For everyone out there that wants a clean home with minimal fuss, a decent cordless vacuum is a must. Preserve your vision of robot vacuums as a conveyance for cats in shark costumes, and clean your home however you want, whenever you want. These cordless models, suitable for a wide range of budgets, get the job done efficiently. That way you can get back to doing whatever else—nearly anything else—that is more interesting than hoovering up dust particles in a world that keeps on making them.
Most innovative: Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
The Dyson V11 cordless stick vacuum delivers powerful suction that captures dust particles to HEPA standards (99. 97 percent of microscopic dust particles as small as 0. 3 microns). Keep floor mats and carpet around your doorway immaculate using the “stubborn dirt” brush, and strip blinds and the top of your entertainment cabinet of the sneaky sneeze-activators by converting your Dyson into a handheld model and adding the soft mini-brush attachment. The LED screen keeps you informed of the machine’s performance, including remaining battery life, when it’s time to clean the filters, and if there are any blockages (so that’s where my tie clip went!).
Also great: Tineco A11 Master+ Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
If you have a larger home and want up to 50 minutes of suction power per charge, this Tineco stick vacuum is an excellent choice. A four-stage filtration system prevents fine dust particles from leaking, and the device comes with a pre-filter cleaning tool that doesn’t require messy rinsing. You can convert it to a handheld for a quick sprucing up of cushions before friends arrive, or to remove a cat’s worth of hair from the cat tree once a week. The LED headlight ensures you don’t miss debris in low-lit corners or on dark carpets.
Most traditional: Hoover Commercial Vacuum Cleaner TaskVac Cordless 18 Volt Lithium Ion Lightweight Stick Vacuum
Even though it weighs under 10 pounds and isn’t tethered to an outlet, the Hoover TaskVac still removes dirt buried in carpet with a multi-channel suction system. You’ll get about 15 minutes of use out of the Lithium Ion battery per charge, so it’s best for people who clean a little fairly regularly, as opposed to those who wait until the day before guests arrive to do a deep clean. Eliminate dust on drapes, cobwebs in corners, and pet fur from your couch with a special attachment no robot vac has yet to surpass.
Value model: Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
If Dyson’s V11 is a bit out of your price range, opt for a V8 Animal. You’ll sacrifice some battery life and suction power but can still turn this stick vacuum into a handheld, and enjoy a maximum power mode for cleaning challenges. HEPA filtration protects you from pet hair particles as you deal with Pomeranian shedding season, and the touch-free dirt ejector lets you get rid of a mess without soiling your own paws. Retire the Animal to its docking station for regular recharging, so it’s always ready to go.
Most portable: eufy HomeVac H11
The Eufy Handheld H11 is about the size of a wine bottle and so light (just 1.2 pounds) that you could easily follow your teenager around to do damage control as they crunch through a bag of chips. (Or better yet, just give the vacuum to them.) You will need a vacuum with more capacity for a comprehensive tidying, but this model with 5500Pa has strong and focused suction perfect for car upholstery and computer keyboards. The filter is washable, and when you need a recharge (after about 10 minutes of use), just use the included cable to plug it into an existing charger that supports micro USB, like the one for your smartphone.