Small in size and able to deal with dust any time you want, the best handheld vacuum cleaners will prove invaluable if you like crumb-free upholstery. You wouldn’t think twice about vacuuming and cleaning your house every week, so we believe your car should be shown the same level of appreciation, especially when it’ll often be a lot smaller than your home.
Of course, lugging your household vacuum cleaner in and out the front door can become a laborious task and impractical, depending on the proximity of your house to your regular parking spot. Household vacuums, cordless machines or not, can be noisy and heavy, so we recommend opting for a lighter and portable vacuum or a carpet cleaning model instead.
Handheld vacuums are great for every job, from top-up once-overs to the really deep cleans. They’re light and highly wieldable, making them perfect for in-car use as they can reach all the toughest spots most upright vacuums can’t get to.
The best handheld vacuum cleaners 2025 at a glance
How we test
We consider the suction capability, and how powerful the vacuum is, the ease of use such as how comfortable they are to hold and the weight, how capable they are at tackling dirt and dust throughout the interior, and, most importantly, the battery life: how long can they last on a stint without needing to recharge?
We also like to test the usefulness of the attachments included and whether they’re good at the task they’re designed for. As all cars get filthy, we test handheld vacuums on both our own vehicles and whatever press vehicles arrive at Parkers HQ that need a going over. Whatever the situation, we assess the before and after state of the areas we cleaned before judging the handheld vacuum as we use it. Value for money is also very important as we judge whether a good product is worth the asking price, or whether others represent better value.
The best handheld vacuum cleaners 2025
The best handheld vacuum cleaner
It feels comfortable to hold. You only have to grab the tail of the vacuum and let the rest do the hard work. It's weighty without feeling strenuous, which makes it feel like a quality product. You sense no cheapness in the construction, and when sucking up dust, dirt, and debris, it does it effortlessly and with noticeable results of a spotless area. Whether it's crumbs on a car seat, dust on the dashboard or centre console, or cobwebs near the shelves, the Black and Decker can tackle it all with amazing results.
There are, however, a few drawbacks. My biggest gripe comes in the form of there not being a proper battery life indicator, so you're having to guess when it's low on power and needs a recharge. Otherwise, it'll just die at a random moment when you're in the middle of something, and that's annoying. Secondly, I can't say I've found the crevice tool that useful. It's fine for when you're going in between car seats and linings, but for any other crevice, you're better off with the brush head, which is very good at lifting up dirt and dust from surfaces.
Other than those flaws, I've found it to be worth every penny of its asking price. It's a worthy upgrade that can really enhance your cleaning life and make things that little bit easier.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Immensely powerful and capable of lifting up dirt and making a clear difference
- Great, premium and sturdy build quality to compliment a comfortable hold
- It makes cleaning life in the car and home a lot easier
Cons
- The lack of a battery life indicator is disappointing
- The crevice tool isn't as useful as I hoped it would be
| Dimensions | 18.5 x 46 x 18.5cm |
| Weight | 600g |
| Power | 24W |
| Capacity | 120ml |
| Run time | 24 mins |
Saying that though, I wasn't ready for how powerful the Shark feels. It's got a vast level of suction and that's not even on the fast Turbo setting. It feels like a more substantial piece of kit than the B&D and a more premium-feeling item, too. Each of the attachments were useful enough, but the main pet tool struggled with the curves of the carpets and seats. So, ideally you need a flat surface to get the best out of the WandVac.
Although subjective, I find the design to be pretty neat as well. I can see it blending into any flat or family home and won't look out of place. It's modern and sleek, and it feels impeccably comfortable to hold. It's a fabulous device for quick cleaning tasks, and I even managed to make stripes in the carpets - what a bonus.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Two power modes and effortless suction and cleaning capabilities
- Pet and crevice tool included, which makes it more useful than the Black and Decker
- Very easy to handle, thanks to slim design and lightweight consrtuction
Cons
- 15-minute runtime will be a boarder to many
- Doesn't quite represent as good value as the Black and Decker
| Dimensions | 2.7 x 2.5 x 15.3cm |
| Weight | 650g |
| Power | 160W |
| Capacity | 100ml |
| Run time | 15-minutes |
The best packaged handheld vacuum cleaner
We found it to be very simple to use, thanks to its magnetic handle points and just two power settings. We also thought it lasted long enough at 20 minutes in order to give a large vehicle a good once-over. Not to mention the usefulness of the flexible hose and the crevice tools which we thought were good at clearing out trapped and hidden debris which you'll find throughout a vehicle.
It is let down by quite a narrow all-purpose nozzle, which adds time to cleaning jobs, and the filter can have a habit of holding onto sticky dirt. It's also not as useful as we'd want if you're after a vacuum for heavy-duty cleaning jobs that will lift more dirt. But other than that, it's a clever machine which we recommend if you're after quick jobs.
Read our full review of the CubeVac here.
Pros
- Lasts long enough at 20-minutes to go over a whole car's interior
- Easy to carry around and comes with useful attachments
- Very simple controls, giving the user an easy experience
Cons
- The filter can hang onto dirt quite easily
- The all-purpose nozzle isn't wide enough for our liking
| Dimensions | 25.7 x 22.3 x 19.5cm |
| Weight | 1.8kg |
| Power | 30W |
| Capacity | 400ml |
| Run time | 20-25 minutes |
Most powerful handheld vacuum cleaner
Frankly, you could drop this thing from an average car's height and it wouldn't break when it landed. Not that you should try that, of course, but that was my impression.
How well does it perform, then? Well, I cleaned out a little Kia Rio, and the K9 struggled to adapt to the floor carpets. The main tool and even the short brush attachment couldn't pick up dirt or sit flat as well as you'd want. They were both fine on the seats and, as expected, plenty of filth was picked up with more-than-ample suction power.
The K9 is also a reminder that sometimes, bigger isn't always better. It's quite a bulky machine to move around a car's cabin, and truthfully, I struggled to even make it fit in a footwell and begin cleaning the carpets. You have to take the carpets out, and that's an extra hassle which other machines don't require.
The longer brush attachment was the most useful piece to me - that fitted inside the door pockets neatly and I felt like I could get more done with it. Overall, I reckon the K9 suits home cleaning more than a car. And since we specialise in car cleaning, I can't recommend it as the best option.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Solid runtime of 20-minutes, which beats the Shark WandVac
- Long extension tube (36cm) which is useful for cleaning boots of cars
- Spare filter included, which is handy to have
Cons
- Optional car care kit isn't worth the cash
- Slightly heavier than similarly-priced competitors from Shark and B&D
| Dimensions | 62 x 37.5 x 15cm |
| Weight | 1.5kg |
| Power | 140W |
| Capacity | 400ml |
| Run time | 20-minutes |
Best handheld vacuum for pet hairs
It comes with a washable filter, a 10.8V battery, and an easy-release dirt/dust ejector, which doesn't allow your hands to get dirty. However, it is alleged that it's not delivered with a UK charging plug, so have an adaptor ready before you buy.
Pros
- Good quality vacuum consisting of durable materials
- Powerful suction including on pet hairs, thanks to pet attachments
- Useful attachments included including crevice tool and brush tool
Cons
- Slightly heavier than some others at 1.2kg, albeit not by much
- Dock isn’t included, must be bought separately
| Dimensions | 52.8 x 9.6 x 10.9cm |
| Weight | 1.27kg |
| Power | 80W |
| Capacity | 450ml |
| Run time | 10-minutes |
Best budget handheld vacuum cleaner
You get a telescopic crevice tool that pokes out the front, which helps nicely when getting between the seat bases and the little door pockets. It's also super-easy to use - you don't have to suss out any attachments, and once you open the box, it's ready to go with a filter already attached.
The Gator's convenience is king for busy families. Unfortunately, it struggles with pet hairs. I tried to pick up little bits of dog fur several times with no avail, so if you've got a pooch, this isn't the machine for you. However, it's only £50, so expecting top-level performance that the Shark and Gtech offer was always going to be short-sighted.
One thing that isn't necessarily affected by price, however, is the design. I actively hate it. It's a bulky thing to hold when trying to clean out a car, and I feel it's disappointingly dated for a machine introduced only in 2015. When you realise that the Black and Decker machine is only around £20 more, it's a more tempting option for me - and much more pleasant in design and to use.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Good value for money at just under £50
- Light and easy to hold at 1.3kg, which just about matches some others
- Powerful enough with a 10.8V battery powering it
Cons
- The build quality isn't as on-par as the others
- 15-minute runtime isn't the best, but matches a few others
| Dimensions | 32 x 9.5 x 14cm |
| Weight | 1.3kg |
| Capacity | 300ml |
| Run time | 15-minutes |
FAQs: handheld vacuum cleaners
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Which vacuum cleaner is right for me?
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to vacuum cleaners, so we recommend considering what your intended purpose will be for your new vac and where it will be used. We've already ranked some of our favourite wet and dry vacs with multiuse capabilities, but as far as simple handheld vacs go, it all depends on how powerful you want your vac to be.
Some of the bigger handheld vacs, such as the Gtech Multi MK2 K9, are great for getting up every last crumb of dirt, but they come at a premium, and they're harder to wield. Conversely, some of the smaller vacs are easy to use, but you may find yourself seeking more performance.
Be sure to check out our group test of the best vacuums for car cleaning as we put some of our favourite models through their paces. -
What are the best brands for handheld vacuum cleaners?
There are few if any, brands producing handheld vacs specifically for car care, but luckily, there are still plenty on the market designed for wider applications that'll do just fine. Look out for some great examples from Bosch, Gtech, Shark and Black and Decker.
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Are handheld vacuum cleaners better than cordless vacuum cleaners?
You may think the two have a correlation, but you’d be off slightly. Handheld vacuums tend to be much lighter, slimmer, and are designed to easily be held by your hand, whereas cordless vacuums are much chunkier items which run off a charged battery after you’ve taken them off a wall mount in your home.
In short, they’re for slightly different purposes. If you’re going for a deep clean throughout your car, a cordless unit will be better suited. They can pick up more dirt and debris from your vehicle where handheld units can either run out of charge or only pick up so much. While testing the Black and Decker vacuum, I attempted to vacuum out the back of a car, but it died after doing the rest of the interior and a bit of my house. -
Are handheld vacuum cleaners worth it?
They’re by no means the be-all and end-all of car cleaning. If you’re annoyed by a bit of dust in bits of your home or on the car’s dashboard, they can make all the difference. I’ve developed a habit of using handheld vacuums to get rid of bits of dirt and dust in my surroundings, and things feel just that little bit more satisfying.
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How long do batteries last on handheld vacuum cleaners?
In most cases, you'll be struggling to surpass the 20-minute benchmark. Some devices can only last 10, so you really have to bear in mind what kind of tasks you aim to do with such a device.
The Black and Decker device listed at the top among some others have a much longer life, and these tend to be the machines we prefer. We advise that you have a good think of how long you need a handheld vacuum to run in order to do the tasks in hand.
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