The 10 Best Car Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Our top pick is the BLACK+DECKER GEN 2 FLEX Vacuum

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The Spruce primary car vacuums styled photo

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

The right car vacuum can make cleaning your vehicle's interior easier and more efficient. "It's best to find a vacuum that has good quality and strength," says Igor Pomishchyk, owner of EcoStates Elite Car Detailing. "Preferably, the vacuum nozzle should be smaller, thin, and long to reach more areas—like in between the seats and underneath, reaching every corner of the car."

To find the best options, we tested over 20 car vacuums in real-world conditions and in The Lab. During our testing, we timed each product's unboxing and setup process, evaluated its effectiveness on hard and soft surfaces using debris you might find in your own car (like cereal, sand, mulch, and hair), and rated how easy it was to empty the dust bin. We also took eight models home to use them in our own cars for a two-month-long round of testing.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Black+Decker BDH2020FL Cordless Gen 2 Flex Vac

4.9
Black+Decker Max Flex Handheld Vacuum

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    5/5
  • Portability
    5/5
What We Like
  • Built-in, flexible hose for extra reach

  • Easy-to-empty dust bin

  • Good suction power

  • Lightweight design

What We Don't Like
  • Narrow hose diameter

  • Long charge time

The BLACK+DECKER GEN 2 Flex Vacuum is the latest version of our previous pick for "best overall" that we tested and also loved, the BLACK+DECKER Flex Auto Vacuum. The new version impressed us with its design, suction power, and portability, just like its older counterpart. To start, it weighs 3.2 pounds and is basically assembled out of the box. It took us just one minute to unpack this car vacuum and have it ready for action on both hard and soft surfaces. The cordless model delivers fade-free suction with the help of a 20-volt battery and has a 4-foot integrated hose. That gives you basically unlimited reach for accessing every area of your vehicle—a key factor as noted by Pomishchyk.

The GEN 2 FLEX has a simple accessory package, just like the Flex Auto, which includes a combination brush and nozzle tool, along with a long crevice attachment. However, the GEN 2 has an additional tool that sets it apart from competing models: a pet hair brush, which has rubber bristles that help to agitate soft surfaces, like carpets or upholstered seats, to effectively pick up pet hair.

When combined with the reach of the flexible hose, we thought this vacuum covered all the bases for car cleaning. Its clever design keeps the footprint small, and the square base means that it can rest on the floor of your vehicle or the ground as you go about your vacuuming. We found that it was easy to hold the base unit in one hand while cleaning with the hose in the other.

When it came to effectiveness testing, the GEN 2 FLEX did a particularly outstanding job of clearing sand from hard surface areas, including a dusty dashboard and cup holders. On soft surfaces like car mats, we had to use the attachments to boost the vacuum’s effectiveness, especially for clearing sand and hair, but even then, hair was no match for this vacuum's suction. In previous testing with the older version, we found that it cleared most types of debris in three or fewer passes, but we did run into a problem with mulch. The diameter of the cleaning hose was just too narrow to pass the mulch to the dust bin. On the plus side, the narrow hose diameter means that children’s toys are less likely to be sucked up accidentally. 

All in all, the suction power and user-friendly design were enough for us to overlook the car vacuum’s narrow hose diameter. The overall feel and use of this car vacuum are efficient, capable, and convenient. While the noise level was louder than average, we were still able to have a conversation over it. The clear dust bin is incredibly intuitive to open and empties in a clean, simple way. This vacuum requires four hours to charge, but it comes with a docking station that makes charging a simple and fuss-free process. Despite the smaller, 0.53-quart dust bin, you also won’t need to run to the garbage to empty it too often.

Price at time of publish: $125

Dimensions: 14.9 x 10.7 x 6.5 inches | Weight: 3.2 pounds | Cord Length: Not applicable | Battery Life: Not listed | Bin Volume: 0.53 quarts | Included Accessories: Combination brush and nozzle tool, long crevice tool, pet brush

Best Budget

THISWORX Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner

4.3
ThisWorx Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner

ThisWorx

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    4.5/5
  • Maneuverability
    4/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    4/5
  • Portability
    4/5
What We Like
  • Useful attachments with storage bag

  • Lightweight and maneuverable

  • Strong suction power

What We Don't Like
  • May spray some fine particles from exhaust vent

  • Some debris can become lodged in tip of vacuum nozzle

Ready to go out of the box, this affordable car vacuum cleaner is basic but efficient. It plugs into your car’s 12-volt outlet and gives you 16 feet of cord to work with you as you vacuum hard and soft areas, like upholstery, car carpeting, and cup holders. In our product testing, we were pleased with its performance on both types of surfaces. The suction was strong enough to grab pieces of cereal from underneath levers for the hood and gas tank, saving us the step of using a smaller attachment to reach this tight area. A flexible attachment hose looked flimsy but proved to be very secure when we connected the crevice tool or brush tool to it. It gives you extra reach for under car seats or into door pockets—spots that are hard to reach with the wide body of this handheld vacuum.

The frills-free THISWORX car vacuum isn’t without its shortcomings, but they aren’t enough to discredit it for light-duty cleanup on your vehicle. We wish the nozzle tip of the vacuum detached, like some other handheld car vacuums, since a piece of cereal could become lodged at the end of the vacuum. It also only features a basic filter, which allowed some fine particles of sand to pass through.

We noticed a few grains of sand escaping from the exhaust on the vacuum, but only after we had vacuumed nearly an entire ¼-cup of sand. If you plan to do a lot of fine particle cleanup (like sand or dirt), it would probably help to frequently empty the dust bin. We found it easy to detach the dust bin and empty it into the trash. It takes just a few shakes to clear the bin of debris before re-inserting the filter and attaching the dust bin to the vacuum. 

Price at time of publish: $40

Dimensions: ‎13.4 x 4 x 4.3 inches | Weight: 2.4 pounds | Cord Length: 16 feet | Battery Life: Not applicable | Bin Volume: Not listed | Included Accessories: Brush attachment, crevice tool, attachment hose, cleaning brush, carrying bag, additional filter

Best Splurge

Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX AutoVac Vacuum Cleaner

4.6
Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX AutoVac Vacuum Cleaner

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    4/5
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    4.5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    5/5
  • Portability
    4/5
What We Like
  • Plenty of useful accessories

  • Includes two rechargeable batteries

  • Large dust bin

  • Fast battery-recharge time

What We Don't Like
  • No stand for vacuum or accessories

  • Can’t reach into tight areas without the crevice tool

If cleaning your car is one of life’s little luxuries, then it’s worth investing in a premium car vacuum. More basic car vacuums may be able to get the job done, but with less convenience and ease than what you’ll find using the Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX. This cordless car vac offers a longer runtime than most car vacuums, and it includes a slew of accessories that make quick work of large and small debris alike. It’s no surprise that it’s paired with a more expensive price tag, but it’s worth the splurge for the extra battery life, suction power, and large-capacity dust bin. It also was very quiet on its standard suction mode, resulting in a 5-star rating from us for this attribute. 

This vacuum looked the most intimidating to assemble and took nearly four minutes to do so, but the process was far from complex or challenging. The components click together easily, and the vacuum is ready for use—once you charge the batteries Hoover includes two lithium-ion batteries with this cordless vacuum to extend the runtime of this vacuum to about 45 minutes. Each battery fully charges in three to four hours.

When tested on hard surfaces, the Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX zipped across the car dashboard, clearing sand quickly and easily in a single pass. With the use of attachments, it also reaches into cup holders, compartments, and door pockets. It performs well on soft surfaces, too, clearing carpeting of hair, mulch, sand, and cereal in just one to two passes. We found that the boosted suction mode works especially well for capturing fine particles that are embedded in car carpeting with less elbow grease when compared to some other car vacuums. The motorized brush tool is also a big help for hair, clearing short and long strands in two passes. 

User-friendly features that elevate the experience of using this cordless vacuum include a long, flexible hose and an extra-large dust bin. While the manufacturer doesn’t provide the size of the dust bin, we noted that it’s significantly larger than other car vacuums we've tested. We appreciated how simple it was to release the dust bin and the wide opening made it easy to ensure that all of its contents made it into the trash can. It would be great to see a charging stand for this cordless vacuum, since it feels like something we would want to keep handy at all times, but it does include a useful hanging storage bag to house the attachments.

Price at time of publish: $200

Dimensions: 11.2 x 7.3 x 28.5 inches | Weight: 6.8 pounds | Cord Length: Not applicable | Battery Life: 45 minutes | Bin Volume: Not listed | Included Accessories: Extension hose, motorized pet tool, flexi-crevice tool, dusting brush, upholstery tool and tough dirt tool

Hoover ONE PWR Blade Max

The Spruce / Erica Puisis

Best Cordless

eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Venture

4.3
eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Venture

Courtesy of Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    4/5
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    4/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    4/5
  • Portability
    5/5
What We Like
  • Two modes of powerful suction

  • Lightweight

  • Includes charging stand

  • Wide nozzle

What We Don't Like
  • Very loud on max mode

  • Small dust bin

The eufy HomeVac H30 Venture is both convenient and capable, making it our top recommendation for a cordless car vacuum. After trying many different cordless models, we were most impressed by the way this model performed on hard and soft surfaces. The nozzle of the eufy HomeVac H30 is wide enough to capture large debris, like mulch, which is something that other cordless car vacuums struggled with. At the same time, it also vacuums up even fine debris, like sand and strands of hair. We were so impressed by this vacuum's suction power that we wrote "Wow!" on our testing results sheets and noted it had no problem pulling up clumps of hair from carpet.

We found the 2-in-1 crevice tool very convenient to use, since we could flip down the bristles for extra agitation when needed. The dust bin is small, as expected for a compact car vacuum. Still, it didn’t fill up even after capturing ¼ cup of Cheerios, plus hair and mulch. The dust bin is easy to empty and slides out along a track, which got a little jammed up with sand. This model has a washable filter, which is a plus. 

At about 20 minutes, battery runtime is average for this cordless car vacuum. A charging stand is included and makes it easier to ensure that the battery stays charged up when not in use. We love the fact that this vacuum includes multiple power modes—max and eco—letting us add extra power when needed (like when clearing hair from vehicle carpeting) or conserve battery life for more basic messes. The HomeVac H30 packs some serious suction power, but it’s worth noting that it also was one of the noisiest vacuums of the bunch. While we found the noise level annoying—even piercing and whining at times—we thought it was a reasonable trade-off for the suction packed into such a small design.

Price at time of publish: $160

Dimensions: 16.73 x 3.54 x 2.87 inches | Weight: 1.78 pounds | Cord Length: Not applicable | Battery Life: 20 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.26 quarts | Included Accessories: Charging base, 2-in-1 crevice tool, multi-surface tool

The eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Venture sits on a car seat during The Spruce's real-world car vacuums test.

The Spruce / Erica Puisis

Best Corded

BLACK+DECKER BDH1220AV 12V Car Vacuum

4.5
Black + Decker 12V Car Vacuum BDH1220AV

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    4.5/5
  • Effectiveness
    4.5/5
  • Maneuverability
    4.5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    5/5
  • Portability
    4.5/5
What We Like
  • Long nozzle provides excellent reach

  • Large-capacity dust bin

  • Power cable wraps around base of vacuum

What We Don't Like
  • Plastic construction feels flimsy

  • Narrow nozzle opening

Battery-powered car vacuums offer cordless maneuverability but can experience fading power and a drained battery after as little as 20 minutes of vacuuming. If you want to deep-clean your vehicle—without worrying about your car vacuum giving up in the middle of the job—a corded model like the BLACK+DECKER 12V Car Vacuum is our top recommendation. Out of all the corded car vacuums we tested, this option was our favorite for its dustbuster design, long nozzle, and useful attachments. 

The BLACK+DECKER car vac looks similar to a standard household dustbuster but is designed to operate efficiently in a vehicle. It’s equipped with a 12-volt charger and a 16-foot power cable, giving you room to reach high and low spots in your car. It has a long nozzle that we found great for reaching under the seat of a sedan as we tracked down cereal, sand, and hair. For extra reach, a flexible hose is included, and you can pair it with a long crevice tool or brush. It only took a handful of passes to clear debris from soft surfaces, and a single pass or two on hard surfaces.

However, we did notice the nozzle opening of this corded car vacuum is too narrow for especially large debris. While it was powerful enough to pick up larger pieces of mulch, the nozzle was too narrow to allow for any of it to actually pass through.

Despite this single shortcoming in our testing, we appreciate how well this car vacuum maneuvered, especially when using the included hose and attachments. The noise level was average for a car vacuum and didn’t make our ears ring. When the cleaning session was over, we appreciated being able to wrap the power cord around the base of the vacuum and put all the accessories in a storage bag. Everything packed up nicely, and it would be easy to store this vacuum in the trunk of a car or in a cabinet.

Price at time of publish: $53

Dimensions: 11.13 x 8.31 x 8.19 inches | Weight: 2.8 pounds | Cord Length: 16 feet | Battery Life: Not applicable | Bin Volume: 0.64 quarts | Included Accessories: Attachment hose, storage bag, long crevice tool, brush tool 

The BLACK+DECKER 12V Car Vacuum sits on a car seat during The Spruce's real-world car vacuums test.

The Spruce / Erica Puisis

Best Compact

Brigii M1 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

3.4
Brigii Handheld Vacuum Cleaner M1

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    1/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    3/5
  • Portability
    5/5
What We Like
  • Lightweight

  • Includes variety of attachments and carrying case

  • Good battery life 

What We Don't Like
  • Small dust bin

  • Round body of vacuum limits reach

This compact car vacuum is just 10 inches tall and weighs only about 1 pound, but it surprised us with its capable suction and useful attachments. The Brigii Handheld Vacuum Cleaner features a polished metal exterior and cylindrical body with a clear dust bin. Setup was complete in about 30 seconds, and the vacuum can keep cleaning for up to 25 minutes before needing a recharge.

Based on its small size, it’s obvious that this compact car vacuum is meant for quick cleanups and light messes. When tested on hard surfaces, it cleared sand from our cup holders and dashboard in a single pass. Due to the narrow nozzle opening, we had to make repeat passes to capture the wide collection of sand we spread across the dashboard, but the ergonomic design of the vacuum didn’t make it feel like a chore. On soft surfaces, the Brigii shines with small but firm debris, like the cereal we dumped on the floor and around the seat.

It’s worth noting that mulch was too big to pass through the Brigii’s narrow nozzle, and we wouldn’t recommend it for fine particle pickup on carpet. It eventually succeeded at clearing sand from the carpeting, but not after spreading it around a bit. Because of the vacuum’s round shape, it was also necessary to use an accessory to reach into tight areas, like underneath a car seat. However, we found the attachment process straightforward.

A washable stainless steel and HEPA filter make maintenance fast and easy for this vacuum, and the filter did a good job of keeping fine particles from reaching the motor. Everything about this car vacuum is lightweight, tidy, and efficient. It includes a carrying case for the vacuum itself and its attachments, so we could see keeping it in the glove box or trunk for easy access.

Price at time of publish: $70

Dimensions: 10.24 x 2.26 x 2.26 inches | Weight: 1.07 pounds | Cord Length: Not applicable | Battery Life: 25 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.1 quarts | Included Accessories: Extension hose, combination brush and crevice tool, blow and suction nozzles

The Brigii M1 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner sits on a car seat during The Spruce's real-world car vacuums test.

The Spruce / Erica Puisis

Best Lightweight

70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled

4.4
70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    4/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    3/5
  • Portability
    5/5
What We Like
  • Ergonomic handle

  • Long battery life

  • Compact and modern design

  • Quiet operation

What We Don't Like
  • Dust bin is difficult to remove when full

  • Dust bin in small

The 70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled may not look like much on the outside, but a powerful battery and patented ventilation system offer undisrupted suction. The ergonomic, U-shaped handle paired with this vacuum's lightweight (1.32 pounds!) design make it an easy choice for light messes throughout your car. Our main concern with this vacuum was its small dust bin, which has to be emptied frequently, if you're using it to clean your whole car. The dust bin is also somewhat challenging to align correctly, so this vacuum design might not be the best for users with mobility restrictions.

This vacuum is very similar in outward appearance as other picks in this roundup, like the eufy H30 and Brigii 3-in-1 vacuum, and also similar to other vacuums that weren't up to snuff during testing, like the ionvac Turbo Car Vacuum. However, this vacuum's lightweight design makes it stand out in the category, compared to our other picks.

It has a battery that can last up to 24 minutes on a single charge. A USB-C charging port also makes it compatible with other charging cords you may have in your home. The two attachments made cleaning between crevices and through wide areas of carpet easy, and we especially appreciated the HEPA filter that's built into this vacuum.

How It Performed Long-Term

We used this vacuum to clean one of our team member's cars over the course of two months, and we continued to enjoy its powerful, lightweight design. It easily picked up pebbles, sand, and dirt, and the attachments made it convenient to reach under and between car seats to capture debris. While the nozzle is a little too narrow to pick up larger debris like popcorn kernels, we still found that it accomplished most of the cleaning tasks we needed it for. We appreciated the storage bag, which was convenient for neatly stowing the vacuum in the trunk when it wasn't in use.

Price at time of publish: $40

Dimensions: 4.65 x 0.85 x 1.55 inches | Weight: 1.32 pounds | Cord Length: Not applicable | Battery Life: 24 minutes | Bin Volume: Not listed | Included Accessories: Crevice tool and brush attachment

Best for Detailing

Armor All VOM205P Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum

4.4
Armor All Portable Utility Vacuum

Walmart

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    4/5
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    3.5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    5/5
  • Portability
    3/5
What We Like
  • Quiet operation

  • Huge dust bin capacity

  • Also picks up wet messes

What We Don't Like
  • Must be plugged into 110-volt outlet

  • Lacks wheels for better mobility

The Armor All VOM205P Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum is the best choice if you need a car vacuum to tackle any type of mess in your vehicle. It’s hard to beat the versatility of this model if you’re looking for a car vacuum for detailing, since it has a strong motor that packs plenty of power and a great selection of accessories to reach into every corner or crevice. Plus, as a wet-dry car vacuum, this shop vac from Armor All can pick up liquid spills along with dry debris. We were also impressed with its large-capacity bin, which holds 2.5 gallons. It's just like emptying a bucket, but we recommend having good aim toward the trash can to avoid extra messes.

Despite its power and size, we were surprised during testing with how quiet this vacuum is. It didn’t make us cringe every time we powered it on, and you could easily talk over it. The suction was substantial, making large and small debris disappear with one or two passes. The attached, 4-foot hose isn’t the most effective vacuuming tool on its own, but when paired with one of the many included accessories, it does a great job on either hard or soft surfaces. This car vacuum was also able to easily handle bulky items like mulch, which is something that tripped up a number of other models we tested. The small detailing accessories are well suited for cleaning air vents, cup holders, or other crevices that need regular attention during car detailing. 

We wish that this wet-dry vacuum had wheels, making it easier for the vacuum to follow our movements. It tipped over once during our testing, but no debris spilled from the tightly sealed lid. Keep in mind that this car vacuum needs to be plugged into a 110-volt outlet. It doesn’t have a battery source or a charger for the car outlet.

Price at time of publish: $40

Dimensions: 13.7 x 11.5 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 7.5 pounds | Cord Length: 10 feet | Battery Life: Not applicable | Bin Volume: 2.5 gallons | Included Accessories: 2-in-1 utility nozzle, crevice tool, car nozzle, 6-piece detail kit and storage pouch, reusable cloth filter, foam wet filter, wall mount bracket  

The Armor All Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum sits on a car seat during The Spruce's real-world car vacuums test.

The Spruce / Erica Puisis

Best for Attachments

Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum

4.4
Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    4.5/5
  • Maneuverability
    4.5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    4/5
  • Portability
    5/5
What We Like
  • Made for heavy-duty vacuum jobs

  • LED light for dark crevices

  • HEPA filter

  • Contoured handle grip

What We Don't Like
  • Battery sold separately

  • Heavy with extended use

The DEWALT 20-Volt Max Stick Vacuum is sold with an array of helpful accessories—five to be exact—that make it a well-rounded car, workshop, and household cleaning tool. A HEPA filter ensures that finer dust and dander particles stay locked inside the vacuum, and 46 CFM allows for a super-efficient clean. This vacuum is designed to pick up everything from discarded nails to large saw dust bits, so its interior is well equipped to withstand mulch and other debris in your car. A belt loop hood and LED light are integrated into the body of this vacuum for an advanced user experience.

Cereal and clumps of hair on hard surfaces were no match for this vacuum's suction power, but it did struggle slightly to lift sand on soft surfaces like carpeting. The crevice tool was also helpful at sucking up debris between and under car seats. We really enjoyed the gulper brush, which quickly cleaned larger areas like the trunk of a car.

We recognize this vacuum is more expensive than some other models, but we found that its performance justified the price tag. However, we wish more online retailers sold this model with the battery included. Most retailer links list the battery as sold separately. While this is a practical solution for consumers who already own tools from the same brand line, it's not as helpful for consumers who are just seeking a powerful car vacuum. Despite this potential purchasing issue, we still loved this vacuum for its performance, coupled with its extensive accessory line.

How It Performed Long-Term

It was no surprise to our team that we continued to love this powerful vacuum during our two-month, at-home testing trial. The variety of attachments allowed it to clean every space in two different cars, and we even used it to clean up cat litter in a home. While the detachable battery adds a bit more weight, we found this model much easier to navigate throughout the interior of a car than some corded options. It also has an impressive battery run time, and we had no issues with the battery dying mid-cleanup during our tests.

Price at time of publish: $150

Dimensions: Not listed | Weight: 2.3 pounds | Cord Length: Not applicable | Battery Life: 21.4 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.74 quarts | Included Accessories: Extension tube, floor nozzle, flexible hose, crevice nozzle, gulper brush, round brush, belt hook, and accessory holder

Best for Pet Hair

Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum

4.3
Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    4/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    3/5
  • Portability
    5/5
What We Like
  • Powerful suction

  • Wide-mouth attachment for large debris

  • Easy to hold

  • Long power cord

What We Don't Like
  • Difficult to empty

  • Rubber hair tool is not very effective

The Bissell CleanView Deluxe Corded Hand Vacuum is a great option for pet owners, because it has powerful, never-dulling suction that whisks away pet hair into its surprisingly large dust bin. Despite this vacuum's disappointing rubber pet hair tool, its other attachments prove effective at cleaning up pet hair that inevitably creeps into every crevice of a vehicle. The rubber pet hair tool, while great in theory, proved more irritating than helpful, because the openings were not wide enough to suck up large clumps of hair. More hair also ended up stuck to the rubber bristles on the outside, rather than inside the vacuum.

However, we did appreciate the other attachments, which allowed for easy cleaning throughout a car. The hose attachment was especially great for reaching into smaller crevices, when paired with the crevice tool. We also loved how compact and portable this vacuum was for moving around and inside a car. The large handle is also comfortable to hold, but the placement of the dust bin release button was inconveniently located directly beneath the carrying handle. That made emptying the vacuum rather difficult. We found it easiest to support the vacuum between our legs while using both hands to unlatch and empty the unit.

All in all, a long power cord, lightweight design, and a few helpful attachments make this vacuum a competitive choice to fend off pet hair and other messes in your car. While we wish the rubber hair tool were more effective, the other attachments make up for its disappointing performance.

Price at time of publish: $48

Dimensions: 10 x 5 x 8 inches | Weight: 5 pounds | Cord Length: 18 feet | Battery Life: Not applicable | Bin Volume: 0.82 quarts | Included Accessories: Crevice tool, wide-mouth nozzle, extension hose

Compare

Overall Rating Setup Effectiveness Maneuverability Ease of Emptying Portability
Black+Decker Max Flex Handheld Vacuum
Best Overall:
Black+Decker Cordless Gen 2 Flex Vac
4.9
5 5 5 5 5
ThisWorx Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner
Best Budget:
THISWORX Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner
4.3
5 4.5 4 4 4
Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX AutoVac Vacuum Cleaner
Best Splurge:
Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX AutoVac Vacuum Cleaner
4.6
4 5 4.5 5 4
eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Venture
Best Cordless:
eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Venture
4.3
4 5 4 4 5
Black + Decker 12V Car Vacuum BDH1220AV
Best Corded:
BLACK+DECKER 12V Car Vacuum
4.5
4.5 4.5 4.5 5 4.5
Brigii Handheld Vacuum Cleaner M1
Best Compact:
Brigii M1 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
3.4
5 1 5 3 5
70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled
Best Lightweight:
70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled
4.4
5 4 5 3 5
Armor All Portable Utility Vacuum
Best for Detailing:
Armor All Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum
4.4
4 5 3.5 5 3
Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Best for Attachments:
Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum
4.4
5 4.5 4.5 4 5
Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum
Best for Pet Hair:
Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Handheld Vacuum
4.3
5 4 5 3 5
Final Verdict

The BLACK+DECKER GEN 2 FLEX Vacuum is our top choice for a handy, capable car vacuum. It has a compact footprint but substantial suction to clean hard and soft surfaces in your vehicle. If you're shopping for the most affordable option, we appreciated the basic, but efficient, features of the cordless THISWORX Car Vacuum Cleaner. It has a bulkier design and basic accessories, but it works well at removing debris and includes a storage bag.

Bissell AeroSlim rechargeable cordless handheld vacuum

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

Other Options We Tested

BISSELL AeroSlim Lithium Ion Cordless Handheld Vacuum: Although this vacuum looks similar to several picks in our roundup, we found that its performance was best suited for a different setting. This vacuum was great for picking up larger debris like Cheerios, but it struggled to suck up hair and sand. The exhaust vent also blew the sand away while we were trying to suck it up. We think this model would be much better in an office setting for cleaning up around a desk and computer.

ionvac Turbo Car Vac: Overall, we were disappointed in the ionvac Turbo Car Vac because its performance was lacking in every category. While its compact design would be great for storing in the trunk of a car, it's not actually powerful enough to pick up typical car debris. It also became quite hot after running for 11 minutes, which makes us concerned for its long-term performance.

Dirt Devil Scorpion Plus Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaner: We enjoyed using this vacuum for the major problem areas in a car, but it wasn't the best model for cleaning up tight nooks and crannies. Although the attachments may have helped with its effectiveness in cleaning up hair and sand, none of the attachments catered to the long reach (not even the crevice tool) needed for cleaning under seats around the console.

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Testing Car Vacuums for Weight and Accessories

How We Tested the Car Vacuums

We purchased and tested over 20 car vacuums at home and in The Lab, putting each option to work in our own cars and in real-world situations. To start, we unboxed and set up each vacuum, noting how difficult or easy the process was, how long it took, and whether the instruction manual was clear. Next, we tested the effectiveness of each car vac on both hard surfaces (like the cup holder and dashboard) and soft surfaces (like the floor mats, seats, and trunk) in a car. On soft surfaces, we spilled ¼ cup of Cheerios, sand, hair, and rubber mulch to mimic the messes you might encounter in your own vehicle. On hard surfaces, we spilled ¼ cup of sand.

We noted how many passes it took to suck up the debris, and whether any got stuck or tangled in the vacuum. We tried out the different included attachments to see how easy it was to use them and whether they were effective. During this test, we also rated each car vacuum for maneuverability, noting whether it was easy to navigate each into tight crevices and between vents. We also rated the portability and noise level of each pick. We noted whether you could hold a conversation over it or not, and whether the corded or cordless design was easy to carry and hold, or whether we had to adjust our grip often.

After all of these tests were complete, we tested the ease of emptying each vacuum, evaluating how messy or simple the process was from start to finish. We then considered our entire testing experience when rating the overall value of the vacuum. We also took eight models home and used them in our own cars for two months to determine how they might perform long-term. We reported our experiences and incorporated the results alongside our lab-testing insights. All of the data turned into this list of what we believe are the very best car vacuums for keeping your interior fresh.

Dirt Devil Scorpion corded hand vacuum testing

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

What to Look for in a Car Vacuum

Weight

For a handheld cleaning tool like a car vacuum, weight is a key feature to take into consideration before you make your final purchase. Most models should be relatively lightweight, especially corded models that aren't laden with a rechargeable battery. Meanwhile, cordless car vacuums, as well as ones that come with an array of accessories, may weigh slightly more and, therefore, be a little more cumbersome to handle while cleaning.

Our "best lightweight" pick, the 70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled, weighs just 1.32 pounds. The trade-off is a smaller dust bin, but you still receive effective and reliable cleaning power. At about 7 1/2 pounds, the Armor All VOM205P Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum is our heaviest pick on this list.

Power Source

Most car vacuums can plug directly into your car's 12-volt outlet, making them a breeze to take with you and clean on the go. "Corded vacuums are ideal because they are more powerful, long-lasting, and you don't have to worry about running out of power in the middle of the job," says Igor Pomishchyk, owner of EcoStates Elite Car Detailing. Of course, these models are corded, which limits their reach and mobility.

If you opt for a cordless option instead, make sure to consider its battery life and how it recharges. Some models can recharge via USB port, while others will need access to a conventional household outlet for three to four hours at a time. Our "best lightweight" pick, the 70mai Vacuum Cleaner Swift Handled, charges through a USB-C port, which is similar to the port used for charging most iPhones. This model will have to be plugged into a household outlet, but its quick charging time and long runtime make it a great option for busy families.

Accessories

If you hope to use your car vacuum for deep cleaning, make sure it has the attachments to get the job done. A crevice tool can access tight spaces, an extension hose can reach under seats, and an upholstery brush can dredge up ground-in dirt from seats and floor mats. A model that lacks these accessories might not be able to clean your vehicle as thoroughly as you'd like. You can learn more about the best way to clean floor mats and to properly clean cloth car seats by reading our guides.

Our "best for attachments" pick, the DEWALT 20-Volt Max Stick Vacuum, comes with five tools that will help you achieve the optimal clean. Notably, though, a corresponding battery often has to be purchased separately.

Standout Features

Washable Filter

It's no secret that the filter of a car vacuum gets dirty quickly. Sucking up fine particles, like dirt, dust, and sand, can quickly clog filters and hinder the vacuum's suction power. Car vacuums equipped with a washable filter make for easier maintenance and don't require frequent replacement. Just be sure to allow the filter to dry fully before reassembling and using the vacuum. Manufacturers usually recommend 24 hours of drying time.

Some sophisticated car vacuums may come with a HEPA filter, which can filter particles as small as 0.3 microns. These filters are best for people who suffer from allergies or are looking to clean pet dander smells out of their cars and homes. You can learn more about HEPA filters by reading our guide.

Charging Dock

For battery-powered car vacuums, a charging dock is a valuable feature to look for. The convenience of a cordless car vacuum is quickly ruined by a low battery, but a charging dock helps to reduce the likelihood of that occurring. By putting your cordless car vacuum back on the charger after each use, it maintains a full battery and is ready to go at any time. Our "best overall" pick, the BLACK+DECKER GEN 2 FLEX Vacuum, has a charging dock that allows the vacuum to sit upright and near an outlet, without having to prop it against a wall or piece of furniture.

Some charging docks also include accessory storage. That is a big plus, since it puts attachments like a brush or crevice tool within easy reach when its time to clean.

Storage Bag

Whether you keep your car vacuum stashed in the trunk of your vehicle, on a shelf in the garage, or tucked into a coat closet, a storage bag keeps the vacuum and its accessories organized and accessible. That can save time and frustration when you need to clean up a mess in a hurry and don't want to waste time searching for accessories, or when you're carrying the vacuum and its various attachments to your vehicle.

ionvac car vacuums test with cheerios

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

FAQ
  • How do I clean a car vacuum?

    Like any other handheld vacuum or dustbuster, your car vacuum likely has a dust bin or bag that you should be able to access, remove, and empty with relative ease. Beyond that, check your car vacuum's manual to determine whether its filter is washable or needs to be replaced. The manual should also note whether it's safe to clean out the interior with soap and water or whether you should only use a dust rag. If you wash it with water, let all of its components dry before reassembling.

  • How do I use a car vacuum to clean between the car seats?

    If messes tend to accumulate in the spaces between your car's seats, a car vacuum with the right set of attachments will come in handy. Make sure your model of choice comes with a crevice tool and an extension hose, both of which will allow you to reach tight spaces that the vacuum's main body can't. In addition to these useful attachments, you can blow debris out of even the smallest spaces. Some picks come with a blower feature that lets you target certain areas this way.

  • Will using a car vacuum wear down my car's battery?

    If your car vacuum of choice relies on your car's 12-volt socket for power, you might be concerned that running it will drain the car's battery. That is, indeed, a risk, but it will depend on how powerful your battery is, how long you vacuum for, and how weak or old your car's battery is. It's unlikely that a quick clean will completely deplete your battery, but if you're worried or are vacuuming the whole interior, you might be better off opting for a cordless model.

Ridgid car vacuum handheld vacuum testing

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

Why Trust The Spruce?

Erica Puisis has been a writer for The Spruce since 2017, specializing as a product researcher for both large and small appliances. To find the best options for car vacuums, she personally tested 15 models in her vehicle, comparing each vacuum's ability to capture debris (including cereal, sand, mulch, and hair) from hard and soft surfaces. Notes were also made regarding maneuverability, portability, noise levels, and how simple it is to empty the dust bin. We included options for both cordless and corded models, since each one offers its own advantages.

For additional insight on how to choose the best car vacuums, we also interviewed Igor Pomishchyk, owner of NYC-based EcoStates Elite Car Detailing. Pomishchyk provided input on the design features to look for in a car vacuum, as well as factors to consider when deciding on corded versus cordless car vacuums.

Emma Phelps, an updates writer for The Spruce, assisted in adding the latest tested models to this roundup, including ones we thought fell short of expectations in recent testing. Phelps also incorporated long-term testing feedback seen in the "How It Performed Long-Term" callouts throughout this roundup.

What Is The Spruce Approved?

Here at The Spruce, we want to ensure that we fully stand behind every product we recommend and that when we say something is the best, we mean it. You might have noticed The Spruce Approved badge next to the products on this list. Every product with this badge has been rigorously tested in person and carefully selected by our expert team of lab testers and editors. In most cases, we buy all of these products ourselves, though occasionally, we get samples provided to us directly by companies. No matter how we procure products, they all go through the same tests and must meet the same strict criteria to make the best-of cut.

Updated by
Marisa Donnelly
Marisa Donnelly 2
Marisa Donnelly is a lifestyle expert and writer with over a decade of experience sharing her knowledge about what home decor reveals about personalities. Her bylines have also appeared on HuffPost, Bustle, and BossBabe.
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