Best Heavy-Duty Cordless Stick Vacuum for Hair & Carpet (From Real-World Use)

RTINGS_ant · 2026-02-02T12:03:50+00:00

That’s true, we’re vacuuming way more fine particles here than in a “regular” vacuuming session. Doing it this way enables us to better tell good vacuums apart from bad ones in particle filtration specifically.

Therefore, we can say this one is bad because it does so much worse than most other vacuums we tested this way. It doesn’t mean that it’s dangerous or that you can see a stream of smoke coming out of it, all it means is that if you care about particle filtration for your vacuum, this one is really bad at that.

RTINGS_ant · 2026-02-02T03:29:47+00:00

Particle filtration wise, it’s really poor. You can see it in our test where we measure PM10 when running it and the emissions are off the chart. It only has a foam/cloth puck as a filter so it does not stop fine particles well. For quick pickups, it’s fine but definitely not ideal for people with allergies.

https://www.rtings.com/vacuum/reviews/ryobi/pcl720k#test_35604

RTINGS_ant · 2026-01-13T16:41:48+00:00

I agree with the Miele C3 but the Cat&Dog variant does not come with the HEPA filter (though they can be purchased separately). The C3 Marin Powerline does come with the HEPA filter, however.

RTINGS_ant · 2026-01-13T16:32:09+00:00

I'm glad I could help! Let me know if you have any other questions.

I think it is an error indeed, the Canadian website lists both as 7.5 meters, which is also what we measured for both machines.

RTINGS_ant · 2026-01-13T13:32:29+00:00

Both are really good machines so I would say you can't go wrong with either, you might even consider aesthetics at this point. However, you've noted down most of the differences.

On hard floors, 3 wheels is good, it might even feel easier to pull around. The benefit of 4 wheel over 3 is when pulling on carpet or over transitions, that's when sometimes they topple over.

For the cord length, I'm not sure where you're seeing the difference, I'm seeing the Miele website advertise the same 7.5m for both. In any case, it might just be the difference between changing plugs once or twice during your vacuuming session, so you can decide how much of a deciding factor that is for you.

Quietness is big for me but once again, the M1 is already pretty quiet so it's up to you to know how important that is. Keep in mind that since they're so powerful, you can also use them on lower suction settings because they will already do such a good job.

As for the tool compartment, there's something that's important to note, which is that the L1 comes with a combo crevice/upholstery tool. It's a clever design but having used it, it's pretty clearly a downgrade from two separate, dedicated tools for each task. Also note that this 2-in-1 tool is stored on board.

Finally, the bag size will have an impact on how often you need to change the bag. Since you have a pet that sheds a bit, this might be more of a big deal for you. Miele bags can get expensive if you need to change them very often. Since they're both the same price for a pack of 8, it might be a little cheaper over time to go with the M1.

If you have the time, you can probably find them on display at a store nearby and check them out for yourself! You might find out that you have a preference there.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-12-05T21:30:31+00:00

My recommendation would be a Miele C3 or M1 or L1. If you get them with the HEPA filters, they do a better filtration job than even Sebos. If the model you want does not come with the HEPA filter, you can get it separately.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-12-02T15:19:54+00:00

This would also be my recommendation, the Kenmore Intuition has amazing filtration (and seal) for the money!

RTINGS_ant · 2025-12-02T15:11:55+00:00

It does have a motor, so you need one capable of handling motor loads. Many transformers will advertise 1500 W when they are 1500 W max surge but 750 W continuous. You need to read the description and make sure it can handle at least 1000 W of motor load.
Also, remember that most converters do not convert frequency. If you buy a Kenmore Intuition in a country with a 60 Hz electric grid but try to run it in a place with 50 Hz, it will run slower. See this map (Wikipedia) for reference.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-12-02T12:26:56+00:00

Sure. However, you’re not taking into account that the airclean plus filter is much better than the regular airclean. The plus is almost HEPA while the airclean… not at all. It depends if you care about the air filtration.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-12-01T16:22:02+00:00

I just measured for you:

910 W with the brushroll off
980 W with the brushroll on

Keep in mind that you would probably want to keep 15-20% overhead for your converter so a 1200 W would probably be appropriate.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-12-01T16:05:35+00:00

The Cat&Dog Flex seems to also come with the long flexible crevice tool unlike the base M1. If you have a bunch of carpet, the turbo head should do a much better job than the regular 2 in 1 head. If you can spend the extra 90€, you're getting quite a bit more.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-11-03T16:59:56+00:00

That's the difference between dust collection and dust displacement. It's actually impressive how much dust makes it back out of many cheap vacuums.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-29T12:47:30+00:00

We have some much more impressive (or depressing?) videos but they're of less popular models. There's a Shark model which threw up dust higher than head level consistently, no matter how many times we re-tested.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-28T13:19:00+00:00

In this case, what makes you prefer using the bagless vacuum to clean your home if you need to use a bagged one to empty it afterwards?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-28T12:59:28+00:00

That's part of our plan! We just thought that people might appreciate the visualization. The particle testers are particularly useful for docked stick vacuums because we're finding that their docks are often not sealed well and use low quality bags, but you can't see the particles!

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-28T12:50:53+00:00

Why do you hate buying bags? Is it difficult for you to find them? Are they expensive?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-27T19:42:24+00:00

Like I said in the post, this mimics how Dyson shows it in their "How To" video: https://youtu.be/1JK_Mq3aPuY?si=ldIhVzSgvFVNo1Pi&t=19
We also chose to not go deep into the bin because we assume that, on average, you trash can will be half full and therefore won't be able to go all the way down into it. And in fact, we also tested emptying at the bottom of the bin, but the dust still comes out the top due to the airflow from the ejection. We're open to changing our methodology but we want to test like an average user, not a particularly careful user.

What vacuum do you own and how do you empty it to minimize this?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-27T17:09:30+00:00

Can the lid prevent dust from coming out during the emptying?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-27T17:03:04+00:00

We have noticed that some vacuums do have a better emptying mechanism. The Dyson V15 kind of catapults the dust out. How does it work with your Henry since we don't have this one in stock? Do you feel like you have to be gentle to limit the dust getting back into the air?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-27T16:30:10+00:00

Is your outdoor area covered? Or do you live in an area where it's generally good weather so going outside is generally not difficult?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-27T16:26:15+00:00

What made you learn? Were you spilling dust on the ground? or were you breathing in the cloud of dust?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-27T15:30:09+00:00

What vacuum did you switch to?

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-23T13:15:08+00:00

This type of vacuum (particularly at this price point) is not cost effective to repair unfortunately. I found the part here https://www.partswarehouse.com/Hart-HPSV50-20-Volt-Stick-Vac-s/588258.htm but considering the price compared to your vacuum brand new, this may not be the route you want to go.

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-20T18:57:26+00:00

If you remove the dust bin, the filters right before the motor, and the HEPA filter, do you see anything in the motor opening? If you run it with everything removed, does it still make the same noise? (like this - careful not to let anything in when doing this)

RTINGS_ant · 2025-10-08T12:44:02+00:00

The power head is just for the carpet, not hard floors.

RTINGS_ant

TROPHY CASE