The Spruce's Cleaning All-Stars

At The Spruce, we test over 10,000 products a year in our labs and our homes to make sure that the products we recommend really are the best of the best and worthy of a spot in your space. We think this hands-on experience is critical to helping you make the right decision. Since you can’t test drive 50 different vacuum cleaners before buying one, we do the work for you.

When you see the Spruce Approved seal of approval—like on the items below — that means that these products have undergone thorough, hands-on vetting to earn a spot on our list. So consider these 16 selections our best of the best for every surface—and for keeping your home looking great, longer.

Without further ado...

Floor Care

Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum

To buy: $340; amazon.com

This lightweight (yet mighty) vacuum sucked up everything we put in its path—whether dusty Cheerios or tough popcorn kernels—and mostly during its first pass. Effective on all surfaces and extraordinarily easy to maneuver, the stick vac also sports a 60-minute battery run time. A true MVP!

Featured In: The 13 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Miele Compact C1 Turbo Team Bagged Canister Vacuum

To buy: $579; amazon.com

Ridiculously quiet (per our tests), this canister vac is a good choice for both hard floors and carpeting, and a great choice for cleaning nooks and crannies.

Featured In: The 13 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Ecovacs Deebot N8 Pro+ Robot Vacuum and Mop Cleaner

To buy: $424; amazon.com

This multitasking robot mops and vacuums, gliding around your rooms and doing the work while you're away. We love that it knows the difference between carpet and hard flooring and adjusts accordingly. It's a high-tech machine that really works.

Featured In: The 7 Best Robot Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Hoover ONEPWR Cordless Handheld Vacuum

To buy: $83; amazon.com

Powerful suction helped this cordless wonder receive our highest marks. The ability to tackle inconvenient spots, such as your sofa's crevices, was a bonus.

Featured In: The 13 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

BLACK+DECKER 7-in-1 Steam Mop with Handheld Steamer

To buy: $149.99; amazon.com

We tested this machine on hard surface stains and soft surface spills, and found that it can clean just about anything thanks to its many attachments.

Featured In: The 8 Best Steam Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

BOSHENG Mop and Bucket with Wringer Set

To buy: $39.99; amazon.com

This compact mop and bucket cleaned up all the messes our test threw at it. The swivel connection between the handle and mophead was adept at navigating tight areas. The set includes three washable microfiber pads that can be used wet or dry.

Featured In: The 13 Best Mops of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Laundry & Air Care

Minky Homecare Multidry Airer

To buy: $70; homedepot.com

This clothes drying rack received top marks across the board. It holds a high weight capacity and folds up to less than 3 inches thick when not in use, so you can slide it next to your washing machine.

Featured In: The 8 Best Clothes-Drying Racks of 2023

Method Stain Remover

To buy: $17; amazon.com

Use this laundry cleaner on any tough laundry stains—including grease, blood, grass, oil, food, and makeup—for your best chance at removing the mess.

Featured In: The 12 Best Laundry Stain Removers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

True & Tidy Handheld Garment Steamer

To buy: $30; amazon.com

This sleek model marries portability with quality. Its impressive flow of steam was able to remove the majority of wrinkles with two or three passes in our tests.

Featured In: The 7 Best Clothes Steamers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag

To buy: $39 for 4; amazon.com

This odor-eliminating product uses activated carbon to get rid of smells caused by smoke, sweat, food, and pets. Place it anywhere you want to freshen the air.

Featured In: The 9 Best Odor Eliminators of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Kitchen

OXO Good Grips Aluminum Fold Flat Dish Rack

To buy: $43; amazon.com

Plenty of drying space in a compact size makes this dish rack a solid choice for small kitchens, and it folds flat for easy storage. The handsomely designed rack is easy to both use and clean.

Featured In: The 11 Best Dish Racks of 2023

Joseph Joseph Surface Sink Caddy

To buy: $20; amazon.com

A stainless-steel sink caddy looks great while creating optimal ventilation, allowing sponges and brushes to dry between uses. The sloped base helps drain excess water.

Featured In: The 9 Best Sink Caddies of 2023

Deep Cleaning & Stain Removal

OxiClean Carpet & Area Rug Stain Remover

To buy: $20 for 2; amazon.com

The power of oxygenation is the real deal. This carpet cleaner lifts stain and odors. We like it for high-traffic areas that will need regular attention.

Featured In: The 9 Best Carpet Stain Removers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Bissell SpotBot Pet Portable Deep Cleaner

To buy: $185; amazon.com

Stubborn stains can be a real nuisance, requiring vigorous scrubbing, re-treatment, and a lot of persistence. The Bissell SpotBot Pet is specifically designed to take out stains while minimizing your hands-on effort and elbow grease.

Featured In: The 8 Best Upholstery Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Oxy Stain Remover

To buy: $20; amazon.com

In our lab testing, this carpet spray removed dirt, urine, and pretreated wine stains in one application. It smells great too.

Featured In: The 9 Best Carpet Stain Removers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Poulan PRO Portable Power Steam Cleaner

To buy: $118; homedepot.com

Weighing in at just 6 pounds, this steamer comes with a carrying strap and lots of attachments, enabling you to clean hard-to-reach places like your oven or car. Our tester said the steamer worked "like a miracle" and her tile floors.

Featured In: The 8 Best Steam Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

About The Spruce Approved

Over the last five years, we've built a reputation for delivering expert-driven design inspiration and plant care guidance, step-by-step DIY instructions, and tried-and-true "What to Buy" recommendations. Our goal is to help you make an informed buying decision, so you'll know what you're getting before you click the buy button.

Every product we test is evaluated using comprehensive and repeatable testing methodologies established to pressure test a product’s functions and features. We grade products on how they measure up in essential factors you care about, such as comfort, usability, value, and design to help decide which one we believe will be a good fit for most households.

When a product stands up to our rigorous testing process, we'll recommend it to you with The Spruce Approved badge, a seal that we stand behind with confidence. When you see The Spruce Approved badge on a product, you can trust that it lives up to our high standards for quality, design, and value.

We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.