Most powerful vacuum cleaners I've reviewed:
Best Powerful Canister Vacuum Cleaner: Miele Boost CX1 (21 kPa)
Best Power Stick Vacuum Cleaner: Dyson V15 (10 kPa)
Best Powerful Handheld Vacuum: Turbotronic Lux400 (8 kPa)
It is perhaps one of the most important factors of a vacuum cleaner: the suction power. Good suction power ensures that you can thoroughly clean the floor and that there is an enormous dust absorption. People often think ‘the more watts, the more powerful the vacuum cleaner', while this actually says nothing about the suction power of a vacuum cleaner.
In my reviews I research the power of vacuum cleaners. I do research into both the suction power and the air speed to get a good idea of how strong a vacuum cleaner actually is.
Table of contents
- Most powerful vacuum cleaners at the moment
- Best Powerful Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
- Best powerful stick vacuum cleaner
- Best Powerful Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
- How I research the power of a vacuum cleaner
- The maximum suction power of vacuum cleaners I've tested
- Why a research into the most powerful vacuum cleaner?
- Various powerful vacuum cleaners
- Maintenance of great impact on vacuum cleaner power
Most powerful vacuum cleaners at the moment
At Vacuumtester.com we test the power of different types of vacuum cleaners. From compact handheld vacuums to powerful stick vacuums with a turbo mode. In every review we do a test of strength. We do this in the same way in every review (with a custom-made vacuum tester) to be able to compare the vacuum cleaners with each other.
Best Powerful Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
The Miele Boost CX1 Parquet is the most powerful bagged vacuum cleaner at the moment. The vacuum cleaner has a suction power of no less than 21 kPa, which is very strong compared to other vacuum cleaners.
In terms of air speed, this Miele vacuum cleaner also scores well: in my review I measured an AirFlow of 41.8 meters per second. In addition, you also enjoy the following benefits with this vacuum cleaner:
- The vacuum cleaner is super manoeuvrable thanks to the TrackDrive technology
- The dust container is super easy to empty
- He looks so beautiful
The vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, has a very short cord of only 7 meters. It is also not a silent vacuum cleaner: with a noise level of 70.8 decibels, it is quite noisy. Curious about more features of this vacuum cleaner? Watch the video below, where I extensively review the Boost CX1 Parquet.
Best powerful stick vacuum cleaner
At the moment, the Dyson V15 scores best in terms of suction power: in my Dyson V15 Detect review, this stick vacuum came out with a suction power of 10 kPa, which is a lot higher than other stick vacuums.
The Dyson V15 Detect also has a turbo mode: with this there is even a suction power of 27 kPa, but in this mode you can only use the stick vacuum for a few minutes. The Dyson V15 has the following benefits:
- Fluffy brush with laser, making dirt more visible
- Piezo sensor adjusts suction power automatically
The vacuum cleaner does have a high price: you pay for the extra options and accessories.
Best Powerful Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
Prefer a compact handheld vacuum cleaner? Then go for the Turbotronic LUX400: a hand-held vacuum cleaner with a suction power of 8 kPa. This means that the suction power is even close to that of a stick vacuum.
Turbotronic Lux400
The Turbotronic LUX400 is not only very powerful: it is also a lightweight vacuum (it weighs only 0.5 kilograms). You also enjoy the following extras:
- Comes with many accessories, including a flexible hose
- Has a respectable battery life of 19 minutes
Keep in mind that this vacuum cleaner makes a lot of noise. In addition, it is of course a hand vacuum cleaner: you will have to empty it quickly and the battery lasts much shorter than cordless stick vacuums.
How I research the power of a vacuum cleaner
In all my vacuum cleaner reviews, the suction power is perhaps one of the most important research factors. I usually can't wait to put my custom vacuum tester on the vacuum cleaner when a new model comes out.
With my vacuum tester I can measure the suction power of the vacuum cleaner in Kilopascals. I can then compare the vacuum cleaners with the number of kilopascals, to find out which vacuum cleaner is the strongest.
In all my vacuum cleaner reviews, the suction power is perhaps one of the most important research factors.
To ensure a fair suction power measurement, I always adhere to the following research rules:
- The vacuum cleaner is emptied beforehand
- The vacuum cleaner is checked for possible air leaks
- The power of the vacuum cleaner is set to maximum*
* Stick vacuums and handheld vacuums sometimes also have a turbo mode. We are this mode as an ‘extra option'. Because you can only vacuum for a few minutes with a turbo mode, we only compare the suction power in normal mode.
The maximum suction power of vacuum cleaners I've tested
Curious how all vacuum cleaners I've tested score in terms of suction power? View all suction power measurements in a row in the overview below.
| Vacuum cleaner | Type | Suction power | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miele Boost CX1 Parquet | Canister vacuum | 21 kPa | Read my review |
| Dyson V15 Detect | Stick vacuum | 10 kPa | Read my review |
| TurboTronic LUX400 | Handheld vacuum | 8 kPa | Read my review |
Why a research into the most powerful vacuum cleaner?
The more power a vacuum cleaner, the more power it has. However? No, unfortunately this is not the case. In the past people often looked at the power (in the number of Watts), but nowadays this does not say much about the suction power.
In the past people often looked at the power (in the number of Watts), but nowadays this does not say much about the suction power.
Reason enough for me to do good research into this, so that I can help you choose the most powerful vacuum cleaner. But, why is a powerful vacuum cleaner so important? A powerful vacuum cleaner is interesting for the following situations:
- When you often have carpet or rugs in the house
- If you are prone to an allergic reaction*
- When you have pets and have a lot to do with pet hair
* In addition to good suction power, it is also important to pay attention to the filters of the vacuum cleaner. A high suction power says nothing about the filters of a vacuum cleaner. Read more about the HEPA filter and why it is so important here.
Various powerful vacuum cleaners
The type of vacuum cleaner often determines the suction power. For example, a hand vacuum cleaner is in many cases much less powerful than a canister vacuum cleaner. In general, a cordless vacuum cleaner is much less powerful than a corded vacuum cleaner.
There is also a big difference between a bagless vs bagged vacuum. The suction power of a vacuum cleaner with a bag can decrease sharply when the dust bag becomes full. This is not the case with a bagless vacuum cleaner.
Maintenance of great impact on vacuum cleaner power
The power of a vacuum cleaner often also depends on how you maintain your vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner that no longer sucks or whose suction power has decreased significantly is often the result of a blockage. It can also be a dirty or outdated filter: a HEPA filter replacement can already help to improve the suction power.
Most powerful vacuum cleaners I've reviewed:
Best Powerful Canister Vacuum Cleaner: Miele Boost CX1 (21 kPa)
Best Power Stick Vacuum Cleaner: Dyson V15 (10 kPa)
Best Powerful Handheld Vacuum: Turbotronic Lux400 (8 kPa)
Robbert Tigchelaar
Robbert Tigchelaar is the founder of Vacuumtester.com and is a true vacuum cleaner guru. With more than 10 years of experience in the world of electronic devices, he knows better than anyone what is important in a vacuum cleaner. When a new vacuum cleaner appears, he is eager to test it extensively.
Appreciate your work and zeal. I too have some sort of unexplainable infatuation with home vacuums. I am a simple blue collar man who finds information on home vacuums interesting as well as frustrating. I have a small 2 car garage with 5 canister vacuums staged thru-out , each ( in my mind ) serving a specific purpose. My latest addition is still in the box ( over a yr now ) . Beings I’m dealing with a limited budget , buying hi-end units usually consist of open box types or refurbished. Right now my biggest interest is finding a canister vac with the most powerful suction. Weight , cleaning tools appearance are of no importance to me. Trying to find CO’s willing to advertise water lift , CFM’s , sealed motor ratings is so difficult. It drives me away from CO’s who do not choose to advertise such data, so I rely on people like you , who have turned there passion into a $ making living that also benefits potential buyers. I wish o could find a canister vac at approx $250.00 to where the focus of the engineering was power suction & CFM . Unfortunately I’m considered a limited target for marketing such a cleaner because there are much bigger targets of people interested in the whole package . I.e. weight , onboard tools , quality of hose ( well this one is important to me as well but not a deal breaker ) . As far as noise goes, there’s no such thing as a quiet vac with good specs. So . . . What’s your opinion as to what I’m looking for in a canister vac ? Daily/wkly maintenance is not a problem for me nor is bag or bag less ( prefer bagged ) but suction pwr/cfm is top priority. Thanks . . Sean from NJ. 7/23/22
Hi Sean,
Thank you for your nice comment. I read it with great pleasure (and recognition). Nice that we both share the love for vacuum cleaners.
To answer your question: I come from the Netherlands myself, where a canister vacuum cleaner is the most popular type of vacuum cleaner (unlike America where you love Upright vacuum cleaners).
I myself am a fan of the Philips FC9745/09 PowerPro Expert, a bagless vacuum cleaner and all-rounder. It has a very good suction power and it is very pleasant to use.
However, it is poorly available in America, but every now and then it is on Amazon.
Where does the Samsung Bespoke Jet fit in?
Hi Haroon,
Very sharp response! With a kPa of 14, the Samsung Besproke Jet cannot be missed in this list. I will update it shortly!
Somehow, using underpressure (read vacuum in kPa) is a bit misleading to be used as a parameter for the quality/cleaning performance of the vacuum cleaner. Vacuum is not the same as suction power. Suction power is the product of airflow en vacuum, in Watts. Of course vacuum is related to the power of the product but not so much to the cleaning performance. The trick is that at max vacuum there is no flow, so no cleaning at all. Furthermore, some vacs have safety valves that open at e certain vacuum to prevent the motor from over-heating. I understand that you use the vacuum since that is quite easy with a simple vacuum meter but unfortunately it is the wrong indicator.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your response. First of all, I do not only measure the suction power in Kilopascals with a vacuum tester, but I also measure the AirFlow (in meters per second). There is a big difference between suction power and airflow, so I am indeed testing both.
Apart from that, it’s good to realize that the number of watts (what you claim) says nothing about the actual suction power. There are many studies that show that the number of watts has no influence on the actual suction power. The number of watts has decreased in recent times (in the Netherlands there is even a maximum of 900 watts) while the suction power has improved considerably.
I think the billiard ball test is the most impressive way to do this by hooking each vac to the same tube just large enough to suck the balls in and hold them up. The one with the most balls wins! Practical and visually satisfying.
That’s a very interesting addition to my reviews Jason. Given your name, can I assume you’re a Pool expert? 😉
Hello
thanks for the good information about vacuum cleaners
what is your opinion about the Makita VC2512L?
I’m thinking of buying 1 for the garage for woodworking
Hi Robbert, A very interesting article indeed.
I am trying to find the suction power on 3 bagless cylinder UK models
1. Meil1 Boost CX1
2. Meile Complete C3 cat and dog
3. Shark C2500UKT
Have you come across these and can you give any indication on suction?
Many thanks
Gary