Best stick vacuum cleaners in Australia for 2024: the top powerful and convenient cordless vacuums

With most vacuum cleaner brands now only making the cordless variety, the best vacuums cleaners are pretty much synonymous with the best stick vacuums. Advancements in technology and engineering have gotten to a stage where even the cordless vacuum cleaners can create plenty of suction to clean any kind of floor just as well as a corded option, if not better.

Unencumbered with a long power cable or the added weight of a barrel, cordless vacuums are a lot more convenient for most users, being easier to manoeuvre and offering more versatile cleaning functionality. The versatility comes from many of the best cordless vacuums converting into handheld units that can be used in your car or boat, plus others can mop hard floors as well.

And there's usually enough battery life available on a single charge these days to get at least a two-bedroom home vacuumed before they need time at the mains again.

Another advancement is that with some cordless stick vacuums, the user doesn't even need to empty out the dust canister. Auto-emptying docking stations will do that for you and these docks can hold upwards of 30 days' worth of dirt before they themselves need to be cleaned out or the dust bag replaced.

To help you find the best cordless vacuum for your needs, the TechRadar Homes team, and a select group of experienced reviewers, have tested dozens from different brands and at different price points. For each review, we assess a model's cleaning power on hard floor and carpet, how well it copes with different kinds of cleaning tasks (including pet hair), as well as things like battery life, comfort of use and manoeuvrability, effectiveness of any extra tools, and value for money. The only exception in this list is the best budget pick below – while we haven't tested it ourselves, user reviews are too good to ignore.

The quick list

Below you can find a roundup of our choices for the best stick vacuums in Australia (also called cordless vacuum cleaners or handsticks). You can jump to a more in-depth review of each pick, along with a price comparison tool to ensure you find the best deals.

The best stick vacuums in Australia

Below you'll find more in-depth explorations of each of the best cordless vacuums in Australia, along with links to the full reviews written by TechRadar's team of home appliance experts.

The best stick vacuum for most homes

If you're looking for premium performance with a price tag that doesn't quite reach peak heights, the Shark Cordless Detect Pro with Auto-Empty System is the best Shark vacuum on the current Aussie market, and among the best vacuums available.

In our Shark Detect Pro Cordless Auto-Empty System review we called its performance "stellar", but that doesn't mean it's without its drawbacks. While not incomparable to competitors, especially with its performance, it is undoubtedly expensive. It's also pretty heavy for its rather diminutive size.

Still, the Detect Pro’s power is very good for a cordless vacuum and is extensively better adapted to different situations, thanks to its easy transformation into a handheld and several attachments. Importantly, it’s one of the few vacuums that can detect the edge of a room and increase suction automatically, making sure every inch gets cleaned. Making charging and storing easy is its self-emptying base station and accompanying large dust box – there’s no need to replace dust bags here. If all that doesn't make your eyes light up, it even neutralises odours and leaves your floor smelling fresh provided you’re willing to invest in the scented pucks.

For Dyson-like performance without the extra AU$500+, this is a great choice.

Read our in-depth Shark Detect Pro Cordless with Auto-Empty System review

The best Dyson stick vacuum

Building on the vacuuming power provided by the 2021 Dyson V15 Detect model, the V15s Detect Submarine debuts a wet-dry vacuum in Dyson’s catalogue. Not only will the Submarine vacuum, but it will also mop your hard floors, albeit not at the same time.

While mopping is a welcome addition to a fine Dyson vacuum, it’s not without fault. During our testing, we found that the V15s Detect Submarine’s dirty water isn’t sealed well within the attachment, and our reviewer found that often dirty water would leak out when moving between rooms. The mopping roller also can leave dirty streaks if you pause while moving it along a floor, but start mopping again and they disappear.

But beyond that, its mopping capabilities are impressive, with the ability to easily pick up muddy tracks and dried stains from the floors. This is aided by a selection of attachments including the improved Fluffy Optic which is only available with the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine Complete option that’s a Dyson exclusive.

Read our full Dyson V15s Detect Submarine review

The best self-emptying vacuum

While Dyson has been a market leader for a very long time, Samsung has stepped up to the challenge with its Bespoke Jet. Everything about the South Korean brand's cordless vacuum cleaner is well thought out, doing a lot more than what any Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner can do.

Firstly, it self-cleans thanks to its Clean Station (also a free-standing charging dock) that sucks out the gunk from the dust canister at the push of a button. Secondly, it comes with four power modes, with the highest – called Jet – able to suck up a whole load of matted hair and fur off a piled carpet in a single pass. And then there's its ability to mop and... well, sweep (sort of) too.

Importantly, it comes with two batteries, each with up to 60 minutes of runtime, and a plethora of accessories to get at any kind of dirt you need to. And when not in use, it looks pretty darn neat just standing up in a corner somewhere. All the tools and accessories have their own little cradle, which admittedly requires extra floor space but also provides a charging dock for the second battery (so it also needs it own power socket).

All this for a price that competes with the Dyson V15 Detect that can't do as much means there's value for money here if you're willing to make the initial high investment and take into consideration the ongoing cost of purchasing the disposable dust bags for the Clean Station.

Read our full Samsung Bespoke Jet review

The best all-round stick vacuum

Pretty much every premium cordless vacuum cleaner comes with a few different attachments, and the LG CordZero A9 Kompressor All-in-One is no different. But where it stands apart from the crowd is by coming with a charging dock that can stow all those bits and bobs away, out of sight. All that remains is a sleek-looking vacuum in its auto-emptying station.

Yes, the All-in-One Tower – also called its AIO Tower – houses dust bags that suck up all the dirt from the 0.44L canister. Now, don't let that small capacity fool you – as the name suggests, this vacuum compresses the dust and dirt it gathers so it can fit in more.

While it offers a lot of versatility thanks to all its various attachments, the AIO is not without its drawbacks. Our reviewer found that its edge cleaning wasn't as great as it what other cordless vacuums are capable of, and the mop is also just about enough for an easy cleaning job. It's also not what we would call affordable, but if you're after a vacuum that provides ample storage without taking up floor or shelf space, and one that requires very little prep or maintenance time, this could be the ticket.

Read our full LG CordZero A9 Kompressor All-in-One Tower review (albeit for the US model)

The best budget stick vacuum

‘Budget’ shouldn't mean shopping used or buying a substandard product. While it may mean not shelling out for the crème de la crème of stick vacuums, there is still money-saving quality out there. While it may not possess the suction strength, accessories or features of other models in this list, the Shark Cordless Vacuum with Self-Cleaning Brushroll will leave most owners delighted.

We haven't been hands-on with this model ourselves, but users love that its suction power is a match for the majority of messes, even handling pet hair. Where the cost-saving drawbacks come in are the vacuum's small bin size and relatively short runtime.

Its feature list might not be as long a read as other vacuums, but what it does provide is seriously useful. Easy to use and lasting long enough to clean most spaces, the fact is, there’s bang for buck here. While this might not be the best cordless vacuum on the market, for less than AU$550, it's great value, especially since it’s possible to find it discounted down to around the AU$300 mark.

If you're looking to keep a small space clean, need a more manoeuvrable everyday vacuum or are simply looking for a stick vacuum that doesn't require taking out a loan, Shark has it for you.

The best cordless vacuum for pet hair

It's as powerful as some of the best out there and that it comes with a cleaning head that's designed specifically for hair and fur. And it doesn't cost a fortune either – say hello to the Shark Stratos Pet Pro with Clean Sense IQ vacuum cleaner.

You'll get dynamic suction that most Dyson vacuums offer these days, and the good news is our reviewer was quite taken by how well this Shark can clean – during testing, it was able to remove hair from a couch quite easily, although it was set to Boost mode.

It's wand is bendy too, which allows it to bend to almost 90º and let you clean under furniture without needing to bend too far – that's efficient cleaning with less effort! Moreover, our reviewer found that the main cleaning head is effective along room edges and corners, even around awkward pieces of furniture. That bendiness means it can stored in tight, short spaces too.

Importantly, its price point makes it a very enticing alternative to any Dyson and, as a handheld, it's actually lighter than most of the British brand's newer models.

Read our in-depth Shark Stratos Cordless with Clean Sense IQ review, which is the same model as the Australian Shark Stratos Pet Pro (IZ400).

The best stick vacuum for hard floors

If your home has mainly hard floors, it might be better opting for what is now being called a floor washer – aka a machine that vacuums and mops at the same time using the same floor-cleaning attachment. This saves you time from having to do the vacuum and mop separately, and these can be used on both wet and dry spills.

One of the best options available now in Australia is the Shark HydroVac. This model offers top-notch vacuuming and mopping, both done at the same time by the same cleaning attachment, and is very effective.

Our reviewer found that it did an excellent job on a wide array of messes, including wet cereal spills and baked beans, and also did a good job of cleaning up door mats.

It's one downside is that without additional attachments, it doesn't quite get into tight spaces like corners. Also, our tester discovered that despite having a self-cleaning functionality, you will need to make sure the water tank and brush have actually cleaned out properly so it's ready for the next use.

While Shark doesn't declare what capacity the tank is in the Australian version, we suspect it's small as the UK version is only 500ml. But that means it's also a lot lighter than similar models from competitors like Tineco, some of which can weigh upwards of 8 kilos.

It's also not too expensive and, at AU$399, balances functionality and price very well indeed.

Read our full Shark HydroVac Pro XL review

The best cordless vacuum for large homes

The most important feature of a cordless vacuum if you have a big home is a large dust canister, and the Dyson Gen5Outsize certainly fits the bill.

The 1.9-litre dust canister is the largest in this guide and holds 150% more debris than the standard Dyson vacuums, meaning that you don't have to empty it often. The cleaning head is also wider than usual, which means you’ll be able to cover more ground, faster – another feature that makes it well-suited to larger homes.

While we haven't had the opportunity to review this specific model, it shares the same motor as the Dyson Gen5detect, so has the same power and functionality. The only other difference here is that the Gen5outsize uses a bigger battery, so you get up to 70 minutes of fade-free power compared to 60 minutes.

In our tests, the Gen5detect (aka the smaller version) proved to be the most powerful Dyson yet, able to suck up pretty much anything that got in its path, provided it could go through the Fluffy Optic or the Digital Motorbar. And given both of these are just as outsized as the bin, cleaning up a large home will be quicker.

However, in our experience with the V11 Outsize (which is no longer available in Australia), a larger size made the vacuum cumbersome and heavy to use in handheld mode, so it's best suited for use on the floors throughout the home rather than reaching for the corners of the room.

Read our full Dyson V11 Outsize review and our Dyson Gen5detect review as they both embody what the Gen5outsize is like.

The best mid-tier cordless stick vacuum

While there are newer Triflex HX series vacuums from Miele, the first ever can now be had for less. While we haven't tested the base Miele Triflex HX1, we did try the Cat and Dog version and loved it. There's not a lot of difference between the two except the attachments that ship in the box.

The Triflex HX1 series handsticks convert easily from a cordless stick cleaner to a handheld to an upright vacuum, with the HX1 base model easily handling most floor types. There are three power settings to choose from and you'll get up to 60 minutes of runtime between charges.

That said, there are plenty of tools in the box so you'll be able to get into any nook or cranny at home and handle any surface – floors, upholstery, carpet – no problem. Its versatile design will also allow you to get to all those hard-to-reach areas, like under furniture.

It does all this without being too noisy, too. Compared to several other cordless vacuums, the Miele Triflex HX1 is relatively quiet, even at its highest setting.

Read our full Miele Triflex HX1 Cat & Dog review

What is the best cordless vacuum?

We've tested all the featured cordless vacuum cleaners in this guide to challenge them for dirt pick-up, battery runtime and versatility across various surfaces throughout the home.

The stick vacuum that came out on top is the Samsung Bespoke Jet for a few reasons. Firstly, its overall value for money – despite its high price – is a lot better than the more recent Dyson alternatives as you get a cordless vacuum cleaner that can empty itself, mop and can come with an extra battery if you opt for a suitable Bespoke model.

Our reviewer was also impressed at just how powerful its Jet suction mode is – she thought it can outdo the Dyson's Boost mode any day. It's also designed very well, seamlessly merging into any home's decor if you don't have a corner to hide it away in. Plus the Accessories Cradle can be handy, if you have the extra space for it.

That said, there's a best cordless vacuum for all homes and budgets:

How to choose the best cordless vacuum for you

With such a wide array of cordless vacuums on the market, choosing the right one might feel like an overwhelming task. However, if you focus on these considerations you’ll quickly be able to identify the model that’s best suited to you.

Start by checking how long the battery will last between charges and whether it’s swappable so that if the battery runs out of power mid-clean, you don’t have to wait for the vacuum to recharge before you can carry on. Similarly, the size of the dust canister will also affect how many interruptions there are to your cleaning session. If you have a bigger house, look for models with larger-than-usual dust cups.

If you have hard floors, look for a cordless vacuum that comes with a dedicated cleaner head, which has a softer brush roll to ensure the flooring isn’t damaged when vacuuming.

Also, check the vacuum cleaner is able to reach under furniture and in any tight spaces you have in your home to ensure you’re thoroughly cleaning your floors every time you push a vacuum around.

If you’ve got furry friends, you’ll be pleased to know there are plenty of models designed to suck up pet hair from your floors as well as your soft furnishings. Cordless vacuums are designed to be on hand whenever you need them, but how often you should vacuum will depend on how many people and pets are in your house as well as how much you’re at home.

As you've read, there are a lot of the best cordless vacuums to choose from. There's no right or wrong make or model to choose, but it is important to get the right one for you and your household by choosing wisely. Our "5 things to consider when buying a Dyson vacuum cleaner" would (also) be worth a read because what we've specified can be applied to any cordless vacuum you're looking at buying.

If you’re still unsure, read our advice on which type of vacuum should you buy and read our comparison of canister vs upright vacuums and bagged vs bagless vacuums.

How we test cordless vacuum cleaners

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.

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