The best handheld vacuum cleaners

We’re big fans of anything cordless here at What’s the Best. When it comes to cleaning up a little mess, an ordinary vacuum cleaner sometimes just doesn’t cut it, especially when we’re in a rush. We've turned towards a nifty gadget that is both cordless and lightweight – handheld vacuum cleaners.

The stress of untangling a long cord and lugging a bulky appliance up the stairs… we’d like to avoid it where possible. Anything to make cleaning quick and easy.

Handheld vacuums can deal with crafty pet hair as well as tackle an obscene number of crumbs in the car, because these little devices have enough power for those times when you need a quick clean.

If you’re divided about what handheld vacuum cleaner to go for, and not sure which would suit you best, we've gathered the best handheld vacuum cleaners – with a range of prices and features.

What do I consider when looking for a handheld vacuum?

Running and charging time

Though these gadgets are small, they often have powerful suction. However, often this comes with a longer charge time and a reduced running time. If you have more places to tackle or live in a larger home, we recommend getting a vacuum with a longer running time.

Weight and size

Unlike your usual bulky vacuum cleaner, your handheld alternative has to be a bit lighter and compact, so you can switch it on quickly if you need to do some efficient dust removal. As you’ll be doing this all by hand, you need to find something that suits your strength.

Attachments and features

While not all handheld vacuums will have attachments and special features, we recommend looking out for vacuum cleaners that are versatile with a range of tools to help you tackle those crafty crumbs in the car and stubborn fluff from the carpet.

Get ready to change the way you clean with the best handheld vacuum cleaners available right now.

The best handheld vacuum cleaners UK 2022

Weight: 1.3kg | Battery life: 30 mins | Dust capacity: 0.1l | Charge time: 4 hours

Suction: Variable | Attachments: 2-in-1 crevice brush

Revo Pet Plus from Beldray is deal for eliminating pesky pet hair, this model is lightweight, cordless, and rechargeable. Why do we love this? Well, it’s great for a quick clean up in your house or the car. Plus, it’s better for allergy suffers as it includes a HEPA filter – which makes sure to keep all the nasty particles inside. Easy to store and charge, this vacuum is the ultimate companion for collecting the hair left around by your furry friend.

Pros: Lightweight, Plenty of attachments

Cons: Sub-par suction power

Tried and tested by commercial content writer, Piper Huxley: "It saves me from getting my usual bulky vacuum out of the cupboard and wrestling with a long cord. It’s just made things a little easier, especially since I’m allergic to pet hair. Plus, the multiple extensions make it super easy to adapt the vacuum to the surface that it is cleaning from. It's so light, that you could even take it on a weekend away with the dogs. Despite being a little lacking on the suction front, this reliable vacuum is simple, sleek and easy to handle. It definitely makes cleaning up after the doggies a little easier – and quicker."

Weight: 1.38kg | Battery life: 10 mins | Dust capacity: 440ml | Charge time: 4 hrs

Suction: 35 Air Watts | Attachments: Integrated crevice tool and a soft brush

We love this little gadget, too. It’s ideal for cleaning things like lampshades, sofa cushions, higher shelves and car interiors - because it features a nozzle that pivots up to 200 degrees. Plus, there’s a cool flip-out brush and extendable crevices to tackle all sorts of mess and surfaces.

Pros: Great for all surfaces and situations

Cons: A little noisy

Review: "Absolutely love this little dust-buster. Suction is very good, surprisingly good for such a small vacuum in fact – miles better than the slightly cheaper models I've bought from other manufacturers over the years. The filter is easy to replace.”

Weight: 0.9kg | Battery life: 20 mins | Dust capacity: 500ml | Charge time: 4.5 hours

Suction: 4KPa | Attachments: Crevice tool and rubber nozzle attachment

Perfect for eliminating dust and liquid spillages, this Beldray cordless vacuum cleaner is lightweight, robust and gives you so much freedom. Guaranteed to get the job done, it runs for 20 minutes. This vacuum cleaner has a decent capacity of 0.5l and comes with a handy wall-mountable charging hub.

Pros: Lightweight and suits all messes

Cons: Suction could be a little more powerful

Review: "Really handy, lightweight and reaches areas other vacuum cleaners don't. Ideal for cleaning inside the car. Easy to operate, easy to empty, and takes up very little space."

Weight: 650g | Battery life: 30 mins | Noise: >70dB | Charge time: 3-5 hrs

Suction: 8KPa | Attachments: Brush nozzle, long crevice nozzle, flexible tube and long soft hose

With a lithium-ion battery, this vacuum works for up to 30 minutes and takes four hours to charge. The built-in cyclone technology provides a continuous powerful suction, making it efficient in cleaning dust and paper scraps as well as small stones and liquids. For a reasonable price of under £20, you can’t go wrong with a cheaper alternative to clean your home quickly.

Pros: An all-rounder

Cons: Best for larger bits on upholstery and carpets

Review: "Excellent, efficient portable vacuum. I bought this to replace an identical vacuum. The suction power on this seems more powerful than on the vacuum cleaner it replaced. This is well-made with a good selection of attachments and with a cloth bag in which to store everything. Highly delighted with this item.”

Weight: 600g | Battery life: 8 mins | Dust capacity: 100ml | Charge time: 2.5 hrs

Suction: A-rated | Attachments: Pet multi-tool and crevice tool

Shark redefines quick clean-ups with this cordless handheld vacuum cleaner, engineered with a high-efficiency motor for impressive suction. We love the sleek design of the Shark Handheld Vacuum. Also, it charges while stored on its charging storage base and has a one-touch easy-empty dust cup. However, it does have a low battery life of up to eight minutes of run-time per charge.

Pros: Impressive suction, lightweight

Cons: Low battery life

Review: "Brilliant little piece of kit, ideal for spills, cars etc. Strong suction. I’ve put off having a handheld vacuum for years, but Shark does it again for me. Highly recommend all their products.”

Weight: 0.56kg | Battery life: 13 mins | Dust capacity: 90ml | Charge time: 2.5-3.5 hrs

Suction: 5.5KPa | Attachments: 2-in-1 crevice tool

Small but powerful, the HomeVac 11 doesn’t mess around with a 5500Pa suction power. We love its sleek, non-slip design and the useful USB charging lead which means you can plug it into your laptop or any USB plug to charge up. It certainly makes it comfortable to hold with precise handling at the same time. Make use of the extension nozzle to help you reach under low-lying furniture or into the deep corners of your sofa.

Pros: Compact and light

Cons: Long charge time

Review: "This is a great little hoover for small jobs around the house: small food spills, picking up dust balls from corners, doing the blinds/windowsills or other small jobs. The bin won't cope with much more than that, but it is super easy to clean.”

Weight: 1.2kg | Battery life: 15-25 mins | Dust capacity: 100ml | Charge time: 4-5 hrs

Suction: Unsure | Attachments: Crevice Tools

Beldray are currently celebrating 150 years in the business and launched this special edition graphite and gold handheld vacuum. It’s perfect for all messes and includes countertop storage and a charging base. Though it has 4-5 hours of charge time and around 15-25 minutes of operating time, the compact device has a decent 100ml dust container. Like the other Beldray on this list, this product includes a HEPA filter for those allergy sufferers.

Pros: All-rounder, nice design

Cons: Mid-range suction

Review: “I love mine! It’s great for picking up bits and pieces dropped on the floor – even picking crumbs up from benches. Also, it’s really good and light for cleaning up your stairs. Very handy. Actually, I bought a second one for my friend.”

Piper Huxley is a Commercial Content Writer for What's The Best, and also writes for Yours, Modern Gardens and Take A Break Pets across home, gardens and lifestyle.

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