The 14 best cordless vacuums of 2024, tried and tested
Cordless vacuums FAQ
How strong is the suction on a cordless vacuum?
When cordless vacuum cleaners first came out, they weren’t very good: they had a low run time and poor suction. These days, you can get suction around two-thirds as strong as a corded device and battery life of up to an hour.
However, the biggest benefit is convenience – a cordless vacuum cleaner allows you to clean little and often, rather than doing one weekly deep clean, and to easily spot-clean dust or spillages without the faff of dust bags and cables.
What’s the battery life like?
There’s quite a big range in battery life. While some last under 10 minutes on the maximum setting, others go for much longer. The Dyson Gen5 Detect, for example, will function for just over an hour on the lowest setting, without losing power as the battery life diminishes. And, for what it’s worth, the lowest setting on the best devices was more than enough: I didn’t really find the need to use any on the max setting.
Charging the batteries is straightforward. You’ll get a plug to charge wherever you like, but you can also connect it to a wall mount (which has to be attached to your wall, and will become your charging station).
You’ll also get useful lights on the handheld section of the machine, to tell you how long you’ve got left. If you’re worried about the battery life, unless you have a huge home which you want to clean in one go, you should be fine. Never did I run out of battery, albeit in a small three-bed flat.
Do they have good dust capacity?
One litre is the most you should expect from a cordless vacuum and some can hold as little as 30cl. (Compare this to cylinder vacuums which hold anything from two to six litres.) They do need emptying regularly.
Aside from the Henry Quick and Halo Capsule X, the machines we tested are all bagless. Instead, they have dust canisters. A smaller canister can fill up quickly if you’re cleaning your whole house, but emptying is as simple as flicking a switch or clicking a button.
A bagged option might be better for dust allergy sufferers, or asthmatics, as there is a danger of breathing in particles when emptying the canister. It is also important to maintain your device properly by taking the pre-filter out and cleaning it to prevent blockages and a decline in performance. It’s as simple as running it under the tap and leaving it to dry.
What is the filtration like on a cordless vacuum?
Like their plug-in counterparts, many cordless vacuums these days have a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, capable of trapping 99.97 percent of particles measuring 0.3 microns or more. That includes dust, smoke, pollen, bacteria and even some viruses. HEPA filters are made from interlaced and twisted glass microfibres. They should not be washed. Instead, regularly wash the sponge pre-filter that sits above it.