Cordless vacuum cleaners used to be those things you got for your first apartment. They took very little storage space and were relatively inexpensive. After all, how much vacuum did you need for 600-900 square feet of space? Well, that was then. Cordless vacuums have come a long way in the last 30 years.
10 best cordless vacuum cleaners. The top ten user-rated choices for best cordless vacuum cleaner on the market:
As we dig into this article, we’ll look at how these models compare to one another, their pros and cons, according to those who have rated them, what they’re really good at – and what they’re not so good at. First, let’s understand why the highest-rated Amazon cordless vacuums weren’t included on this list.
Understanding Who Your Manufacturer Is
Granted, Bissell, Dyson, Eureka, Hoover, and Shark are well-known brand names.
They have advertisements everywhere you look – which also means they have large advertising budgets. That said, those budget dollars get incorporated into the overall cost of their products. That’s neither good nor bad; it’s just part of doing business.
The bottom line, though, they’re household name brands. They’re known. You probably already have a notion of what you expect from some of those manufacturers.
Jashen and WOWGO are also large international companies with well-documented websites. So, although you may not be as familiar with their name, they are verifiable.
Lesser-Known Honorable Mentions
Many of the highest-rated models online though, do not have an internet presence that we could find to round out our research of the company. But, since they have high rankings and many positive comments, we are sharing them as “honorable mentions.”
Just because they may not have a large marketing budget doesn’t mean their product can’t do the job – and may Amazon customers tend to back this up.
Since all of the following options are offered through Amazon, you should have a level of recourse should you need it, but the ratings and comments on these were so positive we wanted you to be informed of their existence.
| Dibea | Dibea Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 12KPa Powerful Suction 150W Motor 2 in 1 Cordless Stick Handheld Vacuum – 4.9 out of 5 Amazon stars (66 ratings) |
| Goovi | Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 16KPa Powerful Suction 200W Motor 2 in 1 Stick Handheld Vacuum – 4.9 out of 5 Amazon stars (74 ratings) |
| Onson | Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 12KPa Powerful Suction 150W Motor 2 in 1 Stick Handheld Vacuum – 4.9 out of 5 Amazon stars (42 ratings) |
| Aposen | APOSEN Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 5 in 1 Wet and Dry Handheld Vacuum Ultra Lightweight 14.8V Lithium with Quick Charge Tech Stick Vacuum – 4.8 out of 5 Amazon stars (235 ratings) |
| Amstech | Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 21KPa Super Suction, Lightweight Handheld Stick Vacuum Cleaner – 4.7 out of 5 Amazon stars (321 ratings) |
| Homticky | Homtiky Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 22KPa Powerful Suction 3 Speeds 5 in 1 Cordless Stick Vacuum – 4.6 out of 5 Amazon stars (41 ratings) |
Had we included these six options on our original list, numbers five through ten wouldn’t have even made it into this article. With that in mind, let’s dig into comparing some features of all 16 models.
Which Vacuum Does What?
Knowing that you want a cordless vacuum is a fine place to start, but exactly what do you want it to do?
We’ve already covered their ratings above. In the following chart, we’re going to compare the 16 models based on:
- Cost (Approximate)
- Average battery life
- Vacuum weight
- Multi-floor cleaning flexibility
- Presence of accessories
- Ability to be used as a handheld
So, let’s dig in.
| Manufacturer and Model | Cost | Average Battery Life (Min.) | Vacuum Weight | Multi-Floor Cleaning | Accessories | Hand-held? |
| Dibea Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 12KPa | $136 | 40 | 7.25Lbs. | Yes interchangeable brushes | Yes crevice tools | Yes |
| Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 16KPa | $190 | 60 | 11.25 Lbs. | Yes | Yes crevice and bristle brush tools | Yes |
| Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 12KPa | $116 | 45 | 7.65 Lbs. | Yes | Yes crevice and bristle brush tools | Yes |
| APOSEN Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 5 in 1 | $63 | 20 | 4.4 Lbs. | No hard floors only | Yes crevice and bristle brush tools | Yes |
| JASHEN Lightweight Cordless Vacuum | $120 | 30 | 7.3 Lbs. | Yes | Yes Crevice and 2-in-1 dusting brush | Yes |
| Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Blue | $500 | 60 | 6.68 Lbs. | Yes (Automatically) | Yes LCD screen, crevice, stubborn dirt, soft dusting, combo tool | Yes |
| WOWGO Cordless Stick Vacuum | $135 | 40 | 3.9 Lbs. | Yes not suitable for high-pile rug or shag | Yes crevice tool, soft bristle brush, hard bristle brush, combo brush | Yes |
| Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 21KPa Super Suction, | $150 | 40 | 4.8 Lbs. | Yes only suitable for “short-haired” carpet | Yes – blowing tool, 2-in-1 crevice nozzle | Yes |
| Dyson V8 Animal Cordless HEPA | $395 | 40 | 12.3 Lbs. | Yes | Yes mattress tool, electric wand set, mini motorized tool, soft dusting, combo and crevice tools. | Yes |
| Homtiky Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 22KPa | $130 | 40 | 10.05 Lbs. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dyson V7 Motorhead Handheld | $284 | 30 | 9.05 Lbs. | Yes | Yes mattress tool, electric wand set, accessory, and crevice tool | Yes |
| Dyson V7 Animal Pro+ Cordless | $429 | 30 | 9.6 Lbs. | No This is for carpeted floors only, but an additional attachment can be purchased for use on hardwood floors Yes flexi-crevice tool, mini-motorized tool, and stubborn dirt brush | Yes | |
| Shark ION P50 – IC162 Lightweight | $230 | 50 | 12.03 Lbs. | Yes | No | Yes |
| Eureka NEC180 RapidClean Pro Cordless Vacuum Cleaner | $150 | 40 | 5.26 Lbs. | Yes | No, but lays down flat | Yes |
| Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX | $290 | Not found | 12.6 Lbs. | Yes | Yes crevice, dusting brush, upholstery, and motorized pet tools | Yes |
| Bissell Adapt XRT Pet 14.4V Lithium Ion Cordless | $143 | Not found | 7.85 Lbs. | Yes – not suitable for carpet more than low pile | Yes crevice tool and combo upholstery and dusting brush lays down flat | Yes |
Why You Might Want to Choose A Cordless Vacuum
There are pros and cons to most choices we make in life. Choosing a cordless versus a corded vacuum cleaner is no different. We’re going to look at some of those general differences below:
| Vacuum Type | Pros | Cons |
| Cordless Vacuum | Works well for quick cleaning jobs tend to be quieter than corded vacuums. It is usually fairly small and doesn’t require a lot of storage space – many hang on the wall in their own charger.It doesn’t require cord management of unwinding, plugging in, avoiding the cord, unplugging to go to a different room, finding available outlets, and rewinding the cord before putting it away. It is usually fairly lightweight. It is generally easy to move around. Gets back to a full charge in just a couple hours. Many have washable filters. More effective than a broom. | Limited suction strength. The suction strength is in direct correlation to the amount of battery power that is left. More charge = better suction power. Smaller dust/dirt bins.Limited continuous use time.May require switching heads or brushes between carpet and hardwood/tile floors.Will most likely need to be replaced every few years. Accessories usually need separate storage space. |
| Corded Vacuum | It usually has better cleaning suction because it has consistent power levels. Generally, has a larger dirt/dust bin than the cordless vacuums. It usually has on-board storage for accessories. It does not have a limitation on cleaning time.Will usually last for a decade or more. | Heavier than the cordless counterparts. Larger than cordless vacuums and typically requires more storage space. It has a cord that needs to be managed. It doesn’t give you the excuse of only cleaning one room at a time. (Ok, this may be a little silly, but for some, it’s truly a con because they’d rather focus on cleaning one room per day.) |
Best Cordless Vacuum for Hardwood (Non-Carpeted) Floors
If you’re looking for a tool that will help you manage cleaning your hard floors, a wet/dry vacuum combination would be a high-efficiency option.
Bissell offers a Bissell Crosswave Cordless Max All-in-One Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner and Mop that can be used not only on hard floors but also low-pile area rugs. This tool offers up-to 30 minutes cleaning of:
- Tile
- Sealed Hardwood Floors
- Pressed Hardwood Floors
- Laminate
- Linoleum
- Rubber Floor Mats
- Low-Pile Carpets and Area Rugs
This $360, 11.5-pound cordless vacuum has a two-tank process that keeps the wet and dry debris separate. It also has a self-cleaning cycle to help maintain its cleaning performance.
Do you like buying products that donate a portion of their proceeds to charities? Well, Bissell donates $10 from every purchase to Pet Foundation to help save homeless pets. While you clean up your precious pet’s shedding hair, you also will be helping another pet get adopted.
If you don’t want the wet/dry option and only want the dry floor cordless vacuum, the best cordless option for you would be the10-pound Hoover Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner. Its edge cleaning bristles are able to get dirt and debris against those hard-to-reach edges. This option is much less expensive at $125 because it doesn’t include the floor mopping option.
Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair
For some reason, our pets don’t leave the hair they shed only on our hard floors. Ok, so the reason is obvious – it’s because we allow them on our carpets, right? As a result, we need to look at a cordless vacuum option that works well on both carpeted and hard floors.
Tineco A10 Master Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for Hardwood and Carpet Floors
The Tineco A10 Master Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for Hardwood and Carpet Floors is an option worth considering. Not only does this option claim to provide deep cleaning suction power to get pet hair out of the carpets, but it only weighs 2.87 pounds. It also can convert to a hand-held cleaner.
This $250 Tineco says it cleans for up to 50 minutes when it has a full charge. It does require changing the brush when moving from hard floors to carpeted floors, but this process of changing brushes also protects your hard floors from scratches.
Best Cordless Vacuum Option for Carpeted Floors
The first thing to think about when you’re looking for a vacuum to clean your carpeted floors is what type of carpet do you need to clean?
Do you have an ultra-plush carpet? Shag carpet? Indoor/outdoor carpet? Berber loop carpet?
All of these carpets have different needs – some are very sensitive, so they need a high-clearance vacuum head or a gentle beater bar.
Some are dirt grabbers and need a deep cleaning vacuum. And some manufacturers will even nullify their warranty based on different vacuum types or brands. You’ll want to know what you need in your vacuum cleaner before you decide to go shopping for one.
Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
For carpet cleaning, our top choice is the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. Regardless of whether or not you have pets, you will still have fibers that float around your house based on your clothing, linen, and upholstery choices. These fibers will attach themselves to your carpet and you’ll want to be able to capture and dispose of them.
At $500, you may wonder if this vacuum sings and dances too. It nearly does.
- Its cleaner head will automatically adapt to different floor types and lets you conveniently switch between Eco, Automatic, and Boost modes depending on the level of cleaning power you need.
- With up to 60 minutes of cleaning time, it has one of the longest battery run times on the cordless vacuum cleaner market.
- The LCD screen notifies you of the power level you have selected and how much run time you have remaining on your charge. I
- t will also notify you whether or not your vacuum has developed some sort of blockage and when you need to clean the filters.
Best Cordless Vacuum for Use on Stairs
Stairs are hard to clean. You have to balance not only you but your cleaning tool too. They have all kinds of corners and edges that can be challenging too.
Sometimes it’s worth having a separate tool that you can just grab and go and get that flight of stairs finished and the vacuum put back in its place in 10-15 minutes, but if you can find one tool that will convert for you, all the better.
You definitely want something lightweight that’s easy to transport and use. It should also have a dust/dirt bin that will sufficiently hold the debris without having to stop in the middle of your cleaning project.
Dyson V7 Animal Pro+ Cordless Vacuum Cleaner with Extra Tools
With those criteria in mind, the Dyson V7 Animal Pro+ Cordless Vacuum Cleaner with Extra Tools is a great all-in-one option. We chose this because the head can directly attach to the hand-held option giving you better cleaning control. It also has a mini motorized tool that would be manageable, but not as great on plush carpets.
- The Dyson will offer up-to 30-minutes of charged cleaning and is great with capturing hair and dust-balls that tend to collect in corners and on stairs.
- At $429, it isn’t an inexpensive option, but for an all-in-one gets you a lot of cleaning power.
If the Dyson is more expensive than you wanted, perhaps you’ll want to consider the Black and Decker 2-in-1 Lithium Stick Cordless Vacuum. This option sells for about $160 but still has the hand-held option. It has an on/off switch for the beater bar, which will help keep your hard floors safe from scratches while still offering the deeper cleaning for carpeted floors.
This model’s battery only lasts about 15 minutes, but that’s about perfect for a flight of stairs.
About the HEPA Filters
Many vacuum cleaner manufacturers, corded and cordless, tout their HEPA filter systems to be the most wonderful filtration you can get. Well, what are they and are they all that they claim to be?
What is HEPA?
As we look at these filters, let’s start with the acronym definition:
HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particle Air.
There are filters on the market that say they are HEPA “style” filters. These are not true HEPA filters that have been tested by an independent lab and certified. You would not be able to trust them to do the job of an actual HEPA filtration unit.
In order for a filter to have the certified or “true” HEPA designation, it must be able to prove that it will remove 99.97% of all airborne particles that are greater than or equal to .000012 inches in diameter. To put this in perspective, the naked eye can only see .0013 inches. While that’s small, the airborne particles are minuscule in comparison. The HEPA filtration process captures particles much smaller than we can even see without some sort of magnification assistance.
These amazing filters are made from sheets of randomly arranged glass fibers that have been pressed together – which explains why so many are washable. These aren’t paper fibers that would dissolve when they got wet.
How HEPA Filters Work
Because of the random nature of the way the glass fibers are connected, the turbulence of the airflow from the vacuum cleaner’s suction causes these microscopic particles to stick to the filter rather than allowing them to escape back into your living environment.
What this means for you is that if you or someone in your household experiences allergy symptoms from household dust and dander, your vacuum cleaners HEPA filter will contribute to your ability to keeping those nuisances at bay. Said differently, there will be less sneezing, watering eyes, and runny noses in your house. Ahhhh – relief!
Corded Vacuum Cleaner Options
As we discussed above, many corded vacuums also come with HEPA filters. Maybe you’ve decided that you don’t want to have the time limitation on getting your house vacuumed. If that’s the case, there are some decisions you’re going to want to make.
Deciding on Your Next Vacuum Cleaner Functions
Let’s discuss some things you’re going to want to consider when you are choosing your new corded vacuum cleaner.
- What type of
vacuum cleaner design do you want?
- Upright
- Canister
- Hand-held
- What type of dirt
capture do you want?
- Bags
- Bagless
- How long of a
cord do you want?
- Average cord lengths are about 20 feet
Top 5 Corded Vacuum Cleaners
Now that you’ve decided what you want, here are the top five corded vacuum cleaner options on the market:
The price point is one of the reasons this vacuum tops the list.
The swivel steering function makes this affordable upright vacuum easy to maneuver. It also offers edge-to-edge cleaning to help get edges and corners clean. Its specialized pet cleaning tools will get even the most stubborn pet hair cleaned up, and the bottom release dirt bin makes emptying the debris fairly mess-free.
As we discussed earlier in the article, the corded vacuums are heavier than their cordless counterparts. This vacuum weighs 18.6 pounds, so you will get your cardio exercise for the day when you vacuum.
This canister vacuum has a dust-bag system, so it requires occasional checking so you can determine when the bag needs to be replaced. This model has a dial on top of the canister that allows you to switch the suction level based on the type of surface that is being cleaned, whether that be carpet, hard floor, draperies, or upholstery.
The total weight of this vacuum is 14.8 pounds – most of which is in the canister.
In this era where uprights have made an epic comeback, some still prefer the canister vacuum for its maneuverability and easier cleaning of furniture and other hard-to-reach spaces.
Another upright on the list is this Shark model. Its lift-away canister option offers the best of both an upright and a canister vacuum cleaner. At 13.7 pounds, it rivals some of the cordless options in the weight category.
This vacuum has a brush-roll shut-off button so you can easily move between your carpeted areas and your hard floors.
This light-weight canister vacuum offers you a bagless option for your canister choice. At 8.29 pounds, the fact that it doesn’t have wheels and needs to be carried to its next destination may not bother you at all – especially since it has an extended cord. This model has a long telescoping wand that helps you navigate around your furniture.
You don’t have to worry about your accessory attachments coming off either. This vacuum has a lock latch that will keep everything in place until you’re ready to remove it.
As you would expect from Dyson, this vacuum automatically adjusts to any floor surface type to make sure you are getting the level of clean you want. This bagless vacuum has a 31-foot cord giving it a total cleaning reach of about 40 feet and weighs about 15.6 pounds.
The ball steering technology allows you to get into strangely angled places without having to contort yourself around the obstacles.
Cleaning It Up
Whether you want the convenience of a cordless vacuum or the staying power of a corded vacuum, one thing is certain… you will be able to keep your living area in great shape with any of these options. Happy vacuum trails.