The Best Vacuum for Stairs in 2018

If you find that stairs are the hardest part to keep clean in your home, you are lucky.

This page is dedicated to the best vacuum for stairs (updated for 2018) and will help you forget how painful a task it is to keep them clean!

Often times stairs tend to go neglected during the regular vacuuming chore as they are harder to clean, require a bit more effort and aren’t as visible as the main living areas.

 

This is especially true if you have carpet based stairs! Ready for a change?

That being said, if your house is anything like mine, they are a great source of dirt, rocks, mud, hair, etc. We used to use a regular upright vacuum on our stairs which was inefficient to say the least. I would pull the vacuum down each stair, bring out the hose and do my best to dig into the entire stair one by one.

Although we provide full reviews/overviews of each vacuum in the above tables, this section provides a summary of each in case you are in a hurry.

1- Dyson DC65 (Our choice for the best vacuum for stairs)

Dyson DC65 – One of our top choices in 2018, the Dyson is always at the top of the list in vacuum cleaners and Dyson DC65 is no exception. This upright vacuum cleaner is an all-rounder as it can be used in the entire house from your floors to ceilings and everything in between (including your carpeted stairs). Though it clearly has an edge over others, where it truly shines is its versatility of use. Most other upright vacuums are good on floors only as they include a very limited hose; on the other hand, the Dyson DC65 comes with an extra-long hose and a telescopic wand along with a multitude of attachments that make it an ideal choice for all those small tasks around the house like cleaning the stairs.

For one, it gives you extra-long reach with its telescopic wand and hose. This means you can clean them easily. Second, it comes with powerful attachments that will make cleaning stairs extremely easy. If animal hair is your problem, you can use the tangle free turbine tool to clean your stairs and pick up all the hair from your carpeted stairs. Alternatively, it comes with a combination crevice and stair tool, both of which will clean your stairs to perfection. It even comes with a soft dusting brush in case you have non-carpeted stairs.

So, if stair cleaning feels troublesome for you, get the Dyson DC65, the ultimate choice in upright cleaners, no doubt.

2- Shark Lift-Away

Shark Lift-Away – An upright with a lift-away canister vacuum, this 2 in 1 vacuum cleaner can easily be called an all-rounder machine highly recommended for people who want one machine to do all the cleaning jobs around their house. Whether you want to deep clean your carpeted floors or pick up dirt and debris from your upholstery, the Shark Lift-Away will do it all for you.

First, it has a portable, lift-away canister that you can easily take with you on your stairs to clean your steps using the hose. With a 30ft. cord, cleaning all the way up to the top is not a problem at all. The canister comes off the floor head with just a push of a button, making it very easy to use. Second, it comes with powerful attachments that can be used for cleaning your stairs to perfection. The power brush gives excellent performance on carpeted stairs, picking up all kind of debris, deeply embedded dirt and hair off your carpeted steps. The dust-away attachment is another great tool, which is made for cleaning hard surfaces. If you have wood steps, use the dust-away attachment. And if dirt is getting piled up in the tiny corners of your stairs, use the crevice tool to clean them.

All these powerful features make the Shark Lift-Away an ideal choice. It is an all-rounder machine so if you are buying this, you don’t need another vacuum cleaner in your home. This will take care of everything from floors to ceiling and everything in between.

3- Hoover Platinum

Hoover Platinum – Its sleek design is the first thing people notice when they look at the Hoover Platinum Linx, Hoover’s only stick vacuum with their patented Wind Tunnel technology. It comes with cordless convenience that makes it a breeze to carry it on the stairs and clean all those areas where finding an outlet is difficult. Being cordless also means you can clean them without getting those frustrating cords in your way. Its lightweight design further makes it easy to clean. Stick vacuums tend to be lighter as well making them easier to apply pressure and pick up debris from stairs surrounded by carpet.

The 18V Lithium Ion battery gives you fade free power, which means it runs at full power the whole time. Plus, it charges fully within 3 hours and lasts about 30 minutes, which is more than enough to do all the cleaning you need to do. The Hoover Platinum Linx comes with a wide cleaning path so you clean your stairs with just one swipe per step, which saves a lot of time. Plus, it has edge cleaning bristles, meaning all your corners and the walls of your steps stay clean.

With its brush roll powered by Wind Tunnel technology, your carpeted stairs remain dirt free. If pets are your problem, its strong brush roll will give you no trouble picking them all up. And if you need to move from carpet to bare floor, just turn it to the first setting to turn off the brush roll. Hence, the Hoover Platinum Linx truly shines because of its ease of use, lightweight and sleek design, cordless convenience and superb cleaning performance.

4- Eureka RapidClean

Eureka RapidClean – The Eureka Rapid Clean Step should be the first choice of anyone looking for the best handheld vacuum for stairs. It has all the features that allow you to immaculately clean whether carpeted or non-carpeted.

First, the lightweight handheld design makes it easy for you to carry it up and down. Since your stairs are one of the high traffic areas in your home, they get very dirty and very quickly. Hence, having a lightweight, handheld vacuum around your house is a blessing. Second, it is mains powered instead of battery operated, which is again more convenient as there is no hassle of charging a battery and there are no runtime constraints. With a 25ft. cord and 3ft. hose, you can conveniently clean all the carpets or other type of surface on your stairs. Third, a 6 amp motor gives it enough power to pick up all surface debris and the dirt deeply embedded in your carpets, giving it superb cleaning performance.

Another feature included in the Eureka Rapid Clean Step, which lacks in most handheld systems is the option to switch off the brush roll. With this feature, you can go from carpeted to non-carpeted , cleaning immaculately on both surfaces. Plus, it also includes a bare floor brush in case you have all non-carpeted. With all these features included in this small yet powerful machine, the Eureka Rapid Clean Step is no doubt the ultimate choice for anyone looking for a stair vacuum.

5- Bissell Powerglide

Bissell Powerglide – The Bissell PowerGlide Pet Vacuum gives you extremely good value for your money with its 2 in 1 design which includes a portable canister and an upright vacuum. This means you can buy an all-rounder machine, which can be used for the entire house, whether stairs, upholstery, furniture or your carpet.

The lightweight portable handheld canister makes it easy to carry, making it an ideal vacuum for cleaning stairs. The canister releases with just a push of a button, making it extremely easy to use. Not only stairs, but you can also use the portable canister vacuum for cleaning your upholstery, walls, ceilings, car mats, and other hard-to-reach areas. Plus, it has a 27ft. cord, making it convenient to go all the way up without the need to re-plug. Being corded means there is no hassle of charging a battery and waiting between charges. You can clean whenever you want for as long as you want.

If you need to clean carpeted stairs, you can use the pet turbo brush included in it. The pet power brush lifts up all dirt, dust, allergens and hair, leaving them immaculately clean. It also includes a crevice tool for cleaning the corners where dust tends to pile up. The Bissell PowerGlide Pet is therefore, an ideal vacuum for your entire house that gives you good value for your money.

How to find the best vacuum for stairs

Stairs are one of the high traffic areas in your home and if you have carpeted stairs, keeping them clean is truly a pain. Add to it the problem of hair and you will have a cleaning challenge in front of you. Of all the cleaning jobs in the house, vacuuming your carpeted stairs is the most troublesome unless you have the right tool for the job. Here are some factors to consider when buying a vacuum to help make great.

Type of vacuum: Handheld, Portable Canister, Upright

When it comes to the type to buy, you have the option to choose between handheld, canister, and upright. Upright are the hardest to use on stairs while handheld are the most convenient. However, some upright versions include a lift away portable canister, which can be carried while others come with long hoses and attachments so you can keep them standing on the floor while you vacuum with the hose. These types of upright vacuums are recommended if you want an all-rounder machine that can be used for the entire house including floors and stairs.

On the other hand, if you talk about convenience, a handheld vacuum is what you should look for. Since it is lightweight and small, you can easily carry it and clean your steps immaculately. However, a handheld vacuum is practically useless on your floors so it can only be bought as an addition to an upright or canister, which is affordable given their low price range.

Corded vs. Cordless

Whether corded or cordless depends on personal preference but as far as convenience in cleaning is concerned, a cordless should be your choice. This is because a cordless vacuum is much easier to use on stairs without getting those cords in your way and without the need to re-plug your machine as you move up and down. However, a cordless has its own time constraints and Dyson DC16 Vacuum Cleaner Battery considerations so, make sure you look over these factors.

Attachments

The biggest build-up of dirt and debris on carpets is along the edges and in the corners. For that, you need a crevice tool for cleaning edges and corners.
Another useful attachment you should look for is a pet turbo brush. Pet brushes are not just useful for picking up debris but they also help to lift up stubborn dirt and debris from your carpets. Plus, if you have a furry friend, having a pet turbo brush is a must.

Brush roll on/off feature

Having the option to switch off brush roll is an extremely valuable one especially if you have non carpeted stairs as well. This means you can move from carpeted to hardwood steps safely by just switching off the brush roll without the need to change attachments.

Besides this, make sure you read customer reviews of the vacuum you are buying and find out how customers feel its usage on stairs. It can help you make the right decision and get the best vacuum for stairs for cleaning to perfection. We try to keep this website as up to date as possible and have therefore updated our comparison chart recently for the 2018 shopping year. Best of luck in your search!

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