10 Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaner UK 2020 – An Expert Review

Welcome back! Once again the Appliance Hunter has been out hunting for the very best appliances this time searching for the Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaners…

And what a journey it has been!

I’ve found 5 fantastic handheld vacuums perfect for every scenario you could face, plus 5 more that have been retired.

They’re all available on Amazon and I’ve linked through so you can order yours today.

Check out the table below for a summary of the top picks and to click through and order yours today, or click through the Price & Review links in the reviews below that.

Top 5 Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaners

• Top Choice – Black+DeckerLithium-Ion Pet DustbusterHand Vacuum
• Best for car cleaning – Black + Decker 12v Flexi Auto DustbusterHand Vacuum
• Best for pet hair – BISSELL Pet Hair EraserCordless Handheld Vacuum
• Best for stairs – Vax GatorCordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
• Best under £50 – Oypla Maxi Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

1. Top Choice – Black+Decker Lithium-Ion Pet Dustbuster Hand Vacuum

Having the Black and Decker Pet hand vacuum in your cleaning arsenal will help keep your home clean without needing to get your big old hoover out of storage.

It cleans as well as any vacuum since it has a powerful motor and a motorised rotating brush. It picks up pet hair and other large debris easily. The wide mouth of the nozzle makes quick work with fewer double passes over an area to clean it totally.

Three-level filtration catches most of the dust and dander that comes with having pets and stops it going back into the air. That helps keep your entire environment cleaner which is all the more important when you own pets.

The only things you need to prepare yourself for when using this handheld vacuum is the noise and it is a little difficult to change the attachments. At 80 dB it is as loud as many traditional vacuums. And if you have arthritis or weak hands, then changing the motorised head for the crevice tool can be a challenge for some.

The price is not exactly budget-friendly and can cost almost as much as a low priced hoover. If you don’t mind spending a few pounds extra to make sure your house is as free from pet hair as possible, then the price won’t be an issue.

2. Best Handheld Vacuum For Car – Black + Decker 12v Flexi Auto Dustbuster

This is a nice handheld vacuum for the car but it is exactly that, a handheld vacuum only for the car because it charges from the cigarette lighter.

But it did feature at the top of our list of the best car vacuums so it is good at what it does.

It’s nice and easy to empty and has really good suction as well, there’s a more powerful version but it’s quite a bit more expensive for how much extra power you get.

The really good thing is that the power cable is 5 meters long so you can easily vacuum the boot while it’s plugged in near the front of the car.

It’s got plenty of suction to give a deep clean and comes with a crevice nozzle to help you get in and around the car seats for thorough pick up.

Overall, a great car vacuum, easy to store and even easier to use.

3. Best For Pet hair – BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Handheld Vacuum

The special Eraserhead on this Bissell handheld vacuum makes it perfect for pet hair.

It’s a motorized brush head that vibrates back and forth which dislodges pet hair from the ground and sucks it up!

Good if you want to get pet hair off of your furniture, upholstery or even the stairs and your car.

It’s also got a nice 15 minute runtime so plenty of time to do what you need it too.

It’s also got a filter built into that takes any allergens out of the air while you’re vacuuming. So it leaves the air fresh after you’ve finished.

It’s on the pricier side but unless you want to fork out hundreds for a Dyson this is the best way to deal with pet hair using a handheld vacuum.

Overall, a great handheld vacuum for pet hair, the motorised brush lets you get a deep clean on furniture and carpet.

4. Best for Stairs – Vax Gator Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

The Vax Gator Handheld Vac is just simple, straightforward and easy to use. It’s got reasonable suction and is easy to empty. You just open its mouth (like an alligator’s no less!) and all the contents slide out into the big.

The big downside is that it takes a huge 12 hours to fully charge from flat. So it’s not one you can use in a hurry if you forget to charge it but apart from that, it’s good.

And that’s the charge time from flat not from short use.

The reason I like it for stairs is it’s very lightweight but the mouth extends out into a crevice nozzle to get right into the corners of your stairs which is where hair can build up and easily get missed by a bigger vacuum. Perfect for those hard to reach areas, plus its ease of use is unrivalled, just pick it up, turn it on and go, then with the click of a button you can empty it too.

It’s a good one to leave out in the docking station in the kitchen for quick clean up of spills, just take it out and vacuum down around your kids (or your partner) whenever they start getting crumbs everywhere.

Overall, it’s the budget model so you’re never going to get the best but for less than £50 it gets the job done! It’s the best choice under £50 that’s also cordless if that’s what you need.

5. Best under £50 – Oypla Maxi Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

This is a funny looking small vacuum with an even stranger name. It’s not a household name like you see with many handheld vacuums, but that is the beauty of Amazon.co.uk. There you can find many diamonds in the rough, like this powerful small vacuum.

It functions similarly to a traditional vacuum in some ways. The nozzle can either be a brush, to beat up the dirt below the surface of a small carpet, for instance, or a crevice tool to get into some tough spaces.

I love the ergonomic pistol grip with trigger button. It is incredibly lightweight so does quick work of any small job.

It has a powerful motor considering how small and light it is. That is mainly because it is not battery powered. You will need to be connected to the mains to use this.

However, that means that it can pack a serious punch suction wise. That is the shortcoming of many cordless vacuum varieties that rely on batteries. Some are just not strong enough.

The downside to the cord is the length. It is only 3 meters long. Which means you are relegated to small jobs near a socket, like in a kitchen or bathroom.

Overall, I think it’s a smart little vacuum that does what it is supposed to do. It can clean little spills or get into the tight crevices of a sofa. As long as you’re near a socket, it makes quick work of cleaning your car. If you are on a limited budget, you have to take the good with the bad, sometimes.

Corded Vs Cordless Handheld Vacuums

The main difference you’re going to find between different handheld vacuums is whether it runs from the mains, or charges at a docking station.

I’ve never come across one that’s battery-powered but if anyone does let me! I’d be curious as to how good it was.

There are great things about both types of handheld vacuum but they also have their drawbacks so it’s good to know which type you’re looking for.

Cordless handheld Vacuum Cleaners

Pros

• Can Just Be Picked Up And Used Anywhere
• Super Easy For Quick Clean Ups

Cons

• Sometimes Have Very Long Charge Times
• If You Forget To Charge You Could Be Waiting A Few Hours To Use It.

Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaners

Pros

• More Powerful Suction
• More Thorough Cleaning Power
• Often Larger Capacity so less frequent Emptying

Cons

• You have to have a nearby power socket to use.
• Not as mobile

So it’s up to you which one would be better suited for you. If you’re looking for a deeper clean then corded is the way to go. But if you want to use it for super quick jobs (normally in the kitchen) then a cordless handheld vacuum could be the way to go.

Either way, I’ve included both types throughout my reviews so you can get exactly what you need.

What If You Have Pets?

Now pet owners often have a hard time. Because dog hair especially can get everywhere.

But having a regular vacuum up on to the furniture or up the stairs is hard work and not at all fun to do so a handheld vacuum is the way to go.

Double but, you just need to make sure you’re getting one that’s powerful enough to deal with pet hair.

Usually corded is the way to go for the extra suction but you do get some cordless handheld vacuums that are good for pet hair.

So just check that it has something about powerful suction in the description, or check out our recommendations further down.

I’ve also written a guide to the best pet hair vacuums for those interested.

Other Features To Consider

I’ve just got a few more features that you might want to think about when you’re buying a handheld vacuum.

Runtime & Charge Time

This is for the cordless handheld vacuums, you want to make sure they have an absolute minimum of 10 minutes of runtime. Ideally, you should be looking for 15 + minutes but if it’s got 10 then that should be enough for most tasks around the house.

As for charge time I’ve seen charge times from flat to up to 12 hours, of course, that is very far from ideal but the best you can expect is about 4 hours.

Now that’s completely from flat so it’s slightly different than if you spilt cereal in the kitchen hoovered it up and then put it back on charge. That, of course, won’t take 12 hours but it’s good to know for the sort of time you can expect.

Canister Size

How much dust it can hold is quite useful but the differences between them aren’t huge. What’s probably more important is how easy it is to empty.

Because no matter how big the canister is you’re going to have to empty it eventually and when you do you want it to be as quick and painless as possible.

Are There Any Attachments

It’s not always necessary but some handheld vacuums come with different attachments for different types of cleaning.

You get long crevice tools that help you get into hard to reach places and others have hose pipes that extend the reach even further.

Again, not everyone needs them but if there’s a certain job you have in mind for your handheld vacuum consider getting the right attachments for it.

Archived Handheld Vacuum Cleaner Reviews

These are past best vacuum cleaner choices that have since gone out of stock or stopped being made. If you’re looking for something second hand this could be the way to go, they are all still excellent small vacuum cleaners if you can find them.

Holfie Wet And Dry Handheld Vacuum

The Holfie Wet And Dry Vacuum is a stand-up choice for a handheld vacuum. It’s lightweight, has a great runtime and charges nice and fast.

The 25 minute run time is more than enough for anything you might need it for. Easy to run around the edges of the kitchen, get quick spills and just generally great for a quick clean up.

It’s not the best on carpet or sofas but it is really good on kitchen surfaces and hard floors. It’s also great for a quick run around the car.

It has a nice charging base so it’s easiest just to leave it plugged in in the kitchen and turn the plug off when it’s fully charged. It does hold it’s charge well so you won’t need to charge it after every use if you just use it for a short while. And it’ll last through about 500 cycles of being charged.

Now it depends on how much you use it but you’ll likely only need to charge it once a week or less so that’s almost 10 years of battery life!

Overall, a great Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, good suction, fast charging and easy use.

Dirt Devil HandiMate Small Vacuum

Dirt Devil has been a leader in the market with handheld portable vacuums so it’s no surprise it made the list here. It didn’t take the top spot because frankly, it isn’t as good as its peers. But, when you are on a budget, it fits the bill nicely.

It’s 10-minute keeping handy when a small spill occurs. Yes, the 10-minute runtime is a bit of a downer, but if you are a clean as you go type, then most jobs can be done in much less time than that.

The bin is easy to empty as it pops right open and snaps closed without taking it apart.

This small vacuum is not going to set the world on fire, but it does what it is supposed to do. Many portable vacuums are better, but you have to pay a higher price for that.

When you need a cheap option that still works well, then I can recommend the Dirt Devil.

Jovis Wet And Dry Bagless

The charge time for the Hoover Jarvis Handheld is insane, 16 hours!

That’s why it’s not further up the list.

But if you don’t mind the charge time you are getting a very trusted brand. I mean you can’t talk about vacuum cleaners of any kind without mentioning Hoover.

It’s got really good suction and has wet and dry capabilities so you can vacuum up just about any mess.

And the docking station to charge it is nice and small and you can mount it on the wall so it’s stored nice and easy. This does make charging it a lot easier but it’s still a long time.

It also comes with a HEPA filter which purifies the air of any allergens while you vacuum which is great.

Overall, the wet and dry capabilities and mountable docking station make this a fine choice for a cordless handheld vacuum.

UV Handheld Mattress Vacuum Cleaner

The most important part of the Vonhaus UV handheld Vacuum is of course that it cleans with a UV lamp!

UV rays kill something like 99.9% of all germs including bed bugs so it’s perfect for degerming a mattress and getting it as clean as it possibly can be.

The suction isn’t as powerful as a lot of the other vacuums featured on this list but it is plenty enough to vacuum up most dust and dirt. Besides this vacuum is more about its antibacterial cleaning power.

It’s also got a HEPA filter in it which is a filter designed to take allergens out of the air while it vacuums, so it’s just another level of purifying that it provides.

Overall, the best mattress vacuum because of it’s UV cleaning power.

AG71 Rapidclean Stair And Car Vacuum

The AEG AG71 is a great handheld vacuum that’s appeared on our list of the best stair vacuums and best car vacuums because of it’s superb cleaning power.

I know not everyone will want a corded handheld vacuum, but if you’re looking for the best handheld vacuum for stairs or you want to get a deep clean then it’s the only way to go.

It is quite heavy for a handheld vacuum because it’s got a bigger motor but it’s got a comfortable handle so it’s still very manageable. It’s about 2.5kg so like a big bag of sugar and a little extra.

I also really liked that it has a small extendable hose so you can get right into the corners of stairs and down the sides of the sofa.

The stubborn brush has been designed to make short work of carpet, it sort of aggravates the carpet fibres so loosens up any dirt and vacuums them up no problems at all.

That makes it great for the stairs because your stairs can see some heavy footfall come over them!

Overall,

Easily one of the best handheld vacuums, unchallenged cleaning power for a great price.

F.A.Q on the Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaners

So why do you say vacuum, not hoover?

I personally call all vacuum cleaners hoovers out of habit but Hoover is a brand of vacuum cleaner not the name of the machine itself.

I am quite sure most of you know that but thought I’d clarify anyway!

How long do handheld vacuums last?

Hassle-free cleaning but at what cost? Is it an eco-friendly choice that will last for years or do handheld vacuums burn out and need to be replaced? Well it depends on the quality but if it’s a cordless vacuum then you’re going to have the batteries die eventually, but you should be looking at 2-3 years of life with regular use.

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