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The 7 Best Cordless Stick Vacuums of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Lightweight, powerful, and even fun to use

Best cordless stick vacuums displayed on carpet in front of leather couch

Henry Wortock

The best cordless stick vacuums make quick work of messes, without the extra clutter of tangled cords or bulky dust bins, hoses, and handles—which you may find on an upright vacuum. They’re especially convenient for frequent, everyday cleaning around your home, for tackling messes on stairs, and for going from room to room. This is all because they're usually lightweight, plus you're not attached to an outlet.

We've put more than 50 cordless stick vacuums through rigorous testing in The Lab and at home, paying extra attention to factors like suction power, compatibility with different surfaces (carpets, hardwood, and tile), maneuverability around obstacles like furniture, and noise level. We’ve tested models from Shark, Dyson, Kenmore, and Tineco, and found that the best cordless stick models are precise, flexible, and easy to use from start to finish. Though, many options can come with a smaller dust bin you need to empty frequently.

Rest assured: these vetted models we’ve come to know and love each offer exceptional cleaning power in their compact, lightweight, maneuverable, and storable package

Shark WS642AE Wandvac Cordless Stick Vacuum with Self-Empty Charging Base cleaning blue lint from carpet

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

What to Know Before You Get Started

It’s important to understand how cordless stick vacuums differ from other vacuum categories, before starting your shopping.

  • Cordless stick vacuums are powered by rechargeable batteries. As Emily Rairdin, vacuum expert at University Vacuum & Sewing says, that means there’s always going to be a limited amount of energy available. For that reason, skip cordless vacuums (of any kind) when deep cleaning a three-story home since most don’t have the juice. They’re ideal for light and quick cleanups, apartments, and everyday maintenance.
  • Among our favorite cordless stick vacuums, the battery life ranges from 20 minutes to 120 minutes (in the case of the Dyson Outsize+ that comes with two batteries). Most picks have a battery life in the 40-minute range. It’s key to remember that using a vacuum in its max or high mode will drain the battery faster than if you use it on its low or regular modes.

For more guidance on shopping for a cordless stick vacuum, see our What to Look for in a Cordless Stick Vacuum section below.

Editor's Note: This story was revised in February 2024 to include updated buying considerations for our seven favorite cordless stick vacuums.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Tineco Pure One S11 Vacuum

Tineco Pure One S11 Smart Stick/Handheld Vacuum

Tineco

Our Ratings
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Portability
    5/5
  • Noise Level
    4/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • LED light for added visibility

  • Easily converts to handheld vacuum

  • Comes with three attachments

What We Don't Like
  • No on-board storage for attachments

  • Hair can collect on brush roll

This Tineco model has been a standout throughout multiple rounds of testing, easily securing its spot as our best overall cordless stick vacuum. It was up to cleaning all of the messes we created in the lab, zapping up popcorn kernels, cereal, and hair in one pass, which means you don’t have to go over the same spot on the floor a dozen (or more!) times. The light on the vacuum’s head ensures that you can see your progress, too. In our experience, it handles both hard flooring and carpet well. But, even better, it seamlessly transitions between them, so you can smoothly take the vacuum from your kitchen to the dining room or bathroom, without having to pause and make adjustments. 

Speaking of adjustments, the Tineco Pure One S11 smoothly converts to a handheld vacuum for above-ground surfaces. Along with the multi-surface brush roll (that part of the vacuum that meets the floor and agitates carpet fibers to lift dust and grime), it comes with a crevice tool, 2-in-1 dusting brush, and a mini power brush, too. We came to rely on the multi-tasking power brush the most, since it did well on all surfaces we had—but really, either option will serve you well.

We also found the 40-minute battery life to be right in line with most of our favorite cordless stick vacuums (four of our seven picks have this same run time). The battery life has also held up after months of daily use; it can fully clean a two-bedroom apartment on one charge. We’ve come to appreciate the wall-mount charging station that allows you to store and charge this machine to capacity in one fell swoop, as well. As long as we put the vacuum away correctly, it’s ready to go next time we need it. 

The noise level of the Pure One S11 is impressively quiet. When the auto mode was in use (there are two modes, auto and max), a baby in the next room could easily sleep. While the canister did fill up rather quickly, it wasn’t hard to empty, either. We ran this vacuum where a long-haired cat resides, and there was some fur stuck on the brush roll, but it was easy to remove by hand. For that reason, it might be suitable for those with shedding pets and people. (Although, vacuums for pet hair exist, and we’ve tested plenty and have a recommendation on this list, the Dyson Outsize+.)

If we could change anything about the Pure One S11, we’d opt for on-vacuum storage for the bevy of included attachments. Even without this convenience (you can still stash them on the charging station), the Tineco is still our favorite. 

Weight: 5.96 pounds | Battery Life: 40 minutes | Attachments: Crevice tool, 2-in-1 dusting brush, mini power brush, full-size LED multi-task power brush

Do all cordless stick vacuums have docking stations?

Docking stations are a common two-in-one charging and storage solution for cordless stick vacuums, but there is a chance that your model of choice won't come with one. Instead, it'll either have a charging cord that connects to the handle or base, or use replaceable batteries. Models that don't come with docking stations may fold up or break down for easier storage.

Best Value

Wowgo S108 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

WOWGO Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Effectiveness
    4.9/5
  • Maneuverability
    4.6/5
  • Portability
    5/5
  • Noise Level
    4.5/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • Steady battery and suction power

  • Quiet operation

  • Dust bin comes apart for thorough cleaning

What We Don't Like
  • Swivel head felt loose

  • Some hair stuck in dust bin

  • Some spitting after months of use

Even with the lower price tag, the Wowgo Cordless Vacuum Cleaner still rivals pricier cordless stick vacuums in performance and power, picking up coffee grounds with ease, navigating stairs smoothly, and easily switching to the crevice attachment for corners and creases. We were struck by how efficiently it handles messes along the edges of surfaces, and how it takes very few passes to suction up debris for good. We didn’t notice a major difference between the two settings (high and low), and found both to be equally efficient. We also didn't have any major issues arise until about six months of use, when the vacuum began spitting out some debris due to hair tangles in the brush roll that kept debris in the floor head versus sending it up to the dust bin.

The suction power was steady throughout the duration of the battery life (40 minutes, the same as our best overall pick). It didn’t get weaker as the battery drained, which bodes well for its reliability as you take it from room to room. We've used it to do morning, mid-day, and night pick-ups around a baby’s high chair, and the vacuum (when not clogged up with hair) easily sucks up tiny shreds of butternut squash and cereal puffs in just one pass, usually going about a week without a charge.

The suction power does seem to be affected by how full the dust bin is, though, so you’ll want to stay on top of emptying it (which is fairly easy, with the exception of some hairs getting stuck and needing to be pulled out). The dust bin can be taken apart and rinsed every so often to truly clear it of dust and debris, which is sure to make this vacuum easy to maintain. 

While navigating with this vacuum through our lab, we were struck by how maneuverable it is. It’s also the lightest traditional vacuum on our list (only the Shark Vacmop, our favorite wet-dry vacuum beats it). At times, it almost felt too nimble, since the swivel head is really flexible and loose, and even harder to control than we would have preferred. This quirk is in no way a deal-breaker though, and we are otherwise pleased with the Wowgo Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for its lightweight design, good performance, and easy navigation. 

Weight: 4.62 pounds | Battery Life: 40 minutes | Attachments: Crevice nozzle, mini cleaning brush, 2-in-1 bristle brush

How do you clean a cordless stick vacuum?

The best way to clean your cordless stick vacuum is to disassemble it as much as you can and wash each piece separately. Pieces with sensitive electronic parts should be wiped down with a damp cloth or duster, but everything else can be rinsed with a cleaning solution and should be left to dry for at least 24 hours before reassembling. You may need a screwdriver to help you take apart the vacuum head so you can access and remove all the pieces inside.

Best Splurge

Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum

Amazon Dyson Gen5detect Vacuum

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Portability
    4.8/5
  • Noise Level
    5/5
  • Value
    4.5/5
What We Like
  • Fluffy optic cleaner head with laser light

  • Quiet operation

  • Super easy to move around furniture

  • Dust bin empty mechanism

What We Don't Like
  • One of our heaviest picks

The Dyson Gen5Detect cordless stick vacuum contains Dyson’s fastest motor to date, which translates to incredibly powerful suction in a sleek, technologically-advanced package. When we first powered on the Gen5Detect, we quickly noticed the low noise level of the auto and economy settings—a perk if you want to have a conversation or even listen to a podcast while you’re vacuuming, or have sound sensitivities. Boost mode, the highest and most powerful setting, is noticeably louder and higher-pitched, but does help speed the vacuuming process along. (Though, it will likely also drain your battery the fastest.)

The Gen5Detect is also powered by a button, so there's no need to consistently pull a trigger to operate it (unlike some of Dyson’s other models, including the Outsize+, our pick for the best vacuum for pet hair). The fluffy optic cleaner head shines a laser onto tiny particles you might not usually see while cleaning, which is great for ensuring you’re getting every last piece of visible dust. And for what you can’t see, a HEPA filtration system captures and traps 99.99 percent of dust particles, with the LCD screen at the top of the handle providing details as you go. This screen also offers insights into the vacuum’s run time and battery life, too. While the screen is certainly a snazzy feature, we suspect that it won’t feel necessary to every user, since it does technically offer extraneous information that other vacuums skip completely. 

Notably, navigating this vacuum is a breeze. You can adjust the head with a simple turn of your wrist, and we were able to suction up a mixture of Cheerio crumbs, orzo, coffee grounds, and wig hair from up against couch and coffee table legs in our lab with zero issues. The attachments that come with the Dyson Gen5Detect are easy to use, too. The crevice tool, for example, made quick work of the cotton ball spider webs we made on top of a bookshelf.

When we were all done, the ejection mechanism of the dust bin was a satisfying way to empty all the dirt and debris we collected (and to ensure we didn’t have to come in contact with any of it, a perk for those with allergies). The only downside? The powerful motor did start to make this machine feel heavy after a few minutes of usage for one self-described petite member of our team—not so heavy that it’s a deal-breaker, but enough to be noticeable.

Weight: 7.6 pounds | Battery Life: 70 minutes | Attachments: Hair screw tool, built-in dusting and crevice tool, combination tool, two cleaning heads

Best for Pet Hair

Dyson Outsize+

Amazon Dyson Outsize+

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Setup
    5/5
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Noise Level
    4.5/5
  • Maneuverability
    4.5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    4.9/5
What We Like
  • Suction power that “grabs” nearby debris

  • Quieter than most

  • Two included batteries

What We Don’t Like
  • Tall handle can feel overwhelming

  • Among the priciest of our picks

We’ve tested a lot of vacuums over the years, and the Dyson Outsize+’s ability to pull in dirt and dust by just getting near messes is downright astonishing. Generally, it’s not unusual for vacuums to take two or more passes over spills to collect every piece of debris, but the Outsize+ doesn’t even need to go over crumbs to lift them up. The suction is so powerful that it practically calls the debris over (like a pet owner) and scoops it right up. There’s also an anti-tangling element in the brush roll, which is great for collecting fur, fuzz, and hair of varying lengths. 

Another reason we like it for homes with pets is that, even with such a powerful motor, it’s still fairly quiet when it runs, so skittish animals aren’t as likely to be bothered. And, like the Dyson Gen5detect (our pick for best splurge), the laser light on the head illuminates the fuzz and fur in the vacuum’s path, so you can be sure you’re grabbing every last piece. One difference between the two models is that, with the Outsize+, you do need to hold down the power button while you’re vacuuming, which can be tiring. The Gen5detect, on the other hand, stays on for you.

As Rairdin notes, one limitation to cordless vacuums is the battery capacity. The Outsize+ combats that by coming with an additional battery pack which gives you twice the amount of cleaning time (120 minutes total). When one battery is depleted, you can replace it with the other and continue your cleaning session. We’ve also come to appreciate that the dust bin is large enough to hold a few days’ worth of debris without needing to be changed—another plus for pet owners scooping up a lot of hair on a daily basis.

When it comes to potential downsides, one self-identified petite member of our team called out the tall handle as cumbersome, which is something to keep in mind. But, they still raved about this vacuum’s overall performance. This pick is also tied with our best splurge pick for the highest retail price, but we don’t consider this a deal-breaker since higher price tags are the norm for Dyson vacuums, and the quality typically matches the price.

Weight: 7.98 pounds | Battery Life: 120 minutes (2 batteries included) | Attachments: Dirt brush, wand, hair screw tool, combination tool, mini soft dusting brush, and crevice tool

How powerful are cordless stick vacuums?

While most cordless stick models offer powerful suction in a relatively compact package, you shouldn't expect the average stick vacuum to perfectly match the kind of suction you'd expect from an upright vacuum. In general, cordless stick vacuums work best on low-pile rugs and hard floors. This makes cordless stick vacuums the better choice for small homes or quick, supplemental cleaning, as opposed to deep cleaning.

Best Wet-Dry

Shark Vacmop Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum

Shark VacMop Pro Cordless Hard Floor Mop

Target

Our Ratings
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Noise Level
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • Has a light on the floor head

  • Easy to change the cleaning pad

  • Glides over hard surfaces

What We Don't Like
  • Must continuously hold the power button

  • Replacement pads and solution sold separately

If your living space has solid floor surfaces, like hardwood, tile, or laminate, then we recommend the Shark VacMop Pro, one of our favorite Shark vacuums. As the name implies, it offers dual functionality and serves as both a vacuum and a mop, all in one sleek and streamlined package. We’ve owned and used the Shark Vacmop for two years and it’s still like new. While we wish that the replacement pads were easier to find and purchase (it may be best to set up a recurring Target or Amazon order to keep your cleaning closet stocked), we’ve found the wet-dry vacuum to be our favorite thing to reach for when doing everyday tidy-ups of our kitchen and entryways. We love how easily the Vacmop moves over hard floors, and how the cordless design doesn’t limit mobility. 

To use it, you’ll start with dry vacuuming first and then, using a button on the handle, you’ll spray the included cleaning solution onto parts of your flooring that need attention, and run the machine over it again. The solution and remaining residue from your floor are captured by the disposable mop pad, which you can simply toss when you’re done cleaning with help from an easy-release button on the floor head. It’s the ideal tool for delivering a one-two punch of cleaning to messy kitchen floors or busy mudroom walkways (or anyway else where messes tend to happen). 

Now, we were slightly disappointed that you have to hold the power button for the entire time it is in use. This could get tiring over time, especially if you're cleaning a larger room. The other caveat to this vac-mop, as we mentioned, is that replacement mop pads and cleaning solution are sold separately (it does come with four pads and one 12-ounce bottle of solution), so that’s an added expense to keep in mind.  

Weight: 3.34 pounds | Battery Life: 20 minutes | Attachments: None

Best Lightweight

Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum

Amazon Kenmore DS4095 Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum with EasyReach Wand

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Effectiveness
    4/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    3.5/5
  • Portability
    4.5/5
  • Noise Level
    5/5
What We Like
  • Manages large and small dirt and debris well

  • Can reach under furniture

  • Quiet operation

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn’t perform as well on upholstery

  • Takes two people to assemble

  • Battery power fades quickly

At The Spruce, we define a lightweight vacuum as weighing under 15 pounds, but under 10 pounds is preferred. At just shy of 6 pounds (roughly the same as an average honeydew melon), the Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum boasts a sleek and streamlined package with room to spare. The lightweight design is expertly engineered, and it rivals bigger, bulkier machines in performance, suctioning up pet fur and general household grime with ease (and not spitting it back onto the floor, like some other vacuums we’ve tried). 

There’s also an EasyReach wand on this vacuum that can bend and reach under tables and chairs, and a swivel head that’s great for turning corners and angling around furniture and other obstacles. This vacuum did do better on flooring than upholstery, and its lightweight design translates to efficiency with light cleaning and upkeep, as opposed to deeper cleans and tough messes. It’s also incredibly quiet, and you can easily use it without having to raise your voice mid-conversation. 

With a 40-minute battery, you should be good to go for completing most household cleaning jobs, but a heads-up that using max mode will drain the power faster (remember that this is common among battery-powered vacuums). After using it for six months, we do wish we could count on the battery a bit more, and that the power could be stronger, but we’re still pleased overall given the lightweight design. While it’s not the lowest weighing traditional (not wet-dry) vacuum on our list (that goes to our best budget pick, the Wowgo Cordless Vacuum Cleaner), we think the EasyReach wand and overall agility really make the Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum the complete package as far as lightweight vacuums go.

Weight: Under 6 pounds | Battery Life: 40 minutes | Attachments: Combination crevice and dusting tool

Best for Carpet

Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum

Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Effectiveness
    5/5
  • Maneuverability
    5/5
  • Ease of Emptying
    4.8/5
  • Portability
    4.3/5
  • Noise Level
    5/5
What We Like
  • Handles hard flooring well

  • No change in power with full dust bin

  • Handles hair well

What We Don't Like
  • Average battery life

  • Easily bumps into obstacles

We’re calling out the Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum for how quickly and cleanly it handles carpets and rugs, agitating the fibers so it efficiently pulls up dirt and grime in one swift motion. That’s not to say it’s not also impressive on hard floors—it is!—but its performance on carpet was simply next-level among the vacuums we’ve tested. It also wowed us with how well it does in corners and under stair ledges, some of the trickiest areas to clean in homes. So, rest assured that if you have lots of furniture and doorways to maneuver between, it’s up for the challenge. The one caveat here is that the vacuum head isn’t tapered like many other popular brands, so we inadvertently pulled the back corners into obstacles like chair legs. Anyone who buys this vacuum will likely get used to that over time, but it still struck us as unique.  

Another notable feature we discovered was that even when the dust bin is full (as in, filled to the brim with the wig hair we used for testing), we never noticed a slow-down in power or suction, nor did anything but a few strands get wrapped on the brush roll. So, if you have pets (or people) in your home that shed, you’ll likely be pleased with its handling of hair and fur, too. While it didn’t quite edge out the Dyson Outsize+ as our best vacuum for pet hair, it’s another great option (and significantly less expensive).

The battery life did seem to wane more quickly than we would have liked (the brand touts 40 minutes, which is about average for this type of vacuum), but given just how quickly and consistently this machine works, and how it sailed through rounds of testing in roughly half the allotted time we scheduled, we’re willing to sacrifice a few extra minutes of power since we could still easily get through all of our tasks. Three months of testing later, the vacuums also proved to be effective on hard floors. We only noticed two things: the dust bin needs to be emptied every two to three uses, but it's a simple process; and the handle is a little difficult for someone just under 5 feet.

Otherwise, we've actually enjoyed that this pick just comes with your standard attachments and that it rivals corded, upright picks in terms of cleaning power. If your home has lots of rugs and carpet, we think you’ll be equally pleased with how the Levoit VortexIQ 40 will help streamline your cleaning routine.

Weight: 6.66 pounds | Battery Life: 40 minutes | Attachments: Crevice tool, dusting brush tool

Compare

Effectiveness Maneuverability Portability Noise Level Value
Tineco Pure One S11 Smart Stick/Handheld Vacuum
Best Overall:
Tineco Pure One S11 Vacuum
5 5 5 4 5
WOWGO Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Best Value:
Wowgo S108 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
4.9 4.6 5 4.5 5
Amazon Dyson Gen5detect Vacuum
Best Splurge:
Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum
5 5 4.8 5 4.5
Amazon Dyson Outsize+
Best for Pet Hair:
Dyson Outsize+
5 4.5 4.8 4.5 5
Shark VacMop Pro Cordless Hard Floor Mop
Best Wet-Dry:
Shark Vacmop Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum
5 5 5 5
Amazon Kenmore DS4095 Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum with EasyReach Wand
Best Lightweight:
Kenmore Elite Cordless Stick Vacuum
4 5 4.5 5 5
Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum
Best for Carpet:
Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum
5 5 4.3 5 5
Final Verdict

The best cordless stick vacuum is the Tineco Pure One S11. It excels on hardwood and carpet, handles debris of varying sizes, and has additional tech features that are user-friendly and convenient. If you're hoping to spend less, consider the Wowgo Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. This model is quiet, consistent, and efficient, making quick work of cleaning tasks.

Other Options We Tested

We also tested the following products and were impressed by their effectiveness or high-end design, though they featured a few too many flaws to earn a spot on our above list.

Shark Cordless Pro with Clean Sense IQ: We were pretty impressed with this vacuum's effectiveness on carpet and hard flooring, but we noted that the vacuum struggled to pick up pet hair off of upholstery with any of the attachments. Debris also fell out of the vacuum whenever we changed attachments. Even with its initial cleaning power, seeing debris falling out didn't make this model worth its price point, especially given the overall mediocre performance.

Fabuletta 6-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: There were some highlights with this machine—it's lightweight, easy to maneuver, and so quiet that other vacuums in the lab drowned out its sound. With small messes, though, it proved inconsistent. It did well with dirt, popcorn, and cereal, but it struggled with long hair; we found it getting stuck on the brush, and it seemed to take up so much space in the dust bin that it reduced the suction. It could be a solid choice for households that don't deal with long hair and would use it for quick and easy cleanups.

Samsung Bespoke Jet: Our experience with this seemingly high-end choice defied logic. We tested it on an upholstered chair, and it managed to pick up hair but still left Cheerios and popcorn kernels behind. Again, we tried it out with an attachment, and pet hair got stuck to it and it simply pushed it around instead. We could maybe forgive this if it appeared to be a fluke or we found an efficient workaround, but this vacuum also has a short battery life, and difficulty both moving across carpet and picking up debris on hard floors. We also struggled to make any progress on stairs and along edges. Though it has a lot of accessories and an impressive (though, bulky) cleaning tower, we can't comfortably recommend this one.

Person using Miele Triflex to clean dirt and cereal from tile

Henry Wortock

How We Tested the Cordless Stick Vacuums

Out of 300 vacuums we’ve tested in The Lab and at home, more than 50 are cordless stick vacuums. Our thorough process allows us to assess multiple attributes:

  • To assess setup, we start with unboxing and assembling each vacuum, timing how long it takes to put each machine together and rating how clear the instructions are.   
  • Then, we put them through their paces to test their cleaning effectiveness and see how successful they are at picking up measured amounts of debris like hair, popcorn kernels, and cereal on a hardwood surface and three types of carpet (low, medium, and high-pile). We also add stairs and shelves into the mix to test any attachments that come with the vacuum and accessories, too. 
  • Portability is assessed by observing how well the vacuums transition from smooth floors to carpeting, and how long each model stays charged. 
  • We rate their noise level, considering whether or not you could have a conversation or hear the doorbell ring while the machine is in use.
  • To determine a maneuverability rating, we set up a living room obstacle course and run the vacuums through it to see how they reach under low-sitting couches and around tables (for other categories, we also factor in how cords need to be moved, but in the case of cordless stick vacuums, that’s a non-issue). 
  • We wrap up testing by considering the ease of emptying the bins. We rate how messy or complex the process is, and how easy it is to complete (including whether or not hair and fuzz get tangled in any of the components).
  • We use the entire experience to rate the overall value of the product, determining whether we think the full price of the vacuum is fair for its performance and power. 

Our editors take all the testing data and boil it down to the cordless stick vacuums we believe are the very best.

The Spruce Team Tests the Best Cordless Stick Vacuums

What to Look for in a Cordless Stick Vacuum

Battery Life and Run Time

The first thing you want to consider when shopping for a cordless stick vacuum is the battery. The longer the life span it has, the more cleaning you'll be able to get done at one time. Most of our selections offer around 40 minutes of run time, with our pick for best splurge, the Dyson Gen5Detect sailing past the norm with 70 minutes of charge, and our best vacuum for pet hair, the Dyson Outsize+ adding a second battery to total 120 minutes of charge. On the other end of the scale, the Shark VacMop offers 20 minutes, but we’re okay with that given its specialized wet-dry capabilities. 

When considering your model's battery life, though, know that it's not always cut and dry. For instance, if you use the max or boost mode on your vacuum, the battery can drain quicker than advertised for each session. You'll also need to take the charge time into account. Some models take a few hours to charge up, while others will be ready for use much quicker than that.

Along with a limited charge, most batteries also have a shelf life for their long-term usage, too. Rairdin says that, so far, the lithium ion batteries used in the vacuum industry last about three to five years, depending on use (which is just slightly less than the 4 to 6-year average lifespan for residential vacuums).

Dust Bin Capacity

By design, the dust bins on cordless stick vacuums are smaller than those on upright vacuums or canister vacuums, and can limit the amount of time or space you can vacuum in one cleaning session. Consider your cleaning habits and preferences to help determine what size of dust bin you need. If you prefer to vacuum large spaces in one fell swoop, a bigger dust bin is going to allow you to take fewer breaks. If you’re aiming for shorter bursts or cleaning, and tend to only pull out your machine for quick pickups and visible messes, a smaller bin will likely still be just fine for you. If you don’t like the idea of frequently emptying your dust bin, a larger style of vacuum or one with a self-emptying base, might be a better choice. People with allergies will also want to consider self-emptying bases, since those will limit their exposure to potential irritants.

What Surfaces You Can Use The Vacuum On

Thanks to included attachments, specialty floor heads, and thoughtfully designed brush rolls, most cordless stick vacuums (including our picks, unless otherwise noted) are suitable for both carpet or hard flooring. The one exception is our pick for best wet-dry vacuum, the Shark VacMop, which can only be used on hard floors, but will complete two jobs at once.

A person disconnects the WOWGO Cordless Vacuum Cleaner's motorized brush head

The Spruce / Dera Burreson

Why Trust The Spruce?

Dena Ogden is a lifestyle and home writer who’s been writing professionally since 2016, and with The Spruce since August 2022. She specializes in appliances, cleaning, and organization topics, and has written about everything from baskets and bins to carpet shampoos and robot vacuums. For this story, she utilized extensive testing data from The Lab and our home testing, reviewing top tested models and assessing whether they fit the parameters of an effective, cordless stick vacuum. 

Her personal testing experience also includes products from Shark, Bissell, and Hoover (her current favorite being the Hoover CleanSlate XL Deep Clean Spot Cleaner), and she will gladly tell you all the reasons why adjustable vacuums (like those that can go from an upright to a handheld model) are ideal for busy households, if you have a few spare minutes. 

Our Experts:

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. What is a HEPA filter? Environmental Protection Agency.