A new year doesn't have to mean a new carpet, as long as you have a vacuum cleaner that works well with your space. While your neighbor might love their vacuum, there may be better choices for your home. That’s because everyone's cleaning needs are not the same, meaning your carpet coverage to hard floor ratio may be very different. There are loads of great cordless and robot vacuum cleaners on the market, but not all of them are the best at cleaning carpets.
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Both robot and cordless vacuums can do a great job on carpets, but some fare better than others.
If your home has a decent amount of carpet, you’ll want a vacuum that works best under those conditions. CNET Testing Lab has been testing home tech products for decades and has developed a scoring system that identifies which vacuums work best on carpets.
What is the best overall vacuum for carpets?
The Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo claims is the best vacuum for carpets in the robot category and the Samsung’s Jet 90 is best in the cordless and stick vacuum category.
Both of these top picks win because of how well each performed on carpets in our testing lab setting. The Deebot T30S Combo is both a robot vacuum and cordless vacuum, with each device automatically emptying into its docking station. It's the Deebot T30S and the Samsung Jet 90’s ability to remove debris from carpets that really matters.
The best vacuums for carpets in 2025
Pros
- Impressive performance on carpets
- The swing out mop is great for hard floors
- Includes a cordless vac
Cons
- Side brush doesn't swing out
- Could've done better in the sand test
The Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo wins the overall best robot vacuum for carpets, but it's more than just that. This is because it also has a cordless stick vacuum that docks in the OMNI station. With its 11,000Pa of suction power, the Deebot T30S Combo sucked up over 65% of the sand from the carpet and over 95% of the black rice.
If you have pets or someone with long hair in the home, the ZeroTangle brush paired with the Dual Comb Teeth Arrays, you won’t have to worry about trying to cut the mess of hair that gets caught on most vacuum brushes. The OMNI base station serves as the charging dock for both vacs, but it also handles the water for the mop on the robot vac and dust collection for both vacuums so your hands stay clean.
The cordless stick vacuum comes with different accessories and brushes to help clean the areas the robot vacuum can’t reach. While cleaning, the cordless vacuum automatically boosts suction based on the dirt levels. The HEPA filter’s filtration system traps all the debris, so your air stays clean.
Pros
- No vacuum performed better on thick carpet
- Sleek design
- Performed as well or better than more expensive vacuums
Cons
- On the pricey side
- Takes some time to assemble
Our most formidable cordless vacuum cleaning challenge is the mid-pile sand test, where we see how much sand each vacuum can suck out of the thick, plushy carpet. When it comes to pulling fine particles of sand from carpet, the Samsung Jet 90 is fantastic, pulling over 91% from both low and mid-pile carpets. As for larger particles, the Jet 90 sucked up nearly 98% of the black rice.
The Samsung Jet 90 is one of the lighter models we tested and sports a sleek, futuristic look. It's a bit of a splurge at a retail price of a little over $600, but it's the best HEPA cordless vacuum option if you have lots of thick carpets in your home.
Pros
- Square design gets edges and corners better than round
- Wide brush means fewer passes
- Anti-tangle brush
Cons
- No self-emptying base
The Neato D9 is a powerful vacuum, particularly on thick carpets. It punches far above its price point by removing over 95% black rice and 83% sand from carpets, making it an excellent choice to clean up your home for around $500.
Part of what helps it do a great job of cleaning up the debris from carpets is the unique Helix Multi-Surface Brush. Its shape helps to avoid tangles, and it’s also nearly the entire width of the vacuum, so it will take fewer trips to clean the floors. Another feature of the Neato D9 that helps it clean efficiently is the device’s shape. The square design helps it do a better job of getting into corners.
You won't get a self-emptying bin or a mop, but if you just want something to keep crumbs and pet hair out of your carpets, it's well worth a look.
Pros
- Cleans in forward or backward directions
- Auto-empty base
- Flexible wand makes it easy to get under furniture
Cons
- A little heavy
- Attachments are basic
The Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty system, at $500, isn’t firmly in the budget category, but many of the other vacuums that we’ve tested and cost less simply struggle on carpets. The Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty is very close to offering the same cleaning performance as the Samsung Jet 90 by getting 94% sand and a surprising 100% black rice from the carpet.
When it is time to empty the vacuum's dustbin, an Auto-Empty dock charges and empties your vacuum after every clean, according to the manufacturer, reducing dust exposure by 1,000 times traditional emptying.
PowerDetect delivers Shark’s most powerful cordless suction, and the redesigned DuoClean Detect nozzle has dirt-detecting intelligence and allows for multidirectional cleaning. Unlike most vacuums, which push debris around with every backward stroke, the DuoClean Detect nozzle eliminates this problem by capturing dirt, dust and debris in both forward and reverse motion.
The base features an odor-neutralizer pod that guards against bad odors inside your vacuum to help freshen your home. So, if you want a fantastic cordless vacuum for your carpets and want to save some money, this is the way to go
Pros
- All-in-one cleaning dock
- Built-in mop
- Swing-out mop and side brush
Cons
- Expensive
Regularly priced at $1,900, a robot vacuum is expected to be a do-it-all kind of machine, and the Dreame X40 Ultra is that. It doesn’t top the list, the X40 Ultra nabbed an average of nearly 70% of black rice and over 77% of sand in our tests when cleaning up messes on carpets. In addition to that, the impressive robo vac has a side brush that will extend out to reach into corners and right up against baseboards to ensure the entire floor is cleaned, which works great on hardwood floors.
As you may expect from a vacuum at this price, it does offer a base station where the X40 Ultra empties the dustbin for you automatically when it is full. It will be full thanks to the 12,000Pa of suction power to pull as much debris from your carpets as possible.
The X40 Ultra is also a mopping machine if your home has multiple floor types. The base station also collects dirty water and returns it to the base station to empty it, clean the mop pads and get more clean water. At the end of the entire cleaning task, the base empties out the dust from the vacuum and dries out the mop pads with 158 degrees Fahrenheit water and air.
If you want an amazing robot vacuum that lets you get your home's floors sparkling clean without lifting a finger, this can do it. You'll have to fork over nearly $2,000 to get it.
Vacuums for carpets comparison chart
The CNET Testing Lab is packed with experts who test and analyze products and data to help you find the best products. When testing vacuums, the lab dumps an exact amount of black rice onto low-pile and midpile, short carpet and slightly taller carpets to see how well the devices can pull larger pieces of debris from the carpet fibers.
The same is done to test the vacuum's ability to clean smaller particles of sand. These smaller pieces of debris can easily get caught in the carpet fibers, much like dirt and dust from the outdoors. The scores below illustrate the percentage of debris each device could remove from the carpet. While we do the same test for hard flooring, those numbers were excluded from the table below since this page specifically targets best vacuums for carpets. If you’d like to know which vacuums perform best on both hard floors and carpets, you can check out CNET’s best cordless vacuums or best robot vacuums.
| Manufacturer, make, model | Price | Sand score/low carpet | Sand score/high carpet | Rice score/low carpet | Rice score/high carpet | Overall carpet score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo | $800 | 64.44 | 66.67 | 94.62 | 95.7 | 80.36 |
| Samsung Jet 90 | $590 | 85.71 | 97.73 | 98.19 | 97.73 | 94.84 |
| Neato D9 | $396 | 57.41 | 62.55 | 95.83 | 97.59 | 78.35 |
| Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty | $350 | 90.1 | 88.02 | 100.74 | 100.74 | 94.83 |
| Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra | $1,800 | 59.57 | 57.45 | 96.97 | 95.96 | 77.49 |
| iRobot Roomba J7 Plus | $1,100 | 61.9 | 59.86 | 91.84 | 96.21 | 77.45 |
| Yeedi M12 Pro+ | $900 | 54.61 | 63.83 | 93.94 | 92.93 | 76.33 |
| LG CordZero A9 Kompressor | $750 | 87.75 | 86.76 | 100.69 | 104.07 | 94.82 |
| Tineco PureOne S11 | $400 | 93.38 | 78.43 | 100 | 100 | 92.95 |
How we test vacuums cleaners at CNET
All the vacuums on CNET's best lists are tested and evaluated in our state-of-the-art Test Labs. CNET Testing Labs go beyond product specifications to test in real-world conditions with real-life messes. Our testing lab is set up specifically for evaluating robot vacuums, which is a grueling test environment seen nowhere else.
Here's a breakdown of how we measure vacuum performance:
Differences in scoring
At CNET we diligently test as many products as possible to ensure that we are able to give you the best advice. When we put this to work on vacuums, there are inherently going to be differences in the testing methodologies. For cordless vacuums, handling and comfort are important factors as you physically hold the device in your hand to use it. For robot vacuums, that isn't a contributing factor, but features are. So, this is why you'll notice a difference in the charts below.
Methodology for cordless vacuums
| Subrating category | Weight | What we looked for |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 30% | Performance score extrapolated from the average sand score and average rice score on hard flooring, low pile carpets and midpile carpets. |
| Value/Price | 25% | Retail price rating considering all other features compared to the value of features offered. |
| Features | 20% | Usefulness of extra features (i.e. self-emptying station, handheld conversion, additional tools, multiple batteries, NAV tech, mopping) |
| Handling & Comfort | 15% | Overall comfort and handling of the product. (i.e. heavy versus lightweight, comfortable grip handle). |
| Ease of use | 10% | Overall user experience with set up, functionality, smartphone app accessibility, smart home features. |
Methodology for robot vacuums
| Subrating category | Weight | What we looked for |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 30% | Performance score extrapolated from the average sand score and average rice score on hard flooring, low pile carpets and midpile carpets. |
| Price | 25% | Retail price rating considering all other features compared to the value of features offered. |
| Features | 15% | Usefulness of extra features (i.e. self-emptying station, handheld conversion, additional tools, multiple batteries, nav tech, mopping) |
| Runtime | 20% | Navigation efficiency score (1-10), based on time taken to complete a full cleaning cycle inside CNET labs custom robot vacuum nav testing room. |
| Ease of use | 10% | Overall user experience with setup, functionality, smartphone app accessibility, smart home features. |
Robot vacuum testing
Test 1: Floor coverage ability
The first test is to figure out how well a robot covers the floor while it's cleaning. We built an industry-standard testing room as specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission just for this purpose. The IEC is an international standards body responsible for managing robot vacuum testing procedures, among other things, for vacuum manufacturers.
Inside this room are objects designed to simulate typical obstacles a robot vac encounters for navigation as it cleans. These obstacles include wall edges, table and chair legs, couches, other furniture and so on, plus bare tile and hardwood floors, as well as carpet. We mount LED lights to the top of each vacuum cleaner. The dimensions of the lights correspond to the measured nozzle width of each particular robot vacuum we test.
As robots move through the room while cleaning, an overhead camera captures a long-exposure image of the entire room in low light. That photo will then have a light trail, created by the LEDs, that shows the exact areas where the robot traveled (and its nozzle position) during its runtime. We can also see areas of the floor where the vacuum may have missed or gotten stuck. You can see the navigation results of all the robot vacuums in our test group in the gallery below.
Laser guided navigation example
Test 2: Debris pick up performance
The second type of test reveals exactly how much physical debris a vacuum is able to pick up off of the floor. To mimic dirt of small particle size, we use a mixture of play sand and landscaping sand. For bigger particle soil, we use grains of uncooked black rice. Robots then run in straight line mode across three types of flooring (low-pile carpet, medium-pile carpet and hardwood bare floors).
We control for the specific nozzle width of each vacuum too. We constructed an adjustable tool to soil our test floors. It lets us lay down a strip of a precise area of soil to match the nozzle dimensions for every robot. The mass of soil isn't chosen at random either. We measure a proportional amount that's related to the flooring material, type of debris, plus each vacuum's nozzle width.
We conduct three cleaning runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also perform cleaning tests with sand and rice separately. That comes to at least 18 tests per robot vacuum. We weigh the robot's dustbin both before and after each run. From there we can calculate the percentage of debris pickup for every cleaning run and the average amount of soil a machine manages to remove. Additionally we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each robot, on all three floor types.
Our rice-based, medium-size particle test didn't show enough differentiation between each cleaner, which says they can all handle larger particles without trouble. For fur removal for pet owners, we judged anecdotally.
Cordless stick vacuums testing
Cordless vacuums have improved greatly in the last few years and can now handle the vast majority of a home's cleaning needs.
Just like in robot tests, the width of the test bed is proportional to the vacuum's nozzle width. We measure this width ourselves. We also use nozzle width, plus the flooring type, to calculate the soil density for each test, per IEC guidelines. We use the same soil types here as well; sand, rice and pet hair. We perform three runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also test suction power with sand and rice separately. That comes to at least 18 tests per vacuum. We weigh the vacuum's dust bin both before and after each run.
From there we can calculate the percentage of dirt and debris pickup for every run and the average amount of soil a vacuum manages to remove. Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each vacuum, on all three floor types to help us select the best cordless vacuum.
Inside CNET’s Testing Labs: Why the sand and rice scores matter
Our team of experts and engineers uses play sand and landscaping sand to mimic dirt and dust. For bigger particle soil, we use grains of uncooked black rice. Each vacuum is tested on a low pile, midpile and hard surfaces with both sand and black rice. This test reveals exactly how much physical debris a vacuum is able to pick up off of the floor.
During testing, we set controls in place to make sure each vacuum faces the same test. For example, each vacuum is set to the same nozzle width of each vacuum and we measure and lay down the exact same amount of debris each time.
We run tests in a straight line across all three floor types.
We conduct three cleaning runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also perform cleaning tests with sand and rice separately. That comes to at least 18 tests per vacuum.
We weigh the dustbin both before and after each run. From there, we can calculate the percentage of debris pickup for every cleaning run and the average amount of soil a vacuum manages to remove.
Our rice-based, medium-size particle test didn't show enough differentiation between each cleaner, which says they can all handle larger particles without trouble. When it came to fur removal, we judged anecdotally.
The blue and green bars in the visual above indicate how each cordless vacuum performed in our rice-based test. The medium-size particle test didn't show enough differentiation between each cleaner, which says they can all handle larger particles without trouble. For fur removal for pet owners, we judged anecdotally.
For robot vacuums, you can see how the different models perform removing debris from low-pile carpets. Different robot vacuums will have different strengths and weaknesses based on their designs, so our variety of tests helps us make recommendations that are as informed and well-rounded as possible.
The midpile carpet round is more difficult than the low-pile test as the longer carpet fibers are better at trapping the debris, which really puts the robot vacuums to the test.
Factors to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner
Depending on what kind of cleaning you want to do, the whole house or just a room can affect what kind of vacuum you want. Smaller areas are great for cordless and the whole home is better suited for a robot vacuum.
Vacuum type: robot vs. cordless stick
Cordless and robot vacuums can do a great job of cleaning your floors, but some are better on carpets.
Robo vacs and cordless vacs rely on lithium battery technology and need periodic charging so battery life is an important factor when shopping for robo or cordless.
If going cord style, You’ll want to consider cord length, especially if unplugging and replugging when cleaning is an inconvenience for you.
Also, the cleaning heads on cordless vacuums are much lighter than that of a cord-style vac which makes them better primed for hard surfaces. Cordless vacs are known to struggle to stay pressed to the surface when cleaning carpets. Some newer high-end cordless vacuums have improved suction, which could solve this issue.
Hoover has been in the vacuum business for a very long time, and that history is apparent in the high-quality cleaning action of the Hoover OnePwr Emerge Cordless Stick Vacuum.
When it comes to cordless products, they are lightweight and easier to move from room to room. A good cordless vacuum can be the perfect tool for picking up debris from all over the house on any surface without slowing you down. You could run out of battery charge, and that can slow you down.
If you want to avoid cords, charging hiccups or simply save time, a robot vacuum might be the choice for you. Robot vacuums can run on a timer and self-charge when the battery juice runs low, saving you time and energy. The cons of robot vacuums are their cleaning limitations. There are some areas the robot vacuum just can't go, like on the couch, under the couch or in small spaces. There are limitations to this type of vacuum too.
Cost and value
Cost and value can be subjective, but CNET aims to consider what we call budget picks. A budget cordless vacuum pick may not score the best compared to other models with larger price tags but is considered a good buy by CNET Testing Labs and our home hardware editors.
Robot vacuums tend to be more expensive than stick vacuums. That’s because you are paying for the smart technology it uses to clean on your behalf versus physically doing the work yourself. To help you decide if the extra cost is worth it, consider how much money your time is worth. If the extra cost of a robot vacuum is out of your budget then this best list of cordless vacuums is the right place for you. You can also check out CNET's best cheap vacuum list.
Floor type
Most homes today have multiple types of flooring, from wood and tile to carpets and rugs. Each of these surfaces can pose different problems for floor-cleaning devices. The hard surface types typically tend to be the easiest to clean up for both cordless and robot vacuums.
Because carpets are really good at collecting pet hair, it can be tough to pull all of the debris from the floor’s fibers. You can usually remove all the dirt and other loose debris with relative ease, pet hair gets intertwined with the carpet fabrics and requires more power. A cordless vacuum, also referred to as a stick vacuum, can sometimes be less effective at cleaning hair from carpets since it is so light. Stick vacs are excellent at cleaning up hard surfaces.
Robot vacuums offer similar or better cleaning results on carpets, but to keep the devices as small as possible, they tend to hold less power than a stick vacuum. Regardless, robo vacs are excellent on hard surfaces and can be a solid choice if they work for your home's flooring setup.
Our rice-based, medium-size particle test didn't show enough differentiation between each cleaner, which says they can all handle larger particles without trouble. For fur removal for pet owners, we judged anecdotally.
Keeping your vacuum clean so it can clean better
Cordless vacuums
Cordless vacs are getting really good at cleaning floors all around, but even the best need help sometimes.
It’s easy to forget that the very tools that help us clean -- like vacuums -- also need to be cleaned from time to time. Issues like hair tangled around the brushes or clogged filters need occasional attention to ensure your cordless vacuum continues performing at its best
Some of the routine cleaning that needs to be done for your robot vacuum is daily, while other aspects can be done weekly or even monthly.
- Daily: Emptying the bin, checking brush for stuck debris.
- Weekly: Cleaning brush rolls, filters and wheels.
- Monthly: Cleaning any sensors, replacing the filters, removing and deep cleaning the brushes.
Some of the maintenance will depend on how often you use your cordless vacuum. If you only use it once or twice a week, you may not need to replace the filters every month. Checking with your particular vacuum model's manual to determine when to replace the filter is a wise idea. Also, some filters are washable, which means you can get more life out of them before it's time to replace them.
Robot vacuums
Robot vacuum brushes have gotten better at not getting hair tangled around itself, but sometimes you still need to help it out.
If you're unsure of where to start cleaning your robot vac, it's recommended that you reference the maintenance guide provided by the manufacturer. Your specific robot vacuum model may require specific care. There is a fairly uniform cleaning routine needed no matter the brand or style
Your robot vac likely came with a guide on the recommended frequency of cleaning procedures, so be sure to reference that first, but the timelines are usually straightforward and consistent from model to model.
The frequency for robot vacuum maintenance procedures ranges:
- Daily: Emptying the bin, checking wheels for stuck debris.
- Weekly: Cleaning brush rolls and wheels.
- Monthly: Charging contacts and cliff sensors; removing and deep cleaning the brushes.
Most of these tasks take just a few minutes but offer great returns in keeping your home cleaner. Sometimes, it takes a bit more elbow grease to get your trusty vacuum back up and running at full power, so we put together a deeper dive into cleaning your robot vacuum for those times.
Cordless vacuum FAQs
Which cordless vacuum has the most suction power?
Based on our tests, the cordless vacuum with the best suction power is currently the Dyson V15 Detect, which offers 230 air watts of suction. Not surprisingly, the V15 Detect was a powerful performer in our tests, particularly in our sand tests, where it removed the largest cumulative amount of sand from our hardwood, low-pile carpet and midpile carpet test floors.
Are pricey Dyson vacuums worth the money?
Credit to Dyson for pioneering the cordless vacuum category with its capable -- although pricey -- Cyclone V series stick vacs. Years and models later, Dyson remains a key player in 2024, but it’s not as dominant in our cleaning tests as it was five or 10 years ago. Now, several top competitors can go head-to-head with Dyson on our test floors.
Even so, Dyson vacuums consistently perform well and often include unique features like dust-revealing lasers and auto-adapting brush rolls, thanks to the company’s years of in-house research and design improvements. For many households, these innovations make Dyson a worthwhile splurge.
What is good suction power for a cordless vacuum?
Manufacturers will often boast about their vacuum's suction power in terms of air watts, a figure that quantifies airflow in terms of power usage. Generally speaking, more air watts means a more powerful vacuum cleaner, but the actual design of the vacuum head plays a significant role too. The tighter a vacuum is against the floor, the greater the suction. If it's too tight against the floor, larger bits of debris won't be able to make it underneath the cleaning head at all. The type of flooring you're trying to clean makes a big difference, too.
That's why CNET puts each vacuum we review through rigorous and controlled cleaning tests to get a better sense of how their cleaning capabilities compare across different surfaces and concerning different-sized bits of debris. Currently, our top-recommended cordless vacuum overall, the Tineco Pure One S11, offers 130 air watts of suction power. Meanwhile, our top performance pick with the best overall suction is the Dyson V15 Detect, which offers an advertised 230 air watts.
What's the difference between upright and stick vacuums?
Upright vacuums are the traditional options that most likely come to your mind when thinking of a vacuum -- sturdy, with a large canister and a wide cleaning head. They often come with various attachments and sometimes even have adjustable settings. Since these are more powerful, they are ideal for deep cleaning carpets.
Stick vacuums, on the other hand, are sleek, modern and lightweight. They are fantastic for quick cleanups, especially if you have a smaller living space or a mix of flooring types.
Robot Vacuum FAQs
How do robot vacuums work?
Designed to navigate your home and clean your floors automatically, robot vacuum cleaners are made to tackle this chore so you don't have to. They can clean on demand, on a schedule and even when you're not home. Powered by rechargeable batteries, the robot typically sits on a charging dock to top off its energy supply. Premium models come with docking stations that can also empty the robot's dustbin when it's full.
How long do robot vacuums last?
Robot vacuums are complex machines with more moving parts, electronics and software than ordinary vacuums. Still, with regular maintenance and replacement parts such as batteries, brushes and filters, these devices can last just as long as traditional vacuums. This should translate to multiple years of use.
Keep in mind that manufacturers typically cover their robots with one-year limited warranties that include parts and labor. iRobot, Neato and Samsung are examples.
How well do robot vacuums work?
How well a robot vacuum cleans your home depends on many factors. Floors cluttered with obstacles like wires, charging cords, toys, shoes and clothing can stop robots in their tracks. The less overall clutter the better a robot will operate. Some robot vacuum models clean tile, wood flooring and different types of carpet better than others.
