Growing up, the sound of the vacuum cleaner was the bane of my existence, as I’m sure many of you can relate. Back then, we didn’t have any machines that could both quietly and efficiently clean floors — you could only choose one or the other. But today you don’t have to choose: you can use one of the products from my list of the best quiet vacuum cleaners.
Still, when it comes to cleaning quietly, you’re pretty much limited to brooms and mops. However, while I do use those periodically when I’m feeling especially irritable around noise, they’re not really a great solution for all types of floors. Carpets, in particular, require a different approach.
Of course, we all appreciate vacuum cleaners enough. They’ve definitely revolutionized the way we go about cleaning our homes. But not all of the changes vacuum cleaners brought with them have been good. For example, increased noise levels are among the worst effects of using a vacuum cleaner.
What Makes a Good Quiet Vacuum Cleaner?
As always, before I review the best quiet vacuum cleaners I’ve found, I’m going to present some general shopping guidelines. Obviously, when shopping for a vacuum cleaner, quiet or otherwise, you’ll first need to see what types of products are on the market. However, for our purposes, it was more important to establish how loud the vacuum cleaner was, so let’s start there.
Low Level of Noise
As with many of the products I’ve reviewed, my primary goal is to find the quietest ones. When it comes to vacuum cleaners, there’s no such thing as a completely silent product. After all, the inner mechanism of the machine itself is loud from the get-go. Furthermore, vacuums only get louder if you’re not emptying the bags and maintaining them properly.
Still, we don’t have to put up with atrociously loud vacuums any more — only mildly inconvenient ones. Many regular vacuums produce upwards of 80 decibels of noise. For comparison, this is about the same level of noise some other appliances produce, namely dishwashers, garbage disposals, and blenders. Living with this type of noise for more than a few hours can cause serious damages to your ears.
On the other hand, the vacuums on my list can be so quiet as to produce 60 decibels of noise. That’s actually a quarter less than 80 decibels, so essentially as loud as a busy office. Most quiet vacuum manufacturers pride themselves on achieving these results and say so in their product descriptions. They often achieve these due to some type of sound insulation around the motor of the device.
Types of Vacuum Cleaners
Gone are the days when we all needed to lug around heavy canister vacuum cleaners. Well, if you want to, you still can. In fact, they’re much lighter than they used to be. However, there are other alternatives nowadays.
Other than the standard canister vacuums, there are also upright vacuums that many of you are familiar with. Generations of Americans have used them in some form or other. But, now, even this classic design has an upgrade, as newer standing vacuums are much lighter and slimmer than older ones. In fact, plenty of newer upright vacuum cleaners can also transform into handheld vacuums.
All of these use all sorts of dust bags or dirt bowls — in fact, some can even trap the dirt in water. The heads of different vacuums differ as well, which you’ll want to pay attention to if you want to vacuum underneath furniture, for example. Some even come with different heads and brushes, or with rotating brushes to pick up the dirt more easily. There are also various different power supplies, which we’ll go over shortly.
Finally, the latest craze in the world of vacuum cleaners is the robotic vacuum, popularized by the Roomba. In fact, the last item in my reviews is one of the quietest robotic vacuums on the market. However, most of the products I’ll be focusing on are canister and standing ones.
Power Supply
We’re all used to having to step around the yards of cables when we’re vacuuming. However, some vacuums, particularly standing ones, come with charging docks or removable batteries you can charge separately when you’re not using the device. On the one hand, these vacuums do allow for more freedom of movement. On the other — they generally can’t last for more than 40 minutes, at best.
So before you head to the store, virtual or otherwise, you should weigh the pros and cons of cordless vacuums. Think about whether your place is small enough to completely clean on a single change, and whether it’s too much of a hassle to stop vacuuming in order to charge your cleaner.
Maintenance
As I’ve mentioned, a big reason why many regular vacuums get louder over time is improper maintenance. That’s why you need to ensure that you can take care of your vacuum cleaner before you get one.
The most important thing about maintenance is, of course, tossing the dirt out. Most vacuums operate at maximum efficiency if you empty their dust bowls after every use. This creates space for more dirt to be suctioned into the vacuum.
Some vacuum cleaners come with reusable dust bags that you can empty out into the trash and return into the vacuum. However, others use paper dust bags that you toss along with their contents. These ones require you to buy new bags periodically.
Build
As with any gadget that’s supposed to last you a few years, you’ll want to pay special attention to the build of a vacuum. While checking out what the exterior of the vacuum is made of is certainly advisable, there is a more pressing matter. Naturally, I’m talking about the inside of the vacuum.
After all, the interior of the vacuum is where the soundproof insulation would be if the machine has one. It’s also where you’ll find the filters that take care of all that dirt your vacuum sucks into it.
These days, HEPA filters are the best thing your vacuum cleaner can have. These layered filters trap everything from dust bunnies to allergens in order to make your home the cleanest it can be. If you’re interested in learning more about HEPA filters, I also talked about them in my article on quiet air purifiers.
7 Best Quiet Vacuum Cleaners of 2021
Since many of you probably have a general idea as to the kind of vacuum you’d like to get, the following reviews are grouped according to product types. So I’ll start with the more traditional canister and upright devices, then move on to the more modern ones. Without further ado, let’s get into the reviews.
1. Miele Compact C2 Electro+ Canister Vacuum
This Miele canister vacuum is perfect for the traditionalists among us. It’s just a regular canister vacuum, except quieter. The device does have a silent motor as well as insulation, to make it even quieter. Additionally, the head, wand, and handle all lock together, providing an acoustic fit. While the vacuum is still audible, especially at maximum suction power, it’s much quieter than many other canister vacuums.
The canister even has a 6-speed dial on it, which even has a quiet setting. Aside from being extraordinarily quiet, this vacuum is also very compact, at 9 inches tall and 18 inches long. Furthermore, since the overall weight of this vacuum is 9 pounds, it’ll slide along with you easily.
There are handles on the canister and on top of the wand to make it easier to lift. Other than providing a comfortable grip, the wand handle also has an anti-static conductor inside.
Like many other canister vacuums, this one has a “parking space” for the floor head in the back of the canister. The inside of the vacuum is similarly impressive. It uses a HEPA filter as well as an AirClean filter bag, which you’ll need to replace every once in a while. Fortunately, there’s a bag replacement indicator on top of the canister.
There are several brushes that come with the vacuum, including a smaller and a normal floor brush, a dusting brush, an upholstery tool, and a crevice tool. The vacuum also has a gentle-start motor and thermal protection in place to prevent overheating.
Main Features:
- Compact canister vacuum
- Replaceable dust bags
- HEPA filter
- Silent motor and insulation
- 2 brushes + 3 tools
2. Electrolux EL4021A Silent Performer Bagless Canister Vacuum
If you still like the idea of having a canister vacuum cleaner but aren’t all that thrilled with having to purchase dust bags, you may want to check out this Electrolux bagless canister vacuum. Like all other products on my list, this one has a silent motor, as well as added modifications on the canister and nozzle to keep it quiet. It also has a power dial that affects the amount of noise the machine makes.
Like the previous product, this one also uses a HEPA filter. However, after the dust passes through it, it enters the dust cup inside of the canister. Having owned a similar product, I can tell you that you’ll want to empty the cup after every use to keep everything running smoothly. Fortunately, doing so is incredibly easy — just hold the cup over the trash and open the bottom.
This vacuum comes with two 11-inch wide brushes, one for hardwood floors and one for loosening dirt from carpets. In addition, it also has a 3-in-1 tool for crevices, upholstery, and dusting, which is stored in the handle.
Best of all, although I couldn’t find the exact measurements for this vacuum, it is, by all accounts, pretty compact. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll need to hunch over while vacuuming. In fact, I’ve seen more than one user review call it “tall people friendly” due to it having a long wand.
Main Features:
- Compact canister vacuum
- Bagless, washable dust cup
- HEPA filter
- Silent motor and insulation
- 2 brushes + 3-in-1 tool
3. Miele Dynamic U1 Powerline Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The first upright quiet vacuum on my list is another Miele product, the Dynamic U1 Powerline. This vacuum is the classic, bulky upright device we all know and love, but with some modern adjustments. Like all upright vacuums, this one consists of a brush head and a wand that ends with an ergonomic handle. There is a big shell going up the wand that holds the motor and the dust bags.
Like the previous Miele product I’ve reviewed, this one uses HEPA filters in combination with changeable dust bags. The filters are located in the brush head, and you only need to open the upright container to get to the bags. You can choose one of 4 settings by turning the dial on top of the container.
Despite this vacuum’s general bulkiness, it does bend and maneuver around furniture pretty well. In fact, there’s even an LED headlight on the main brush to help you see in low-light settings. Furthermore, even if you need to vacuum narrow spaces, there are several additional tools in the back of the vacuum. The upholstery nozzle, crevice nozzle, and the dusting brush go onto the smaller wand that connects to the main container with a smaller hose.
Main Features:
- Upright vacuum
- Replaceable dust bags
- HEPA filter
- LED headlight
- Main brush + 3 tools
4. Shark Rotator Professional Upright Corded Bagless Vacuum
The main difference between this upright vacuum and the previous one is that this one doesn’t use replaceable bags. It also appears to be a bit more compact and comes with a detachable canister you can lift to vacuum hard-to-reach places.
The main brush easily transitions between various surfaces, and it’s 12 inches wide – which is something to have in mind. After all, you’ll need to be able to maneuver around your own furniture, so knowing the dimensions of a vacuum helps. Like the previous upright vacuum I’ve mentioned, this one has LED headlights on the brush that light up whenever the vacuum is running.
Along with the main brush, there’s also a pet hair multi-tool and a duster crevice tool. You can detach the handle from the 46-inch vacuum and use it with the hose to vacuum high places. The vacuum weighs in at about 15 pounds, but there’s really no reason to lift it. As I’ve mentioned, the device has a LiftAway pod with a handle and its own wheels.
Also, like the previous products I’ve mentioned, this one also has a HEPA filter. You will need to clean the filters periodically, and you should ideally empty the dustbin after every use.
Main Features:
- An upright vacuum with a detachable canister
- Bagless, washable canister
- HEPA filter
- LED headlights
- Main brush + 2 tools
5. Tineco A10 Hero Cordless Stick Handheld Vacuum
The A10 Hero from Tineco is everything you need in a vacuum cleaner: lightweight, quiet, and cordless. Unlike the previous upright vacuums I’ve shown you, cordless vacuums consist of only a brush, a wand, and a handle. The dustbin and the motor are located in the handle.
That’s why most of these types of vacuums can turn into handheld devices by detaching the wand from the handle and attaching another brush directly to the handle. In fact, the vacuum also comes with a mini power brush, a 2-in-1 dusting brush, and a crevice tool. The purchase also includes a storehouse to place all of the parts of the vacuum.
Even as a full-size vacuum, the vacuum weighs under 3 pounds, so you’ll be able to lift it easily. Furthermore, since the vacuum is much slimmer than the previous upright vacuum cleaners, it should be able to slide under most furniture. It even has LED headlights, like the previous products I’ve reviewed.
The manufacturer states that this vacuum operates on ultra-quiet suction. From the 10.5-inch brush, the dirt travels through the wand to reach the dustbin near the handle. The bin is very easy to empty – just hold it over the trash and release the bottom. While you should ideally empty the bin after each use, the filtration system will ensure that there’s no leakage until you do.
This vacuum has a detachable battery pack and comes with a charger. However, despite the quick charging feature, and the fact that you can replace the batteries with new ones whenever you’d like, the fact remains that these vacuums only have about 25 minutes of runtime.
Main Features:
- Cordless upright vacuum
- Detachable battery
- Easy-to-empty dustbin
- LED headlights
- Main brush + 3 tools
6. Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum
The Dyson brand seems to be the real trendsetter in the world of cordless stick vacuums. In fact, their line of vacuums is specially engineered to be as quiet as possible, using dampening materials to encase the motor in the handle.
The Cyclone V10 Motorhead functions much like the previous product. Its motor and dustbin are both in the handle, and the wand is detachable, so the vacuum can convert into a handheld device. It also comes with a combination tool and a crevice tool.
Although these stick vacuums don’t have the room for a HEPA filter, both of the ones I’ve talked about seem to have powerful filters. According to the manufacturer, this vacuum has a sealed filtration system that traps almost all particles and expels clean air, which is essentially what a HEPA filter does as well.
Although this vacuum is a bit heavier than the previous one, at 5.5 pounds, it’s still very lightweight. It’s nearly 50 inches long and has a 10-inch brush that should fit under most pieces of furniture. There are 3 power modes, and the vacuum can run for about 20 minutes in the second one. However, you may get as much as 60 minutes of use at a lower setting and if you use a non-motorized tool.
Once you get the vacuum, you’ll need to charge it fully for 3.5 hours before using it. Moreover, you certainly can’t expect these last two vacuum cleaners to have a long battery life. Still, that’s the price you have to pay for such a lightweight, cordless experience.
Main Features:
- Cordless upright vacuum
- Dock charging
- 3 power modes
- Easy-to-empty dustbin
- Main brush + 2 tools
7. Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C, Quiet, Self-Charging Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
Consider this little robotic vacuum from Eufy a quiet and unobtrusive robopet. The BoostIQ RovoVac 30C is a disc-shaped circular vacuum cleaner that’s only 2.85 inches tall.
The device will only vacuum within the boundary strips you lay down for him, which come with the package. So there’s no chance of it vacuuming something important, like your kid’s favorite toy. It should also be able to avoid any other obstacles, such as pieces of furniture.
In addition, the vacuum automatically boosts suction when needed and can run for up to 100 minutes. When you run out of charge, you can just set it onto its charging base.
The RoboVac 30C uses a 3-point cleaning system to which you can attach brushes. In fact, there are 4 side brushes that come with the purchase. Aside from those, you’ll also get extra filters to replace the triple-filter system inside the robot when you need to. The dust collector is also easy to empty and about as large as the ones in the standing vacuums.
You can control this vacuum via the remote it comes with, via an app, or by using voice controls. Google Assistant and Amazon Echo are both compatible with this Wi-Fi enabled device. Inside the app, you’ll be able to receive notifications, find your robot if you’ve misplaced it, and even set up a cleaning schedule.
Main Features:
- Wi-Fi enabled robot vacuum
- Charging base
- Easy-to-empty dust collector
- Border and obstacle sensors
- 4 side brushes
The Benefits of Owning a Quiet Vacuum Cleaner
Though I’ve always been a firm believer in the benefits of having a quiet home, my preference for silent spaces isn’t all that unusual. In fact, studies have shown that most people tend to feel more irritable when surrounded by loud or constant noises.
Unfortunately, living in the present day requires us to be able to put up with a cacophony of sounds. The noise pollution has gotten so bad that it’s starting to have tangible negative effects on people everywhere. So why not take away at least a small part of that by making sure that our homes are free from these distractions?
Having a quiet space allows us to unwind and regroup after being bombarded by information coming from all sides. Aside from lowering stress levels and improving your memory and concentration, enjoying silence also promotes brain growth. Therefore, we ought to at least try to make our environment as quiet as possible, as I’ve been trying to do. After all, we’re surrounded by plenty of noise outside of our homes.
Inside my house, the loudest things tend to be appliances and gadgets. Sometimes, even a low-level sound can contribute to the overall volume of sound. The buzzing of an old fridge, the vibration of a washing machine, the ticking of a clock — these are all some of the regular noises most people learn to ignore. On top of those, some of the appliances we only use periodically are also insufferably loud: hair dryers, mixers, and blenders.
This is the category in which I’d place vacuum cleaners. However, some of them are better than others.
Quiet Vacuum Cleaners: Final Thoughts
Ultimately, why would you struggle to clean your home to the sound of a vacuum cleaner when you could be watching your favorite show or listening to music instead? After all, your choices of quiet vacuums are pretty much unlimited, as long as you know where to look.
If you’re a bit of a tech connoisseur, you can go for one of the newer models. I know how much I love having a new toy to play with, and the robotic vacuum looks like it could be fun for the whole family. Not to mention that you basically won’t have to vacuum anymore.
On the other hand, if you appreciate the classics, you can stick to the canister vacuums and upright corded ones. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Better still, these types of vacuums don’t require charging.
Whichever vacuum you decide to get, I hope that this article has shed some light on how you can make your cleaning routine a bit more manageable.
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