Compare Our Picks
Others We Tested
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Riccar Gem Handheld Vacuum With Tools for $70: This model is very similar to the Simplicity corded model above, and although it’s portable and handheld, this big boy needs to be plugged in for power. I like how basic it is: It just has a top switch for on/off, and a button on top to release the dust canister, which is at the front of this model rather than behind. Once disengaged, you just need to pull up the semi-spherical fabric mesh filter and dump out debris. Unfortunately, lots of fur and dust get stuck to the filter, so you’ll need to make sure you wipe it with a semi-damp cloth to clean. It comes with several attachments, including a bendy hose, long crevice nozzle with detachable brush, upholstery brush, and dusting brush. Instead of twisting or snapping, each attachment fits snugly into the opening, making it easier for those with fine-motor issues. I liked that the long, flexible hose reached easily into tight spaces like between my counter and fridge and behind my automatic litter box. The corded machine is loud and gets hot quickly due to its sheer power. While I don’t think this is the best handheld vac for everyone, it’s a solid option with lots of power.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Tineco Go Mini Cordless Hand Vacuum for $200: A lightweight vacuum that’s fairly straightforward and charges through the end of the handle, the Tineco Go must charge for five to six hours before use, which gets you 10 to 20 minutes of use time. The main things I wanted to focus on cleaning in my everyday life were cat litter and pet hair. This vacuum spit out roughly 80 percent of the litter I tried sucking up, and the pet hair just sort of rolled around on the carpet rather than being sucked back into the vac. (I’m not sure if it was the angle or shape of the mouth that aided in both of those problems.) The suction wasn’t as powerful as others tested, and it tended to work best on hard surfaces. This vac wasn’t bad, per se, but others on this list at similar price points worked a lot more effectively on a lot more various surfaces (with multiple head attachments) than this was seemingly capable of.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Bissell AeroSlim Handheld Vacuum for $45: Not the most powerful I’ve tested, but it’s lightweight and super easy to maneuver. It comes with a multi-accessory tool that combines a long, slim crevice tool with a moveable brush (the brush moves up and down on the tool depending on need), but you can also just use the vac without the slim attachment for more general surface cleaning. The tiny 0.1-liter front of the vac twists off to empty, and a small dual filter can also be removed for cleaning/replacement. When testing, I wasn’t able to successfully pick up bigger items like wood shards or litter, and only picked up a fraction of pet hair as some of the more powerful models with a roll brush, but I wasn’t expecting it to—that’s not this cutie’s job. It’s light, simple, and easy to use—making it a great lightweight portable option (just don’t expect it to handle bigger messes).
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Hoto AutoCare Air Duster & Vacuum for $60: Looking for a lightweight (0.78 pounds) vacuum that can also blow debris/dust, inflate and deflate, and vacuum-seal? The Hoto may be a fit. It has tons of attachments: a pointed crevice nozzle, dust brush, dust cup nozzle, air nozzle, and swim ring nozzle. It can hold a little over 3 ounces, has 20,000 Pa suction, and each attachment easily twists off and on. I found that the grooming brush head tended to push around fur/hair rather than sucking it up. Like many gadgets we test here at WIRED, this one fell into the pitfall of trying to do a lot of things, rather than doing any one thing really well. This is a great deal for a device with so many capabilities (if that’s what you need), but if you’re just looking for a really great handheld vacuum, there are others that are more effective.
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Black and Decker Dustbuster Flex for $74: WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell thought this cordless handheld vacuum was great for cars and hard-to-reach spots because of its 4-foot hose. It has a crevice tool and pet hair brush attachments for a variety of messes, and runs on a 20-volt lithium-ion battery that delivers high suction power. Plus, it has a handy charging mount that the accessories clip into. However, we aren’t fans of the short 15-minute battery life.
FAQs
I factored in charge and actual power time in overall value and ranking, considering some charge for four hours and last less than half an hour of run time—that just won’t be practical for certain people. Since most of these come with attachments for specific needs, I made sure to test each on a myriad of surfaces, like rugs, carpet, hardwood, stairs, counters, crevices, inside my car, on furniture, and even in between vents and blinds. I also tested on various types of messes (no liquids though), especially focusing on my personal major mess gripes—cat litter and pet hair.
Definitely pay attention to specs like charge and usage time, as well as power (like voltage) and attachments provided. If you’re working construction and need a handheld vac for debris, I’d recommend something like a Ryobi, while if you’re looking for a portable lightweight travel vacuum, the AeroSlim might be better suited for you. It’s also important to factor in charging versus usage time. Some of these last less than 15 minutes and have very small waste capacities, so if you have a bigger project, you’ll need to take that into consideration.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.
