5 Best Handheld Vacuums, According to Cleaning Pros (2024)

You've likely never seen a square vacuum before, but this little cube from Worx is worth a second look. In our test, it easily picked up all the debris and most of the pet hair we put down, even without a rotating brush attachment or selecting the max power setting. Its 4-foot hose reaches into tight spaces, and it ran for 23 minutes at regular power. Our tester called this hand vac "very quiet and comfortable to use."

The Worx is a little heavier than other handhelds but it stands on its own during use. The large dust cup empties from the bottom, though isn't removable, so we found cleaning it out to be a bit cumbersome.

Other notable features include a removable battery that fits into other Worx tools, a washable HEPA filter and a top handle that also cradles the hose for easy toting.

You can count on Dirt Devil to make simple, no-nonsense vacuums at a great price and this easy-to-use, powerful little handheld vacuum is no exception. That's why we named it a Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning & Organizing Award winner and our best value pick here.

Weighing in at just over 1 pound, it's extremely lightweight and portable. And because it stands upright in its charging caddy (that also has a spot to stash its brush/crevice tool) storage is simple too.

Though it has only one speed and you won't get a pet hair attachment, it ran for almost 10 minutes on a single charge, and we found it comfortable to hold. One consumer tester said, "I loved this for easy clean-up in the kitchen while cooking!"

In the GH Cleaning Lab, we're seeing many new lightweight, sleek hand vacs so this slim Bissell is definitely on trend. The AeroSlim is the ideal small vacuum for quick pick-ups on hard surfaces, and it comes with a two-in-one brush and crevice tool to nab crumbs stuck in your car's cup holders or between seat cushions. Its trim design also makes it easier to tuck into a car's trunk to handle messes on the go, and it recharges via USB, so there's no need to find an outlet. Over 10,000 of the 16,000+ ratings on Amazon are five-star reviews.

Its filter is washable, and we were impressed with its suction, despite its small, size. And with 15 minutes of run time, you should be able to do the whole car. All it's missing is a pet hair attachment.

Eufy is a brand well known for its effective robot vacuums, but don't overlook its other offerings like this HomeVac H30 Mate. It's a slim, lightweight yet powerful choice for cleaning up upholstered furniture, stair treads and more. Plus, its mini motorized brush nabs lint and pet hair clinging to fabrics and carpet.

Like many models we’ve tested from Eufy, the H30 Mate has great suction, swallowing up heavy screws and bolts without a hiccup. We got a runtime of up to 20 minutes on eco mode in our tests but found the dust cup to be small. Its filter can be washed between cleanings, and our analyst was a big fan of the rubber seal around the filter that removes pet hair from the device as you remove the dust bin.

Black+Decker literally invented the handheld vacuum, and this Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ model does the brand proud. It virtually tied for first place in our tests with our best overall pick and aced our pet-hair pickup test, earning it a spot here and on our list of the best vacuums for pet hair. It did well with other messes too — even without using the Power Boost setting.

Two standout features are an extra-long pullout crevice tool — attached to the vacuum so you'll never lose it — and an extra-large bottom-emptying dust bin that makes cleaning up after pets easy. The filter is washable, and the vacuum stands upright for charging or storage.

The battery had one of the longest run times at up to 32 minutes, though air coming out of the side vents caused some debris to be blown away which was a bit annoying.

In addition to assessing performance, we record the weight of each vacuum and judge how easy the filter is to access, change and clean; how easy the dust cup is to empty and how comfortable the vacuum is to hold and use. Any special features or attachments are also assessed, and models are evaluated by Quiet Mark — an organization we partner with — to measure and score them for sound. One Quiet Mark star is poor, two is average and three is good.

For cordless models, we monitor the run time, and for models being considered for our Cleaning Awards, we ask real consumers to use and rate each vacuum before we determine our award winners. After completing 246 tests we chose the top-scoring hand vacuums.

✔️ Corded vs. cordless: Corded and cordless vacuums each have their pros and cons. With corded handheld vacuums, you’ll never have to worry about the battery running out no matter how long you are using it. However, you'll be limited in your range of motion. Cordless handheld vacuums give you the freedom to take the vacuum wherever it's needed, but you run the risk of the battery running out. Most handheld vacuums come cordless, and run times of 20 minutes or more are best for the biggest jobs.

✔️ Size and weight: Consider the size and weight of the handheld vacuum and, if possible, try it out to make sure it feels comfortable to hold. You want to make sure the vacuum is well-balanced and does not strain your hand or wrists. If you can't try it out before buying it, make sure it is returnable if you aren't satisfied.

✔️ Attachments: If you’ll be using the handheld vacuum for more than just a quick pass over hard surfaces, you may want to consider attachments such as a crevice tool to get into corners, brushes to help clean delicate surfaces or powered attachments to vacuum upholstery or pick up pet hair. Those with attachments make it easy to remove dust from draperies, window sills, door frames, mattresses and other out-of-the-way spots that may be awkward for a larger vacuum to reach.

✔️ Storage: Of course, you'll need to consider how much space you have. Slim vacuums with attachments onboard or housed in the charging base are the easiest to store neatly, especially if your space is limited. Models with removable batteries mean you can keep only the battery plugged in and store the body and attachments out of sight.

✔️ Features: Other innovations across both cordless and corded models include comfortable grips, easy-to-empty dust cups, washable filters, multiple speeds and more. Also consider the size of the dust cup. If you typically pick up large messes, a larger dust cup means less frequent emptying. Some pick up wet messes and remove stains too.

Carolyn Forté has tested and reviewed hundreds of vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, mops and other major (and minor) home appliances as executive director of the Home Care Lab. She oversees all testing done in the Cleaning Lab and recently tested all of the handheld, stick, upright and canister vacuums that were submitted for consideration in the most recent Cleaning and Organizing Awards. She is an active member of the ASTM Committee on vacuum cleaners and chairman of the consumer information sub-committee.

Lynn Redmile, Contributing Product Analyst, conducted the testing for our latest handheld vacuum test and has tested dozens of other vacuums across many different categories including robot vacuums and beyond.