The 5 Best Handheld Vacuums - Summer 2021 Reviews

The best handheld vacuum for bare floors that we've tested is the Dyson Micro 1.5kg. This highly compact stick/handheld vacuum delivers exceptional performance on bare floors, where it easily clears pet hair as well as small debris like rice and bulkier material like cereal. The suction performance also remains consistent as its dirt compartment fills up. It's equipped with a washable HEPA filter and doesn't use a dirtbag, so recurring costs shouldn't be a worry.

Thanks to its lightweight plastic construction, this vacuum is impressively maneuverable, even in cluttered areas. It comes with a fairly wide assortment of tools and accessories, including a motorized turbo brush and two crevice tools, one of which features an LED light to help you see in dark corners. Depending on your choice of suction power mode and choice of attachments, it supplies roughly anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes of runtime on a single charge, though this can vary in the real world.

Unfortunately, this vacuum's dirt compartment is very small, even by the standards of other handheld vacuums. It also isn't designed to clean low or high-pile carpet, so it may not be the best option if you want to clean rugs on hardwood floors. Still, if you're looking for a lightweight, compact vacuum that can easily tackle debris on bare floors, this is an excellent choice.

The best cordless handheld vacuum for carpet that we've tested is the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+. This handheld vacuum delivers outstanding cleaning performance on low and high-pile carpet, where it easily sucks up pet hair and fine debris like baking soda or larger material like sand. It also comes with a turbo brush with a self-cleaning brushroll, which is helpful if you want to clean fabric surfaces without worrying about hair wraps.

It feels sturdy overall, courtesy of its dense plastic construction, but it's still light enough to carry around for extended periods without causing fatigue. It has a fairly large dirt compartment for a handheld vacuum, so it shouldn't need emptying that often either. User maintenance is simple overall, with few parts that need regular cleaning. Its dust cup filter also doesn't need to be replaced very often, so recurring costs are low.

Unfortunately, this vacuum lacks a HEPA filter to trap allergens as you clean. Also, its battery only supplies enough charge for a little bit more than 10 minutes of runtime, though this can vary in the real world. Still, if you're looking for a versatile handheld vacuum that can easily spot clean messes on carpets, this is a good option.

The Black+Decker dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet is the best handheld vacuum in the budget category that we've tested. This cordless vacuum is lightweight and portable, with a compact body that can be easily stored within a cabinet or a closet. Its dirt compartment is somewhat large, especially by the standards of most handheld vacuums, and consequently shouldn't need to be emptied very often.

This vacuum performs remarkably well in regards to sucking up small debris like rice and bulky material like cereal from bare floors. It also delivers good overall performance on low and high-pile carpet, though it struggles a little more when it comes to clearing fine debris like baking soda from carpeted floors. It also does an excellent job of cleaning pet hair from most surface types and comes with a motorized turbo brush for cleaning fabric-lined surfaces, not to mention a combination extension wand/crevice tool.

Unfortunately, this vacuum feels somewhat cheaply made in places. It also only provides about 15 minutes of runtime when used continuously in its most powerful suction power mode, though that extends to roughly half an hour if you run it in its default suction power setting. That said, battery life can vary in the real world. Overall, its lightweight construction, superb bare floor performance, and relatively affordable price make it one of the best handheld vacuums for pet hair that we've tested.