Best 11 US-made vacuum cleaners that you should know about

Need reliability? Everybody knows American made vacuum cleaners are among the best. Many of my clients are giving extra consideration to the “Made in USA” label. They want to purchase products made here, in the United States.

It’s about time to look for vacuum cleaners that were created in our own country. I’m going to compile today a list with 11 of the best vacuum cleaners produced by 11 different national companies. Moreover, I’m going to update this list every time something cooler appears.

Top 11 vacuum cleaners made in the US

Here’s a synthesized table for those who want to skip all the explaining and act fast.

Looks	Product	Spotted Price	Type	Weight	Dust capacity	Filters	Warranty	Last updated
	Kirby Avalir 2	$1,195.00	Upright	23 lbs	2 gallons	HEPA	3 years	2021-07-09
	Rainbow SRX Cleaning System	$1,489.00	Canister	19 lbs	0.625 gallons	HEPA	4 years	2020-08-06
	Sanitaire EON Allergen	$399.99	Upright	17 lbs	1.0 gallons	HEPA	2 years	2021-07-04
	Simplicity S65 Cordless Multi-Use	Price not available	Cordless stick	5.5 lbs	0.1 gallons	HEPA	1 year	2022-09-04
	Hoover Commercial HushTone	$329.00	Upright	19 lbs	1.12 gallons	HEPA	2 years	2021-07-05
	MetroVac Air Force Express	$299.99	Canister	8 lbs	0.5 gallons	Standard	2 years	2022-09-04
	Oreck Elevate Conquer	$398.97	Upright	10 lbs	1.0 gallons	HEPA	3 years	2021-06-22
	Shop-Vac Eagle Eye	Price not available	Canister	20 lbs	12 gallons	High Efficiency	1 year	2021-07-04
	Maytag M1200	$800	Upright	21.6 lbs	1.2 gallons	HEPA	5 years	2020-03-10
	Aerus Lux Commercial	$700	Upright	15.8 lbs	0.62 gallons	HEPA	1 year	2020-03-10
	Riccar Tandem Air Premium Pet	$1500	Upright	22.5 lbs	1.1 gallons	HEPA	8 years	2020-03-10

Make sure you scroll the table to see all the information inside. Let’s move on with some background.

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Purchasing vacuum cleaners made by foreign companies

The basic idea behind the motivation of buying a product made by a US company is simple: to be sure that money will stay in our country. On a macro scale, this can improve our current economy, and we need that to have a better way of living.

A lot of US vacuum cleaner manufacturers work hard to produce the best possible products, but most of us have strong reasons why we choose to purchase from outside companies:

• Their products are cheaper – You know what they always say: you always get what you pay for. There is a good reason why the products produced in China are cheap. Most of the time, the materials used have lower quality, and the assembled products are not always guaranteed to be reliable. Yes, our workforce is way more expensive, but this translates only to a fraction of the total cost.
• Our products take a longer time to be available – This is because the products that are produced in the US have to go through a ton of certification procedures, not to mention the testing phases which ensure the product will work effectively. Products that do not work well don’t get certified and can’t be sold in the United States.
• Their employees need their jobs – If you are concerned about their jobs, you also have to take into consideration the jobs that your fellow Americans may need.

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Purchasing vacuum cleaners made by national companies

As opposed to the things mentioned above, here are some of the reasons why you should purchase from US manufacturers (or at least companies that assemble here in the US):

• Highly trained workers – You can be sure that our workers are more competent and deliver much better results (on average).
• Constant Supervision – All of the items that are being made are scrutinized and supervised to ensure that people will be happy with the quality of the purchased products. You can see that by comparing those manufacturers who had to recall thousands of products vs. those who never had to recall anything.
• World-Class – People from other parts of the world buy American made products because they can be sure these are made with the finest quality materials and with skilled workers.
• Fairly reasonable prices – not all American made vacuum cleaners are expensive. Some of them have the same price range as those made outside of the US.

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US companies and the history of vacuum cleaners

Vacuum cleaners are considered important because of their use around home and office. Americans realized that there could be better ways to clean, aside from using the broom all the time, back in 1860, when Daniel Hess filed the first patent for a vacuum cleaner device. Hess described through the details on the patent that is meant to be a machine that will suck out items from the floor, and this, of course, includes dirt and other possible germs and bacteria.

The very first vacuum cleaner is highly different from the vacuum cleaner that people use right now. First and foremost, nobody bought it. There is no report that it was sold to anyone. After the first appearance, more patents were submitted, and other earlier models emerged. These were intended to be sold, but not a lot of people were interested in purchasing such an unusual product.

Herbert Cecil Booth was the first one who actually made it work. Based on sound design, he created a business out of selling vacuum cleaners. These units were not really meant for home use, but rather for commercial buildings. Herbert was even hired to clean certain places, establishing the fist commercial cleaning services.

From those times till today, it is trivial that a lot of breakthroughs happened and tons of improvements have been implemented. The working principle, however, remains the same.

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The top explained

As you’ve seen, we made history! And the following 11 vacuums are continuing the story:

Kirby Avalir 2

Kirby Avalir 2

It seems that the Kirby company has managed to outlast a lot of its competitors since it first came out. Kirby gives utmost importance to quality. This type of quality, meant to last from generation to generation, is usually not seen in most of today’s appliances. The reputation of this company is already well established. The company is always on the lookout for new trends that will help improve the products that they are selling. Their last but one product, the Sentria 2, is a good cleaning system. Avalir 2 is even better. Besides the color change, the handle is now half-empty, reducing the total weight of the vacuum. Avalir also comes with an updated shampoo system that can be used on all types of hard floors, from wood and tiles to vinyl and marble (not to mention carpets and rugs). Using this hard floor kit, you can either gently mop sensitive surfaces or scrub uneven grout if needed. The newer model also has a brand new attachment, which I find useful: the zip brush. This accessory can be used to vacuum upholstery and other hard to reach carpeted areas. Check it out on the producer’s site. If you want to get it from door-to-door salesmen, make sure you read my negotiation guide from the Sentria 2 article (if you want to get a lower price). Otherwise, visit this great offer, which I’m not even sure you can get offline.

Rainbow SRX Cleaning System

Rainbow SRX

Rainbow has been around for more than 75 years. If reputation is what you are looking for, you can be sure you’ve found it. The vacuuming experience is always great with products made by this company. This system is proudly American-made, although it has managed to get commercialized in other parts of the globe. The Rainbow novelty: water filtration. Based on this technology, the newest Rainbow SRX managed to get certified by Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (it’s asthma and allergy-friendly), by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) as a home appliance that reduces air pollutants and by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) for all tests (soil removal, dust containment, and carpet appearance). The latest Hurricane motor delivers a great performance and is economical, both in terms of consumption and maintenance. Read what others have to say about this engineering marvel.

Sanitaire EON Allergen

Sanitaire EON Allergen

While Sanitaire may be highly focused on making commercial vacuum cleaners, which makes this company remarkable is their products’ availability to domestic households. Sanitaire has a large line of different uprights so that you can choose among many praised models. I hesitated a lot before picking the EON Allergen as their best up to this date. It comes with a sealed HEPA media which blocks over 99% of airborne particles less than 0.3 microns. This unit features an impressive bag capacity of more than 6 quarts. The bag can be installed easily, thanks to a dual zipper system. Unlike some of Sanitaire’s older models, the brushroll has replaceable bristle strips, a great new concept on the market. Another thing that I love about this vacuum cleaner is its power cord. Not only it has an awesome length of 40 ft., it but also can be quickly changed among plugs, thanks to another new system called (surprisingly) Quick Change. If you’ve read this far, I’ll give you 3 more numbers to play with: 67, 105, 13. The 67 is, again, surprisingly, the number of decibels measured near the (turned on) unit. This means the EON Allergen is quiet enough to make it on my low noise list. 105 is the CFM. Although the power consumption is low, the suction is great. So great it can cover the whole 13″ nozzle width. You can get this baby at a discounted price, which is worth it, IMO. Last but not least, this vacuum is certified by CRI and is “Leadership in Energy and Environment Design” (LEED) compliant.

Simplicity S65 Cordless Multi-Use

Simplicity S65 Cordless Multi-Use

The main mission of the Tacony company (owner of Riccar and Simplicity) is to “save” people from really bad vacuum cleaners, according to their online motto. Being made by a single entity, Riccar and Simplicity have almost the same models, commercialized, however under different names. As you probably know by now, you can buy vacuums manufactured by these brands only from ‘Mom & Pop’ stores (or other accredited retailers).

With Simplicity S65 Cordless Multi-Use, they’ve pretty much succeeded in confirming their market position. By choosing the Tandem Air Premium Pet from Riccar, I couldn’t settle for anything less than the S65 model from Simplicity. The same light motor technology is used to animate the appliance. The S65 weighs only 3.22 lbs for that matter. An S-class HEPA Plus filter handles the exhaust air. The dimensions and weight, warranty length, height adjustment, filter indicator lights, and the set of accessories are very similar to those seen in other premium cordless vacuums such as Tineco or Dyson. The bad part is autonomy, which is between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on which power setting you are cleaning. I would expect a little more sustained marketing efforts from Tacony in the near future.

Hoover Commercial HushTone Hard-Bagged upright

Hoover Commercial HushTone

Made in Cookeville, TN, this great looking commercial upright from Hoover impresses from the first sight. However the avant-garde its design is, its specs are even more interesting. This unit has a very good suction power, which can be adjusted on 2 levels. The sound produced is under 70 dB, which is wonderful for most residential setups. The nozzle can be adjusted in height on 4 levels. The bag stores as much as 1.1 gallons of dirt and debris.

The HushTone comes with a large washable HEPA filter, which really diminishes the operating costs. It weighs about 18 lbs. and has a vacuuming width of either 13 or 15 inches, depending on the model you buy. The power cord is relatively long, measuring 40 ft. The handle is ergonomic, made for extended usage periods. The most expensive unit features a lifetime warranted belt called IntelliBelt. Speaking of the warranty, you get a 2-year limited one with this Hoover.

Moreover, it’s CRI certified so you know you won’t face any issues when vacuuming carpets. The price is also good, especially on an offer such as this. At least you don’t need to break the bank to get a model that is meant to be used intensively. Overall, this is one of my favorite USA-made vacuum cleaners.

MetroVac Air Force Express

MetroVac Air Force Express

While Metropolitan Vacuum may be considered newer as compared to other companies, no one can deny they’ve managed to increase their reputation steadily over the past years. In other words, they’ve come a long way. The company is very grateful to its customers, as they say, their success has stemmed from the support that was given to them by the American people. IMO MetroVac started to think about more appealing concepts in recent years. The well-known canisters are being redesigned.

Today, one of my favorite MetroVacs is the full-sized canister under the line titled “Air Force Express”, model AF-EXPRESS-25. This canister has a “quadruple” HEPA, meaning it filters a little bit better than a standard HEPA. The 11.25 amp 4.0 Peak HP twin fan motor is really powerful, delivering 130 CFM. The hose is 7 ft. long and the 2 stainless steel wands measure another 40″. The product box contains 3 useful attachments: the combo floor/rug tool, the crevice tool, and the dust brush. Although it weighs about 8 lbs., it has 4 rubber wheels that enhance its maneuverability. MetroVac offers 5 years of limited warranty for this product. To get you started, here’s a good price.

Oreck Elevate Conquer

Oreck Elevate Conquer

Oreck actually started out with one man’s vision, which was to ensure that cleaning will be made easier. It was David Oreck’s idea to create something new in commercial cleaning. The company thrived over the past decades,  becoming one of the most reputable vacuum cleaner producers established in the United States. However, not all of their products are made here. Most of their recent lines (the Magnesium i.e.) are made in China, following the relatively recent sale to TTI. In the US, they retained only assembly lines for the Elevate, Forever and Edge lines. Some of the parts are still produced overseas, but that’s the case of many other reputed producers.

Thus, I’m going to pick the Oreck Elevate Conquer as my favorite American made vacuum cleaner from Oreck. Elevate is a new line of uprights and cordless vacuums, one which just hit the market. I’d stay Oreck will stick with this line for at least a decade. The Conquer is, at the moment, their top of the line. This unit features a high-speed brushroll, the new SaniSeal SUPERIOR filtration system, and quality materials that add up to make a product less than 10 lbs. The suction can be divided by the 2-speed power switch. This CRI certified vacuum has a 35 ft. power cord. So far, so good, but what’s impressive about this vacuum cleaner? The fact that it has a 7-year warranty, with 7 free tune-ups. Yes, for the second time, you’ve read that right. See what customers have to say about it.

Shop-Vac Eagle Eye

Shop-Vac Eagle Eye

Probably one of the most renowned companies which can be found on my list is Shop-Vac. This company was started 40 years ago, and although it hasn’t been around as long as the other companies, it is still proudly American. Shop-Vac produces mostly, you guessed it, shop-vacs. Occasionally, they also manufacture industrial vacuums and accessories, as well as specific units (i.e., ash shop vacuums, backpack shop-vacs, micro-vacuums, wall-mounted shop-vacs, and more).

There are so many models to choose from, that it is hard to find one which covers as many needs as possible and which can also fit into this top. I guess one of my favorites remains the new industrial 5.5 HP 14 gallons Eagle Eye. It has a good 12 amps motor (100 CFM – 260 AWS), comes in a sturdy stainless steel casing, with a good set of accessories made out of quality materials. The 12 ft. hose is wide enough (1.5″ in diameter) to suck in all the stuff one can find in an ordinary garden. You won’t be bothered by the 25 lbs. thanks to its 4 well-placed wheels and to its 20 ft. power cable. Of course, you’ll also get the blower functionality. Shop-Vac offers 1 year of warranty with this product (keep in mind that we’re talking about a commercial unit). And perks keep on rolling with this stunning offer for this Shop-Vac.

Maytag M1200

Maytag M1200

Another Tacony subsidiary is Maytag. These guys build sturdy uprights for people interested in durability and power above anything else. Their premium product is M1200, a full-sized upright designed to be a complete cleaning solution. The heart of the M1200 is a 12 amps 2-motor system that provides incredible suction. The filtration is assured by 6 separate layers. The 35 ft power cord provides enough flexibility. The 5-year warranty comes to complete the offer.

Riccar Tandem Air Premium Pet

Riccar Tandem Air Premium Pet

A lot of people are familiar with Riccar. It’s that brand name that sticks in your head if you only hear it once. What this company promises: it will not sell a vacuum cleaner that is borderline disappointing. The company pays extreme attention to the materials used. Their market strategy: produce only high-quality items that reflect their American origin. As expected, they have some of the longest warranties in the industry, which can guarantee you a worry-free buying experience. Their prices are, however high, very high.

My absolute favorite, the Tandem Air Premium Pet model, costs as much as an old car. But the things it can do… For starters, it has 7 layers of filtration. Yes, you read that right. Miele is among the few producers that offer a similar filtration quality in their top models. The case and handle are made almost completely out of stainless steel and aluminum. You can vacuum any type of floor, any type of carpet, no matter how deep, thanks to its 6 level height adjustment system. Another interesting thing: it has a dirt sensor, and the sensing display illuminates the cleaning path based on its readings. It basically can see the dirt. The  Tandem Air technology provides powerful suction, and the 8 years of warranty give customers an extra assurance on the quality of this unit.

Aerus Lux Commercial

Aerus Lux Commercial

Aerus is a 100 years old American company, formerly known as Electrolux. That’s where the Lux word comes from. Aerus is very particular about cleaning floors. Their main goal is to deliver quality. While Aerus is the distributor of a lot of home cleaning appliances (uprights and canisters, central vacuums, cleaning solutions), it manufactures products for other purposes as well (i.e., air and water purifiers).

The premium upright model from Aerus is the Lux Commercial. This commercial-grade unit has HEPA filtration, an L-shaped design that allows you to use it with ease, automatic height adjustment for different types of carpets, and an on/off brushroll switch, for smoothly transitioning between carpets and bare floors. Speaking of carpets, this product is also CRI certified. It’s 15.8 lbs. bagged vac, and like some of the previously described vacuum cleaners, it also uses a self-sealing system for preventing vacuumed dust and debris from escaping. The bags filter stuff very well and are produced by a third party supplier called Home Solutions. On the nozzle, you can find a performance indicator that shows you when it’s time to change the bag, filters, or when you have a clog obtruding the airflow. A powerful motor delivers 320 AW. A 1-year warranty protects you from defects.

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Conclusions

There you go, I hope I got your attention with this list. If you have another favorite US-made vacuum cleaner, I would love to hear about it. The same goes for other American manufacturers I’ve missed. Use the form below and join the conversation.

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Jason Roberts

Founder and executive reviewer at Vacuums Guide

I'm Jason Moe Roberts, an appliances expert and blogger. I've worked at Walmart for more than 15 years, in the house appliance department. I love to use home equipment and I spend a lot of time testing the best products and reviewing them. My family and friends also recommend me as a caring person, a great dad and a loving husband.

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