Cordless handheld vacuums offer the convenience of power on demand, with no need to plug into an outlet. However, battery life is a major consideration, as you don’t want your unit to quit on you in the middle of a cleaning task. Average battery life for cordless vacuums is around 10 minutes, with some models lasting a little longer, and others dying more quickly. Where relevant, we tried to mention if the battery appeared especially reliable in testing, like it did with the Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum.
In our battery tests, the CHV1410L ran for about nine minutes, so it’s best suited for quick tidying rather than deep cleaning. (In contrast, the Ryobi vacuum, our top pick, ran for 18 minutes, and the AdvancedClean+ HHVK515JP07 ran for 25 minutes.) It recharged in about three hours, which is typical for handheld vacuums at this price. The CHV1410L also comes with a convenient charging base that allows the vac to stand upright in storage; we found, however, that it tends to wobble when bumped. Although the CHV1410L suffers from the same hand-heaviness as most handheld vacuums do, we’ve found it comfortable enough to maneuver. At 2.6 pounds, it is comparably light, and its curved, closed handle allows for an easy grip. The slide-out crevice tool and swing-out combo brush, both built into the tip of the vacuum, have limited reach but may come in handy.
It measures just under 16 inches long and rests and an angle on a charging station when not in use. You’ll find yourself reaching for this constantly because our testing confirmed that crumbs, hair, dust, and other small messes are no match. It even suctioned up the raisins in its path, a task that proved tricky for some of the other machines. We also appreciated the roomy dustbin, which was emptied just three times during our testing. There’s also an ejection mechanism, so you don’t have to touch anything to clear out the bin. Even with the spacious compartment, the entire vacuum weighs just a hair over two pounds, so it’s sleek and easy to maneuver, too.
Using an anemometer (a tool that measures wind speed), we calculate the raw airflow of each vacuum. Suction is what allows a vacuum cleaner to lift debris off the ground, while airflow helps ferry the debris to the dustbin. The Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum amazed us with its suction power, clever design, and versatility.
I’ve been cleaning my home with the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser for a year now, and it’s still the tool I reach for on a weekly basis. The battery power remains consistent, and though the motorized brush attachment bissell cordless vacuum has accumulated some hair buildup, I haven’t noticed any weakening in the suction power. My cat is almost 10 years old, which means I have been buying pet hair removers for close to a decade.
Wirecutter software engineer Jasmine Khoury, who owns this vacuum, complained that the extension crevice tool doesn’t stay put, retracting with pressure, but we haven’t encountered this problem during testing. A Black+Decker spokesperson told us via email that this model fully charges in four hours, but in our testing it took less than three hours. It comes with a two-year warranty, which exceeds the coverage of many other handheld vacuum cleaners.
The four foot hose made it easy to reach into tight spaces, and it ran for 23 minutes at standard power on one charge. Our tester called this hand vac “very comfortable to use,” giving it perfect scores in six of our seven ease of use evaluations, including for handle comfort and for quality of the owner’s manual. Although it fell from its previous spot as our best overall handheld vacuum, we still love the Black+Decker Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum—it’s also one of our top-rated inexpensive vacuum cleaners. We found that it effectively captures large and small debris, such as kibble and kitty litter.
We think it’s safe to say you could use it a few rooms away without waking up your family members—however, the puppy, who’s afraid of vacuums, could hear it start up and was instantly on alert. The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Vacuum delivers on its promise to clean up pet-specific messes, but it can’t replace your full-size vacuum. This warranty applies to a product used for personal purposes, and not commercial or rental service. BISSELL recommends that the original packaging is kept for the duration of the warranty period in case such need arises within the warranty period that the item needs re-packing and transportation. The Bissell vacuum runs on a strong 22V lithium-ion battery that is designed to maintain a steady suction as long as it’s running.
It charges in under three hours and runs for up to 25 minutes (one of the longest run times among the models in our test group), and it has a built-in extendable crevice tool. Its filters are washable and replaceable, too, and its bin volume is the largest of the handheld vacs we’ve tested. It might have been designed for a workshop, but Rigid’s hand vacuum is right at home inside the house or car.