The 7 Best Handheld Vacuums - Winter 2022 Reviews

The best handheld vacuum for bare floors we've tested is the Hoover ONEPWR Cordless Hand Vacuum. This handheld vacuum does an outstanding job clearing debris on bare, even surfaces like flat countertops or shelves. It also has a relatively large dirt compartment for a handheld vacuum, so it shouldn't need emptying very often.

This vacuum feels decently well-built, though it's worth pointing out that its side-exit exhaust can blow away some lightweight debris. Its primary filter shouldn't need replacing too often, so recurring costs aren't very high, and it has a simple overall design that's decently easy to maintain. Its removable battery charges quite quickly, and its roughly 15-minute runtime should give you enough time to spot-clean most areas.

Unfortunately, this vacuum's selection of attachments is very limited, as it only comes with a crevice tool to clear debris in tight corners and lacks a turbo brush or a soft-bristle brush for removing dust on delicate surfaces. Still, its fairly compact size and exceptional performance on bare floors help make it one of the best vacuums under $100 that we've tested.

The best cordless handheld vacuum for pet hair that we've tested is the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+. This compact vacuum comes with a turbo brush with a self-cleaning brushroll. It also does a fantastic job of sucking up pet hair on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet.

This vacuum feels well-built and has an easy-to-maintain design that incurs few recurring costs since the only part that needs regular replacing is its dust cup filter. Its lightweight construction and compact design allow you to pick it up and carry it from room to room without too much difficulty.

However, this vacuum has a very short battery life since you can only expect roughly 10 minutes of runtime on a single charge. There's no way of adjusting its suction power either, which would help conserve battery life when sucking up very lightweight debris. It also lacks an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, so it might not be the best option if you suffer from serious allergies. Still, it's one of the best small vacuums that we've tested, thanks to its strong performance on various surface types.

The best handheld vacuum for bare floors that we've tested is the Dyson Micro 1.5kg. This cordless stick/handheld vacuum is amazingly lightweight, so you can easily pick it up or maneuver it in cluttered areas. It comes with a couple of attachments, including a turbo brush and two separate crevice tools, one of which has a built-in LED light strip to help you see in dark corners.

This vacuum delivers exceptional performance on bare, even surfaces like linoleum or hardwood, as it easily sucks up pet hair and small or bulky debris. Its allergen-trapping HEPA filter shouldn't need replacing as long as it's cleaned regularly, so this vacuum incurs virtually no recurring costs. It also doesn't have that many parts that need regular cleaning. Depending on your choice of settings and attachments, you can expect roughly 10 minutes to half an hour of runtime on a single charge, which should be enough for short vacuuming sessions.

Unfortunately, this vacuum's primary floorhead has a soft brushroll, so it isn't designed for use on carpeted floors. Its dustbin is small and consequently needs to be emptied very often. Otherwise, its highly portable design and exceptional performance on bare surfaces make it a great option for quickly cleaning hardwood or tile floors.

The best handheld vacuum for portability that we've tested is the Wyze Handheld Vacuum. This cordless vacuum is remarkably portable, with a compact, lightweight construction that allows you to carry it around for extended periods without causing any fatigue. Its maximum battery life of roughly half an hour is quite long for a handheld vacuum of this size, though running it in its 'Max' suction mode does decrease its runtime to just over 10 minutes.

This vacuum does a very good job sucking up pet hair and debris on bare surfaces. It performs very well on low and high-pile carpet, though you may need to make an extra pass to fully clear finer debris. It feels well-built, isn't particularly difficult to maintain, and since its allergen-trapping HEPA filter is washable and reusable, recurring costs are minimal. It comes with quite a few attachments, like a dedicated upholstery tool and even an extension hose to help you reach far-away areas.

Unfortunately, this vacuum has a very small dustbin that consequently needs frequent emptying. It also struggles with sucking up very bulky debris. Otherwise, if you're looking for a highly compact handheld vacuum that does a good job of spot-cleaning most surfaces, this isn't a bad option.

The best HEPA handheld vacuum we've tested is the Dyson Humdinger. This cordless handheld vacuum uses a washable allergen-trapping HEPA filter, so as long as you clean it regularly, it shouldn't incur any recurring costs. It comes with a turbo brush to clean debris on upholstered surfaces, and you can easily remove the tool's brushroll if you want to clear any tangled hair wraps.

This vacuum sucks up pet hair without an issue, delivers fantastic overall performance on bare floors, and does an excellent job of sucking up debris on high-pile carpet. However, it can struggle a little with finer material on low-pile carpet. While you can drain its battery in just under 10 minutes by running it continuously in its high-suction 'MAX' mode, using it in its most energy-efficient configuration yields about a half-hour of battery life, sufficient for most spot-cleaning tasks.

Unfortunately, this vacuum's dirt compartment is very small, meaning it needs frequent emptying. Its clear plastic dirt compartment is very fragile and could break if you drop it, though the rest of the vacuum feels decently sturdy overall. Overall, this vacuum's lightweight design, versatile overall performance, and onboard HEPA filter make it one of the best handheld vacuums for pet hair that we've tested.