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While you may own a canister vacuum that gets hauled out weekly for heavy-duty cleaning, it’s also smart to have a vacuum in your arsenal that’s lightweight yet powerful for everyday floor-to-ceiling jobs—which is where stick vacuums excel. Most are cordless vacuums and run on a rechargeable battery, and are generally pricier than their plug-in counterparts. That said, the lack of tangled cords makes them easier to operate, so you can quickly tackle dirt and debris—even in hard-to-reach spaces—and in much less time.
But like buying any vacuum cleaner or small home appliance, you want to invest in a model that performs reliably and offers value for your dollars, no matter how much you’re able to spend. For the best cordless stick vacuums that deliver on both counts, read on for our recommendations, plus advice on the most important things to consider before you shop.
Looking for more ways to keep your floors and furniture clean? Check out our stories on the best robot vacuums, the best vacuums for pet hair, the best vacuums for hardwood floors, and the best handheld vacuums.
The Best Cordless Stick Vacuums
- Best Overall: Tineco Pure ONE S11 Cordless Stick Vacuum
- Best Value: Belife Cordless Stick Vacuum
- Best for Big Messes: Shark Vertex Cordless Stick Vacuum
- Best Splurge: Dyson Cyclone V10 Cordless Stick Vacuum
- Best for Pet Hair: Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum
What to Consider
The main advantages of owning a cordless stick vacuum are easy portability and storage. But what you trade for the convenience is battery life and runtime. Most cordless stick vacuums run for up to 15 or 20 minutes on a full charge, even high-end models.
Be wary of manufacturers’ advertised total runtime because it may represent performance on the lowest setting or using two fully charged batteries, for instance. Battery charging time should also be factored in. Really, it comes down to managing your expectations for what they can accomplish: they’re designed for quick cleanups, not for vacuuming the house.
Budget aside, other important considerations include chow powerful the motor is, the number of settings across different floor types, and the dust bin’s capacity and emptying mechanisms. Most stick vacuums are well under 10 pounds and are also incredibly versatile because they convert to hand vacs and come with multiple tools and brushes for cleaning in crevices.
The majority also come with charging stations to dock the vacuum and all its accessories, whether on the floor or wall. If you have pet or dust allergies, look for a model that features HEPA filtration.
How We Selected
We dug into our own extensive experience researching and testing vacuums, focusing on top names like Dyson, Shark, and Black+Decker, along with well-respected brands that are new to the stick vacuum market, such as Tineco. We also relied on test impressions of dozens of vacuums from editors at our sibling sites, Best Products and Good Housekeeping, and aimed to offer options across multiple price points.
Pros
Excellent value for the price - Three power modes
- Four-stage HEPA filtration
- Six attachments
Cons
- Small icons on display may be hard to read
The Tineco Pure ONE S11 cordless stick vacuum wins our top spot for best cleaning power and overall performance, paired with a reasonable price point to match.
It runs quietly across three power modes and reliably sucks up dirt, debris, and pet hair, plus it features a four-stage HEPA filter and converts to a handheld. While this cordless stick vacuum works exceptionally well on carpet, you can also use it on bare floors.
We love that it includes six attachments, including a head with LED lights, a power brush, and a hair-cleaning tool. It also has a large dustbin that empties with a single release button and comes with a wall-mounted charging dock.
While the color display is a step up from what most cordless stick vacuums offer, the icons are small and may be difficult to see for some.
Key Specs
| Weight | 5.7 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | Up to 40 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | Yes |
| Attachments | 6 |
Pros
- Relatively inexpensive with solid features
- Six-stage filtration system
- Motorized head with LED headlight
- Touchscreen control panel
Cons
- Only two attachments
This six-in-one budget cordless stick vacuum punches well above its price tag, with features that are similar to options that cost twice as much, or more.
For starters, it has a brushless motor that can reach up to 90,000 rpm and an LED headlight on the head, along with a touchscreen control panel that shows everything from battery level and power to maintenance issue alerts. We’re also impressed by its six-stage airtight HEPA filtration system.
Other highlights include a bagless dustbin that empties directly into the trash with ring pull and a detachable battery pack and wall-mounted charging dock. Its advertised runtime is roughly 40 minutes on average and the vacuum has three power modes.
The cordless vacuum comes with only two attachments, though that’s reflected in the price point.
Key Specs
| Weight | 5.3 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | Up to 40 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | Yes |
| Attachments | 2 |
Pros
- Powerful for cleaning large debris
- Two battery packs included
- HEPA filtration
- Converts to hand vac
Cons
- On the heavy side
Shark’s Vertex has a brush roll that’s excellent at pulling hair and large debris from carpets, as well as polishing up your hardwood floors. The cordless stick vacuum features an advertised runtime of 60 minutes for each of its two batteries so you can keep cleaning for up to 2 hours (whew!).
It also offers a HEPA filtration system and converts to a hand vac, plus it comes with plenty of accessories for cleaning a variety of spaces. However, this may not be the best choice if you regularly clean stairs, as the cordless vacuum weighs roughly nine pounds—significantly more than other vacuums we cover.
Key Specs
| Weight | 9 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | Up to 60 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | Yes |
| Attachments | 3 |
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Pros
- Incredibly powerful
- Excellent for bare floors and carpet
- Auto-adjust suction
- Click-in battery
Cons
- Slightly heavier than some other models
The Dyson V15 is the most expensive stick vacuum in our lineup, but if you can stomach the price tag, you’ll get a cordless stick vacuum that (quite literally) leaves the competition in the dust across the board. It delivers top-notch performance on floors and carpet to tackle everything from fine dust to messy debris.
Its motor spins up to 125,000 rpm (1.5 times more suction than the Dyson V12) and it comes with two cleaning heads, including an upgraded version of the brand’s “fluffy” head that features a green laser headlight to detect fine dust.
Other highlights include auto mode, which automatically adjusts power depending on the surface and mess to save battery life, an advertised runtime of 60 minutes, and an easy-to-change click-in battery.
Key Specs
| Weight | 6.8 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | Up to 60 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | Yes |
| Attachments | 3 |
5
Best Premium
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
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Pros
- Powerful on hardwood and carpet
- HEPA filtration
- Six attachments
Cons
- Features may not warrant price for some
A step up in power from Dyson’s popular V7 and V8, the Cyclone V10 cordless stick vacuum offers an advertised runtime of 60 minutes with a non-motorized head, as well as three power modes and HEPA filtration.
It also converts to a handheld and includes multiple attachments for various floor types, such as hardwood and carpet. When the job is done, its triggered collection bin makes it easier to dump debris without touching anything dusty. We also appreciate its well-designed docking station.
While there’s a lot to like about this mid-range Dyson, for quick cleanups an earlier model with fewer bells and whistles may be all you need.
Key Specs
| Weight | 5.8 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | Up to 60 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | Yes |
| Attachments | 6 |
6
Best for Pet Hair
Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum
Now 14% Off
Pros
- Large capacity
- Motorized brush roll
- Works well on hardwood and carpet
Cons
- No HEPA filtration
- No attachments
One issue with stick vacuums is that they don’t have as much capacity to hold dirt and dust in comparison to their upright cousins. However, this Hoover cordless stick vacuum features a larger dirt bin, making it great for pet owners or anyone who wants to take fewer trips to the trash can when cleaning the whole house.
This cordless stick vacuum weights less than 9 pounds, and you can turn off the motorized brush roll to seamlessly transition between carpet and hardwood. But it doesn’t come with any attachments and pet owners with allergies may want to opt for a vacuum with HEPA filtration.
Key Specs
| Weight | 6.6 lb |
|---|---|
| Run Time | Up to 35 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | No |
| Attachments | None |
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7
Best For Small Spaces
Shark WandVac Cordless Stick Vacuum
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Pros
- Lightweight and affordable
- Compact charging station
- Comes in multiple colors
Cons
- No HEPA filtration
- Runtime not listed
Most stick vacuums aren’t great to look at when left out of the closet—but Shark’s Wandvac System is the exception to the rule. In addition to its sleek design (available in several colors) and light weight (at 5.8 pounds), this model functions as a stick vacuum or hand vac and has more power than other lightweight models.
Plus, we love that it comes with a boost mode to help you power through tougher messes and is equipped with a low-profile charging dock. The downside is that its small dust cup needs to be emptied more frequently than most other cordless stick vacuums.
Key Specs
| Weight | 5.8 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | Not listed |
| HEPA Filtration | No |
| Attachments | 2 |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Telescopic handle makes some cleaning jobs less awkward
- HEPA filtration and
Cons
- Body doesn't feel as solid in-hand as some other models
It it’s common for a canister vacuum to have a height-adjustable wand. But a cordless stick vacuum? Not so much. That’s where this option shines.
This model has a telescopic wand, which makes directing the swivel head exactly where you want it easy. It’s also less awkward to raise above your head to clean things like door moldings and the top of the refrigerator.
The cordless vacuum is considerably lightweight at just over five pounds, plus it checks boxes for solid features across the board including HEPA filtration, an LED light on the head, plus a wall-mounted dock.
Key Specs
| Weight | 5.3 lb |
|---|---|
| Listed Runtime | 31 min. |
| HEPA Filtration | Yes |
| Attachements | 2 |
Rachel Klein
Senior Commerce Editor
Rachel Klein is a Senior Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, where she writes about everything from garden hose reels and patio furniture to mesh wifi systems and robot vacuums. She started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and was a travel editor for more than a decade before she started testing and reviewing luggage, noise-cancelling headphones, and other travel-related products. Fast-forward another five years and her area of expertise includes home decor, appliances, tech, and outdoor adventure gear. In her spare time, you'll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend.
