Handheld vacuum cleaners are fantastically useful. Whether it’s breadcrumbs around the toaster, scattered Shreddies under the high chair, or mud on your brand new car carpets, a handheld will bust the dust without you having to lug the Henry out from under the stairs.
And while most handheld vacuums look decidedly similar to each other, not all are created equal. They vary in terms of power and dirt capacity, but also in design – many have clever features to make your life easier and to help them reach the most awkward to clean places. Read on and we’ll explain the key points you need to know about before buying, what you need to look out for before buying, See the next page for our full buying guide, but in the meantime check out our top five handheld vacuums.
READ NEXT: The best full-sized vacuum cleaners to buy
How to buy the best cordless vacuum cleaner for you
What specifications should I pay attention to?
There are a handful of specifications to look at before you begin: weight, bin capacity, battery power and run time. Weight isn’t so much of an issue when you’re vacuuming the floor, but you’ll certainly notice a heavy model when you’re standing on a chair cleaning a lampshade. The lightest models we’ve seen are around the 1.3kg mark, while the heaviest are nearer 2kg – that may not sound like a big difference, but you’ll certainly notice the extra weight when you’re holding a handheld vacuum at arm’s length.
Is bin capacity worth worrying about?
Bin capacity determines roughly how much dirt you can collect before you have to empty the vacuum. It’s not as big an issue as with full-sized vacuums, however, and even if a model has a small bin, it’s not a deal-breaker as long as the bin is quick and easy to empty. We mention how simple it is to empty each model in the reviews below.
How long do the batteries last, and do they vary in power?
Battery power determines roughly how much suction a vacuum will have, but this is a rough measure as nozzle design also affects the overall suction power. Run time is equally important, however: some models can clean for 20 minutes between charges, while others can only manage half that. Some handheld vacuums can also take 12 hours to charge again, so if you have particularly messy children (or partners) it’s best to look for a model with a long run time, or a quick-charge function.
What accessories and features are worth having?
It’s not all about the specs as handheld vacuums vary in terms of their design and the accessories which they come with. Some have pivoting nozzles or detachable hoses to help you reach awkward places, while others have crevice tools you can attach to get into confined crannies. Some come with charging docks to make them easy to plug in, while others make you fiddle with a small DC plug. Vax’s H85-ACH-BD Air Cordless Handheld is the only model we’ve seen with a detachable battery, which could be useful if you’re willing to buy a spare or have other Vax vacuum cleaners that use the same power pack.
The best cordless vacuum cleaners to buy
1. Dyson V8 Absolute: The best handheld vacuum cleaner – and the most expensive
Price when reviewed:£420
Dyson’s V8 Absolute might cost almost as much as every other vacuum here combined, but for good reason: this is as versatile as handheld vacuums come. Dyson includes a pair of heads which are suitable for both hard floors and carpet, and the removable extension tube and selection of tools allows the V8 Absolute to convert effortlessly from full-sized vacuum to handy handheld.
Whichever tool you choose, however, the V8’s suction power allows it to take on pretty much any dust busting task you can think of, from cars to kitchens and the loft to the living room. Battery life is around 40 minutes at standard power – though the Max setting drains it in just six – and charge time is a speedy 3 and a half hours. Emptying the bin is a much cleaner affair than previous models thanks to a redesigned rubber collar which prevents dust getting stuck to the sides.
If you like the Dyson way of doing things but don’t want to spend quite so much cash, then it’s worth considering one of Dyson’s previous V6 models, but if you want the best, the V8 is most certainly it.
Read our Dyson V8 Absolute review
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 240 x 1244 x 224mm, Weight: 2.61kg, Bin capacity: 0.54l, Battery power: 22V, Run time: 40 minutes, Warranty: Two years RTB
2. Black + Decker PV1820L 18V Lithium-ion Dustbuster Pivot Hand Vac: A brilliant budget handheld vacuum with quick charging
Price when reviewed:£100
With the PV1820L Dustbuster Pivot, Black + Decker has made some seriously useful tweaks to the handheld vacuum formula. For a start, the Dustbuster will charge in just four hours – quick enough to make sure it’s ready to clean up after a messy toddler at every mealtime.
The Dustbuster Pivot’s innovative design allows the suction nozzle to pivot 200 degrees around its body. This lets you vacuum in all kinds of awkward places, such as the tops of shelves at head height, or along your window blinds. It also means the nozzle folds away when you don’t need it, almost halving the size of the unit.
Thanks to its side door, the Dustbuster Pivot is also easy to empty. We have no complaints about its suction, either – 18V of power is enough for keeping on top of household spills and getting mud out of your car’s footwells. The Dustbuster Pivot doesn’t have the longest battery life, but this is offset by its quick charge times. It’s a versatile and powerful handheld vacuum.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 178 x 155 x 292mm; Weight: 1.38kg, Bin capacity: 0.4l, Battery power: 18V, Run time: 10 minutes, Warranty: Two years RTB
3. VAX H85-GA-P18 Gator 18V Handheld: The best budget handheld vacuum
Price when reviewed:£70
It may look like a traditional handheld vacuum, but the H85-GA-P18 Gator has some useful design twists. For a start, it’s remarkably easy to empty. Squeeze in two catches at the front of the unit and the front flips up to reveal the dust compartment. You can then point the vacuum straight into the bin and give it a shake to get rid of your accumulated dirt. It’s quick and neat, and results in the dust going into the bin rather than falling around it.
We’re not quite so keen on the Gator’s front-heavy weight distribution, which can be tiring for the wrists. It also takes a full 12 hours to charge, and there’s no neat charging base to drop it into – just a DC plug. Still, its cleaning performance more than makes amends, and we especially liked the motorized carpet attachment. This has rotating brushes to help with pet hair, but we found it made it much easier to clean carpets in the car and on the stairs. There are better all-round vacuums here, but the Gator offers a lot of vacuum for the money.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 94 x 140 x 320, Weight: 1.9kg, Bin capacity: 0.3l, Battery power: 18V, Run time: 20 minutes, Warranty: Two years RTB
4. Hoover SM18DL4 Jovis Plus: Not the most powerful, but quiet and quick to charge
Price when reviewed:£80
The Jovis Plus’ provides several features to make your life easier. A battery indicator on the top means you don’t need to listen for the motor slowing down to know when it’s time to recharge; the crevice tool slots neatly into the vacuum’s nose; and there’s even a small wheel at the front to make for a smoother passage over tiles and tablecloths – we just wish it didn’t squeak so much.
The vacuum is simple to empty, and as the dust compartment is hinged at the back, all it takes is a squeeze of the trigger to make the jaws open and dirt tumble straight out the bottom of the vacuum. The Jovis Plus’s slender nose means you can poke it into your bin before emptying, to minimise the risk of dirt going everywhere, and it also comes with an extension hose and a brush attachment, which we found useful for cleaning blinds. It’s a shame the crevice tool doesn’t fit the extension hose, as the hose itself is a bit wide to really get into nooks and crannies.
The Jovis+ doesn’t have the strongest suction, but it's quick to charge (it takes less than four hours) and is significantly quieter than the competition.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 130 x 160 x 400mm, Weight: 1.3kg, Bin capacity: 0.5l, Battery power: 18V, Run time: 20 minutes, Warranty: One year RTB
5. Black and Decker PD1820L 18V Lithium-ion Dustbuster Flexi Hand Vac: A flexible handheld vacuum which charges quickly
Price when reviewed:£150
When it comes to its handheld vacuums, Black + Decker seems determined to innovate. The Dustbuster Pivot has an adjustable nozzle that makes it easy to reach tricky places, but the PD1820L Dustbuster Flexi goes a step further.
The Dustbuster Flexi is a cross between a handheld and a full-size vacuum. If you leave the hose in place you can use it just like a normal handheld vacuum, but unclip the hose and you have 1.5m of reach. This makes it easy to clean high-up places, as you don’t have to lift the vacuum’s entire 1.5kg weight above your head. It also lets you reach into confined spaces like car footwells, where it would be awkward to manoeuvre the entire unit.
It’s a powerful vacuum, and 15 minutes is a reasonable amount of battery life considering the Dustbuster Flexi only takes 4 hours to charge. It’s one of the more expensive models we’ve seen, but its flexibility is worth paying for (and we’ve seen some bargains around).
Key specs – Dimensions (WHD): 315 x 250 x 240mm, Weight: 1.47kg, Bin capacity: 0.56l, Battery power: 18V, Run time: 15m, Warranty: Two years RTB