Buying guide for best cordless vacuums
Ready to buy now? Shop the best:
Untether yourself while cleaning and reach those tricky spaces around the home with a cordless vacuum. With a lightweight, compact frame, cordless options are great for tackling messes, which may lie just beyond the reach of a corded vacuum, quickly and effectively with the convenience of a rechargeable battery.
Think about the types of messes you intend to clean: bigger messes require more power and better brushes and attachments. The most important considerations for finding a capable cordless vacuum include the power (measured in volts), the dustbin size, and of course, the battery life. The greater your space, the more battery life you will require to thoroughly clean up your space. Batteries come in nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion forms, both of which can offer around 15 to 20 minutes of use on a single charge — and sometimes more.
Our top pick is the mighty Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum, which offers up to 40 minutes of cleaning time and a tangle-resistant design.
Editors’ picks
Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum
Editors’ Favorite
Run Time: 40 min | Weight: 5.6 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool, combination tool and hair screw tool | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum delivers the power of a traditional upright with the lightweight convenience of a cordless model. Our tester was impressed by how easily it handled heavy messes, including crumbs, spilled potting soil, leaves and other debris. It also excelled at removing pet hair during testing, efficiently cleaning hard floors, carpeting and even furniture. Its detangling technology also stood out, preventing the hair from getting caught around the roller brushes and keeping our tester from having to reach in and remove tangled hair with their fingers.
The V8 also tops our list for how easy and user-friendly it is to operate. Our tester was able to use it right after charging it without consulting the setup guide. At just over 5.5 pounds, it also proved extremely easy to maneuver. Our tester found it extremely simple to clean under low-profile furniture, like beds and sofas, too, thanks to its swivel head. Emptying the vacuum was also quick and easy, letting us empty it directly into a trash can.
This model does more than clean floors, though. It also comes with accessories that allow you to clean above-floor surfaces, including a crevice tool, a combination tool and a hair screw tool for cleaning pet hair from upholstered surfaces. They were extremely easy to switch between during testing, and our tester was an especially big fan of the crevice tool, which allowed for cleaning in tight areas, such as corners and beneath the refrigerator.
Tikom V500 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Great Value
Run Time: 32 min | Weight: 5.5 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool and 2-in-1 soft dusting brush | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Tikom V500 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner may cost under $100, but it provides 40,000 Pa of suction power, outclassing some upright models. It can handle pet hair, cat litter, kibble, crumbs and other debris, so it’s ideal for homes with pets. It also features an advanced filtration system with a HEPA filter that captures up to 99.99% of microscopic particles, so your home’s air is free of dander and other allergens.
It is a highly versatile cordless vacuum, too. It works as a stick vacuum, a hand vacuum and a stair vacuum, so it can tackle hard surfaces, carpeting and even above-floor surfaces. It comes with a crevice tool and a two-in-one soft dusting brush, so you can clean corners and other hard-to-reach areas, as well as blinds, furniture and other surfaces.
You’ll also appreciate how easy the V500 is to use. It weighs just over 5 pounds and is highly maneuverable, offering 90-degree vertical and 180-degree horizontal rotation that makes it easy to clean around furniture and in hard-to-reach areas. Plus, the cleaner head has six LED headlights, so you won’t miss any dirt or hair.
Levoit Cordless LVAC-200 Vacuum Cleaner
Most Versatile
Run Time: 50 min | Weight: 6.17 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool and pet tool | HEPA Filter: No
The Levoit Cordless Vacuum has a lightweight, flexible design that makes it perfect for cleaning messes in difficult-to-reach areas and carrying it between the floors of your home. It weighs just over 6 pounds and can lie completely flat to easily clean between sofas and other furniture. It also includes a crevice tool that reaches into tight areas, as well as a custom two-in-one pet tool that picks up hair like a champ.
Additionally, its main brush head has an anti-wrap design that prevents hair from getting caught around the brush, so you don’t have to cut off hair after cleaning. While it isn’t equipped with a HEPA filter, it does feature a 5-stage filtration system that effectively captures pet hair and dander, making it ideal if you or anyone in the family has allergies.
We also appreciate how long its battery can clean on a single charge. At its lowest power setting, it can clean for up to 50 minutes. You’ll get 30 minutes at the middle speed and 12 minutes at the highest setting. Its powerful suction reduces the number of times you need to go back and forth over an area to remove crumbs and other messes, too, removing up to 99.7% of the dust on hard floors.
Bissell PowerClean FurGuard
Best for Pet Owners on a Budget
Run Time: 50 min | Weight: 7.3 lb | Included Attachments: Integrated crevice tool and FurFinder tool | HEPA Filter: Yes
Pet owners are sure to love the Bissell PowerClean FurGuard. It boasts a 280-watt motor that allows it to capture every piece of pet hair around your home. Its FurFinder headlights ensure that you won’t miss any by illuminating hidden hair, dust and debris for more thorough cleaning. It even has a self-cleaning brushroll that prevents hair up to 16 inches long from getting caught around the brush and clogging the vacuum.
The PowerClean FurGuard features an integrated crevice tool that lets you easily remove debris from corners and other hard-to-reach areas, such as as between couch cushions. Its real standout attachment is the FurFinder tool, though, which can pull embedded hair from carpeting, upholstery and other surfaces.
Its battery can run for up to 50 minutes on a single charge, too, so you have plenty of cleaning time. The vacuum’s unique, balanced design also allows it to stand on its own during breaks in cleaning or while it’s charging. It even converts to a handheld vacuum, so you can bring it directly to any mess, such as inside your car.
Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Best for Mixed-Floor Homes
Run Time: 60 min | Weight: 7.6 lb | Included Attachments: Fluffy optic cleaner head, hair screw tool, combination tool and crevice tool | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum stood out during testing for its ability to remove dirt, hair and debris from both hard floors and carpeting. It easily removed small and large debris, such as salt and cereal, in a single pass even on medium-pile carpeting. Our testing area was home to two dogs that shed regularly, and we were stunned by how much hair it removed from a 1000-square-foot area that contained laminate, tile, low-pile carpeting and medium-pile carpeting. In fact, it rivaled the pickup performance of our tester’s usual upright model.
The V15 can clean large areas without interruption, too, thanks to its impressive battery life. It cleaned for over an hour on a single charge during our testing in its lowest power mode and over 40 minutes in its Auto mode, which automatically adjusts suction based on the surface you’re cleaning. As a result, we could clean our entire testing area without needing to recharge.
The vacuum also features advanced whole-machine filtration, which includes a HEPA filter. It traps up to 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns to ensure that allergens like dander and dust don’t make their way back into your home’s air. The V15 is also extremely easy to empty without getting your hands dirty, allowing you to dump the dustbin contents directly into the trash bin.
Eureka RapidClean Pro
Best for Small Spaces
Run Time: 40 min | Weight: 5.3 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool and 2-in-1 upholstery tool | HEPA Filter: No
The Eureka RapidClean Pro has a slim, compact design that makes it ideal for homes with limited storage space. It weighs just over 5 pounds and features a swivel head that can rotate 180 degrees, making it easy to maneuver around furniture and other obstacles. It even has an ergonomically designed handle that helps reduce wrist and back strain for more comfortable cleaning.
Still, the RapidClean Pro is powerful enough to tackle pet hair all over the house. It has a 250-watt motor and a tangle-free brush roll, allowing it to pull embedded hair from carpeting and upholstery and lift it from hard surfaces. The cleaning head features built-in LED lights that ensure you don’t miss any hair and dust in dark corners or under furniture, too.
It also has a five-stage filtration system that allows it to capture pollen, dander, dust mites and other fine particles. This ability to keep allergens contained inside the machine makes it an ideal cordless model for allergy sufferers. It also has an extra-large 0.6-liter dust cup that empties right into your trash can with the push of a button.
Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum
Best Self-Emptying Vacuum
Run Time: 70 min | Weight: 7.96 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool and FurFins tool | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus offers the easiest maintenance of all the models on our list. Its base not only charges its battery but also automatically empties its onboard dustbin, so you don’t have to. Best of all, the base holds up to 45 days’ worth of pet hair, dirt and other debris, letting you go an entire month without having to empty it. The battery provides more than an hour of cleaning time, too. However, since the base also charges the vacuum, you never have to worry about it being ready to clean.
Designed for maximum pickup, it offers some of Shark’s most advanced cordless suction. Its cleaning head and nozzle also have twice as many brushrolls as previous models, so it captures more pet hair, dirt and debris. Its powerful suction isn’t just limited to hard surfaces, either; it can pull embedded hair from carpeting, too.
You don’t have to strain to clean hard-to-reach areas of your home, either. The PowerDetect Pet Plus features MultiFLEX technology, so you can bend its wand to reach under furniture and pick up hidden dirt. The flexible design also lets you fold the wand over for easier storage.
Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum
Best for Pet Hair
Run Time: 60 min | Weight: 8.9 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool and anti-allergen brush | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum is a powerful, efficient model that impressed us during testing with its ability to handle pet hair. Our tester used faux fur to see how well it picked up pet hair and found it easily cleaned up all the fur in a single pass on hard flooring. It was highly effective on carpeting, too, removing nearly all the faux fur in a single pass, except for a few stray strands. It performed just as well with other types of debris, removing sugar and cereal in just one pass on both hard surfaces and carpeting.
Best of all, you don’t have to worry about the vacuum getting tangled after picking up pet hair. After our testing with the faux fur, no strands were visible on the brushrolls. There wasn’t any human hair tangled around the brushes, either, so there were never any tangles or clogs that could impact its suction power.
The Stratos Cordless delivers plenty of cleaning time, too. During testing, its battery lasted for more than 60 minutes in auto mode. We were able to clean 420 square feet of flooring, including mostly carpeting and some hard flooring, as well as couch upholstery, a set of window blinds and several crevices using the included attachments. It only went into power-saving mode when the battery was at 10%, keeping the suction at its lowest level.
Bissell Featherweight Cordless Stick Vacuum
Best for Quick Messes
Run Time: 20 min | Weight: 5.8 lb | Included Attachments: Upholstery brush and crevice tool | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Bissell Featherweight Cordless Stick Vacuum makes it easy to clean messes wherever they happen. It weighs under 6 pounds, so it’s extremely lightweight and easy to maneuver around the house. It also features a built-in hand vacuum that lets you clean even smaller, more confined areas, like your car interior. It even includes an upholstery brush and a crevice tool for cleaning above-floor surfaces.
Its rechargeable battery lasts for 20 minutes in low-power mode, so you have more than enough time to clean quick messes. It allows for multisurface cleaning, too, with a switch to turn the brush roll on for carpeting and off for delicate hard floors.
The Featherweight is an ideal model for small homes or apartments, too. Its handle folds down to make the vacuum more compact for storage. However, it also folds out to provide extended reach for cleaning under furniture, ensuring that you don’t miss any dirt or debris.
Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones Cordless Vacuum
Best Slim & Lightweight Vacuum
Run Time: 30 min | Weight: 3.96 lb | Included Attachments: Crevice tool | HEPA Filter: No
It’s nearly impossible to find a cordless vacuum that’s lighter than the Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones Cordless Vacuum. It weighs under 4 pounds, so it’s extremely lightweight and easy to maneuver. Its swiveling cleaner head easily moves around chair and table legs and into tight corners. It can even flatten to a height of under 4 inches, allowing you to thoroughly clean under couches and other furniture.
Despite its slim, lightweight build, it offers surprising power. It has a Dyson Hyperdymium digital motor that spins at a rate of 140,000 revolutions per minute, so it can deliver 50 air watts of suction power. Its battery can clean for up to 30 minutes on a single charge without its suction fading, too, making it perfect for everyday cleaning.
The PencilVac Fluffycones features a unique cleaner head with four conical brush bars. This design enables the vacuum to lift and strip hair, so it’s drawn into the vacuum without getting tangled around the brush. The cleaner head also has two angled beams of light that help illuminate hidden dust on hard floors, which ensures you don’t miss any dirt.
Dyson V9 Motorbar Vacuum
Levoit LVAC-300 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Best for Everyday Cleaning
Run Time: 60 min | Weight: 6.61 lb | Included Attachments: Mini motorized brush and crevice tool | HEPA Filter: Yes
The Levoit LVAC-300 Cordless Stick Vacuum may be cordless, but it delivers similar cleaning power as corded models. That’s due to its powerful motor that can produce 12,000 sweeps per minute, which means that 99.9% of the dust on hard floors is removed.
Its standard vacuum head effectively cleans both hard surfaces and low-pile carpeting, and its included accessories make it even more versatile. The mini motorized brush is designed for cleaning bedding and furniture, while the crevice tool makes it easy to clean in tight spaces.
You don’t have to worry about rushing through your cleaning, either. This vacuum features a 3,000 mAh battery that provides up to an hour of cleaning time at its lowest suction power. That makes it ideal for cleaning even larger spaces without having to stop to recharge. In its highest suction speed, it offers more than 10 minutes of battery life, too, allowing you to easily clean up larger messes.
If allergy sufferers live in your home, you’ll also love the Levoit LVAC-300’s HEPA filter. It traps up to 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, making it nearly as efficient as an air purifier. It keeps the air in your home as clean as possible, so you don’t have to worry about dust, dander, pollen and other allergens triggering your allergies.
Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Narwal S30 Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum
Best for Hard Floors
Run Time: 60 min | Weight: 9.6 lb | Included Attachments: No | HEPA Filter: Yes
If your home primarily features hard flooring, the Narwal S30 Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum may be the perfect vacuum. Not only does it offer 20,000 Pa of suction power to make quick work of dry messes, but it also uses water and detergent to clean wet or sticky messes. The mop head spins in multiple directions, too, allowing it to scrub away at stubborn stains.
This vacuum can lie completely flat, so you can easily clean beneath your couch or other items with low clearance. Its swivel handle easily turns 63 degrees, too, making it effortless to move around table legs, cabinet edges and more.
We especially love how easy the Narwal S30 Pro is to maintain. The roller mop head is self-cleaning, using water heated to 194 degrees to flush the system. It also has a built-in heated bar that dries the mop quickly.
You don’t have to worry about hair getting stuck on the head, either. It features built-in scissors that cut hair before it tangles around the head. It also uses a disposable waste-separation bag that lets you empty the vacuum without getting your hands dirty.
Notable features of the best cordless vacuum cleaners
Battery type
There are three types of rechargeable batteries used in cordless vacuums, each with its pros and cons, from shelf life to power to cost.
Nickel-cadmium
NiCad batteries are the least expensive of the rechargeable battery types and work best when completely drained before recharging. With a limited shelf life and a lower charge capacity, they need to be replaced more often than the other types of batteries in these vacuum cleaners.
Lithium-ion
Li-ion batteries are lightweight with a long shelf life and a superior energy capacity – and what’s more, they charge quickly. However, they can be sensitive to overcharging and are more expensive than NiCad batteries.
Nickel-metal hydride
NiMH batteries work best in appliances that are used often and require a lot of power. They’re expensive, but because of the amount of power they hold in each charge, they are cost-effective in the end. While their shelf life is limited, their performance makes them one of the top rechargeable batteries.
Testing cordless vacuums
We spent 37 hours researching 93 cordless vacuums before picking our top vacs. We then purchased our No. 1 model and tested it in our lab.
STAFF
BestReviews
Power
For cordless vacuums, power is measured in volts. The higher the voltage, the more powerful the vacuum. Notably, rotating brush rolls or “power” modes, which help pick up more dirt and pet hair, require a higher voltage and consume more power.
Battery charge
Before you purchase a cordless vacuum, consider how long it takes for the battery to charge. This will vary by model because of differing power demands, but most vacuums take between two and four hours to fully charge.
Battery type will also affect the runtime. Most cordless models can run for 15 to 20 minutes on a single charge, but there are a few that can go 60 minutes at a time.
Expert Tip
Avoid overcharging your cordless vacuum cleaner battery, as this could ruin your battery runtime.
Best Reviews Cleaning Expert
Dustbin
Cordless vacuums have a dustbin rather than a bag. The ease of emptying the dust container varies by model. One-button release systems are the easiest to use.
Others have a more complicated removal process that may require reading through the manual.
Whatever type of vacuum you choose, be sure to hold the dustbin over a garbage can while removing the container, as some dustbins open upon release.
Storage
Cordless vacuums take up less storage space than full-size vacuums. Some come with a charging dock that needs to be mounted on a wall or in a closet. Others have a plug-in charger that can be placed anywhere in the house. If space is a concern, there are vacuums that fold down to make their footprint even smaller.
Other features to consider
Cordless vacuums are lighter than traditional corded upright vacuum cleaners, which makes it easier to clean stairs, under furniture, and other hard-to-reach places. Some extras that add even more convenience to a cordless vacuum include the following:
Filtration system
HEPA filtration systems trap dust and allergens and are suitable not only for allergy sufferers but for pet owners as well. Look for a vacuum with a HEPA filter if this sounds like you.
Rotating/swivel head
If ease of use is a concern, look for a cordless vacuum with a rotating or swiveling head. The “swivel” feature allows the machine to easily maneuver around furniture and corners as well as reach underneath furniture.
Included attachments
Nozzles, swivel heads, crevice cleaners, and extension cleaning heads are just a few of the attachments that can come with a cordless vacuum. Before buying a vacuum with a long list of attachments, check to see how they are stored — onboard or separate.
Specialized performance settings
Some vacuums include a power boost that increases the rotation of a brush or increases the suction in short bursts. This gives you extra power when you need it without draining the battery as fast.
Some models also offer an auto power setting, which automatically adjusts the vacuum’s power based on the surface. This setting balances suction power and battery life, so you can get the most thorough cleaning and the most cleaning time.
Brush
A rotating brush is an absolute must for pet owners dealing with pet hair. Some vacuums turn the brush on or off, which you’ll need if you have hard floors.
Pet owners will definitely want to look for a cordless vacuum with an anti-tangle brush roll. These brushes prevent hair from tangling around them, so the suction isn’t affected and you never have to pull matted hair from your vacuum.
Handheld conversion
Converting a vacuum cleaner to a handheld mode makes cleaning spills easier and adds a greater degree of versatility. The ability to transform your machine into a handheld vacuum is ideal for spot cleaning in the house or car.
Expert Tip
Remembering to clean the brush roll will help with suction and give you more pick-up power. Also, avoid vacuuming up small objects like coins or hairpins, which can clog or cause damage to your vacuum.
BestReviews Cleaning Expert
How much do cordless vacuums cost?
Inexpensive
For under $50, you’ll find basic cordless vacuums that are lightweight and have a good amount of power. These are often cordless stick vacuums that don’t have the extra attachments, cleaning heads, and features of higher-priced models. You may notice a difference in the runtime and battery life, which correlates with price. For people with minimal cleaning needs, an inexpensive vacuum like this is often the best buy. That said, if you have a lot of carpet in your home, you may wish to keep an upright vacuum cleaner in your closet as well.
Mid-range
Between $60 and $150 are larger cordless vacuums with more features, like crevice tool attachments, a variety of brush heads, and swiveling cleaning heads. You can also find a few that convert to a handheld vacuum and some that are engineered to pick up pet hair. In this pricing bucket, you will find top picks from companies including Eureka and Bissell.
Expensive
At $150 and above, you will find the “Cadillacs” of the cordless world – the best cordless vacuum cleaners in their appliance category. These vacuums have powerful motors, plenty of cleaning heads and attachments, and impressive conversion abilities. They often require more expensive batteries, like the relatively new NiMH batteries, and they frequently deliver longer runtimes than average. That said, all of these extra features could also result in shorter battery life. Look for top picks from the likes of Shark and Dyson here.
Tips
- Recharge your vacuum cleaner between cleanings. Many companies advise consumers to allow the machine a complete charge before the next use. There can be many reasons for this. In the case of the Dyson V11, a complete recharge is advised to help boost the Dyson’s algorithm, which in turn leads to a better and more thorough cleaning. But not all vacuum cleaner batteries can be left on the charger all of the time, so consult your user manual to be sure.
- Empty the dustbin regularly. Cordless vacs are bagless. Instead of collecting debris in the traditional vacuum cleaner bag, they filter debris into a canister often known often as a “dustbin.” It’s easy to empty the dustbin; simply detach it and dump the contents into a waste basket or garbage bag. Note that if you don’t do this often enough, clogs can form within the machine, reducing effectiveness and cleaning power.
- Cordless vacs are made for all types of pile carpet. That said, low-pile carpet may be easier to clean with this type of machine, especially if you have opted for an inexpensive one. If you’re looking to clean high-pile carpet reminiscent of the 1970s, check the product literature first to make sure the product you’re considering offers enough suction power for that.
- Use care when you clean up area rugs. If your home features area rugs over bare floors, you can clean up these rugs with your vacuum cleaner, too — but take care when you do. To protect the integrity of the area rug’s backing, vacuum in the direction of the carpet pile, and watch what you’re doing so the edges don’t get caught in the brush roll.
- Note that a warranty is not always automatic. To reap the benefits of a product warranty, you may have to register your product first. Read the product literature carefully to make sure you don’t miss out on important warranty details.
How we analyzed
To identify the best cordless vacuums, we researched and tested the top models to determine which models best lived up to manufacturer claims. For the models we tested, we used them for everyday cleaning in our testing area to better understand the user experience but also employed specific testing protocols. We placed specific types of debris, such as salt, coffee grounds, faux fur and cereal, on both hard floors and carpeting to see how many passes each vacuum required to fully remove the mess. We also tested how long their batteries lasted in each power mode and how easy it was to empty the dustbins.
Additionally, we analyzed customer reviews from several online retailers to see which cordless vacuums best met user expectations. Specifically, we considered which models offered the best cleaning performance, were easiest to maneuver, provided the most cleaning versatility and required the least maintenance.
FAQ
Q. Are robot vacuums considered part of the cordless vacuum cleaner family?
A. Yes and no. While robot vacuums are certainly a type of vacuum, they technically do not have cords. While they are most certainly vacuum cleaners, they are unique enough to be considered in a class of their own. The best robot vacuums are made by reputable companies, including iRobot, Roomba, Eufy, and Shark. Robotic vacuums offer some distinct advantages over manual vacuum cleaners, the most obvious of which is that the human owner does not have to do much of the physical work.
The cordless vacuum cleaners of which we speak in this review are still manually operated, but they operate on battery power, so the length of time you can use one is dictated by the battery life of a single charge. It’s good practice to keep your charging dock in an easy-access location so, after cleaning, you can return it to the charging dock so it’ll be ready for your next cleaning session.
Q. Do cordless vacuum cleaners have as much cleaning power as corded vacuum cleaners?
A. Traditionally, battery-operated appliances offer a little less oomph than their electrically corded counterparts, but the technology is changing – and improving. As such, it is quite possible to obtain a cordless vacuum cleaner that satisfies your cleaning needs as well as a plug-in vacuum cleaner would.
That said, it’s critical that you take note of a cordless vacuum’s suction power if you want something that works as well as a plug-in machine. Whether you purchase a cordless vac from Amazon, Walmart, or similar online retailer, take note of customer reviews. And of course, our matrix of the top five recommended cordless vacuum cleaners is a great place to start your product search.
Q. Can I clean up my upholstery with a cordless vacuum?
A. Yes. There may be a specific upholstery cleaning head included with your vacuum, depending on the type of machine it is. If not, consider using your machine’s crevice tool. If it has a soft brush attachment, this would also be an appropriate choice. But regardless of which cleaning heads you use, be sure to work carefully, reducing the suction power if necessary to protect any delicate fabrics in your upholstery.
