The 5 Best Brooms for Any Mess That Life Throws Your Way
Updated: Mar. 01, 2023Whether you're cleaning inside or out, chasing pet hair or dust mites or facing spilled flour, these best brooms provide an effortless clean sweep.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
What’s simpler than a broom? Your great-great-grandmother was probably happy just to have a stick with some straw tied around it since that was fine back when floors were dirt or stone. But floors have come a long way, and so have brooms. The best broom these days has tight bristles that are feathered at the tips to grab small bits of hair and dust, and angled edges for getting into tight corners. Some even have extendable handles that can reverse direction.
Vacuum cleaners have their place, robot vacuums help you stay ahead of dirt and robot mops are simply revolutionary. However, sometimes a classic broom is the fastest and most efficient thing to grab when faced with a mess. Do you need a “corn” broom—the traditional broom with straw bristles—or a push broom for clearing off your deck? What about a small whisk broom that tucks into a dust pan? Or maybe you want an electric broom. Here are the best brooms that’ll sweep away the competition.
Best Overall Broom
O-Cedar PowerCorner Pet Pro Broom & Step-On Dustpan
O-Cedar’s PowerCorner has you covered for almost anything, and the rubber lip ensures nothing slips underneath. It comes with a step-on dustpan, which has a handle at the back you hold in place with your foot, and it snaps onto the 45-inch handle for easy storage. Speaking of broom storage, the handle has a large hole so you can hang it up in a convenient spot.
While it’s marketed for cleaning up pet hair, even people without pets will appreciate the unusual combination of two kinds of bristles: firmer ones on the outer edges for heavier debris and lighter ones in the center for dust and hair. It can even tackle kitty litter. The dustpan has deep teeth at the back to clean the V-shaped bristles, which are designed to make better contact with the floor.
Pros
- Features a double bristle design
- Dustpan snaps onto the handle
- Step-on dustpan eliminates constant bending
- Made in the USA
Cons
- The handle comes in multiple pieces
Best Budget Broom
Handheld Broom and Dustpan Combination
Sometimes the best broom is the smallest one. When you need to quickly sweep up broken glass or spilled sugar, an affordable whisk broom is handy and gets the job done. This handheld broom-dustpan combo fits together tightly so they’re always together, and the slim profile makes it easy to find a place to tuck them in. (We keep ours in between the trash can and recycling bin.) This design tackles the biggest annoyance in using a dustpan: a rubber lip that presses into the floor, so you can stop chasing that last little bit that always gets under the dustpan.
Pros
- Won’t break the bank
- Brush and dustpan snap together
- Rubber lip on dustpan helps gather every bit of dirt
- Built-in scraper and comb for cleaning the brush
Cons
- Requires bending over to clean floor messes
Best Outdoor Broom
KeFanta 24-Inch Push Broom
Indoor brooms are made for ceramic tile and hardwood floors, but outside jobs need something that can tackle dirt, leaves and even light snow. A push broom can also save you a lot of effort when you need to clear a large space quickly. KeFanta’s push broom has a 24-inch-long head and 63-inch-long handle that you can adjust based on the user’s height. The six layers of stiff bristles make it so this best broom does quality work in both wet and dry conditions. The price tag looks nice, too!
Pros
- Has six layers of stiff bristles
- Features an adjustable 63-inch-long handle
- Can be used on a range of rough floors
Cons
- The handle comes in multiple pieces
Best Corn Broom
Rubbermaid Heavy-Duty Corn Broom
A corn broom is the cleaning industry’s term for a straw broom—the classic style you’ve probably seen. But it’s a classic for a reason: It’s usually sturdy enough to handle indoor and outdoor jobs, and a quality one will last for years. This Rubbermaid broom is made from 100% natural corn fibers, which are durable for long use.
The worst part about corn brooms is that even the best broom can start to shed straws. This one has three rows of stitching, plus a metal band to hold the head tightly together, to keep straw shedding to a minimum. With a 38-inch wooden handle, it’s a sturdy broom that will give you years of service.
Pros
- Has three rows of stitching to prevent shedding
- Lacquered wooden handle helps it last
- Feathered bristles provide a better pick-up
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a dustpan
Best Electric Broom
Bissell Featherweight Stick Bagless Vacuum
Sometimes you need a little more “oomph” than a broom, but you don’t have the time to haul out a full-size vacuum cleaner. Plus, there are some messes that simply aren’t made for a vacuum cleaner. That’s when an electric “stick” broom can come in handy. Much like a handheld vacuum, the Bissell Featherweight electric broom has a dirt cup, so you don’t have to replace a bag (although you will need to replace the paper filters eventually). You can pop off the handle and base and use it like a handheld, stick in the crevice tool for getting around sofa cushions or just remove the handle for getting closer to stairs. Consider sending your kid off to college with one of these for their dorm room.
Pros
- Portable at just 2.6 pounds
- Three-in-one design for different messes
- Works for hard floors, carpet and upholstery
- Wallet-friendly price
Cons
- Has a small dirt cup
- Relatively short 15-foot cord
What to Consider When Buying the Best Broom
From soft nylon bristles that won’t scratch hard woods or tile to heavy-duty push brooms for tackling decks, driveways and garages, there are broom styles for every cleaning occasion. Some nice features to look for include feathered bristles (sometimes called flagged bristles), which can grab and hold things like pet hair and dust bunnies; angled heads that are better for getting into tight corners; and adjustable handles that change in length based on your height or how much reach you need.
Types of Brooms
- Corn brooms are made with long, natural bristles that are stitched together. Look for extra rows of stitching and a wooden handle that isn’t so thick (so you can avoid developing blisters).
- Nylon-bristle brooms are usually softer, so they won’t scratch tile or hardwood floors. The bristles may be cut on an angle so you can get under cabinets and into corners, and the ends may be feathered, so they pick up and hold onto dust and hair.
- Combination brooms come with dustpans that usually can be attached. If it has a dustpan, look for a silicone or flexible rubber lip at the base so you don’t end up with a line of dirt underneath the pan.
- Push brooms are designed to push debris in front of you. You can put your weight into it, making them a smart option for more heavy-duty cleaning jobs.
- Whisk brooms are small enough to fit in your hand, so you can use them for small spaces or quick jobs, like picking up broken glass.
- Electric brooms are really skinny vacuum cleaners meant for quick cleanups. They’re lightweight (usually less than 5 pounds), and free of things like vacuum bags and bulky attachments. They’re also much cheaper than full-size vacuum cleaners.
How We Found the Best Broom
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
FAQ
How do I choose a good broom?
Picking a good broom depends on what kind of floors you have and what kind of dirt you expect to pick up. Soft bristles that won’t scratch tile or wood are best for small debris and dust. Stiffer bristles pick up more dirt, especially outdoors, but might be too hard on floor surfaces. A combination of a broom and dustpan that’s designed to be stored together will save space and be more convenient.
How often should you replace your broom?
Brooms come in contact with dirt—that’s the whole idea. You can extend the life of a broom by cleaning it from time to time. Once it starts to shed loose bristles, or the bristles have gotten flattened out or bent, it’s time to replace it.
Shop smarter with our expert recommendations for tools, gear and money-saving deals on can’t miss DIY and home products. Sign up for the Stuff We Love newsletter.