![Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner IZ251UKT](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mi9LYqdHmWwHroST99CrDU-415-80.jpg)
A cordless vacuum will save you the trouble of hunting for the nearest electrical socket and trailing cable behind you as you work round rooms and up stairs. The latest designs have good battery life and are efficient cleaners no matter how much mess you, your family, and your pets make. Find the design to suit your home and your budget in our round-up of the best.
Pros:
- Up to 40 minutes running time
- HEPA filtration
- Lightweight
Cons:
- One battery only
This stick vacuum doubles as a handheld, and it’s easy to convert from one form to another. With a four-stage fully sealed HEPA filtration system, it could be a good choice for allergy sufferers. There are three suction modes, including a continuous version which avoids the need to pull the trigger as you work. The dust bin has a capacity of 0.6 litres.
Pros:
- Two batteries
- Converts to handheld
- Folds for storage
Cons:
- Investment buy
If the feline and canine members of your household are proving hard work to clean up after, this vacuum could come to the rescue. It’s effective at picking up pet hair with a special tool included to use on areas like upholstery, curtains, and staircases. The anti-hair wrap feature is designed to remove hair from the brush roll as you go to avoid the chore of untangling it later. The floor head works on both hard floors and carpets with no time wasted swapping.
Pros:
- Up to 40 minutes of running time
- Large capacity dust bin
- Remaining charge indicator
Cons:
- Doesn’t convert to handheld
- No attachments
This cordless vacuum can help you work fast as you don’t need to change settings or the floor head when you move from carpet to hard flooring and back again, and lights on the front help you spot all the specks of dirt as you go. The dust bin has a generous 0.8-litre capacity to avoid frequent trips to empty it as well. The handle leans right back to make vacuuming under furniture simple, and it pushes down out of the way when the vacuum isn’t in use.
Pros:
- Big capacity dust container
- Handheld and high reach options
- Dust-illuminating lights
Cons:
- Maximum 25 minutes running time
- 6 hours charge time
Unusually for a cordless stick vacuum, this low priced model has a dusting brush and crevice tool on board. Its battery can be charged on the vacuum or separately, so you don’t need to leave the cleaner near an electrical socket to power it up. It’s ideal if you don’t like carrying a heavy machine around since it weighs just 2.4 kilograms. A generous 0.9-litre dust bin cuts down emptying trips for convenience.
Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 Pet Dual Battery Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Antimicrobial bristles
Wand for cleaning up high.
Pros:
- Up to 90 minutes running time
- Pet tool
- Three stage filtration
Cons:
- Not the biggest dust container
If yours is a larger home or there’s always plenty to clean up, this cordless vacuum is worth your attention. It comes with two batteries that can each run for up to 45 minutes so you can carry on cleaning with only a speedy battery exchange. The pet tool is motorised for efficient vacuuming of your four-legged companions’ beds, and upholstery. Use the wand to reach high shelves and clear cobwebs.
Miele Triflex HX1 Cat & Dog 41MML030GB, 3-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Sleek design
Extra-wide floor brush.
Pros:
- Up to 60 minutes running time
- Easy open dust container
- Handheld and reach modes
Cons:
- High budget option
Collect more dirt with each pass with the larger width floor head of this cordless vacuum. It adapts to different floor types with no swapping necessary. This cleaner has a maintenance-free HEPA filter that retains 99.999 per cent of fine dust, making it a good option if someone in the household has allergies. There’s a special handheld brush to make picking up pet hair a breeze.
Bottom line
Why you can trust Real Homes
Opt for a cordless vacuum, and you can move around your home with no restrictions or worries about running over the cable of your appliance. The Tineco A11 Hero Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is our top pick. It won’t weigh you down, keeps going for up to 40 minutes on a single battery charge, and it comes with a handy set of attachments.
To save time removing animal or human hair from your vacuum’s brush roll, choose the Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner IZ251UKT, which is designed to stop it getting wrapped around there. But if maximum running time is the most important feature of a cordless vacuum for you, the Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 Pet Dual Battery Cordless Vacuum Cleaner provides up to 90 minutes of cleaning in one go with its two batteries.
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Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes – long enough to see fridges become smart, decorating fashions embrace both minimalism and maximalism, and interiors that blur the indoor/outdoor link become a must-have. She loves testing the latest home appliances, revealing the trends in furnishings and fittings for every room, and investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper. For Realhomes.com, Sarah reviews coffee machines and vacuum cleaners, taking them through their paces at home to give us an honest, real life review and comparison of every model.