diff --git a/plugins/inputs/gnmi/gnmi.go b/plugins/inputs/gnmi/gnmi.go
index 3a5fb2177..ca816928f 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/gnmi/gnmi.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/gnmi/gnmi.go
@@ -245,17 +245,20 @@ func (s *Subscription) buildSubscription() (*gnmiLib.Subscription, error) {
 // Create a new gNMI SubscribeRequest
 func (c *GNMI) newSubscribeRequest() (*gnmiLib.SubscribeRequest, error) {
 	// Create subscription objects
-	var err error
-	subscriptions := make([]*gnmiLib.Subscription, len(c.Subscriptions)+len(c.TagSubscriptions))
-	for i, subscription := range c.TagSubscriptions {
-		if subscriptions[i], err = subscription.buildSubscription(); err != nil {
+	subscriptions := make([]*gnmiLib.Subscription, 0, len(c.Subscriptions)+len(c.TagSubscriptions))
+	for _, subscription := range c.TagSubscriptions {
+		sub, err := subscription.buildSubscription()
+		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		subscriptions = append(subscriptions, sub)
 	}
-	for i, subscription := range c.Subscriptions {
-		if subscriptions[i+len(c.TagSubscriptions)], err = subscription.buildSubscription(); err != nil {
+	for _, subscription := range c.Subscriptions {
+		sub, err := subscription.buildSubscription()
+		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		subscriptions = append(subscriptions, sub)
 	}
 
 	// Construct subscribe request
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/influxdb_listener/influxdb_listener_benchmark_test.go b/plugins/inputs/influxdb_listener/influxdb_listener_benchmark_test.go
index f0bfc695c..9455ba790 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/influxdb_listener/influxdb_listener_benchmark_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/influxdb_listener/influxdb_listener_benchmark_test.go
@@ -83,23 +83,23 @@ func BenchmarkInfluxDBListener_serveWrite(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 func lines(lines, numTags, numFields int) string {
-	lp := make([]string, lines)
+	lp := make([]string, 0, lines)
 	for i := 0; i < lines; i++ {
-		tags := make([]string, numTags)
+		tags := make([]string, 0, numTags)
 		for j := 0; j < numTags; j++ {
-			tags[j] = fmt.Sprintf("t%d=v%d", j, j)
+			tags = append(tags, fmt.Sprintf("t%d=v%d", j, j))
 		}
 
-		fields := make([]string, numFields)
+		fields := make([]string, 0, numFields)
 		for k := 0; k < numFields; k++ {
-			fields[k] = fmt.Sprintf("f%d=%d", k, k)
+			fields = append(fields, fmt.Sprintf("f%d=%d", k, k))
 		}
 
-		lp[i] = fmt.Sprintf("m%d,%s %s",
+		lp = append(lp, fmt.Sprintf("m%d,%s %s",
 			i,
 			strings.Join(tags, ","),
 			strings.Join(fields, ","),
-		)
+		))
 	}
 
 	return strings.Join(lp, "\n")
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/influxdb_v2_listener/influxdb_v2_listener_benchmark_test.go b/plugins/inputs/influxdb_v2_listener/influxdb_v2_listener_benchmark_test.go
index 219d59a93..d4a53dfaa 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/influxdb_v2_listener/influxdb_v2_listener_benchmark_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/influxdb_v2_listener/influxdb_v2_listener_benchmark_test.go
@@ -83,23 +83,23 @@ func BenchmarkInfluxDBV2Listener_serveWrite(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 func lines(lines, numTags, numFields int) string {
-	lp := make([]string, lines)
+	lp := make([]string, 0, lines)
 	for i := 0; i < lines; i++ {
-		tags := make([]string, numTags)
+		tags := make([]string, 0, numTags)
 		for j := 0; j < numTags; j++ {
-			tags[j] = fmt.Sprintf("t%d=v%d", j, j)
+			tags = append(tags, fmt.Sprintf("t%d=v%d", j, j))
 		}
 
-		fields := make([]string, numFields)
+		fields := make([]string, 0, numFields)
 		for k := 0; k < numFields; k++ {
-			fields[k] = fmt.Sprintf("f%d=%d", k, k)
+			fields = append(fields, fmt.Sprintf("f%d=%d", k, k))
 		}
 
-		lp[i] = fmt.Sprintf("m%d,%s %s",
+		lp = append(lp, fmt.Sprintf("m%d,%s %s",
 			i,
 			strings.Join(tags, ","),
 			strings.Join(fields, ","),
-		)
+		))
 	}
 
 	return strings.Join(lp, "\n")
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/mysql/mysql.go b/plugins/inputs/mysql/mysql.go
index 343142720..9045855fe 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/mysql/mysql.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/mysql/mysql.go
@@ -606,12 +606,14 @@ func (m *Mysql) gatherSlaveStatuses(db *sql.DB, serv string, acc telegraf.Accumu
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		vals := make([]sql.RawBytes, len(cols))
-		valPtrs := make([]interface{}, len(cols))
+
+		vals := make([]sql.RawBytes, 0, len(cols))
+		valPtrs := make([]interface{}, 0, len(cols))
 		// fill the array with sql.Rawbytes
-		for i := range vals {
-			vals[i] = sql.RawBytes{}
-			valPtrs[i] = &vals[i]
+		for range cols {
+			rawBytes := sql.RawBytes{}
+			vals = append(vals, rawBytes)
+			valPtrs = append(valPtrs, &rawBytes)
 		}
 		if err = rows.Scan(valPtrs...); err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/opcua/read_client.go b/plugins/inputs/opcua/read_client.go
index a31d31022..870ae9a2a 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/opcua/read_client.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/opcua/read_client.go
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ func (o *ReadClient) Connect() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	readValueIds := make([]*ua.ReadValueID, len(o.NodeIDs))
+	readValueIds := make([]*ua.ReadValueID, 0, len(o.NodeIDs))
 	if o.Workarounds.UseUnregisteredReads {
-		for i, nid := range o.NodeIDs {
-			readValueIds[i] = &ua.ReadValueID{NodeID: nid}
+		for _, nid := range o.NodeIDs {
+			readValueIds = append(readValueIds, &ua.ReadValueID{NodeID: nid})
 		}
 	} else {
 		regResp, err := o.Client.RegisterNodes(&ua.RegisterNodesRequest{
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ func (o *ReadClient) Connect() error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("registerNodes failed: %v", err)
 		}
 
-		for i, v := range regResp.RegisteredNodeIDs {
-			readValueIds[i] = &ua.ReadValueID{NodeID: v}
+		for _, v := range regResp.RegisteredNodeIDs {
+			readValueIds = append(readValueIds, &ua.ReadValueID{NodeID: v})
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/procstat/native_finder.go b/plugins/inputs/procstat/native_finder.go
index 7307197ae..3e8f580eb 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/procstat/native_finder.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/procstat/native_finder.go
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ func (pg *NativeFinder) FastProcessList() ([]*process.Process, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	result := make([]*process.Process, len(pids))
-	for i, pid := range pids {
-		result[i] = &process.Process{Pid: pid}
+	result := make([]*process.Process, 0, len(pids))
+	for _, pid := range pids {
+		result = append(result, &process.Process{Pid: pid})
 	}
 	return result, nil
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/redis/redis.go b/plugins/inputs/redis/redis.go
index 5237d6329..363b0e394 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/redis/redis.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/redis/redis.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-redis/redis/v8"
+
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/common/tls"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/inputs"
@@ -228,9 +229,8 @@ func (r *Redis) connect() error {
 		r.Servers = []string{"tcp://localhost:6379"}
 	}
 
-	r.clients = make([]Client, len(r.Servers))
-
-	for i, serv := range r.Servers {
+	r.clients = make([]Client, 0, len(r.Servers))
+	for _, serv := range r.Servers {
 		if !strings.HasPrefix(serv, "tcp://") && !strings.HasPrefix(serv, "unix://") {
 			r.Log.Warn("Server URL found without scheme; please update your configuration file")
 			serv = "tcp://" + serv
@@ -288,10 +288,10 @@ func (r *Redis) connect() error {
 			tags["port"] = u.Port()
 		}
 
-		r.clients[i] = &RedisClient{
+		r.clients = append(r.clients, &RedisClient{
 			client: client,
 			tags:   tags,
-		}
+		})
 	}
 
 	r.connected = true
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/redis_sentinel/redis_sentinel.go b/plugins/inputs/redis_sentinel/redis_sentinel.go
index 7d642c634..0ed6a5227 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/redis_sentinel/redis_sentinel.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/redis_sentinel/redis_sentinel.go
@@ -53,14 +53,13 @@ func (r *RedisSentinel) Init() error {
 		r.Servers = []string{"tcp://localhost:26379"}
 	}
 
-	r.clients = make([]*RedisSentinelClient, len(r.Servers))
-
 	tlsConfig, err := r.ClientConfig.TLSConfig()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	for i, serv := range r.Servers {
+	r.clients = make([]*RedisSentinelClient, 0, len(r.Servers))
+	for _, serv := range r.Servers {
 		u, err := url.Parse(serv)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("unable to parse to address %q: %v", serv, err)
@@ -96,10 +95,10 @@ func (r *RedisSentinel) Init() error {
 			},
 		)
 
-		r.clients[i] = &RedisSentinelClient{
+		r.clients = append(r.clients, &RedisSentinelClient{
 			sentinel: sentinel,
 			tags:     tags,
-		}
+		})
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/sql/sql_test.go b/plugins/inputs/sql/sql_test.go
index 2a00828d4..0291ec85f 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/sql/sql_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/sql/sql_test.go
@@ -18,12 +18,11 @@ import (
 
 func pwgen(n int) string {
 	charset := []byte("abcdedfghijklmnopqrstABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789")
-
 	nchars := len(charset)
-	buffer := make([]byte, n)
 
-	for i := range buffer {
-		buffer[i] = charset[rand.Intn(nchars)]
+	buffer := make([]byte, 0, n)
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		buffer = append(buffer, charset[rand.Intn(nchars)])
 	}
 
 	return string(buffer)
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/stackdriver/stackdriver.go b/plugins/inputs/stackdriver/stackdriver.go
index 59d325cf9..3839e8293 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/stackdriver/stackdriver.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/stackdriver/stackdriver.go
@@ -270,15 +270,15 @@ func (s *Stackdriver) newListTimeSeriesFilter(metricType string) string {
 
 	var valueFmt string
 	if len(s.Filter.ResourceLabels) > 0 {
-		resourceLabelsFilter := make([]string, len(s.Filter.ResourceLabels))
-		for i, resourceLabel := range s.Filter.ResourceLabels {
+		resourceLabelsFilter := make([]string, 0, len(s.Filter.ResourceLabels))
+		for _, resourceLabel := range s.Filter.ResourceLabels {
 			// check if resource label value contains function
 			if includeExcludeHelper(resourceLabel.Value, functions, nil) {
 				valueFmt = `resource.labels.%s = %s`
 			} else {
 				valueFmt = `resource.labels.%s = "%s"`
 			}
-			resourceLabelsFilter[i] = fmt.Sprintf(valueFmt, resourceLabel.Key, resourceLabel.Value)
+			resourceLabelsFilter = append(resourceLabelsFilter, fmt.Sprintf(valueFmt, resourceLabel.Key, resourceLabel.Value))
 		}
 		if len(resourceLabelsFilter) == 1 {
 			filterString += fmt.Sprintf(" AND %s", resourceLabelsFilter[0])
@@ -288,15 +288,15 @@ func (s *Stackdriver) newListTimeSeriesFilter(metricType string) string {
 	}
 
 	if len(s.Filter.MetricLabels) > 0 {
-		metricLabelsFilter := make([]string, len(s.Filter.MetricLabels))
-		for i, metricLabel := range s.Filter.MetricLabels {
+		metricLabelsFilter := make([]string, 0, len(s.Filter.MetricLabels))
+		for _, metricLabel := range s.Filter.MetricLabels {
 			// check if metric label value contains function
 			if includeExcludeHelper(metricLabel.Value, functions, nil) {
 				valueFmt = `metric.labels.%s = %s`
 			} else {
 				valueFmt = `metric.labels.%s = "%s"`
 			}
-			metricLabelsFilter[i] = fmt.Sprintf(valueFmt, metricLabel.Key, metricLabel.Value)
+			metricLabelsFilter = append(metricLabelsFilter, fmt.Sprintf(valueFmt, metricLabel.Key, metricLabel.Value))
 		}
 		if len(metricLabelsFilter) == 1 {
 			filterString += fmt.Sprintf(" AND %s", metricLabelsFilter[0])
@@ -429,9 +429,9 @@ func (s *Stackdriver) newListMetricDescriptorsFilters() []string {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	metricTypeFilters := make([]string, len(s.MetricTypePrefixInclude))
-	for i, metricTypePrefix := range s.MetricTypePrefixInclude {
-		metricTypeFilters[i] = fmt.Sprintf(`metric.type = starts_with(%q)`, metricTypePrefix)
+	metricTypeFilters := make([]string, 0, len(s.MetricTypePrefixInclude))
+	for _, metricTypePrefix := range s.MetricTypePrefixInclude {
+		metricTypeFilters = append(metricTypeFilters, fmt.Sprintf(`metric.type = starts_with(%q)`, metricTypePrefix))
 	}
 	return metricTypeFilters
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go
index 821a9a085..2761286b5 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go
@@ -551,11 +551,9 @@ func (e *Endpoint) simpleMetadataSelect(ctx context.Context, client *Client, res
 func (e *Endpoint) complexMetadataSelect(ctx context.Context, res *resourceKind, objects objectMap) {
 	// We're only going to get metadata from maxMetadataSamples resources. If we have
 	// more resources than that, we pick maxMetadataSamples samples at random.
-	sampledObjects := make([]*objectRef, len(objects))
-	i := 0
+	sampledObjects := make([]*objectRef, 0, len(objects))
 	for _, obj := range objects {
-		sampledObjects[i] = obj
-		i++
+		sampledObjects = append(sampledObjects, obj)
 	}
 	n := len(sampledObjects)
 	if n > maxMetadataSamples {
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere.go b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere.go
index ec67e8ccf..2c5fe3ccc 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere.go
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ func (v *VSphere) Start(_ telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 	v.cancel = cancel
 
 	// Create endpoints, one for each vCenter we're monitoring
-	v.endpoints = make([]*Endpoint, len(v.Vcenters))
-	for i, rawURL := range v.Vcenters {
+	v.endpoints = make([]*Endpoint, 0, len(v.Vcenters))
+	for _, rawURL := range v.Vcenters {
 		u, err := soap.ParseURL(rawURL)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func (v *VSphere) Start(_ telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		v.endpoints[i] = ep
+		v.endpoints = append(v.endpoints, ep)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go
index c9fe384ea..42961cdbe 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go
@@ -164,14 +164,14 @@ func createSim(folders int) (*simulator.Model, *simulator.Server, error) {
 
 func testAlignUniform(t *testing.T, n int) {
 	now := time.Now().Truncate(60 * time.Second)
-	info := make([]types.PerfSampleInfo, n)
-	values := make([]int64, n)
+	info := make([]types.PerfSampleInfo, 0, n)
+	values := make([]int64, 0, n)
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		info[i] = types.PerfSampleInfo{
+		info = append(info, types.PerfSampleInfo{
 			Timestamp: now.Add(time.Duration(20*i) * time.Second),
 			Interval:  20,
-		}
-		values[i] = 1
+		})
+		values = append(values, 1)
 	}
 	e := Endpoint{log: testutil.Logger{}}
 	newInfo, newValues := e.alignSamples(info, values, 60*time.Second)
@@ -190,14 +190,14 @@ func TestAlignMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 	// 20s to 60s of 1,2,3,1,2,3... (should average to 2)
 	n := 30
 	now := time.Now().Truncate(60 * time.Second)
-	info := make([]types.PerfSampleInfo, n)
-	values := make([]int64, n)
+	info := make([]types.PerfSampleInfo, 0, n)
+	values := make([]int64, 0, n)
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		info[i] = types.PerfSampleInfo{
+		info = append(info, types.PerfSampleInfo{
 			Timestamp: now.Add(time.Duration(20*i) * time.Second),
 			Interval:  20,
-		}
-		values[i] = int64(i%3 + 1)
+		})
+		values = append(values, int64(i%3+1))
 	}
 	e := Endpoint{log: testutil.Logger{}}
 	newInfo, newValues := e.alignSamples(info, values, 60*time.Second)
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/codec.go b/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/codec.go
index d97d8efb0..9e0f7237c 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/codec.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/codec.go
@@ -105,14 +105,14 @@ func NewTrace(spans []Span) (trace.Trace, error) {
 
 // NewAnnotations converts a slice of Annotation into a slice of new Annotations
 func NewAnnotations(annotations []Annotation, endpoint Endpoint) []trace.Annotation {
-	formatted := make([]trace.Annotation, len(annotations))
-	for i, annotation := range annotations {
-		formatted[i] = trace.Annotation{
+	formatted := make([]trace.Annotation, 0, len(annotations))
+	for _, annotation := range annotations {
+		formatted = append(formatted, trace.Annotation{
 			Host:        endpoint.Host(),
 			ServiceName: endpoint.Name(),
 			Timestamp:   annotation.Timestamp(),
 			Value:       annotation.Value(),
-		}
+		})
 	}
 
 	return formatted
@@ -121,14 +121,14 @@ func NewAnnotations(annotations []Annotation, endpoint Endpoint) []trace.Annotat
 // NewBinaryAnnotations is very similar to NewAnnotations, but it
 // converts BinaryAnnotations instead of the normal Annotation
 func NewBinaryAnnotations(annotations []BinaryAnnotation, endpoint Endpoint) []trace.BinaryAnnotation {
-	formatted := make([]trace.BinaryAnnotation, len(annotations))
-	for i, annotation := range annotations {
-		formatted[i] = trace.BinaryAnnotation{
+	formatted := make([]trace.BinaryAnnotation, 0, len(annotations))
+	for _, annotation := range annotations {
+		formatted = append(formatted, trace.BinaryAnnotation{
 			Host:        endpoint.Host(),
 			ServiceName: endpoint.Name(),
 			Key:         annotation.Key(),
 			Value:       annotation.Value(),
-		}
+		})
 	}
 	return formatted
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/jsonV1/jsonV1.go b/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/jsonV1/jsonV1.go
index 4c054126f..ecc801828 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/jsonV1/jsonV1.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/zipkin/codec/jsonV1/jsonV1.go
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@ func (j *JSON) Decode(octets []byte) ([]codec.Span, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	res := make([]codec.Span, len(spans))
+	res := make([]codec.Span, 0, len(spans))
 	for i := range spans {
 		if err := spans[i].Validate(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		res[i] = &spans[i]
+		res = append(res, &spans[i])
 	}
 	return res, nil
 }
@@ -89,23 +89,23 @@ func (s *span) Name() string {
 }
 
 func (s *span) Annotations() []codec.Annotation {
-	res := make([]codec.Annotation, len(s.Anno))
+	res := make([]codec.Annotation, 0, len(s.Anno))
 	for i := range s.Anno {
-		res[i] = &s.Anno[i]
+		res = append(res, &s.Anno[i])
 	}
 	return res
 }
 
 func (s *span) BinaryAnnotations() ([]codec.BinaryAnnotation, error) {
-	res := make([]codec.BinaryAnnotation, len(s.BAnno))
+	res := make([]codec.BinaryAnnotation, 0, len(s.BAnno))
 	for i, a := range s.BAnno {
 		if a.Key() != "" && a.Value() == "" {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("No value for key %s at binaryAnnotations[%d]", a.K, i)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("no value for key %s at binaryAnnotations[%d]", a.K, i)
 		}
 		if a.Value() != "" && a.Key() == "" {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("No key at binaryAnnotations[%d]", i)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("no key at binaryAnnotations[%d]", i)
 		}
-		res[i] = &s.BAnno[i]
+		res = append(res, &s.BAnno[i])
 	}
 	return res, nil
 }