Quietest Vacuums of 2024
These strong performers run at a relatively low volume
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
After testing more than 250 vacuums in our labs, CR found especially quiet models across each type.
Some of the vacuums in our tests, however, produce quite a racket, especially when running at full power.
In CR’s vacuum lab, we measure sound with a decibel meter at ear level with a vacuum set to deep-clean at its maximum power setting. Noise at typical vacuum decibel levels, around 70 decibels, isn’t enough to damage your hearing, especially because you probably won’t be running your vacuum cleaner for longer than an hour or so at a time. Nevertheless, a loud vacuum can be annoying, particularly if someone’s trying to watch TV or take a nap nearby.
Quietest Upright Vacuums
Upright vacuums clean carpets quickly and thoroughly. Generally, they’re not as good as canister vacuums when it comes to bare floors. Here are two of the quietest uprights that deliver solid performance in our tests all-around.
Quietest Canister Vacuums
Canister vacuums are a good choice if you have stairs in your home because you can hold the hose in one hand and the body of the vacuum in the other. Canister vacs typically offer powerful suction, which means they excel when you’re using tools. Here are two of the quietest canister vacuums with strong scores overall.
Quietest Stick Vacuums
Stick vacuums tend to be quieter, and their relatively compact size makes them a great option if you have limited storage space. But a stick vac might not be the appliance you want for deep cleaning. Here are two of the quietest stick vacs that also perform well in our tests overall.
Quietest Robotic Vacuums
Most robotic vacuums work relatively quietly in our test labs but don’t always pick up everything in early passes around the room. One advantage of a robovac is that you can program it to run when nobody is home, in which case noise might not be a concern. If you do want to run it while you’re home, here are two of the quietest robovacs from our tests with strong performance overall.
Quietest Handheld Vacuums
Handheld vacuums are useful for light, quick surface cleaning, especially in hard-to-reach spots. Many are easy to handle and versatile, ready to help you clean your car as well as spot-clean around your home, but they lack the power and capacity of full-sized vacuums. Here are two of the quietest handheld vacs in our tests with strong performance marks in other key areas.
BEST TIME TO BUY:
