I placed my sound meter approximately 12 inches away from the unit while it was running, and it registered 95 decibels. So, you may not want to do any cleaning when people are sleeping in the next room. Bissell recently sent me its Lightweight Cordless Hand Vacuum and Car Vacuum (model 1985) for free to test.
Wirecutter software engineer Jasmine Khoury, who owns this vacuum, complained that the extension crevice tool doesn’t stay put, retracting with pressure, but we haven’t encountered this problem during testing. A Black+Decker spokesperson told us via email that this model fully charges in four hours, but in our testing it took less than three hours. It comes with a two-year warranty, which exceeds the coverage of many other handheld vacuum cleaners.
It had no problem picking up stray debris from my hardwood floors in high-traffic spots like the litter box and food/water bowl areas. The suction wasn’t quite strong enough to get all the litter out of the mat I keep outside the litter box, but it did a respectable job sucking up the litter that wasn’t trapped in the deeper layers. A small dust bin (one that can only hold a handful of ounces) should be just bissell handheld vacuum fine. But if you know you’ll use your vacuum on bigger messes, you’ll probably want a larger dust bin—one that can hold around 15 ounces—so you won’t have to empty it as often. We were also disappointed at how pet hair gets stuck on the bottom of the pet tool and doesn’t get sucked up. From brands like Bissell, Dyson, and Shark, these are some of the best—and worst—cordless handheld vacs you can buy today.
It measures just under 16 inches long and rests and an angle on a charging station when not in use. You’ll find yourself reaching for this constantly because our testing confirmed that crumbs, hair, dust, and other small messes are no match. It even suctioned up the raisins in its path, a task that proved tricky for some of the other machines. We also appreciated the roomy dustbin, which was emptied just three times during our testing. There’s also an ejection mechanism, so you don’t have to touch anything to clear out the bin. Even with the spacious compartment, the entire vacuum weighs just a hair over two pounds, so it’s sleek and easy to maneuver, too.
Several handheld vacuums also come with warranties, which helps extend the lifespan of your purchase. And rather than replacing an entire machine, you also have the option to replace things like bissell vacuum cleaner blocked filters, jammed brush rolls, frayed hoses and broken accessories yourself. On an average, a well maintained handheld vacuum from a quality brand should last you a minimum of 6 years.
Here’s what we—plus our cat and puppy sidekicks—thought of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Vacuum. Its filter is washable and reviewers were impressed with its suction, especially given its small size, but many noted that with a three-and-a-half-hour charge time, they wished it could run for longer than just 12 minutes. You likely won’t be able to clean very much on one charge given its short runtime and very small dust cup, but it can be charged on the go from your laptop or in your car thanks to its USB charger. When you’re cleaning your car, you don’t want the vacuum to die on you. So, to test out the battery life of the Bissell 1985 Vacuum, I cleaned my Prius and a friend’s minivan.
You can find powerful cordless models with a runtime of as much as half hour. Just be sure to look at the specs, though, as some cordless models only last a few minutes on a single charge. Just like regular-sized machines, today’s handheld versions come in a range of styles and offer a variety of features.