How to Choose the Right Stair Vacuum

Choosing a vacuum cleaner for your stairs can be difficult if you don’t know where to start. It should be pointed out that when it’s all said and done, it comes down to personal preference as some prefer upright vacuums with a bevy of attachments and hoses, while others opt for portable vacuums or canister vacuums. The following is a brief description of the different vacuum cleaners and what they can do.

Shark Navigator Freestyle Premium Cordless Vac - Model SV1106	Our favorite for 2016
Hoover Platinum Collection LiNX Cordless Pet Handheld Vacuum	The best cordless option
Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-Light Upright (HV322)	Great if you have a pet and lots of steps!

A handheld vacuum is just that, and for many this is the best option for cleaning stairs. There’s nothing more convenient than holding a vacuum cleaner as you go up the stairs and remove dirt in the corners. However these handhelds are nowhere near as effective on carpets, so you’ll need an upright or canister for those.

You can also use a canister vacuum to clean stairs. Provided it has a collapsible wand you’ll be able to vacuum with one hand while carrying the canister in your other hand. It requires a bit more work than a handheld but it can be done, and canisters can be used on floors as well.

An upright vacuum can also be used if the pod is detachable, as this will allow you to carry the vacuum with one hand and vacuum with the other (for the best results you should use a turbo brush attachment). If everything is taken into consideration, the handheld is the best option, but others find it more convenient to use an upright or a canister because they’re more versatile.

Reviews

Shark Navigator Freestyle Premium Cordless Vac – The Shark Navigator Freestyle Premium Cordless Vac is a lightweight vacuum cleaner. If you want to know how to clean carpet on stairs the easy way, this should be one of your options as the powerful motor and swivel steering makes cleaning of floors and stairs easy.

Because the Shark Navigator is cordless you’ll have little trouble using it on stairs to vacuum those hard to reach areas. The motorized brush also helps remove dirt and dust not just on stairs but also carpets and bare floors. And if you plan to use this on floors, cleaning will be just as easy thanks to the swivel steering that allows you to go around furniture effortlessly.

This vacuum cleaner weighs only 7 lbs. so it’s not going to be a burden. There’s a bit of assembly required but instructions are provided, plus it’s built to last.

Eureka RapidClean Step Handheld Corded Vacuum – One of the best handheld vacuum for stairs today, the Eureka RapidClean Step Handheld Corded Vacuum was built specifically for stairs and you can tell this from the features. The RapidClean Step feature includes an on/off brush roll as well a brush for bare floors. The bare floor brush is especially useful for cleaning hard surfaces and non-carpeted stairs, something that other vacuum cleaners have a hard time with.

If you need to clean upholstered furniture or carpeted stairs, flip up the bare floor brush and it will do the rest. When you buy the package it will come with a crevice tool, a 3 ft. stretch hose and a 25 ft. cord so even if there are hard to reach areas, the Eureka will still be able to reach it. The Eureka is also equipped with easy roll wheels that ensure smooth movement, at the same time ensuring your floor surface is protected and doesn’t get scratched.

Hoover Platinum Collection LiNX Cordless Pet Handheld Vacuum – The Hoover Platinum Collection LiNX Cordless Pet Handheld Vacuum, BH50030 was developed specifically for removing pet hair. As anyone with a pet knows, hair and fur can be very hard to remove, but the LiNX is up to the task. It comes with a lithium-Ion interchangeable battery that lasts twice as long as a typical vacuum cleaner so you can use it for longer periods.

The LiNX is equipped with a brush roll that’s especially suited for removing pet hair. Not only can you eject the tool for easy cleaning, but the 25 degree pivot design allows for increased maneuverability. There’s also a pet upholstery tool with triple blade design and a dusting brush. Unlike other dusting brush tools, the one on the LiNX soft bristles is arranged in two rows, which simplifies surface cleaning. Finally, the vacuum cleaner has a two year warranty for the vacuum and battery, an indication of its quality.

Dyson V6 Trigger – If you’re after power, look no further than the V6 Trigger, as its 350W motor is more than capable of cleaning the dirtiest stairs. As far as handheld vacuums go this is hard to top. There are a lot of impressive features here including 20 minutes of high powered suction plus 6 minutes of boost. Speed wise it’s faster than most handheld vacuum cleaners, and it charges pretty quickly too.

The V6 Trigger has several tools for cleaning stairs, floors, carpets and upholstery. Chief among these is a motorized tool for removing dirt on stairs and upholstery, and it also has a combo accessory tool you can use in confined spaces. There’s also a brush tool for spot cleaning and dusting as well as a crevice tool for cleaning tight corners and gaps. Apart from cleaning stairs and floors, you can use the V6 on boats and cars.

Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-Light Upright – The Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-Light Upright cleans as effectively as other upright vacuum cleaners but without the excess weight. The Shark Rocket was designed mainly for deep carpet cleaning and bare floors, but it’s just as effective for stairs as well.

Compared to the original Rocket, the latest model has doubled the capacity and is equipped with LED lights on the hand and nozzle so dark areas won’t cause a problem. Like other Shark vacuum cleaners, the Rocket has swivel steering for enhanced maneuverability, and it does so while keeping the weight down to less than 8 pounds.

The Rocket also comes with several tools and accessories including an on-board storage clip, the New TruePet Motorized Brush, Hard Floor Genie with microfiber pad, and tools for pet hair, dusting brush and a crevice tool. And if you’re going to use this for the floor and ceiling, use the foot pedal to make the transition quickly.

Buyers Guide – Let Us Help You Find the Right Vacuum Cleaner for Your Stairs

As is often the case with household appliances, there is no single best option because customers have different needs. When it comes to cleaning stairs, any of the products reviewed above will be more than enough, but as you can see they each have unique features that set them apart from one another.

As was pointed out earlier, a handheld vacuum cleaner is recommended if you’re after convenience, but there are other factors that you have to consider. First you have to think about your vacuuming schedule: if you’re going to vacuum every day or almost daily, a lightweight unit will be enough. But if you’re going to vacuum the stairs only on occasion, a canister vacuum or upright with a larger capacity and a powerful motor is more appropriate. And if you want to vacuum daily but don’t have the time, look for a programmable vacuum cleaner.

If you have allergies, vacuuming the stairs regularly is necessary. Make sure that your vacuum cleaner has HEPA certification and that you change the filters every six months or whatever is recommended on the user guide. If possible, get a vacuum cleaner with a washable filter so you don’t have to buy a replacement.

Don’t forget to check the noise level of the vacuum cleaner: today’s units are quieter than previous generations, but if you’ve got people in the household who don’t like loud noises or live in apartment, pay close attention to the decibel level. Look for vacuum cleaners with a decibel range that’s less than 70 dB.