The best car vacuums
Crumbs, sand and dog hair: the handheld vacuums that get a car properly clean.
A car vacuum is a present for anyone proud of their car, or anyone whose car is full of kids, dogs and beach sand. The good ones reach into footwells and down the sides of seats without dragging a household hoover out to the drive.
Cordless ones are handiest but run for 10–30 minutes. A 12V plug-in never runs flat but trails a cable. For dog hair, a motorised brush makes the biggest difference.
What matters
- Cordless for ease, 12V plug-in for unlimited time.
- Run time: 15 minutes or more does a whole car.
- A crevice tool for seat edges and footwells.
- A motorised brush for pet hair.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ Cordless Handheld Vacuum (CH950UKT)
£79.99 RRP
A motorised pet tool that lifts dog hair out of car seats and boot carpets, with proper Shark suction and a one-touch empty. The best choice for anyone who takes a dog in the car.
What owners say: Owners find it great for pet hair and dust, with incredible suction for its weight, and handy in cars and motorhomes.
Heads up: Ten minutes of run time is enough for a car or a sofa, not both, so charge it between big jobs.
A closer look: Run the pet tool against the grain of the seat fabric to lift embedded hair. Rinse the filter under the tap every few weeks and let it dry fully, and suction stays strong.
- Motorised pet tool, crevice tool and dusting brush
- Up to 10 minutes per charge
- One-touch empty dust cup
- Washable filter
- 2-year guarantee when registered
Best for: Dog owners
- Power
- Cordless
- Run time
- Up to 10 min
- Bin
- 0.45 litres
- Weight
- 1.3kg
#2 of 5
Best value
Portutif Cordless Handheld Car Vacuum (8kPa)
£20–£30 Price range
Light, quiet and good for half an hour, with a 400ml bin: enough to do the whole car, crumbs, sand and all, in one go.
What owners say: Owners find it powerful and light, good at picking up dust and dirt on stairs and in cars, and well worth the price.
A closer look: Empty the dust cup after every car clean: sand and grit fill it fast and cut the suction. It takes three to four hours to charge, so plug it in the night before.
- 8kPa suction
- Up to 30 minutes per charge
- 400ml dust cup
- HEPA filter
- Crevice tool and dusting brush
Best for: The whole car in one go
- Power
- Cordless
- Run time
- Up to 30 min
- Bin
- 0.4 litres
- Weight
- About 870g
#3 of 5
Best plug-in
BLACK+DECKER 12V Car Vacuum (PD1200AV)
£30–£50 Price range
Plugs into the car's 12V socket, so it never runs flat, and a 5m cable with a flexible hose reaches right into the boot and footwells.
What owners say: Owners find it effective for car cleaning, handling dirt and small stones, and love the long cable that reaches everywhere.
A closer look: Many cars only power the 12V socket with the ignition on, so turn the key before starting. It lives in the boot, always ready.
- Powered by the car's 12V socket
- 5m cable, flexible hose
- 560ml bin
- Crevice tool
- Cyclonic action
Best for: Never needing a charge
- Power
- Car 12V socket
- Run time
- Unlimited (plugged in)
- Bin
- 0.56 litres
- Weight
- 1.5kg
#4 of 5
Most powerful
Lyiazsoy Cordless Car Vacuum (27000Pa, 3 speeds)
£30–£50 Price range
A brushless motor with three suction levels, from a gentle 30-minute clean to a 15-minute blast at full power, and it blows and inflates too: handy for air beds on camping trips.
What owners say: Owners find it performs well and is compact, about the size of a hairdryer, and good at dust, crumbs and pet hair in cars.
A closer look: Use the lowest setting for the seats and save full power for footwell grit, and the battery lasts a whole clean. The blower clears crumbs out of air vents and keyboards.
- Up to 27,000Pa suction
- 3 speeds, 15–35 minutes
- Vacuums, blows and inflates
- Battery and speed display
- 907g
Best for: Power and camping trips
- Power
- Cordless
- Run time
- 15–35 min (by speed)
- Bin
- 0.4 litres
- Weight
- 907g
#5 of 5
Best budget
Vax Gator 10.8V Cordless Handheld Vacuum
£39.99 RRP
The 'gator mouth' opens wide for a mess-free empty, and the crevice tool is built in, so there's nothing to lose in the car.
What owners say: Owners find it a fantastic little vacuum that works well in cars and is easy to take apart for cleaning.
A closer look: The small 0.3 litre bin fills quickly in a sandy car, so empty it halfway round. Stand it on its charger in the utility room and it's also the one for kitchen crumbs.
- Up to 15 minutes per charge
- Built-in crevice tool
- Gator-mouth mess-free emptying
- 1.3kg
- 1-year guarantee when registered
Best for: Quick tidy-ups
- Power
- Cordless
- Run time
- Up to 15 min
- Bin
- 0.3 litres
- Weight
- 1.3kg
How they compare
| Feature | #1Shark CH950UKT | #2Portutif | #3BLACK+DECKER 12V | #4Lyiazsoy 27000Pa | #5Vax Gator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best value | Best plug-in | Most powerful | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Price | £79.99 RRP | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £39.99 RRP |
| Power | Cordless | Cordless | Car 12V socket | Cordless | Cordless |
| Run time | Up to 10 min | Up to 30 min | Unlimited (plugged in) | 15–35 min (by speed) | Up to 15 min |
| Bin | 0.45 litres | 0.4 litres | 0.56 litres | 0.4 litres | 0.3 litres |
| Weight | 1.3kg | About 870g | 1.5kg | 907g | 1.3kg |
| Best for | Dog owners | The whole car in one go | Never needing a charge | Power and camping trips | Quick tidy-ups |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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