Best bagless upright vacuums

Top pick: Dyson Ball Animal 3. It's the one to buy if you want a bagless upright that just works — a sealed HEPA setup, a big bin you empty without touching dirt, and the pivoting ball that makes a heavy machine feel steerable on carpet and hard floors. It's the most proven all-rounder here.

Who the others suit:

• Shark Stratos — best for stubborn pet hair and mixed floors; the DuoClean head handles both without swapping.
• Shark Rotator Lift-Away NV501 — best if you need to clean stairs, sofas and under beds: the canister lifts off the base.
• Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus — best for a pet-heavy home on a tighter budget, with a long cord and a 5-year warranty.
• Hoover Rewind Pet — best simple, light-duty choice for a small flat.
• Eureka PowerSpeed — best cheap corded backup for hard floors and light carpet.

Skip the tiny budget models if you have thick carpet or shedding pets — suction and bin size are where they fall short.