We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›
We’ve added a Care and maintenance section with guidance on keeping your hand-held vacuum cleaner in working order.
Handheld vacuums can go where bigger vacuums can’t. They make it easy to ferret out crumbs from between couch cushions, or dirt from under car seats. We’ve looked at 167 different hand vacuums over more than 100 hours of research and testing since 2013, and we think the Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Pivot BDH2000PL is the best hand vacuum for most people.
We wanted to find hand vacs that not only picked up visible crumbs and dirt but also fine dust and pet hair.
We looked for vacs we could comfortably hold for 10 to 20 minutes without straining our wrists and forearms.
We tested hand vacs on a convertible car seat, in a Subaru wagon, and in our office.
Multiple Wirecutter staff members tried each vacuum, and they let us know what they liked and disliked about the various designs.
This cordless handheld vacuum’s distinctive pivoting nozzle and powerful suction make short work of tidying up around the home or in the car.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $79.
The Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Pivot BDH2000PL has more suction than any other cordless handheld vacuum we tested (apart from the super-expensive Dyson Humdinger, which is not currently available). In our tests it easily picked up cereal, dust, sand, and other common messes quickly, and it’s strong enough to pick up pet hair without special tools. The strong suction makes up for the Pivot’s 10 minutes of no-fade run time, which is below average—with the extra cleaning power, that run time should be just enough for you to tidy up the interior of a three-row minivan or SUV. The pivoting nozzle makes getting into crevices, such as in between car seats, a lot easier than with a traditional Dustbuster. We especially like the all-in-one design, with no attachments to lose.
If you need something simple for quick cleanups, this small, affordable cordless handheld vacuum will get the job done.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publishing, the price was $49.
If you plan to use your hand vacuum only for occasional tidy-ups, the Black+Decker 16V Max Lithium Dustbuster Hand Vacuum CHV1410L is a simpler, slightly cheaper alternative to our main pick. It can’t reach as many awkward spots or get hair off upholstery, but it costs a lot less and still manages to pick up most common debris. The 12-minute, no-fade run time is fine, and the recharging time is faster than that of many similar models.
Decent suction, a 4-foot flexible hose, and clip-on tools help this handheld vacuum reach spots in your car and home that other models at this price can’t touch.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $110.
If you need to clean hard-to-reach spots in your car, the Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Flex BDH2020FL is a great option because of its extendable hose and useful tools. It’s not the most powerful vacuum we’ve seen, but it has a decent 12-minute runtime and a hose you can use with just one hand. The Flex’s versatility and solid performance make it a good vacuum for its value; it even used to be our top pick.
This cordless handheld vacuum’s distinctive pivoting nozzle and powerful suction make short work of tidying up around the home or in the car.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $79.
If you need something simple for quick cleanups, this small, affordable cordless handheld vacuum will get the job done.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publishing, the price was $49.
Decent suction, a 4-foot flexible hose, and clip-on tools help this handheld vacuum reach spots in your car and home that other models at this price can’t touch.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $110.
We’ve tested and recommended handheld vacuums since 2013, totaling a couple hundred hours of work—even more if you count all the at-home, long-term testing we’ve done for many of our picks. We’ve also interviewed a number of vacuum experts over the years, including service technicians, air-quality specialists, product engineers, and brand representatives.
In addition, we pay attention to handheld vacuum reviews from other outlets such as Reviewed and Consumer Reports, though no major publications cover handheld vacuums comprehensively. We comb through thousands of owner reviews on retail sites while keeping track of specific complaints. We also try to listen to as many of our readers as possible, through comments on our guides, emails, social media, and in-person conversations.
I’ve personally been on the vacuum beat since 2017, first for the Good Housekeeping Institute and now for Wirecutter.
Our last major round of testing took place in 2019, when we tested 11 models. In 2021, we performed more limited testing on ten additional handheld vacuums, focusing on corded, shop, and mini hand vacs.
The best reason to buy a good hand vacuum is that it can reach places that bigger vacuums can’t (or at least not conveniently). The most common examples are the interior of a car and surfaces around your house that aren’t the floor, such as countertops, windowsills, curtains, and shelves.
Most of the best cordless stick vacuums pull double duty as handheld vacuums, too.
Handheld vacuums are also convenient for quick cleanups around the house because they’re compact enough to sit on a shelf or countertop between uses. Most are also conveniently battery-powered. In other words, a handheld can clean up a pile of spilled coffee grounds before you even dig your main vacuum out of the closet, let alone unwrap its cord.
Other options to consider: Most of the best cordless stick vacuums (meant for cleaning floors) pull double duty as handheld vacuums, too. Also, the best plug-in vacuums have hoses and attachments that let them clean most of the same spots as the best handheld vacuums—you just need to be near an outlet and have the patience to wheel the thing out and unwrap the cord whenever you want to use it. Want the best upright canister vacuum? Let us help.
When deciding which models to test, we started by making a spreadsheet of every hand vacuum that we could find listed on manufacturers’ websites and at popular retailers. We’ve tallied up more than 167 models since we started covering this category, though some are now discontinued.
Handheld vacuums are a diverse group, with some models designed for the awkward angles of a car interior, others purpose-built for pulling pet hair off carpeted stairs or upholstery, and many meant for easy kitchen-floor cleaning.
We wanted to test at least a couple of models designed for each of those jobs, and, ideally, to find some that would work well for any task. It boiled down to two traits:
Cleaning ability: Almost any handheld vacuum can pick up visible crumbs and dirt. Some do so faster than others. Especially strong handhelds can also suck up some fine dust, as well as larger, heavier pebbles or chunks of food. Attachments or extensions can focus the suction for better cleaning or help get debris off clingy surfaces, and the more attachments, the better (though there comes a point at which wrangling tools can be a chore in itself). Pet-hair brushes are particularly useful because they’re the most effective tool for that relatively common job.
A good handheld vacuum should offer a minimum of 15 air watts or a 16-volt battery. Air wattage is an industry-standard measurement for suction power. While we've found in our testing that air wattage is not always an accurate gauge of cleaning ability, a vacuum with 15 air watts should be enough for cleaning the small messes that handhelds usually deal with, though more is better. Some manufacturers don’t advertise their handhelds’ air wattage. In those cases, we looked at the battery voltage instead. Again, higher battery voltage doesn’t necessarily mean more cleaning power, but we’ve found that 16 volts is a reasonable baseline for decent suction.
Comfort: You should be able to hold the vacuum for 10 to 20 minutes without straining your wrists and forearms. Weight is not the only consideration; how the weight is distributed matters, too. An extendable hose can take some of the weight off, but a model that requires you to hold the main unit in one hand while you use the hose with the other might be inconvenient for some people. The vacuum should also maneuver easily into awkward spots—hoses, pivoting nozzles, and some attachments can help. Note, however, that although an extension tube can help with handling, the longer airflow pathway reduces suction.
For models with comparable cleaning ability and comfort, we used battery life as a tiebreaker. Although most handheld vacuums have plenty of juice for quick, occasional cleanups—most last about 15 minutes—the best ones last long enough to clean an entire car. Longer battery life can be helpful, but better suction often means you don’t need to clean as long. And since a lighter vacuum is more comfortable to use, we prefer vacuums that aren’t weighed down with extra battery cells. Just about every handheld vacuum now uses a lithium-based battery, which maintains steady suction throughout its run time and can sit for months between uses without losing its charge. Even if you’re in the habit of keeping your vacuum fully charged, a battery-life indicator can be useful. Charging time also varies widely; some handheld vacuums take just three hours to charge, while others may require as many as 16 hours.
Using these criteria, and also taking owner ratings into account, we narrowed the initial list of 150 models down to 11 models to test in 2019, and in 2021, we considered 17 more models and tested 10 of those. Although we strongly favored cordless models for their convenience, we also tested a few plug-in models to see if they had any advantages. We also tried the cheapest handheld vac that we could find at the time on Amazon, just to see how it would do (spoiler: real bad).
In our most basic cleaning test, we made small piles of different types of debris (flour, baking soda, sand, Cheerios, and potato chips) on a flat, smooth surface (like a typical kitchen floor) and then noted how easily each vacuum could pick them up. Most models did well with the medium-size particles, such as the coffee grounds and sand, but weaker models struggled with the heavy chickpeas and with dusty, clingy debris like flour. Some vacuums appeared to suck up debris only to let it drop back out of the intake after we turned off the power.
To test pet-hair pickup, we spread a handful each of the stuff (donated by a local groomer) into a couch cushion and a car seat and then tried to pick it up with each vacuum. If a model came with an attachment that could improve pet-hair pickup (such as rubber nubs, or better yet, a motorized brush), we used it.
We also rigged up some tests to measure the suction (using a specialized gauge) and raw airflow (using an anemometer) for each vacuum. Suction is what allows the vacuum cleaner to lift debris off the ground, while airflow helps ferry the debris to the vacuum’s dust bin. Our results aligned pretty closely with what we found in our debris-pickup tests.
To get a sense of how comfortable it is to use each vacuum at awkward angles and in tight spaces, we tested them out in a car (a Subaru wagon, if you’re curious) and on a convertible car seat. All the nooks in the ridged floor mats and the crevices in the car seat gave us additional insight into each vacuum’s cleaning ability and how useful its attachments could be.
Since comfort can be subjective, we also asked other Wirecutter staff members to try each vacuum and let us know what they liked and disliked about the designs.
We also tested battery life. Real-world battery life generally matched up with manufacturers’ advertised claims.
We measured how noisy each vacuum was—both the volume and the frequency. Certain models weren’t especially loud but did make a high-pitched whine (in the same range as a baby crying), and those models proved to be the most annoying to work with.
Due to testing limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, for our 2021 update we tested each model’s debris-cleaning ability and noise level while also evaluating how comfortable and easy they were to use.
We’ve also tested many handheld vacuums in our own homes over the years, so we’re familiar with the pros and cons of different designs.
This cordless handheld vacuum’s distinctive pivoting nozzle and powerful suction make short work of tidying up around the home or in the car.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $79.
The Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Pivot BDH2000PL is our choice for the best handheld vacuum because it’s one of the strongest cleaners we’ve found—yet one of the more affordable models we’ve tried—and because its distinctive rotating nozzle helps it comfortably get into places that most other models we tested can’t reach. We think the Pivot’s relatively short battery life and middling owner ratings are fine given that it otherwise performs better than comparable models.
Of the hand vacuums we tested, the Pivot was about on par with the super-expensive Dyson Humdinger (not currently available) in terms of suction; in our tests, it reliably picked up most types of visible debris. It also produced some of the best airflow results. Unlike most vacuums we tested, the Pivot is strong enough to suck up pet hair without a special tool. Many Amazon reviewers agree that the Pivot provides impressive suction.
The Pivot looks like a traditional handheld vacuum (think Dustbuster) but has a slim, rotating nozzle that allows you to get into crevices at awkward angles. You can even rotate the nozzle mid-operation, and the Pivot maintains its suction level. The nozzle helps it excel at cleaning between couch cushions as well as in the seams and nooks around the seats of a car.
You get a couple of built-in tools with the Pivot. The flip-out dusting brush grabs clingy particles as effectively as the brush attachments of our other picks, while the slide-out crevice tool can also serve as a wand extender. One of our long-term testers appreciates the convenience of having the tools built into the vacuum: “I do not have to go looking for additional parts or pause vacuuming to attach it.” This vacuum does not come with a purpose-built pet-hair tool or a motorized brush roll, but in our tests it did the job just fine without either one, and the dusting brush can make the task easier.
The vacuum folds up compactly to sit on its base, and a light indicator conveniently tells you whether the vacuum is charging properly. One owner notes in an Amazon review that the model’s design allows it to sit upright to take up less storage space than other handheld vacs.
As with all our picks, the Pivot’s filter is washable, and regular cleaning will ensure that the vacuum maintains its suction.
At 83 dBc, the Pivot is one of the louder models we tested, but that’s acceptable for the strong suction it provides. Its frequency peaks at 550 Hz, which shouldn’t prove bothersome to most people.
Unlike other vacuums we tested that came with attachments, the 20V Max Lithium Pivot BDH2000PL doesn’t come with a tool to make pet-hair pickup easier. The vacuum can still successfully remove clingy fur and hair from upholstery, but the job takes a few more passes than it does with handheld vacuums that have a purpose-built tool, such as a motorized brush. A few Amazon reviewers point out that the nozzle and built-in crevice tool could be thinner and a little longer to get into cramped areas, such as under car seats, more easily.
Some of our testers found the Pivot (2.9 pounds) heavy and awkward to hold. If weight is a concern, you may prefer the Black+Decker Dustbuster (2.6 pounds), or the Flex, whose main body you can set down so that you can use the hose one-handed.
The battery life—about 10 minutes—is below average, even for a model at this price. (Some reviewers on Amazon say that it lasts a little longer, but we couldn’t replicate that.) Still, that should be enough time for you to clean most of the interior of a car, and the strong suction means you can work faster than you’d be able to with a weaker model.
Like most handheld vacuums, the Pivot has a flap in the dust bin to prevent debris from falling back out of the vacuum through the nozzle. But this one seems prone to letting larger debris (such as Cheerios) escape when you fold up the unit—as you have to do anytime you put the vacuum on the charging base. During our testing, we didn’t notice this problem, but it’s something you should be aware of. Some reviewers advise folding it up over a trash can and knocking it to get any loose debris out.
The dirt canister opens up too readily. Some reviewers complain that it’s too easy to unintentionally push the button for the canister, so the contents spill at inconvenient times, making a bigger mess than the Pivot cleaned up.
The Pivot seems to have a short lifespan—many Amazon reviewers report that the battery fails after two to three years, sometimes sooner—although we’re not sure whether it actually breaks faster than a typical handheld vacuum (which, like many small appliances, isn’t known to be a long-lasting machine in the first place). It’s not meant to be repaired, either—Black+Decker does not sell replacement parts, except for the paper filter. On the other hand, some reviewers write that the Pivot has lasted them for years (though they are fewer than the number of those whose vacuums have a much more abbreviated lifespan). And a few praise Black+Decker’s customer service, reporting that the company sent them replacement units after their vacuums stopped functioning even though they were already outside of the two-year limited warranty. Other reviewers note that if the vacuum starts losing suction, you may just need to clean the filter. We don’t know what it’s like to try to make a claim with Black+Decker’s customer service, but for what it’s worth, we called the company’s customer support number, and it took less than a minute to connect with a real person.
If you need something simple for quick cleanups, this small, affordable cordless handheld vacuum will get the job done.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publishing, the price was $49.
If the Black+Decker Pivot is unavailable, or if you’d prefer a traditional Dustbuster-style handheld vac, buy the Black+Decker 16V Max Lithium Dustbuster Hand Vacuum CHV1410L. It’s a perennial best seller with strong reviews from owners, and in our testing we found it comfortable and effective for quick, easy cleanups. We’ve recommended this vacuum for years.
In our testing, the CHV1410L had no trouble sucking up crumbs (including cereal) and dirt off bare surfaces like countertops, tile floors, and windowsills. For easy jobs, it was just as effective as a more powerful model like the Pivot. It wasn’t as effective at sucking up small, dustier debris like baking soda—in that test, it took longer and even left some behind (though the remaining debris was barely visible)—but using the flip-out bristle brush can help in that regard.
We found the CHV1410L to be comfortable to handle, at least in a traditional sense. It’s the second lightest of our picks, with a curved, closed handle for an easy grip. The slide-out crevice tool and swing-out combo brush, both built into the tip of the vacuum, have limited reach but may come in handy. Both are permanently fixed to the vacuum, so you can’t lose them.
The CHV1410L also comes with a convenient charging base that allows the vac to stand upright when you’re storing it, saving valuable space. One of our long-term testers keeps their CHV1410L upright on the floor, and it’s sturdy enough that the bounding and capering of their energetic dog doesn’t knock it over.
In our battery tests, the CHV1410L ran for about 12 minutes, though many owners put the battery life at more like nine or 10 minutes, at best. Either way, that’s pretty typical for handhelds at this price and ample time for the types of quick cleanups most people would use this vac for. The CHV1410L also recharges in about three hours. That’s much faster than some other cheaper models, which can take as long as 16 hours.
The CHV1410L has been out since 2012 and has been consistently popular since then. Black+Decker told us it had no plans to discontinue the model anytime soon.
The main downside, as with most Dustbuster-style models, is that the CHV1410L can’t clean upholstery very effectively. Debris (especially hair) tends to cling to fabric, and the CHV1410L has neither the suction nor the right tools to offset that clinginess. Also, because the CHV1410L has no hose or pivoting nozzle, it’s a hassle to clean the kinds of odd angles that our main pick excels at.
Decent suction, a 4-foot flexible hose, and clip-on tools help this handheld vacuum reach spots in your car and home that other models at this price can’t touch.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $110.
If you’re going to spend a lot of time cleaning your car, you need a hand vacuum with an extendable hose and useful attachments. The Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Flex BDH2020FL is the best example of this type and has different strengths and weaknesses. It’s usually well-priced and has a longer, more flexible hose that you can use with one hand. However, it doesn’t offer a ton of cleaning power.
The Black+Decker 20V Max Lithium Flex makes it easy to clean tight spots in your home or car that other hand vacuums struggle with, thanks to its attached hose and tools. The Flex was previously our top pick, but several Amazon customer reviewers write that the Flex does not have as much suction as they expected, and in our tests it struggled with large debris like chips and Cheerios. Given its versatility and relative cleaning strength, however, we think it’s worth the money if you plan to use it regularly.
The hose on the Flex accepts clip-on attachments. Like most handheld vacuums, it has a combo tool with bristles that can help grab clingy particles, as well as a crevice tool to reach into nooks such as the storage compartments built into car doors or the tight areas around car seats. The crevice tool also focuses the Flex’s airflow, offsetting the weaker suction to some degree. In addition, this vac has a rubber-nubbed pet-hair attachment—not a motorized brush as with the Dyson—that gets the job done and doesn’t require maintenance. In our tests, however, it did take a little while to pick up all the hair. All of the tools lock into place on the hose, so you won’t have to worry about losing them.
We found that the Flex has about a 12-minute run time. Thanks to the lithium-ion battery, it maintains steady power throughout the charge cycle. The suction starts to drop off only in the last minute or so of battery life, or if the filter isn’t clean.
The Flex’s dirt canister is easy enough to empty: Pull a latch on the side of the vacuum’s body, tip it toward the garbage can, give it a whack, and watch the debris fall out. If the bin gets really grimy, such as if you accidentally vacuum something moist, you can pop out the whole bowl and wash it in the sink. You’ll need to be diligent about knocking the dust loose because if the bin gets too dirty, the suction drops off. We found that whacking it against the edge of our garbage can a few times was enough to get the air flowing again.
The Flex is noisier than some owners expect. We measured 82.1 dBc, which is lower than what we got from the Pivot, but its frequency peak registers in the range to which human hearing is most sensitive, so it may be more annoying than our top pick’s. One of our testers found the noise unbearable, but others did not have a problem with it.
If you want a vacuum with a replaceable battery: The Ryobi 7131 uses the same rechargeable batteries as other Ryobi power tools, so it’s a good option for people who already own a Ryobi cordless tool, want a vacuum with a replaceable battery, or are looking for a more shop-vac-style machine. In our tests, it cleaned as well as our picks. The downsides: It’s bulkier than other models we tested and one of the loudest, and the controls are stiff. If those aren’t problems for you, this Ryobi vac could be a good option. We didn’t test the Ryobi P714K because it’s a shop vac, and our testing was not designed to evaluate shop vacuums. We may tackle that category someday.
If you’re worried about the limited run time of cordless handhelds or concerned about their often abbreviated lifespan, you might be wondering about plug-in models. We’re sorry to say that after researching a variety of corded handhelds and testing a few, we’ve concluded that there aren’t any great options. We didn’t find corded models to be better cleaners than our picks in our tests, and there’s no guarantee they’ll last longer. They just involve the extra step and inconvenience of unraveling the cord and plugging it in each time you use your hand vac.
We came close to recommending the Dustbuster-style Dirt Devil Scorpion Quick Flip. It’s inexpensive, it has a built-in crevice tool, and in our tests it cleaned as well as our top pick. Unfortunately, a concerning number of owner reviews indicate that this model overheats, and when we tested it, the back of the Dirt Devil became hot enough that we found the vacuum uncomfortable to use after 10 minutes. Most cordless models have a longer run time than that.
Some other review sites recommend the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser 33A1B, but in testing it, we didn’t see anything special about it. It’s bulky even though it’s smaller than our picks; it’s also uncomfortable to handle and the loudest vacuum we’ve tested so far. The exhaust vents scatter the debris you’re trying to pick up, and the filter isn’t easy to replace after you take it out.
“Mini” handheld vacuums have recently emerged as a new category. They’re smaller than all of our current picks—most are about the size of a wine bottle—and not nearly as powerful. They’re good for midsized debris such as crumbs or coffee grounds, but they can’t easily pick up finer particles like dust or flour, and bigger debris like Cheerios fills up the small dust bin too quickly. They’re really effective only on hard surfaces. The major benefit of these machines is that they’re easy to store on a countertop or in a bathroom or other places with limited space. We’ve found them especially convenient for quickly cleaning up crumbs on a coffee table. But our picks can do the same thing, they just take up a little bit more space.
Despite their being easy to store, we don’t recommend any of these models because our picks are better performers, similarly priced, and more versatile. Our top pick, the Black+Decker Max Lithium Pivot BDH2000PL, also doesn’t take up much space when it’s folded up and charging.
Of the mini handhelds we considered, we tested the Shark WV201 WandVac, the Eufy HomeVac H11, and the Bissell AeroSlim 29869. The Eufy and Bissell look nearly identical, but during our testing, the Eufy clearly had stronger suction than the Bissell. Still, both machines’ suction power was subpar. Both use a flimsy Micro-USB charger, so you can’t just plop them in a charging dock. On top of that, they both have small dust bins, and larger debris tends to fall right back out of the nozzle after getting sucked up.
The Shark WandVac had better suction and was easier to charge than the mini Bissell and Eufy, but we still didn’t find it worth recommending. Unlike the other mini handhelds, it could hold larger debris, but it also struggled to pick up flour. The WandVac is lightweight and comfortable to hold, and the drop-in charging dock is convenient, but overall this vacuum is not as versatile as a full-size handheld vacuum and can’t pick up as much debris.
The Dyson Humdinger was our former upgrade pick, but a representative from the company told us via email that this super-expensive model won’t be available for the rest of 2022. The Humdinger is one of the lightest and most powerful models we’ve tested. It’s more compact and comfortable to use than our other picks and also very effective at picking up pet hair off carpet and upholstery. If you’re looking for something comparable, you should consider a good stick vacuum, many of which can convert to a handheld vacuum—and also cost about as much as the Humdinger, but have more versatility.
The iRobot H1 handheld is a good vacuum, but we don’t think it’s worth it at full price (usually around $250!). In our tests, it cleaned fine, but it felt bulky and heavy. It started to bother our wrists after a few minutes of light cleaning. Although you can buy accessories to turn it into a stick vacuum, we think you’re better off buying one of our stick vacuum recommendations.
The Hoover DustChaser Cordless Mini has a different design from those of other mini handhelds we tested, so we don’t consider it part of that category despite its name. Its gun-shaped body is back-heavy and awkward to handle. And it wasn’t able to pick up fine debris as effectively as our picks.
The Shark CH901 UltraCyclone failed to impress us because it didn’t suck up as much debris as our picks did. On the other hand, it’s easy to use with its quick-release dust bin and well-distributed weight. If you don’t mind a little less suction, this option will probably get the job done.
The Bissell Multi Auto 19851, formerly one of our also-great picks, has been discontinued. We loved its strong suction, long battery life, and collection of effective tools (though it did have a short hose and a tough-to-remove dirt canister).
A few lower-voltage Flex vacs are available from Black+Decker. But we think the 20-volt version we recommend in this guide is worth paying extra for because the added oomph of the battery helps offset the inefficiency of the long, corrugated hose.
Black+Decker makes a few other 20-volt, lithium-powered handheld vacuums, including the BDH2000L. None has the reach of our main pick, and although these models do have more raw suction than our runner-up, the Dustbuster, we don’t think they provide enough of a real-world cleaning advantage to justify their extra cost.
Black+Decker also makes more than a dozen Dustbuster-style hand models that look a lot like our runner-up, the CHV1410L. They have similar body shapes, but their suction, battery life, charging times, and prices vary. The one that’s closest to our pick is the CHV1410L32, which has about the same suction, price, and charging time as the CHV1410L but charges through a jack plug rather than on a base. Some other models, like the HLVA315J, may be cheaper but are also weaker, and they take more than twice as long to charge compared with the CHV1410L. A handful of models, including the HHVK515JP07, have stronger suction and longer battery life on paper but cost extra, and its real-world benefits are pretty marginal.
We also tested the Dirt Devil Quick Flip Plus BD30025B, which looks a lot like our runner-up pick in terms of specs, price, and owner reviews. It’s also one of the cheapest handheld vacuums with a mini motorized brush roll. But this Dirt Devil model has much weaker suction. The eponymous “quick flip” tool (essentially a mini crevice tool) is also too small to suck up anything larger than a pea.
We also considered testing the Hoover BH57005, which, like the Ryobi 7131, has a removable battery that can also work in a suite of Hoover tools. We chose to test a different model in the lineup but may consider testing the BH57005 for a future update.
Some less expensive vacuums with strong suction still run on old NiCd batteries, which is an absolute dealbreaker these days. NiCd batteries are particularly awful because such vacs start to lose suction about halfway through their run time, they completely lose their charge after a couple of months, and they suffer from the memory effect.
Beyond those models, we dismissed a couple dozen truly low-end handheld vacuums—from Bissell, Dirt Devil, Electrolux, Hoover, Moneual, and 50-plus brands we’ve never heard of before that we found on Amazon—because they had very low-voltage batteries, inexplicably high prices, or poor owner reviews.
A few readers have asked us about handheld wet/dry vacs from DeWalt and Milwaukee. We have not tested them, but the owner ratings are solid, and they appear to be well suited for cleaning up the type of metal debris you’d find near a workbench that could wreck the types of handheld vacuums we recommend in this guide. We do recommend two great shop vacs that are better for more heavy-duty jobs, and we may review this category in the future.
We tested two very popular handheld wet/dry vacs from Homasy and Holife, top-selling brands on Amazon in 2019. They were nearly identical vacuums, and we would never buy either one, despite their good ratings on Amazon. (Beware of fake Amazon reviews!) They weren’t very strong, they felt cheap, and we aren’t confident that they’d last long enough for the money. Our runner-up is similar in price and has a proven track record. Even though these brands aren’t on Amazon anymore, many similar ones are, such as the VacLife Handheld Vacuum and the UPFOX Handheld Vacuum cleaner (both are among the top 20 best-selling handheld vacuums on Amazon.) Although we haven’t tested models from VacLife or UPFOX, they look extremely similar to other Amazon brands we’ve tested that were no good.
As for the hand vacuums that plug into the AC port in a car, well, a car battery supplies only 12 volts, so those vacs are much, much weaker than any of the models we recommend. And you can’t use them for other jobs around the house. One of those vacs might make sense to keep in your car for midshift tidy-ups if you’re a ride-share driver. But we think those plug-in models aren’t the best bet for most people. For our 2019 update, we tested the Lovin Product Car Vacuum, which isn’t available on Amazon anymore. At only 20 bucks, we thought, “How can this go wrong?” Turned out to be a piece of junk. We would not recommend wasting your money on it.
Too often, vacuum owners decide their machine is “broken” when in reality, a simple cleaning can get it back in working order. As we write in our article on how to clean a vacuum cleaner, “if you notice your vacuum seems weaker than it used to be, that’s a sign it needs some attention.” This guide details how to clean a full-sized vacuum but these tenets apply to handhelds, too.
There are four main tasks that will get your handheld clean and keep it maintained:
Sarah Bogdan is a former staff writer at Wirecutter covering appliances. Previously, she tested cleaning products and appliances at Good Housekeeping. Her degree in mechanical engineering and product design helps her understand how products work and how people interact with them. When she’s not tackling messes, she’s tackling rivals on the rugby field.
For a dependable, versatile, and affordable cleaner, we prefer a bagless upright, but we have recommendations for other types of vacuums as well.
by Michelle Ma and Sarah Bogdan
The Black+Decker BDH2020FL and Dyson Humdinger are great for cars since they can reach into tight spaces, come with handy tools, and have decent run time.
We’ve tested dozens of robot vacuums, and recommend the sturdy, strong, smart-enough Roomba i3 EVO first, followed closely by the super-clever Roborock S4 Max .
by Tim Heffernan and Liam McCabe
Pets shed constantly, and the only vacuum that can keep up with all that hair is a robot vacuum, but a good all-around traditional vacuum can also help.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). Subscribe now for unlimited access.
© 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company