In order to find the top performers, our expert Product Testing Team put five of their most popular models to the test. Two models didn’t make the cut, but the three that did offer show-stopping performance and dust busting abilities that wowed. In the car, on the stairs, under the couch — the number of places you can use a handheld vacuum goes on and on. These miniature versions of an upright vacuum are light enough for single-handed use but with the suction to get rid of messes in a flash.
It lasts up to 15 minutes on a single charge, which is a lot when you’re only doing spot cleaning and shorter chores. And its washable HEPA filter cleans the air as you vacuum, instead of kicking the debris back outside. The included 20V 2.0 Ah Max Lithium battery and charger gives you freedom from the cord and can be used on any other Worx 20V tool in the PowerShare family. The Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit offers powerful suction, long battery life, and a larger bin than almost any other cordless handheld vacuum we’ve tested. It easily picks up dust, cereal, and other common household messes.
If you’re looking for a vacuum with a little more power, this upright has nearly 19,000 five-star fans, and for good reason. It has a lift-away pod for reaching higher surfaces, as well as a built-in HEPA filter to help trap allergens and irritants in the air. Plus, it seamlessly cleans everything from thick carpets to hard flooring.
Check your vacuum’s owner manual for specific instructions on cleaning the filter, and do this task as often as the manual recommends (PDF). In all of our picks, the filters (PDF) are washable (PDF). “Remember that the motor is trying to draw air to breathe through the filter. Clean the filters often, like at least every other shark stick vacuum use,” said Tom Gasko, vacuum-cleaner collector and repair specialist and owner of Mid Missouri Vacuum. We also had difficulties opening the dustbin during our testing and ended up showered with glitter. This vacuum does not come with a purpose-built pet-hair tool, but in our tests, its wiry brush tool did the job just fine.
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Those looking for equally impressive performance without the bells and whistles should snag the Shark Vertex instead, which offers similar features and price without the additional attachments. Shark Wandvacs have around 10 volts (nearly 11 volts) of power. The Shark UltraCyclone’s power is actually measured in watts (80 watts). We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that’s designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections. The Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit (which includes the battery and charger) is sold only through Home Depot and has gone out of stock at times, sometimes for several days or weeks.
Easily access the no-mess CleanTouch™ dirt ejector, to empty the XL dust cup. “Mini” handheld vacuums that weigh 2 pounds or less have recently emerged as a new category. Such models are smaller and lighter than all of our current picks and not as powerful. They’re good as desk or snack vacs for midsize debris such as cookie crumbs, and they’re easy to store on countertops or desks.
How long that takes depends on how and how often the vacuum is used. Shark has a couple of different setups for charging its handheld vacuums. Handheld vacuums are small, so they don’t take up a lot of space.
This model will run for 24 minutes on low suction mode, which is sufficient for most furry situations, and a battery indicator shows you the charge level. Its airflow is above average on regular mode and excellent on high mode. A Black+Decker spokesperson told us via email that this model fully charges in four hours, but in our testing it took less than three hours.
It comes fully equipped with an extension tube, floor nozzle, flexible hose, crevice nozzle, gulper brush, round brush, belt hook, accessory holder, and HEPA filter. Up to 21.4 minutes of runtime per charge using DCB205 battery (sold separately). Can fill up to 15 tank fills per charge using DCB205 battery (sold separately). At a full $150 less than the price of the Shark Stratos, the Shark Pet Plus makes up for its more modest performance with its fleet of pet-centric features. An upholstery tool de-furs furniture, while an anti-allergen dust brush and crevice tool pull up dander with ease. Like the other best Shark cordless vacuum cleaners on this list, it also boasts two handy LED headlights that highlight errant hair.