Our indispensable guide to the best vacuums under $200
What can you expect from vacuum cleaners priced below 200 dollars?
If you are looking for a vacuum cleaner on a budget, don’t worry because your $200 should be enough as there are a lot of vacuum cleaners that you can choose from. Vacuum cleaners priced around the $200 mark have adequate suction power to get rid of stubborn dirt and hair. Most of them also offer HEPA filtration that removes allergy causing particles in the air.
However, you must also understand that most of the vacuum cleaners in this price range also have limitations in terms of features.
 Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum (NV370) | Our favorite for 2016 |
 Shark Navigator Deluxe (NV42) | A great value option |
 Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright (NV356E) | Another sub $200 winner from Shark |
One of the disadvantages of opting for a vacuum cleaner under two hundred dollars is that you’ll have limited accessories. Depending on the model, tools such as dusting brush, debris nozzle, power brush head like, among others, may not be included in cheap vacuum cleaners.
There may also be issues on the dimensions of the vacuum cleaner as most of those priced less than $200 are heavy compared to the more pricey ones. The length of the cord may also be short, which can prevent you from reaching certain spots in the house. Usually, the length of cords of sub-$200 vacuum cleaners range from 20 to 30 feet.
Reviews
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum – This vacuum cleaner has a power of 1200 watts, with a 30 foot-long cord that allows it to go to hard-to-reach areas of the hose. It combines HEPA filtration and the comapny’s anti-allergen complete seal technology to effectively capture and control dust and allergens, and preventing these from getting back into the atmosphere.
This is also very easy to assemble. Plus, this vacuum cleaner is designed to clean carpet and bare floors, with a 9 foot, 5 inch cleaning path. It’s relatively lightweight at 14 pounds, and features swivel steering for ease of use. The product also comes with accessories such as crevice tool, pet hair power brush, dusting brush, hard floor attachment, and a couple of microfiber pads.
However, this vacuum also has some drawbacks. One common complaint is that it can tip over pretty easily. It likewise lacks on-board storage for the aforementioned attachments.
Hoover WindTunnel MAX Pet Plus Multi-Cyclonic Bagless Upright – This is a bagless, upright vacuum cleaner designed to get rid of stubborn pet hair within minutes. Thanks to its three suction channels, the vacuum cleaner can remove dirt with a reduced amount of scatter. It features multi-cyclonic technology, separating particles of dirt before reaching the filter. This technology also makes the filters less in need of frequent rinses.
Like the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum, this Hoover vacuum cleaner has a cord measuring 28 feet. The cord is also fully retractable.
The vacuum cleaner has a cleaning reach of 15 feet, enough for it to remove allergens in stairs, upholstery, windows, and curtains quite easily. For efficient cleaning of floors, you can choose from any of the seven floor settings. This vacuum cleaner is also compact enough to be stored in small spaces.
However, this vacuum also has its share of limitations. For one, it does not have a wand that snaps out and back without assembly. Also, this vacuum cleaner is quite heavy at nearly 16 pounds.
Navigator Deluxe – This is an improved version of the original Shark Navigator, and Shark made sure to upgrade its features. One of the improvements is the presence of three quart dirt cup which is almost double the size as that of the original Navigator. With the large dirt cups, the need to empty the dirt bin has been drastically reduced.
It has four attachments—a couple of crevice tools (one measuring 5.5 inches, the other is 24 inches), a dusting brush and a pet hair power brush. These attachments can be placed on an extension wand that is included in the product.
The power cord measures 25 feet, and it has a 12 foot deluxe stretch hose. However, unlike the Hoover WindTunnel MAX Pet Plus Multi-Cyclonic Bagless Upright, it does not have a cord rewind.
This vacuum cleaner is ideal for pet owners as it has enough suction power to remove pet hair not only on carpets but also on upholstery, using the pet hair power tool.
Dyson DC58 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner – This is the latest handheld vacuum cleaner from Dyson, a top maker of home appliances. It boasts of a digital motor that can spin up to three times faster compared to conventional motors. This one is ideal for small cleaning jobs like vacuuming the interiors of a car.
For tougher cleaning tasks like removing hair from upholstery and confined areas, users can turn to its mini motorized tool. Aside from that mini motorized tool, this handheld vacuum cleaner comes with a combination accessory tool that transforms into a brush tool, and a crevice tool.
The handheld vacuum cleaner does not need to be plugged in; instead, it has a rechargeable battery. The said battery can last up to six minutes of operation when the boost mode is activated, which may not be enough for people who need a vacuum cleaner for large clean ups. But when the vacuum is on lower mode, it should last for at least 20 minutes.
Shark Lift-Away Professional Upright – This vacuum cleaner features Shark’s Never Lose Suction Technology that is powerful enough to pick up dirt in all types of surfaces, and as its name suggests, won’t lose suction in its lifetime.
The cleaner likewise is equipped with an anti-allergen complete seal technology and HEPA filtration that captures up to 99.9% of dust, dirt and allergens inside the vacuum, preventing these from going back into the environment.
The dirt gathered by the cleaner is dumped into a large capacity dust cup. Complementing this dust cup are powerful accessories like pet attachments that effortlessly remove pet hair and other dirt from carpets, upholstery, and other types of surfaces.
This vacuum cleaner is lightweight at 14 pounds, and it has a swivel steering that enables it to steer around obstacles rather easily. However, this too does not have a long cord (only 30 feet) which makes it not the ideal cleaner for large houses.
How to Choose the Best Vacuum for Under 200 Dollars
Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing a vacuum cleaner.
You’d be amazed that you can purchase a solid, well-designed vacuum cleaner for less than $200. But how do you decide on which vacuum cleaner model to buy? There are certain considerations that you need to keep in mind when shopping for a vacuum cleaner with a price below $200.
One is the size of your house. Do you have a large or small house? If your residence is big, you have to get a model that either has a long cord or lightweight enough to be dragged around the household. Or at least, the cord should have an automatic wind up for ease in use.
Try to imagine if a vacuum cleaner with a 30-foot long would be enough to get through hard-to-reach areas in your room, as well as higher spots like the ceiling and curtains. Or if a 15-pound vacuum cleaner is light enough for you to haul around your home. Does your house have stairs? If it does, lugging a heavy vacuum cleaner up and down a flight of stairs can cause you back problems aside from putting you at risk of accidents.
Another consideration is your special needs. Do you have pets at home? If you have, then getting a vacuum cleaner with a powered brush attachment is essential as it would make removal of pet hair from carpets, beds, and upholstery quick and easy.
You’d also want to get a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filtration if you or anyone in your house has asthma, or you’re concerned with the air quality at home.
