We Tested 10 Handheld Vacuums, and These 3 Came Out on Top

Our Favorite Handheld Vacuum

We named the Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum our best overall for its powerful suction and large dustbin. It was the best at effectively cleaning any mess we threw at it. It also has powerful suction and helpful attachments for every crevice.

Our Handheld Vacuum Tests

To determine the best handheld vacuums, we first timed how long it took to get the appliance ready to use out of the box and how simple assembly was. In the next set of tests, we used a luggage scale to weigh each vacuum, a decibel reader to measure the vacuum's noise output, and a stopwatch to clock the vacuum’s runtime while on high power. Then, we tested how effective each handheld vacuum was by cleaning different sorts of debris like food and wig hair off a medium-pile rug, children’s high chair, children’s car seat, and upholstered chair. For wet models, we also vacuumed water off the floor. We noted how often we had to empty the dustbin, paying attention to how easy or not this was.

Factors to Consider

Weight

Handheld vacuums are designed to be portable, with their advantages being that you can bring them out quickly and use them in tighter spots compared to standard-size models. You don’t want something too heavy that you can’t hold it with one hand or that feels cumbersome to use as you’re bending down or reaching up, otherwise, it defeats the convenience of having one. There is a balance to be struck, though. Keep in mind that the smaller the handheld vacuum you get, the lighter it will probably be but it will also likely have a smaller dustbin that you have to empty out more often.

Battery Life

Don’t expect your average handheld vacuum to last as long as larger, cordless vacuums. Their smaller size equals a shorter runtime, but a good handheld vacuum will still offer a powerful enough battery to get your target cleaning done. Handheld vacuums’ battery life averages between 10 and 20 minutes, and on the lower end if you’re running the high power setting. You should also compare a vacuum’s runtime to how long it takes to charge the battery since a shorter runtime and a very long charge time can quickly become frustrating.

Dustbin Capacity

When assessing the dustbin of handheld vacuums, you’ll find their capacity measured in milliliters, liters, ounces, or gallons. In general, a handheld vacuum’s dustbin capacity ranges from about 0.1 liters to just under 1 liter. The larger a dustbin is, the more debris it can hold at once, saving you on trips back and forth from the trash bin. If you’re not doing a lot of spot cleaning, you may find that you don’t actually need that big of a dustbin to be satisfied.

Attachments

It’s easy to find upright, canister, and cordless vacuums with long lists of attachments for different types of flooring and various cleaning situations. Handheld vacuums, however, typically only come with one or two, likely a crevice and/or brush tool. Some handheld vacuums integrate the crevice tool into their design and thus may not come with any additional attachments. Whether built-in or not, a crevice tool that’s skinny and angled is crucial for cleaning super-tight spaces.

Suction Power

The vacuum’s suction power determines how well the appliance can pick up debris. You don’t want to go over the same spot multiple times just to get a thorough clean, so you’ll want to buy a handheld vacuum that gets the job done in one or two passes. Something important to remember is that a vacuum’s wattage doesn’t equal its suction power — it just tells you how much power it uses. The vacuum’s airflow, motor efficiency, nozzle design, and more determine the true suction power.

Other Handheld Vacuums We Tested

Strong Contenders

Nicebay Handheld Vacuum Cordless, 15KPA ($60 at Amazon)

This vacuum earned top marks for maneuverability, portability, and value but fell short when it came to emptying. Its small dustbin means it needs to be emptied much more frequently, and hair can get tangled up in the dustbin, requiring us to take it all apart. 

IonVac Lightweight Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 7551 ($23 at Walmart)

We appreciate that this handheld vacuum is quieter than others and offers great value at such a low price. The main issue is how difficult it is to work with, given its small grip and how hot the handle gets while running.

Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac WV201 ($90 at Amazon)

While this Shark model received good scores in many categories, we found it to be much too expensive, especially considering some cordless vacuums out there at a lower price that can function just as well when modified to be handheld. 

Black + Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean Cordless Wet/Dry Handheld Vacuum ($59 at Amazon)

This vacuum is light and has a long runtime, but we found it too loud and wish it offered different power settings to handle all kinds of messes. We feel there are more powerful options on the market for the same price point. 

What Didn't Make the List

Other handheld vacuums we tested that didn’t make the list fell short mainly because of their ineffectiveness. While some vacuums might have scored well on setup and noise level, we couldn’t overlook how little debris they picked up, sometimes even leaving a mess behind them by spitting debris back out or spreading it while cleaning. Given the high performance of other Black + Decker handheld models we tested, we were surprised that the Reviva Cordless Hand Vacuum, in particular, didn’t do a better job. We had to be very careful with positioning the vacuum because the powerful exit fans would blow any debris not picked up yet all over the place, lengthening cleanup time. 

Our Expertise

Cindy Brzostowski is a writer and avid home cook who has previous experience in cookbook publishing (and has to clean up more than her fair share of messes on the kitchen floor while cooking). Her writing has been featured in Allrecipes, Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among other publications. For this article, she used our in-depth, in-house testing insights to review the best handheld vacuums on the market.