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Buying guide

The Best Handheld Vacuums

We compared eight handheld vacuums on owner ratings, expert reviews, and specs. The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0CBSV2TNM) is our top pick for its powerful suction and lightweight design.

Updated

The bottom line

The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0CBSV2TNM) is our top pick for its powerful suction, lightweight design, and ease of use. It scored 8.4/10 from 24040 owner ratings and is priced at $52.95. The closest alternative is the Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum (B09ZQ55M72), which offers similar performance but is slightly heavier and more expensive at $95. The budget pick is the BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (B07KG2X2GZ), which scored 8.6/10 from 48682 owner ratings and is priced at $24.99. However, it has shorter battery life and less powerful suction compared to the top pick.

Top pick
Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand VacShark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac $52.95

Best overall handheld vacuum

The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0CBSV2TNM) is our top pick for its powerful suction, lightweight design, and ease of use. It scored 8.4/10 from 24040 owner ratings and is priced at $52.95. The tradeoff is its slightly higher price compared to the budget pick.

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Runner-up
Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand VacuumShark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum $95.00

Strong performance, slightly heavier

The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum (B09ZQ55M72) offers similar performance to the top pick but is slightly heavier and more expensive at $95. It scored 8.2/10 from 21266 owner ratings. Those looking for a slightly more powerful option may prefer this model.

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Budget pick
BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld VacuumBLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum $24.99

Affordable and effective

The BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (B07KG2X2GZ) is our budget pick for its affordability and effectiveness. It scored 8.6/10 from 48682 owner ratings and is priced at $24.99. However, it has shorter battery life and less powerful suction compared to the top pick.

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The field, ranked

  1. Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac Best overall handheld vacuum 9.0/10 $52.95 Amazon
  2. Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum Strong performance, slightly heavier 8.0/10 $95.00 Amazon
  3. BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum Affordable and effective 7.0/10 $24.99 Amazon
  4. Shark Cyclone PET Handheld Vacuum Good for pet hair, short battery life 6.0/10 $61.71 Amazon
  5. Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus Cordless Handheld Vacuum Powerful suction, but noisy 6.0/10 $74.69 Amazon
  6. Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus Effective for pet hair, but noisy 6.0/10 $69.99 Amazon
  7. Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean Good for multi-surface cleaning, but noisy 5.0/10 $42.45 Amazon
  8. Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac Lightweight and powerful, but expensive 4.0/10 $79.98 Amazon

Where the differences show up in daily use

Owners of the Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0CBSV2TNM) report that it is easy to use and maintain, with powerful suction that makes quick work of messes. However, some users find it noisy, which may be a concern for those with pets or young children. The BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (B07KG2X2GZ) is more affordable but has shorter battery life and less powerful suction compared to the top pick. Owners of the Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum (B09ZQ55M72) report similar performance to the top pick but note that it is slightly heavier and more expensive.

Who should buy which

The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0CBSV2TNM) is best for those who prioritize powerful suction, lightweight design, and ease of use. The BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (B07KG2X2GZ) is a good choice for those on a budget who still want an effective handheld vacuum. The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum (B09ZQ55M72) is a good option for those who want a slightly more powerful vacuum but are willing to pay a higher price.

What owners complain about after buying

Owners of the Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0CBSV2TNM) report that it is noisy, which may be a concern for those with pets or young children. Some users also find the button placement annoying. Owners of the BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (B07KG2X2GZ) report that it has shorter battery life and less powerful suction compared to more expensive models. Owners of the Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vacuum (B09ZQ55M72) report similar performance to the top pick but note that it is slightly heavier and more expensive.

The also-rans

The Shark Cyclone PET Handheld Vacuum (B0C7YS4MW4) and the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus Cordless Handheld Vacuum (B0GV1LH78Y) both have powerful suction but are noisy and have shorter battery life compared to the top pick. The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus (B08559H8W2) is effective for pet hair but is noisy and has initial power issues reported by some users. The Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean (B006LXOJC0) is good for multi-surface cleaning but is noisy. The Shark WANDVAC Cordless Hand Vac (B0923841BK) is lightweight and powerful but is the most expensive option in this set.

How this was put together

This guide is based on owner ratings, expert reviews, and specs for eight handheld vacuums. We compared suction power, weight, battery life, and noise level to determine the best overall handheld vacuum. We did not test any products hands-on and relied solely on the evidence provided in the dossiers. The evidence runs thin on the Shark Cyclone PET Handheld Vacuum (B0C7YS4MW4) and the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus (B08559H8W2), which have fewer owner ratings and expert reviews compared to the other products in this set.