Updated on Apr. 21, 2024
Trying to rid a closet corner of ever-present dust or remove pet hair from the crevices of your couch? Here are the best handheld vacuums for you.
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Perhaps you already have one of the best vacuum cleaners money can buy, yet you still find yourself struggling to rid your home of dust, dirt and other debris. A handheld vacuum might be your solution. The best handheld vacuums are tough against pet hair, dander, crumbs and all other sorts of nasties that tend to pile up in corners, in the backs of closets, in the crevices between cushions and under furniture.
Additionally, handheld vacuums are a fantastic cleaning tool for those living in small spaces, such as studio apartments, since they don’t require much room for storage. Ahead, we cover our top picks for the five best handheld vacuums.
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Can you go wrong with Black+Decker? We don’t think so. That’s why we recommend the Black+Decker Max Pivot as the best handheld vacuum cleaner overall. It’s a fantastic value, retailing at less than $100 yet includes top-tier features and attachments for the ultimate clean.
This handheld vacuum has a pivoting nozzle, flip-up brush, extendable crevice tool, three-stage filtration and a washable dust bowl that can hold 15 ounces of debris. The Pivot also comes with a stand-up charging dock for simple storage. Finally, the 20-volt battery and 200-degree pivot potential make cleaning any mess easier than ever.
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At Family Handyman, we know how easily pet hair (and other pet messes, like litter) can accumulate. With the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser—which is specifically designed to pull fur out of fabric and out of small crevices—pet cleanup is a breeze.
The small, lightweight Bissell Pet Hair Eraser features triple-level filtration and powerful suction. Common hair-covered surfaces like couch cushions, couch crevices and carpet are no match for the included head attachments. We also love the large dust bin, which is almost 1 liter in size. Plus, each purchase contributes to the Bissell Pet Foundation, so what’s not to love?
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This Black+Decker Dustbuster will clean most messes with ease, and tackle tougher messes with success, too. We wouldn’t recommend this hand vac for heavy-duty tasks like removing pet hair or frequent car cleaning, but it works wonders on typical daily messes, like crumbs or tracked-in dirt.
The Dustbuster is lightweight and cordless, so you can use it anywhere in your home. It recharges quickly, and the charging station doubles as a docking station, so storage is included, too. This vacuum comes with a crevice tool and a brush, and the dust bowl is bagless for easy disposal.
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No matter what kind of car you have, with all their nooks and crannies, they’re dang hard to clean. This is even truer if you have cloth seats and even more so if you have pets. But don’t fret: the ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner is here to save the day—and save your car from being a gritty mess.
This cordless vacuum is specifically designed to deep clean cars—it has “car” in the name, after all—and its features prove this. It boasts a lengthy 16-foot extension cord, an included travel case, a washable filter, strong suction, and multiple attachments for those hard-to-reach spots.
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In case you’re in the market for a regular vacuum, check out the Dyson V8 Absolute Vacuum. It’s certainly not a budget pick, but it is a 2-in-1 vacuum, and it has some fantastic specs that make it worth it.
The Dyson Absolute comes with eight use-specific tools, including the Fluffy™ cleaner head, hair screw tool, motorbar cleaner head, crevice tool, up-top adapter, mattress tool and stubborn dirt brush. The handheld part easily detaches and allows you to reach virtually any space during your cleaning spree. It also has a handy docking station and is quite slender, so there is no need to worry about storage space.
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When buying a handheld vacuum, make sure to research specs like battery type (rechargeable or disposable), run time, cord vs cordless, suction power, interchangeable head attachments, dust bin size, dust bin type, filter needs, and size and weight.
