The table below tells you the average percentage of sand each vacuum was able to remove from each of our three test surfaces. The vacuums are listed in order of overall sand removed in total, from the most to the least, so feel free to think of this as something of a sand test leaderboard. All of that adds up to a great cordless vacuum at a price that won’t clean out your bank account. There aren’t many viable alternatives to a vacuum when you need a good cleaning of your floors. They only work on one level, which could pose a problem if you live in a multi-story home. While they can be useful, they’re best for maintenance and as an accompaniment to a quality vacuum — unless all you need is a quick sweep.
It offers two suction levels and has a battery indicator to let you know when it’s almost time for a recharge. The handheld vacuum gives you up to 25 minutes of run time on a single charge. With that being said, a corded vacuum provides a more consistent clean compared to a cordless model, which eventually runs out of battery power and needs to be recharged, Neumann bissell handheld vacuum says. For this reason, Mehmetoglu recommends corded vacuums if you have a lot of carpeted areas in your home. Vacuums have to work harder when cleaning carpeted areas, which can drain a cordless vacuum’s battery quickly and lead to a shorter run time. However, what you gain in consistent power you lose in portability with a corded vacuum, Neumann says.
This vacuum’s LED headlights illuminated pet hair I’d previously been missing and the powerful suction cleaned it up quickly. Beyond getting rid of hair, this vacuum easily sucks up cat food crumbs and cat litter, too. I love that the vacuum can sense dirt and automatically adjusts its suction power accordingly. The vacuum’s LED screen also shows you a status report with information like whether the brush roll is tangled or the air channel is blocked.
Suction power and overall cleaning performance is based on the vacuum’s airflow, which relies on good filtration and the vacuum cleaner’s design. If you’re in search of a light-use vacuum for quick clean-ups and bare-floor touch-ups, the Bissell Featherweight Stick or Dyson V11 Animal are the easiest to operate. For pet hair or homes where allergies are an issue, Dyson’s V11 or Shark S2 Navigator both offer a high level of filtration, trapping 99.99% of particles. We looked for vacuums that had the most customer reviews for their ability to powerfully clean surfaces.
The last time we updated our list of the best cordless vacuums, we pointed to the Tineco A11 Hero as an outstanding midrange option. Now, in 2023, it’s available for $260 or less, if you catch it on sale (we’ve seen it fall below $200 pretty regularly in recent bissell cordless vacuum months). That makes it more of a value pick — and as value picks go, it’s one of your best options. The Pure One S11’s black-and-white build is perhaps a bit bland, and we wish that it offered a bit more than 40 minutes of runtime under optimal conditions.
Tech improvements are making cordless vacuums just as powerful as a corded upright. The Dyson V11 Animal is the top-of-the-line cordless vacuum with double the suction power of all its competitors. However, the battery is only capable of running for 60 minutes maximum, with shorter time results reported from customers. “Pet hair eraser” is an accurate way to describe Bissell’s hand vacuums. I’ve used a few different models and have always been impressed by how quickly and efficiently they’re able to get hair off surfaces like carpets, pet beds, wood floors and car seats. This cordless handheld vacuum gives you up to 17 minutes of run time on a single charge.
Also interesting is the readout on the back of the vacuum, which lists the ratio of dirt collected by particle size. Bissell Zing’s canister vacuum is a great option for smaller homes or apartments. The retractable, 15-foot power cable lets you move around most average-sized rooms without having to drag the canister around the entire time. When it is time to change rooms, the large wheels and integrated carrying handle make it easy to move the vacuum. The Zing may be small, but it has good suction and cyclonic action to collect most dirt and debris.