Best 2022 Vacuums for Suction and Airflow

#1 Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright Vacuum
5.0

Reviewers consistently describe the vacuum as extremely powerful, with class-leading suction; the main tradeoff is that the suction can make carpets harder to push across.

Pros: Support and Reliability, Ongoing ownership costs (bags

Cons: Cordless convenience, Cord management

#2 Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright Vacuum
4.8

Reviewers consistently describe suction and airflow as a major strength, with lab results and user tests showing strong lift, deep cleaning, and upholstery power.

Pros: Clogging and debris prevention, Carpet — Medium-Pile Pickup

Cons: Stair Cleaning, Surface safety with attachments

#3 Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum
4.8

Reviewers consistently described the Stratos as extremely powerful, with strong suction and airflow that helped it excel in deep debris pickup.

Pros: Packaging quality, Low-profile design

Cons: Storage footprint and upright-stand stability, Hair-removal channel issues

#4 Saker Car Vacuum Portable Cordless 3 in 1 Handheld Car Vacuum
4.5

Reviewers consistently described strong suction and airflow for its size, with praise across crumbs, car mats, keyboard dust, pet hair, and small debris.

Pros: Build quality and durability, Ongoing ownership costs (bags

Cons: Battery and Charging, Noise level

#5 Dyson V12 Detect Slim Vacuum
4.5

Reviewers found suction and debris pickup strong for a lightweight cordless, especially on surface debris and hard floors, though not as powerful as larger Dyson models.

Pros: Filtration / Dust Containment, Build quality and durability

Cons: Clogging and debris prevention, Bin and Bag

#6 Shark Stratos Ultralight HZ3002 Corded Stick Vacuum
4.5

Across all reviews, suction and airflow are a key strength, though Vacuum Wars separately noted below-average suction despite above-average airflow.

Pros: Carpet — High-Pile Pickup, Hair Pickup — Carpets

Cons: Cord management, Bin and Bag

#7 Kenmore SpotLite Spot Cleaner
4.5

Reviewers repeatedly praised strong suction and water extraction, though one car-seat review described only decent suction and one damaged unit lost suction.

Pros: Cordless convenience, Comparative performance

Cons: Overall durability/longevity, Support and Reliability

#8 DEWALT 20V Handheld Cordless Vacuum
4.5

Suction and airflow were the strongest theme, with every review describing good, impressive, or top-tier pickup power.

Pros: Build quality and durability, Carpet — Medium-Pile Pickup

Cons: Clogging and debris prevention, Ongoing ownership costs (bags

#9 Kenmore DS1030 Ultra-Light Cordless Vacuum
4.4

Suction is generally strong for a small cordless vacuum, especially against budget/lightweight competitors.

Pros: Cordless convenience, Edge and Baseboard Cleaning (Hard Floors)

Cons: Carpet — High-Pile Pickup, Scratch resistance

#10 Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum IZ862H
4.4

Reviewers repeatedly found the Stratos powerful, with strong suction and airflow for everyday debris, though one lab-style review said competitors at the price can be stronger.

Pros: Filtration / Dust Containment, Build quality and durability

Cons: Support and Reliability, Suitability for heavy-duty use

#11 Kenmore Featherlite Lift-Up Vacuum
4.4

Most reviews described suction or airflow as strong, with test evidence ranging from solid water-lift results to owner praise for high suction.

Pros: Edge and Baseboard Cleaning (Hard Floors), Pet-Ready Features

Cons: Hose length, Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors)

#12 Dreametech D10 plus Robot Vacuum and Mop
4.3

Reviewers generally found suction strong for daily debris, pet hair, and ordinary household dirt, with one caveat that carpet dust sometimes needed higher power.

Pros: Carpet — High-Pile Pickup, Hair Pickup — Carpets

Cons: Dried-On Stain Removal, Suitability for small spaces

#13 Dreame H12 Pro Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner
4.2

Suction was praised as powerful for a stick-style wet/dry vacuum and effective on everyday household messes.

Pros: Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors), Hair‑Wrap / Tangle Resistance

Cons: Hair Pickup — Carpets, Bin and Bag

#14 Bissell CleanView Compact Upright Vacuum
4.2

Suction drew mixed but mostly positive evidence: several reviewers praised power for routine cleaning, while one comparative test called it weak versus larger, premium uprights.

Pros: Storage footprint and upright-stand stability, Weight

Cons: Noise level, Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors)

#15 Bissell CrossWave Vacuum Cleaner
4.2

Suction and wet pickup were often praised, especially on corded CrossWave and HydroSteam models, though some comparison evidence said competitors or the HF3 felt stronger in certain situations.

Pros: Cord length, Cordless convenience

Cons: Under-Furniture Pickup, Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors)

#16 Roborock Q7 Max+ Robot Vacuum
4.1

Suction was usually praised in real-world cleaning, but bench airflow/suction results were sometimes described as average or below average.

Pros: Privacy controls, Tool-change simplicity

Cons: Mop lifting system, Dock noise

#17 Roomba Combo j7+ Robot Vacuum & Mop
4.1

Reviewers generally found vacuuming strong for everyday dust, dirt, and mixed flooring, though suction and crevice power were criticized by some tests.

Pros: Mop lifting system, Area Rug Handling

Cons: Bin and Bag, Self-cleaning cycle

#18 Dreame L10s Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop
4.0

Reviewers generally found suction and airflow strong enough for daily cleaning, with some tests calling debris removal excellent while one lab-style test measured only average airflow.

Pros: Stuck resistance, Solution / Liquid system

Cons: Accessories and Tools, Adaptive chassis lift

#19 Ryobi 18V One+ Powered Brush Hand Vacuum Kit
3.7

Suction drew the widest split: Forbes and several owners called it powerful, while one reviewer called the power an absolute joke.

Pros: Carpet — Medium-Pile Pickup, Storage footprint and upright-stand stability

Cons: Comparative performance, Clogging and debris prevention

#20 Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum
3.3

Suction and airflow were judged as good for a budget cordless vacuum by some reviewers, but weaker than premium models and sometimes lacking for deep carpet cleaning.

Pros: Tool-change simplicity, Assembly and Setup

Cons: Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors), Carpet — High-Pile Pickup