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8 best cordless vacuum cleaners for hassle-free hoovering

Vacuuming is never fun, but it’s a whole lot easier with a cordless machine. You won’t find yourself getting tangled up or tripping over wires, aren’t limited to the nearest plug socket and as such, cleaning becomes considerably quicker and easier.

Cordless vacuums have improved dramatically in recent years, and while early models tended to lose suction as you cleaned and ran out of battery quickly, the latest models can run for longer and are just as powerful as their corded cousins.

Be aware that most still only run for up to 60 minutes – even less on maximum setting – before they need recharging however, so those with very large homes would still be best sticking to a mains-powered model. Anyone with a smaller property or who wants to whizz round quickly should suit a cordless vacuum instead.

Though all the models we tested were stick vacuums, all can also be used in handheld mode to clean upholstery or inside cars. Other useful features to look for include LED headlights to show hidden dirt, anti-tangle technology to deal with pet hair and detachable batteries for easy charging. Those with allergies may prefer to choose a model that uses dust-bags, while anyone with a lot of furniture and difficult corners to clean should consider vacuums with flexible wands and swivelling brush heads.

How we tested

We tested all these vacuums on our carpets and various hard floors including laminate, tiles and vinyl. We also ran them over furniture and blitzed the corners of ceilings to judge battery life, weight, how easy each vacuum was to empty and store and of course, how clean our house looked afterwards.

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The best cordless vacuum cleaners for 2022 are:

  • Best overall – Dyson v15 detect absolute: £599.99, Dyson.co.uk

  • Best for allergy sufferers – Gtech pro 2: £199.99, Gtech.co.uk

  • Best for pet owners –Shark IZ201UKT: £229.99, Sharkclean.co.uk

  • Best for hard floors –Samsung jet 90 pro: £449, Samsung.com

  • Best for longer cleans –Eufy homevac S11 infinity cordless stick vacuum cleaner: £229.99, Amazon.co.uk

  • Best buy on a budget –Proscenic P10 pro cordless vacuum cleaner: £169, Amazon.co.uk

  • Best lightweight model –Hoover H-free 500 cordless vacuum cleaner: £130, Hooverdirect.co.uk

  • Best for in-between cleans –AEG QX9 cordless vacuum cleaner: £399.99, Aeg.co.uk

Dyson v15 detect absolute

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.76L

  • Charging time: 4.5 hours

  • Max running time per charge: 60 minutes

  • Weight: 3kg

If you really want to know your house is clean, no other vacuum comes close to Dyson’s cordless whizz. The space-age stick has an ingenious sensor that continuously sizes and counts dust particles, automatically increasing the machine’s suction power when needed. It also logs exactly how much dirt has been collected and displays real-time results on an LCD screen so you know when floors are immaculate. No need to rely on your eyesight either. The Dyson has an eye-safe laser to magically reveal even invisible dust on hard floors.

Once you’ve recovered from the shock of spotting areas you’ve always missed, you’ll be wowed by this vacuum’s overall performance. It’s a dream to glide between hard floors and carpets, adapting power for each as it goes, and suction doesn’t falter for the entire hour’s running time.

Unlike many cordless vacuums, it has no problem tackling larger debris either while the anti-tangle technology clears hair from the brush bar so you don’t end up with a matted mess. We also loved the slim 25-cm wide cleaner head which could reach into narrow gaps and around table legs so we didn’t miss a single spot.

Our only grumble is you do have to press the trigger constantly while vacuuming which gets a bit tedious for an hour. But the smug satisfaction of knowing your house is scientifically sparkling makes it totally worth it.

Read the full Dyson V15 review

Buy now £599.99, Dyson.co.uk

Gtech pro 2

Best: For allergy sufferers

Rating: 9/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagged

  • Dust capacity: 1.5L

  • Charging time: 4 hours

  • Max running time per charge: 40 mins

  • Weight: 2.8kg

This nifty cordless stick made cleaning (almost) a pleasure and costs less than half the price of some of the most expensive models we tested. Slim and not too heavy, it’s easy to manoeuvre for a quick whip-round any time and has a jointed aluminium extension tube to make it a doddle to get into tight spots.

The useful battery life indicator light means you don’t get stuck mid-clean with no charge, while the bright LED light on the main head highlights easily-overlooked dust under furniture. We did find it sometimes missed bigger particles of dirt on the less powerful eco setting, but otherwise cleaning performance was top-notch with no loss of suction whatsoever.

This was also the only cordless model we tested that used bags which makes it a winner for anyone with dust allergies. Though there’s a small extra expense and hassle of buying replacement bags, we loved the fact dirt was sealed away inside the bag and we didn’t risk facing a billowing cloud of dust every time we emptied it. Plus, it’s a real bonus not having to clean filters too. A result all round.

Read the full Gtech pro 2 review

Buy now £199.99, Gtech.co.uk

Shark IZ201UKT

Best: For pet owners

Rating: 9/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.7L

  • Charging time: 3.5 hours

  • Max running time per charge: 40 minutes

  • Weight: 4.1kg

We know it’s a little weird to get excited about a vacuum cleaner but we were genuinely bowled over by this vacuum’s super-clever Flexology technology. This means its flexible wand bends to easily clean under sofas and coffee tables, with an LED headlight to illuminate hidden dust in every corner.

Once you’re finished cleaning, the vacuum then folds down to almost half its size with one click meaning it can be easily stored away in a cupboard. The battery pack detaches too so it can be recharged at a plug socket rather than on the machine itself. Both functions are so handy we don’t know why every vacuum doesn’t do the same.

The Shark’s other tidy trump card is its anti-hair wrap technology which removes hair as it vacuums so you don’t need to stop and detangle – something we always found ourselves doing in the past after a spin through our long-haired teenager’s bedroom.

Plus, a DuoClean floorhead combines two motorised brush rolls so it can switch between carpets and hard floors with the flick of a switch and there’s a boost trigger if you crave extra power. We rarely needed this though and found the vacuum effortlessly sucked up everything in sight, making this one of the best – albeit also the heaviest – cordless models we tested.

Buy now £379.99, Sharkclean.co.uk

Samsung jet 90 pro cordless vacuum

Best: For hard floors

Rating: 9/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.8L

  • Charging time: 3.5 hours

  • Max running time per charge: 60 minutes

  • Weight: 2.8kg

Samsung may be a company better known for making TVs and mobile phones than vacuum cleaners, but gadget lovers will adore this sleek stick. This model has all sorts of nifty tricks to make light work of tedious cleaning including a clever telescopic pipe that extends to avoid back pain, a charging station so it can stand near a plug socket and an LED panel to display settings.

It’s extremely powerful too, even when not on the maximum setting and Samsung say their special HEPA filter captures 99.9999 per cent of fine dust particles. Better yet, the bin itself is entirely washable so you can keep your vacuum pristine, ideal for those who suffer with dust allergies.

We found it particularly effective on our hard floors as it can speedily transform into a mini mop, with a spinning sweeper that gets right into every corner. Simply attach the reusable micro fibre mop pad or a disposable wet cloth and floors come up gleaming.

Read the full review of the Samsung jet 90 cordless vacuum

Buy now £449.00, Samsung.com

Eufy homevac S11 infinity cordless stick vacuum cleaner

Best: For longer cleans

Rating: 7/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.65L

  • Charging time: 3.5 hours

  • Max running time per charge: 40 minutes

  • Weight: 2.5kg

A major drawback with cordless vacuums is they have a limited run time so might not quite stretch to a full house clean before they need charging. This smart white stick vacuum neatly solves the problem by arriving with two batteries. Each one lasts for around 40 minutes on low power mode so you can carry on cleaning for 80 minutes without interruption if you really want to. We even found we could eek out a little extra time by charging the first battery while we used the second, making this a great option to entirely replace a corded model.

It’s very lightweight too, tackling both carpets and hard floors easily and reaching well under furniture with its flexible head. There are LED lights to illuminate hard-to-spot dust and the bin is very easy to empty. It didn’t suck up larger particles quite as well as some of the most expensive models, but getting two batteries for this price means we’re prepared to overlook the occasional stray Bran Flake.

Buy now £229.99, Amazon.co.uk

Proscenic P10 pro cordless vacuum cleaner

Best: Buy on a budget

Rating: 7/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.6L

  • Charging time: 4 hours

  • Max running time per charge: 52 minutes

  • Weight: 2.21kg

No need to settle for an inferior vacuum just because you’re keeping costs down. You’ll still have change from £200 with this model from Proscenic yet get all sorts of technical wizardry normally reserved from pricier models. That includes an LED touch screen to show battery level and suction mode, a rotating brush head with LED lights to get into tight corners and a removable battery so it can be charged away from the vacuum. Additional batteries can also be bought separately so you can swap and carry on cleaning.

Suction is not too shabby either. An advanced 260W motor slurps up everything in its path including dried pasta and anti-tangle technology means long hair poses no challenge either. It works just as well as a handheld vacuum too, making it great to give the car a once over or keep sofas crumb-free. A really impressive machine with an equally pleasing price tag.

Buy now £148.10, Amazon.co.uk

Hoover H-free 500 cordless vacuum cleaner

Best: Lightweight model

Rating: 8/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.45L

  • Charging time: 6 hours

  • Running time per charge: 40 minutes

  • Weight: 2.2kg

If other cordless models prove a handful, this is the vacuum for you. It was one of the lightest models we tested with an excellent flat and drive nozzle that swivels 180 degrees, can steer around table legs without extra effort and slides seamlessly under sofas. Better still, it’s not necessary to hold a trigger constantly as you clean, making this model the ideal option if you struggle with mobility in your hands or fingers.

We also appreciated the fact the vacuum can stand upright on its floor brush rather than having to lean against a wall and as it’s just 69cm tall, it’s not difficult to find somewhere to store it. The included crevice and dusting tools are both stored on the vacuum too so you won’t need to scrabble around to find them. However, a full charge does take a whopping six hours, so we’d advise leaving it plugged in all the time so it’s ready to go whenever you need a quick blitz.

Buy now £149.00, Hooverdirect.co.uk

AEG QX9 cordless vacuum cleaner

Best: For in-between cleans

Rating: 8/10

  • Bagged or bagless?: Bagless

  • Dust capacity: 0.3L

  • Charging time: 4 hours

  • Running time per charge: 55 minutes

  • Weight: 2.75kg

This compact cleaner is a great option if you need an additional vacuum to spruce up between bigger cleans, have lots of stairs at home or want to keep your car pristine. While its bin capacity is too small to manage a large house clean in one go, we liked the fact it stands up on its own, is very easy to manoeuvre and comes with a smaller brush head that works a treat on stairs and car upholstery. At 2.75kg, it’s also lightweight for lugging around the house while the handheld unit on its own is a mere 1.5kg.

There’s no loss of suction even towards the end of the battery’s life and it’s fairly quiet to use so you can clean after the kids are in bed. There’s also a foot pedal to clear hair from the brush roll which worked well on all but the longest strands. We did find it performed a little better on carpets than hard floor, but generally loved how easy it was to keep our house spick and span with this easy-to-use vacuum.

Buy now £329.99, Aeg.co.uk

Cordless vacuum cleaner FAQs

Are cordless vacuums powerful enough?

This is a fast-changing industry – the cordless vacs coming out now are far more advanced than those launched even just a few years ago.

Before, batteries lasted 20 minutes if you were lucky. Now, some vacuum cleaners can run for more than an hour, although note that the turbo/boost button on many models will reduce this significantly. Some brands also tend to exaggerate run times in their marketing, so read reviews before you buy.

They are also becoming increasingly lightweight, and in some cases more powerful, with significantly more suction power. In fact, the best ones now give just as deep a clean as their corded counterparts

Some models are suitable for all floor types (and many come with pet attachments). Newer machines are more intelligent too, with some automatically adapting to the type of surface you are cleaning. Many also have advanced LCD screen displays.

Dyson has so much faith in the cordless vacuum market that it has stopped developing new technology for corded models (although it is still producing them) to focus on no-cord machines.

Tanks or bags?

Bagged vacuum cleaners usually have a greater capacity for storing dust and dirt, so you have to empty them less often. But new bags cost extra and it can be a messy job.

Bagless machines collect debris in a canister, which you empty, so there’s no need to buy replacement bags and, with some machines, it’s a very quick and simple job.

How often do you need to charge them?

Cordless vacs use rechargeable batteries, which need to be charged when the battery runs low. Run times vary between 15-20 minutes to an hour, with an average charge time of four hours (although many are a lot quicker). If the machine has a turbo button, the battery will run lower more quickly, but the best machines work so hard on this mode that you may find this seemingly short run time is actually enough to clean your home.

Note that machines with lithium batteries tend to have a longer run time and charge up more quickly. Some machines even come with a pair of batteries so you can swap them over for a longer run time. But even machines with a shorter running time and/or those that only come with a single battery can be useful for quick jobs like cleaning small spaces or regular tasks like tackling crumbs after a meal.

Benefits vs corded

Corded vacs tend to be smaller, lighter and more manoeuvrable than their corded counterparts. This makes them easier to use, carry and store and better for jobs such as stairs or cleaning the car.

The verdict: Cordless vacuums

It’s not cheap, but we were smitten by the high-tech cleaning capabilities of the Dyson v15 detect absolute. We loved how easily it switched between hard floors and carpets, the informative LCD screen and the fact it reveals dirt you can’t even see.

Can’t face the cost? The Gtech pro 2 is considerably cheaper, has serious sucking power and is by far the best choice to avoid emptying messy dust bins.

Voucher codes

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For more vacuum recommendations, read our guide to the best upright models that tackle large areas with ease