Throw away the cordless vacuum cleaner: Bosch, Shark, Dyson (2026)

There is a lever on the back of this squeeze mechanism that you manually press and a separate button to open the bin at the bottom. You can use the pressure lever when it is closed and open. It helped me compress hair and dust while vacuuming, which helped me know if I had already filled the trash, although at a certain point it didn’t compress much more. It was also useful for getting debris out if necessary, unlike the times I had to put my hands into both the Dyson and Shark to remove stuck-on hair and dust. Dyson has the same feature on Piston Animal V16, which is scheduled to be released this yearso I’d be curious to know which mechanism is best designed.

Bendable Winner: Shark

Photo: Nina Farrell

If you’re looking for a vacuum that can bend to get under furniture, I’d choose the Shark over the Bosch. They both have a similar mechanism and feel, but the Bosch tended to push debris when I was using it with an active bend, while the Shark was able to suck up debris that I couldn’t get with the Bosch without lifting it and placing it on top of that particular debris (in this case, grinding up the rogue cat).

Accessory winner: Dyson

Dyson is moving forward because the Dyson Gen5 Detect comes with three attachments and two heads. You’ll get the Motorbar head, Fluffy Optic head, hair tool, compound tool, and dust and crevice tool already built into the wand tube. I like that it’s built into the vacuum so it’s one less separate attachment to carry around, and it makes me more likely to use it.

But Bush is doing well in this area, too. You will get an upholstery nozzle, a furniture brush, and a crevice nozzle. It’s more of an extra accessory than you’ll get with the Shark, and Bosch also includes a wall mount that you can attach the charging cord to for storage and charging, and on which you can mount two attachments. But I will say, I like that Shark includes a simple carrying case to store the attachments in. The rest of the attachments are in the plastic bags of each vacuum, and keeping track of the attachments is the most annoying part of the cordless vacuum.

Build a Winner: Tie

Photo: Nina Farrell

All three of these vacuums have good build quality, but each one seems to focus on something different. The Bosch feels the lightest of the three and stands the easiest on its own, but all three need something to lean on to stay upright. Dyson is the worst at this. They also need a ledge or table secured to the bottom of the enclosure, otherwise they will roll forward and tip over. The Bosch has a sleek black look and a color LED display that will show you an image of carpet or hardwood depending on the mode in which you are vacuuming. However, the vacuum head itself feels like the lightest plastic of the bunch.