The 6 Best Brooms

Make a clean sweep with one of these highly-rated brooms.

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In addition to a trusty vacuum, every home needs a quality broom to keep floors clean. Brooms allow you to promptly handle messes without fussing with outlets or charging, get into smaller nooks and crannies (even on the ceiling), and spruce up a dirty kitchen without disturbing people and pets. When shopping for a new broom, you want one that’s comfortable to use and effective so you don’t have to do twice the work.

After extensive research, we’ve determined the best brooms for every type of chore and floor, considering important factors like broom type (think push, straight-bottom, and angled), handle design, and bristle material. Read on to learn about our top choices.

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Useful on various surfaces, this adjustable broom comes with a thoughtfully designed dustpan and is easy to store.

The broom head width is on the smaller side.

At first glance, this lightweight broom and dustpan set might seem average, but look closer, and you’ll see a myriad of user-friendly features that earned it the top spot on our list. The brush has four layers of flagged bristles, so while it’s admittedly smaller, it efficiently gathers up dirt in its path. Then there’s the built-in comb in the dustpan, which helps you make sure debris, like pet hair and dust, stays in the pan and doesn’t get back out to the floor. Another nice touch is the dustpan’s rubber lip that remains flush with the floor, helping ensure the debris is swept into place. Have taller people in the house? They will appreciate the extendable handle that can go from 30 to 52 inches long.

Whatever kitchen setup you have, storing the broom won’t be a problem because the handles snap together, the dustpan can swivel downward, and it can hang on the wall.

Price at time of publish: $40

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It’s light but sturdy and easy to put together/take apart for fuss-free storage.

While it’s advertised for indoor and outdoor use, it’s really best for the former.

For such a low price, this broom is surprisingly sturdy. It has plastic bristles that are suitable for indoor and outdoor areas, like your patio, porch, and garage, as well as hardwood floors and tile; however, they aren’t super firm, so you may find the broom is best for your interior spaces or just light outside work.

If you’re short on storage space, the broom can be broken down into four pieces — on the flip side, assembling the broom is a cinch, too. This interlocking design also means you can adjust the broom’s height to accommodate different people’s needs and access hard-to-reach spaces.

Price at time of publish: $16

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Thanks to its soft bristles, this slim, easy-to-maneuver attachment cleans up well without damaging your delicate floors.

This tool must be used with compatible Dyson vacuums.

Dyson is a trusted name when it comes to vacuums, but the brand also offers this articulating hard floor tool best described as a sweeping attachment. The caveat is that you will need a compatible Dyson upright or canister vacuum in order to use this device, but if you do, it’s an excellent alternative to a broom.

The soft, flexible nylon bristles are gentle enough to suit hardwood floors, but their two-row design still makes them plenty effective at locking in dust and dirt while you work. Plus, the tool is very slim and pivots 180 degrees, so you can easily navigate through narrow spaces in the house.

Price at time of publish: $50

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This multipurpose broom has effective rubber bristles and an extendable handle so you can effortlessly clean up the pet hair around the house.

It’s not ideal for outdoor use.

Designed with pet owners in mind, this affordable broom has rubber bristles that are highly effective at gathering up fur and hair — regardless of what kind of flooring you have in the house (although the broom really shows its worth on carpet). While its main purpose may be removing pet hair, you can also use the broom to clean windows, spills, shower doors, or even your car thanks to its built-in squeegee edge.

Another perk is its extendable handle that you can adjust accordingly for your height. If you’re looking for something to tackle pet hair outdoors, you might want to go for the brand’s extra-large broom instead.

Price at time of publish: $17

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With super stiff bristles, this push broom is durable, ergonomic, and suitable for heavy-duty sweeping.

Be careful where you apply pressure on the broom handle to avoid bending.

Push brooms are a favorite for outdoor sweeping, and of them all, we like this one for various reasons. Firstly, it has an extra-wide brush (24 inches), so you can cover a larger area in every push, ultimately saving you time and effort. While pushing, you’ll have an easier go of it due to the ergonomic 45-degree angle of the handle. Then, there’s the fact that the brush’s six rows of dense bristles work well cleaning up things like leaves and dirt on the hard surfaces of sidewalks and driveways.

One thing to keep in mind is that because of the handle’s design, specifically where the screw point is, you’ll want to make sure not to exert too much pressure in the middle of the handle since that can cause it to bend there when using a lot of force.

Price at time of publish: $36

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It may seem simple, but this well-made broom gets the job done, is durable enough for an array of settings, and is built to last.

You can’t adjust the handle length.

Corn brooms are the time-tested option, and they’re what you probably envision when you hear the word “broom.” We’re fans of this one, in particular, thanks to its durability. The solid wood handle is sturdy, and the stiff corn fibers are securely in place with five rows of stitching, which make for a thick broom head.

Indoors, outdoors… this high-quality corn broom can handle it all. Unfortunately, there’s no adjusting the length of the handle, but hey, it is the simple, classic choice after all, and there’s a reason people still prefer using this design to this day.

Price at time of publish: $47

The TreeLen Broom and Dustpan Set is our overall favorite because of its effectiveness, many practical design features, and dustpan combination. If you’re looking for something specific for outdoor use, we recommend the Yocada Push Broom Brush because it can handle heavy-duty messes across a larger area.

Brooms come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including straight-bottomed, angled, and push brooms. Straight-bottomed models are where all the bristles come out to the same length, while angled brooms have bristles of varying lengths so that the broom head forms a diagonal. Because of this shape, angled brooms are good at getting into narrow spaces and corners. Push brooms have long, rectangular broom heads that can cover a wide area in just a few passes. With these, you push debris forward rather than sweeping it toward you.

You’ll also find that some brooms are designated for outdoor use, while others are more suitable for indoor floors. Outdoor brooms have firmer bristles that can handle heavy-duty sweeping jobs. Indoor brooms, on the other hand, may feature softer bristles designed to be gentle on hardwood and tiled floors. More variations of brooms can be found in whether or not they come with a dustpan.

Broom handles come in many different materials — from wood to metal to plastic — as well as various lengths. Kathy Cohoon, the operations manager at Two Maids & A Mop, says that if a broom’s handle is so heavy that it becomes uncomfortable to use, you should pass. “Look for something lightweight and comfortable to grip,” she says. “Handle covers that pop off easily or aren’t comfortable will cause long-term issues, especially since most people use their broom daily.”

In addition to finding a comfortable handle, Rochelle Wilkinson, the owner of Dirt Detective Cleaning in Phoenix, Maryland, says you should spend a little more for one that’s durable. “A handle that is strong will handle the pressure you end up putting on it when sweeping back and forth,” she says. “You want a handle that will stand the test of time.”

As with handles, broom bristles can be made from various materials, including natural options like corn straw and Tampico as well as synthetic options like polypropylene and nylon. Some broom bristles are flagged (frayed at the ends), while others are unflagged (have straight ends).

When looking at brooms with different types of bristles, Wilkinson advises people to look for quality. “You don't want a broom that is made cheaply and the bristles fall out constantly,” she says. Additionally, Cohoon says to keep in mind what you need a broom for the most. “For instance, don’t get synthetic bristles for outdoor or oily messes,” she says.

As there are so many different kinds of brooms with various uses, Cohoon says you should look for the kind of broom that fits what you will use it for most. She recommends push brooms for larger spaces, as they can “push along large and small debris pretty easily.” For smaller indoor spaces, she suggests standard brooms, the household brooms usually made with synthetic bristles. She says a corn broom is “great for sweeping up bigger debris and can cover more space, making it great for outdoor patios or the garage.”

“A great broom will also be best for the space it sweeps, whether that be outdoors, indoors, or otherwise,” Cohoon says. “For indoors, synthetic bristles are ideal, as they can be easily cleaned or disinfected and there’s not a huge risk for mildew or rotting over time.”

According to Cohoon, proper cleaning between uses is key to a broom’s longevity and ensuring your home is really clean. “Every four to six weeks dip your broom in a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap,” she says. “Rinse well and allow to air dry. Once weekly, if using a broom with synthetic bristles, spray with an aerosol disinfectant to keep germs and grime at bay.” Wilkinson recommends standing the broom on its handle and propping it up outside when air drying.

“Be sure to replace a broom to avoid damage or spreading bacteria around,” Cohoon says. She recommends replacing your broom yearly or more frequently if you notice damaged bristles. “When you start to notice the slant of the broom — that helps you get into those corners — has been worn down, it’s time to replace the broom,” Wilkinson adds.

Cindy Brzostowski is a freelance writer and avid home cook who has previous experience in cookbook publishing. Her writing has been featured in Allrecipes, Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among other publications. For additional insights, she spoke to Kathy Cohoon, the operations manager at Two Maids & A Mop, and Rochelle Wilkinson, the owner of Dirt Detective Cleaning in Phoenix, Maryland.