The 10 Best Handheld Vacuums of 2024

The best handheld vacuums are the real deal when it comes to removing dirt from confined places. Such places are difficult to clean, especially when you are using bigger vacuums. Handheld vacuum cleaners make your work effortless when getting rid of crumbs from your couch cushions or stubborn dirt from under your car seats.

These accessories are designed to offer a convenient solution for minor cleaning jobs. These cleaning tools do not involve heavy lifting let alone occupying large storage space.

Even though these small handheld vacuums cannot replace full-size vacuums when doing deep cleaning, they are quite handy for speedily handling tracked-in dirt.

The good news is that there are numerous models of these products on the market to suit different people. And this is where the real challenge lies especially for new buyers. If you are one of them, worry no more because we are here to guide you on choosing the right handheld vacuum for your cleaning needs.

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Best Overall: Dyson Cyclone V-10 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

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Even though it is pricey compared to other handheld vacuum cleaners, Cyclone V-10 from Dyson is the strongest model that you can rely on. This is because it comes with superior features and great attachments to enable you to carry out your cleaning almost anywhere in the car or home.

Since it is far the strongest and most efficient handheld vac on the market today, you can trust that it will suck up more grit and dust in less time. That is why it is so efficient that you can easily have doubts about how much dirt it picks up in a short time.

This handheld vacuum cleaner has a 30-minute battery life which is enough time to thoroughly clean all areas in your house and interior section of a large vehicle. In other words, you can rely on this handheld vac for your cleaning needs where the traditional upright vacuum cleaners cannot reach.

Use

• Cleaning corners, tight spaces, and upholstery
• You can also use it to clean some parts of your car’s interior
• Suitable for sucking up allergens and debris from your mattress or cushions

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Best Value: Shark WV-201 WANDVAC Handheld Vacuum

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Shark WV-201 WANDVAC Handheld Vacuum cleaner is a unique appliance used in homes today. It can tackle pet hair efficiently including other elements found in your house. With an excellent rating, this handheld vac emerges a champ with the capability to clean bare floors, access hard-to-reach places and remove all dirt from carpets.

With its attachments, the vacuum cleaner can easily be stored on a charging base. This makes it a perfect space saver in your house.

Apart from that, this 1.6-pound appliance boasts of being the lightest vac you will ever come across. But the only major downside of this classic hand vac is its small dust bin. Meaning that you have to empty it from time to time while doing your usual cleaning.

Uses

• To tackle pet hair or clean tough surfaces such as upholstery and carpets

Best Pick: BALCK+DECKER 20V MAX Fex Cordless-Stick Handheld Vacuum

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The BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX is a powerful cordless handheld vacuum cleaner designed to keep your car or house clean. This appliance can pick up most of the debris and dirt from carpets and bare tests in just a few seconds. That explains why its suction is a no feat for most of the handheld vacuum cleaners.

It is easy to put this model on a charger thanks to a ‘clicking’ sound that confirms the connection just in time. Apart from that, the filter on this vacuum is snugly set in the dustbin to trap all dirt during your cleaning routine. Also, the position of the filter makes it easy to remove the dustbin and empty it whenever it is filled up with debris.

Most importantly, this model comes without detachable tools to save your time when preparing to start your cleaning task. However, this handheld vacuum comes complete with a built-in-slide-out set of tools and a pop-out brush for efficiency and professional cleaning.

Uses

• Cleaning the interior part of the car
• Keeping your home clean
• Suitable for removing dirt on stairs

Best for Car: BISSELL Multi-Cordless Car-Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

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If you are looking for a handheld vacuum cleaner that can enable you to spend more time cleaning your carpet or car, then look no further than BISSELL Multi-Cordless Handheld Vacuum cleaner.

As a multi-cordless vac, this appliance allows you to work from any location of your choice provided that the battery is fully charged.

This handheld vacuum boasts a decent suction with enough run time to take care of all your cleaning needs. Besides, the onboard storage comes in handy to prevent you from losing its attachments. Also, the extendable hose makes your cleaning not only effortless but efficient given that you can cover a wider cleaning area without moving the vacuum itself.

The BISSELL Multi-Cordless Handheld Vacuum is built to tackle tough jobs than most vacs known so far. This is because the vac combines a number of features to make the cleaning easy, timeless and effective.

Uses

• Built-in attachments make it suitable for car use

Shark HV-292 Handheld Vacuum

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Shark HV-292 Handheld Vacuum is a powerful unit that you can rely on for deep cleaning. As a corded model, this vacuum cleaner makes it easy for anyone who wants longer usage time and extensive cleaning of different surfaces.

Since it is portable and lightweight, you can use it to clean your stairs at home. This is attributed to the model’s ability to deliver a powerful suction capable of picking up any stubborn dirt, dust, debris and pet hairs.

It includes a number of features such as convenient bagless design and washable filters. This reminds you that you won’t need to look for extra accessories to make it efficient. All you will have to do is press the button to empty all dirt and dust.

Other tools of importance on this model include the dusting brush, crevice tool and a stretch hose that provides you with more flexibility when cleaning different areas within the house. That is why you need it to keep your home clean and tidy.

Uses

• Best for cleaning stairs

BLACK+DECKER 20-V Max Handheld Vacuum

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Here comes another product from BLACK+DECKER with only superior features that enable you to clean the most difficult areas. The BLACK+DECKER 20-V Max is your ultimate choice of an efficient handheld vacuum cleaner. It comes with powerful suction to pick up all stubborn dirt from surfaces.

Now that this vac has a pivot, it means you can rotate it to reach even the tightest areas in your car or home. Which is why this vacuum cleaner is voted to be the best in removing dirt and dust from couch cushions, armchairs and interior section of your car.

With its built-in tools, you can rest assured that your cleaning routine will become effective and easy. This way, you will end up saving a lot of your time while looking forward to better results. In addition to that, the built-in tools are securely attached to this vacuum cleaner, thus giving you peace of mind instead of worrying about losing them.

Uses

• Cleaning the interior of the car
• Removing dust and debris from carpets, armchairs, and couch

BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

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BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum Cleaner uses a lithium-ion long-lasting battery that allows you to operate the vacuum cleaner for so long. The battery retains the power for about 18 months to improve performance and save you some money.

Durable and lightweight, this appliance provides you with an outstanding suction power to tackle even the most stubborn dirt on different surfaces. This is made possible with the help of the smart charge technology that is both efficient and effective in running this handheld vac.

The cyclonic action is another key feature that maintains the cleanliness of the filter as well as keeping the power strong. This product uses a rotating slim nozzle for a variety of applications such as filtration for a thorough cleaning. Furthermore, it comes with a two-year limited warranty to give you confidence when using it.

Uses

• Best handheld vacuum cleaner for stairs
• Ideal for occasional tidy-ups

BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Lithium-ion Cordless Handheld Vacuum

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If you are looking for a handheld vacuum cleaner that can handle miscellaneous pet messes, BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Lithium-ion Cordless has you covered. This vac uses a 14-volt Lithium-ion battery for powered cleaning of different types of surfaces.

Featuring the triple-level filtration, this unit provides an improved cleaning power that is second to none. For effective cleaning, this vac uses several tools that make it more efficient and reliable.

These tools consist of large, easy to empty the dust bin and specialized pet tools such as the crevice tool, upholstery tool, and motorized brush tool. Each one of these accessories ensures that all dirt is suctioned up, leaving the surfaces looking better than before.

Uses

• Suitable for removing hair pets from the surface

Homasy Portable Handheld Vacuum Cleaner-Cordless

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Homasy Portable Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is a cordless unit featuring a three-stage filtration for enhanced cleaning. The unit boasts a strong suction which makes vacuuming easier and timeless.

It utilizes a 100-watt ultra-high power motor that is capable of suctioning up dirt, debris, pet hairs and dust with its 8Kpa. In addition to that, this unit can clean any hard-to-reach and invisible areas to remove all hidden dirt.

With its super-long cleaning time, the Homasay Portable vac can take up to 30 minutes of cleaning to ensure that all areas are covered. This makes it one of the handheld vacuum cleaners with the longest running time in the market.

As if that is not enough, this unit comes with a 600ml (0.6 liters) large capacity dust bin for long-lasting and uninterrupted cleaning. When combined with its three different types of classic attachments, this unit delivers the best results.

Uses

• Removing debris, dirt, cat hair, dog hair, paper scraps, cigarette ashes, and other small items.

Holife Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

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Holife Cordless Handheld vacuum cleaner brings you closer to perfection when performing deep cleaning in your home. This unit uses powerful cyclonic suction to give you a stable and reliable suction during the cleaning exercise.

Equipped with a 2200mAh Lithium-ion battery, this vacuum cleaner is capable of running for 30 minutes after 4 hours of full-charge. This means you can carry out multiple cleaning tasks efficiently and perfectly.

The vacuum cleaner is strong enough that it can clean pet hair, dust, crumbs, liquids from the carpets, vehicles, and offices. Besides, this handheld vacuum cleaner has three professional attachments that enable you to easily remove debris, hair or dirt from upholstery and delicate surfaces.

Uses

• Ideal for use in the kitchen, bedroom and living room when carrying out deep cleaning

What’s a Handheld Vacuum?

You must be familiar with different types of vacuum cleaners regardless of their models and sizes. Therefore, you can easily say that a vacuum cleaner is a home appliance designed for use in homes and apartments.

Conventional corded vacuums are usually bulky and difficult to use in confined spaces. In fact, such vacuums appear useless whenever you want to remove dirt from narrow and tight spaces.

For instance, you cannot use them to clean your sofas, armchairs, and couches among other places. This calls for drastic measures and a more convenient way of cleaning confined places. And this is where handheld vacuum cleaners come in.

Vacuum cleaners are smaller, compact and portable compared to the traditional bulky versions. These home appliances have undergone a tremendous transformation to fit well in your hand while doing the cleaning work. At least, you can use them to reach out to those places that were initially unreachable.

A handheld vacuum cleaner will make any troublesome cleaning effortless and timeless. This is attributed to the fact that they are lightweight, and portable complete with an ergonomic design not to mention their impressive suction power.

These features make it a must-have home cleaning appliance for anyone who experiences difficulties using the traditional type of vacuum cleaners.

Since this handheld vacuum cleaner can reach almost anywhere, it makes it an ultimate choice for different applications. This includes removing dust from your ceilings, fans, behind your TVs, removing spills, crumbs, cleaning pet rugs and getting rid of food remnants from surfaces. Cleaning car upholstery is another important application of a handheld vacuum cleaner.

If you are looking for a top-performing vacuum cleaner to take care of large areas, look out for our reviews on canister vacuums designed to deliver very powerful suction.

Who’s Likely to Benefit From Using a Vacuum Cleaner?

Anyone can benefit greatly from using the best handheld vacuum cleaners at home or anywhere else. For Example, this household appliance plays a critical role in removing spills from the floor, carpet, rug, sofas or any other similar surfaces.

Have a look at this case scenario:

A child spills some chips on your kitchen floor, making it look messy and slippery. Or several cracker crumbs are lying all over your sofa. Better still, your family car needs a thorough cleaning before going on an important trip far away.

All these are examples of situations you are likely to come across at any given time of the day or night. To overcome such cases, you will have to look for a good handheld vacuum cleaner.

The traditional or bulky upright vacuum cleaners are designed to take good care of large carpeted areas or workshop floors. However, these appliances are not designed to handle small spills or perform spot cleaning.

This is because such areas are too small and confined for the traditional upright vacuum cleaners to reach. For that reason, it is more convenient to use a handheld vacuum cleaner to effectively keep those areas free of dust and dirt.

Many of these handheld vacuum cleaners are already rated for dry and wet cleaning applications for minor household emergencies.

Apart from that, these appliances are versatile and portable. This means you can use them in various cleaning applications and at any place of your choice.

These two strong factors give you a reason to purchase a good handheld vacuum cleaner to keep your home clean throughout. Besides, these products come with different options in terms of design and operation. For example, you can choose a handheld vacuum cleaner that is either cordless or corded, and wet or dry.

What Should You Look Out For When Buying Handheld Vacuum Cleaners?

The first decision you make when buying your handheld vacuum cleaner will determine how you are going to keep your home clean. With that in mind, you need to make a few considerations when it comes to purchasing these home appliances.

The first thing you need to do is to decide whether you want a battery-powered or corded handheld vacuum. If you settle for the battery-powered appliance, it means that you will use it anywhere of your choice. But when you choose the corded one, you will most likely not worry about charging. Also, you will use it anytime you want provided that there is power.

In addition to the cost of these products, you also need to consider their usability. This will go hand in hand with attachments, source of power and size. All these factors and others will make your work less tedious and timeless. Let’s look at some of the key factors that will influence your decision to buy your handheld vacuum cleaner.

• Size and Weight

  The size and weight are the two most important factors to consider when choosing your handheld vacuum cleaner. A lightweight product is easy to use at any location within your house.

  Most of these appliances are small and lightweight. But this feature varies from one model to another. Anything weighing slightly more than 6 pounds is portable and this applies to nearly all handheld vacuum cleaners.

  Sometimes using a 6-pound handheld vacuum cleaner can pose a few challenges among different people. So if you think that you cannot cope with such weights, you should consider choosing lighter appliances.

  Also, the size and shape of these products affect their usability. Some models have large bodies with flat stubby noses that cannot fit into small spaces. Such appliances are only suitable for cleaning areas they can easily reach. In other words, you can clean larger surfaces with the help of relatively larger handheld vacuum cleaners.

• Storage Tank Size

  Initially, the first generation handheld vacuum cleaners had small storage tanks that users had to empty frequently. This is not the case today now that there are those vacuums that come with larger tanks to hold more waste.

  As a result, you can keep on working with them without even worrying about emptying their tanks. The only downside of storage tanks is their complicated assembly and dismantling process.

  A good handheld vacuum cleaner should provide you with enough storage space and allow you to use a simple method of removing and cleaning other accessories.

• The Vacuum Cleaner Handle and Power Button

  Not every handle is suitable for working with a handheld vacuum cleaner. Some are comfortable while others are not. A good handle should have a perfect working angle. This is a plus when holding these appliances in your hands while working on different surfaces.

  A few people prefer power control as their most important feature on handheld vacuum cleaners. However, some appliances are cordless and use the power button that is normally held continuously while working on different surfaces. The main reason for doing so is to conserve power, especially when using battery-powered appliances.

  Power buttons are usually easy to operate. All you have to do is to press them in position and everything else will fall in place. Even better, some appliances have locking mechanism switches that allow you to use them continuously.

• Dust Bins and Filters

  Just like other vacuum cleaners, filters and dust bins play a critical role. These two features are very basic or rather more effective when it comes to cleaning the air. For instance, HEPA filters are considered the best option for removing allergens and other contaminants from the air. Despite all that, these filters are too costly to replace, meaning that you should take good care of them.

  When considering the cost of these filters, check to find out if they are washable or not. Paper cartridge filters need regular replacement depending on how frequently you use your handheld vacuum cleaner.

  To remove larger particles and hair from the paper filter, you should use a brush. This is the best way of keeping the filters clean after using your appliance for a while. Look out for the fine dust because it might clock the filters. If this happens, you will have no other choice rather than doing a replacement as soon as possible.

  Fiber, washable filters, as their name suggests, can be cleaned using clean water and used again. This makes washable filters economic such that you will not have to spend money buying new ones when you can just wash them.

  When it comes to dust bins, their sizes matter a lot. The dust-cup size bins will determine how long you will clean different surfaces before you empty them.

  Even though there are many factors to consider when shopping for handheld vacuum cleaners, you should pay particular attention to the size of their dust bins. Most of these appliances use what is known as bagless cups that are easier to clean after emptying dirt. These bags belch dust and dirt into the air when they are removed from the appliance.

  The way you empty the cup makes a huge difference. But the convenient way involves the use of a dust cup with a push-button release mechanism. This mechanism ensures that you don’t get out of the whole cup in order to empty it. What you need to do is to hold the applause over the trash, open the bottom by pressing the button and all dirt will come out without leaving any mess around.

• Attachments

  Every handheld vacuum cleaner is versatile and functional only if they have extra attachments. Most of these appliances don’t have many options for attachments compared to the larger versions.

  A crevice tool on some handheld vacuum cleaners is standard although a few of these appliances don’t have them. This makes such appliances a better option for cleaning small and narrow slots.

  A hose is helpful when working in tight spaces. Unfortunately, very few handheld vacs come fully equipped with hoses. Brushes are also a great option when using these appliances. Brushes help in removing the dust and other loose dirt. Motorized pet-hair brushes are useful when cleaning carpets, removing pet hair and upholstery cleaning as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is a vacuum cleaner necessary?
A: Yes! Your house cleaning routine cannot be complete without using a vacuum cleaner. It doesn’t matter whether you live in an apartment or a large homestead provided that you have a well-functioning vacuum cleaner within reach.

For the handheld vacuum cleaner models, their design is different from that of the bulky traditional vacuum cleaners. Their main purpose is to clean all confined areas or places that the traditional upright vacuum cleaners cannot reach. Usually, these confined spaces are found between the walls, in-between and under the furniture, corners, stairs, shelves, air vents picture frames, chandeliers and ceiling fans.

If you have carried your cleaning exercise in such places with a full-sized vacuum cleaner, you must have experienced some difficulties in the process. That is the main reason handheld vacuum cleaners remain the ultimate choice for cleaning such areas.

Small and extremely powerful, handheld vacs are the only suitable choice for performing some quick clean-ups within the house and inside the car. This comes in the wake of performing daily clean-up without using bulky vacs. With the right handheld vacuum cleaner, your work around the house will become easy, enjoyable and quick.

Q: Bagless Versus Bagged Filters
A: Most handheld vacuum cleaners use the bagless filtration system. These systems are easier to maintain and allow you to dispose of collected dirt and dust without replacing the bags.

Despite all these positive attributes of using bagless systems, there is one major advantage of working with bagged models. In this case, the bag filter remains the most preferable hygienic option to securely trap all debris, dirt, dust particles as well as allergens inside.

This reason makes the bag filters the best option for those struggling with all kinds of allergies when cleaning their homes.

Q: How do I keep the filter unit clean?
A: Bagless filters need regular cleaning but this depends on how frequent you are using your handheld vacuum cleaner. In general, these filters need a thorough cleaning once every two to four weeks. Rule of thumb states that filters should be cleaned manually in lukewarm or cold water, dried and fixed back to their respective vacs.

Q: Does more suction power depend directly on a powerful motor?
A: It doesn’t matter how powerful a motor is in determining the suction power of a handheld vacuum cleaner. What is important, however, is the final performance of a given vac. This performance determines the functional ability of the appliance depending on a number of factors.

These factors include the motor amperage, overall design, efficient airflow, and filtration system. Most full-size handheld vacuum cleaners use cyclonic technologies to enhance airflow and increase the vac’s suction power.

Q: What should I do if my handheld vacuum cleaner loses suction power?

A: Should you notice that your appliance is not as efficient as it should be, check for the following reasons:

• The dustbin must be full, thus needs to be emptied. Handheld vacuum cleaners are equipped with transparent dust containers to allow the user to monitor the amount of dirt inside.
• The filters could be clogged with more dust particles than what it can handle. If this is the case, then you can clean it thoroughly to restore its suction force.
• The nozzle or other detachable components could be clogged. Ensure that there are no foreign materials stuck inside the nozzle.

Q: Is your handheld vacuum cleaner suitable for sucking up water?
A: Quite a number of handheld vacs are designed to clean up the dry mess. But other mini vacuum cleaners are capable of cleaning wet messes just in the same way they can clean dry messes.

Before you start using your newly acquired handheld vacuum cleaner, read the instructions and specifications well to know how to use it and where to use it. Sucking up water with a vac designed for dry cleaning can cause irreparable damage. So, take care not to make such a mistake.

Q: Where can I store my handheld vacuum cleaner?
A: If your appliance is a wall-mounting type, then you can consider storing it in your kitchen or dining room areas. These places require frequent cleaning and it will be a good idea to keep these appliances in such areas for your convenience.

Luckily for you, many of the newly designed handheld vacuum cleaners come with wall-mounting options to make their storage hassle-free.

Q: Can my mini vac handle wet ( such as spilled cereal on the floor) and dry spills?
A: A few models of handheld vacuum cleaners are designed for dry use only while others are made to take care of both wet and dry mess. If you are unsure about your type of mini vac, consult the product manufacturer for further guidance.

Q: What type of flooring should I use my handheld vacuum cleaner?
A: These appliances are designed to work mainly on tiles, hardwood and non-plush carpeting.

Q: Can I use my handheld vacuum cleaner to remove lint from my plush carpet?
A: Even though handheld vacuum cleaners are meant for cleaning up dirt spots and minor spills, save the lint cleanup for the upright bulky vacuum cleaners.

This type of mess needs a heavy-duty appliance that is fully equipped with a rotary feature to take on such dirt efficiently.

Q: What could be the reason for my cordless appliance to experience an anemic performance than the corded model?
A: The most likely reason could be that your model is an older version. Older cordless handheld vacuums are known to have less efficient rechargeable power battery systems as well as single motors.

But the modern versions of cordless vacs are more powerful and efficient than the older models. It is evident that rechargeable batteries have some setbacks and that is the main reason why manufacturers frequently strive to boost their performance by adding a second motor.

Q: Can I clean my area rug using a handheld vacuum cleaner?
A: High-end handheld vacuum cleaners are able to handle carpeted areas including the stairs and welcome mats. On the contrary, these appliances are not designed to take the tasks meant for the traditional upright vacuum cleaners.

In particular, cordless models have some limitations when it comes to operating time. Most of them can only operate from 5 to 30 minutes continuously. This is not enough time to clean a whole room thoroughly. Instead of pushing your mini vac beyond its limits, you should consider looking for a more powerful vacuum cleaner designed for larger carpeted areas.

Conclusion

The best handheld vacuums come at different designs, sizes, weights, models and prices. Although they are all designed to keep some areas clean, each model has its own unique features that make it different from the rest.

Based on these features, you can easily decide which one to buy according to your budget. That is why our review and buying guide above has made everything easy for you by highlighting only the best parts of each of the above-mentioned handheld vacuums.

Whichever model you choose, make sure that it has all the right details and features that meet your requirements to make your cleaning easy and enjoyable.