- Deals
- Quick list
- 1. Best overall
- 2. Best upright
- 3. Best cordless
- 4. Best budget
- 5. Best smart
- 6. Best for pet hair
- 7. Best for allergies
- 8. Best bagged
- 9. Best robot
- How to choose
- How we test
- Who is Dyson's biggest competitor?
- What vacuum is equivalent to Dyson?
- Does a Dyson work better than others?
- Is Shark as good as Dyson?
- Meet the team
Recent updates
3 December 24. Five vacuums in this guide are still on offer after Cyber Monday has finished (four of them are still at their lowest price ever). I've included them at the top of this guide.
There’s a lot to love about Dyson vacuums – until it comes to the price tag. Dyson has been our go-to vacuum brand for years, making some of the best vacuums in the world with their patented, market-leading cyclone engineering, but there's no denying the cost, ranging from $400 to over $1000.
Alternative vacuum brands often claim high-quality designs and premium, useful features – but without the steep cost. However, without testing them for yourself, it's tough to know which ones live up to their claims.
That's why after testing 48 of the best vacuums on the market, I called on my team of testing and in-house consumer experts to help me assemble the strongest alternatives to Dyson in this guide.
Altogether, we've fully tested almost the entire Dyson lineup of recent years, from their three flagship models to the more budget-friendly options, so we know what we're looking for in an alternative. Dust detection, easy pet hair pickup, boosted suction modes and lightweight builds are some of the key features, but the main one is immense suction power.
Right now, our favorite Dyson alternative is the Shark Vertex Pro and our favorite upright Dyson alternative is the Shark POWERDETECT. Shark have been making some of the best vacuums for a long time, and while Dyson are famous for offering the most powerful tech, Shark has crafted their own excellence with truly helpful features, multi-purpose floor heads and strong suction – all at a more affordable price.
To come to this conclusion, we try, test, and assess each vacuum to see how closely they can match the power of a Dyson vacuum. If you want a clean home at a lower price, or just want something a little different, these are your best options.
Deals on Dyson alternative vacuums
The quick list
If you're after the quick headlines for every Dyson alternative, here's a summary of what you need to know. There's lots more in-depth detail further down this article. If you see one you like, click 'Read more below' to take you to the right place.
The best Dyson alternative
Unrivalled in suction power, this is still one of the most compact and straightforward vacuums on the market. It performs like a Dyson for a couple hundred dollars less.
The best upright Dyson alternative
The immense suction power from the Shark POWERDETECT is perfect for big homes with pets. The corded, upright vacuum can tackle any surface and any mess. This unit performs like it should cost twice the price.
The best cordless detect Dyson alternative
This is Shark's entry into the world of 'detect' vacuums that Dyson is at the forefront of. It boasts dust volume detection, boost mode, and automatic power adjustment.
The best budget Dyson alternative
If you're looking for a brilliant basic model, this is the one. The standard suction power is exceptionally good, although it does falter with the automatic suction mode and when cleaning some debris so some areas might need a second pass.
The best smart Dyson alternative
Equipped with dust-sensing technology and a clever LED screen, this smart vacuum gives plenty of cleaning feedback, though it has some quirks to bear in mind, such as struggling with large debris and requiring some careful maneuvering to insert it into its dock.
The best Dyson alternative for pet hair
For a more affordable price than most of Dyson's bests, this Tineco absolutely excels on hair with an added bonus you won't find from Dyson: a self-cleaning base station.
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The best Dyson alternative for allergies
An elegant, ergonomic, and lightweight model, this is a vacuuming dream with a HEPA filter to boot. The base station will effortlessly charge and empty your vacuum.
The best bagged Dyson alternative
The industrial aesthetics of this vacuum might not appeal to everyone, but this cleaner is powerful and effective, if expensive.
The best robot Dyson alternative
Super smart and convenient, this robot vacuum is the cleverest, most efficient model on the market. It's easy to use and looks stylish on display. Dyson don't yet have an equivalent.
The best Dyson alternatives in 2024
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best Dyson alternative overall
The Shark Cordless is the perfect example that lower prices don’t always mean worse quality. With a DuoClean head and PowerFins technology, on test we found a deep clean of carpets and hard floors. With vast amounts of dust collected, the Shark Cordless needs a large dustbin capacity. At one quarter gallon, slightly bigger than Dyson V15 Detect’s relative 0.2 gallon capacity, this cordless needs emptying much less often, even though it's picking up lots of dust from the floor.
The nimble, lightweight body is a match for Dyson’s V15 and certainly much smoother to use than upright vacuums. The additional Multi-Flex head means that moving around and accessing those hard-to-reach areas is effortless with the Shark. Moreover, it features a HEPA filter and Anti-Allergen Seal, to offer pet owners and allergy sufferers more effective protection from rogue dust and dirt particles.
Due to the larger dust bin, the Shark weighs 2.02lbs more than Dyson’s V15 Detect, which is about a carton of milk or a bunch of banana's difference in weight. The Shark claims to have a 60-minute battery life, as opposed to the Dyson which can run for an extra 10 minutes (70 minutes in total). The Multi-Flex head makes for easy storage, but isn’t the easiest to handle, especially when unfurling the vacuum back up to full height.
Read more in our full Shark Vertex Pro review.
The best upright Dyson alternative
The POWERDETECT is Shark's latest upright vacuum, making the most out of Shark's most advanced motor tech and design features in this absolute powerhouse of a vacuum cleaner. Floor detection, odor-neutralization, pet hair performance and tight filtration are all on offer here.
The first (and best) thing our seasoned tester James Holland noted was the suction power. 'It’s able to suck everything up in its path efficiently and proficiently, no matter the debris. And, it’s equally capable regardless of the surface I used it on.'
This suction power works excellently on pet hair, too, as James learned on a carpet that required some deep vacuuming thanks to his shedding cat. 'With one pass, the Shark POWERDETECT had basically picked up every visible piece of hair (as well as litter near the litter box) from the carpet, filling the dust bin with an amount of hair equal to a second cat.'
It also matches Dyson's detection tech (as seen in the Dyson V12 Detect Slim), identifying floor type, dust volume and floor edges to adjust suction power (can boost up to 3x) whenever it's needed. It doesn't share Dyson's signature green laser however, but it does feature bright LED lights to better illuminate the floor. This is a significant difference as I can confirm, from my own hands-on experience, that the Dyson green laser does reveal dust that the naked eye can't see, whereas LED headlights such as these only illuminate the floor.
It's no surprise that this is one of, if not the most powerful upright vacuum cleaner we've ever tested. This power may come at a sacrifice in weight; at 17.57 lbs, it's slightly heavier than the 16-17 lbs we usually expect from an upright vacuum, but much heavier than the 6-7 lbs that Dyson's best cordless vacuums weigh. Nonetheless, the vacuum has Shark's famous Lift-Away feature that enables you to carry just the main component, leaving the heavier parts behind, so it's still a great choice for when you need more mobility (like on stairs or reaching above the head).
The hose offers more reach but unfortunately it's a little limited in length (it's only two feet long compared to the Dyson Ball Animal 3's 15 feet of hose stretch). This is also where you clip on any attachment tools – depending on whether you buy the vacuum alone or the TruePet upgrade, this could include a duster crevice tool, multi-angled dust brush, anti-allergen dust brush, pet multi tool, and HairPro self-cleaning pet power brush.
All in all, the POWERDETECT is a thorough, comprehensive vacuum cleaner – and perhaps even more capable than some of Dyson's best upright models, like the Dyson Animal Ball 3. Its 12-inch floorhead means you're covering a lot of ground with each pass, leaving your floors 'spotless and smelling ever-so-slightly fresh thanks to the odor neutralizer cartridge.' But don't forget: like any upright vacuum, it's loud.
Read more in our full Shark POWERDETECT review.
The best cordless Dyson alternative
Dyson's latest cordless vacuums, the Dyson Gen5detect and the Dyson V15 Detect, are the best vacs we've ever tested. The Shark Detect Pro Cordless is Shark's entry into this 'detect' genre of vacuums, offering similar features at a much lower price.
Like the Dysons, the Shark Detect Pro Cordless can detect the dust volume on your floor and adjust suction power accordingly on auto mode, and you can manually switch between boost mode or eco mode. It also has lights on the floor head to reveal dust on the floor, which is a feature Shark have used for a while, but it doesn't work as effectively as Dyson's green laser that reveals dust invisible to the naked eye. Still, it's helpful at illuminating dimmer areas and under furniture.
But while it shares these similar features, the real compromise here is the suction power. I was excited to test the Detect Pro as it looked like a genuine alternative (and a stylish one) to Dyson's market-leading vacuums, but it still fell short. It cleans better than other cordless vacuums out there, but there's a noticeable difference compared with even the Dyson V12 Detect Slim – Dyson's entry-level detect vac. I found it excelled on carpets, the boost mode was great for hard floors, but it struggled with large clumps of hair.
Being able to accurately count picked-up particles (a feature that's present in Dyson's vacuums) isn't here but, in all honesty, this isn't essential. It's insightful to know how much exists on your floors and furniture but it doesn't do too much in the name of improving how you clean.
This is a great alternative to Dyson's best cordless vacuums, but it's worth considering that the lower price does in fact reflect a lesser feature set. But when compared to other vacuums (even the ones in this list), this is a strong choice.
A successor to the Detect Pro Cordless has since been released, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect which is one of our favorite cordless vacuums we've tested. I wouldn't necessarily label it a Dyson alternative due to the fact that no Dyson vacuum has a flexible wand, but in terms of cleaning power, this is much closer to Dyson's suction power than the Detect Pro Cordless.
Read more in our full Shark Detect Pro Cordless review.
The best budget Dyson alternative
One of the most satisfying vacuum cleaners on the market, the Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum performs simple tasks with the thoroughness of vacuums four times the price. When we challenged it on more complex debris and suction settings, it struggled a little, but for $200, this is incredible as our experience has found that usually, cordless vacuums under $200 are not worth the spend.
If Levoit sounds familiar, it’s because they established themselves by making some of the best air purifiers on the market. This model is an extension of the thoroughness of their air purifiers, offering four-stage filtration which can trap at least 99.9% of particles 0.3 microns in size, which is great for allergy sufferers.
Offering considerable battery life, this is a robust investment that will impress even the most snobby vacuum cleaner enthusiasts. Whilst the 130 air watts of suction is less than most Dysons, it was still successful across a range of surfaces. Air watts are the most accurate unit of measurement for suction power in real-world conditions, and many of Dyson's cordless vacuums offer 200 or more.
We thought the user experience was better when we could manually adjust between the five suction levels. AUTO was just missing the mark where we would expect the power to ramp up, such as going from hard floor to carpet.
Read more at our Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum review.
The best smart Dyson alternative
Designed for agility and repeatedly consistent vacuuming, the Tineco Pure ONE S15 is easily one of the most nimble vacuums we’ve tested. It transforms from a stick vacuum to a handheld model in seconds by simply removing the wand, which is perfect for efficient cleaning. We particularly love that there’s no need to constantly hold a trigger down, which you would on some Dyson models.
Our experts were skeptical about the smart features: the iLoop Dust Detection (Tineco's name for their dust sensor technology) and LCD screen are designed to provide practical feedback on your vacuuming results. On test, we found they genuinely help you clean by showing dirtier areas of the floor that would perhaps benefit from more frequent passes with your vacuum.
If you’re looking for smart storage options, this vacuum and all of its accessories store neatly in a stand and floor dock. You won’t need to affix anything to a wall, so there’s no concerns for renters or those who just want to keep their walls pristine. It takes some careful maneuvering to insert it into the stand's crevice, but once it’s in, the vacuum cleaner will be secure.
Given that this is a vacuum for pets, we were surprised at how much it struggled with large pieces of debris, such as cereal and kibble. This is better on basic tasks, as a lightweight, casual cleaner.
There're more detail in our Tineco Pure One S15 Pet review.
The best Dyson alternative for pet hair
No Dyson vacuum has a self-empty station, so the Tineco Pure One Station isn't a like-for-like alternative. It's instead a more affordable alternative that actually brings something you can't find in a Dyson: a self-cleaning station
There are a few variations of the Tineco Pure One Station, including the Tineco FurFree edition that comes with a pet grooming kit, but I found that the vacuum itself (without any pet attachments) did an outstanding job at vacuuming hair. Even when it came to large, dense clumps, the Tineco sucked them all up like it was nothing.
The different models range from around $450 to $550 which is close to some of the more affordable Dyson options. The Dyson V8 is available for around $460 at Dyson and the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, one of the best, sells for $650 at Dyson.
As evident from our tests, both of these Dysons have more powerful suction, even on pet hair. But for a similar price, you can get this Tineco vacuum cleaner that excels on pet hair regardless, with the added bonus of a self-cleaning station. With a HEPA filter to trap all allergenic pet dander, the station brings a lot more convenience to your cleaning, and it has a three liter capacity so you can won't have to empty it for weeks or months at a time.
Plus, the Tineco still has features found across Dyson's best vacuums, like lights on the floor head, dust volume detection and automatic or manual power adjustment (boost mode).
Read the full Tineco Pure One Station review.
The best Dyson alternative for allergies
Samsung have designed their cordless sticks as if they're seeing into the future of vacuum cleaners, with sleek aesthetics that blend seamlessly into modern interiors.
Like the Tineco above, the Bespoke Jet has a smart station that will empty, charge, and clean your vacuum, ensuring that it always performs at its best. Many of the smart features are reminiscent of the best robot vacuums. The digital display will track your vacuuming capabilities, notifying your phone of any and every important detail.
If you suffer with allergies, the self-emptying system and HEPA filter will make cleaning a delight, rather than a tedious chore. HEPA filters are a must for anyone with allergies as the tight filtration can trap 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, which allergens like dust, pollen and pet dander tend to be.
The telescopic wand excels at picking up even the finest stands of hair, helping those who are easily irritated by vacuuming. The wand is also useful if you’re particularly tall or short, because it adjusts to the height of the user.
However, we didn't want to put this too high in the list because of the high price. If you're looking for a Dyson alternative, chances are that you need something under $500. This isn't the choice if you want to save money, as it usually goes for around $600. That's especially true of the 'AI' version of this vacuum I tested, as it costs an extra $300 with few extras to show for it.
There's more information in our Samsung Bespoke Jet Vacuum review.
The best bagged Dyson alternative
We were intrigued to test this old-school bagged upright. Dyson have never made a bagged vacuum, and while that saves you from the ongoing cost of buying vacuum bags, it means you're exposed to dust and dander every time you empty your vacuum.
But this isn't good just because it's bagged. We tested it on lots of hair and it easily picked up every strand, with none in the rollers. Any pet owners will love how thorough this is, especially because the bag will seal in dust and dander.
Don’t let the industrial facade fool you into thinking this is a brutish, strong vacuum, it’s also incredibly sensitive. The vacuum detects different floor types and automatically adjusts, offering the perfect suction. You can move seamlessly around your home without any frustrations. If you place one of the subtle scent cartridges in too, your home will smell as fresh as if you had all the windows open.
But I would caution that this 22 lbs vacuum is not nimble (most upright vacuums weigh around 17 lbs). It’s heavy to push, let alone carry up stairs. It steers smoothly, but when it comes to tight turning, you’ll need to use some vigor.
Our testers also felt that some small details stopped this vacuum from the top spots. The carry handle is awkwardly placed, making it difficult to take up and down stairs. While the 40ft cord is fantastic, it often falls off the back of the machine, which is irritating to bear in mind as you clean under sofas. The price is also close to Dyson models, so we’d recommend waiting for a sale.
Read more in our full SEBO Automatic X4 Boost Upright review.
The best robot Dyson alternative
If you want a robot Dyson, you're out of luck. Dyson have discontinued their robot vacuums in the US for now. They're currently only available in the UK or Asia, and in our review of the Dyson 360 Vis Nav (the robot vac that's soon to be available in the US), our expert reviewer found that they still needed to tidy up after it.
The Roomba is instead a great choice, with its Precision Vision Navigation: a detection feature which recognizes cables, pet waste and toys, avoiding collision, tears, and time spent cleaning up.
It’s compact and has a reasonably sized bin and self-emptying function. Compared to other vacuums, it is low maintenance and more independent. The HEPA filter is a bonus for allergies and pet-owners, too.
Regardless of price, we prefer the iRobot Roomba j7+ to the Dyson 360 Vis Nav and the discontinued 360 Heurist. However, it’s worth noting that our expert tester Jaclyn found the app a little slow. She also spotted that it wasn’t perfect at cleaning edges and needed hair to be untangled from the axles in the Multi-Surface brushes.
There's more detail in our iRobot Roomba j7+ review.
How to choose the best Dyson alternative for you
Sometimes, choosing which vacuum to buy can feel like you’re being spun around inside one. Every vacuum is different and specialized for different tasks, so here are some of the most common features you will need to compare and contrast (for a more detailed guide, check out how to choose a vacuum cleaner).
Dust bin
This is the part where dust collects. It comes bagged or bagless, ranging in capacity. Bagged bins seal in dirt and debris, great for pet owners and allergy sufferers, but replacing bags is an ongoing cost. Bagless designs are often easy to track for fullness and can be emptied into the garbage, but don’t guarantee neat emptying. You will need to consider how often you want to empty your vacuum when looking at capacity.
Weight
A lighter vacuum will be easier to use and move around the house. An appropriate vacuum weight is around 10lbs. In some instances, heavier vacuums will be more powerful or have longer lasting batteries, so you will need to strike a balance that works best for you.
Floor Type
Some vacuums are made to cover a range of terrain, but if you have a specific and consistent type of flooring, be it hard floors or carpets, you can select a vacuum which is specialized to handle the surface.
Cord Length
How many plugs you have and how willing you are to switch around will affect the length of the cord. Generally, vacuums which have cords between 25 and 30 feet are fine to use without frustration. If you don’t want to deal with cords at all, go cordless.
Run Time
If you read 'cord length' and decided that cords aren’t for you, then you’ll need to consider cordless designs. After testing, we have decided that 45 to 60 minutes is an adequate amount of time for cleaning. Runtime depends on power and what you’re doing. Often, more powerful vacuums will be more expensive.
Extra Features
Manufacturers are always innovating and adding extra features. For pet owners, there’s anti-hair wrapping technology and HEPA hair filtration. This might not be in the special features of a vacuum, as brands like Shark and Bissel are known for their pet-friendly vacuums.
How we tested
At Homes & Gardens we will only review those vacuums with which we have had personal, hands-on experience. You can learn more about the process in our guide to how we test products. We want to vouch for every product we feature, so that you can trust us to be truthful and critical, where necessary.
We rigorously test each vacuum on different floors and household challenges over a number of weeks, sometimes months. This means that we can pick up on quirks, extra features and the longevity and durability of each product. We want to know about the practicalities: how easy it is to maneuver around small spaces, how long it runs for, and how easy it is to empty, clean and maintain.
We also understand that experts need to take into account other users, so we look out for what people are saying online and make sure we thoroughly assess their feedback too.
FAQs
Who is Dyson's biggest competitor?
Dyson's main competitor is Shark. Both brands lead the vacuum cleaner market, offering vast ranges of vacuum cleaners built for different homes. Shark even produce similar beauty products to Dyson's hair care goods.
However, they're popular for different reasons. James Dyson is the inventor for cyclone vacuum engineering, so Dyson vacuums have this patented advantage leading to market-leading suction power. But Shark vacuums offer thoughtful features like flexible wands, odor-neutralization, Lift-Away upright vacuums for easier mobility, and self-clean stations – all while being priced more reasonably.
Shark offers better value for money; Dyson offers superior cleaning power.
What vacuum is equivalent to Dyson?
No vacuum cleaner is quite the same as a Dyson, but many in this guide have come close. The Shark Vertex Pro works similar to many of Dyson's cordless vacs but lacks the suction power or smart features. The Ultenic U12 Vesla (at Amazon) is one of the only vacuums we've tested with a green floorhead laser akin to Dyson's detect models, but the cleaning power isn't quite there. And the Shark POWERDETECT offers the strong, relentless cleaning power of Dyson's upright vacuums, while combining the detection tech found in their cordless models.
Does a Dyson work better than others?
They're number one in a number of our guides for a reason. They produce market-leading vacuum cleaners that have been at the forefront of the industry for some time. Their patented cyclone engineering puts them ahead of competitors while their massive engineering HQ produce new, innovative features before others do, like particle detection and a dust-revealing green laser.
But we've collated this guide of the best alternatives as the best Dyson vacuums cost more than many of us can afford, at least for a vacuum cleaner. And, while Dyson's vacuums are the most powerful, vacuums from other brands can offer unique features that are perhaps better suited to your home.
Is Shark as good as Dyson?
It sounds noncommittal, but yes and no. We’ve compared Dyson vs Shark in more detail and felt Shark was better value, but Dyson was more powerful. If you’re looking to save money, work out your non-negotiables and there’s bound to be a Dyson alternative that can still deliver for a fraction of the price.
Meet the team
I am Dan Fauzi, H&G's home tech editor, covering everything from vacuums and floor care to sound and air purifiers. I've been testing and reviewing home products for years now, and can offer expert insight into what makes a product great, or not so great.
Laura is an eCommerce editor and has previously worked for luxury retail brands, reinforcing the importance of quality and style over quantity and fads. She’s a cleaning enthusiast, with experience using lots of different vacuums, so is well placed to offer critical and considered perspectives for Homes & Gardens.
Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing home goods, including cleaning tools, for several years. She tested the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Vacuum from her small homestead in Rhode Island. As the owner of two dogs and a cat, she’s always looking for the best products to help keep her home (at least somewhat) free of pet hair.
Midwestern product tester and writer Courtney Irwin is a working mom of three who loves nothing more than a good deal. Courtney has spent years curating home renovation and appliance content, and has tested a range of products for Homes & Gardens, including various vacuums.
Jaclyn was the US eCommerce editor for Homes & Gardens. She tested a number of vacuums, including Dyson and their competitors. She's well-placed for direct comparisons between Dyson, Shark, and the other names in this list.
The reason we look for Dyson alternatives is because their vacuums tend to top all of our lists, whether it's the best cordless vacuums or the best vacuums for pet hair. Feel free to check out our guides to see what else is out there.
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