unlike the good ol’ broom, the Simpli-Stik sucks all the dirt, pet hair, and dust into a sealed cup that won’t leak. This stick vac is a 3-in-1 unit as it can function as a stick vac, crevice-cleaner, and handheld vac. Most users are amazed by this Dirt Devil’s incredible suction for its size.

Specifications

• 3-in-1 vacuum cleaner (stick vac, hand vac, detail vac)
• Bagless
• On-board crevice tool
• Rinseable F113 filter
• 1.25 amp motor

Design & Usability

The Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik SD20000RED requires little to no assembly. It is made of 3 separate pieces that just stick together – the main part (that can operate as a hand vac), the bottom part (the sweeper), and the handle. This stick vacuum is so easy to operate that even a 5-year-old can do it, literally. Also, the unit is small enough to store in a small space. It is ideal for dorm rooms, small apartments, and offices. Check out our list of vacuum cleaner storage ideas for small apartments.

Quality & Performance

Envision this vac as a dust buster on a stick. We advise you not having high expectations for the Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik as it cannot possibly have the suction of an upright. It does a fairly decent job at picking up pet hair, crumbs, coffee grounds, seeds especially off bare floors. For deep cleaning of carpets, we recommend a classic vacuum cleaner. The Dirt Devil is also ideal for cleaning pet enclosures and small clean-up jobs around the house. Don’t expect for it to handle a full-on carpeted home without wasting its 1.25 amp motor.

Bonus Read: How to Take Apart a Dirt Devil Vacuum Cleaner

1. Bissell 9595A CleanView – Bagless Upright Vacuum

If you are looking for a vacuum cleaner with amazing suction that won’t break the bank, you’ll love the Bissell 9595A CleanView. Since when it comes to suction this bad boy has outperformed many expensive models (including Dysons), it was rightfully called “the poor man’s Dyson.” It has everything you want in a vacuum – great maneuverability, powerful TurboBrush, cyclonic system, multi-level filtration, easy-to-empty clear dirt cup, and tons of suction. You can’t get a better cleaner for the price.

Specifications

• OnePass technology
• Multi-Cyclonic System
• HEPA filtration
• Washable foam tank filter
• TurboBrush tool
• 12-amp motor

Design & Usability

The Bissell 9595A CleanView is easy to assemble, does an exceptional job on carpets and works great on bare floors. The dirt canister is easy to empty and clean. The vac comes with a hose extension (this unit’s only real design flaw is the hose being rather short), motorized brush aka the TurboBrush, upholstery tool, and crevice tool. It is also very easy to maneuver.

Quality & Performance

This is a very powerful upright vac that won’t disappoint. It works great on bare floors if the dial is switched to the lowest setting. Unlike other bagless vacuums, it picks up stuff on hard floors instead of scattering things around. Thanks to the outstanding suction power, this Bissell is ideal for pet owners, according to dozens of reports from happy customers. If you own a pet, you’ll be grossed out by the amount of dirt and hair left behind by your previous vac. Also, the OnePass technology really works as the machine truly sucks everything up in a single pass as advertised.

Conclusion

As you can see, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a decent vacuum cleaner, be it a handheld, cordless, upright, stick or canister vac. Fortunately, there are vacuum cleaners under 100 dollars out there with suction that can match that of a Dyson without all the bells and whistles. What do you think? Do you own one of these vacs or know a good inexpensive vac that hasn’t made it to our list? Leave your feedback in the comments below!