prime day

Prime Day Is National Buy a Vacuum Day

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer

In this article

October Prime Day is here. To find the best deals in every category, follow all of our Prime Day coverage.

Amazon Prime Day is a really good time to buy a vacuum. A lot of our favorite models are on sale, and if you’re eyeing a big-ticket item — like a Dyson V15 Detect, described by cleaning consultant Jon Gibbons as the “pinnacle of what a cordless vacuum should be” — they’re cheaper than you’ll find them all year, outside of Black Friday. (Come back on Black Friday — we’ll be watching to see if it’s on sale then, too.) It’s also a great opportunity to buy specialized cleaning tools that might feel like an unnecessary expense full-price but are very worth it on sale, like a stain-busting portable carpet cleaner that’s a Strategist best seller (on sale for $82) or Marie Kondo’s favorite air purifier.

To help navigate a sprawling sales day, I’ve gone through a mammoth spreadsheet of deals to find the best value on the vacuums and cleaning tools we trust, most of which Strategist staffers have tested ourselves and use in our own homes. Today is the second and final day to shop these sales. Most items are still in stock, but if you see something you like, act fast — the best deals often sell out before the sale officially ends at midnight tonight. And for more Amazon Prime Day deals, check out our October Prime Day hub — I especially love senior writer Liza Corsillo’s roundup of the best October Prime Day toy deals (holiday shopping season has begun!) and fashion writer Ambar Pardilla’s list of the best clothing deals.

The Deals I Personally Think Are the Best

A real-deal combination robot vacuum and mop, a Dyson at Facebook Marketplace prices, and everyone’s favorite portable carpet cleaner.

Corded vacuums

The Shark Navigator Lift-Away is a great fits-anyone vacuum. It’s lightweight, versatile, easy to maneuver into nooks and crannies, and has a detachable pod for cleaning stairs or other narrow spaces.

An expert-recommended vacuum designed to suck up pet hair, now 26 percent off.

The Shark Vertex Ultra has a clever design that allows the stick to bend, making it easier to navigate under couches and chairs.

And here’s a much less expensive canister vacuum from Bissell. “If you’re looking for a vacuum that packs a punch and is under $100, this is a go-to,” says cleaning expert Sarah McAllister. “All of my staff carry them.”

Cordless vacuums

$150

This Shark model is one of our favorite cordless vacuums. Features include an XL dust cup and an anti-allergen seal, useful if you’re dealing with environmental allergies.

You seldom see Dysons this cheap without going on Facebook Marketplace. The V8 and V15 are previous models of the brand’s cordless stick vacuum, and are still incredibly powerful and well-engineered. (The Dyson V15 vacuum was our best-in-class pick before it was dethroned by the newer Gen5detect.)

$250

The Shark Stratos was “neck and neck” with more expensive Dyson models in testing — and today, it’s on sale for about a third of the price.

One of our favorite (cordless!) vacuums for pet hair at the best price we’ve seen all year.

Upholstery cleaners and wet/dry vacuums

The Bissell Little Green is one of our favorite tools for cleaning up stains on carpets and upholstered furniture. It’s always on sale on Prime Day, and it’s always a good deal.

A cleverly automated carpet cleaner (push forward to wash, pull backward to suck up the cleaning solution) for more than $100 off.

A great deal on the steam cleaner I use myself — it works on tile, metal, upholstery, and more. (Just avoid using it on hardwood floors.)

$300
Photo: Retailer

The best wet/dry vacuum and mop from our testing by a mile.

A less-expensive option that does the job ably (and has a steamer function).

A portable mini shop vac with “unparalleled” power, according to our reviewer.

Robot vacuums

iRobot Roomba j7+
$359
$359

The Roomba j7+ is our best-in-class robot vacuum. It’s “the first robot vacuum that I trusted to clean my floors,” writes Strategist tech writer and floor-care obsessive Jordan McMahon.

Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S Max
$130
$130

A great price for our favorite less-expensive robot vacuum.

$1,000

It’s a splurge, but this is the best deal I’ve ever seen for the Roborock Qrevo by about $100. It’s McMahon’s favorite combo mop and vacuum for its speed and effectiveness: “In just under two hours, it did two full vacuum and mop runs of my entire three-bedroom home, and my floors were spotless,” he writes.

Handheld vacuums

A compact, USB-rechargeable vacuum for any tiny corner where crumbs may be hiding.

Get rid of hard water on glass shower doors with this German vacuum squeegee. (Former Strategist writer Chris Mandle’s entire family owns one.)

Air purifiers

Coway’s ultrareliable air purifier often goes on sale on Prime Day. It’s a game-changer if you have environmental allergies.

A good deal on our favorite less expensive, small but powerful air purifier.

Blue 211i Max Air Purifier
$243
$243

A version of Marie Kondo’s air purifier is on sale for 46 percent off. “What I like about it is not just its filtering capability but how the design integrates into our home and life,” she says.

$300

Airdoctor’s purifiers are “absolute powerhouses,” according to our experts. Its smallest model, the AD2000, is on sale for $90 off today.

The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Prime Day Is National Buy a Vacuum Day