What is the Most POWERFUL Upright Vacuum Cleaner? Let’s Find Out!

Over the years, we’ve evaluated well over 100 upright vacuums in various ways, measuring key performance metrics such as suction power, airflow, and others. But we’ve never ranked upright vacuums based on power alone until now. Today, we’ll reveal the most powerful upright vacuums. The winners in this article won’t necessarily be our favorite uprights because there’s a lot more to a vacuum cleaner besides power. For our absolute favorite picks, check out the Vacuum Wars top 10 Upright Vacuums list.

The Criteria Behind Our Upright Vacuum Power Rankings

When it comes to measuring a vacuum’s power, three key areas matter, and our focus is on all of them. We’ll briefly explain what each one is, and combine the assessment results for an overall most powerful vacuum score.

Note: We’ve only included vacuums that are currently still sold by their manufacturers. Models that have been discontinued or are no longer available aren’t featured in this article. 

Sealed Suction

Sealed suction is typically measured in inches of water lift. This metric is most useful in above-floor cleaning applications, such as using tools for upholstery, stairs, or pet beds, where concentrated suction through a hose is critical. 

According to our evaluation results, the average vacuum’s sealed suction score is 80.3 inches of water lift. But the models with the highest sealed suction that we’ve evaluated all exceed that number. 

5^th and 4^th Place (tie): Shark Navigator Lift-away NV352 and Shark Rotator Pet Lift-away ADV — 89 Inches

The Shark Navigator Lift-away NV352 and the Shark Rotator Pet Lift-away ADV tied for fourth and fifth place with 89 inches of water lift, a very respectable score.

3^rd Place: Shark PowerDetect

Number three is the Shark Power Detect with 98 inches. 

2^nd Place: Shark Stratos

Runner-up at number two is the Shark Stratos, scoring 104 inches. 

1^st Place: Dyson Ball Animal 3

At number one is the Dyson Ball Animal 3 with 114 inches of water lift—the vacuum with the most sealed suction that we’ve ever evaluated.

Airflow

Airflow is usually measured in cubic feet per minute, and arguably one of the most essential metrics for real-world vacuum performance. According to our floorhead airflow evaluations, the average vacuum moves about 61 cubic feet of air per minute.

One interesting note is that some older-style vacuums, like Kirby’s or Sanitaire, use a direct air motor, which has a ton of airflow. But there’s a trade-off: They have very little suction power. For example, the Kirby Avalier 2 has one of the highest airflow scores, but one of the lowest suction scores.

So, which vacuums have the highest airflow?

5^th and 4^th Place (tie): Riccar R40 and Shark Power Detect — 76 CFM

Tied for fourth and fifth place at 76 CFM each are the Riccar R40 and the Shark Power Detect. 

3^rd Place: Kenmore Elite 31150

In third place with 83 CFM is the Kenmore Elite 31150.

2^nd Place: Kirby Avalier 2

Kirby Avalier 2 is in second place with 132 CFM.

1^st Place: Sanitaire Tradition

The highest airflow score goes to the Sanitaire Tradition with 155 CFM using its direct air motor.

Usable Suction

Usable suction (also referred to as unsealed suction) is a practical and revealing performance metric. It simulates how a vacuum actually performs in real-world scenarios where airflow escapes through the floorhead gates and seals. It’s unlike sealed suction, which measures raw motor strength under idealized, fully closed conditions. 

Our usable suction assessment evaluates both the motor’s power and the design efficiency of the vacuum’s floorhead.

The average upright vacuum measures about 0.45 kilopascals according to evaluation results. 

Here are the upright vacuums with the most unsealed suction scores.

5^th Place: Shark Rotator Pet Lift-away ADV — 0.62 kPa

The Shark Rotator Pet Lift-away ADV came in at fifth place with 0.62 kilopascals. 

4^th Place: Shark Power Detect — 0.64 Kpa

Fourth place is the Shark Power Detect at 0.64 kilopascals.

3^rd Place: Shark Stratos — 0.76 kPa

Third place is the Shark Stratos with 0.76 kilopascals.

2^nd Place: Sanitaire Tradition — 2.13 kPa

In second place is the Sanitaire Tradition with 2.13 kilopascals.

1^st Place: Dyson Ball Animal 3

The number one upright vacuum cleaner with the best usable suction is the Dyson Ball Animal 3, achieving a score of 2.94 kilopascals.

The #1 Most Powerful Upright Vacuum

When we combine all three power metrics, we can clearly see which one is the most powerful upright vacuum. 

5^th Place: Kenmore DU2012 — 38 Points

In fifth place is the Kenmore DU2012 Bagless with 38 points.

4^th Place: Kenmore Elite 31150 — 43 Points

Fourth place goes to the Kenmore Elite 31150 with 43 points.

3^rd Place: Shark PowerDetect — 44 Points

Third place is the Shark PowerDetect at 44 points.

2^nd Place: Shark Stratos — 38 Points

And the runner-up in second place is the Shark Stratos with 45 points.

1^st Place: Dyson Ball Animal 3 — 58 Points

The vacuum that claims the #1 spot after combining all metrics is the Dyson Ball Animal 3 with 58 points. It’s the most powerful upright vacuum by far.

Remember that these vacuums are ranked by pure power alone. If you want the very best all-around choice, see our Top 10 Upright Vacuums based on thorough independent and non-sponsored evaluations focused on cleaning performance and key features.