The 15 best cordless vacuums of 2025, tried and tested
We spent weeks home-testing stick vacuum cleaners, rating each on suction power, ease of use and cleaning performance
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While not quite as powerful as mains-powered vacuum cleaners (especially cylinder models), the best cordless vacuum cleaners from brands like Shark, Dyson and Vax provide more than enough cleaning performance for most homes. They’re also lighter, easier to manoeuvre and available across a wide price range, from £75 to £1,200.
Cordless vacuums use less electricity than traditional models, thanks to smaller motors and only drawing power when recharging. Admittedly, robot vacuum cleaners consume even less, but they remain a niche choice. If you need a vacuum for pet hair removal, especially from sofas and beds, there are dedicated models for that too.
We’ve reviewed dozens of cordless vacuum cleaners over the years with reviews of our top 15 recommendations below, followed by answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick look at our top five:
The best cordless vacuums: At a glance
- Best Buy cordless vacuum cleaner: Dyson V16 Piston Animal
- Best Value cordless vacuum cleaner: VAX ONEPWR Pace
- Best Shark cordless vacuum cleaner: Shark PowerDetect
- Best cordless vacuum for bin capacity: Henry Quick
- Best budget cordless vacuum cleaner: Beldray Smartflex
How to choose the best cordless vacuum cleaner
There are three main factors to consider when shopping for a cordless vacuum cleaner. The first is suction power. Cordless models are low on suction power compared to plug-ins, but some are more powerful than others. Most can tackle the majority of dirt, grime and surface stains, but for more persistent staining you may need a carpet cleaner or a steam cleaner.
The second factor is weight. Since they lack wheels, some cordless vacuum cleaners pose a challenge to those of us lacking body strength, while some are light enough for anyone to use. Cordless vacuum cleaners by design are generally lighter than plug-in models though, due to their slimmer build.
The third is battery life. Don’t expect to get much more than 15 minutes of use out of a fully charged cordless vacuum cleaner. It’s often far less when using power-hungry “boost” modes. Many cordless vacuum cleaners come with a second, substitute battery to double the run time, but be aware that some brands charge extra for this.
How we test cordless vacuum cleaners
We tested each cordless vacuum cleaner for several weeks at home, cleaning crevices and stairs as well as large open areas to test the suction power and battery life. We compared them for weight, ease of use and efficacy on wooden floors, carpet, linoleum and tiles.
We also conducted flour, breadcrumb and soil tests, spilling each on carpets and hard floors and then vacuuming it up with each model to test performance (you can see some results above). We considered the dust capacities of each too.
Finally, we took into account value for money, how loud each vacuum was, whether they converted into handheld cordless vacuums and any extra features that make them more useful.
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The best cordless vacuum cleaners of 2025
1. Best Buy Cordless Vacuum: Dyson V16 Piston Animal
Score: 9/10
We like: Anti-tangle head and clever dust-compressing system
We don’t like: Basic dock, pricey advanced dock options
The Dyson Gen5 Detect cordless vacuum cleaner, our former Best Buy, had flaws. You needed to swap cleaner heads for hard or carpet floors. It was heavy for handheld use and it was expensive.
The new V16 Piston Animal, the successor to the Gen5 Detect, fixes two issues. While it remains expensive, it now uses a single cleaner head with automatic floor detection. Conical technology handles hair tangles automatically. Hair simply winds down the cones before being sucked up into the vacuum, requiring no human intervention.
A new dust separator system also trims 200g of weight from the V16’s main body, making handheld use easier.
The bigger upgrade, however, is Dyson’s CleanCompaktor dust bin. This neat bit of engineering compresses dust within the canister so that you can pack in much more before needing to empty it. The same piston-like lever that compresses the dirt, also ejects it in a hygienic manner, reducing particle escape and making the whole process much less of a chore.
The optional standalone and self-emptying docks currently in development aren’t going to be cheap, but the V16 Piston Animal still does enough to justify its current status as the premium cordless vacuum cleaner of choice.
Read our full Dyson V16 Piston Animal cordless vacuum review.
Key specifications
- Power: 315 Air Watts
- Weight: 3.4kg
- Battery life: Up to 70 minutes, 3.5 hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 1.3 litres
- Bagless: Yes
2. Best Value Cordless Vacuum: VAX ONEPWR Pace
Score: 8/10
We like: Good performance on all types of flooring, easy to move around
We don’t like: No hair detangling technology
Reviewed by Kulwinder Rai
The bagless VAX Pace is one of the lighter machines I’ve tested, and certainly the lightest at this price. Though slightly top-heavy, it feels nimble, thanks to its swivel mechanism and compact brush head.
It runs on a single, detachable battery, with VAX quoting 40 minutes. In reality, expect close to 20 if you’re using the brush bar, but that’s still sufficient for quick clean-ups.
There’s no LCD display, but controls for the brush bar and boost mode are simple, and a red light warns you when charge drops below 20 per cent.
Accessories are limited to a combined crevice tool and dusting brush, and the wall mount lacks a clip for it. Still, cleaning performance makes up for these omissions. It’s impressive despite its relatively low power with debris like rice sucked up instantly on hard flooring. Carpets need a return pass but the Pace still scooped up every bit of our flour sample.
Hairs were gathered up well, too, but you’ll need to regularly remove them from the brush bar and separator as there’s no hair detangling tech here. That’s one sacrifice you make at this lower price point, but it’s nowhere serious enough a niggle to dampen our enthusiasm: the VAX Pace puts up a decent show.
Read our full VAX ONEPWR cordless vacuum review.
Key specifications
- Power: 180 Watts
- Weight: 3.1kg
- Battery life: Up to 40 minutes, three hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.6 litres
- Bagless: Yes
3. Best Shark Cordless Vacuum: Shark PowerDetect Cordless Pet
Score: 9/10
We like: Supreme cleaning on both hard and carpeted floors
We don’t like: Slightly heavy to push around, slow recharge time
Reviewed by Kulwinder Rai
Shark’s flagship cordless vacuum cleaner comes loaded with features including auto detection, which automatically varies the suction power according to the levels of dirt, light, proximity to corners and edges and the floor type.
There are front and rear “headlights”, an anti-hair wrap feature and “reverse clean” floorhead tech which means the vacuum cleans as effectively pulled backwards as it does when pushed forward.
In use, there’s more than enough power for cleaning short-pile carpet as well as hard flooring and it sailed through all of my torture tests. It collected hair efficiently, the auto detection capabilities proved effective, and, as advertised, it did seem equally effective forwards and backwards.
Handily, this vacuum folds over for stable storage in a cupboard, against a wall or in a corner and its accessory roster is decent too. Meanwhile, build quality is robust and the design intuitive. The battery’s charging time was a little slow at four hours, but I got around 30 minutes run time in the default PowerDetect mode, which is good.
The Shark feels a little heavier than others I’ve tested but the inclusion of a folding Flex wand, together with a highly manoeuvrable floor head, means it’s easy to reach under sofas and bed frames. Its 0.7 litre dust bin isn’t huge and the horizontal design makes it trickier to empty without spilling some debris, but this is a well-balanced cordless overall.
Read our full Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum cleaner review.
Key specifications
- Power: 380 Watts
- Weight: 3.71kg
- Battery life: Up to 70 minutes, four hours recharge time
- Bin Capacity: 0.7 litres
- Bagless: Yes
4. Best Stick Cordless Vacuum: Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum
Score: 9/10
We like: The hinge in the middle, for reaching under sofas and beds
We don’t like: It’s on the heavier side
Formerly Shark’s most premium offering, the Stratos is now more affordable than our top rated (and newer) Shark vacuum, but it’s still worth considering. The DuoClean (essentially, two brush-rolls in one) floor head is big and powerful and there’s an anti-odour feature with replaceable cartridges to prevent bad smells in the dust cup.
The anti-hair wrap function is effective too. Both my flatmate and I have long hair and the Stratos sucked it up straight into the dust bucket with no issue. It picks up both short and long hair equally well, making it especially good for cleaning after pets.
The LED headlights make it easy to see dust and there’s a feature called Clean Sense IQ, which senses the level of dust and self-adjusts the suction power – although it’s hard to say how much this helped.
The Stratos also comes with a great range of attachments but my favourite element was the hinge in the middle. This allowed me to bend it under sofas, cupboards and other harder to reach places, whilst also folding it in half for storage. One battery lasts 60 minutes meaning I could comfortably vacuum my entire flat in one go, though if you have a bigger house you might consider investing in the double battery version.
Emptying the dust bin was fiddly and it’s slightly more cumbersome than our Best Buy, but overall I found the Stratos easy to set up and use.
Key specifications
- Power: 309 Watts
- Weight: 4.1kg
- Battery life: Up to 60 minutes, four hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.7 litres
- Bagless: Yes
5. Best Cordless Vacuum for Battery Life: Bosch Unlimited 10 ProPower Black
Score: 9/10
We like: Long battery life, sensors for highlighting dirt
We don’t like: Battery placement makes it feel heavy
Reviewed by Emily Peck
This cordless vacuum comes with Bosch’s MicroClean technology and MicroClean Brush, which use a sensor to pick up microscopic dirt. I’ve recently had building work done in my house and I was impressed at how well it highlighted the dust on my hard floor.
The brush head is large, the wand bends to get under furniture and I managed to vacuum right up to my skirting. It did well to pick up other mess I scattered on the floor too, including flour. I also liked the “MicroClean Ring” feature around the control panel that lights up blue when an area is completely clean.
The vacuum’s battery is claimed to last up to 100 minutes on a single charge, though actual runtime varies significantly depending on the mode. I got nine minutes in the powerful turbo mode and 55 minutes in the battery-saving eco mode. The battery is also positioned at the top of the vacuum, which makes it feel heavy.
There are six suction modes altogether, including the turbo and eco modes I’ve already mentioned and an auto mode that adjusts power according to floor type. When I converted this vacuum to a handheld and used it with the small crevice tool (one of three accessories), the “car mode” offered powerful suction whilst maintaining battery life, giving me 20 minutes before I needed to recharge.
There’s also a “silent mode” that drops noise levels slightly, while I found the delicate “carpet mode” reassuring when vacuuming my Persian carpets.
Key specifications
- Power: Not specified
- Weight: 3.8 kg weight (in stick mode)
- Battery life: Up to 100 min, one hour recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.4 litres
- Bagless: Yes
6. Best Cordless Vacuum for Large Houses: Tefal X-Force Flex 15.60
Score: 8/10
We like: Suction power automatically adjusts to floor type
We don’t like: It’s top heavy
Best known for its frying pans, this is Tefal’s first venture into vacuum cleaners. The range is named after the hinge in the middle, which bends to help you reach under furniture. Clever, but no longer a novelty, with Shark, Bosch and Beldray vacuums all doing similar.
Another technology that’s both useful but not unique is the “auto-surface floor detection”, which detects what floor type you’re vacuuming and adapts the suction power. The benefit of this – something Tefal has over Dyson – is that one brush does both floors, so you don’t have to keep switching.
Having said that, you do still get a range of attachments, including an animal turbo brush, a crevice tool, an upholstery brush and a mini flexible tool that’s great for cars. There are also built-in dust brushes beneath the floor head brush and the stick, which is convenient. I particularly like the dust brush on the end of the stick as it’s great for reaching pesky ceiling cobwebs.
I did find, in this configuration, that the vacuum is heavy, so not the best for anyone with weak wrists. It has a long battery life of one hour and 20 minutes, however and it’s powerful at 230 Air Watts (the Dyson Gen5 Detect in first place is only just more powerful, at 262 Air Watts). It also has a large bin capacity of 0.9 litres, making it well suited to large houses and big families.
Key specifications
- Power: 230 Air Watts
- Weight: 3.4kg
- Battery life: Up to 80 minutes, five hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.9 litres
- Bagless: Yes
7. Best Cordless Vacuum and Mop: Dyson V15s Detect Submarine
Score: 8/10
We like: Two appliances in one, good battery life
We don’t like: Mop head annoying to empty, expensive, mop head not compatible with old V15
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is almost identical to its predecessor, the Dyson V15, but it comes with a mop attachment. Sadly, it’s not possible to buy the attachment separately and put on the V15 as they are not compatible.
As a cordless vacuum, the V15 Submarine is good with great suction power and a decent battery life of up to an hour, but switch to the submarine head and it becomes futuristic.
The head contains two tanks, one for clean water and one for dirty water. It’s all self-contained with clean water distributed across the soft roller as you pull the trigger, vacuuming and mopping as you go, while dirty water is deposited into the second tank.
I’ve tested a lot of vacuums and while others triumph in robustness, usability and storage, nothing beats Dyson for suction. The story with the mop head is no different. I like that I don’t have to vacuum before mopping, since the submarine head does both.
The motor in the head propels the vacuum, pulling slightly but not enough that you lose control. It’s a little awkward to get into corners, but the difference it made to my grubby kitchen floor was impressive.
Emptying the mop head is a bit of a faff in that you have to empty the waste extraction tray of debris and dirty water, though if that’s my only complaint (apart from the price), I’d mark the Detect Submarine as a success for Dyson.
Key specifications
- Power: 240 Air Watts
- Weight: 4.1kg
- Battery life: Up to 60 minutes, 4.5 hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.77 litres
- Bagless: Yes
8. Best Robust Cordless Vacuum: Halo Capsule X
Score: 8/10
We like: Remarkably lightweight, short recharge time
We don’t like: Bags need re-buying
Like the Henry Quick below, the Halo Capsule X uses bags instead of a dust container for holding the dirt it collects. You will therefore need to repurchase bags as you go, but each one holds two litres of dirt so you won’t have to replace the bag too regularly.
I tested the Halo Capsule X in a friend’s flat which is home to three long-haired women and I’m pleased to say it picked up hair superbly well. There’s no special hair detangling technology, but after several sessions, there wasn’t too much hair stuck around the brush roll.
Steering is good with the swivel flexible enough to reach the brush head into nooks and crannies but still controllable and the LED light at the end of the head helped me see what I was cleaning. Weighing just 2.6kg, it’s also the lightest vacuum I tried, making it an excellent option for anyone lacking arm or shoulder strength.
As with most cordless vacuums, what the Halo lacks is battery life. Halo claims it can last up to 60 minutes, although I found it didn’t last that long. The recharge time is an impressively short two hours however, much less than most cordless batteries and Halo has introduced interchangeable batteries so you can continue vacuuming even after the first battery runs out.
All in all the vacuum feels sturdy and, although I’ll have to report back on this front, feels like it will last a long time.
Key specifications
- Power: 400 Watts
- Weight: 2.6kg
- Battery life: Up to 60 minutes, two hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: Two litres
- Bagless: No
9. Best Cordless Vacuum for Ease of Use: Bosch Unlimited 7 BCS712GB
Score: 8/10
We like: Decent battery life, good range of attachments
We don’t like: No hair detangling technology
Bosch is known for making robust tools and appliances that work and last for a long time. That certainly describes the Unlimited 7, a workhorse that lacks bells and whistles but has an impressive battery life (I actually managed an hour).
Ease of use is at its core, with a four-way sliding switch in the handle for selecting “Off”, “Eco”, “Turbo” or “Auto” modes. The Auto mode adjusts the suction depending on the floor type detected, much like the Dyson and Tefal above.
The benefit of this is that you only need one core brush head. In Bosch’s case, this is a fairly basic attachment with two spiral brush heads inside. There are LED lights at the front, but it lacks hair detangling technology, which should be a given in 2025.
Other attachments include a two-in-one furniture and upholstery brush, a crevice nozzle and a long flexible crevice brush, which I found particularly useful for cleaning my car – a job I usually put off.
The suction isn’t as impressive as many others on this list, which is worth bearing in mind if you have pets, long hair or deep carpets, but I found this vacuum effective on hard floors.
Key specifications
- Power: Unspecified
- Weight: 3.6kg
- Battery life: Up to 40 minutes, three hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.3 litres
- Bagless: Yes
10. Best Affordable Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: Hoover HF4 Plus Home Power Move Vacuum Cleaner
Score: 8/10
We like: Great manoeuvrability, surprising suction power
We don’t like: Whiny operating noise
Reviewed by Pete Wise
The HF4 Plus is a simple cordless vacuum that will keep a small home clean without breaking the bank. Considering its relatively modest motor (450W), it picks up dirt and dust exceptionally well. Of the four power settings, only the lowest (“Eco”) saw it struggle to pick up detritus like dry mud and cat litter, while the highest two weren’t needed as the “Standard” setting worked faultlessly.
Battery performance is decent, although the advertised 70-minute runtime is only feasible with Eco mode and a handheld configuration. One charge gave me nearly enough runtime to clean eight floors and I was able to check the battery status and chosen setting via the simple LED display. Those in larger homes might be frustrated by the lack of a second battery to swap in midway through a marathon clean.
This is a pleasant vacuum to use, although I did find its operating noise whiny. The extension pole gave me great reach for sucking up cobwebs in stairwells, while the 0.7 litre dust chamber is easy to detach, empty and reinstall. The floor head proved highly manoeuvrable over solid wood, stone, laminate and rugs, while its built-in lights illuminated dust.
Narrowly built and sold with a wall mount accessory, the HF4 Plus is convenient to store. I’d recommend it as a solid, reasonably priced option for versatile vacuuming in a smaller home. In its handheld configuration, it’s also great for cleaning furniture or car interiors, especially with its dusting brush fitted.
Key specifications
- Power: 450 Watts
- Weight: 2.5kg
- Battery life: Up to 70 minutes, 3.5 hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.7 litres
- Bagless: Yes
11. Best Lightweight Cordless Vacuum: Gtech AirRam Platinum Anti Hair Wrap
Score: 8/10
We like: Lightweight in use, good suction, great with hair
We don’t like: The handheld feature doesn’t come as standard
The latest addition to Gtech’s family of cordless vacuums is the AirRam Platinum. This lightweight, upgraded model is its flagship product, coming in at £120 more than the base AirRam model.
Before the Platinum arrived, I was slightly dubious after hearing some stories from close friends who struggled with older models losing suction, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have been using the Platinum for a while now and it’s still as good as the day I took it out of the box.
My favourite feature is the anti-hair wrap technology. Teamed with AirLOC, which targets larger debris, this a godsend in my household. My two previous vacuums broke when they got entangled with long hair. The AirRam makes light work of picking it off the carpet, while a Forward Inertia Drive feature makes this vacuum easy to push around.
It’s not without its flaws. Firstly, the large bezel makes it impossible to clean in tight corners and up to, or on top of, skirting boards (which is actually where most of the dust collects). Secondly, it doesn’t feature a handheld section as standard. It’s included as a bundle for £599.98.
Overall, though, the Gtech AirRam Platinum has exceeded my expectations for its impressive cleaning performance, lightweight design and excellent battery life.
Key specifications
- Power: 100 Watts
- Weight: 3.3kg
- Battery life: Up to 60 minutes, three hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.8 litres
- Bagless: Yes
12. Best Cordless Vacuum for Bin Capacity: Henry Quick
Score: 8/10
We like: Disposable bin pods, easy to use, powerful suction
We don’t like: Slightly taxing on the wrist
The Henry Quick is everything the UK loves about the smiley-faced cylinder vacuum, transformed into a cordless design that comes in Henry red, Hetty pink, or graphite. It’s reliable, sturdy and more powerful than most. But for many, the standout feature will be the removable dust pod, which gives dust-free emptying.
With one click, you release it directly into a bin and then fit another one. Each standard purchase of the vacuum comes with 26 Henry pods, which are made of up to 65 per cent recycled material and are carbon offset.
The Quick comes with three detachable heads for the floor and carpet, upholstery and crevices and a power boost for the more trying messes. The pack does only come with one battery however, which lasts between 14 and 60 minutes, depending on the mode. During my testing, I found the standard mode picked up everything I needed it to on carpet, so the battery life will usually be nearer to the 60 minutes.
The Henry is not the heaviest we tested, but the weight distribution means it is quite taxing on your wrist, especially in handheld mode. That’s justified by the high suction power and the dust capacity of one litre. It packs a punch in what is a compact design. Considering the traditional Henry vacuum is pretty substantial, this new Henry Quick is versatile, powerful and easy to use.
Key specifications
- Power: 300 Watts
- Weight: 3.2kg
- Battery life: Up to 60 minutes, 2.5 hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: One litre
- Bagless: No
13. Best Looking Cordless Vacuum: Miele Triflex HX2 Pro
Score: 8/10
We like: Greater suction than the power rating suggests, three configurations in one
We don’t like: The price, no digital display
The grey pearlised body and metallic accent design first caught my attention with this vacuum cleaner. I wouldn’t spend nearly £900 on a vacuum for looks alone, but it has impressive performance credentials too.
Its main point of difference is the three-in-one design. The dust bin can either fix onto the top offering greater flexibility for harder-to-reach areas, or directly above the floor head for a more comfortable vacuum. The third configuration is to remove the long stick and attach the head directly to the handle, using it as a handheld.
I was surprised by how much the weight distribution affected the ease of use. With the dust bin at the bottom of the vacuum, manoeuvring was light and easy and it stood up on its own. Fitted to the top or in handheld mode, it felt bulky and awkward.
But in its defence, the HX2 is powerful and definitely punches above its 322W rating. I’d say its suction power was equivalent to the Dyson Gen5 Detect at the top of this guide. It also comes with a great range of attachments and an extra battery is included too, which doubles the cleaning time to an incredibly impressive 120 minutes. What’s not so impressive is the four hours it takes to recharge.
It doesn’t have a digital display either: instead you mechanically switch between eco, min and max mode. This will suit those of us more comfortable with older tech, but I’d expect more modernity from Miele.
In the same range:
Miele’s £269 Duoflex HX1 is equally robust and easy to use and is half the price. You are paying quite a premium here for 50 Watts more power. At this price level, the competition is our top pick, the Dyson Gen5 Detect. I would say the Miele is likely to last longer (Dysons can be fragile), but it’s a tough call.
Key specifications
- Power: 322 Watts
- Weight: 3.6kg
- Battery life: Up to 120 minutes, four hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: 0.5 litres
- Bagless: Yes
14. Best Cordless Vacuum with AI: Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Stick Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Score: 8/10
We like: Powerful collection and excellent base design, clever use of AI
We don’t like: Floorheads struggle over uneven flooring, quite noisy
Reviewed by Pete Wise
Samsung’s Bespoke AI Jet Ultra has an elaborate design with an abundance of accessories. These include two floor heads, a pet tool, combination tool, crevice tool and flexible tool.
Towering over these is the vacuum’s base, which acts as a dustbin, charging dock and a smart-looking home. The Bespoke AI Jet Ultra will self-empty into this base, though this didn’t work perfectly in my tests and the base itself takes up a fair amount of floor space.
This is a good cordless model for cleaning performance, however. It powerfully picks up dust, dirt and pet hair and activating the AI mode via the SmartThings app removes the need to toggle between the four speed settings. Instead, the vacuum detects its context and toggles the power to suit.
Both floor heads are highly manoeuvrable, steering responsively with a slight turn of the wrist. The Slim LED+ Brush is great at getting into tight corners and illuminates the area ahead brilliantly via LED. Both floor heads did struggle with uneven flooring, however.
The vacuum isn’t great at getting under sofas either, with only a short flexible attachment instead of the popular centrally-hinged stick design and it operates pretty noisily.
There’s no doubt that this is a good cordless vacuum, but given the price, it ought to be exceptional. That said, there’s plenty to enjoy about the Jet Ultra’s attractive design and lightweight, nimble build and it will be a treat for tech devotees enticed by the innovative base and power-saving AI mode.
Key specifications
- Power: Up to 400W
- Weight: 2.8kg (in its most lightweight configuration)
- Battery life: Up to 160 mins, five hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: Two litres
- Bagless: Yes
15. Best Budget Cordless Vacuum: Beldray Smartflex
Score: 7/10
We like: Quiet operation, comfortable to use, good selection of features
We don’t like: It’s hard to empty the dustbin, a little plasticky
The Beldray Smartflex doesn’t look quite as premium as other models, with chunky plastic joints and a basic LED screen. But if it’s a budget vacuum you’re after, you won’t find much better for the price. Despite weighing 4.4kg, it was one of the most comfortable vacuums to use thanks to the weight distribution and it’s quiet too.
It’s comparable to costlier models in terms of features. There’s a Shark-style hinge in the middle of the stick for reaching underneath furniture and smart blockage sensors that alert you via the digital display if there’s an obstruction. It also has an LED light, so you can see what you’re vacuuming.
I did find the brush head a little too flexible, verging on wobbly. The hinge could do with being a little stiffer. A couple of other complaints would be that the dust bin is difficult to empty. It’s easy enough to open – simply remove the handle from the stick and flick the switch to release the lid over a bin – but you’ll find yourself reaching inside to remove the excessive hair and dust wrapped around the filter, which is always a bit gross.
Finally, although you probably wouldn’t expect it at this price, there’s no hair detangling function, meaning the brush head will need regular cleaning. It’s not the best vacuum for a household filled with pets but will suit small homes or flats.
Key specifications
- Power: Unspecified
- Weight: 4.4kg
- Battery life: Up to 40 minutes, five hours recharge time
- Bin capacity: One litre
- Bagless: Yes
Cordless vacuum cleaner FAQs
Cordless vacuum cleaners operate in exactly the same way as conventional vacuum cleaners, except that they use rechargeable batteries to power internal suction motors, instead of mains power, removing the need to have a trailing power cable.
Most cordless vacuums use removable lithium-ion batteries to provide power. Recharging them usually involves unclipping the battery from the vacuum and then placing it in a mains-connected charging dock for a few hours.
When cordless vacuum cleaners first came out, they weren’t very good: they had a low run time and poor suction. These days, you can get suction around two-thirds as strong as a corded device and battery life of up to an hour.
However, the biggest benefit is convenience – a cordless vacuum cleaner allows you to clean little and often, rather than doing one weekly deep clean, and to easily spot clean dust or spillages without the faff of dust bags and cables.
There’s quite a big variance in battery life. While some last under 10 minutes on the maximum setting, others go for much longer. The Dyson Gen5 Detect, for example, will function for just over an hour on the lowest setting.
For what it’s worth, the lowest setting on the best cordless vacuums is often perfectly adequate. During our tests, we seldom needed to use the max setting.
Charging the batteries on a cordless vacuum is straightforward. You can plug the charger in wherever you like, but you can also connect it to a wall mount (which has to be attached to your wall and will become your charging station).
You’ll also get indicator lights on the handheld section of the machine to tell you how long you’ve got left. Unless you have a huge home that you want to clean in one go, the models we tried have enough battery life for most vacuuming jobs.
One litre is the most you should expect from a cordless vacuum and some can hold as little as 0.3 litres. (Compare this to cylinder vacuums that hold anything from two to six litres.) They do need emptying regularly.
Aside from the Henry Quick and Halo Capsule X, the machines we tested are all bagless. Instead, they have dust canisters. A smaller canister can fill up quickly if you’re cleaning your whole house, but emptying is as simple as flicking a switch or clicking a button.
A bagged option might be better for dust allergy sufferers or asthmatics, as there is a danger of breathing in particles when emptying the canister. It is also important to maintain your device properly by taking the pre-filter out and cleaning it to prevent blockages and a decline in performance. It’s as simple as running it under the tap and leaving it to dry.
Like their plug-in counterparts, many cordless vacuums these days have a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, capable of trapping 99.97 per cent of particles measuring 0.3 microns or more. That includes dust, smoke, pollen, bacteria and even some viruses.
HEPA filters are made from interlaced and twisted glass microfibres. They should not be washed. Instead, regularly wash the sponge pre-filter that sits above it.
At the end of each cleaning session, or as soon as the debris reaches the max fill line, empty the dust cup into the bin.
Check the instruction manual for manufacturer guidance specific to your model: your cordless vacuum could have special features, such as self-cleaning brush rolls.
Generally, however, clean the filters once a month. Tap off loose dirt and debris before washing it, and leave it to dry for at least 24 hours to prevent mould and mildew.
Once a month, or more regularly if you have pets or long hair, clean your brush roll, using scissors to carefully cut away string, hair and debris.