TechGearLab scored the Kenmore Elite 81714 highest of the nine canisters it bought and tested, and named it the best for carpet: it was the only one that handled high-pile carpet well (69% pickup) and it cleaned 99.3% of a hardwood mess with the bare-floor tool. Despite the name, it was mediocre on pet hair, which wrapped around the brush roll, and at 25.3 pounds measured it was the heaviest model and a pain on stairs. It suits single-level homes with a lot of thick carpet.
Full review
Best on thick carpet
TechGearLab, which buys the products it tests, gave the Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly (model 81714 in its spec table) an overall 79 out of 100, the top score among nine canisters, and its Best Canister Vacuum for Carpet Cleaning award. It picked up 91.3% of the debris on low-pile carpet and 68.7% on high pile, a result no other canister in the test matched. The powered roller head can be raised or lowered with a foot tap.
On hardwood, using the bare-floor tool, it cleaned 99.3% of the mess, and it did better than average along baseboards. TechGearLab's lead tester found the powered brush roll made it feel closer to an upright, propelling the head so the canister followed with little effort.
Weight and handling
The cost of that head is weight. TechGearLab measured the whole unit at 25.3 pounds, the heaviest in the lineup, with the wand and PowerMate head alone at 8.9 pounds; one tester said it was a pain to carry up and down stairs. The PowerMate head is also bulky and fits under less furniture than slimmer heads. Kenmore lists the machine at 22 pounds with a 26-foot retractable cord.
Pet hair and upkeep
Despite the Pet Friendly name, TechGearLab was not impressed with pet hair: it cleaned 68% of the hair on low pile and 76% on high pile, and long hair wrapped around the brush roll, which can stall when it clogs. TechGearLab recommends it for homes without heavy shedders.
Filtration was among the best in the lineup on TechGearLab's particle counter; the HEPA filter cannot be washed and needs replacing. Bag changes are easy and a light shows when the bag is full, but the vacuum will run with no bag fitted, which left TechGearLab with a large mess to clean up.
Who it suits
TechGearLab's measured suction was the lowest of the nine at 547 Pa and its noise the loudest at 84 dBA, yet its carpet results were the best. It is the pick here for single-level homes with deep carpet, not for multi-story homes or long-haired pets.
Strengths
- +Only canister in TechGearLab's lineup to handle high-pile carpet well: 68.7% pickup, plus 91.3% on low pile
- +99.3% pickup on hardwood with the bare-floor tool in TechGearLab's test
- +The powered brush roll pulls the head forward so the heavy canister follows easily, per TechGearLab's lead tester
- +HEPA filtration; TechGearLab's particle results were among the best in its lineup
Watch-outs
- −Heaviest in TechGearLab's test at 25.3 lb; a tester called it a pain to carry up and down stairs
- −Pet hair results were weak for a 'Pet Friendly' model: 68% on low pile, with long hair wrapped around the brush roll
- −The bag-full light does not warn of a missing bag and the vacuum runs without one, which caused a mess in TechGearLab's test
- −Lowest measured suction in the lineup (547 Pa) and loud at 84 dBA, per TechGearLab
How it compares
TechGearLab scored it 79 against 78 for the Miele Classic C1: the Kenmore led on high-pile carpet (69% vs 53%) while the Classic C1 cleaned more pet hair (90% vs 68% on low pile) and weighs about half as much (13.1 lb vs 25.3 lb). It has a HEPA filter, which the Classic C1 and Eureka Mighty Mite lack.
Rating sources
Our 4.4 score is the average of these published ratings, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores. More about methodology.
