Finding the Best Vacuum Cleaner for Cleaning Your Stairs in 2020

When it comes to vacuum cleaning challenges, few are as tedious or tricky as cleaning your stairs. Unlike nice, open spaces, stairways are generally narrow and steps are usually slim. Even though a good old power vac might be great for your main floors, the balancing act of moving along your staircase to clean can be more work than its worth. That’s why smart homeowners take care, when choosing the best vacuum, to get a vacuum that’s good for cleaning the stairs. Here are some reviews of the best vacuum cleaners to help you keep your stairs clean in 2018.

cleaning stairs with vacuum cleaner
With a proper vacuum cleaner, you will be able to clean your stairs effectively, this is especially important if they are carpeted.

1. Eureka RapidClean Step Handheld Corded Vacuum

Designed with the intention of keeping your stairs clean, this extremely affordable handheld vacuum cleaner is very powerful and can do just about any job. This is one of the only handheld vacuums that is made specifically for cleaning stairs. It can clean carpeted or bare floors with amazing cleaning performance, thanks to its 6-amp-motor. A handheld vacuum for stairs is the best choice for people who want an easy-to-carry vacuum for moving up and down the stairs, be it hardwood surfaces or any type of carpets. It comes with a crevice tool, hose and other attachments for cleaning, to accompany its superior powerful suction. Priced at just under $60, its real downside is that the dirt cup isn’t so easy to empty, especially for allergy sufferers and those with sensitivities.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

2. Eureka EasyClean Corded Handheld Vacuum

Another one by Eureka, this too is a small powerful hand vac that can tackle your stairs, upholstery, furniture and other hard to reach spaces in your home or vehicle. It’s actually just a newer model of the RapidClean, so it shares mostly the same features, but this one is a bit more lightweight and made for quick messes. Being corded with a 20 ft long cord, it gives you unlimited cleaning time and can be used for spot cleaning areas anywhere in your entire house. It isn’t as powerful or uniquely designed for hard floor stairs, as it’s more of a hand vac for hand vacuuming purposes, but at under $45, the EasyClean Vacuum 71B is not a bad deal.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

3. Shark Rocket Corded Hand Vac

When it comes to vacuuming stairs, people who want a lightweight, portable vac that does a great job at picking up pet hair should look no further than the Shark Rocket Corded Hand Vac HV292. This handheld corded vacuum is good for cleaning your stairs, above and below, whether they are hard floor or carpet. It comes with a motorized brush and is built to be used with a micro-vacuum attachment kit for getting into little nooks and hard to reach spaces and cracks. It uses a 400W motor and features great suction power, priced at around $100, but can vary from seller to seller, which is why you should check the price on Amazon.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

4. Shark Rocket TruePet

Ideal for people with back problems or issues bending down, the Shark Rocket TruePet HV322 is an ultra-lightweight model of bagless vacuum cleaner that will help you move up and down the stairs with ease. It’s an upright stick vac that provides the option of converting into a handheld for even better portability and ease of use, making it an excellent stair vacuum. It comes with Shark’s motorized brush for deep cleaning and a 30 foot long power cord for great range of movement. The design makes it easy to carry and move up or down a flight of stairs, and it can be used to clean your whole house as well as hard to reach places. Priced at nearly $200 where it’s available, this upright corded vacuum comes with all the attachments necessary: Dust-Away™ hard floor attachment, washable microfiber pad, crevice tool and more. Although, it doesn’t have a very roomy dust chamber.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

5. Shark Navigator Lift Away Professional Upright

Another one by Shark, this upright vacuum is the choice for someone who needs much more than the lightweight maneuverability and decent suction from a handheld vacuum. The Shark Navigator features its powerful cyclonic technology that give it the best suction power, a feature useful for making big cleaning jobs easier. Just like the Shark Rocket TruePet and other Shark upright vacuums, the Lift Away can turn into a handheld vac with its lift-away canister, making it one of the best vacuums for stairs as well as your entire house. This one even features a HEPA filter for removing allergens in the air, making it ideal for allergy sufferers and those with sensitivities. Its attachments include a turbo pet power brush, two crevice tools, a hard floor dust away attachment, microfiber pads, wand and a dusting brush. Priced at just under $200 on Amazon, this one is a great deal for people who want a professional clean.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

6. Dirt Devil 16V QuickFlip + SimpliStik

This vacuum cleaner bundle is one of the few that represents competition for the Shark 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner models that exist on the market. This bundle is actually two units, a super lightweight stick vacuum and a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner, but both are great for stairs. The cordless handheld is great for spot cleaning, while the stick model offers a bit more suction power, even though its power cord is only 16 feet long. The handheld uses a 16V lithium ion battery and the stick vac uses a 1.25 amp motor. It comes with a crevice tool, powered turbo tool and other attachments, so you can use it to clean your stairs and the rest of your house, too. The machine is the perfect vacuum cleaner for stairs because it’s so light and narrow. You can buy this as a bundle on Amazon for just over $65, or you can buy each unit separately.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

7. Dyson V8 Absolute

Another one on the list for 2-in-1 vacuum cleaners, Dyson has bested their own popular vac, the Dyson V6, with the new Dyson V8 Absolute. Powerful and versatile, this newer model comes with better battery life and strong suction. The cordless bagless vacuum cleaner is super lightweight, easy to maneuver and has great suction. Should you need even more suction power, the V8 features a max mode that gives you a boost of super suction power for deep cleaning and difficult spaces. Aside from the detachable handvac for customized cleaning, the Dyson V8 comes with many attachments and accessories, including a crevice tool, soft brush for electronics and a motorized tool that works best for pet har. It also has a soft roller cleaner head for hard floors and a direct drive cleaner head with bristles for carpet. Priced at just under $500, this is one of the most expensive on the list. However, this cord-free vacuum has a HEPA and washable filters, which makes it worth it for people who are concerned with allergens in the air.

Check Amazon Customer Reviews…

Honorable Mentions

While these seven vacuum cleaner models are the main ones listed here, there are an extra two more vacuums that should make list of the top ten best vacuum cleaners for stairs. Hopefully, this list can work as a guide to help you choose between the different vacuums, since there are a lot of them out there.

8. Hoover Platinum Collection Linx Cordless Pet Handheld Vacuum – Rated 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, this is an older handvac that is still popular for stairs today. Hoover’s newer model, the Hoover Air Cordless 20V Lithium Ion Bagless Hand Vacuum Cleaner takes its place on today’s market, at just under $90. It comes with all the brushes to clean carpeted stairs and any hard surface. Plus, the full collection is enough to remove debris from your entire house.

9. Miele Complete – Known for its luxury vacuums, Miele offers the Complete C2 or the Complete C3, which are both portable canister vacuum cleaners that are great for stairs and hard floors. The Miele Complete C2 has been popularly rated as a compact canister that easily fits your stairs and they use HEPA filters, which can make it an ideal buy for those often concerned with air quality. If you’re looking for the best of the best, Miele makes some of the best vacuums on the market. You can get them on Amazon for $400+.