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If you’ve ever looked at a full-sized vacuum and thought, “I really can’t be bothered to drag that out for this one mess”, a handheld vacuum is exactly what you’re thinking of.
They're built for quick clean-ups you actually want to deal with straight away, like crumbs on the sofa, dust on shelves, pet hair on cushions, or the mess that builds up in your car. Thanks to handheld vacuums being so small and lightweight, you are far more likely to grab one in the moment instead of putting the job off.
The best handheld vacuum overall
The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus (called the Classic Handheld Pet Vacuum in the UK) is the best handheld vacuum we've used to date. It excels for quick cleanups around the home thanks to its strong suction power and good battery life. Plus it comes with three useful attachments: a motorized pet hair brush, a crevice tool and a dusting brush.
Our review found it lightweight to hold, easy to maneuver, and effective at picking up both large and small debris, although it sometimes struggled to shift worked-in dirt. The 0.45 liter bin size is also decent, so you don't have to empty it too often. And all this, along with its compact design, makes it the best car vacuum we can recommend too.
The main potential downside is the battery life. Shark promises 10 minutes, and while we managed 15 on a single charge, that's still well below the rest of our best handheld vacuum picks. You're prioritizing suction over runtimes here. Recharge is fairly slow, too, at around three hours on test (Shark quotes four). All that means that while this is perfect for quick cleanups, for more thorough cleanups you'll be better looking elsewhere.
There's also only one power setting, the bin mechanism can be slightly fiddly, and it's not the quietest handheld we've tested. Overall, though, the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus is effective, versatile and excellent value.
Read our full Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus review
The best handheld vacuum for pet hair
Many handheld vacuums are relatively low-powered, but if you want something more heavy duty, for tough cleanup tasks like pet hair, the Dyson Car+Boat won't disappoint. In terms of suction and battery life, this vac comfortably outshines all the competition – it's quite possibly the highest-specced handheld on the market. There's a reason for that though; this isn't really a handheld. It's a Dyson V8 stick vacuum, without its stick.
This model comes bundled with a selection of useful heads. There's a Mini motorized tool that's perfect for tackling wide, flat-ish areas like sofa cushions and car seats, a long, narrow Crevice tool for getting into tight nooks and crannies, and a Combination brush and wide nozzle tool to round out the package.
It's on the larger, heavier side for a handheld vacuum, so not ideal for getting into particularly tight spaces. However, that's the payoff for the longer battery and more powerful motor. The dust cup is also generously sized, and able to hold plenty of dust, debris and pet hair.
The main sticking point for many will be the price, and before you shell out it's also worth doing the math on whether it's worth opting for this model or just buying one of Dyson's full stick vacuums – all of which can be used in handheld mode as well as floor mode. The V8 is far from the best Dyson vacuums based on specs, although it is the lightest and most compact.
Read our full Dyson Car+Boat review
The best handheld/stick hybrid
The WandVac System is handheld vacuum that can be transformed into a floor vacuum by adding a wand and floorhead. It weighs under 1kg in handheld mode, and comes with useful attachments including a crevice tool, multi-surface tool and an anti-hair wrap cleaner head.
Our reviewer found it easy to assemble and empty, and it provided impressive suction for a handheld on both carpets and floors, making this vacuum useful for a wide variety of small clean-up tasks. Plus, because it's so lightweight, it proved particularly good for tackling tricky areas, such as high-chair trays or blinds and curtains.
However, there were also some limitations. The dust cup is small at just 130ml, making this device more suitable for small spills than whole-house cleaning. And the battery life is short, lasting only about 16 minutes in handheld mode and 12.5 minutes with the floor head attached. It was also noticeably loud during operation.
Nonetheless, this remains a good option for those needing a quick, lightweight cleaner for small spills, and the flexibility to convert to stick mode when needed. Note you can also buy it just as a handheld, in which case it's just called the Shark WandVac (no 'System').
Read our full Shark WandVac System review
The best budget handheld vacuum
At time of writing, the Black & Decker PD1200AV Dustbuster Flexi Vacuum was the cheapest on our list, but it still has a lot to offer. The main point of difference is that this is a corded handheld, which means you'll never have to worry about running out of juice, although you will have to deal with the annoyance of a cord. Said cord is 5ft / 1.5m long, and can be pugged into your vehicle's accessory power outlet (aka cigarette lighter' socket) if you want to use it as a car vacuum. The design is also a little different because it's the only model in our list to feature a flexible hose, onto which you attach your detail tools (a crevice tool and soft brush). That should make it easier to get into tight corners.
In use, our reviver found performance to be mixed. While it could handle large debris adequately, it struggled with ground-in dirt and pet hair due to its relatively low suction power. In practice, that meant that multiple passes were often required for a thorough clean. However, if you're on a budget and want something for getting into awkward nooks and crannies, this handheld is worth a look.
Read our full Black & Decker PD1200AV Dustbuster Flexi Vacuum review
The best small handheld vacuum
If all you want is a tiny handheld vacuum for taking care of little jobs such as crumbs in your keyboard or from between your sofa cushions, the Roidmi Nano P1 Pro could be just the thing. At 1.4lbs / 620g it's the lightest vacuum in this roundup, and it has a striking tube-like design with a hinged nozzle that flips out when you need it and lights up the areas you're cleaning, and tucks away the rest of the time.
The Roidmi Nano P1 Pro packs a surprising amount of power for its size and its battery will run for about 30 minutes, which is plenty of time considering that this one's best for small clean-ups. And because it charges via USB-C, you're never going to be stuck for a charger when it runs out of juice.
It's not perfect, though. Its shape makes it slightly awkward to use, and the fact that it only comes with the one nozzle makes it a bit limited in its application, particularly because the nozzle's a little too wide to fit into tighter corners. The tiny bin capacity means it'll fill up fast if you use it regularly, and in our review we also found that it was tricky to remove the bin without getting cleaned-up crud on your fingers. However if you're just looking for something that'll take care of quick cleans and light dusting then stow away tidily when not in use, this one's worth checking out.
Read our full Roidmi Nano P1 Pro review
The best handheld vacuum for fine dust
If you want a handheld that's capable of occasionally clearing up finer particles like cooled fireplace ash and plaster dust after sanding, take a look at the Gtech ProLite. This is a bagged handheld, with an impressively lightweight design given the generous dust bag capacity. Officially, you're meant to use specialist vacuums for fine dust, but you can get away with occasionally using a regular model provided you go for a bagged one like this; on bagless vacuums, the dust can quickly clog the filter and sometimes even get into the motor and cause irreversible damage. (In fact, one of our regular reviewers swears by bagged vacuums – here's why.)
The Gtech ProLite is relatively low on suction and no good on furniture, but for small cleanup tasks such as sweeping shelves and blinds, it'll do the trick perfectly.
Read the full Gtech ProLite review
The best handheld vacuum: specs compared
Product | Weight | Bin size | Max runtime | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shark UltraCyclone | 3 lbs | 450ml | 15 mins | Mid-range |
Dyson Car+Boat | 4.2 lbs | 540ml | 50 mins | Premium |
Shark WandVac System | 5.9 lbs | 130ml | 16 mins | Premium |
Black & Decker Dustbuster Flexi Vacuum 3.5 | 3.3 lbs | 560ml | N/A | Budget |
Roidmi Nano P1 Pro | 1.4 lbs | 100ml | 30 mins | Mid-range |
Gtech ProLite cordless | 2.1 lbs | 500ml | 28 mins | Mid-range |
Also tested
How to choose the best handheld vacuum cleaner
To choose the best handheld vacuum cleaner for you, there are several things you need to consider. Handhelds tend to offer less suction than uprights, so look for models with high airflow (measured in CFM) and strong suction (measured in AW or kPa). For more on this, see our article on How to tell how much suction a vacuum cleaner has.
Most handhelds are cordless, in which case, battery life is crucial. Unless you only want a vacuum for very quick cleanups, you'll probably be looking for at least 15-20 minutes of runtime.
The whole point of buying a handheld is that it should be light and compact. So pay attention to weight, tdimensions and the ergonomics of the vacuum's design. Ideally you should be looking at something weighing under 4 pounds, with a comfortable grip. That said, there's a balance to be struck, because the smaller the device, the smaller the dust bin will be, which will mean you'll need to empty it more often.
Attachments are another thing to look at. For maximum flexibility, seek out crevice nozzles, brush attachments, and extension wands. Filtration is another consideration, with HEPA filters being particularly beneficial for allergy sufferers. Overall, you'll need to balance all these things with your budget to find the right sweet spot between price and performance.
Are handheld vacuums useful?
Handheld vacuums are useful, but only if you use them for the right jobs. They’re designed for quick, small clean-ups, not replacing your main vacuum. Think crumbs on the sofa, dust on shelves, pet hair on upholstery, or a fast once-over of your car. Because they’re light and easy to grab, you’re far more likely to actually use them in the moment.
Where they fall down is power and battery life. Most aren’t strong enough for deep cleaning carpets or tackling a whole home in one go. But as a second vacuum for everyday mess, especially in smaller spaces, they’re genuinely handy.
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