You can even get ones with digital displays to show what suction power setting you’re on and how much battery time you have left. “I bought this to vacuum pet hair from my tile floors,” wrote another. The vacuum is super-lightweight (the handheld is only 2.8 pounds) and it has an extra-large dust cup that’s easy to eject and empty with the touch of a button, fans say.
There’s a new anti-odour feature, consisting of replaceable cartridges that slot into the floor head to prevent bad smells in the dust cup. We did find the Vactidy easy to use and maneuver, and the dust cup was easy to remove, clean and replace. All of the filters, including its HEPA filter, are washable which is convenient and saves you from having to buy replacements. The battery is removable for charging, and a small wall dock holds the vacuum but not the attachments, so you’ll have to store them separately. At just about 5 pounds, we found it lightweight and easy to maneuver, store and clean.
The two main types of cordless vacuum cleaners are handheld and upright stick ones. All of the models we tested are upright ones that lift out to convert to handheld, which means you can use them on sofas and car upholstery as well as on your floors. The Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab most recently tested 23 new stick vacuum models to find the best picks for this guide. Over the years, our cleaning experts have tested hundreds of models and brands to find the best vacuum cleaners, the best vacuums for hardwood floors and more. In our testing, we experienced great bare floor cleaning, pet hair pick-up and edge-cleaning performance on all our test surfaces. But even the priciest cordless stick vacuum can’t match the suction and deep-cleaning power of a good upright or canister vacuum, especially if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, lots of rugs, or shedding pets.
After two months of usage the battery life has also held up, and the compact design proves to be great for storing it. All in all, if you need a handheld vacuum with suction that rivals a larger machine, it’s a great choice with the reliability and consistency that Shark’s known for. It’s in the same line as our best overall pick, so there are some similarities, but this model is a bit more pared down in design and features to warrant a smaller price tag. For starters, it still has a HEPA filter, swivel steering, consistently strong suction across multiple surfaces, and the same cord length (25 feet) to clean rooms and hallways without an outlet switch. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum has absolutely sailed through multiple rounds of our testing, proving to be efficient, powerful, and reliable—exactly what an upright vacuum should be. In fact, it’s currently our favorite overall vacuum (out of more than 300 tested vacuums), and it’s even earned a spot in the personal vacuum collection of one of our editors—she’s been using it regularly for four years.
Its dual soft fuzzy rollers hug the floor and allow you to pick up dirt whether you push or pull it. If you are looking to only spend around $100 for a stick vacuum to do occasional or light cleaning, this Vactidy Blitz V8 is a solid shark pet vacuum option. Weighing in at just over 5 pounds, it’s lightweight and has a metal telescopic wand, which we like for cleaning high spots like shelves and ceiling corners, though the plastic body feels flimsier than other models we tested.
Two testers of Shark products with the feature did not particularly love this extra or expressed a plan to purchase the replacement filters once the filter lost its scent. Add in the self-emptying charging base and it’s obvious that anyone looking for a hands-free all-in-one cleaning experience should consider the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus. If you’re looking for a compact vacuum that you can grab quickly to clean up the odd spillage straight away, this is the best stick vacuum for the job. While this Shark’s pick-up and manoeuvrability is good on floors, it’s just as impressive reaching overhead and on upholstery. With great vacuuming and mopping capabilities, the J7 Plus has a self-emptying base, ability to retract the mopping pads when going over carpets, and intelligent mapping.
Shark makes a variety of vacuum types including upright, stick, and handheld models, all of which appear on our list. Choose the type of vacuum that fits your cleaning objectives and preferences—do you prefer to spot clean in short bursts, or do you lean toward deep cleaning sessions of your entire home? Do you want to do as little hands-on cleaning as possible, or do you like the satisfaction of a job well done? Notably, at nearly 4 feet, this vacuum can feel tall, which is a regular observation about Shark machines. But, because it doesn’t stand up on its own either, you’ll have to lean it against your furniture or gently rest it on the floor if you need to pause your vacuuming session.
If you think you’ll be running your cleaner on max power all the time, it might be wise to look for a model with swappable batteries. That way when you run out of power you can pop in a second battery and pick up picking up from where you left off. We think the cordless vacuums we’ve listed above are the best of the best, but it’s essential to consider your personal needs. The Shark WandVac is a powerful handheld vacuum that’s good for small clean-up tasks such as cereal spills.
Over the years, we’ve tested dozens of vacuum cleaners across various types, sizes, and price ranges. We’ve come to identify a great vacuum equipped to last from an OK one that inevitably lands up in the dreaded vacuum graveyard. We look for features like powerful suction, brushrolls that don’t tangle with hair, advanced air filtration, LED lights, and surface detection to help rid floors of dust and debris. A double-roll power head (a feature that other brands have now shark handheld vacuum copied) cleans carpets and picks up dirt, debris and hair from hard floors without the need to switch nozzles. Its impressive sealed system and HEPA filter capture and retain even the tiniest particles and an odor-neutralizing capsule limits dank and dusty odors inside the vacuum. Shark’s Lift Away pod conveniently and easily transforms the upright into a portable canister or low-reaching stick vacuum, and the dust cup and filter are easy to remove, clean and replace.
For smaller jobs, you want a handheld vacuum that isn’t a strain to hold for several minutes, under 5 pounds. While this may seem like a lot, vacuuming this regularly will ensure there is less dust to suck up each time, making cleaning your floors a quicker process. We recommend vacuuming most floors once a week while increasing this to twice a week in high-traffic areas such as hallways and doorways.