How we compare vacuums

Every figure in a spec table — suction, runtime, noise, bin and tank capacities, weight, warranty — is the manufacturer’s own published specification. We use manufacturer figures rather than mixing in individual reviewers’ measurements for one reason: consistency. A reviewer’s measured runtime for one model next to a brand’s claimed figure for another produces a comparison that looks precise and isn’t.

The tradeoff is that manufacturer figures are optimistic. Runtime claims are measured in Eco mode with the brushroll off, and suction figures have no standard test behind them — which is also why we never convert between pascals and air watts, and show “Not disclosed” for brands that publish nothing. See Vacuum specs 101 for what each number actually means.

The default “featured” order is editorial: models people actually buy, roughly grouped so the mainstream picks in each category surface first. Every other sort — runtime, noise, price — is a plain sort on the spec, same for every model. The buying guides each name the objective spec that sets their order. No brand can pay to move up, and affiliate commissions (see below) never touch the order.

The pros, cons, and owner-insight sections come from reading what actual owners report across forums and long-term reviews — the complaints that show up repeatedly, not the launch-day headlines.

A star rating is a claim about what thousands of real buyers said, so we only show one when we can cite where it came from. Amazon’s own ratings can’t be republished outside their API, and most other “ratings” on the web are unsourced copies of each other. Right now 0 of 279 models carry a verifiable rating — the rest show none at all rather than a made-up number.

Prices are a hand-maintained snapshot from our last catalog update, marked with “~” everywhere they appear. Vacuum street prices swing hard — robot flagships routinely sell 30-40% under launch price within a year. Always check the live price before buying; ours tells you the tier, not the checkout total.

When you buy through a link to Amazon (279 of 279 models link somewhere), we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That is the entire business model: no sponsored placements, no review units, no brand relationships. Commissions are identical enough across models that steering you to the wrong vacuum would earn us pennies and cost us the only thing a comparison site has — being right.

The full detail is in the privacy policy.

• Accept payment or product for placement, ratings, or reviews
• Show a star rating we can’t source
• Present a price as current when it’s a snapshot
• Compare suction numbers measured in different units
• Write “owners report” sentiment for a product whose owners we haven’t read
• Let an affiliate program decide what ranks where