The Best Handheld Vacuum Reviews for 2018

Female holds a portable vacuum cleaner

Handheld vacuums sometimes get a bad reputation for no good reason. This technology has been around for decades and these little vacuums are great at picking up those unanticipated messes. The best handheld vacuums can also get into tight spaces, along edges, and even help to clean underneath furniture or in vehicles. If you have a need for detailing work, then a handheld vacuum could be the right investment to make today.

The Best Chart for Handheld Vacuums 

Do you need a supercharged handheld vacuum cleaner? Are you looking for a cordless option? The best chart for handheld vacuums will help you quickly compare the best makes and models so you may select the tool with the right amount of features today.

PictureNameOur RatingPrice
PictureNameOur RatingPrice
BLACK + DECKER Cordless Dust Buster Hand Vac4.4$$
Eureka EasyClean Corded Hand-Held Vacuum4.4$$
Black+Decker MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum4.6$$$
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum4.4$
Eureka RapidClean Step Handheld Corded Vacuum4.3$$
Black & Decker Pivot Vac 18V Cordless Pivoting Hand Vac4.2$$
Dirt Devil Scorpion Quick Flip Corded Bagless Handheld Vacuum4.3$
Hoover Air 20V Lithium Cordless Bagless Handheld Vacuum4.3$$$$
Dyson V6 Trigger4.5$$$$$+
Black & Decker Dustbuster Cordless Cyclonic Hand Vacuum4.2$$

What Are the Benefits of Handheld Vacuums? 

Why choose to purchase a handheld vacuum when there might already be 1-2 vacuums in a home already? There are three primary benefits that come with the ownership of a handheld vacuum cleaner. For many households, these benefits bring enough value with them to make the purchase of another vacuum worthwhile.

  1. Power. Don’t believe the myth that handheld vacuums don’t have any power. The modern handheld vac can remove deep pet hair, effectively detail a vehicle, and even help to remove cobwebs and trapped dust from hard to reach places in the home. Some even have a wet/dry function that allows users to clean up virtually any mess.
  2. Portability. Cordless handheld vacuums offer the most portability. They can do anywhere and vacuum virtually anything with a long-running charge. Compared to their corded cousins, however, they are a little underpowered. A corded handheld vacuum may have a 7 amp motor, which is better than some stick and upright models.
  3. Convenience. Innovation today has brought some interesting updates to the best handheld vacuums. One of the most unique options is the pivoting head, allowing users to reach some of the most difficult spots to vacuum with ease – like the carpeted joints of a stairwell. Some even have the crevice tool built into the unit so all a user has to do is flip it down to effectively clean along an edge.

Handheld vacuums come in bagless and non-bagless models depending on individual needs. Handheld vacs with bags are good for tasks like cleaning up drywall dust or sawdust on a regular basis. Canister models are perfect for detailing. If you plan on using your handheld vacuum a lot, look for a model that has a larger dirt canister so more work can be completed in just one pass.

What Are Some Common Issues With Handheld Vacuums?

The ultimate issue with the handheld vacuum is that its size winds up hurting it in the long run. Can you imagine cleaning an entire home using just a handheld vacuum? Corded vacs might have the power to make that happen, but the suction point is so small that it would take hours to get the job done. To counter this problem, some models have incorporated an all-in-one approach that has the handheld vacuum detach from a stick vac so that cleaning a whole home becomes easier to do.

The size of the vacuum also works against the size of the bag or canister that collects debris. For pet owners, it might take 2-3 canister dumpings or bag changes just to clean one set of stairs. This makes it a time consuming venture for some households and not worth the investment.

Battery life is also somewhat problematic. Many handheld vacuums have a battery life of 15-20 minutes per charge. Corded models eliminate this problem, but the average cord length is just 16 feet. This ultimately limits the level of portability that can be achieved.

Does It Make Sense To Drag Out a Full-Sized Vacuum?

That small mess in the kitchen with the coffee grounds. The small bit of milk that spilled under the dining room table. The leftover beard hairs that aren’t coming out of the sink. Does it really make sense to drag out the big upright vacuum cleaner to handle these messes? For many households, that’s the only option they have.

Owning a handheld vacuum makes these cleanup chores a lot easier. If the cordless vacuum is already charged, just grab it, vacuum, and you’re done. Corded models are a little more difficult to get started, but they can also clean up tougher messes. They’re lightweight, compact, and extremely effective at what they are designed to do.

How the bin is emptied is often the deciding factor in determining which vacuum is the best handheld vacuum to meet specific needs. Having a transparent bin makes it easy to know when it needs to be emptied, but some bins are designed better than others. Some are designed more like a cup and they dump out easily into the trash. Others don’t require the bin to removed at all and instead require users to take the entire vacuum over to the trash to empty it out.

What Are the Prices of Handheld Vacuums Today?

The best handheld vacuums today are generally priced for less than $150. This includes the all-in-one models that include a stick-style vacuum in addition to the detachable handheld option. Entry-level vacuums of this style can often be found in the $20-$40 price range. Certain premium models may be priced above $150, but these are generally specialty vacuums, like a wet/dry vac or an extreme pet hair vacuum.

Corded vacuums tend to be a little cheaper than their cordless counterparts because there isn’t a battery and charger that needs to be purchase.

What Do Our Reviews Have To Say?

Bissell Eraser

Although this vacuum cleaner comes with two specially designed nozzles, it is the pet hair pick-up ability of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser that really stands out. It’s easy to switch between the nozzles when needed to clean a car or the home with just a press of a button. The vacuum weighs just 4 pounds, so virtually anyone can use it, which is another definite positive. Priced at just $30 on Amazon, this vacuum cleaner is small and lightweight. It’s just 10x5x8 inches! With a 1 year warranty protecting your small investment, this vacuum is definitely worth a try.

Click here to look at the price on Amazon and find a great deal.

Black and Decker Dustbuster

If you’ve used previous models of the Dustbuster, then you won’t be disappointed by the design of this newly upgraded model. It features a rotating slim nozzle that lets users be able to target dirt and debris in some very tight spaces. Even heavier debris, like sand, gets picked up with ease using the Black and Decker cordless Dustbuster. It’s also a bit longer and slimmer than previous models, which gives it the most reach of any other previous model.

Click here to look at the price on Amazon and find a great deal.

Black and Decker 18v Pivot Vac

We really love the fact that this vacuum is cordless. It’s an upgrade from a previous model and the results are fantastic. This vacuum is smaller and quieter, but it is also much more powerful. The Black and Decker 18v Pivot Vac has been designed with a cyclonic action suction mechanism that gives it more suction strength than vacuums of a similar size in this price class. It really is an all-in-one wonder of a vacuum.

Click here to look at the price on Amazon and find a great deal.

Eureka RapidClean

This handheld vacuum cleaner can literally clean anywhere. It offers a bare floor brush that makes quick work of a swept up mess. It has a switch for the brush roll as well so that carpets can be effectively cleaned as well. It has a 25 foot power cord, which gives it more versatility, and the 6 amp motor provides strong cleaning power. The wheels don’t scratch floors either and a 3 foot hose makes it easier to clean corners and edges. It’s perfect for the garage, the kitchen, or those messes that always tend to happen on the stairs.

Click here to look at the price on Amazon and find a great deal.

Dirt Devil Scorpion

For just $27 on Amazon, the Dirt Devil Scorpion makes a remarkably good case that it should be our next vacuum cleaner. Equipped with a 7 amp motor, this handheld vacuum gets everything the competition leaves behind. The best feature of the Dirt Devil Scorpion is the crevice tool. It’s a quick flipping tool that resides in the base of the unit. Just grab it, flip it down to the mouth of the vacuum, and users can quickly get the crumbs that are between the couch cushions. Got dirt and debris underneath your car seats? The Quick Flip crevice tool is perfect for that as well.

Click here to look at the price on Amazon and find a great deal.

Are you ready to experience the versatility of a handheld vacuum cleaner today? The best handheld vacuum can help to make maintaining a clean home a lot easier to accomplish. Use these vacuum reviews today to choose the right make and model for your needs and then have a great time cleaning up those random, accidental messes.