By Andréana Lefton | Updated Sep 9, 2020 1:50 PM

One of the most relied-upon household cleaning tools is also one of the simplest. The first brooms were nothing more than sticks attached to a bristled head of bound-together twigs, fibers, or corn husks. Brooms have evolved by leaps and bounds since then, but their basic purpose remains the same: to sweep up dust and debris and keep your floor surfaces clean.

Of course, not all brooms are created equal. The effectiveness of any given broom depends on its design and construction, and whether or not it’s suitable for how you plan to use it. Read on for tips on choosing the right broom for your needs and budget—and don’t miss our roundup of favorites, below!

Dust mops and brooms are easily confused with one another, but they serve different roles in cleaning. While brooms are the go-to for sweeping hard floors, dust mops are popular for their ease of use and additional dusting applications. Long-handled like a broom, a dust mop’s flat head is covered in cotton or microfiber cloth, not regular broom bristles. Microfiber, in particular, is excellent at picking up dust, pollen, and even bacteria from hard surfaces, often without needing to use additional cleaning products or a dustpan. Brooms do require a dustpan unless you intend to sweep debris out the door or into the yard.

Many people like to have both a dust mop and a broom on hand. However, if you only have space for one, a broom may prove more versatile—especially if it’s a broom intended for both indoor and outdoor use. Brooms—particularly those with sturdy synthetic bristles—are better equipped than dust mops to clean rough surfaces like stone, concrete, cement, and brick.

Buying a broom isn’t always straightforward. Keep the following considerations in mind as you navigate the available options.

Lobby brooms are what we typically think of as a traditional broom. They have long bristles and shallow heads that you pull toward you, rather than push away from you. Lobby brooms are mostly used indoors or for light-duty workshop and garage clear-ups. In contrast, push brooms have wide block heads with medium-length bristles that you push away from you. Push brooms are most helpful outdoors when cleaning large swaths of decking, driveways, and walkways.

Broom bristles are traditionally made of stiff, all-natural fibers, including twigs, cornhusks, and plant fibers like yucca, rattan, and ixtle, a fibrous plant native to Mexico. Today, bristles can still be made of these plant-based fibers, but most commercial brands use synthetic fibers due to their low cost and high durability. The synthetic types of material most commonly used are PET (a type of plastic), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and polypropylene, as well as proprietary synthetic blends.

Both natural bristles and synthetic bristles come in two main types: flagged and unflagged.

Also, a note on angled brushes: Broom heads of this type feature bristles—either flagged or unflagged—that are cut on a slight diagonal. These brooms can get into corners and under furniture and can rid hard surfaces of hair, dust, and food crumbs.

Brooms are usually intended for indoor use, outdoor use, or both. Angled lobby brooms are mainly used indoors and in garages and workshops. A push broom is typically best for outdoor use. Their extra-wide brush heads can be especially helpful when sweeping driveways and walkways free of pine needles, grass clippings, and other yard debris.

Some brooms come with long-handled dustpans that enable you to gather up dust without bending over, while others are equipped with a detachable dustpan. Dustpans are most often necessary indoors. Outdoors, you may not need one if you are comfortable sweeping dirt and debris into the yard or street. Note that some dustpans feature a rubberized lip, which helps dirt stay in place once it’s been swept up.

For an effective, well-designed broom, look no further than this 52-inch long-handled broom, paired with a dustpan that locks open for easy emptying. The lip of the dustpan is edged with rubber and sits flush with the floor, while the plastic teeth on the upper edge keep broom bristles clean. The dustpan is constructed of ABS (a tough thermoplastic polymer), and the lightweight yet sturdy handle is painted aluminum. Bristles are soft, angled, and made from recycled PET plastic bottles—an environmentally friendly design feature great for getting the dust off floors.

The 24-inch, durable resin head of the Quickie Bulldozer is embedded with natural ixtle bristles. Though not quite fit for the heaviest-duty cleaning, these bristles work very well to sweep away such things as dirt, sawdust, and grass clippings without requiring too much elbow grease. Built to last, the 60-inch steel handle is powder-coated to resist chipping, denting, and rusting. The broom head, meanwhile, handily swivels to a vertical position for easy storage.

Particularly for indoor use, the AmazonBasics Heavy-Duty Broom is admirably effective. The bristle ends are flagged, which means they are bushy and slightly splinted to help the broom head gather fine dust and smaller, dry debris. But those same stiff, synthetic bristles are also able to handle heavier debris. The broom’s handle is height-adjustable and breaks down for easy storage.

This easy-to-put-together broom and dustpan set features a metal handle with three extension levels, making it adjustable between between 40.5 and 54 inches. Cleverly, the dustpan clips directly onto the broom head, which cuts down on the need for bending and stooping to collect dust piles. The broom head is angled, with unfledged bristles made of synthetic fibers, a design that makes this TreeLen broom best suited to indoor use.

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