10 Best Vacuums for Stairs

A big part of the Oreck Commercial BB900DGR XL Pro 5’s power comes from its solid motor which might only push 4 amps but is also rated at 780 watts. That said, this vacuum for stairs does not generate the best airflow due to an odd design with the attachment connection, requiring you to be directly on top of any mess.

The Oreck Commercial BB900DGR XL Pro 5 is also one of the few models on our list that does not include any feature to make carrying it around easier. Though, that may not be much of an issue as it is also one of the lightest vacuums for stairs on our list, tipping the scales at only 5 lbs.

All of that motor power also translates to suction power with the BISSELL BigGreen Commercial BGCOMP9H being the only model able to vacuum liquids at 98 ⅖” water lift. To complement that liquid suction, this vacuum also boasts a solid dry mess suction power too with an airflow of 106 CFM.

As if that were not enough, you will not have to spend as much time cleaning with the BISSELL BigGreen Commercial BGCOMP9H thanks to an 8 qt tank and a 12” cleaning path. That said, this is one of the only vacuums we looked at with a single cleaning system and is also much heavier than the competition.

Beyond its size and maneuverability, the Hoover Commercial Backpack Vacuum C2401 is also fairly powerful with a motor that can push 8 ½ A. This vacuum offers a somewhat unbalanced suction performance though as it can generate a solid airflow of 120 CFm but does not seem to perform as well on carpet.

That said, you do not have to worry about the volume of the Hoover Commercial Backpack Vacuum C2401 as you carry it since it only generates 60 dB of noise. Even better, this vacuum will keep your air just as clean as your floors with the inclusion of a Hypercone HEPA filter-- not to mention the large 11” cleaning path.

Still, the more surprising aspect of this vacuum for stairs is its power, especially when you consider that the motor only pushes 350 watts. With that motor, the HomeVac S11 Infinity is more than capable of generating a solid 120 Aw and an impressive 20 kpa to suck up any mess regardless of the size or surface.

On the other hand, this vacuum may be able to suck up the mess, but it will struggle to contain all of it as it only comes with a ⅔ qt tank capacity. Thankfully, the HomeVac S11 Infinity offers a 5-point washable filter system and is exceptionally quiet, generating only between 60 to 68 dB depending on the selected setting.

In terms of its raw suction, the Dyson V7 vacuum generates 100 AW which may not be the most we encountered but is generally solid all-around. Even better, this is one of the lightest vacuums for stairs on our list at only 5 ⅓ lbs, making it ideal for easy maneuverability on the narrow surfaces of stair faces.

That said, the Dyson V7 vacuum is a cordless model with many of the same flaws you tend to encounter, especially when it comes to the runtime which sits at a low 30 min. Still, you may not need to worry about that as much thanks to the 9 ⅘” cleaning path and a HEPA filter to keep your home’s air clean.

It is also worth noting that the BISSELL ICONpet Cordless avoids the shorter runtime commonly found with cordless models and can run for 50 min before needing a recharge-- though it will take a bit longer to recharge when it does need one. This vacuum for stairs was also not able to avoid the smaller tank capacity common with cordless stick models at only ⅖ qt.

Still, the BISSELL ICONpet Cordless keeps your home clean in other ways like with the Smart Seal Allergen System filter that is also washable. As if that were not enough, this vacuum is also a bit on the inexpensive side, though it might be a trade in design as it is louder than most, generating between 70 to 74 dB.

That said, this is one of the few corded vacuums that we encountered with a smaller tank capacity, only able to hold ½ qt. However, the corded design plays well when it comes to power as the motor can push 5 amps and 500 watts, making it one of the more powerful stick vacuums that we reviewed.

All of the motor’s power translates to suction power as the Eureka Flash NES510 can generate an impressive 15 kpa. It also does not hurt that this vacuum only weighs 6 ⅓ lbs and boasts a wide 11” cleaning path for quick and easy cleaning-- even if it is less versatile than some with only a 3-point cleaning system.

Eureka easyclean is another popular model but Eureka flash is a better option according to our review.

Unfortunately, when it comes to common cordless stick vacuum flaws, this model suffers from them all as it only runs for around 30 min before needing to be recharged. As if that were not bad enough, the Hoover ONEPWR Blade+ BH53310 has the smallest tank capacity on our list at only ⅓ qt.

On the other hand, this vacuum for stairs does a solid job cleaning, both your floors and the air thanks to the inclusion of a patented Dustvault filter system. Beyond that, the Hoover ONEPWR Blade+ BH53310 only produces 63 dB of noise, and its ONEPWR battery system transfers to other products in the lineup.

Still, the Dyson V11 Torque’s powerful motor also translates to solid suction power with 7 ¾ kpa thanks to its cyclonic suction system. As if that were not enough, this vacuum for stairs is reasonably lightweight at 6 ⅔ lbs while also keeping the air in your home clean with a HEPA filter.

Also, one of the more impressive qualities of the Dyson V11 Torque is its 60 min runtime which is one of the longest for a cordless model we came across-- though it also takes the longest to recharge. Of course, nothing is free, and this vacuum is on the expensive side, but you get a versatile 6-point cleaning system for that cost.

Specifically, this vacuum for stairs can generate 11 ½ kpa which is one of the best suction power ratings for a stick vacuum. Even better, the Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean IF251 avoids some of the other stick vacuum pitfalls with an 80 min runtime and a charge time of 3 ½ hrs-- fully within the market average.

Unfortunately, this vacuum cannot avoid all of the stick vacuum flaws as its tank holds the smallest capacity on our list at only ⅓ qt. Still, the Shark vacuum IONFlex 2X DuoClean IF251 is one of the few stick vacuums we found with a 5-point cleaning system, making it more versatile-- but that also increases its weight a bit to 8 ⅔ lbs.

Shark rocket is another popular model but it didnt make it to our top ten list.