Skip to main content
Laundry

These are the best laundry and cleaning products of 2021

Reviewed's 2021 Best of Year awards

A dishwasher and vacuum on a teal and purple background with the text, "2021 Best of Year Reviewed" Credit: Reviewed / GE / Sebo

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

More time spent at home means more dirt accumulated at home. Sure, we haven't been as locked down in 2021 as we were last year, but many of us are still working from home, hanging out at home, eating in, gardening in our yards, and working on home improvement projects—all activities that accumulate extra dirt and detritus.

At Reviewed, we love dirt—red wine stains, fake dog poop, fox urine, raw pasta, pet hair—because this “dirt” allows us to better test laundry and cleaning products. After all, we're here to help you get a handle on dirt in your own homes, and it's our mission to find the best of the best that will get your stuff sparkling like new.

Here are our favorite laundry and cleaning products, or jump to all the 2021 Best of Year awards.

Reviewed's editor-in-chief Dave Kender announces the winners of Reviewed's 2021 Best of Year Awards.


The Electrolux EFLS627UTT washing machine and EFME627UTT dryer.
Credit: Electrolux
Best Front-Load Washer
Electrolux EFLS627UTT

The Electrolux EFLS627UTT front-load washer stands as one of the best front-load washers on the market. One reason? It is the world's first washer to have a special place for detergent pods in the drawer, allowing for even distribution of soap. However, this washer also is powerfully competent at removing stains and efficient cycles; it managed to do a solid stain-removal job in both the 46-minute-long Normal cycle as well as a quick 15-minute-long wash time. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Pod detergent slot

  • Excellent stain removal

  • 15-minute Fast Wash

Cons

  • Expensive

$1,299.00 from Walmart
A white GE GTW720BSNWS top-load washing machine and matching dryer sit in a laundry room
Credit: GE
Best Top-Load Washer
GE GTW720BSNWS

If you’re looking for a modern top-load washer, the GE GTW720BSNWS fits the bill. With its Tide Pod dispenser, a stain removal guide, and a Sanitize with Oxi cycle, this washer is ready to tackle any laundry load. Despite its many customization options (including the coveted Deep Rinse option, which adds more water to each load), the interface is streamlined and easy to use. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Powerful cleaning

  • High capacity

  • Quality features

Cons

  • Left laundry too wet

$880.34 from Walmart
White Maytag MED7230HW dryer with matching washer in a laundry room.
Credit: Maytag
Best Dryer
Maytag MED7230HW

The Maytag MED7230HW is our current best dryer because it has all the features you want and some you didn’t know you needed—like letting you know when you need to adjust a load. It boasts simple controls, a solid drying performance, and decent smart features. Performance is strong, especially for its price point. Its Regular cycle finished faster than the average dryer—64 minutes versus 71—and got our test load of laundry 100% dry each time. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Solid drying

  • Good smart features

  • Hamper door for easier loading

Cons

  • None that we could find

Buy now at Maytag
A Miele compact washer on a purple and white background
Credit: Reviewed / Miele
Best Compact Washer
Miele WXR 860 WCS

If you're in the market for a compact washer, but don't want to sacrifice cleaning quality, the Miele W1 WXR860WCS is one of the best options available. It offers just as much cleaning power as an average full-size washer, but manages it from within a very compact frame. We also loved its effective spin cycle, which got rid of more water than many of its standard-sized competitors. This will save your dryer a lot of work, and also save you money on your utility bill. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Powerful cleaning

  • Effective spin cycle

  • Smart features

Cons

  • Expensive

Buy now at AJ Madison
Grey Whirlpool WTW8127LC washer and matching dryer in a laundry room
Credit: Whirlpool
Best Traditional Washer
Whirlpool WTW8127LC

If you want a washer that is easy to use, provides a good clean, and has a pole agitator, the Whirlpool WTW8127LC top-loader is a solid choice. It has a removable agitator for when you need extra space or a more gentle wash cycle, and it also comes with a built-in pretreating station—a faucet that can dispense hot and cold water and a specialized brush for scrubbing stubborn stains. Finally, instead of having vague cycle names, the WTW8127LC has the “What to Wash / How to Wash” system. Knowing exactly what your washer is doing to your clothes helps cut down on confusion and frustration when it comes to laundry day. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Good cleaning

  • Built-in faucet

  • Removable agitator

Cons

  • Rougher on clothes with pole in place

Buy now at Lowe's
A grey LG WM9000HVA washer sits in front of a brick wall next to a clothes hamper.
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
Best Washer for Large Families
LG WM9000HVA

With a steam cycle, a sanitizing wash, and a large 5.2-cubic-foot capacity, the giant LG WM9000HVA has a unique, sleek look that will elevate any laundry room. Despite knowing that its 29-inch width is 2 inches wider than most other washers, we were impressed by how much this front-load washer could fit—and how well it cleaned. The Heavy cycle removed about 81% of the stains in our test, which makes it one of the highest performing washers we've ever tested when it comes to stain removal. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Fast cycles

  • Well-above-average stain removal

  • Efficient with power

Cons

  • Unimpressive smart app

$1,681.00 from Walmart
A person in black socks and jeans holds a white upright vacuum on a wood floor
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Upright Vacuum
Sebo Automatic X7

In the vacuum world, Sebo is known for its filtration. The X7 model has three layers: the premotor S-class filter, which is rated on par with HEPA; the three-layered bag, which captures particulates; and an electrostatic filter in the exhaust, similar to what you’d find in many air purifiers, which helps to eliminate odors. The total package is a filtration system similar to what you’d find at a hospital. Plus, on the performance front, it's a tank that picks up dirt with ease. It's no surprise it's the best upright vacuum we've tested. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Excellent filtration

  • Good suction

Cons

  • Difficult to maneuver

Buy now at Sebo

Buy now at Amazon

$1,099.00 from Walmart
The Shark Navigator vacuum on a white and teal background.
Credit: Reviewed / Shark
Best Affordable Upright Vacuum
Shark NV352 Navigator Lift-Away

The popular Shark Navigator Lift-Away is our favorite affordable upright vacuum for its strong showing in our cleaning tests, swivel joint in the brush head that allows it to pivot around furniture and other obstacles, and small brush head that helps reach tight spaces. Its Lift-Away feature means that users can detach the motor from the handle, making it easier to clean furniture and stairs. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Can transform into a pseudo-canister vac

  • Average dirt pickup

Cons

  • Difficult to use

$179.99 from Amazon
The forward-facing camera of the iRobot Roomba j7+ with its light on
Credit: Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
Best Robot Vacuum
iRobot Roomba j7+

In the robot vacuum world, the iRobot Roomba j7+ sets the bar for navigation and design. When we put the j7+ to the test, we found a model that can deftly maneuver around furniture and avoid dog feces with ease thanks to forward-facing cameras and machine learning. The j7+’s excellent navigation allows it to get near-total floor coverage, keeping up with a full-sized vacuum over the course of a week. Plus, you can use the iRobot Genius app to specify what rooms or parts of rooms you want to be cleaned and when. Being so programmable and flexible makes the iRobot Roomba j7+ an indispensable tool for cleaning. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Excellent navigation

  • Easy storage

  • Good cleaning performance

Cons

  • Loud

$749.00 from Amazon

$749.00 from Home Depot

$709.99 from Walmart
Eufy 11S on table
Credit: Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
Best Affordable Robot Vacuum
Eufy Robovac 11S

The Eufy Robovac 11S is the heir to the much-loved Robovac 11, and it does its predecessor proud, offering excellent suction and improved navigation. A slimmer design allows the S to get its brushes into more places and pick up more dirt per run than other top-rated models. It's also quiet, rarely making enough noise to interrupt a conversation. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Slim design allows it to clean more areas

  • Excellent dirt pickup

Cons

  • Can get caught on throw rugs

  • Clean cycles can last up to two hours

$159.99 from Walmart
The Dyson V15 Detect cleaning a table.
Credit: Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
Best Cordless Vacuum
Dyson V15 Detect

The Dyson V15 Detect is the latest in a storied lineup of cordless vacuums. You'll find the same smooth glide, sensitive trigger, and lightweight design that we've come to expect from Dyson. But this time around, we found two huge upgrades: a dust-illuminating laser and a more powerful battery. During our dirt pickup test, the V15 suctioned up about an average of 92% of the detritus we left out on our testing carpet and its battery lasted longer than predecessors. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Dirt detection

  • Excellent handling

  • Long battery life

Cons

  • Small brush head

Buy now at Amazon

$739.00 from Walmart
The Tineco A10 Hero may not be the best performer, but it is a good value cordless vacuum.
Credit: Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
Best Affordable Cordless Vacuum
Tineco A10 Hero

The Tineco A10 Hero is a great value pick. We like the fact this vacuum picked up 47% of the dirt we laid out for it; for the going rate, the performance is more than impressive. Plus, the A10 has the endurance to match far more expensive models, around 7 minutes on the max settings and 14 minutes on the regular. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Good suction for the price

  • Removable battery

  • Powerful LED lights help find dirt

Cons

  • Joints on attachments can be stiff

Buy now at Amazon

$199.99 from Walmart
The Winix 5500-2 air purifier.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Air Purifier
Winix 5500-2

It's been quite a year for air purifiers, with everyone hoping to breathe a little more freely in their own homes. In our testing, the Winix 5500-2 noticeably diminished cooking smells and allergens in the air, and it made a basement seem less musty thanks to its true HEPA filter, carbon filter, and plasma technology. Plus, it has intuitive controls and thoughtful extras like a sleep mode and timer. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Easy to move

  • Easy to change filters

Cons

  • None that we could find

$159.99 from Amazon

$249.99 from Best Buy

Related content

  • A close-up detail of a stainless steel washing machine drum

    best-right-now

    The Best Washing Machines of 2024
  • Electrolux and Whirlpool laundry centers appear on a pink background.

    best-right-now

    The Best Laundry Centers of 2024

Up next