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Every home needs a good vacuum cleaner. Whether you live in an apartment or a mansion, you still need to spend time to suck up the dirt and dust that inevitably creeps into your home.
Over recent years though, choosing the best vacuum cleaner has become a lot more complex as technology has pushed the category ahead.
What used to be a simple process now involves lots of different considerations, from the design of the vacuum to whether it has a HEPA filter.
To try and help make this process easier for you, we’ve pulled together this list of the best vacuum cleaners available in Australia.
To determine what appeared on this list, we followed the same steps most Australian shoppers do: We went to Google.
A quick search of “best vacuum cleaner” later, we consolidated the products mentioned by 10 of the top ranking sites in Google. You can see our full approach below, as well as full list of products that were mentioned across those guides.
The end result is this list of vacuum cleaners. It’s important to note that everybody has different needs, so if one of these models doesn’t suit your needs, let us know so we can try and help.
And if you want to be a little more specific, we’ve also rounded up the list of the best robot vacuums in Australia and the best cordless vacuums.
These are the best vacuum cleaners in Australia right now:
Dyson V15 Detect
Recommended by 7/10 review sites
Dyson was the first company to launch a bagless vacuum cleaner and it has gone from strength to strength.
The company’s latest vacuum, the V15 Detect, is a powerhouse of a stick vacuum cleaner, which uses lasers to detect tiny dust particles in order to ensure the best possible clean.
It includes a huge battery for up to 70 minutes of cleaning time, while the Digital Motorbar power head automatically detangles pet hair for an even easier clean.
Needless to say, the V15 Detect also topped our list of the best cordless vacuum cleaners.
Miele Complete C3
Recommended by 6/10 review sites
The Miele Complete C3 barrel vacuum is the peak of Miele’s vacuum engineering, offering a powerful cleaner made from premium materials.
With convenient foot controls and a telescopic wand to help make vacuuming as comfortable as vacuuming can ever be, the C3 comes with a huge 2,000 Watts of power.
You will need to keep purchasing bags for this vacuum, but for the promise of ongoing suction, that is a price many people are ready to pay.
Black+Decker 18V Lithium-ion Dustbuster Pivot Hand Vacuum
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
Compact and versatile thanks to its unique pivot design, the 18V dustbuster is your best friend for small spills.
Impressive suction power, long battery life and quick recharging make this the perfect partner for cleaning your car or caravan.
It includes a flip-out soft brush to clean delicate surfaces, and an extendable crevice tool to get into those hard to reach gaps between cushions or car seats.
Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
Pet owners understand the ongoing challenge of keeping their homes free of animal fur. The Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog is specifically designed to help keep pet hair under control.
With its powerful suction technology and HEPA AirClean lifetime filter, the CX1 Cat & Dog will have your home smelling fresh and clean.
The turbo brush will easily remove hair and lint from your floors and carpets, effortlessly switching between the two.
iRobot Roomba S9+
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
With a design that helps it get into those hard-to-reach corners, the S9+ is one of the best robot vacuum cleaners you can buy in Australia today.
With more powerful suction that other iRobot vacuums, the S9+ comes with an auto-empty station that makes cleaning even easier.
Voice control and smart mapping combine to give you greater control of your cleaning habits, so you can easily tell it to clean under the table using Alexa or Google Assistant.
Dyson V11
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
While the V15 Detect is Dyson’s latest and greatest vacuum, the V11 is still a noteworthy inclusion in this list.
With impressive filtration that captures 99.97% of microscopic dust particles as small as 0.3 microns, it helps keep your home nice and clean.
The LCD screen will display key information so you know exactly how much time you have left to clean, while sensors will automatically change the motor speed between hard and carpeted floors to give the best clean possible.
How we chose the best vacuum cleaners
Review sites – including this one – are subjective by nature. Everybody has a different opinion of what is best.
So to try and counter the fact that every best guide on the internet has a different opinion of what is best, we approached our list by combining the results of some of the top sites recommending vacuum cleaners on the market today.
To determine this list, we followed the same journey most consumers would follow: we went to Google.
We searched for “Best vacuum cleaners” and identified the top 10 results. It’s important to note that Google results can change often. The full list of sites we referenced is outlined below:
Referenced sites:
- TechRadar
- Rtings
- Good housekeeping
- Real homes
- Homes to Love
- Finder
- Vacuumit
- Tom’s Guide
- Better Homes & Gardens
- NY Times
We listed out all of the vacuum cleaners listed on each site, tidying up any slight differences in spelling for consistency.
For vacuums, this can be challenging given slight variants between models. In most cases, we consolidated these variants to the model itself. For example, the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute and the Dyson V15 Detect Complete were combined as the Dyson V15 Detect.
We calculated the frequency in which each product was mentioned across those 10 guides. The more frequently a product is mentioned, the more agreement there is between experts reviewing these products that it is, indeed one of the best products available.
We set a minimum of three mentions across all 10 guides to be eligible for inclusion here.
Before we created this page we took some time to remove products that are either unavailable, or difficult to find in Australia.
We also leveraged our own experience with products to ensure that we wouldn’t be recommending any product that doesn’t deliver.
Best vacuum cleaner buying guide
Whether you own your home or are renting, having a good quality vacuum cleaner is essential for a liveable home space free from dust and dirt.
Whether you decide to buy one of the vacuums listed above or something completely different, the things to look for when choosing your next vacuum cleaner are the same.
Form factor
Vacuum cleaners come in a few different shapes and sizes. Understanding which type is best for your needs is the first decision you should consider making.
We’ve broken down the different types here to help get you started.
Stick Vacuums
Today, the most popular style is the stick vacuum, which is a battery operated unit with a longer stick to help you vacuum floors and hard to reach areas.
Because they run from battery power, typically suction is a bit weaker than plugged in models, and you always need to consider battery life.
While modern stick vacuums have solid battery sizes, If you have a really large house you may need to charge mid-vacuum to complete the job.
On the upside, the lack of a power cord means you can use them pretty much anywhere, including taking them to vacuum the car or stairs
Here is our list of the best cordless vacuum cleaners.
Barrel vacuums
This is the more traditional form factor for vacuum cleaners, with a barrel design housing the core vacuum components.
Barrel vacs are fairly compact, but require plugging in to the powerpoint to work. They also typically have smaller dustbins or bags, so require emptying a bit more frequently than upright models.
Upright vacuums
Much less common today than they were 30 years ago, upright vacuums stand upright.
They typically require mains power to work, and can be difficult to manoeuvre around the house.
They do, however, have good sized dustbins and plenty of suction.
Robot vacuums
Robot vacuum cleaners are small, compact vacuum cleaners that will vacuum your home independently, taking on the hard work for you.
Because of their compact size, they have small dust bins and much weaker suction than any of the other types.
However, they are designed to vacuum more regularly, which prevents a lot of build up of dust and helps keep your home cleaner.
Some models also come with an empty station that collects the dirt after each vacuum, so you only need to empty that periodically.
You can read our guide to the best robot vacuums in Australia for more detail.
Bag or bagless
James Dyson famously spent five years building over 5,000 prototypes to create a bagless vacuum cleaner that didn’t lose suction power.
Today, bagless models are probably more common than those with bags.
Both have strengths and weaknesses. Bagless models don’t lose suction power, and you don’t have to keep buying disposable bags to throw out your dust.
You do need to be more diligent with your maintenance though, regularly cleaning and emptying the bins.
Bagged vacuums do tend to keep all the dust more contained, especially when emptying, but can be difficult to change over.
Types of floors
Consider the types of floors you need to keep clean before buying a vacuum cleaner. If your home has a lot of carpeted areas, a vacuum with powerful suction will help a lot. You may want to consider a barrel vacuum or a more powerful stick vacuum.
Hard floors are easier to clean at a lower power, making it better suited to a stick or robot vacuum cleaner.
Suction power
As a general rule, vacuum cleaners you plug in at the power point will have more suction than a battery powered model, but that isn’t always true.
You can check the vacuum’s power specifications, measured in Watts. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story.
Things like whether the vacuum is bagged, if the filters are clean and the quality of the brush head can all impact the suction power, so understanding your needs will help you make the right decision here.
Dust capacity
Emptying the vacuum cleaner is one of the worst parts of the job. Having a vacuum with a larger dust capacity means you can get away with emptying less frequently.
Filter type
If you have pets, or suffer form allergies, consider getting a vacuum that features a HEPA air filter. These filters capture microscopic particles during the cleaning process, helping reduce odours and easing allergy symptoms, and are commonly found in the best air purifiers as well.
Other considerations with a vacuum cleaner’s filter is whether they can be washed or how often they need to be replaced.
Attachments
Before spending your hard-earned dollars on a vacuum, be sure to check out the attachments that come with it.
While you will mostly use the standard head or powerhead to clean the floors and carpets, having attachments for narrow spaces or upholstery can help you keep your home cleaner.
Also look at how those attachments can be stored. The last thing you want is a cupboard filled with random vacuum attachments you never use.
Power head
For most people, having a power head is essential. These floor attachments connect to the vacuum’s power and have a dedicated motor to offer a deeper clean of carpets and hard floors.
Alternatively, a turbo head will feature a rotating brush, but because it isn’t motorised it doesn’t do as good a job of cleaning.
Price
Vacuum cleaners are a serious investment, particularly at the premium end.
You can expect to pay a few hundred dollars at least for a new vacuum, though premium models can cost more in the $1,500 range.
A good vacuum cleaner is an investment that should last for years. So consider your budget and look to buy the best vacuum cleaner you can afford.
Update history
- 20 December 2022 – First Published
- 11 January 2023 – Updated the number of recommendations for products. Removed the Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog Bagless.
- 11 April 2023 – Reduced the minimum number of recommendations to three. Added Dyson V11, Miele CX1 Cat & Dog, LG CordZero A9 Kompressor, iRobot Roomba S9+ and Black+Decker 18V dustbuster.
- 13 July 2023 – Updated the number of recommendations for products.
- 26 October 2023 – Updated the number of recommendations for products. Removed the LG CordZero A9 Kompressor.
- 29 January 2024 – Updated the number of recommendations for products.
