The 10 Best Lightweight Vacuums of 2022, Tested by Us

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: Kenmore DS4095 Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum with EasyReach Wand

4.3

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Our Ratings

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

Aside from the Kenmore DS4095 Elite's affordable price tag, our tester was shocked by its quiet operation and easy-to-use design. She could easily have a conversation with other people in The Lab from 10 feet away, without having to raise her voice. Although the vacuum struggled to pick up hair on upholstery, it easily picked up large and small debris off of carpet and hard flooring without spitting it everywhere, unlike some of the other models tested. Our tester did notice that this vacuum has a tendency to pull hair and debris behind it and along its sides. However, they said you shouldn't have any issues, as long as you've centered the vacuum on the mess prior to cleaning it.

Aside from its powerful suction, this vacuum has an EasyReach wand that can bend to clean under furniture, and also a lightweight swivel head for navigating turns. "The Kenmore was lightweight and even though it was top-heavy, the weight distribution still allowed me to vacuum continuously without arm fatigue," said our in-lab tester. They also noted that assembly instructions were thorough, but the process of ensuring all of the parts were in place was challenging because it needed to be upright the entire time. We recommend having another person nearby to help with the assembly process. All in all, our tester said they were shocked at this vacuum's affordable price tag given its strong performance, and they were even considering purchasing one for themselves.

Best Compact: 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
• 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 size 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 major surprise that makes it a great compact pick and light vacuum: adjustable height. The body of the vacuum adjusts to accommodate user height—a feature to look for, according to Dr. Jacobs. "Everyone's arm length or height is different, so if there are multiple people in a home using a vacuum, make sure that it will fit them all," says Dr. Jacobs. "A multiple height adjustment feature may be important. The lightest vacuum may not be not the right one for them." 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 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 Stick: TINECO PURE ONE S15 PRO Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  3.9/5

Similar to the TINECO PURE ONE S15 PET, one of our most popular recommendations for pet hair, the S15 PRO offers all the bells and whistles of most TINECO models, but it has an additional mini motor brush head, which is especially helpful for upholstery. While it has several suction modes, our tester enjoyed using it in auto mode, which adjusts the vacuum's suction power based on the amount and size of debris, as well as the surface type. The LED lights on the brush head also allow you to see every last bit of dirt and mess that needs to be cleaned.

The motor head is also designed with TINECO's signature ZeroWrap Technology, which prevents hair from becoming tangled and clogging the brushes. Our tester noted that they appreciated the lever on the dust bin, which makes it easy to scrape dirt off the sides of the container, but they still had to reach in to remove some hair. This vacuum also comes with a charging dock that houses all of the attachments, so you don't have to worry about losing pieces or keeping everything organized.

Although this model is certainly more expensive than its PET counterpart, we found the addition of the mini motor brush head to be a great cleaning tool for upholstery and smaller jobs that can traditionally be completed by a hand vacuum. This vacuum's ability to transition from carpet to hard flooring and its quiet operation also set it apart from other stick models.

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
• 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. "Even at max suction power on hard floors, the sound wasn’t a bother. This vacuum sounds deep and consistent—like perfect white noise should," she said.

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
• 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.

Best for Hardwood: Eureka Lightweight Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

4.3

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Our Ratings

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

If you live in a home that has hard flooring, finding a vacuum with the right amount of suction can sometimes feel like a challenge. The Eureka Lightweight Cordless Vacuum clocks in at just over 7 pounds and is not only easy to maneuver, but also efficiently picks up all kinds of messes off hard flooring. Although we found its lackluster performance on carpet rather disappointing, it had no trouble picking up large and small debris during our hard flooring test. It did take several passes to pick up all the hair on the hard flooring, but the head didn't struggle nearly as much as it did on the carpet. The brush and angled nozzle attachments were also very effective at cleaning hair from upholstery.

Like other stick vacuums, this vacuum's dust bin is relatively easy to empty, and our tester only had to manually remove some hair caught at the top of the bin. Other intuitive features include: LED headlights that illuminate messes on the floor and show your cleaning path, and separate floor cleaning modes that can be adjusted via the control panel, which also displays the battery level. Our tester ran this vacuum for over 17 minutes and noticed no change in suction, which makes us confident that it could easily clean an average-sized apartment effectively during its 30-minute run time. Overall this vacuum may not have all the bells and whistles of other higher-end models, but we appreciate its straightforward design and convenient assembly process.

Best Wet-Dry: Shark VM252 VacMop Pro Cordless Wet/Dry Stick Vacuum

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

If you're looking for a thorough vac-mop option for hard floors, our testing team loved the performance and versatility of the Shark VACMOP. This wet-dry cleaning machine is designed to be used on solid flooring, such as hardwood, laminate, vinyl, or tile surfaces. It combines suction power with disposable mop pads to capture debris and leave floors gleaming. For the best results, vacuum your surface first to pick up any crumbs or dirt. Then, click the "spray" button that's conveniently located on the handle to spray solution on the sealed surface before mopping it clean.

In our tests, the Shark VACMOP was praised for its slim, cordless design and easy gliding motion. Even among a field of lightweight vac-mops, this one stood out to our tester as being noticeably light and easy to maneuver, making it a good choice if you have restricted mobility or need an ultra-light vacuum for quick cleaning sessions. The tank with cleaning solution is integrated into the body of the vacuum and the cleaning pad has a chamber for dirt collection, while a light on the floor head illuminates areas in need of attention. Our tester’s one point of criticism for the usability of the Shark VACMOP is that you have to continuously hold the power button during operation. However, it has exceptionally quiet noise levels that increase user comfort while the vacuum is on.