9 Best Vacuum For Stairs UK 2024 - An Expert Buyer's Guide (2024)

Once again the Appliance hunter has gone out in search of the best of the best, this time finding all the Best Vacuum Cleaners For Stairs.

It wasn’t easy but I managed.

And I took the time to update this article in 2024 making sure it’s up-to-date with all the latest and greatest stair vacuum cleaners.

I’ve put together a buying guide for all the different things you’ll want to look at, then reviewed the best of the best at the end. I’ve grouped them into different categories so you can find exactly what you need.

Or, have a look below and check out the best choices.

Top 5 Best Vacuum Cleaners For Stairs

• Top Choice – Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner [IZ300UK] with Anti Hair Wrap
• Best handheld for stairs and pet hair – Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lithium Ion Cordless Hand Vacuum
• Best Upright Vacuum for stairs – Shark Upright Vacuum Cleaner [NZ690UK] Powered Lift-Away with Anti Hair Wrap Technology
• Best Budget handheld Choice – Vax Gator Cordless Handheld Vacuum
• Best Stick Vacuum For stairs – Morphy Richards 2-in-1 Cordless Supervac

1. Top Choice – Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner [IZ300UK] With Anti Hair Wrap

I love this vacuum, yes that’s right I love a vacuum because it’s got the feature I’ve always dreamed of, an anti-hair wrap brush head.

This means it doesn’t get tangled in long hair that you have to awkwardly try and cut off while the vacuums on the side pour dust everywhere. You can just pick it up and go time and time again only having to stop and empty it.

It’s also got Shark’s Duo Clean which is a soft brush to pick up dust off of hard floors and a beater brush to bash dust and pet hair out of carpets. Alongside Shark’s latest innovation of PowerFins which beat up even more dirt out of carpets as you move around your house for maximum cleaning power.

It’s still not as powerful as the Shark upright vacuum below but it is a close second in terms of power and because it’s cordless it’s much easier to vacuum more regularly.

You can also bring it onto the furniture by changing it down to its handheld mode and using either the smaller brush head that comes with it or the main head for powerful suction and a deep clean of stairs.

The only problem is that the canister you empty sometimes gets wrapped with hair and you have to stick your hand in and pull it out. Not the end of the world but it makes emptying a little more of a messy job.

Finally, it’s got flexology technology which means it bends in half which you can use to easily get under furniture or, and this is the bit I like, you can fold it in half and it stores upright. Wall mounts are great but I prefer just being able to stand my vacuum in a corner.

This is my top choice of cordless vacuum and my best ever pick of all the vacuum cleaners, you couldn’t ask for better out of a vacuum cleaner.

2. Best Handheld for Stairs and Pet Hair – Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lithium Ion Cordless Hand Vacuum

This is the most powerful handheld vacuum cleaner for stairs, it’s got a motorized brush roll that spins to beat dust dirt and pet hair out of the carpet for a more efficient clean.

It’s also got a strong suction but that comes at the price of it being a little heavier and the run time is only 15 minutes. Long enough for your stairs but it’s on the shorter side.

The crevice tool works to get right into the corners of the stairs and makes cleaning furniture easier too.

It’s on the expensive side for a handheld vacuum cleaner but it’s cheaper than a new vacuum if your current vacuum is good but not good enough for stairs.

And if you have pets you’ll be surprised at how handy this is and how much hair it picks up from unsuspecting places. In and around radiators, down the sides of cabinets, off furniture.

The filters are two-stage to make them longer lasting and easier to clean which is something you’ll want to do fairly often if you have pets.

Overall, it’s perfect for stair cleaning, you couldn’t ask for a more effective handheld vacuum.

3. Best Upright Vacuum for Stairs – Shark Upright Vacuum Cleaner [NZ690UK] Powered Lift-Away with Anti Hair Wrap Technology

This has the same great features the cordless model above does, you have the anti-hair wrap for easy vacuuming and the DuoClean head for carpets and hard floors.

What makes it different?

Well, it’s corded for one, so you have to plug it in and out and it’s heavier which you feel as you push it around. Not as heavy as previous models but heavier than the cordless version above.

But!

It has a more powerful suction because it has more space for the motor. So if you need an extra deep clean this is the way to go, but if you want to clean more frequently then go for the cordless above.

It’s also got a lift-away body which is still corded but makes cleaning the stairs easier, the hose comes out and you can just hold the body which is a lot lighter. This gives it some more versatility and makes it ideal for a whole house.

What’s fantastic about this though is that they’ve increased the cleaning power by 25% since the last model and somehow made it lighter! I’m not sure what wizardry they did to make that happen but I’m glad it did.

You can get this one with or without the pet attachment head (the UKT model includes the pet head). If you want a deep clean of your stairs and around furniture then get the pet attachment otherwise it’s probably not worth it.

Overall, a great choice if you want a deeper clean once or twice a week instead of a daily or every few days quick clean up.

4. Best Budget Handheld Choice – Vax Gator Cordless Hand Vac

The biggest design flaw in this is that it takes 12 hours to charge and you get 15 minutes of run time. Not a great return.

But that’s only if you run it flat, if you run it for a couple of minutes at a time it’ll last a week and you can charge it on the weekends. Or if you only use it for a couple of minutes you can charge it for a few hours and it’ll be back to full. It has a charging light on it that’ll keep you right.

But if you just need quick spot cleaning it’s ideal, it can tackle the stairs in just a few minutes and you just press a button and the top pops off and you can empty it. It opens like a ‘gator’s mouth, hence the name.

This one’s good for the diversity, you can use it all over the house to get into little nooks and crannies and you can use it for your car as well.

It’s got a good enough suction so if you have hard floor stairs or thin carpet then it’s ideal but shaggy carpets will cause it more problems.

Overall, a great cordless vacuum for stairs and other small cleaning tasks, nice and light and easy to empty, one of the best handheld vacuums for sure.

5. Best Stick Vacuum For stairs – Morphy Richards 2-in-1 Cordless Supervac

35 minutes of run time is great, it has two power settings so that’s on the lower setting, and on the more powerful setting, it’ll be closer to 25 or 20 minutes. Then charge time is about 5 hours which is quite good.

The handheld vacuum just slots out which you can use for the stairs, though it’s not as practical as the shark above it’ll still get your stairs clean! And the fact it’s cordless makes it ideal for quick clean-ups.

It’s not great to keep anything with batteries on charge so it’s best to charge it then turn the charger off and charge it for each use.

If you only used it for a couple of minutes no big deal, you can use it a couple of times, but if you have a full vacuum of the house stick it back on charge for about 5 hours and then take it off charge and leave it till you need it next. That’ll keep the battery working properly.

The real problem is that the canister for collecting dust is really small, so you’ll probably need to empty it after every use. It’s nice and small and super easy to empty but if you get a bit lazy or forget to empty it then the suction is going to suffer.

Overall, it’s a really popular vacuum, great for stairs but changing the canister after each use is a pain to be aware of.

What Type Of Vacuum Is Best For Cleaning Stairs

What you don’t want if you have to vacuum the stairs is a big heavy upright vacuum cleaner, they’re just too bulky.

You want either a nice lightweight stick vacuum, if you want to do more than just the stairs or a handheld vacuum.

Handheld Vacuums For Stairs

Handheld vacuums are great for cleaning stairs because you can get right into the corners. Plus, you can use them on the sofa and they’re handy to spot-clean with.

Pros of a Handheld Vacuum for Stairs

• Lightweight
• Easy To Manoeuvre.
• Can Clean Sofas, curtains and other hard-to-clean surfaces

Cons of a Handheld Vacuum For Stairs

• Can’t vacuum the whole house
• Small Canister for Dust Collection

Stick Vacuum For Stairs

Stick vacuums are much lighter than bulky uprights and they tend to have more cleaning power than their handheld counterparts.

Pros Of A Stick Vacuum For Stairs

• More Powerful Suction
• Can Vacuum More of Your House
• Bigger Canister

Cons Of A Stick Vacuum for Stairs

• Not as manoeuvrable

The verdict?

The best vacuum for Stairs is a 2 in 1, stick vacuum that doubles as a handheld

And you’ll be pleased to hear such a thing does exist! The Shark True Pet does just that, keep reading to read the review and find out where you can buy yours.

Corded vs Cordless Vacuum For Stairs

Which one is better is entirely up to you. Cordless vacuums need charging which some people don’t like.

Meanwhile, Corded vacuums, of course, need a plug near the stairs which is a pain for some but to others not so much so it’s what you need.

The other pain is, of course, having to charge your vacuum after every use, charging can take up to 12 hours and if you don’t charge it, it stops working and you have to wait till it’s charged to use it.

Other Things To Consider

Just a couple of other things you might want to consider when you’re buying a vacuum cleaner for your stairs.

Canister Size

This is how much you’re going to need to empty it.

If you just use it for the stairs, no big deal, but if you’re using it for your whole house and the stairs then you’re going to need a bigger canister.

How Long Is The Power Cord

I touched on this a bit but just wanted to say, I’ll include this where possible further on in the reviews. Most modern vacuums have a nice long cord so this isn’t much of an issue anymore.

Do You Have Pets?

If you have pets you’re going to need a more powerful suction. Dog hair and cat hair just get everywhere and can be a real pain to try and vacuum up.

Now it doesn’t necessarily have to be a vacuum specifically designed for pet hair (though that is great) but check for some sort of description that says “powerful suction”, or just check out the appliance hunter’s recommendation further down. I’ve hunted hard and only settled for the best.

Does It Have A HEPA Filter

Hepa Filters are great additions to any vacuum cleaner, they purify the air while you vacuum.

Any air that gets sucked through then has 99.9% of allergens and bacteria removed. Great if you have pets because it will save anyone who visits who might have allergies.

F.A.Q on The Best Vacuum Cleaner For Stairs

What about canister vacuums with a long nozzle?

Canister vacuums are great for cleaning and they can be used for the stairs if they’re split level, so halfway up you can put it on the middle landing.

But if you have a straight set of stairs they struggle to get to the middle and top half of the stairs. I have an article coming soon on the best Canister Vacuum Cleaners so stand by for that.

Which is the best vacuum for hard-floor stairs?

Any of the ones recommended above are great for hard floors. You don’t need as much suction for wood and tile as you do for carpet so any of the above will be great.

But if it’s a hard floor on the stairs just consider sweeping the dust down the stairs and then vacuuming it up at the bottom. A lot easier than lugging any vacuum up and down the stairs.

Hoover or vacuum?

I always say “do the hoovering” rather than the vacuuming but Hoover is a brand so I’ve tried to stick to the proper lingo to avoid confusion, apologies if I haven’t though!

Other Vacuums For Stairs Reviewed

Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-light Vacuum

This vacuum cleaner will make short work of your stairs and likely clean the rest of your house too!

It’s a stick vacuum but can change into a smaller handheld vacuum which makes the stairs a lot easier to deal with. And the smaller handheld is just as powerful as the full size. I’ve got a picture below so you can see what I mean.

It’s got a pet-specific head so that you can clean up hair nicely and easily but this means it’s got great suction for hard floors and carpets too.

The main problem this vacuum has is that it’s quite top-heavy, so although it’s lightweight you carry the weight higher up so it can get a little tiring on the wrist if you’re vacuuming for a long time. Not a problem for most but it may cause more problems for the elderly or anyone with wrist problems.

Another great plus is that it has a bracket so you can mount it on the walls when you’re not using it. It doesn’t lean very well so you can’t just prop it up while you’re using it but the bracket makes storage a lot easier. And it means it can’t get lost under piles of stuff so you can get to it when you need it.

Overall, easily the best vacuum for dealing with stairs. Cleans on carpet, hard floors and can deal with pet hair plus it can do the rest of the house too.

AEG Rapid Clean Stair Vacuum

The AEG AG71a might not have the sexiest name, but vacuuming isn’t a sexy job (usually) besides, it does a damn good job.

It’s corded and has a really powerful motor to keep the suction up and it’ll make short work of the stairs. It’s also got an extendable nozzle which comes out about an arm’s length so you can get right into the corners.

The nozzle is designed as a “stubborn brush” so it agitates the carpet fibres loosening off any dirt and providing a much deeper clean.

The cable is 6 meters long so it’ll be more than enough to make its way around the stairs. It’s also got a HEPA filter in it which helps keep the air fresh, ideal for vacuuming somewhere that comes into contact with feet so much!

The canister is quite small, but because it’s only a handheld that’s not as big a deal, you won’t need to empty it each time and just if it looks full, empty it!

A superb small canister vacuum and a great stair tool.

Pifco Stairmaster handheld

This is sold as a lightweight handheld vacuum but it’s one of the heavier on the list. It’s not super heavy, it’s only 2.9 kg but not ideal for anyone elderly or anyone with weak wrists.

It does come with a shoulder strap though so you can take some of the weight off but it’s quite thin and not the most comfortable.

But, it has a double motor so it has a really powerful suction built into it which is awesome.

The extra suction and the Hepa filter make it ideal for pet hair. Great for getting in and about the sofa or any upholstery as well.

The canister isn’t the biggest but you’ll be able to use it a few times between empties, and it’s really easy to empty.

Overall, a great choice if you have pets and need to clean hair off the stairs, a really powerful motor and roller brush.

Dyson V6 Cordless Vac

You can’t talk about pet hair without mentioning Dyson! The Dyson V6 has great suction, the shortest charge time of all the cordless vacuum and it can change into a regular handheld vacuum for stairs.

It has a wall mount where you can charge it and put it away nicely and easily. I don’t recommend keeping it on charge for fire safety reasons but a lot of people on Amazon keep theirs on charge without incident.

It’s nice and lightweight so you can do the stairs without the hassle and the suction is really powerful so it can deal with pet hair easily.

It’s a Dyson! You just can’t go wrong.

Overall, Easily the best vacuum cleaner for stairs and pet hair.

Conclusion

Whether you want a full vacuum for your home and stairs or you want a stairs-only vacuum I hope this article was helpful. There are of course other great choices like Holife or Black+Decker but I’m happy with my choices here.

Related Reading

Best Shark Vacuum Cleaners

Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaners

Best Pet Hair Vacuums

Best Cheap Vacuum Cleaners