The 7 Best Cordless Stick Vacuums of 2022, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall: Shark IZ462H Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

Who else recommends it? Best Products also picked the Shark IZ462H Vertex DuoClean.

What do buyers say? 87% of 2,200+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.

The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum was a standout product in our testing. It's our top pick because it has the powerful suction of an upright vacuum, but the maneuverability of a cordless stick vacuum. We recently tested the newest model in this series, the Shark Cordless Pro with Clean Sense IQ, but still found the performance of the PowerFins to be much more impressive. It wasted no time sucking up all of the materials during our test and proving its power on every surface.

Our tester gave it 5 stars for its cleaning effectiveness, noting that it "requires very little effort to move and use." In fact, the vacuum almost pulls itself toward the messes before capturing them in a pass or two. No surface was left unclean in this vacuum's path. It was equally powerful on hardwood, low-pile, medium-pile, and high-pile carpet, so you can clean with confidence whether you're sucking up Cheerios off of the kitchen floor or pet hair from the living room carpet.

When it came to assembly, this vacuum was also pretty easy to put together, and was only docked because it needed to be charged and the pieces were wrapped individually. However, the vacuum quickly made up for the setup process with its amazing maneuverability. It easily slipped under the low-sitting couch and coffee table we set up in The Lab and was able to navigate all the tight corners. Its handle folds in half for easy storage, too. While the canister did fill up rather quickly, our tester called the movement of this vac "flawless" and was totally impressed with the painless emptying process.

A downside of many stick vacuums is short battery life, but this one can run for a notable 60 minutes, which makes it suitable for spot cleaning and whole-house cleaning alike. The noise level wasn't bothersome, either. In our testing, it was only noisy when picking up the popcorn kernels, which is why it received a 4.5-star rating for noise level. All in all, if you're looking for the power of an upright vacuum and the ultimate convenience of a top-notch cordless stick vacuum, then this is an excellent pick.

Price at time of publish: $250

Best Budget: BLACK+DECKER HSVB420J POWERSERIES 2-in-1 Cordless Stick Vacuum

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  4.5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

If you're sticking to a budget, you'll want to opt for the BLACK+DECKER POWERSERIES 2-in-1 Cordless Stick Vacuum, which is not only effective, but also comes with a built-in handheld vac. To assemble it, you just have to click the handheld vac onto the handle of the stick vac. From there, the handheld vac turns into the dust bin. Our testers were impressed by the thoughtful design of this model and was pleased to see hidden storage within the handle for attachments. They were able to assemble everything in just three minutes and gave the setup process a 5-star rating.

When it came to testing this vacuum on the different surfaces, it wasn't as effective on the hardwood. It pushed around the Cheerios a lot, and our tester called it "sloppy." However, it performed great on high-pile carpet and medium-pile carpet, which is typically a weak spot for cordless stick vacuums. Our tester also concluded that the handheld vac could pick up any leftover messes that the stick vac left behind. It all worked out! Not to mention the light on the floor head made finding messes in dim corners a total breeze, and the entire model stood up on its own. While the vacuum received a 4-star rating for cleaning effectiveness, it excelled in the emptying department and was generally a pleasure to use.

Price at time of publish: $130

Best Splurge: Dyson V12 Detect Slim

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  3/5
• Maneuverability
  3/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Noise Level
  1/5

If your budget is a bit larger, the Dyson v12 Detect Slim not only prevents hair wrap on all of its motorized attachments, but also sucks up every trace of hair within seconds. Although our tester noted that larger debris, like popcorn kernels, were spit in every direction on hard flooring, this vacuum had no trouble sucking up Cheerios, popcorn, and hair from carpet. It did take several passes to suck up the larger debris, but that's often to be expected from vacuums with smaller motorized heads.

Aside from its suction power, our tester raved about this vacuum's lightweight and compact design, which is 24 percent lighter than the Dyson v15 Detect. It also is powered by a button, so there's no need to consistently pull a trigger to operate it, unlike other Dyson models. The Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head shines a laser onto tiny particles that you might not normally see while cleaning and is composed of soft nylon and anti-static carbon fibers that help remove dust from small gaps and hard flooring. Our tester also appreciated the point-and-shoot dust bin emptying mechanism, but noted that some hair did need to be manually pulled out.

As may be expected, this vacuum's suction power does make it one of the loudest vacuums we tested. Even on the auto mode, our tester noted it was incredibly loud and said they would not want to use this vacuum on boost mode for any extended period of time. The LCD screen on this vacuum offers insights into the run time, power countdown, and maintenance needs, but our tester said the instruction manual provided little insight into properly understanding all of the features included on the LCD display. Despite these few design concerns, we were overall impressed by this vacuum's suction power, especially given the fact that our tester found zero hair wrap on any of the attachments after testing. It's worth the splurge.

Price at time of publish: $550

Best Wet-Dry: Shark VacMop Pro Cordless Hard Floor Vacuum Mop

4.9

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

Wet-dry vacuums can only be used on hard surfaces. However, if your living space has even one large hardwood, tile, or laminate surface, then you'll want to invest in the Shark VacMop. This product earned 5-star ratings across the board from our tester because it's designed thoughtfully and cleans easily. They were instantly impressed with how it glides over surfaces and picks up all the dirt, dust, and debris right on a disposable cleaning pad. To start using this vac, you just have to click the pieces into place. It took our tester just two minutes to do so, and they didn't even need to reference the instructions—it was that easy. From there, you need to fill the tank with the provided Shark cleaning solution and attach a cleaning pad.

Our tester was only disappointed in the fact that you have to hold the power button for the entire time it is in use. This could get tiring and annoying over time, especially if you're cleaning a larger room. Plus, it is important to note that the battery only lasts for 20 minutes at a time. However, this vac does operate quietly, and changing its cleaning pad is straightforward and mess-free. To release the pad, you just tap a button on the floor head, which is also outfitted with a light. This vacuum is also very lightweight, so it won't tire you out carrying it from room to room. It's a must-have if you're looking to complete two tough jobs at once.

Price at time of publish: $68

Best for Hardwood: Dyson Outsize Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

4.4

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

The Dyson Outsize Cordless Vacuum Cleaner solves many problems that other cordless stick picks have, including battery life and small dust bins. It features an interchangeable battery pack that you can swap out when the battery is running low and a 2.4-quart dust bin. These features make it a really quality pick for larger homes or those who are frequently cleaning up after pets. Notably, this vacuum also excels at cleaning hardwood and was able to easily pick up all the materials we placed in its path. Although it did struggle a bit with the popcorn kernels, our tester said, "I feel like the vacuum does most of the work for you," noting that very little elbow grease was required on their part. They ultimately gave the vac a 4.5-star rating for effectiveness, maneuverability, and its emptying process.

They also noted how efficient it is at picking up hair and dust. Plus, you can track the life of your battery on the LED screen on the top of the handle. The only major downside of this vacuum is that its handheld version is quite heavy. Our tester couldn't hold it over their head and would not recommend relying on it for spot-cleaning jobs around your home. This is a bit disappointing given the price point, but the power of the vacuum is definitely worth investing in.

Price at time of publish: $1,050

Best for Pet Hair: Tineco PURE ONE S15 PET Vacuum

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  3/5

Our testers loved the Tineco PURE ONE S15 PET Vacuum because of its suction power, ease of operation, and intuitive features, which ensure you're getting the best clean in your home. Even after a more recent round of testing in our lab, our testers still had only good things to say about this vacuum.

Just like Tineco's other vacuum models, the S15 PET features a display screen that turns from red to blue to signify whether there's dirt on the floor. It also clearly displays the battery's percentage, so you're not left guessing. This vacuum's auto mode is a great option to use for everyday cleaning, but our tester found that switching to max mode from manual mode worked best for ensuring no dirt or pet hair escaped. Keep in mind that this vacuum is not the best for area rugs because of its suction power. When in auto mode, this vacuum also automatically increases suction when it encounters hair or debris, which also helps it to conserve energy so that you can clean up to 1,399 square feet on a single charge. It also easily transitions from hard flooring to carpet and back again.

Our tester appreciated this vacuum's easy-to-empty dust bin, which has a lever that scrapes debris and dust off the filter and sides of the canister. Our tester said he still had to pull out some hair that was stuck high in the canister, but overall appreciated the ease of emptying. Tineco also promises a tangle-free brush head that lifts hairs into the dust bin rather than letting them become trapped around the base of the vacuum. "I thought my home was a pretty clean place, but when I used this Tineco for the first time, I realized I was very, very wrong," said our at-home tester. "The LED light on the head illuminated tiny white Chihuahua hairs all over my floors—even in rooms that she didn’t usually go in! I’m grateful that this vacuum can suck up all the stray hairs that I don’t see so I can feel confident my dog and I are lounging in a truly clean space."

Our lab tester said this vacuum was well worth its significant price tag since it delivers powerful suction and provides intuitive user information on the display screen. Note that the Tineco PURE ONE S15 PET and the Tineco PURE ONE S15 PRO are essentially the same models, but the PRO model comes with an extra LED soft roller brush, which is great for hard flooring. However, this addition increases the cost by $100, so unless a soft roller brush is very important to you, we recommend opting for the cheaper, but incredibly effective, PET version.

Price at time of publish: $500