Best Handheld Vacuum 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

We love a Shark vacuum cleaner here at Appliance Reviewer, and this handheld option is no different.

Most small portable vacuums can struggle with picking up things. While there are a couple out there we have reviewed which are good enough to use in the home, most are best for the car or for the corners of the carpet. This one is the best for all-round cleaning, though.

It can run for 16 minutes on a single charge, and thanks to the quickbase, a full boost only takes about an hour. A reserve battery is in the base in case you simply can’t stop and need to give yourself a few extra minutes of cleaning time. The last thing you want to do is sit on the sofa and then never return to the cleaning again.

A pet tool will help you target those pesky hairs which always end up on the sofa or human bed when your back is turned, and the crevice tool will get right into those annoying hard to reach areas, whether it be the cup holder of the car or behind the telly.

We expected nothing less than fantastic star delivery from Shark here, and in short; it delivered. And more.

Designed with pet owners in mind, the Gtech K9 can stir up and lift even the most problematic dirt particles. It runs for 20 minutes on a 4-hour charge, making it perfect to bring out quickly and clear up any small areas of mess which don’t require the use of a larger machine. There is also a light to illuminate the darkest areas of your home, where an upright vacuum appliance may not reach.

Pet odours can linger inside a vacuum cleaner, spreading the smell around your home as you clean. This model, like others in the Gtech range, has a dirt bale which is easy to empty thanks to the ejector arm, so no dirt is left behind. As a bonus, there are replaceable floral scented tabs in the filter of the K9, leaving your room smelling fresh and fragrant.

As it is handheld, you can also use it to clean your car (or any other vehicles you may use to transport your animals). It comes with a powered brush head, crevice tool and dusting brush as standard. The car accessory kit is a purchasable extra from the Gtech website, which offers three tools for full flexibility. These tools can also be used to clean problematic areas within your home, such as around your television, stereo systems or difficult to reach upholstery.

With a 30-minute battery life on a 3.5-hour charge, the V7 handheld vacuum will effortlessly clean your car, stairs or upholstery in one go. Its powerful 15-cyclone suction makes light work of crumbs, embedded dust and pet hairs. There are three tool accessories included – combination, mini motorised and crevice – to take care of all the tiny gaps and corners in your home.

The motorised brush tool is driven electronically rather than by suction when in use, making it a real cleaning force.

The lifetime filter is washable, so there are no extra costs involved such as replacing this or using hoover bags. The low power setting allows you to vacuum areas where you don’t want too much suction, such as curtains or cushion covers, and the higher one works well on sofas and carpets.

The small collection container shows you how much dirt the product is lifting from your surfaces, and it is easy to empty over a bin with the push of a single button. It is an expensive appliance for its size but is durable and well-built so will last you years.

As you can probably tell by now, we really rate Black and Decker handhelds. There is a reason why they are also leaders in the power tool world as well.

This one is one of the more expensive handheld vacuum cleaners around. But you do get a performance worthy of this. A 10 minute run time may not seem long, but the powerful suction will ensure you get the job done well within that time. It is also fade-free, so even if you’re pushing it to the last few seconds, you’re still going to get the power required.

The nozzle pivots 200 degrees to access awkward areas, no matter where you are standing, so it is fab if you want a device which can get to where your upright can’t without moving all of the furniture.

While you’re probably not bothered about how it looks in storage, we will still let you know that it is pretty fine indeed. It doesn’t even look like a vacuum as it all folds down. Great if you A) don’t have much space or B) will be keeping it to hand in view.

A slightly different design to many of the other handhelds on the market, using a cylinder and flexible tube approach to the cleaning instead.

This makes it a great option if you need a dedicated car vacuum, or just want a bit more control over where you clean. It is nice and lightweight to hold as you use it, which is always welcomed. This is why we think it is the best handheld vacuum for car use which we reviewed.

It only lasts for 10 minutes after a four hour charge, which may seem like you’re getting short changed but isn’t rare for handheld portable vacuum cleaners. The noise is also on the louder side, but this is forgivable as seeing it is having to use so much power in a short space of time.

Cord-free handheld vacuums can struggle when it comes to power levels and run times. If you’re looking for a corded handheld, they are in short supply, but this one is a beauty.

Just as with some other Black & Decker models, you get a flexible tube to help with the dust-busting, which gives much better accuracy when trying to get into the tight spaces which have gone unattended for a few months too long. You also get a pivoting nose and 10 different settings.

A washable filter and good capacity (for a handheld) are welcomed and help it run well at all times. The filter is a HEPA, so it can capture the tiniest of dust particles and keep them there too. The cable length is also generous for a small device such as this.

The side opening door also makes it so simple to empty. You don’t even have to remove the bin; just flip the lid open and tip. Accessories included are the Extendable Crevice Tool, Dusting Brush and Upholstery Tool, so you can even cope with different materials and surfaces.

It all gathers up nicely to store, whether you’re keeping it in the stairs under the cupboard or in your car boot.

After a wet and dry vacuum? You have come to the right place.

The Jive is super lightweight, and the slimline handle makes it a breeze to hold and move around. Much nicer than the usual thick bulky handles in our opinion.

Switching it on is easy thanks to the slider on the handle, and to empty the bin you just press a button to separate it from the body and tip all the dirt away.

You get a dusting brush to help with the more delicate areas, and the 0.3L bin should help you quickly pick up dried mud and crumbs without having to empty it every single time. There is also the usual crevice tool for corners and edges.

The charge time is very extreme unfortunately, especially as you only get ten minutes out of it. For this reason, it is definitely one just to have to hand for wet and dry spills as opposed to a vacuum for bigger jobs such as cleaning the car or sofas.

Another wet and dry vacuum from Hoover, and while there are better models out there, this is still a worthy entrant on to our list.

It will tackle spills of both the wet and dry variety, so you can get all of the mess gone with just one device. Now for the standout in our opinion which may sway you; you also get a special tool for use on windows and glass.

This squeegee will make it a brilliant option if you like to wash your windows with soap and water but drying them is an issue. A dedicated window vacuum can seem a bit pointless to some even though they’re effective, so this could be the answer if you like your appliances to have maximum usability.

An easy empty dustbin makes the worst part of vacuuming a bit more user-friendly, and it is comfortable to use on stairs, in the car and on upholstery.

A small handheld hoover for flexible cleaning, whether it be the car or stairs that need attention.

Sometimes, to reach those tricky areas, investing in a small handheld vacuum can be a good idea. You wouldn’t want one as your main vacuum – cleaning a floor with one of these would take hours – but for light cleaning they are highly useful. Since they are small, they’re also very easy to store.

This Vax Gator Handheld Vacuum is light, cordless and easy to empty – no bags involved. There is 10.8V of rechargeable power that allows it to run for 15 minutes. It comes with built-in crevice tools that make it easy to get into small nooks.

We love the tapered shape that makes it easy to navigate. The power button is easily accessed when you’re holding it for good control, and the dirt compartment is see-through so you know when it needs emptied. In all, a pretty nifty little gadget for a reasonable price.