The 7 Best Handheld Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  3/5
• Setup
  5/5

The Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum is our favorite. Not only did we find it easy to use, but extra features like a steady battery and helpful attachments (a crevice tool and scrubbing brush) add to its overall effectiveness. If you're looking for an appliance for quick and efficient cleanup, this is an excellent choice for you, especially with its powerful suction that performed well on various surfaces.

We also appreciated the roomy dustbin, which was emptied just three times during our testing. There’s also an ejection mechanism, so you don’t have to touch anything to clear out the bin. Even with the spacious compartment, the entire vacuum weighs just a hair over two pounds, so it’s sleek and easy to maneuver, too. And speaking of maneuvering, we did notice that some of the debris we picked up shifted and spilled out when the machine was tipped over, so buyers would just want to be sure to not invert it after using it. The one other hiccup with this machine is that the suction is so strong, it pulled at the high chair fabric cover, so users would want to be careful around loose or unsecured items. 

Price at time of publish: $80

_{Weight: 2.06 pounds | Battery Life: 12 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.45 quarts/14.4 ounces | Included Accessories: Crevice tool, scrubbing brush}

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Black+Decker Flex Cordless Handheld Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5

The Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum amazed us with its suction power, clever design, and versatility. It nearly made our best overall spot, but it requires two hands to operate, so we docked it for that inconvenience. Still, it is one of the best dustbusters on the market. If you don't mind holding the motor with one hand while you vacuum with the other, though, this is an excellent pick. Plus, its cordless design means you don't need to be close to an outlet when vacuuming, adding to the overall versatility.

The flexible, 4-foot hose also allows you to vacuum upholstery, stairs, and vehicle floor mats with ease. The hose wraps around the motor when not in use, which we described as a "little hug," making this pick easy to store and space-saving. In addition to standard included attachments like a crevice tool, this vacuum comes with a pet hair tool that was we found to be amazingly effective at sucking up hair during our tests. When it's not in use, the whole vacuum can be placed on its included charging base, which has spots to hold the nifty attachments.

We still had room for more debris at the end of all our testing, which makes us believe you could complete several messy tasks around your home without having to make a trip to the trash can. Now, the vacuum is certainly a bit noisy and could be tough to hold a conversation over, which wasn't ideal. But, all in all, the vacuum passed our tests with flying colors, so it was also deemed worth your money—even if you can't track down a coupon code.

Price at time of publish: $123

_{Weight: 3.2 pounds | Battery Life: 20 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.44 liters/14.88 ounces | Included Accessories: Pet hair brush}

Best Budget

BLACK+DECKER Dusbuster Handheld Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

Although it fell from its previous spot as our best overall handheld vacuum, we still love the Black+Decker Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum—it's also one of our top-rated inexpensive vacuum cleaners. We found that it effectively captures large and small debris, such as kibble and kitty litter. Even better, at 31.8 ounces, the vac has a sizable dust bin compared to some other compact picks, so you don't have to pause your cleaning session to empty it out multiple times. The battery life may limit you; it took exactly 12 minutes for the vac to die in our tests, which isn't ideal for deeper cleans. There is no battery life indicator on the vacuum itself, so it can be difficult to gauge how much power you have left when using the vacuum.

However, you'll appreciate that it's lightweight and has a cordless design. It's easy to carry around your space, even after a full day of doing chores. At the end of the day, this wallet-friendly vac is a great marriage of quality and value, and it gives you plenty of power at a reasonable price.

Price at time of publish: $49

_{Weight: 2.11 pounds | Battery Life: 12 to 15 minutes | Bin Volume: 31.8 ounces | Included Accessories: Brush tool, crevice tool}

Best Splurge

Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Cordless Hand Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  2/5
• Setup
  5/5

This Black+Decker handheld vac, while on the pricier side when compared to other handheld vacuums, was effective and satisfying to use. If you're looking to invest in your handheld vacuum, this is definitely a sleek and efficient choice that's great for both household messes or car cleanup. We especially liked how the crevice tool is a built-in piece that slides out, so no dealing with or storing extra pieces and parts.

There was a noticeable difference in the the suction strength of the two power levels, and we had to get used to experiment a bit to find the best angles and positioning while using it—like how it performed better with the nozzle slightly lifted from the surface it was vacuuming, as opposed to flush against it. Once we got the hang of it, though, it really excelled, and picked up various debris quickly and easily. This vacuum easily empties into the garbage can with the push of a button, and the size of the dust cup was another perk, too. It was roomy enough for us to only need to empty it twice during the entire testing process. And speaking of room, with the built-in crevice tool, you're saved the trouble of storing extra parts and pieces. While we're fans of the simplicity of the tool, the lack of extras might feel like a downside to some folks looking for more targeted cleaning tools. For everyone else, though, we think this is a great choice.

Price at time of publish: $107

_{Weight: 2.5 pounds | Battery Life: 15 minutes | Bin Volume: Not listed | Included Accessories: None (crevice tool is built-in)}

Best Lightweight

Iris USA Cordless Handheld Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4.8/5
• Setup
  5/5

The IRIS USA handheld vacuum is one of the lightest vacs on the market. To put its size in perspective, a quart of milk weighs two pounds, while this machine weighs just 1.1 pounds. It measures just under 16 inches long and rests and an angle on a charging station when not in use. You’ll find yourself reaching for this constantly because our testing confirmed that crumbs, hair, dust, and other small messes are no match. It even suctioned up the raisins in its path, a task that proved tricky for some of the other machines.

Plus, its sleek shape really helps when it comes to nooks and crannies—if you frequently find yourself cleaning out cupholders or cracks between couch cushions, it's the kind of tool that would be a game changer for you. We did notice that the strong suction tugged at the high chair fabric a bit, and there was one time during testing when it "spit" out some of the contents it'd already vacuumed. These weren't dealbreakers for us though, and we think it's impressive performance far outweighs these minor hiccups.

Price at time of publish: $90

_{Weight: 1.1 pounds | Battery Life: 13 minutes | Bin Volume: 3.4 ounces | Included Accessories: Brush and crevice tool, multi-surface head}

Best Display

Nicebay Handheld Cordless Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Ease of Emptying
  3.8/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5
• Setup
  5/5

If you're looking for a handheld vacuum that won't leave you guessing, this pick from Nicebay, with its expansive display, will do the trick. It offers more information than most, with details like battery status, power level, and even dust bin capacity easily visible, so you're not caught by surprise in the middle of your chores. Other smart design choices, like the angled nozzle that fit well into crevices, and the sleek shape that's easy to maneuver, add to its overall efficiency and usability.

As far as suction and power, it was competitive in those areas too, although not quite a standout. Like some of the other vacuums we tested, the sticky raisins were a challenge, but we're willing to forgive that since it wasn't a unique issue to this vacuum. We also found the dustbin to be inconvenient because of its small size, but not a deal-breaker (especially if you anticipate using this machine for short and quick clean-ups instead of regular detailing throughout your space). Lastly, we wanted to note that the list price for this handheld vacuum is high at $200—though we see it discounted regularly (often in the $60-$80 range) so we definitely recommend watching for a sale.

Price at time of publish: $200

_{Weight: 1.24 pounds | Battery Life: 13 minutes | Bin Volume: Not listed | Included Accessories: Brush tool, crevice tool}