The best cordless vacuum cleaners
No cable, no bag and no dragging a cylinder upstairs: the cordless vacuums worth buying, from quick daily tidy-ups to whole-house cleans on one charge.
A cordless stick vacuum hangs on the wall charging and comes off for crumbs under the table, a quick whizz round before visitors or the stairs, then turns into a handheld for the sofa and the car. In plenty of homes it's now the only vacuum.
Run times are quoted on the lowest power setting, so expect less on thick carpet at full power. If anyone in the house has long hair, or there's a dog, an anti-tangle brush saves cutting hair off the roller with scissors.
What matters
- Run time, remembering it's quoted on the lowest setting.
- An anti-tangle brush for long hair and pets.
- Bin size: bigger means fewer trips to the bin.
- Floor sensing, which turns the power up on carpet by itself.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Shark PowerPro Cordless Stick Vacuum (IZ381UK)
£269.99 RRP
FloorDetect senses carpet or hard floor and adjusts the cleaning by itself, the brush roll is built not to wrap hair, and the wand bends so you can reach under the sofa without kneeling. Up to 50 minutes on a charge.
What owners say: Owners say it cleans brilliantly on carpets and hard floors, does the whole house on one charge and is light enough for older family members to use.
A closer look: Flexology also folds it for storage, so it fits a narrow cupboard. Register it with Shark to get the five-year guarantee.
- FloorDetect
- Anti-hair-wrap brush roll
- Bends under furniture (Flexology)
- Up to 50 minutes
- 5-year guarantee when registered
Best for: Mixed floors and long hair
- Run time
- Up to 50 min
- Bin
- 0.7 litres
- Anti-tangle brush
- Anti hair wrap
- Senses the floor
- FloorDetect
- Tools
- Crevice, upholstery
#2 of 5
Longest run time
SMOTURE VAC01 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (55kPa)
£100–£150 Price range
Up to 70 minutes in eco mode, and the battery comes out, so a spare (sold separately) doubles that for a big house. Auto mode turns the 55kPa suction up on carpet and down on hard floors, all run from an LED touchscreen.
What owners say: Owners say it's powerful on carpets and hard floors, light and easy to steer, and lasts long enough to do a four-bedroom house on one charge.
A closer look: The bed brush and flexible hose make light work of mattresses, stairs and the car. The filter is washable, so rinse it and let it dry fully rather than buying replacements.
- Up to 70 minutes (eco)
- Auto floor-sensing mode
- Removable battery
- Bed brush and 1m flexible hose
- LED touchscreen
Best for: Big houses on one charge
- Run time
- Up to 70 min (eco)
- Bin
- 1.6 litres
- Anti-tangle brush
- No
- Senses the floor
- Auto mode
- Tools
- Bed brush, hose, 2-in-1, crevice
#3 of 5
Best premium
Dyson V8 Advanced Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
£329.99 RRP
The V8 first came out in 2016, and the Advanced is Dyson's refresh of it: 10% more suction than the original, a Motorbar head that de-tangles hair from the brush as it goes, and up to 40 minutes of fade-free power. It's light to carry up the stairs and charges on its wall dock.
What owners say: Owners say it's excellent on carpet, laminate and tiles alike, light and easy on the stairs, with strong suction and two handy power settings.
Heads up: Use Eco for everyday cleaning, as Dyson suggests, and save MAX for stubborn spots: the charge goes further and the battery lasts longer.
A closer look: Fix the wall dock near a socket in the hall and it's always charged and ready to grab. The crevice tool reaches down the sides of sofa cushions and car seats.
- 130 air watts of suction
- De-tangling Motorbar head
- Up to 40 minutes, fade-free
- Eco and MAX modes
- Wall dock and charger
Best for: A trusted big name
- Run time
- Up to 40 min
- Bin
- 0.54 litres
- Anti-tangle brush
- De-tangling Motorbar
- Senses the floor
- No
- Tools
- Combination, crevice
#4 of 5
Best budget
VACTechPro P02 Cordless Stick Vacuum (35kPa)
£75–£100 Price range
Light and slim, with a battery that clips out to charge and gives up to 45 minutes on eco (18 on max), a green light on the head that shows up dust on hard floors, and a V-shaped brush designed to shrug off hair.
What owners say: Owners say it's light and powerful for the money, handy for everyday cleaning and as thorough as a corded vacuum.
A closer look: The telescopic tube stretches to cobwebs in ceiling corners and dust on fans, and it turns into a handheld for the stairs and the car. Charge the battery on or off the vacuum, whichever is handier.
- Up to 45 minutes (eco)
- Green dust-revealing light
- V-shaped anti-tangle brush
- Removable battery
- Telescopic tube
Best for: Everyday cleaning on a budget
- Run time
- Up to 45 min (eco)
- Bin
- –
- Anti-tangle brush
- V-shaped brush
- Senses the floor
- No
- Tools
- Crevice, combi nozzle
#5 of 5
Best for small homes
Amazon Basics 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (0.7L)
£50–£75 Price range
A simple, light 2-in-1 that clicks between a stick and a handheld, made for a flat or a bedroom rather than a whole house: 15 minutes on normal power, or up to 40 on slow.
What owners say: Owners find it good on carpets, laminate and vinyl, light and simple to put together, and good value for a small home.
Heads up: Clean or change the filter in the dust cap every two months, as Amazon advises, to keep the suction and battery life up.
A closer look: It's a handy second vacuum for upstairs or the car, or the main one in a studio flat. The slide-and-switch plug takes UK or EU pins, so it can travel too.
- Stick and handheld in one
- 15 minutes (up to 40 on slow)
- 0.7 litre bin
- Motorised brush head
- UK and EU plugs
Best for: Flats and quick tidy-ups
- Run time
- 15 min (40 on slow)
- Bin
- 0.7 litres
- Anti-tangle brush
- No
- Senses the floor
- No
- Tools
- Brush, nozzles
How they compare
| Feature | #1Shark PowerPro | #2SMOTURE VAC01 | #3Dyson V8 Advanced | #4VACTechPro P02 | #5Amazon Basics 2-in-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Longest run time | Best premium | Best budget | Best for small homes | |
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 7.9 |
| Price | £269.99 RRP | £100–£150 Price range | £329.99 RRP | £75–£100 Price range | £50–£75 Price range |
| Run time | Up to 50 min | Up to 70 min (eco) | Up to 40 min | Up to 45 min (eco) | 15 min (40 on slow) |
| Bin | 0.7 litres | 1.6 litres | 0.54 litres | – | 0.7 litres |
| Anti-tangle brush | Anti hair wrap | No | De-tangling Motorbar | V-shaped brush | No |
| Senses the floor | FloorDetect | Auto mode | No | No | No |
| Tools | Crevice, upholstery | Bed brush, hose, 2-in-1, crevice | Combination, crevice | Crevice, combi nozzle | Brush, nozzles |
| Best for | Mixed floors and long hair | Big houses on one charge | A trusted big name | Everyday cleaning on a budget | Flats and quick tidy-ups |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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