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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
When a mess inevitably shows up on your favorite rug or beloved floor, a good cordless stick vacuum will make quick work of it and ensure you don't get tangled up in equally messy cords, bags, or bulky, hard-to-store designs. It will instead provide exceptional cleaning power in a compact, lightweight, maneuverable, and storable package.
We've put dozens of the best cordless stick vacuums to the test in The Lab, evaluating factors like suction power, maneuverability, and noise level. Our best overall pick, the Tineco Pure One S11 Tango Smart Stick/Handheld Vacuum, is lightweight, efficient, impressively quiet, and makes short work of debris like cereal, hair, and popcorn kernels.
Here are the best cordless stick vacuums, backed by our thorough testing.
Best Overall
Tineco Pure One S11 Tango Smart Stick/Handheld Vacuum
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Tineco
Impressive performance and overall efficiency
Very lightweight and easy to maneuver
Quiet operation
Tool was needed to remove hair from roller (included)
Wall mount charging dock limits storage option
The Tineco Pure One S11 Tango performed well across the board in our testing. In each of our categories—setup, noise level, effectiveness, maneuverability, portability, ease of emptying, and value—it earned high scores and rave reviews, easily securing our "best overall" stamp. "I would even pay more," our tester said while considering its value. "I think it performed better than a higher priced vacuum that I tested."
Weighing just under 6 pounds, the vacuum feels light and easy to maneuver, and one tester praised its "smooth handling." The powerful suction quickly and efficiently picked up nearly everything in its path. It had no issues with collecting hair and popcorn kernels across different hard and carpeted surfaces—though, it did struggle a bit with cleaning up Cheerios on hard flooring. We'd recommend using one of the vacuum's attachments to suck up easily scattered debris, like cereal, from hardwood and tile. We also needed to use the included attachments to reach edges, but doing so was simple. The vacuum comes with three different brushes, a crevice tool, and a hair tool that helps extract strands wrapped around the roller brush (we found this to be easy and efficient, too). We're also fans of the wall-mounted charging dock that keeps it out of the way in between uses, but you may want to double-check that you have a comfortable spot for it since once it's installed, you will likely not want to move it.
The Tineco Pure One S11 Tango is impressively quiet, too. As one of our testers noted, "We could definitely have a conversation over the sound." We thought the noise wouldn't be bothersome from another room and wouldn't even be audible from another floor. Another feature worth mentioning is the battery, which worked consistently well for the entirety of the test. It needed no additional charging, and we never noticed a dip in the suction power as we tested it. In fact, when moving between floor types, it "sounded and felt like it automatically adjusted to the suction power that was needed," according to one of our testers. We could see this vacuum working well in households large and small, with multiple types of flooring, and with or without pets. It impressed us in The Lab, and we think buyers will be impressed, too.
Price at time of publish: $340
Dimensions: 43.5 x 8.3 x 11.4 inches | Weight: 5.96 pounds | Battery Life: 40 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.63 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, hard floors
Best Overall, Runner-Up
Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum with DuoClean PowerFins
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Amazon
Powerful suction on all surfaces
Very long battery life
Easy to maneuver in tight areas
Noisy when picking up larger items
Canister can fill up pretty quickly
The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum was a standout product in our testing. We found that it has the powerful suction of an upright vacuum paired with 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.
We gave it a perfect rating for its cleaning effectiveness, with one of our testers 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 docked only 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, we were impressed with the movement and painless emptying process with this vacuum.
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. In our testing, it was noisy when picking up the popcorn kernels, so it received a slightly lowered rating for its noise level. All in all, though, if you're looking for the power of an upright vacuum and the ultimate convenience of a top-notch cordless stick vacuum, this is an excellent pick.
Price at time of publish: $369
Dimensions: 46.46 x 9.65 x 10.24 inches | Weight: 9.04 pounds | Battery Life: 60 minutes | Bin Volume: 1.4 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: 10.63 inches | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, multi-surface, hard floors
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
Best Budget
Moosoo K23 Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum
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Walmart
Multiple attachments
Easy set-up
Lightweight, efficient design
Not designed to stand upright on its own
If you're sticking to a budget, you'll want to opt for the MOOSOO K23 Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum, which not only impressed our tester during its time in The Lab, but also boasts an impressive array of attachments and features.
We found this vacuum to be very easy to set up. When it comes to the eight additional attachments, you're not left guessing—the instructions include pictures that show you how to connect the pieces. Once up and running, it proved to be lightweight and easy to maneuver, making it one of the most compelling aspects of this model. One of our testers explained, "The weight and design is one of the most attractive features of the vacuum because it makes it extremely easy to navigate different areas." The MOOSOO K23 Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum worked great on both the carpeted and hard floors that we used for testing. We also noticed that the noise level was low compared to other vacuums, and we felt it was similar in noise level to a hair dryer.
When it comes to its cleaning performance, we found that it effectively and efficiently sucks up a variety of debris types. Plus, it handled edges so well that we didn't even need to swap in attachments. The only potential downside we noted was that this vacuum doesn't stand upright on its own, so you need to lay it down or prop it up against a sturdy surface when you're not running it (though, it's worth noting that there is a wall attachment for storage and charging). All in all, one of our testers enthusiastically recommended it, emphasizing that it offers "hassle-free vacuuming in a snap" and is "affordable, easy to use and does a great job."
Price at time of publish: $129
Dimensions: 8.7 x 10.6 x 42.5 inches | Weight: 5.28 pounds | Battery Life: 35 minutes | Bin Volume: 1.27 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: 10 inches (approximate) | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, hard floors
Best Under $100
Dirt Devil Versa 3-in-1 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
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Amazon
Effective cleaning
Lightweight design
Easy set-up
Loud operation
Hair tangled in brush roll during testing
For a vacuum that's easy to use and easy on your wallet, look no further than the Dirt Devil Versa 3-in-1 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner. It boasts a simple, low-key design with no extra frills or attachments, and it's a breeze to use. We were especially pleased with its simple setup and maneuverability. Its lightweight design, nicely gliding wheels, and relatively small brush head make it easy to direct into tight spaces, including around furniture legs.
Overall, we were impressed with how well it picked up different debris types—though, you should expect it to take a couple of passes to clean messes. In our testing, we found it took about three passes to suck up coffee grounds from carpet. But we think that's a fair trade-off at this price point. While this pared-down model doesn't come with additional attachments, it does adjust to offer the option for handheld cleaning. The dust cup is also easy to remove and empty, adding to its overall efficiency.
There are some drawbacks to such a basic model, including its loud operation and the fact that hair did get tangled in the brush roll. But, based on the performance, ease of use, lightweight design, and price, we would recommend it. We also think it could be an especially great choice as a secondary vacuum for a dorm or RV, or for anyone who wants to avoid heavier or more complex machines.
Price at time of publish: $90
Dimensions: 42.5 x 10 x 7.8 inches | Weight: 5 pounds | Battery Life: Not listed | Bin Volume: 0.43 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: 10 inches | Compatible Floor Type: Hard floors, carpet
Best Splurge
Dyson V12 Detect Slim
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Walmart
Lightweight and easy to store
Easy to empty
Brush head specifically designed for hard floors
No hair wrap
Loud operation
Confusing, non-descriptive instructions
If your budget is a bit larger, the Dyson v12 Detect Slim is a great option. After using the vacuum for two months, some of our favorite features are its overall convenience, suction power, ease of use, and easy storage. We are also impressed by this vacuum's lightweight and compact design, which is 24 percent lighter than the Dyson v15 Detect.
In testing, we found that this vacuum not only prevents hair wrap on all of its motorized attachments, but it also sucks up every trace of hair within seconds. While it did spit popcorn kernels in every direction when used on hard flooring, we found that it 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 fairly common with vacuums with smaller motorized heads.
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 suction power also translated to some pulled up corners of smaller area rugs, but it does have built-in sensors so the bristles stopped spinning quickly when this happened to our tester. 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: $592
Dimensions: 49.1 x 9.9 x 9.8 inches | Weight: 5.2 pounds | Battery Life: 60 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.4 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, laminate, hardwood, tile, and vinyl
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The Spruce / Dera Burreson
Best Wet-Dry
Shark VacMop Pro Cordless Hard Floor Vacuum Mop
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Amazon
Has a light on the floor head
Easy to change the cleaning pad
Glides over the surface
Battery life is short
Must continuously hold the power button
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: $80
Dimensions: 47.87 x 9.5 x 5.3 inches | Weight: 5 pounds | Battery Life: 20 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.03 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: 10 inches | Compatible Floor Type: Hardwood, tile, laminate, and vinyl
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Phoebe Cheong
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
Best for Small Spaces
Innova Cordless Stick Multi-Surface Vacuum
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Walmart
Effective cleaning
Steady battery power
Easy to set up
Louder and heavier than some models
Bin filled quickly
From Eureka's Innova line, this cordless stick vacuum was a worthy competitor in The Lab, proving itself with easy set-up, effective cleaning, and a stable battery. Using the machine's two surface settings (hardwood and carpet), we found that it effectively cleaned a variety of soft and hard flooring. Plus, at the end of our testing of this model, it still had 75 percent power left.
In our tests, popcorn kernels and Cheerios presented a challenge for the vacuum, and it ended up pushing some of this larger debris up to the wall. Reorienting the vacuum so it was perpendicular to the wall managed to gather some of the debris that was left behind—and detaching the vacuum head attachment allowed us to target all the remaining bits. Despite some hiccups with large debris, we gave this vacuum a near-perfect effectiveness score.
This is a heavier model (8 pounds) than some of the others we're featuring, and we had to empty the dust bin after each test. With this in mind, we could see this model being a better fit for cleaning smaller spaces, where its weight and bin capacity won't be as likely to tire or frustrate the user. On a related note, we observed that after 23 minutes of vacuuming during our tests, the handle began to feel uncomfortable—so this likely isn't the best option for prolonged use. While individual grip and vacuum habits surely would factor in (and possibly help mitigate the issue), it also suggested that shorter sessions might be the way to go with this machine. If you're looking for an effective vacuum for a smaller space or for smaller cleaning jobs, it's worth your attention.
Price at time of publish: $229
Dimensions: 45.7 x 9.8 x 10.9 inches | Weight: 7.8 pounds | Battery Life: Up to 60 minutes | Bin Volume: 1.06 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: 10.9 inches | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, hard floors
Best for Pet Hair
Tineco Pure One S15 Pet Vacuum
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Amazon
Charging base included
Auto mode and three manual modes
LED lights on brush head
Heavy motor head
Some hair caught in dust bin
After two months of testing this vacuum in a home, we are enthusiastic about the Tineco PURE ONE S15 PET Vacuum's suction power, ease of operation, and intuitive features, which all ensure you're getting the best clean. 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 we found that switching to max mode from manual mode worked best for ensuring no dirt or pet hair escaped. 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. Keep in mind that this vacuum is not the best for area rugs, due to its suction power.
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. One of our testers took this model home and noted: "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." We found that the LED headlights were able to illuminate short dog hair on floors, making the strands easier to target and clean up. We also appreciate the convenient charging station (which can also store all the attachments), the visual battery indicator, and the single-push on/off button.
While this vacuum has a significant price tag, we think it's well worth it for pet owners, 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: $425
Dimensions: 45 x 11 x 11.14 inches | Weight: 6.8 pounds | Battery Life: Up to 40 minutes | Bin Volume: Not listed | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, laminate, hardwood, tile, and vinyl
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Lightweight
eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Infinity Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
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Amazon
Lightweight, sleek design
Compact
Great for small cleaning jobs or occasional use
Noisy
Dust bin could be easier to empty
From the first moments with it, the HomeVac H30 Infinity impressed us. We thought the packaging was streamlined (one of our testers even called it "beautiful"), and putting together the different parts was simple. Once it's ready for usage, the sleek, lightweight design proved to be efficient, too. We found it to effectively vacuum up all debris in its path—and the pet brush and crevice tool attachments came in handy around edges and crevices. We were also pleased with how easily it transitions between carpeting and upholstery. Its incredibly lightweight design adds to its portability and maneuverability, and we were happy with the consistent power output by its battery during our tests.
One drawback to this model: It's very loud. We found that it emitted a lot of notice on both its low and high settings, making it difficult to carry on a conversation while it was running. If you're noise-averse, you might consider choosing a quieter model—or keep some ear plugs on hand, just in case. The other potential downside we observed was its small dust bin, which was also finicky to remove. Throughout our testing, we had to empty the dust bin multiple times. But as long as you're okay with some noise and a few extra trips to empty the dustbin, we think the rest of the pros outweigh the cons, especially for smaller clean-up jobs or occasional use.
Price at time of publish: $200
Dimensions: 16.73 x 3.5 x 2.87 inches | Weight: 1.78 pounds | Battery Life: 20 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.26 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Compatible Floor Type: Carpet, hard flooring
Best for Hardwood
Dyson Omni-Glide+ Cordless Vacuum
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Dyson
Great suction power
Easy to maneuver
Lightweight
Canister volume felt small
Battery life felt short
The Dyson Omni-Glide+ is made for hard floors, and our testing confirmed that it indeed transitioned well between hardwood, tile, and stairs alike. We found that the swiveling brush head made it incredibly easy to maneuver and operated smoothly on hard flooring and stairs alike. We also took close note of how lightweight and portable it is. It took little to no effort to lift it, even when traversing stairs.
While it sailed through most of our testing, we did notice that the dust bin filled to the maximum fill line within a minute of vacuuming, leaving lots of empty space in the cup. This meant that we had to empty the dust bin several times during our tests. If you keep your vacuuming short and sweet, you may not notice this issue, but if you like to pull your machine out and get your entire home cleaned in one fell swoop, the small dust bin is likely to cramp your style. Though we know it may not suit everyone's needs, we think that for the right home—one with hard flooring—it could still be an ideal fit.
Price at time of publish: $350
Dimensions: 42.4 x 3.62 x 8.89 inches | Weight: 4.19 pounds | Battery Life: up to 20 minutes | Bin Volume: 0.21 quarts | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Compatible Floor Type: Hard surfaces
Compare
Overall Rating | Ease of Setup | Effectiveness | Maneuverability | Ease of Emptying | Portability | ||
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Best Overall:
Tineco Smart Stick Handheld Vacuum
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Amazon | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.8 | 5 | |
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Best Overall, Runner-Up:
Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum
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Amazon | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
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Best Budget:
Moosoo Cordless Stick Vacuum
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Walmart | 5 | 5 | 4.3 | 5 | ||
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Best Under $100:
Dirt Devil Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
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Target | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | ||
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Best Splurge:
Dyson V12 Detect Slim
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Home Depot | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
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Best Wet-Dry:
Shark VacMop Pro Vacuum Mop
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Amazon | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
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Best for Small Spaces:
Innova Cordless Stick Multi-Surface Vacuum
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Walmart | 5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5 | 4.8 | |
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Best for Pet Hair:
Tineco Pure One Pet Vacuum
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Amazon | ||||||
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Best Lightweight:
eufy by Anker Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
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Amazon | 4.3 | 5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5 | |
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Best for Hardwood:
Dyson Omni-Glide+
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Dyson.com | 4.5 | 5 | 5 | 2.5 | 4.8 |
After thoroughly testing cordless stick vacuums in The Lab, the Tineco Pure One S11 Tango Smart Stick/Handheld Vacuum is our top pick. This vacuum excelled on every surface, was super quiet, and was light and easy to maneuver, too. If you're sticking to a budget, you can't go wrong with the Moosoo Stick Vacuum Strong Suction Cordless Vacuum K23 Pro either. This model comes with multiple attachments, is easy to set up and use, and has effective cleaning power.
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
Other Options We Tested
Shark Cordless Pro with Clean Sense IQ: This Shark model is the newest version of the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum, our best overall pick. But, it doesn't have the same cleaning capabilities as its older counterpart. While our tester was pretty impressed with this vacuum's effectiveness on carpet and hard flooring, they noted that the vacuum struggled to pick up pet hair off of upholstery with any of the attachments. Debris also fell out of the vacuum whenever our tester changed attachments. Even with its initial cleaning power, our tester said the debris falling out didn't make this model worth its price point, especially given the overall mediocre performance.
Tineco A11 Tango Cordless Stick Vacuum: Our tester was initially very excited to learn this vacuum came with 10 different attachments. However, the trick to using this vacuum is finding the attachment that works best on each surface. This made the vacuum not as intuitive as our tester expected. They noted that the soft roller power brush outperformed every other attachment on every surface, and the multitasker brush was actually the least effective. Overall, we expected every attachment to perform better given the over-$300 price tag.
How We Tested the Cordless Stick Vacuums
We've tested over 50 vacuums in The Lab and at home in real-world situations. Dozens of these were cordless stick vacuums. In The Lab, we started our testing with unboxing and setup, timing how long it took to assemble each vacuum and rating how clear the instructions were. Then, we put them through their paces to test their effectiveness and see how successful they were at cleaning up measured amounts of hair, popcorn kernels, and cereal on a hardwood surface and three types of carpet. We evaluated such categories as the vacuums’ weight and portability, how well they transitioned from smooth floors to carpeting, and how long each model stayed charged. We also rated their noise level.
While testing, we noted how many passes were needed to clean up the materials and if any hair was tangled in the brush roll. We also designed a living room obstacle course and ran the vacuum through it to see how it maneuvered under low-sitting couches and around tables to reach a maneuverability rating. Our testers wrapped up by testing the ease of emptying the bins and rating how messy or complex the process is, and using their entire experience to rate the overall value of the product as well. Our editors took all the testing data and boiled it down to the cordless stick vacuums we believe are the very best.
What to Look for in a Cordless Stick Vacuum
Battery Life
The first thing you want to consider when shopping for a cordless stick vacuum is the battery. The longer lifespan it has, the more cleaning you'll be able to get done at one time. The batteries on cordless stick vacuums can have a runtime of anywhere between 15 and 120 minutes. A vacuum that runs for about 20 minutes, like the Shark VacMop, is typically suitable for a small apartment or living space.
When considering your model's battery life, though, know that it's not always cut and dry. For instance, if you use the max or boost mode on your vacuum, the battery can drain quicker than advertised for each session. You'll also need to take the charge time into account. Some models take a few hours to charge up, while others will be ready for use much quicker than that.
Dust Bin Capacity
The dust bins on cordless stick vacuums are significantly smaller than those on upright vacuums. It is for that reason that many people will opt for a bulkier vacuum, so they can tackle more messes at one time and before they have to make a dash to the trash can. If you want to streamline your routine, it's in your best interest to pick out a cordless stick vacuum with a dust bin capacity of at least 0.5 quarts—or more. You can also find stick models with pretty spacious dust bins, such as the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum, which has a 1.4-quart dust bin.
Compatible Floor Types
Thanks to included attachments, specialty floor heads, and thoughtfully designed brush rolls, some cordless stick vacuums are more suitable for carpet or hardwood. When shopping, you'll want to not only consider the types of surfaces in your home but also what surfaces the cordless stick vacuum is compatible with. For instance, a wet-dry model can only be used on hard floors, but will complete two jobs at once. A pick with a motorized cleaning head will be most effective on carpet as it'll help to loosen the debris and dust before sucking it into the canister.
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
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Are there bagged cordless stick vacuums?
Cordless stick vacuums tend to be bagless due to their slim and minimal design. They rely on built-in dust bins and filters to contain the dust, dirt, and debris they suck up. For this reason, "they aren’t the best choice for those with allergies," Lauren Simonelli, cleaning expert and co-founder of ThreeMain, says. "They require more frequent emptying and exposure to dust."
Like with a bagged vacuum, though, it's important to empty your stick vacuum regularly to ensure optimal performance.
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Do all cordless stick vacuums have docking stations?
Docking stations are a common two-in-one charging and storage solution for cordless stick vacuums, but there is a chance that your model of choice won't come with one. Instead, it'll either have a charging cord that connects to either the handle or base, or use replaceable batteries. Models that don't come with docking stations may fold up or break down for easier storage.
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What can I expect from a cordless stick vacuum in terms of suction?
While most cordless stick models offer powerful suction in a relatively compact package, you shouldn't expect the average stick vacuum to perfectly match the kind of suction you'd expect from an upright vacuum. In general, cordless stick vacuums work best on low-pile rugs and hard floors. This makes cordless stick vacuums the better choice for small homes or quick, supplemental cleaning, as opposed to deep cleaning.
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How do you clean a cordless stick vacuum?
The best way to clean your cordless stick vacuum is to disassemble it as much as you can and wash each piece separately. Pieces with sensitive electronic parts should be wiped down with a damp cloth or duster, but everything else can be rinsed with a cleaning solution and should be left to dry for at least 24 hours before reassembling. You may need a screwdriver to help you take apart the vacuum head so you can access and remove all the pieces inside.
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The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
Why Trust The Spruce?
Marisa Casciano is the senior commerce editor for appliances, cleaning, and organization for The Spruce and has been in The Lab for our vacuum tests. She has firsthand knowledge of how our vacuum tests were developed and performed, as well as where each product excelled or fell short. Before conducting testing, she scoured brand and retailer websites and considered price, verified customer reviews, features, and design when selecting the vacuums to test. She also considered real-world cleaning situations and the latest technology. Emma Phelps, an updates writer for The Spruce, and Dena Ogden, commerce writer for The Spruce, also assisted in updating this roundup to include a few of the latest vacuum models that we've tested in The Lab.
For additional background, we consulted with cleaning expert Lauren Simonelli. As the co-founder of ThreeMain, a subscription-based, eco-friendly cleaning brand, she knows the ins and outs of all that it takes to maintain a clean, healthy home.
What Is Spruce Approved?
Here at The Spruce, we want to ensure 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 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.