The 8 Best Handheld Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (2024)

Earning a near-perfect score during our tests, the Iris USA Handheld Vacuum is small but mighty, and the best handheld vacuum cleaner for value and quality. Despite its size, this vacuum sped through our various tests, clearing all debris quickly—especially when on the highest setting—and outperforming most vacuums in efficiency.

Surprisingly, it also sucked up hair faster than most models. But what impressed us the most was the battery life, which was still going strong after we completed testing on both high and low speeds. While not obnoxiously loud, the vacuum does produce a high-pitched sound that can be irritating for some. The vacuum does waver in power and suction strength when the dustbin is getting close to being full. And due to its small size, it fills up quickly.

However, the smaller head is perfect for sucking up debris in tiny areas such as cup holders. And we loved how easy it was to maneuver the lightweight unit. Because it’s a little over 1 pound, it would make a great vacuum for children to use if you’re teaching your child or tween about cleaning.

Price at time of publish: $66

Product Details: Weight: 1.1 pounds | Battery Life: 13 minutes and 19 seconds | Dustbin Size: 3.4 ounces | Accessories: Two nozzles, cord, and charging station

The IonVac Lightweight Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is proof that you don’t need to break the bank for a quality (and powerful) handheld vacuum. At under $30, this is a great buy and one of the best handheld vacuums for cleaning up small debris, such as food, dirt, and fur.

There are some trade-offs for the impressive price tag: It doesn’t have the most suction power, and the attachments aren’t as effective as you’d find with more expensive models. Emptying the dustbin is also more complicated than other vacuums, as you need to twist off the front of the vacuum and then pull the filter out to dump debris.

At less than 0.5 pounds, this vacuum is incredibly lightweight and compact, making it perfect for dorms, RVs, and other small spaces, or for those with mobility issues. The IonVac isn’t as loud as other handheld vacuum cleaners, and we could carry on a normal conversation while vacuuming. However, it does produce a very high-pitched sound that can be annoying.

Price at time of publish: $28

Product Details: Weight: 0.28 pounds | Battery Life: 9 minutes and 13 seconds | Dustbin Size: 3.38 ounces | Accessories: Dust brush, extension wand, and USB cord

If you want all the bells and whistles, the Shark UltraCyclone Pro is the best handheld vacuum cleaner out there. We love the sleek design, the matte green color, the comfortable grip handle, and the powerful suction strength. (It was so powerful it lifted the carpet up and other fabrics in multiple tests.)

But the feature we love the most is the one-touch button for emptying the dustbin. This makes one-handed vacuuming a cinch for multitaskers. The crevice tool also outperformed other crevice attachments we tested, and we were highly impressed with how effective the tool was at reaching and sucking out debris from the trickiest places.

This vacuum and attachment would be perfect for small areas that collect tiny pieces of debris, such as high chairs and car seats. What we don’t like is the shorter battery life and that the battery can take up to 6 hours to charge.

Price at time of publish: $80

Product Details: Weight: 2.06 pounds | Battery Life: 12 minutes and 22 seconds | Dustbin Size: 14.4 ounces | Accessories: Scrubbing brush and crevice tool

While nearly every vacuum on this list is cordless, the Nicebay Cordless Handheld Vacuum is a particular favorite. We noted during our tests that this vacuum is overall less noisy and doesn’t produce such a high-pitched sound compared to other vacuums.

We could carry on a conversation with just a slight elevation in volume as opposed to shouting while operating this vacuum. If you’re watching TV or listening to the radio, you’ll probably need to bump up the volume, but it won't have to be blaring to compete with the sound of the vacuum.

As for performance, the vacuum cleaned debris well, especially with the attachments for smaller nooks and crannies, and the suction power was fantastic for embedded pet hair in the carpet. However, the dustbin is extremely small—we had to empty it once during testing and found it nearly full again by the time we were done. If you have a larger area to clean, such as an SUV or sectional sofa, you might have to stop midway, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to clean quickly.

Price at time of publish: $60

Product Details: Weight: 1.24 pounds | Battery Life: 13 minutes and 37 seconds | Dustbin Size: 6.76 ounces | Accessories: Crevice nozzle and brush

The Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum has incredible suction power, and the compact design makes this one of the best handheld vacuums if you’re tight on storage space. Yet despite its overall small size, the dustbin compartment is surprisingly huge compared to the rest of the appliance.

However, when you do eventually have to empty the dustbin, it’s a bit more challenging than other models we tested. The button to empty the bin is right under the handle, making it difficult to both hold and release the bin at the same time.

We praised this vacuum during our tests for picking up nearly all debris in one single pass—except pet hair, which mostly stuck to the outside of the rubber pet hair attachment instead of sucking into the dustbin. The extra-large handle on top makes the vacuum super easy to pick up when sitting down compared to other vacuums with handles built into the unit. That said, it weighs 5 pounds, which is pretty heavy for a handheld.

Price at time of publish: $48

Product Details: Weight: 5 pounds | Cord Length: 18 feet | Dustbin Size: 26.37 ounces | Accessories: Hose, crevice tool, and wide mouth tool

This is the best handheld vacuum cleaner for all kinds of pet-related messes—hair on the sofa, kibble on the kitchen floor, tracked-in dirt from muddy paws. We gave the Bissell high marks across the board for all surface types, including carpet, hardwood floors, and tile. It works beautifully on high-pile rugs and fabric sofas, too, though it can take a couple of passes to pick up all embedded hair.

We loved how lightweight this model is as well as how comfortable the handle grip is to hold while moving. Set-up is simple and attachments easily pop on and off. This model only has one power mode, so there’s no high suction setting to switch to for super-embedded hairs, though we still found it pretty effective even without that.

Emptying the dustbin is fairly easy, but you do have to remove the filter prior to getting fur out. This requires two hands to hold each side of the vacuum, set the handle part to the side, and then remove the filter. You also have to remember to put the filter back in before you reattach the handle, so it’s a more cumbersome process.

Price at time of publish: $80

Product Details: Weight: 3 pounds | Battery Life: 12 minutes | Dustbin Size: 23.67 ounces | Accessories: Upholstery brush and crevice tool

This Black+Decker vacuum was made to tackle your messy car with a nozzle attachment for any random debris. And pet hair is no problem with this device’s suction strength, so it’s the best handheld vacuum for road trips with your dogs. We praised this vacuum for easy maneuverability, noting that the long hose makes it easy to get into nooks and crannies as well as larger areas such as floorboards.

Because this design features such a long hose, it requires two hands to hold the base and operate the wand. At around 3 pounds, it’s on the lighter side of the vacuums we tested, so it’s not such an ordeal to lift.

We really liked that this vacuum features a larger dustbin, which comes in handy when cleaning a family van or larger SUV. The dustbin has a washable and reusable filter to save you money over time. This is one of the louder vacuums tested, but we could still hold a conversation while operating it.

Price at time of publish: $109

Product Details: Weight: 3.2 pounds | Battery Life: 15 minutes | Dustbin Size: 17.6 ounces | Accessories: Floor head and pet brush

The RidGid 18V Cordless Hand Vacuum is a clear winner when it comes to powerful suction strength, especially when tested against various messes and surfaces in the car. While other vacuums require specific nozzles for different spills, this vacuum sucks debris out of deep crevices easily and with no attachments.

It gets the job done in one pass almost every time, which is clutch for fast cleanup in the kitchen if you have a curious toddler or pet. We did notice that smaller debris particles such as sand took more than one pass to completely disappear, but compared to other vacuums we tested, larger debris was eliminated in a flash.

For the power, this vacuum is surprisingly lightweight and compact. And we especially like the flat base design so you can set it down easily without it tipping over. While the dustbin is easy to twist on and off to open, the filter isn’t as easy to clean as other vacuums. We also don’t love that the battery and charger need to be purchased separately.

Price at time of publish: $48

Product Details: Weight: 3.06 pounds | Battery Life: 15 minutes | Dustbin Size: 16.9 ounces | Accessories: Extension tube, crevice nozzle, and floor nozzle