Are you allergic to dust and pet hair? Let us help you find the best vacuum for allergies so you don’t end up with itchy eyes and a runny nose every day. When it comes to vacuum cleaners, there’s a lot of debate going around regarding different types. Are cordless vacuums better than corded ones? Should you go for bagless or not? Is an upright the right model, or should you opt for a canister type?
All these questions, however, seem trivial for people who suffer allergic reactions to various types of allergens, including dust, pet hair, and pollen. The real question is: what’s the best vacuum for allergies?
Well, this article going to reveal the best vacuum cleaner for those who suffer from allergy or asthma including the popular upright, canister, and stick vacuum models. But before we look forward, it’s good to know the selection criteria if you want to get a great vacuum.
Best Vacuum for Allergies Reviews
With these factors in mind, you can skim a lot of vacuum cleaner reviews and see how well a particular model scores on all these points. Who cares if it’s cute? You need something that’ll keep your nose from running come allergy season!
So to hurry the process of picking one for your needs, we’ve compiled several top models that can really keep you healthy and your home clean of various allergens. We also made sure that they all come in different price ranges.
W broke down the vacuum for asthma and allergy sufferers into three main categories:
Best Upright Vacuums for Allergies (Category 1)
1. Shark Navigator Professional Lift-Away Upright Vacuum (NV360)
This is a top contender for the best vacuum for allergies. This Shark Navigator Pro NV360 provides you with convenient, portable, and comfortable cleaning that ensures your carpet and bare floor areas are completely free of dust. It is an upright vacuum that can clean properly pet hair, deep carpet cleaning, upholstery, and rugs.
In case you haven’t yet picked up yet from the name, it uses a HEPA filter with Anti-allergen Complete Seal Technology. Its dust trap system is very effective (up to 99.9% of dust and other potential allergens are trapped inside the vacuum).
The Lift-Away capability is a feature that you can simply carry a lightweight canister in one hand using the handle and clean areas which are difficult to reach such as the stairs, and corners. And also using the hose with the other hand. This feature increases the top rank of this vacuum cleaner among its competitors.
To find an excellent vacuum cleaner, most of them will worry about weak suction power. In this stage, The Shark Navigator Pro is an excellent performer to clean dust from the floor, carpet, upholstery, or furniture. This never loses suction technology making it a top-level vacuum cleaner.
The swivel steering capability provides ease to cleaning especially under the furniture and around obstacles. This is added with a 25-foot power cord for your convenience.
This vacuum has some important attachments like a pet power brush, crevice tool, dusting tool, and under-appliance wand attachment. When you are using this canister vac, these tools get attached to the hose and you can easily clean including above floors and hard-to-reach places.
PROS:
- Lightweight and affordable vacuum for allergies
- 2-in-1 Lift-away upright with a detachable canister makes it a portable cleaner.
- Anti-allergen HEPA seal technology
- Great for pet hair, under furniture, and hard-to-reach places
- Swivel steering for easier maneuvering
- Extra large capacity dust cup, easy-to-empty dust cup.
CONS:
- No retractable cord.
- The attachments cannot store in the vacuum itself.
- The debris canister is not large so you may need to empty it often.
Click Here to Get the Shark Navigator NV360 Upright Vacuum Now.
2. Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away Upright Vacuum (NV501)
When it comes to getting rid of allergens, the Shark Rotator Pro NV501 is absolutely ruthless. It really loaded up on the tech to make sure that you won’t suffer from asthma and allergies from the dust you clean off.
Its filtration system is uber-sophisticated. It has a HEPA filter, plus a separate Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology. While the standard HEPA filter eliminates 99.97% of allergens, this system improves upon that standard, by removing more than 99.99% of the allergens.
When you’re done, you’ll even smell the difference as the air smells so much cleaner than before. Also, the swivel steering with LED headlights makes your cleaning tasks even easier, especially under the furniture.
The suction is very powerful, and it’s a portable upright vacuum. It’s actually a 2-in-1 design, as it can work as an upright, as a lift-away pod, and as a canister vacuum. The dirt canister is large, so you don’t have to empty it every few minutes.
Emptying it is very easy and mess-free. Just stand it over your waste can press a button, and then everything falls into the waste can with minimal dust level. This comes with a lot of different attachments, so it seems like you have the attachment for any situation. It’s also very durable.
PROS:
- Powerful and easy to use, ability to trap even a small object on the floor
- Lightweight and quiet vacuum, suitable for multi-surfaces
- HEPA filter with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology
- An XL-capacity dirt cup, easy push button to empty
- Long hose/wand and front headlights to ease the cleaning process
- Convert to portable vacuum pretty easy
CONS:
- No switch on the handle
- The outlook is not attractive and the durability of the plastic parts is questionable
Click Here to Get this Shark Rotator Upright Vacuum NV501 Now.
Best Canister Vacuums for Allergies (Category 2)
3. Kenmore 81614 Pet-Friendly Pop-N-Go Canister Vacuum
This is a compact vacuum that can be versatile enough for rugs, carpets, and bare floors. The HEPA filter can effectively capture almost all the dander and pollens. The vacuum dust bag is also HEPA-certified which adds another layer of filtration.
This vacuum has average weight, but its cleaning ability is heavy duty whether for are floors or for carpets. This is because it has a dual-motor system that can generate great suction power for your cleaning needs.
With the telescoping wand, the length of the hose, and the light weight of the unit, reaching the ceiling won’t be a problem so you can get rid of any cobwebs there. It’s very effective for pet hair and dander too, with its “Motorized Pet Hair brush”.
It has various attachments like a bare floor nozzle, crevice tool, and dusting brush and you can just detach and attach these at the press of a button. For more info, you can watch the video below:
Click Here for More Info on Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum.
Best Stick Vacuums for Allergies (Category 3)
4. Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
If you are looking for a cordless, lightweight vacuum that can perfectly clean your home for allergy sufferers? The Dyson V8 Animal Cordless is a vacuum that picks up dirt and pet hair from your carpets and hard floors. It is so lightweight that cleans easy dirt under furniture and other hard-to-reach areas.
As with all Dyson cordless vacuums, this 2-in-1 vacuum model quickly and easily converts to a handheld for quick clean-ups, dealing with spots effectively and cleaning hard-to-reach areas. You can use it on your sofa, pet beds, and mattress to quickly clean.
Dust and dirt particles may remain deep inside your carpet without you realizing how dirty your carpet is. Luckily this vacuum comes with a powerful motorized cleaner head that cleans all floor types. It delivers 150% more brush bar power than Dyson V6.
The lightweight and powerful cleaner is efficient in cleaning the overall home from floor to ceiling. It is ergonomically designed with an easy grip for cleaning both hard floors and soft surfaces. Plus it has several attachments like a crevice tool, mini motorized tool, and dusting brush.
PROS:
- Strong suction-excellent for carpets and hard floors
- HEPA filtration – Ensure fresher air, better for allergies and asthma people
- Lightweight and portable to any hard-to-reach areas
- The brush roll easy to change and clean different surface
- Up to 40 minutes run time at normal mode
- Convertible to a handheld vac for cleaning stairs and sofas
- Easy to empty bin (hygienic dirt ejector)
CONS:
- The battery takes relatively up to 60 minutes to get charged
- The price is quite expensive but it’s a quality and powerful gadget
Check the Prices of the Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum at Amazon.com
5. VonHaus 2-in-1 Corded Lightweight Stick Vacuum Cleaner
This is a super lightweight, cheap 2-in-1 stick and hand vacuum. Imagine you can get it for about $30 from some of the online stores. So, you really cannot expect too much and it’s also unfair that this cleaner is compared with the other traditional vacuums.
It’s a bagless machine and comes with a washable HEPA filtration system. The 5.5 Amp suction power is enough for average cleaning. Since it’s a 2-in-1 gadget, you can use it to clean various floors like carpets, and hard floors including stairs, furniture, and car.
While the great power, cheap price, and portability are the winning points for this cleaner. Some users complain that it will scratch the hardwood flooring. Also, the overall materials used to produce the vacuum seem to be cheap, so longevity is still a question!
Factors to Keep in Mind
For those who tend to experience allergic reactions often, a proper vacuum cleaner is a godsend. It doesn’t just make the home cleaner. It makes it healthier by far. Dust is a very common trigger for asthma and allergies, so you need a vacuum cleaner that can really take away all that dust you may inhale.
And if you have pets, these vacuums are even more crucial for the hair they shed. So if you’re looking for the best vacuum for allergies, here are some features you need to see:
1. Effective Filtration
Usually, you need to see the 4-letter word that’s dear to the hearts of everyone who regularly suffers from allergic reactions: HEPA. This stands for “High Efficiency Particulate Air”. They all refer to the same thing: a mechanical filter that can trap 99.97% of dust particles that measure 0.3 microns in diameter.
To put that size in perspective, the diameter of a human hair ranges from 50 to 150 microns. That means these filters trap particles that are 166 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair!
2. Minimal Emissions
Some vacuum cleaners aren’t exactly marvels of efficient design. They collect dust, and then somehow they discharge the dust back into the air. That makes it even worse for you and for your allergies. What you need is a vacuum that minimizes these emissions. This usually happens when the vacuum still uses a carpet brush when you switch to bare floors.
3. Maximum Dust Collection
Vacuums don’t have the same capacity to collect dust, as the superior ones can really suck in more dust than others. A superior model can collect 2 cups of dust in a large home, while an inferior model can collect just a single cup of dust.
4. Ease of Use
If you’re already sniffling and your eyes are itchy, you don’t want a vacuum that’s hard to use. “Ease of use” is somewhat of a catchall phrase, because it involves a lot of factors. This includes the weight of the vacuum, the width of the suction opening, the length of the cord, and many other factors.
5. Price
Since we’re all practical people, we need a vacuum that actually fits our budget. Some of us are allergic to exorbitant prices too!
Final Verdict
There are some effective ways of clearing the air in your home when you’re prone to allergies. You forbid smoking indoors, you don’t use a lot of wood fires and candles, and if possible you have exhaust fans in your bath, kitchen, and laundry areas.
What you don’t do is use the best vacuum cleaner that won’t collect dust and allergens properly. Some people even use vacuums that spew out a lot of the dust and debris it collects! Instead, you need to use proper vacuums that offer the proper filter and dust collection system. Find which of these recommended models is the best vacuum for allergies, and hopefully, you don’t end up with itchy eyes, a runny nose, or maybe something even worse!
Compare to other vacuums for the same activities, if you want an all-rounder machine that cleans up floors, stairs, furniture, pet hair, upholstery, etc. the Shark Navigator Professional Lift-Away NV360 is the perfect choice for you. Consider overall cleaning performance, price, and easy maintenance capacity to make this vacuum an excellent cleaning tool for a home.