The list in brief
1. Best overall
2. Best budget
3. Best premium
4. Best for small spaces
5. Best bagged
6. Best Dyson rival
7. Best mid-tier
8. Best for big homes
9. Best for small spills
10. Best vacuum and mop
How to choose
How we test
Today's best cordless vacuums combine cutting-edge tech, cable-free convenience and impressive cleaning power. Even a few short years ago, cordless stick vacuums were seriously lacking in suction and battery life. Now they're good enough to be your sole vacuum cleaner – many of our overall best vacuum picks are cordless models.
The big benefit of a cordless cleaner is that you're not tethered to a power outlet, which means you won't need to navigate cables and you'll hard-to-reach places become more easily accessible. They're typically more compact and portable than wired versions, and some models convert into even smaller handhelds so you can use them to clean the car. Many have a turbo function to help with tougher jobs like getting pet hair out of your favorite couch.
When we test cordless cleaners we don't do it in a lab; we do it in real homes, with real messes and all the other challenges you'll encounter in your living space. And because we've used them for long stretches of real-world cleaning we can tell you whether they need too-frequent trips to the trash or whether the manufacturer's battery life claims are overly optimistic.
We know that every home is different, so this guide will show you the best cleaners for a range of different needs and spaces. Whether you're looking for a state-of-the-art, ultra-powerful cordless vacuum cleaner or something cheaper for smaller spaces, you'll find it right here. Read on for our pick of the best cordless vacuum cleaners around today.
Quick List
Best overall
Impressively powerful for a cordless vacuum and packed with excellent value-adding features, the Shark Detect Pro Cordless Auto-Empty System is an excellent all-rounder that will suit most people's needs.
Best budget pick
The Roidmi S2 may not rival the Dyson V15 (#3) when it comes to suction power, but we were still impressed with its dust pick-up on hard floors. Incredible value when discounted (which is often).
Most powerful suction
Though on the expensive side, Dyson's most powerful vacuum to date does a superb job of sucking up dust and debris, and its laser light makes it easy to ensure you don't miss any important bits.
Best for small spaces
The Samsung Bespoke Jet AI is a serious rival to the Dyson V15 Detect. It doesn't have the laser on the floorhead to reveal hidden dust – but it does have LEDs, and it's very capable and easy to store.
Best bagged cordless
Numatic's first ever cordless stick vacuum, the Henry Quick is a very powerful vacuum and cleans very well. The only real downside here is the weight. At 3.2kg, the Henry is a lot heavier than rivals.
Best Dyson alternative
Similar to the Dyson V15 Detect, the S15 Pro can adjust power based on particulate size. It can reduce or ramp up suction power to save on battery life or makes it easier to clean messy floors.
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Best mid-tier
The Proscenic P12 is a cordless vacuum that doesn’t require you to take out a second mortgage. And, happily, it doesn’t scrimp on features
Best for big homes
Its 1.9-liter dust canister is the largest here and holds 150% more debris than the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute. The cleaning head is also wider than usual to cover more ground than others.
Best for small spills
The Shark WandVac is a powerful handheld vacuum that's good for small clean-up tasks such as cereal spills. It's very handy, although it's clearly not designed for anything more ambitious.
Best vacuum and mop
This impressive vacuum from Tineco not only sucks up all the dirt but also mops your hardwood floors for deeper cleaning all at once. Time- and effort-saving, it's best of homes with pets.
The best cordless vacuum
If you're looking for next-generation smarts without the lofty price tag applied by certain manufacturers, the Shark Detect Pro Cordless Auto-Empty System is the best all-rounder available right now.
Impressively powerful for a cordless vacuum, this versatile machine can easily disassemble and be used as a handheld cleaner, although it's a little heavier than some of its competitors so can make for a slightly more challenging overhead clean. Plus, this particular configuration comes with a self-emptying base station, which offers a massive dust bag and Shark's impressive anti-odor technology to keep your home feeling fresh and clean.
It's still pretty expensive, but that's largely inflated by the added Auto-Empty System – if you're on a budget, you can opt for the vacuum without its base.
The best budget cordless vacuum
The S2 is a stylish, matte white floor-cleaning appliance that will look at home in modern interiors. But it isn't all style over substance. It comes with a thoughtful range of accessories that feel sturdy and well made; it offers three suction levels, selected via a button on the handle; and even the wall-mounted charging dock is cute and discreet. That makes it a good option for places where space is at a premium.
The Roidmi S2 has good suction and maneuverability, but it can be a little noisy and heavy when used as a handheld vacuum. And inevitably there's a trade-off because of its small size: it has a small dust container, so you'll need to empty that fairly frequently. It's simple enough but it does mean this probably isn't the vacuum for you if you have a large home, shedding pets, or both.
Don't pay the full asking price: this vacuum is almost constantly discounted, often by very large amounts. If you can bag this vacuum at a reduced price – in the region of $175/ £99 – then it's a bargain.
- Read more: Roidmi S2 cordless vacuum cleaner review
The best premium cordless cleaner
Dyson's latest vacuum cleaner really is its best yet and one of the very best cordless vacuum on the market, hands down. It may be expensive but with better cleaning performance and suction power than the Dyson V11, and the same long-lasting battery for the same price tag, it's worth every penny.
On test, we found it excelled when cleaning hard floors, thanks to the inclusion of a laser that highlights microscopic dust invisible to the human eye. We were impressed that when used on Auto mode, the vacuum preserves its battery by automatically adjusting the suction power according to the floor type and volume of dust. There's also an LCD screen that displays the remaining runtime so you never get caught out by a dead battery mid-clean.
The V15 Detect Absolute has an average-sized dust canister, and is a bit noisy when used on full power. Not to mention, it's fairly pricey, but we think it’s worth the money if you want the best premium cordless vacuum cleaner on the market.
- Read more: Dyson V15 Detect Absolute review
The best cordless vacuum for small spaces
In terms of its functionality, power and performance on carpet, the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI makes the Dyson V15 Detect look like child's play. While it doesn't have the laser on the floorhead to reveal hidden dust – there are LEDs instead – and it has a smaller bin size than its V15 rival, our reviewer had one of the best floor cleaning experiences whilst using this stick vacuum.
This is a slightly improved version of Samsung’s previous Bespoke Jet cordless vacuum cleaner model: everything we liked about the previous model is here, and it now has smart sensors to optimize suction power for every inch of floor space. The design is modern and clean, the Clean Station is excellent at emptying the bin while recharging the vacuum, and you still get a bunch of tools including a mop attachment.
it’s a powerful vacuum with more suction power than a Dyson, but you are paying extra for the dynamic suction so if that's not a big deal for you it's worth looking at its predecessor too, which has every other key feature. But this is a superb device that doesn't take up tons of space and punches way above its size and price tag.
- Read more: Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review
The best cordless cleaner with a bag
The bagged vacuum cleaner is an older appliance tech which may have been bitten by the dust, until Numatic launched their first ever cordless stick vacuum cleaner. Let us introduce the Henry Quick.
Since it's bagged, you can just release the bag from the Henry Quick and get on with your day. And with that this makes it a solid option for allergy-sufferers.
We found that the full power setting was on a par with our resident corded vacuum, and on the lowest speed setting worked brilliantly on hard floors. If you have pets around the home then the Henry Quick will gamely tease the stray hairs with ease from the hard floors, plus upholstery and deep-pile carpets.
Although it isn’t 100 per cent perfect – it's a little heavy when in use for long times and you'll need to shell out for new bags (it comes with six to start you off) – but it’s powerful, low-maintenance and easy on the eye.
- Read more: Henry Quick review
The best Dyson alternative
The Pure One S15 Pro removes much of the hassle involved in vacuuming, with mess-free emptying, to boot. It packs plenty of cutting-tech that makes it a genuine rival for the likes of Dyon.
For example, there's iLoop Smart Sensor tech, which will visually indicate to you when your floors are dust-free – a neat feature we very much appreciate. Like the Dyson V15 Detect (#3), the Pure One S15 Pro can automatically adjust its suction power according to particulate size. When used in Auto mode, this sensor tech ramps up or reduces suction power according to need, which saves battery life and makes light work of particularly messy floors, although our reviewer did find it a tad too sucky on our rag rug.
The meagre bin capacity is a bit disappointing, requiring very frequent emptying, and we also weren't the most impressed by the mini-power brush tool's ability to remove pet hairs from upholstery.
- Read more: Tineco Pure One S15 Pro review
The best mid-tier cordless vacuum
The Proscenic P12 doesn't shake up the cordless vacuum world visually, but a deeper look reveals features that you wouldn't usually find on models in the low-to-mid-price range. For instance, you get HEPA filtration (very welcome, this), plus a big LED display screen and green detection headlights for illuminating small particles that you can't otherwise see.
Admittedly, we didn't rate the green headlights in use – they only really made a difference in dim areas, and in daylight all they did was show up imperfections in our floor tiles. However, the P12 otherwise performed well and was easy to maneuver – although it's a little heavy compared to some rivals; the quoted weights are for the cleaner in handheld mode with no accessories fitted.
This isn’t a low-budget vacuum; it's a reasonably priced model that offers a lot of bang for your buck. It comes with all the features you need, but it’s still half the price of the premium brands. However it's much better on hard floors than it is on carpets and there's no upholstery tool or mini turbo brush.
- Read more: Proscenic P12 review
The best cordless cleaner for bigger homes
The best cordless vacuum with a large dust canister is a must if you have a big home, and the Dyson V11 Outsize (in the US, just referred to as the Outsize) really fits the bill here. The 1.9-liter dust canister is the largest in this guide (and one of the largest we've tested) and holds 150% more than the above Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (#3), meaning you don't have to empty it often. The cleaning head is also wider than usual, so you’ll be able to cover more ground than with a standard cordless cleaner –another feature that makes it well suited to larger homes.
In our tests its powerful suction meant it collected discarded crumbs, ground-in dirt, and even larger debris like cereal and cat biscuits without complaint. The floorhead also automatically detects the change in floor types, and the three power settings are useful if you either want to deep clean a large pile rug or to lightly skim across the surface of hard floor.
However, we found that the larger size made the vacuum cumbersome and heavy to use in handheld mode so it's best suited to using on the floors throughout the home rather than reaching for the corners in the room.
- Read more: Dyson V11 Outsize review
The best cordless for quickly cleaning spills
A compact and lightweight cordless vacuum that’s close to hand is ideal for quickly and efficiently cleaning up small spills, and the Shark WandVac really fits the bill for this type of device.
Simple to use, during testing it collected fine dust from hard floors and carpets with ease, although for larger debris, we found it required several sweeps to scoop up all of the mess. It can be used either as a stick vacuum, or in handheld mode. The dust canister is smaller than average, so will need to be emptied more frequently, but we found it was easy to empty.
The Shark WandVac is pretty loud and its battery life is around a quarter of that offered by some of its rival cordless cleaners in our guide. So, while it's the best cordless vacuum for quick clean ups, it's not one for a deep whole house clean.
- Read more: Shark WandVac review
The best cordless vacuum and mop combo
If you’ve ever wished for an all-in-one floor cleaning solution, the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro could be just the thing. That’s because it vacuums, mops, deodorizes, and even disinfects in one go. In fact, we loved its ability to do everything with just one pass, saving us time and effort.
It's not perfect – the battery life is relatively short at 40 minutes of use, and it only works on hardwood flooring, not to mention its small water capacity and high price. Still, it does an equally fantastic job vacuuming and mopping. Plus, it propels itself during use so we had to put little effort into pushing 21.5lb vacuum around when testing it.
The Tineco Floor One S7 is easy to set up and comes with a bright, useful LED display. One especially useful feature is the voice prompts, which let you know exactly what’s going on, whether you need to charge, refill the water tank, or empty the dirty water tank.
- Read more: Tineco Floor One S7 Pro review
How to choose the best cordless vacuum for you
With such a wide array of option on the market, figuring out the best cordless vacuum for your needs can feel like an overwhelming task. To help simplify things, it's worth focusing on a few key specifications.
Battery life
Start by checking how long the battery will last on one charge. It's also worth looking at whether the battery is swappable, so if you run out of power mid-clean you don’t have to wait for it the battery to recharge before you can carry on.
Dust canister size
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 dust cups – small capacity cleaners will soon get on your nerves.
Tools
Most of the cordless vacuums in our list come with at least a few swappable tools to help with specific tasks. If you have hard floors, look for a model that comes with a dedicated cleaner head – this has a softer brush roll to ensure the flooring isn’t damaged when vacuuming.
Also, check the vacuum cleaner will be 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, look for a model that has factored this into its design – some of the models here have specifically anti-hair wrap cleaner heads.
Budget
There's no right or wrong make or model to choose here, but it is important to get the best cordless vacuum for your particular circumstances: a do-it-all Dyson may be state of the art, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best buy for you right now.
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.
FAQs
What is the best cordless vacuum?
We've tested all 10 of 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 Shark Stratos cordless. Our reviewer was impressed by its ability to sense how much dirt is on a floor and increase the suction power, the battery-life, ease of storing and the Anti- Odor technology which made the home smell so fresh.
Is Shark better than Dyson?
Shark and Dyson are among the very biggest brands in the cordless vacuum market right now. They seem evenly matched when it comes to suction power, but Shark's designs are slightly more affordable than Dyson's models, which may leave you wondering: is Shark better than Dyson?
The answer is a bit more complicated than a straight yes or no. While they're typically more affordable, Shark's vacuums are not as sleek and stylish as Dyson’s, and they're often heavier too. While they come with useful technology such as the ability to stop hair getting tangled around the brush head and flexible wands to ensure you can clean in hard-to-reach places, they're not as high-tech as Dyson's offerings. Dyson's vacuums tend to have longer-lasting batteries than Shark's models too.
So are Shark vacuums better than Dyson? It very much depends on the layout of your home, your budget and the types of surfaces you want to clean. Read our Shark vs Dyson article for a more in-depth look at the two floor-cleaning brands.
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. Specifications
2. Features
3. Design
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 odors. You might need a range of attachments to handle various surfaces in your home or a vacuum that can easily transform into one of the best car vacuums.
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. And the most high-tech models are just as capable as cordless cleaners. However, the most affordable models aren't as powerful and may struggle with really deep cleaning.
What is the difference between an upright vacuum and a cordless stick vacuum?
The short answer is that cordless vacuums run on batteries while most uprights need plugged in. Ever-improving tech means many models are now just as powerful as many uprights, but there are still some crucial differences.
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 liters, whereas traditional corded vacuums, whether it's upright or a canister, have a capacity of anywhere between 1 and 2 liters. There are very few exceptions, such as the Dyson V11 Outsize. That has a 1.9-liter capacity. However, it’s also extremely expensive compared to other cordless vacuums and it's much bulkier.
Which cordless vacuum has the longest battery life?
A typical cordless cleaner will run for between 40 to 60 minutes on a fully charged battery. Of the best cordless vacuums in this guide, the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI leads the pack with 1 hour 20 minutes on a single charge – but like all cordless cleaners, that's based on using it in its default power mode, not its maximum power mode. You'll typically find that if you run your cordless at max power you'll get around one-quarter of the battery life. Many more advanced models will show you how much cleaning time you have left based on your current settings.
If you think you'll be running your cleaner on max power all the time, it might be wise to look for a model with swappable batteries. That way when you run out of power you can pop in a second battery and pick up picking up from where you left off.
How we tested these cordless vacuums
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 maneuver 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 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 that it didn’t require reading a thick instruction manual before use.
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