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If convenience is your main priority when doing the weekly clean, a cordless vacuum cleaner is a must-have. But before you rush out to buy one, understanding how to choose the best vacuum for your home’s specific needs is a smart move.
You will want to rely on your vacuum for years, using it for everyday dirt and dust, as well as for those deeper cleans around Christmas and birthdays. You’ll also want to make sure it can tackle the occasional accidental rice spill, which, if you’re like me, happens more often than you’d like.
This is why it’s also worth weighing up a bagged vs bagless vacuum cleaner – cordless models are usually bagless, which keeps costs down over time but they are messier to empty and require you to clean your vacuum more often.
At the Daily Mail, our expert testers have been reviewing plenty of corded, cordless and robot vacuums – so whether you’re looking for something with plenty of battery life or something with powerful attachments to tackle pet hair, we’ve got you covered.
Testing one of our favourite vacuums for hard floors – the Dyson PencilVac
Below is a selection of our cordless vacuum picks tested by our team – including top models from Dyson and value rival Shark, as well as some interesting high-tech options for those looking to geek out.
Below you’ll find links to our top picks or read on for our vacuum reviews.
Best cordless vacuum: Quick list
How we test
To test cordless vacuums, we put them through a series of repeatable tests, including throwing rice and flour (or semolina) on the ground and seeing how much of it it can pick up in a single pass or whether the vacuum simple spreads the mess around.
As well as these tests, we also use them around our homes for several days, or weeks where possible, to clean carpets, hard floors and rugs, making a note of how well they perform. Accessories are important too. Too may and they’re a faff to store, to few and they vacuum doesn’t work as a multipurpose tool.
We also consider things like easy of use and value for money when making our decision on what to include in our lists.
Read more about how we test vacuums.
We test all our vacuums on hard floors, rugs and carpet
The best cordless vacuums to buy now
Reviewed by Danielle Amato
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal is one of the Dyson’s latest and greatest vacuums. I really enjoyed my time testing the Dyson and while it wasn’t perfect, I still think it’s one of the best vacuums you can buy right now.
The suction is supremely powerful, the classic green light helps you to pick up every spec of dust and I’m a huge fan of the dust compact, which squishes all your dust down for less frequent emptying.
In testing it did a fab job on both hard floors and carpets but if you’re vacuuming up larger particles, you do have to be weary of clogging (as with any vacuum) and the Dyson Piston will immediately alert you to this and switch off for safety. As someone who struggles with the weight of vacuums, I found it easy to use
This is also Dyson’s best vacuum yet for dealing with hair. I never once struggled with tangles and it wiped the floor with other vacuums in these tests – including those who claim to have anti-tangle tech.
The biggest downside? The price. Buying the latest Dyson will set you back a pretty penny but if you’ve always dreamed of having a Dyson at home, I can highly recommend this one.
Read our full Dyson V16 Piston Animal review.
Reviewed by Xantha Leatham
This lightweight stick vacuum from Shark is one of the best value models we’ve tested. As well as being easy to manoeuvre, it doesn’t take up much space, so whether you’re in a flat or a four bedroom home, it can be stored away.
Like most modern Shark vacuums, the PowerPro has ’floor detect’ technology, which means it can work out if you’re on carpet or hard floor. It will then adjust the power accordingly. This is handy as it both sames battery life and means I don’t have to think about what I’m doing as I’m whizzing round.
This is my first ‘anti-hair-wrap’ vacuum and I found it really impressive how it managed to keep tangles to a minimum.. A single charge gave me around 50 minutes of run time in eco mode, though it runs down much quicker if it has to ‘power up’ over carpets and messier areas.
Accessories included are a car cleaning kit, which was a lifesaver following an orange feather boa incident, as well as crevice and pet tools.
In fact, my mail gripe is that the vacuum is so powerful, that my thin rugs were sucked into the vacuum head as I went along. Overall, it’s definitely worth the price and balances cost and performance well.
Read our full Shark PowerPro vacuum review.
Reviewed by Claire Cisotti
I’ve been an avid Dyson user for many years but after testing the Shark Stratos, I’m a bit of a convert. Both the design and suction on this mode won me over. I definitely think the vacuum suction is better than my (now arguably old) Dyson and the light helps my ageing eyes enormously.
I found every attachment easy to use – and there are a lot of them. Two batteries was also a game changer, as it allows me to keep one charging while I whip round with the other. I would definitely recommend getting this version over the single battery model, even if it will set you back more.
If you’re considering a Shark vacuum but aren’t sure if the Stratos is quite right for you, be sure to read our reviews on the Shark PowerPro Cordless and the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Upright corded, both of which received rave reviews.
Reviewed by Danielle Amato
While I personally loved the Dyson PencilVac vacuum, I can’t in good conscience say it’s the best value for money. However, I still think it deserves a place on this list because like many Dyson vacuums, it has been designed with a specific user in mind.
As someone with mobility issues and bad motor skills, I can find vacuuming quite tricky and cumbersome, even if the vacuum is marketed as lightweight.
With the PencilVac Fluffycones, I was genuinely shocked at how easy I found it to manoeuvre. It allows me to whizz around my home in minutes to do a quick clean and doesn’t tire me out when I have to reach up to high places. It doesn’t have a very ergonomic handle but I personally didn’t find it difficult to hold. However, if you have grip issues, you might find it tricky over long periods.
Even though it has a small 0.8L capacity, this tiny stick can pick up a decent amount of debris. It uses powerful air pressure to compact dust, meaning it’s less likely to get clogged as you go along. I found it had no issues tackling the mountains of pet and human hair on my hard floors due to its anti-tangle tech.
Read our full Dyson PencilVac Flufflycones review.
Reviewed by Danielle Amato
If money is no object and you’re looking for a supremely competent vacuum with just about every bell and whistle imaginable, this is it.
The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is thoughtfully designed and has some excellent quality of life features including a hands-free emptying station. The only problem is it’s just a bit too expensive for most people.
In my cleaning tests, it really did go above and beyond and the battery life is very good on eco mode too. I wasn’t as impressed with its ‘AI detection’, which adjusts suction and speed based on the material it’s vacuuming, simply because I think other premium vacuums can also do this well. It did do a great job though, so I can’t fault it too much.
Obviously the hands-free cleaning is the big seller here, it can hold potentially several months worth of dust and grime in its docking station and whips out the contents of the vacuum in seconds. Great for allergy sufferers and people who just like cool tech.
Ultimately, the AI Jet Ultra is a competent and tech savvy vacuum cleaner that’s made for large homes and don’t mind paying the price for that.
Read our full Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Complete Extra vacuum cleaner review.
Verdict
The Shark Stratos and Dyson V16 are two of the best vacuums you can buy right now in my opinion, They’re both an investment (though the Stratos occasionally goes on offer for around £300). They are well thought out cordless models with plenty of suction power.
However, if your budget is restricted, the Shark PowerPro is still a good investment, though you might find it doesn’t last quite as long as some of the others on this list.
FAQs
Which vacuum has the strongest suction?
If power is your top priority in a vacuum, Dyson vacuums typically come out on top. Models like the Dyson V16 Piston Animal and V15 Extra are designed to really work deep into carpets and pull up stubborn dirt. That said, more premium models from rivals like Shark have closed the gap somewhat.
How much should I spend on a good vacuum?
A reliable cordless that can tackle carpets, hard floors and pet hair with ease will likely set you back around £250 and £500. The Shark PowerPro is a good example of this.
However, pay a little more and you move into premium territory, with smarter features and longer battery life, as seen with models such as the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI Extra or the ultra sleek Dyson V16 Piston. It mostly comes down to how much power and convenience you want from your vacuum.
What is the best cordless Shark vacuum?
If you are sticking with Shark, the PowerPro is a mid-range all rounder with good suction and a flexible design. For something a touch more powerful, the Shark Stratos Pro offers better automated suction adjustments and excellent performance across different floor types.
