Cleaning - there's no escaping it unless you're happy to live in an ever-increasing amount of grime. Personally, we'd rather not, which is where a good, reliable vacuum cleaner comes in. You might have to scrub surfaces and wipe down showers, but for most flooring, it'll do the job of clearing dust and dirt to get your home clean in a jiffy.

We've compiled a list of specifically cordless options elsewhere, but if you're looking for exclusively upright models, and we've got another list right here, bringing together some of the very best upright vacuums on the market.

Our pick of the best upright vacuum cleaners to buy today

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Dyson Ball Animal 2+

Superb suction

Dyson might not be making uprights anymore, but its older models still hold up superbly.

For

  • Great design
  • So manoeuvrable
  • Amazing cleaning

Against

  • Pricey
  • Hard to find

Dyson has long been the most premium and impressive name in vacuums - its prices are matched by its drive to innovate, and this was very much obvious when it started using ball-shaped navigation units in its upright vacuums some years ago. The Ball Animal 2+ is a super-powerful unit that will power through your vacuuming chores.

It's also getting slightly harder to find, as Dyson has moved away from uprights toward handheld models, but if it's in stock this is still a great, reliable model. It's got that distinctive Dyson look, and the huge suction to match it.

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Vax AirLift Steerable Advance

A brilliant alternative

Vax's upright is modular so that you can use it however you need to.

For

  • Lift-out design
  • Easy to use
  • Good suction

Against

  • A bit chunky

If you're not looking to spend quite so much, Vax has a really excellent alternative to offer up in the form of the AirLift Steerable Advance, which comes with the added bonus of being a lift-out model, letting you detach the main suction unit to carry it around in case you have any hard-to-reach areas to vacuum.

A range of attachments means that it's a great package for cleaning a home with varied surfaces and areas, and perfect for a family that might occasionally make real grimy messes.

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Bosch BCH6PETGB

Sleek and simple

This is a really simple vacuum, but it'll impress with its power and suction, which is what matters.

For

  • Really sleek
  • Easy to store
  • So light

Against

  • Quite expensive

Cordless operation with a 60-minute battery life elevates this Bosch vacuum, which is priced pretty extravagantly but brings excellent suction and cleaning to the table, regardless of what type of surface you use it on.

It's also super light and easy to use and move with, which is key when you're cleaning, and it's a doddle both to remove the bin for emptying and the front brush to make sure it's not clogged.

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Shark NZ801UKT

Great for pet-owners

With great power and lift-away functionality, Shark's made a winner here.

For

  • Smart anti-hair tech
  • Cleans well
  • Lift-out design

Against

  • Bulky for storage

Shark has a whole heap of vacuums to choose from, but this cordless model is one of its most powerful and features a lift-away design similar to the Vax model up above. That makes it really easy to use for different jobs, while keeping the core functionality of an upright.

Suction is impressive, and it has Shark's hair-resistant technology on its brush to make sure that you're not having to constantly clean out tangles of hair, which is perfect for pet owners or those with multiple long-haired people in the home.

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Gtech Mk2 AirRam Cordless

Simple and powerful

Gtech has a range of great household products, and the Mk2 AirRam is right up there with the best.

Samsung Powerstick Jet

Amazon

For

  • Funky design
  • Goes really flat
  • Smart dustbin

Against

  • Slightly un-maneuvrable

British tech company Gtech rounds out our list with the Mk2 AirRam, a fairly aggressive name for a really nice product. There are some really nice touches in its design, including its ability to nearly flatten out to get under furniture.

It's also got a really smart feature on its dustbin letting you slide all the detritus out without having to tap or bash it against the bin, and is completely cordless, with its battery offering up around 40 minutes of cleaning time.

How to choose an upright vacuum cleaner

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you figure out which vacuum might be best for your home.

Do you need a wire-free model?

The old-school way to clean with a vacuum involved navigating around your home with a lengthy wire, plugging it in and out as needed and making sure you don't run over it too much, but battery-powered models have rendered that way pretty obsolete.

That said, some of the most powerful vacuums on the market are still powered using a cable, and this can often save you some money, too, so if you don't mind a wire you can certainly opt for an older model.

Do you want to clean under furniture?

A variable between models of upright vacuums is how flat they can get, to allow access under furniture like sofas and beds. Some of them can get really low and go far under these units, while others are too chunky and don't really allow for it. So, if you know you'll need to vacuum under a sofa every week, that's something to bear in mind and check out measurements for.

Will this be your only vacuum?

Similarly, some upright vacuums let you detach a part to carry around for smaller cleaning jobs or to access raised surfaces like the corners of ceilings where cobwebs can gather. This is really handy if you only have one vacuum, but if you also have a handheld model for other jobs it might not factor into your decision too much.