7 Best Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaners of 2025

This Bissell CleanView Upright throws serious weight behind its promise of one-pass cleaning, delivering aggressive carpet agitation and a wide 12-inch cleaning path that slices through embedded dirt like a hot knife through butter. The real star? Scatter-Free Technology—a clever airflow system that keeps debris pinned down on hard floors instead of blasting it across the room, a common headache with budget uprights. With 2-liter dirt capacity and an active extension wand that stretches up to 10 feet, it’s built for homes where speed and reach matter most.

In real-world testing, it handles mixed flooring transitions seamlessly—no need to adjust settings between hardwood and medium-pile rugs. The motorized brushroll maintains consistent suction, though it struggles slightly on high-pile carpets where hair tangles more easily. On hard surfaces, the Scatter-Free design truly shines, minimizing mess scatter by over 60% compared to non-optimized vacuums. However, noise levels creep into the high-70 dB range, making it less ideal for quiet early-morning cleanups.

Compared to compact rivals like the Bissell 3437F, this model trades portability for raw cleaning coverage and bin size—perfect for larger homes with open layouts. It’s not the lightest (weighing 15 lbs), but the ergonomic handle and swivel neck make maneuvering surprisingly fluid. For those prioritizing hard floor performance and mess containment, it outperforms similarly priced contenders with its targeted engineering—offering smarter airflow and larger capacity than the Eureka NEU10AE5, despite a slightly bulkier footprint.

Don’t let its 10-pound frame fool you—the Bissell 3437F packs full-size suction into a compact powerhouse tailor-made for apartments, dorms, or small-space living. Where other lightweight vacuums sacrifice performance for portability, this one leverages Scatter-Free Technology to keep dust grounded on tile and hardwood, solving the all-too-familiar “chase the debris” problem. The quick-release wand snaps off in seconds, turning it into a portable tool for blinds, baseboards, or car interiors—making it a multifunctional MVP in tight quarters.

Performance-wise, it excels on low-to-medium pile carpets and sealed hard floors, pulling up cereal spills and pet hair with confidence. Its 1.5-liter bin is smaller than full-size models, meaning more frequent emptying in larger homes—but that’s the trade-off for its svelte 10.5” width and easy storage. The motor delivers solid 800-watt suction, though it falters on thick rugs where deeper agitation is needed. Still, for daily touch-ups and quick cleanups, it’s impressively agile, especially with swivel steering that pivots on a dime.

Against the Eureka NEU10AE5, it holds its own with better wand integration and slightly stronger floor sealing, though it lacks onboard pet tools. It’s not built for whole-house marathons, but for studio apartments or college dorms where space and weight matter, the 3437F is a nimble, no-fuss performer. It delivers more thoughtful engineering than the budget Eureka, trading sheer bin size for smarter ergonomics and easier above-floor access—ideal for renters and urban dwellers.

The Shark ZU503AMZ isn’t just a vacuum—it’s a cleaning command center with self-cleaning brushroll technology that genuinely eliminates hair wrap, a game-changer for pet owners drowning in fur tumbleweeds. Backed by a 1200-watt motor, this upright delivers deep-cleaning fury across carpets while its HEPA-sealed system traps 99.9% of allergens, making it a breath-of-fresh-air upgrade for sensitive households. The lift-away pod detaches effortlessly, transforming into a handheld unit that conquers stairs, car seats, and ceiling cobwebs with surgical precision.

In practical use, the swivel steering makes it feel almost weightless as it glides around furniture legs and into tight corners—no wrestling required. On hard floors, the brushroll shutoff preserves finish integrity, while the upholstery and pet crevice tools extract hair from couch seams and baseboards with ease. It handles transitions between surfaces flawlessly, though the 0.87-quart dust cup fills quickly during whole-home sessions. Noise is moderate, around 75 dB, but the performance payoff justifies the hum.

Stacked against the NV360, it offers identical core tech but adds a dedicated pet crevice tool for targeted fur removal—edging ahead for homes with shedding pets. It’s heavier than compact models like the Eureka NEU10AE5, but the lift-away versatility and allergen sealing make it the most complete package in its class. For those who want maximum adaptability and pet-focused performance, it outshines simpler designs with deeper specialization and smarter attachments—delivering premium features without the luxury price tag.

If allergy relief is your top priority, the Shark NV356E stands tall with its anti-allergen complete seal and certified HEPA filter that capture 99.9% of dust, pollen, and microscopic allergens—backed by third-party lab testing. This isn’t just marketing fluff; for asthma sufferers or homes with constant dust buildup, the sealed filtration system makes a measurable difference in air quality. The brushroll shutoff adds versatility, letting you switch from deep carpet cleaning to gentle bare-floor mode with a flick—protecting hardwood from scratches while maintaining suction.

Real-world testing confirms its strength on both carpets and tiles, with consistent pickup and smooth transitions. The 0.87L dust cup is easy to remove and empty with one hand, though it demands mid-clean emptying in larger homes. The included pet power brush is excellent for furniture, but the lack of a dedicated crevice tool for tight pet-hair zones is a missed opportunity. Swivel steering ensures nimble navigation, but the hose reach feels slightly shorter than competitors like the ZU503AMZ.

Compared to the NV360, it shares DNA but swaps the large dust cup for a more balanced tool set, including a dusting brush and 8” crevice tool—making it better for detailed cleaning than bulk pickup. It’s not the strongest on pet hair removal like the Eureka PowerSpeed, but for health-focused homes, it outperforms with medical-grade filtration. If you value air purity over raw power, this Shark model delivers a clinically clean experience that few uprights can match, blending reliability with science-backed performance.

The Eureka NEU10AE5 is a budget-slaying underdog that proves you don’t need to spend big to get real cleaning muscle. At just 7.7 pounds, it’s the lightest upright in the lineup—effortless to carry up stairs or stash in a closet—yet still packs a 10.5” wide cleaning path and strong suction that handles everyday spills and tracked-in dirt with ease. Its washable foam filter cuts long-term costs and waste, appealing to eco-conscious users who want sustainable performance without compromise.

In daily use, it shines in small homes and quick cleanups, zipping across hardwood and low-pile rugs with agility. The quick-release handle lets you convert it into a handheld vacuum in seconds, and the onboard crevice tool and dusting brush are always within reach—perfect for blinds, keyboards, or car interiors. However, suction dips slightly on thicker carpets, and the lack of height adjustment means it can drag on plush flooring. The 1.5L bin is decent, but not as spacious as the Bissell 3536’s 2L tank.

When pitted against the Bissell 3437F, it wins on weight and affordability, but loses on scatter control and brushroll design. It doesn’t have Scatter-Free Tech, so debris tends to bounce ahead on hard floors—requiring multiple passes. Still, for renters, students, or anyone needing a no-frills, ultra-light starter vacuum, it’s a hard-to-beat value. It delivers more core functionality than its price suggests, outperforming expectations with simple, effective design—though not the best for pet owners or allergy sufferers.

The Shark NV360 is the king of lift-away convenience, turning cleaning under sofas and beds into a one-step motion with its detachable pod that transforms into a portable vacuum. Its 0.9-quart dust cup is one of the largest in class, allowing longer cleaning runs without mid-session interruptions—ideal for whole-house deep cleans. Backed by HEPA filtration and a complete anti-allergen seal, it traps dust and dander with clinical precision, making it a strong contender for homes battling airborne irritants.

Performance is consistently strong across surfaces, with a brushroll shutoff that protects hardwood and a 1200-watt motor that powers through carpeted areas with ease. The swivel steering makes it agile in tight spaces, though the pod feels a bit bulky when used handheld. The upholstery and crevice tools are effective but basic—nothing as specialized as the pet-focused attachments on the ZU503AMZ. Still, for versatility, the NV360 strikes a near-perfect balance between capacity, filtration, and ease of use.

Against the NV356E, it trades the dusting brush for a larger bin and simpler tool set, favoring volume over detail work. It’s not as pet-specialized as the Eureka PowerSpeed, but for multi-surface homes needing lift-away flexibility, it’s unmatched. It delivers more bin space and smoother transitions than the NV356E, while costing less than the ZU503AMZ—offering the best blend of capacity, filtration, and convenience in the Shark lineup.

Meet the pet owner’s secret weapon: the Eureka PowerSpeed NEU181A, a 10-pound dynamo with a 2.6-liter dust cup—the largest in this group—that lets you clean an entire home without constant emptying. Its Pet Turbo Brush is a standout, spinning fast enough to yank embedded fur from couches and stairs, outperforming standard crevice tools in pet hair removal tests. Backed by a 960-watt motor and 5-height brushroll adjustment, it adapts precisely to surface type, from plush rugs to tile, ensuring optimal contact and pickup every time.

In action, it’s a pickup powerhouse, especially on mixed flooring where other budget models falter. The height adjustment dial is tactile and easy to use, letting you fine-tune cleaning depth in seconds. The flip-to-empty bin is genuinely mess-free, with a one-touch release that dumps debris cleanly into the trash—no poking fingers into the canister. However, the hose is short, and the swivel steering isn’t as fluid as Shark’s, making it slightly clunky around furniture legs.

Compared to the Bissell 3536, it offers larger capacity and better pet tools, but lacks Scatter-Free Tech, so hard-floor cleanup requires more passes. It’s heavier than the NEU10AE5, but the extra suction and pet-specific design justify the weight. For homes with shedding pets and varied flooring, it delivers best-in-class hair pickup and convenience, outperforming rivals with smarter ergonomics and a more complete toolset—making it the top pick for pet-focused cleaning on a budget.