LAST UPDATED: 18 Nov 2020
10 Best Vacuums for Shag Rugs & High Pile Carpets – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide


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This product guide is written by Paul Hardwick
Modern home use different types of rugs and carpets to spruce up the living spaces in their homes. The carpets are a nice touch and improve the coziness of a room by giving you a warm place to step on. Home owners who are no limited by imagination go for high end Shag rugs and High pile carpets. According to carpet court, these carpets ooze some aura of elegance and improve the aesthetics of a room. However, taking proper care of the shag rugs and high pile carpets can be hectic. The design of the material on the surface on a high pile carpet allows dirt and small particles to be trapped. The only way to get the dirt out is using a vacuum cleaner that can traverse through the carpet surface with ease. This article reviews some of the 10 best Vacuums for shag rugs and high pile carpets.
How can I know if my Carpet is a high pile carpet?
According to the hunker, carpets are categorized in three different classes with the only difference being the length of the fibers on the carpet surface. The three types of carpets you can buy are:
Low pile carpets – have short fibers on the surface, which don't usually exceed ¼ inches. Low pile carpets are usually placed on areas that witness heavy and frequent leg traffic. The entrance point of your home for instance is a perfect point where you can place a low pile carpet.
Medium pile Carpet – Medium pile carpets have surfaces with slightly longer fibers than low pile carpets. The fibers measure between ¼ inches and ½ inches in length. The longer fibers trap in more dirt and hinder seamless movement of vacuum cleaners across the surface. This means owners have a harder time cleaning medium pile carpets than they do when cleaning low pile carpets.
High pile carpets – high pile carpets are the most difficult to clean due to the long fibers extending to over ½ an inch. The fibers are also fluffy and soft, which causes vacuum cleaners to get stuck when moving through the surface. If you ow one of this, you need to clean it more frequently as guided by shark Clean, to prevent dust and small particles from accumulating in between the fibers. Not every ordinary vacuum cleaner has the capacity to rid the high pile carpet of dirt. We went ahead and tested some vacuums and some did well while other were just a great disappointment. The top 10 vacuums that impressed us are featured in the review section below.
Why Shags rugs and high pile carpets should be cleaned with special vacuum cleaners?
You should observe care when cleaning your high pile carpet and only use a vacuum for shag rugs that can move through the surface without getting caught up in the fibers. According to deluxe dry carpets, ordinary cleaners are not suited to vacuum on thick carpet. The long fibers can easily get entangled and then result in destroying both the carpet and the machine.
For tips about buying the best vacuum for high pile carpets check out the buyer's guide section in this article. You can find most of these on amazon.
About The Author


Welcome to Vacuum Picker!
My name is Paul Hardwick. I am passionate about all things vacuum. From very early on I was fascinated with them and after earning an engineering degree in electro-mechanical systems, I have been able to appreciate them even more. Here I will share with you my insights on the options available in the market & help you pick the best for all your vacuum needs! Read more.
10 Best Vacuums for Shag Rugs & High Pile Carpets
1
Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner
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This Vacuum cleaner features exceptional Sonic cleaning technology that vibrates at a high frequency of 200 vibrations per second. With this technology, the cleaner operates quietly and dislodges small sized dirt particles from soft carpets with up to 1 inch high fibers.
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2
Dirt Devil Endura Max Upright Bagless Vacuum
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This Amazing cleaner enables you to take the dirt out of your carpet using minimal effort and in an upright posture throughout. It comes with a rinseable filter, which allows you to maintain maximum filtering capability.
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3
Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean Cordless Ultra-Light Stick Vacuum
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The Shark ION Ultra allows you to vacuum with no boundaries, as it does not need plugging in to a power outlet. It comes with two battery packs that hold enough charge to power it for up to 80 minutes of uninterrupted cleaning.
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4
Kenmore Elite 81714 Pet Friendly Ultra Plush Lightweight Bagged Canister Vacuum
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The KenMore Elite is ideal for pet owners who have to deal with stubborn hairs from their little furry friends. It come with a separate attachment that snaps up lightweight hairs and dander from pets that other vacuums cannot pick up. The attachment is design to prevent entanglement of the hairs.
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5
Hoover Quiet Performance Bagged Canister Vacuum SH30050
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Cleaning with the Hoover brings a new experience for users who are used to noisy vacuums around the home. The forward slanting design allows easy steering and reaching into corners where dirt mainly collects. Turing is as easy as a simple flick of the wrist and pushing the light weight cleaner on a fluffy carpet can be done with minimal effort.
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6
Miele Complete C3 Marin Canister HEPA Canister Vacuum Cleaner
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The Miele C3 is the ultimate cleaning tool for home owners who share their living spaces with allergic persons or pets. The suction mechanism is powered by the Miele SEB-236 Powerhead that has amazing cleaning and carpet restoration capabilities.
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7
EUREKA NEU182A PowerSpeed Lightweight Bagless Upright Vacuum
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The Eureka Power speed Vacumm cleaner is designed for the entire household cleaning. The bottom has a unique cleaning design that combines a powerful motor and brush roll. The suction mechanism can suck up debris and the 12 inch wide nozzle allows you to clean with less passes.
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8
Ultra Light Weight Black & Decker BDASP103 Lightweight Upright Cleaner, Vacuum
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The Black and Decker Ultra lightweight vacuum cleaner is one of the most portable and easy to maneuver cleaners you can buy. Weighing only 8.8 pounds, you can enjoy pushing it or lifting the cleaner when you want to get dirt particles out of hard to reach corners.
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9
Dyson Ball Upright Vacuum Cleaner
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This vacuum cleaner is designed for thorough cleaning, which is enabled by the extra powerful suction mechanism powered by Radial Root Cyclone Technology. The vacuum sucks up more than just dust and dirt particles. It gets rid of microscopic elements etched deep within the fibers in a Shag rug.
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10
Hoover UH70120 T-Series WindTunnel Rewind Plus Upright Vacuum Cleaner
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Cleaning with the Hoover Vacuum cleaner brings a new experience to how you get rid of dirt around your home. The suction mechanism is powered by innovative WindTunnel technology, which shakes the dirt particles to remove them from deep within the carpet fibers. Weighing only 17 pounds, you can easily move this cleaner anywhere you want to clean.
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Vacuums for High Pile Carpets & Shag Rugs - Buying Guide
Buying Guide to follow when shopping for a Vacuum cleaner for Shag rugs and high pile Carpets


Each home is different and that is why you need tips to help you select the best vacuum for cleaning thick carpets. The floor types like hardwood floors don't matter as the carpet will be covering it. However, for smooth operation and run time, the floor needs to be flat.
There are some brands like bissell, oreck & dyson which have decent products but they did not make it to our top 10 list of recommended products.
We have listed some of the things you should consider when buying a plush carpet vacuum. The tips also work when you are buying a vacuum for frieze carpets or a vacuum for shag rugs.
The Type of Filters the Vacuum Uses
Check the type of filters supported by the vacuum since that is what determines the size of particles the vacuum can get rid of. Always look for cleaners that come with HEPA filters. According to science direct, HEPA filters tend to have higher filtration rate than the typical filters. One thing you must know upfront is that the vacuums that support HEPA filters don't come cheap. The filters themselves are also quite expensive and cannot be cleaned. They, however, will leave your high pile carpet looking spick and span.
Dirt collection and disposal
How the vacuum collects and manages the dirt sucked from your carpet is another important thing you must consider before selecting a good vacuum for thick carpets. Some come with bag attachments while other hold the dirt inside a dirt cup. A vacuum cleaner that supports collection bag attachments can hold more dirt and requires emptying less frequently. The bag can however cause you inconveniences when moving around the room you are cleaning. Vacuum that have dirt cups hold less dirt which means you have to empty them more frequently.
Some modern vacuums are designed with a hands free dirt disposal mechanism. This is where you press a button to eject the collected dirt. If you are sensitive to dust, you may consider such vacuums for cleaning your carpet as guided by very well health.
Suction Power
Strong suction of the vacuum is critical for high pile carpet cleaning. If the suction is weak, then dirt and smaller particles which are stuck inside the carpet cannot be removed effectively. Easy settings for airflow is key for a smooth vacuuming operation.
Warranty
Compare the warranties offered by the manufacturer of the vacuum. There are some brands which offer no warranty and some which offer very good deals.
Which type of Vacuum cleaner is good for you?
If you own a high pile carpet, you need to spend a lot of time cleaning it to prevent accumulation of dirt inside the fibers. Purchasing a vacuum cleaner you can easily use allows you to clean when keeping a comfortable body posture. The different types of vacs are listed below:
Cordless Vacuums
Cordless vacuums get power from rechargeable batteries and allow you to move around the room you are cleaning with no restrictions. You can only use the cordless vacuum when the battery has enough charge. A good tip if you decide to buy a cordless vacuum is to buy an extra battery so that you can swap the dead battery for a charged one without interfering with your carpet cleaning.
Corded Vacuums
These are vacuum machines that must be plugged in to a power source for them to work. According to the medium, the length of the power cord limits the area you can cover when using the corded vacuum. Choose a vacuum with a long cable to reduce the number of times you move the vacuum machine in one cleaning cycle.
Check out this video that shows the cordless vacuum in use around a home to know why many people prefer cordless vacuums over corded vacuum cleaners.
Extra things to look for when picking a Vacuum cleaner
Look out for Cleaners that come with attachments and extra accessories to help you achieve better cleaning on specific situations. For instance, a pet owner can benefit a lot from accessories that help to remove pet hairs from the carpet. Also, look out for accessories that help you reach into tight corners or high walls.
Also a note about robot vacuums. Even though they are very useful in vacuuming low and medium pile carpets but when it comes to high pile carpeting maintenance they fall short. They tend to get stuck and are unable to do a thorough cleanup.
Conclusion
Maintaining high pile carpets doesn't have to be a hustle. With the right tools, you can get the carpet cleaning job done right with minimal effort and spend less time. All the vacuums featured in the above section are good for your high pile carpet. However, your preferences may make you choose one over the other. In our opinion, the Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner is your best bet when cleaning and caring for your high pile carpet.
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