The 7 Best Handheld Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

If you need something simple for quick cleanups, this affordable cordless handheld vacuum will get the job done. One thing to note when it comes to handheld vacuums is that they’re often best for tackling spills and spot cleaning, and not necessarily for removing irritants or allergens from your home. If that’s a priority for you, you may want to consider another type of vacuum better-suited for allergies.

We’ve tested over 130 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best portable vacuums with a handheld design to buy. These picks are selected based on their performance on different surfaces and their feature set, battery life, and price. For more options, see our lists of the best lightweight vacuums, the best vacuums for stairs, the best car vacuums, the best Dyson vacuums, and the best cordless vacuums. When you need to clean a small mess quickly, the Bissell AeroSlim Cordless Handheld Vacuum comes in, well, handy. The cordless vacuum, which weighs under 2 pounds, is one of the most lightweight and portable options on this list.

It also features an extra-large dirt cup to hold up to 17 ounces of liquid and dry debris. This one doesn’t come with a charging dock and simply plugs in to a charging cable. To determine the best cordless options out there, we analyzed top-rated devices and narrowed down the field by considering factors like suction power, ease of use and value. (And if you’re unsure of how to pick the one that makes the most sense bissell vacuum cleaner for you, we’ve attached a handy buying guide below.) To clean up futures messes in a pinch, these are the best handheld vacuums on the market right now. We like the easy-grip handle, the washable filter and the extra-large twist-off dust cup, which is a cinch to empty. Register your hand vac within 90 days of purchase for a lifetime service agreement that covers free service and replacement parts for life.

There’s also a storage stand for you to put it on when it’s not in use. Additionally, the vacuum comes with a helpful two-in-one crevice tool and dusting brush to get those hard-to-reach places. Not everyone wants a cordless handheld vacuum—if you’re not diligent about keeping it charged, you’ll inevitably find its battery dead just when you need to clean up an unexpected mess.

bissell handheld vacuum

However, can the popular pet hair remover really handle the tough task of removing embedded pet hair from upholstery? Is it up to the challenge of picking up strewn litter—without making even more of a mess? We wanted to see if it was as good as it claims, so we put it to the test over the course of a few weeks in a multi-pet home, where there were no shortage of messes.

It eliminated the hair from all of Big Red’s favorite hangout spots—the couch, my faux suede bar stools and the velvet chair in my office. I also tested it on the carpet near my bedroom window, where Red suns himself every day, and it dislodged all the hair stuck in the fibers there. It even pulled out the pesky feathers that were half-sticking out of my down pillows. It’s a wide, thick attachment, though, so I needed to switch when it came to tighter areas. If you don’t mind dancing around a cord, a plug-in option—which typically has more suction power—may be a good fit. On the other hand, if you don’t want to be bothered with the extra step of plugging in your device, cordless is the way to go.

The Hoover OnePwr works on hard and upholstered surfaces to powerfully suck up debris with ease. It’s cordless, allowing you to instantly get to work without searching for the nearest outlet, and it has an on-board crevice tool so you can get into nooks bissell handheld vacuum and crannies. The device weighs just 3 pounds so you won’t get a sore wrist while you work. Below our picks, you can find information on how we test, what to keep in mind when you’re shopping for a new vacuum and more information on handheld vacuums.