“This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.”
There’s nothing that says home quite like a fluffy high pile carpet. If you want your shag carpets to stay smooth and clean, you have to take a good care of them.
And this is where it gets tricky, because not just any vacuum can handle your beloved shag carpets well.
To make sure that your high pile flooring keeps offering you a warm sensation, we found the best vacuum for high pile, thick and shag carpet in 2020. In fact, we found a few and we are happy to present you with our top four choices.
Best Vacuum for High Pile Carpet
Product | Tye | Price | |
---|---|---|---|
Soniclean Soft Carpet | Upright Vacuum | $$$ | Check Price |
Shark NV752 | Upright Vacuum | $$$ | Check Price |
Electrolux EL4335A | Canister Vacuum | $$ | Check Price |
Miele Complete C3 Marin Canister | Canister Vacuum | $$$$ | Check Price |
Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner
If you are on a hunt for an efficient vacuum cleaner for your shag carpets, look no further than the Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner. This vacuum was specifically created with shag carpets in mind.

Being a “new kid on the block” in the world of vacuum cleaners, Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner established its reputation as being one of the best solutions for high pile carpets cleaning.
While most of the vacuum cleaners clean the top inch or two of the carpets, Soniclean can deep clean your carpet.
The vacuum utilizes a unique sonic technology. With 12,000 sonic vibrations per minute, it releases and loosens up deep dirt and debris from your carpets. And if there is a jam, the Soniclean will shut off automatically.
With Soniclean you can get your carpets clean without putting much physical efforts into it, because of the adjustable vent system that makes it easy to push and drag the Soniclean around.
The constant airflow ensures that Soniclean does not suck up the carpet like most powerful vacuums do. It almost feels like the vacuum glides over the carpet – you will love that feeling.
An added plus is the Sonicleans specially designed nylon brush roll gently cleans shag carpets without shredding or damaging delicate carpet fibers.
Here is one more shag-friendly feature you should know about. Because of the lightweight structure, this upright vacuum is very easy to move around. Weighing only 10.5 lbs, it will not put a strain on your body.
Soniclean’s big wheels are also a big help, as the vacuum does not “sink” into the carpets. Cheers to Advil-free vacuuming!
The Soniclean will arrive at your doorstep ready to be used right out of the box. Well, almost. The only assembly you need to take care of is attaching the upper handle and a cord hook to the vacuum.
The cord itself can’t be retracted, but you can wind it around the vacuum and hook it on the handle when you are done.
Speaking of the cord, it is 35 feet long. Conveniently, it is long enough for you to clean the big spaces at once without running around and plugging the cord into different outlets.
Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner is also famous for not letting any of the dust escape. The special Seal-Tech hospital-grade HEPA filter bags efficiently catch and capture particles down to 0.3 microns.
In fact, HEPA bags vacuums are recommended by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. If you have any asthma or allergy sufferers at home, this vacuum would be perfect for your house.
Some users, though are disappointed with the fact that the vacuum does not come with any accessory tools for corners and furniture. If you plan to vacuum stairs and nooks, you might need to invest in one of smaller canister vacuums.
On the bright side, storage-wise, the vacuum does not take up a lot of space. You can even lay it flat and store it under the furniture.
Hands down, the Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner is one of the best shag carpet cleaning vacuums on the market. For one thing, it has an adjustable vent system that can handle all kinds of flooring successfully.
Thanks to sonic vibrations technology, the vacuum cleans even the dust and debris from deep inside the fibers.
For all of that reasons, we give the Soniclean five stars all the way.
Shark Rotator Powered Lift Away True Pet NV752
In the world of vacuum cleaners, Shark is one of the most reputable names. You will be very happy with the Shark Rotator Powered Lift Away NV752, because it can do it all: it can handle hard flooring, carpets, furniture, stairs and pet hair equally good.
But most importantly, it can take care your shag carpets like a pro and here is why.

Because high pile and shag carpets are very delicate, their fibers can be easily damaged by harsh brush rolls. The best way to clean shag carpets is by using the delicate brush rolls and suction. And this is where the Shark Rotator Powered Lift Away TruePet NV752 truly shines.
The Shark Rotator NV752 is exceptionally powerful machine. You would be amazed by how much stuff this bad boy can pick from the depth of your favorite high pile carpet.
By simply adjusting suction power to the correct thickness the vacuum will perform miracles!
The best part it, The Shark TruePet NV752 does not lose its suction power even when the dust container is full.
Speaking of the container, it is very thoughtfully designed. It is completely sealed, so the dust has no chance to escape.
In fact, according to the manufacturer, a Complete-Seal technology and a HEPA filter that the vacuum comes with trap 99.9% of dust and allergens inside. Even allergy-sufferers and asthmatics would be able to use the NV752 vacuum.
The main filter is washable, and the HEPA filter bag can also be replaced when needed.
To make sure you can reach dust in those hard to reach spots, the Shark added LED lights on the handle and the nozzle. The LED lights are one of those rare features that you don’t know you need until you have it.
Pet owners will be particularly happy with this vacuum. After all, the model is called a True Pet for a reason. The Shark NV752 comes with a handy True pet motorized brush which can be used on high pile and shag carpets.
Apart from these pet-cleaning accessories, you will also get an Under Appliance Wand and a Duster Crevice Tool that are great for cleaning under cabinets, appliances tables and chairs.
At 14.5 lbs the Shark NV752 is not the lightest vacuum on the market. Some users claim that it was quite a workout vacuuming with the NV752.
This vacuum by Shark works equally well on high pile carpets and hard floors. The TruePet Motorized Brush and Pet-Multi Tool also make the vacuum ideal for households with pets. If you want to have a look at the full range of shark vacuums click here. You might also be interested in the Shark NV803 which is an upgrade on the Shark NV752.
3Electrolux EL4335A Corded Ultra Flex Canister Vacuum
Another high pile vacuuming champion is Electrolux EL4335A Corded Ultra Flex Vacuum.
This 1440 watts Vacuum comes with a 3-level height adjustment function. The feature makes it versatile enough to handle low-to-high pile carpets, hard floors, furniture, stairs and… well, pretty much anything that can be found at you home.

The suction power is also completely adjustable. You will love this function, especially if you plan to use the vacuum for high pile rugs, shag carpets and other delicate materials. By turning a suction knob on the back of the canister left, you can decrease the suction power, or increase it.
On that note, the suction power also is not affected by how full the dustbin is. The vacuum uses a so-called cyclonic technology that ensures a consistent suction all the time.
The vacuum has a HEPA filtration system, which is completely sealed. Simply put, the air and dirt that get into the vacuum are not exhausted until they go through a few stages of filtration.
This HEPA filter can be washed. However, you still should change it every 9-12 months, depending on how often you use the vacuum.
According to Electrolux, the filters remove 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns in diameter or larger. Even the tiniest particles of tobacco, pet dander, pollen, mold spores and dust mites will be cleaned and kept by the HEPA filter.
For many other vacuum owners cleaning the brush is a major hassle. The Electrolux EL4335B Canister vacuum is different. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll. Just push a single self-clean button, and the vacuum will do all the “dirty” work for you.
Also, unlike most of the upright vacuums, this 11.6 pounds canister vacuum by Electrolux is very easy to carry around. And because the Electrolux has a pair of larger wheels, it literally slides on all kinds of carpets, including high pile ones.
The cord, on the other hand, could be longer. It is only 21 feet long (or should we say 21 feet short), which mean that you will have to switch plugs more often. The telescopic wand, on the other hand, partially compensates for the shortness of the cord, as it allows you to reach hard to get areas.
The fact that the Electrolux EL4335A is quite compact makes it easy to store in pretty much any closet or storage room.
Another storage perk that Electrolux owners have been raving about is the retractable power cord. Simply press the retract button, when you are done vacuuming, and the cord will get automatically sucked inside the vacuum for storage. No more winding cords and no more annoying tangles.
Despite some minor flaws, the Electrolux EL4335A Corded Ultraflex Canister Vacuum made it to the top the best vacuum for high pile list for a good reason. All of the minor concerns and complaints will melt away as soon as you see how spotless the Electrolux leaves your carpets.
Miele Complete C3 Marin Canister
Miele Complete C3 Vacuum Cleaner was created to pamper your high pile carpets. Being on a high-end side, this canister vacuum cleaner is definitely worth the money.
Unlike other Miele models, Miele Complete C3 Marin Canister Vacuum Cleaner works equally well with low-pile, high-pile, hardwood and shag flooring.

In fact, because of its legendary versatility, you can see that a lot of hotels and professional cleaning services use Miele Complete 3 in their cleaning endeavours.
The Miele Complete C3 features two different floor tools.
Included in the set is the SEB 236 Power brush that can handle all kinds of carpeting. But where it really shines is high pile carpeting.
And when we say “shine”, we literally mean it! The brush comes with built-in LED lights to hightlight all the debris, dirt and pet hairs hidden in your carpets fibers. That must be the reason why The Miele Complete 3 is so beloved by pet-owners.
Another tool that Miele Complete C3 comes with is called a Parquet head. Specially engineered for a hardwood floor, this tool can deal great with kind of solid flooring, no matter how tough or delicate it is.
This canister vacuum by Miele has six speeds, and you can switch them by clicking foot pedals. But the best part is, the Miele can do the all of the switching automatically for you!
You can set the vacuum to automatic mode, and it will seamlessly transition between bare floor, low pile carpeting and high pile carpets.
Because of the unique ventilation system, the vacuum does not suck up your carpets, and you can effortlessly move it around.
Unlike other canister vacuums, Miele Complete is sound insulated. You will love how surprisingly quiet it is!
An added benefit is the Miele Complete C3 is also known as one of the best vacuums for allergy sufferers.
The manoeuvrability of the vacuum is also excellent. The canister is only 12 lbs, which makes it easy to move it around.
What some Complete C3 users are not entirely tickled pink about is how short the cord is. The length of the power cord is 22 feet; which, combined with the tools can be used up to 36 ft. cleaning radius. While it is still a decent radius to cover, some bigger houses owners wish it could be longer.
The Miele Complete C3 is an outstanding vacuum cleaner, there’s no doubt about that! Being a bit on the pricier side, it delivers what it promises.
If you are willing to invest in a high-end vacuum cleaner, give this German-engineered Miele vacuum a try!
There is no doubt: the long pile shag carpets come with maintenance challenges.
Their luxurious fibers tend to trap all kinds of debris and dust. And not every vacuum cleaner can handle it.
If you want you want your carpets to remain luxuriously soft and clean for a long time, have a look at one of the vacuums on our list.
With the abundance of the choice available on the market, picking the one might be the challenge. But we are sure if you get one of the options above you will be perfectly happy with the choice.
May your carpets stay clean and soft! Happy vacuuming!