Even though robot vacuum cleaners are flooding the market, the best stick vacuums aren't going anywhere yet. Unlike the traditional corded barrel vacuums, cordless vacs are still a necessity and, just in time for spring cleaning in Australia, I've got a brand new — and rather surprising entry — that's taken up the top spot as the best stick vacuum for most Aussies.
I've been testing and writing about vacuum cleaners of all kinds for nearly a decade now, so I know a good one when I see it. And the Samsung Jet 95S review got a full five stars for good reason, toppling the long-reigning Sharks off the pedestal. It manages to balance power, performance and price very well indeed, giving you the kind of suction I've yet to come across in a Shark and, even though I've seen it in a Dyson, costs a fraction of what you'll spend with the British brand.
That doesn't mean the Shark Jet 95S is the only stick vacuum for you to consider. I'm cognisant of the fact that every household is different and has different needs, which is why I've listed multiple options below that cover the most common use cases, like those who need mopping on hard floors or self-emptying.
Every single one of these best stick vacuums have been tested by either myself or one of my colleagues here at TechRadar, and my 5 picks below offer excellent suction and performance at different price points. They also have their own unique features that make them worth the investment.
August 2026: As I've already mentioned, there's a new king in town in the form of the Samsung Jet 95S, which is my pick for the best cordless stick vacuum in Australia. All the other previous selections remain the same.
I've been testing vacuum cleaners for nine years from different brands, including Dyson, Shark and Dreame. While I'm fascinated by the latest innovations that make cleaning floors less of a chore, I'm always on the lookout for a lightweight cordless vacuum that gets into the tight spaces of my apartment.
The best stick vacuum overall
Shark has been at the top of my vacuum cleaner lists for so long that it truly came as a very pleasant surprise to see it get shoved off the best overall stick vacuum by none other than Samsung.
The Jet 95S is rather unimposing and, for the most part, is quite a no-frills options compared to some of the other cordless vacuums listed here, but it delivers where it's most important — suction. And, importantly, at a price that's affordable and a fraction of what you'd spend on the #2 option on this list, the Dyson Gen5detect.
Having tested the Samsung Jet 95S myself, I can attest to its 5-star cleaning prowess. Everyday tasks were just a walk in the park for this cordless vacuum cleaner, but it managed to handle tougher cleans better than what more expensive alternatives are able to handle.
With its 280AW of suction, which is the same the Dyson Gen5detect listed below (at #2), it's able to clean hard floors in one single swipe — I tested this with different types of dry spills like tea dust from a bag, oats, chia seeds, coffee grounds, freeze-dried bits of fruit and human hair.
While it might have take two swipe on a carpet to clean a similar kind of mixture in my testing, it was still 100% hair pickup, and quicker (or more efficient) than its Dyson competition.
Weighing about 2.5kg with its Slim LED Brush and about 2.69kg with the Jet Dual Brush+, the Samsung Jet 95S is lighter than a lot of the other vacuums listed below. However, I need to mention that the removable battery makes it top heavy, but it's still easier to use handheld than a lot of other alternatives.
While the Slim LED floorhead moves smoothly across hard floors, the Jet Dual Brush+ on my review unit was harder to manoeuvre, both on hard floors and carpet. That's not to say it's unusable — it just requires a little more effort, about as much as you'd need when using a heavier machine.
There is one attachment that gives the Jet 95S an advantage over many other stick vacuums on the market — it's called the Flex Tool and it allows you get into nooks and crannies that may typically be hard to reach or are at awkward angles. This bendy tool gives you up to a 90º angle for easier cleaning either high on the ceiling or somewhere low down, behind furniture perhaps.
When it comes to the overall design, the Samsung Jet 95S doesn't necessarily stand out from the crowd, but it's one of the easiest vacuums to set up out of the box. It's free-standing dock is slim and the fully assembled machine looks nice and compact. While it might take the same amount of floor space as most docked cordless vacuums, it's shorter (squatter?) than many others and, in comparison, looks more compact even though it isn't necessarily so.
It also doesn't offer much that's unique, but you do get four suction settings rather than the usual three and even the lowest is better than what you'd get on many other alternatives.
The only unique feature the Jet 95S offers is called Smart Motion, which automatically powers down the machine if you leave it to rest against anything in case you need to step away for a bit, and it can automatically restart if you pick it up within a minute. While it technically can preserve battery life, I ultimately found it superfluous as the power button is so easy to reach that I intuitively found myself using it to switch the vacuum off.
The Samsung Jet 95S promises up to 60 minutes of runtime on a single charge, that's only with the non-motorised attachments at the lowest suction setting. In real-world use with the two main floorheads and the Pet Tool, you'll be able to eke out no more 35-37 minutes, depending on how often dynamic suction comes into play.
That's not bad for battery life; in fact, I would say it's rather average, although you will get a touch more with models that offer up to 70 minutes of runtime, with an average of about 40-45 minutes depending on dynamic suction and power setting.
What it does do better than most is top up slightly quicker than similar vacuums, taking up to 3.5 hours to go from empty to full, while about four hours is the average charge time for other vacuums that offer the same kind of runtime.
The best vacuum for features
If money's no object, I'd highly recommend the Dyson Gen5detect for its several useful features and its sheer power. It has the best design of all the vacuums I've tested, offering advanced features paired with outstanding usability. Of course, it's not the newest vacuum on the market any longer, but it still holds its own very well indeed and performed well in not just my own review, but in subsequent tests run by a colleague.
During the latter, it managed the joint-longest runtimes, and was a runner-up in all the cleaning tests. However, not only is its price high, it's also one of the heavier vacuums I've tested and there weight distribution because of the battery on the handle makes it top heavy.
It might have the same suction spec as the Samsung Jet 95S listed above (#1), but it still comes in at second spot where vacuuming performance is concerned. For context, where the Samsung above needed just one forward pass to clear a messy patch during my tests, the Gen5detect needed a forward and backward pass for the same kind of cleaning.
And that's on hard floors where most vacuums perform their best. On carpet, I'd say the Gen5detect has 100% hair pickup when moving over the same spot a few times while the Samsung Jet 95S manages to do so in a single forward-backward pass — but note that both these were tested on maximum suction on either machine.
The difference in performance is small, but it's there. And that's despite the Samsung being the cheaper option, which is why it takes the top spot while Dyson gets relegated to being the runner-up.
At 3.4 kilos, the Gen5detect is one of the heavier machines on this page, with most of the weight on the top of the handle. When I tested it for my review, I found my hand and wrist feeling fatigue within about 10 to 15 minutes of use, especially when trying to change its direction on carpets where resistance is high.
The fact that the weight is concentrated in the top section, which is really rather long, makes it unwieldy to use, with or without the wand attached. Which means if you're trying to raise it to clean ceiling corners, you really need a lot of core strength to take balance that weight in one hand.
Dyson has added some welcome padding above the handle, but I still found the battery casing could dig into my wrist when I used the vacuum as a handheld. This model switches on and off with a one-press button, which is great for long cleaning sessions, but annoying for quick cleanups as it requires both hands to be free.
The Gen5detect is packed with special features that enhance usability. A screen near the handle conveys information in an unambiguous way — it'll spell out exactly how long you have left on the battery in your current cleaning mode, as well as flagging any issues and telling you how to fix them. This screen will also tell you, in words, which mode you're using, which after trying to decipher various icons and colour-coding systems on other machines, I truly appreciated.
Like many vacuums today, the Gen5detect can auto-adjust suction depending on how much dirt it detects on the floor, but this model goes a step further and will report the size and number of particles being sucked up via a colourful, animated on-screen bar graph. You'll also get a soft floorhead for delicate hard flooring, and it's equipped with a nice, bright laser to illuminate dirt. And its Digital Motorbar is effective on carpets and doesn't tangle pet or human hair.
You'll get a maximum of 60 minutes of cleaning time in Eco mode, which is not as long as some competitors, but still very decent. (Also factor in that the Eco mode here is powerful enough to still be very useful.) I managed 15 minutes of cleaning in the ultra-powerful Boost mode, which is excellent.
For regular use for day-to-day cleaning in Auto mode, you'll get anywhere between 37 to 45 minutes — depending on floor type and dirt amount — which is quite standard.
Best wet floor cleaner
If your home has mainly hard floors, it might be better opting for what is now being called a floor washer or a 2-in-1 vacuum mop. Not to be confused with the likes of the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine, but one that does both vacuuming and mopping simultaneously using the same floorhead.
The F25 Ace was released early in 2025 and did quite well in our tests. Our reviewer was impressed at how clean his floors felt after a session, and was usually quite surprised at how dirty the water always was, even if he'd used the Ace on consecutive days.
From our tests, we found that the F25 Ace can leave any hard floor clean. Better yet, it's ability to lie flat means it can get under furniture for regular cleaning as well. In even better news, the floorhead can get very close to edges and clean up wet spills effectively, although sucking up small debris (like rice and coffee beans in our tests) is not perfect along edges. But any kind of spill in the middle of a floor and the F25 aces its cleaning (pun intended).
And with the roller getting scraped each time it rotates (at a speed of 450rpm), it's very effective at mopping up nearly any kind of mess without leaving streaks behind. That said, if you roll it over an already-cleaned section of floor that's still damp, you will likely see track marks from the wheels. By default, the waterflow rate here is relatively high (compared to a Tineco we've previously tested), but that can be adjusted via its companion app.
All wet floor washers are heavy because of the water tank on the tube, but the F25 Ace is remarkably easy to move around, thanks to what Roborock calls SlideTech wheels, which are motorised and this can be adjusted in the app. Moreover, the floorhead pivots a generous 70º (35º left and right), making tight turns easy.
When the machine is totally flat, the cleaning head loses the ability to pivot, but any angle smaller than 180º allows it to remain agile and our reviewer says he found it very easy to clean under chairs and tables without needing to move any of them and yet turning the machine easily.
The Roborock F25 Ace follows a similar design language to floor washers from other brands, but the one difference it boasts is that the water tank is at the base of the machine, which lowers its centre of gravity and makes it easy to manoeuvre and lie flat when cleaning.
An LED display provides some basic information, but our reviewer and I agree that other wet washers have more information displayed.
There's an automatic detergent dispenser next to the clean-water tank and you can set the detergent ratio in the app. However, our reviewer noted that using detergent can leave some soap suds on the floor when cleaning.
The F25 Ace has a 4,000mAh battery that's rated for a maximum of 60 minutes of runtime in Eco mode and 40 minutes in Auto. If you live in a large home, you'll likely not be able to finish a full clean in one run and the machine takes about 4 hours to top up.
However, this kind of use time per charge is enough for most people. In our review, our tester never once ran out of battery when cleaning about 120sqm of floor space. However, he did find that the F25 Ace continued to use its battery when placed on the dock for self-cleaning.
The best compact cordless vacuum
The Shark Cordless Detect Pro comes in two variants — the standalone vacuum and one that ships with an self-emptying charging dock, and it's the latter that I highly recommend. It's now getting on in years, but it's still a fantastic little cordless vacuum that's easy to use and, importantly, can be had for under the AU$500, making it cheaper than the standalone machine.
I suspect Shark might discontinue this soon it has since released newer models that we're yet to test ourselves but, as of writing this, the Auto-empty version is still available from several retailers and from Shark directly.
While I didn't do TechRadar's Shark Detect Pro cordless vacuum cleaner review, I tested this machine for sister site Tom's Guide and was very impressed by how well it can clean, despite not being the most powerful vacuum on the market. Turns out, my colleagues here at TechRadar agree that it's a fabulous machine.
With dynamic suction, the Cordless Detect Pro can automatically ramp up suction when it detects carpets or more dirt, but keep in mind it will struggle if your carpets are heavily soiled. That said, the suction here is enough for most people's needs.
It's able to pick up fine dust as well as large debris without too much issue; and one of our testers even managed to vacuum up trimmings off a Christmas tree (not just individual needles). Its floorhead is able to get pretty close to the edges and corners of floors, automatically increasing suction it senses the edge of a room – a particularly clever addition because it this can be a particular hotspot for dust.
One slight flaw with the floorhead design is that when it's being pulled backwards, it causes debris to pool up behind it, requiring careful manoeuvring so you're only tackling dirt when pushing the vacuum forwards. This is an issue that Shark specifically addressed with the PowerDetect model (listed above).
And while it won't lie completely flat, the wand does bend in the middle to help you clean under furniture.
The Shark Cordless Detect Pro is one of the lightest vacuums I've tested, as is evident by its 2.68kg weight with the floorhead. That's about the same the Samsung Jet 95S listed above (#1) and, despite the battery being on the handle like all other modern cordless vacuums, the weight distribution is fantastic here. You hardly feel it and that makes it one of the most comfortable to use as a regular vacuum and as a handheld.
The one and only floorhead also moves smoothly over different floor types, while headlights on the attachment help illuminate dark patches of floor while cleaning.
One of the ways the Shark Cordless Detect Pro maintains a lightweight form factor is a small dust cup. This isn't necessarily a negative as you can just pop the machine onto the dock for emptying every time it fills up, and you can continue cleaning till the battery drains. You can, of course, empty it manually too if you wish.
The handheld unit, like all other stick vacs, is the brains of the operations here, and there's an LED display that's bordered by a ring of light that changes colour depending on how dirty your floor is. The display isn't particularly comprehensive, but it's still useful.
The only complaint I have, and it's not a big one, is the limited number of additional attachments it comes with. An upholstery tool and crevice tool is all you'll get, but neither have any storage options on the charging dock.
Speaking of which, the auto-empty dock doesn't use dust bags — instead, dirt is emptied into a 2L box that's washable. The self-empty action is relatively quiet, quieter than when the stick is vacuuming in fact! This base station also has a small niche for an odour neutralising puck that diminishes smells emanating from the dust box.
The Shark Cordless Detect Pro is rated for up 60 minutes in Eco mode, but if you use the default Detect mode (which translates to Auto in other systems and will likely be the one most people use), you'll get around 20 minutes. That is on the low side for a cordless vacuum, which means it's better suited to smaller homes. If you live in a larger space, you'll likely be doing your cleaning in shifts.
The shifts will have to take place after a few hours, though, as the machine takes anywhere between 3.5 hour to 4.5 hours to top up from empty.
The best self-emptying cordless vacuum
The Dreame Z-series stick vacuums might not be well known but a colleague and I have tested two models so far for TechRadar and come away rather impressed with both. The drawcard here is that all of them come with the Station charging dock that has an auto-empty function, and I will say that their overall performance is also excellent, which is why the Dreame Z20 Station finds a spot here.
Even better is that fact that it can often be found at a discounted price of under the AU$400 mark from various Aussie retailers.
My colleague Max Langridge, who did our Dreame Z20 Station review, was so impressed by its cleaning performance that he said "it changed the way he cleaned his home". His partner added that "he was traumatised to see how much dirt" was on their wooden floors, revealed by Dreame's CelesTect Lighting technology that works similar to Dyson's Fluffy Optic tool to reveal particles normally invisible to the naked eye.
Its 250AW of suction performed well in real-world tests, with our reviewer impressed that it took just one forward motion for a rather nasty concoction of rice, coffee beans, flour and his own hair clippings to be fully cleaned up on hard floors. The same mixture took one forward and one backward motion on carpet, although a couple of instances he found it took two forward motions and one back for the entirety of the mess to be cleaned up. That's still very impressive.
Using the Dreame Z20 stick vacuum was my colleague's biggest complaint — it's relatively heavy at 3.3kg and while the floorhead is easy to move around, the wand is shorter when compared to other brands and isn't telescopic. So taller people will find lower back pain creeping in when using this machine for prolonged periods.
Like many other heavy vacuums, the Z20 is also has most of its weight on the top, which induces fatigue in the wrist and arm, and make it harder to use as a handheld.
The Dreame Z20 Station's biggest drawcard has to be its freestanding auto-empty charging dock, but this one uses replaceable 3L dust bags, so you will need to take into account the ongoing cost here. The auto-empty suction is quite powerful, although our tester found that some amount of fine dust accumulated towards the top and needed to be shaken loose for emptying to be optimal.
In Australia, the Z20 ships with three additional tools and, if you have a pooch, the pet deshedding attachment would prove rather useful if your puppy is willing to sit still for the duration. One thing to note about the additional tools is that they have their own accessory cradle, which will require a little extra floor space to store.
Otherwise the LCD display is sharp and clear, showing an animated graph of four particle sizes, plus the suction mode and remaining battery life, while Dreame has made it easy to dismantle the dust cup for thorough cleaning too. Moreover, the filter inside is washable to increase its life.
The Z20 does exactly what it promises — offering up to 90 minutes of runtime on Eco mode with a non-motorised attachment.
It's a different story when using the main floorhead in Auto mode as this is where dynamic suction kicks in and the runtime you get will depend on how much dirt it picks up and what floor type you predominantly have. Still, it's possible to get around 60 minutes in Auto mode with the motorised floorhead, and that's quite impressive given other stick vacuums typically tap out at around the 40-mark in similar circumstances.
At max suction — Dreame calls this mode Turbo — our tests delivered about 10 minutes of battery, which is quite standard.
Alternatives
If you think the above stick vacuums aren't what you're after, there are a few more options to consider. Whether you're after a good-value Dyson (yes, there is one) or something to clean up after your pets without spending top dollar, I've got you covered.
This is a strong all-rounder, but was just pipped to the post when it came to my top five. The design is basic, and there are no special features to speak of, but this vacuum's cleaning scores were strong on carpet and for and pet hair.
Read our full Dyson V8 Cyclone review
It's one of the older Shark models on this page but we recently tested it again and it still holds its own. With a bendy wand and excellent suction, it's a fantastic option for pet owners – plus it can regularly be picked up for under AU$600.
Read our in-depth Shark Stratos IZ400 review
A powerful motor, particularly in Boost mode, throws the competition out of the park. Capable of thoroughly cleaning everything from a hard floor to a shaggy carpet, this machine can even clean itself, leaving the dust cup very clean indeed.
Read our in-depth Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review
Best stick vacuums in Australia: FAQ
How we test cordless vacuum cleaners
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
To find the best cordless vacuum cleaner, we evaluate how successfully each model collects everything from fine dust and dirt to larger debris such as cookie crumbs and cereal. As well as assessing how well floors are cleaned, we’ve also compared how easy the vacuum cleaners are to manoeuvre on carpet and hard floors, as well as whether dust pick-up is evenly distributed across the cleaning head or concentrated in one area.
We rated each design on how durable it is, as well as the simplicity of emptying, how loud it is during use and how long the battery lasts. For each model, we wanted to know whether it was easy to convert into other modes, such as a handheld vac, the useful tools and accessories it came with to clean edges or remove pet hair, and whether it required reading a thick instruction manual before use.
How do I choose a cordless vacuum cleaner?
We think the cordless vacuums we've listed above are the best of the best, but it's essential to consider your personal needs.
The most important considerations when choosing a cordless vacuum cleaner are:
1. Specs
2. Design
3. Features
Starting with the specs is typically the way to go - think about how long of a runtime you need from your cordless vacuum, what floor types you have in your home, and how powerful you'll need the cleaner to be.
Next up, think about what features you might need from your new cordless vacuum. If you have pets, that means looking for a vacuum that can handle hairs and even odours. You might need a range of attachments to handle various surfaces in your home or a vacuum that can easily transform into a handheld unit.
Lastly, think about the design of the vacuum. Is it light enough to use overhead if you have shelves and high surfaces that need cleaning? How easy would it be to store in your home? You might even want to consider if it will be aesthetically pleasing, especially if you're planning to keep it out in the open.
Are stick vacuums worth it?
Cordless stick vacuums bring some great benefits, especially if you have a smaller home, or just need a more accessible device for cleaning up small spills and messes in the kitchen.
As they are more compact and lightweight, stick vacuums are great for quick cleanups, however, they might not be worth it if you need any kind of deeper clean. Of course, there are stick vacuums made for those with larger spaces that require more storage space to account for that.
Are cordless vacuums as good as upright vacuums?
Cordless vacuums have been available for more than two decades, and while the early models were not as good when it came to dust pickup, that’s no longer the case.
Many of the cordless vacuums on the market are comparable, and in some cases better, to corded, upright vacuums when it comes to collecting dust and dander from carpets and hard floors. They’re more versatile than corded vacuums too, as they can be converted into lightweight, handheld cleaners that are suitable for use on upholstery, up high, and even in vehicles.
However, there is one area where they struggle to match corded vacuums, and that’s the capacity of the dust canister. On average, cordless vacuums have dust canisters with a capacity of anywhere between 0.2 and 0.75 litres, whereas traditional corded vacuums, whether upright or a canister, have a capacity of anywhere between 1 and 2 litres. The only exception is the Dyson V11 Outsize, which has a 1.9-litre capacity. However, it’s also extremely expensive compared to other cordless vacuums and much bulkier.
So, one might be better for one use, but not as good for another. It depends what you need from your vacuum.
Are Dyson stick vacuums worth it?
Dyson is the most popular brand of cordless vacuum cleaner worldwide and, if you're after a high-end option, then it's definitely worth considering opting for a Dyson. They have very powerful suction, provide some advanced features and look good too.
However, Dyson isn't the only brand worth considering, particularly if you don't want to spend top dollar. Samsung and LG can provide more bang for your buck by offering similarly priced cordless vacuum cleaners that also come with an auto-empty station and a mopping head.
There's also Shark, Bissell, Roborock and Tineco, all of whom offer full-featured stick vacuums in Australia that can come in lower price points with equally, if not better, suction. You just need to figure out what you're willing to spend on the best cordless vacuum there is and how large your space is. Your choice of brand will also be determined by what floor type you predominantly have at home.
- You've reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^
