We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. The 7 Best Handheld Vacuums of 2026, According to Our Tests You don't always have to bust out the heavy vacuum. By Summer Rylander Summer Rylander Summer is a food and travel writer who began by writing about Swedish cheesemaking traditions in 2018. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 7, 2026 In This Article View All In This Article Top Picks Reviews How We Tested Handheld Vacuums Factors to Consider FAQ Others We Tested Our Expertise Credit: Food & Wine An effective full-size vacuum may be a household essential, but it can be a pain to pull out for small cleaning jobs, especially in hard-to-reach areas. A handheld vacuum offers practical portability, making it a cinch to clean up crumbs, pet hair, car cupholders, and delicate rugs. To find the best handheld vacuums, we tested six of the most popular models. We researched and evaluated them for their design, capacity, suction power, and battery life. Our top picks made quick work of messes in both the home and in the car, are comfortable to use, and won’t break the bank. If you’ll excuse the pun, these handheld vacuums definitely dusted the competition. Our Favorite Handheld Vacuum The Shark UltraCyclone Pro is an all-around winner for its decent suction power, slim profile, and lightweight build. Top Picks Best Overall: SALE Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $90 $70 Jump to Review Best Splurge: SALE Shark Wandvac Cordless Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $130 $100 Jump to Review Best Compact: Bissell AeroSlim Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $45 Jump to Review Best Value: BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $60 Jump to Review Best for Pet Hair: SALE Black+Decker Dustbuster Furbuster Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $100 $80 Jump to Review Best for Kitchen Messes: KitchenAid Go Cordless Kitchen Vacuum at Amazon $130 Jump to Review Best for the Car: SALE Fanttik Slim V10 Apex Car Vacuum at Amazon $110 $80 Jump to Review Best Overall Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum Credit: Amazon $90 $70 at Amazon $90 at Wayfair $90 $70 at Farmandfleet.com Pros Lightweight and easy to empty means we’ll actually use this vacuum. Cons We wish the suction were a little more powerful. Weighing in at just over 2 pounds, this little vacuum is ultra-portable, arguably the most important feature of a handheld vacuum. The Shark UltraCyclone Pro includes a brush attachment and a separate attachment for edges and crevices. The dustbin is large, so we rarely had to empty it during our tests. We liked that it is integrated into the bottom of the unit, making it very easy to empty. While 11.5 minutes doesn’t sound like much in terms of battery life, for quick little cleanups, we found it more than sufficient — though you'll want to keep in mind that it takes about 6 hours to recharge. This won’t replace your full-size vacuum, but it’s handy for pesky crumbs and hair. Weight: 2.2 lbs | Battery Life: 11.5 minutes | Attachments: Crevice tool, scrubbing brush | Recommended Surface: Hard floor, carpet, upholstery | Warranty: 2-year Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Best Splurge Shark Wandvac Cordless Handheld Vacuum Credit: Amazon $130 $100 at Amazon $100 at Wayfair $190 $130 at Jcpenney.com Pros It’s lightweight, effective, and easy to use. Cons We wish the battery life were longer. The Shark WANDVAC had the most impressive suction power of the handheld vacuums we tested, standing up to fur, potting soil, and even bits of broken glass. During our tests, it was quiet when running and never lost suction. This model is also sleek, slim, easy to hold, and — dare we say — good-looking for a small vacuum. It comes with two attachments: one for getting into hard-to-reach places and the other for vacuuming fabrics. Our only real complaint is that its runtime and charging time could be improved. Ten minutes isn’t much time to vacuum a pet hair-covered couch, but it’ll do fine for cleaning up those post-lunch breadcrumbs. But keep in mind, it'll take about 2 1/2 hours to recharge. Weight: 1.4 lbs | Battery Life: 10 minutes | Attachments: Crevice tool, pet hair tool | Recommended Surface: Upholstery, carpet, tight spaces, car | Warranty: 2-year limited Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Best Compact Bissell AeroSlim Handheld Vacuum Credit: Amazon $45 at Amazon $45 at Wayfair $42 at Best Buy Pros This slim, little vac is unbelievably lightweight. Cons The dustbin is tiny, so expect frequent trips to the bin. Easily the most impressive point of the Bissell AeroSlim Cordless is its 1.37-pound weight. It’s so light and easy to use that you might start looking for excuses to use it just for fun, but the diminutive dustbin will need frequent emptying at a 0.1-liter capacity. It comes with a 2-in-1 crevice tool and a dusting brush that help vacuum hard-to-reach crevices and dusting surfaces. The battery life on this handvac is 12 minutes, and unlike the Shark, this one takes about 3.5 hours to recharge. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the suction power on such a portable device is not sufficient to clean your entire home, but it is sufficient for sucking up dust or hair on a whim. No problem. Plus, we found it was great for cleaning molding and dusty corners. Weight: 1.37 lbs | Battery Life: 12 minutes | Attachments: Crevice tool, dusting brush | Recommended Surface: Car, computer, upholstery, crevices | Warranty: 1-year limited Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Best Value BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum Credit: Amazon $60 at Amazon $70 at Wayfair $60 at Target Pros This is a functional vacuum with a large capacity. Cons It’s not the sleekest model. Black+Decker offers great value with the Dustbuster AdvancedClean cordless vacuum. It may not be the lightest or slickest-looking model, but it works well for vacuuming tight corners and spaces, couch cushions, and cars. It also has the convenience of built-in tools rather than separate attachments. We enjoyed having the extendable crevice tool right there rather than having to go hunt for an extra piece. The 21-ounce capacity dustbin is also useful. With an average run time of 11 minutes and a 2-hour recharge time, this handheld vacuum is right on par with our other favorites. Weight: 3.5 lbs | Battery Life: 11 minutes | Attachments: Crevice tool, flip-up brush | Recommended Surface: Carpet, upholstery, car | Warranty: 2-year limited Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Credit: Food & Wine Best for Pet Hair Black+Decker Dustbuster Furbuster Handheld Vacuum Credit: Amazon $100 $80 at Amazon $120 at Wayfair $100 at Blackanddecker.com Pros This Black + Decker includes a motorized pet brush designed specifically to remove pet hair. Cons The battery life is quite short at 10 minutes. If you ever wished you could take a giant lint roller to all the surfaces in your house with pet hair, and make it all disappear, consider the Black + Decker Furbuster instead. hand vacuum instead. Designed specifically for pet hair, it works like a charm on all kinds of surfaces, including stairs, carpeting, and upholstery. According to the manufacturer, the battery lasts 10 minutes, but our research indicated that, when fully charged, it easily exceeded that time. To empty the vacuum, press a button to release the dust bin, but you might need to empty it more frequently because hair tends to get stuck there easily. Weight: 2.6 pounds | Battery Life: 10 minutes | Attachments: Motorized pet brush, extendable crevice tool | Recommended Surfaces: | Warranty: 2-year limited Best for Kitchen Messes KitchenAid Go Cordless Kitchen Vacuum Credit: Amazon $130 at Amazon $130 at Wayfair $130 at Target Pros This KitchenAid handheld vacuum is quiet, compact, and lightweight. Cons We wish the crevice tool attachment was more effective. Yes, you read that correctly: KitchenAid makes a hand vacuum strictly designed for kitchen cleanup. That means everything from bits of cereal to coffee grinds to pieces of onion skin that wind up on your floor and on other surfaces doesn't stand a chance. It operates quietly, quickly, and easily, and the dust cup can go in the dishwasher, which is very helpful. We love the slim profile of this vacuum, which fits in most kitchen drawers. It's equipped with two extra tools: a wide-mouth tool for scraping and a crevice tool. The battery life clocks in at a respectable 20 minutes, and because it's so lightweight, it's easy to hold and maneuver. One caveat, though, is that the crevice tool could be a little more effective. But honestly, we don't see ourselves using this vacuum outside the kitchen; we want to keep it where it works best. Weight: 2 pounds | Battery Life: 20 minutes | Attachments: 2-in-1 wide-mouthed tool, crevice tool | Recommended Surfaces: Countertops, hardwood floors, carpet | Warranty: 1 year, limited Best for the Car Fanttik Slim V10 Apex Car Vacuum Credit: Amazon $110 $80 at Amazon Pros The biggest pro of this handheld vacuum is its lightweight design, weighing only 1.1 pounds. Cons It's not the best for deep cleaning. Cars seem to collect all kinds of dirt and debris, and the Fanttik Slim vacuum can handle most of those messes. Its slim profile and compact size make it easy to store in the trunk or center console, and it's incredibly lightweight at 1.1 pounds. It can reach hard-to-reach places in your car, such as between and under the seats, around cup holders, and around the gear shift. This vacuum has some features we liked, including two speeds, a HEPA filter, and a digital display of battery life, which is 15 minutes at high speed and 30 minutes on low speed. It comes with a multitude of attachments, some of which are not even designed for vacuuming but instead for inflating air mattresses and pool toys. Weight: 1.1 pounds | Battery Life: 15 minutes | Attachments: Crevice nozzle, hard rubber strip brush, push-in brush, multi-surface brush, flexible Hose, storage bag, short blow nozzle, long blow nozzle, multi-function air blower, blow nozzle brush, cleaning brush | Recommended Surfaces: Car interiors, sofas, tabletops, keyboards How We Tested Handheld Vacuums Each handheld vacuum we tested was evaluated for its functionality in the kitchen and the car. During use, we evaluated handheld vacuums on weight and ergonomics, how well each cleaned hard-to-reach areas, how long the batteries lasted between charges, and how well each performed overall. Our tests considered the following factors: Design: We looked at whether it was heavy to hold and cumbersome or lightweight and easy to transport. We looked at the size of the opening and whether it was designed to access hard-to-reach places, like between car seats or behind furniture. We also evaluated which attachments were included and whether they were helpful.Capacity: We paid attention to the dustbin's size, noting whether we'd be able to vacuum for longer or shorter periods between emptying. We also checked where the filter was located.Battery Life: We tested whether we could vacuum multiple areas without recharging the battery and how long it takes to fully charge it.Suction Power: Finally, we tested the handheld vacuum's suction power, noting whether it performed better with just small crumbs or with larger crumbs, like cereal pieces and larger dirt. We also looked to see whether the suction had wet/dry capabilities to vacuum liquids as well as solids. Food & Wine Factors to Consider Weight If you’re interested in buying a handheld vacuum, it’s almost certainly because you want the convenience of a portable appliance. For most of us, a lightweight vacuum is much more likely to be used than one that feels hefty and clunky. Every vacuum we recommended on this list weighs just a couple of pounds. Dustbin Capacity This doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker, but remember the smaller the dustbin, the more likely you’ll have to empty it. This can become tedious if you’re regularly vacuuming up after a furry pet, but for the odd spot of dust or crumbs, most bin sizes should be fine. Battery Life As you can see from our top picks, most handheld vacuums have a runtime between 10 and 15 minutes. It’s not a lot, but remember that these little tools aren’t meant to do the heavy lifting of household cleaning. They’re for quick cleanups and tight spots. Attachments Check that your handheld vacuum of choice at least comes with a tool for reaching into crevices. A brush attachment may also prove useful if you hope to use the vacuum on textiles. Food & Wine Frequently Asked Questions How much does a handheld vacuum cost? Is it worth it? The handheld vacuums we recommend all cost under $130, and many are available for around $50. What fits your budget is up to you, but we definitely appreciate the convenience of a portable vacuum for small spaces and minor messes. How long do handheld vacuums last? Any vacuum’s lifespan will depend on how it is used and maintained. Always consult the included instructions for best practices. Most major manufacturers warranty their handheld vacuums for at least one year — but double-check before purchase if this is important to you. What is the best handheld vacuum for a car? Most of them will do the trick! But we like the Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean for its built-in attachments, which eliminate the annoyance of having to run back inside to grab a missing piece. Other Handheld Vacuums We Tested Black+Decker Dustbuster QuickClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum ($39 at Amazon) This handheld vacuum wasn’t bad, but it didn’t impress us with its flimsy plastic construction and filter that clogged easily during our tests. Dirt Devil Grab and Go+ 8V Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner ($50 at Amazon) The Dirt Devil’s downfall was how easily debris was sucked into the filter, leading to suction loss during use. We liked the included charging stand, though. Our Expertise Summer Rylander is a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, The Kitchn, and more. For this piece, she drew on insights from Food & Wine's extensive home testing, in which staffers put these little vacuums to use in their daily lives and noted any inconveniences or design flaws. Explore more: What to Buy Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit