You want to make sure it is lightweight because you have to carry it up and down stairs and haul it around your house. You have to have a powerful motor to stand up to all you’re vacuuming. Fast recharging feature, so you have it ready at all times when you need it. There is nothing worse than going to grab it for a fast pickup and it is dead. It has to have great suction to pick up everything and leave nothing behind. A folding handle would be nice to for storing in tight small spaces in case you only live in a tiny apartment. Then lastly, going from carpet to your kitchen floor without having to bend down to fix the settings is a must have on any vacuum.