Since there is no limitation to the size of the engine, canister vacuum cleaners are more powerful than upright vacuum cleaners. They have better suction and flow-rate, which means an easier and faster cleaning, especially for bare floors.  Canister vacuum cleaners are lighter and easier to carry.  They have a better maneuverability, and because of the hose they are more practical to clean stairs and other places which are hard to reach for an upright vacuum cleaner: under or behind furniture, or above the ground (upholstery, drapes, blinds). They are easy to operate, because you only need to move the wand, and not the entire vacuum cleaner. You can maneuver more easily in stairs or tight spaces.  They are more silent, since there is more room for a good canister sound insulation.  They can be equipped with a variety of tools: crevice nozzle, upholstery brush, and even mechanized brush to increase their efficiency on carpets and rugs. These tools are usually conveniently placed either on the canister, or directly on the wand. That makes them very versatile. A good canister vacuum cleaner will clean carpets as well as uprights.