We Tested the Best Lightweight Vacuums—Here Are Our Favorites

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

The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum is lightweight but definitely not light-duty. This stick vacuum cleaned up in our testing, literally. In terms of effectiveness, it earned a perfect 5-star rating for its performance on every type of flooring, including hardwood and carpets of all pile heights. According to our product tester, maneuvering this 9-pound vacuum takes hardly any effort, but that’s not because of any lack of suction power. In fact, our testing revealed that the suction is powerful enough to capture debris, including cereal, hair, and popcorn kernels in a single pass, saving you the time and effort of making repeated passes to fully clean the same stretch of flooring. Once full, the dust bin “comes off easily and dumps painlessly," noted by our tester. 

Even in real world situations, you can expect this lightweight vacuum to be nimble and flexible when reaching under furniture. In our lab’s living room obstacle course, the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum was easy to slip under a coffee table and couch. A unique pivot point gives it better reach than most other stick vacuums (and also means it folds in half for compact storage). It would be great if it was also self-standing, but that is one feature that is missing from the design. Even still, it’s hard to beat the capable and convenient performance of this option. While it doesn't operate solo, our product tester says, “It basically vacuums for you, so you put in very little effort.” Plus, with an impressive battery life of 60 minutes, this stick vacuum cleaner isn’t likely to quit before you do.

Best Budget: NEQUARE S180 Corded Lightweight Vacuum with Self-Standing

4.5

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Our Ratings

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

The NEQUARE S180 is one of the lightest vacuums we tested in our lab, weighing just 2.42 pounds. While that spec stands out, so does this model’s affordable price point and effectiveness. It impressed us with its ability to suck up debris on hard floors and carpeting, but it should be noted that more elbow grease was required as the pile height increased. However, this vacuum earned 4 stars for maneuverability from our testers and proved to be very flexible in reaching areas underneath furniture. 

When using the NEQUARE S180, we found it was easily operable with one hand on bare floors. The movement was very fluid, and the vacuum responded well to slight adjustments from the wrist. That being said, Dr. Karen Jacobs, an occupational therapist and a professor at Boston University, suggests alternating hands to avoid muscle strain. “Vacuuming is usually one-handed," says Jacobs. "One thing you can do is use your dominant hand for a while and then switch. The hand you are not using put it on your thigh, and it will sometimes take some pressure off your back.”

The NEQUARE S180 has one more surprise that makes it a great pick for a budget-friendly and light vacuum: adjustable height. The body of the vacuum telescopes from 32 to 41 inches to accommodate user height—a feature to look for, according to Dr. Jacobs. You can also detach the floor head of the vacuum and use it in a handheld configuration, although we found the cord limited the usefulness of this feature.

Best Upright : Dyson Ball Multi Floor 2 Upright Vacuum Cleaner

4.2

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Upright vacuums are usually heavier than stick vacuums, but the innovative design of the Dyson Ball Multi-Floor 2 uses a pivoting ball to offset the weight of the vacuum and improve maneuverability. Not to mention, its cleaning ability is impressive, resulting in a 5-star rating from our product tester who used it on multiple floor surfaces in their home and to collect cat hair from a high-pile rug. 

The incredible maneuverability is one reason to choose this vacuum if you’re looking for an ergonomic option. Our product tester found the motion of the ball was easy to adapt to since “it makes turning objectively easier (and subjectively more fun).” Versatile and powerful, this vacuum also has a self-adjusting floor head, saving you the trouble of making any adjustments as you transition from hardwood or tile floors to carpeting. 

Now, the vacuum is noisier than some other options. Our tester said it's similar to a rumbly box fan when the motorized brush bar is engaged. However, it’s worth pointing out that the entire vacuum is sealed and offers HEPA-level filtration, making it a good choice for people with allergies.

Best Stick: Eureka NES510 Flash Lightweight Stick Vacuum Cleaner

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Setup
  4.5/5
• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  3.5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5

The Eureka Flash is a great example of how versatile a lightweight stick vacuum can be. In our testing, this 7-pound vacuum excelled on bare floors and carpeted surfaces, earning 4.5 stars for overall effectiveness. Fingertip brush roll controls and a motorized floor nozzle up the cleaning power as you transition from one type of flooring to another, improving the vacuum’s handling and performance. Our testing team loved how this product picked up debris like cereal and hair, especially on hardwood floors and low-pile carpet. For plusher surfaces, like medium and high-pile rugs, you may need to engage the higher suction settings. But, in general, it zips along floors with ease—“it almost pulls itself,” noted one product tester. 

Designed to be agile, the Eureka Flash has the flexibility to become nearly flat, so you can reach underneath your sofa or coffee table. It handled well in our living room obstacle course, except for the fact that it needs a helping hand when transitioning from bare floors to an area rug. We docked it for this shortcoming, combined with the fact that the cord becomes a little tiresome to hold during an extended cleaning session. Still, it has a generous 30-foot cord that provides plenty of reach. However, we wish it was retractable for easier cord management and storage. 

Like most stick vacuums, this lightweight version can also convert into a portable, handheld vacuum for cleaning furniture, stairs, or other above-floor areas. The trade-off for this functionality is a dust bin that requires several steps to empty since you essentially have to remove the handheld vacuum where the dust bin is housed. We wish it was more of a one-step process, but at least the 1.05-quart bin is larger than some other stick vacuums on the market.

Best Handheld: eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 Venture

4.3

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  5/5

If you’re looking to size down your vacuum cleaner when handling small tasks, the eufy H30 Venture is an ideal option. This handheld vacuum weighs less than 2 pounds but packs a serious punch. It’s equipped with two power modes: a battery-saving eco option and an extra-strength max mode for clearing stubborn messes. The battery keeps the profile of this vacuum slim while providing up to 20 minutes of runtime. A full recharge takes three to four hours, but the included stand doubles as a charging station and keeps battery levels topped off and ready to go.

In our testing, the eufy H30 Venture excelled on both hard and soft surfaces, earning a flawless 5-star rating for effectiveness. Large debris (like cereal) easily passes into the dust bin, whether you’re using the nozzle or one of the two included attachments. For fine debris (like hair), this vac provides enough suction to capture it effectively, even from soft surfaces. Keep in mind that all this suction power comes at a cost. Our tester’s only complaint about this vacuum is its noise level. On max mode, it was impossible to talk over. 

However, the 0.26-quart dust bin is sized right for the design of the vacuum and is easy to empty. It may not be as large as the dust bin of a stick vacuum, but it had more than enough capacity during testing. All in all, everything feels intuitive about using the eufy H30 Venture, and in real-world testing, our tester consistently reached for it over a full-size, upright vacuum whenever possible. You can also purchase an extension kit to use with the H30 Venture, making it a stick vacuum. 

Best Canister: Bissell Bagless Hard Floor Expert Deluxe Canister Vacuum

5

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Our Ratings

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

Canister vacuums offer another option for a lightweight vacuum, with the added bonus that you don’t have to carry or continuously push the vacuum as you work. Instead, an option like the 9-pound Bissell Hard Floor Expert Canister Vacuum rolls along on sturdy, non-marking rubber wheels while channeling suction through a highly maneuverable wand and floor head attachment. Our product tester was totally impressed by this lightweight canister vacuum’s suction power, noting that it handled hair, dirt, and dust. 

Despite the name, this canister vacuum is well-equipped for use on all types of floors. It includes both a hard floor cleaning tool and carpet cleaning tool, and the wand puts suction settings within easy reach for a quick adjustment. Another feature that makes this lightweight vac more ergonomically-friendly is its telescoping wand, which can be adjusted to meet the height of various users. It’s also surprisingly quiet, a feature that our product tester was quick to point out. 

Best for Carpet: Shark HV301 Rocket Ultra-Light Corded Stick Vacuum

4.4

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Noise Level
  3/5
• Ease of Setup
  5/5

Even lightweight vacuums can become hard to maneuver when vacuuming carpet, turning your cleaning session into a struggle of push-and-pull against the fibers. So, if you have a lot of carpeting or rugs in your home, choose a vacuum that offers the right suction and settings for effective and easy cleaning. In our testing, the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light Corded Stick Vacuum was a top contender, clearing debris from low, medium, and high-pile carpeting in five or fewer passes. Our product tester said there is slightly more effort required on plush carpeting but also added that the wheels allow the vacuum to easily glide, and it still moves “seamlessly.”

This corded stick vacuum weighs about 8 pounds. The handle height is taller than expected, which was the biggest surprise to our testing team when assembling the vacuum. However, it didn’t hold our product tester back from being able to easily navigate the vacuum under and around furniture, earning it 4 stars for this attribute. “It moves with me,” said our product tester. Surprisingly, this vacuum was harder to use effectively on hardwood surfaces, despite the fingertip controls that allow you to toggle between floor settings. Even still, it was able to pick up all debris once we kicked into a higher suction setting. With no battery life to worry about, you can use increased suction power as needed without draining your power supply. For above-floor cleaning tasks, you can use the handheld portion of the vacuum, but you’ll still have to keep within 25 feet of an outlet based on the vacuum’s cord length.