The 9 Best Handheld Vacuums and Dustbusters of 2024, Tested by PEOPLE

Best Overall

Shark UltraCyclone Pro Handheld Vacuum

$60 at Amazon $79 at Walmart $79 at Wayfair

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  3/5

This lithium battery-powered vacuum was a powerhouse when it came to suction, removing crushed-up cereal and tangled strands of hair from carpets and car seats alike with just one pass. The cordless device includes a dual cyclonic air stream system for double the amount of suction that you can get from a normal vacuum, resulting in faster and more efficient cleans. We were impressed with how quickly this vacuum worked on all of the surfaces we tested.

We also appreciated the attachment heads that came with it — a crevice tool and scrubbing brush — which were incredibly helpful in accessing hard-to-reach areas. Another perk was the spacious dustbin, which held so much debris that we were able to complete several tests before needing to empty it for the first time.

But even though its suction is superb, we did notice a few larger morsels fall out of the machine after we’d shut it off. We also wished that it had a digital indicator of how much battery was left after using it. However, we never ran into the issue of this one losing power before our tests were complete because of how quickly this strong vacuum worked its magic.

Battery Life: 15 minutes | Weight: 2.2 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 17.28 ounces | Attachments: Crevice tool, scrubbing brush | HEPA Filter: No

Best Value

Black+Decker Gen11 AdvancedClean+ Dustbuster

$59 at Amazon View on Blackanddecker.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4.8/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  2.5/5

We all know the terror of spilling messy crumbs onto fluffy carpeting, but those fears can be conquered when the Black and Decker Gen11 is in your arsenal. This powerful dustbuster is said to have four times the suction of Black and Decker’s leading dustbuster, which makes this one highly effective on dense surfaces like medium-to-high-pile carpeting or upholstery.

Even on its lowest settings, we saw major mess pickup when we passed over everything from hardwood to soft area rugs. We had no trouble at all sucking up everything from crushed crackers to raisins in generally one pass (it works best in the “pull” motion rather than “push”). Because cleaning with a dustbuster is often a tedious job, it’s important that our models are lightweight, which is why this one’s 2.4-pound body was ideal. 

While it stood out from the rest regarding carpeting, this vacuum also performed well with hardwood floors, upholstered chairs, car seats, and more. It was a little challenging to navigate the dustbuster gracefully when we attached the crevice tool to get in those smaller nooks and crannies, but in all, it was able to suck up stray crumbs in those hard-to-reach areas.

Battery Life: 15 minutes | Weight: 2.4 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 25.36 ounces | Attachments: Crevice tool | HEPA Filter: No

Best Cordless

Nicebay Handheld Vacuum

$80 at Amazon

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Ease of Emptying
  3.8/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  4.5/5

This tech-savvy tool stood out to us because of its cordless design and LED display panel, which not unlike Dyson vacuums, kept us up to date on the level of dust inside, vacuum power, and battery life. It passed our crumb tests with flying colors, sucking up all of the messes we made on different surfaces and getting into tight creases with the crevice tool.

With its sleek look and ergonomic cordless function, we were able to get into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies without worrying about pulling a cord out of the wall. Not to mention that it’s our lightest option at just 8.8 ounces, making it that much easier to repeatedly reach for.

When we vacuumed clumps of hair out of the carpet, it tended to get wrapped around the filter, which meant we had to stick our hand inside to extract it. However, this tends to be a commonality among many handheld vacuums, so we didn’t dock too many points for this. We also had to make a few trips to the garbage to empty the dustbin due to its small size, but this is a sacrifice we were willing to make for the freedom of movement and high-tech functions that we got with this device.

Battery Life: 11-26 minutes | Weight: 8.8 ounces | Bin Capacity: Not listed | Attachments: Crevice tool, brush | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best for Pet Hair

Black+Decker Dustbuster Furbuster Handheld Vacuum

$79 at Amazon $84 at Wayfair View on Blackanddecker.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Ease of Emptying
  4/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5

If you have a furry friend, you are most likely on your hands and knees with a vacuum or brush far more than you’d like to clean up pet hair. When we tested pet hair vacuums, we found the best handheld option to be the Black and Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean+, a powerful tool with an extra-long crevice attachment to easily get into nooks and crannies.

This high-suction vacuum has 20 volts of power, effectively removing all of the fine hairs from our hard floors, carpets, and upholstery. Bonus points for being super light (just 2.6 pounds!), so we could move all around our houses with this vacuum without getting fatigued. It could even suck up bits of kibble that we’d littered around, making this an even better option for people with particularly messy pets.

It did struggle a bit at getting bits of food up from the carpet, but it was entirely effective at cleaning our couches and other miscellaneous floor types that collect our pets’ hair. The canister is smaller than some of the others we tested, which means you will need to empty it more frequently.

Battery Life: 13 minutes | Weight: 2.6 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 25.3 ounces | Attachments: Crevice tool, motorized pet brush | HEPA Filter: No

Best Investment

Black + Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Hand Vacuum

$90 at Amazon $73 at Walmart $80 at Wayfair

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4.8/5
• Noise Level
  2/5

Cruising through the obstacle courses of messy surfaces that we created for this vacuum, we watched as this Black and Decker handheld vacuum easily picked up each crumb and hair strand. Cushion creases and cupholders were no foes to this vacuum, as its thin, yet useful extra-long crevice tool attachment was able to slip into these small openings to suck up all of the crumbs and random debris that seem to congregate in these areas. 

We found that even on its lowest setting, this dustbuster was able to swiftly suck up all of the hair that we’d scattered throughout medium-pile carpet fibers, and the highest setting was able to easily snatch up sticky crumbs. What’s even better was its surprisingly large dustbin, which can hold a much higher capacity of debris than some of the other compact models we tested, resulting in fewer trips to the garbage while remaining lightweight and easily portable.

From its sleek look to its handy crevice tool that can fit even into the smallest car and high chair cupholders, there was a lot to love about this machine. Our only wish was that it could have come with more attachments, offering it a few more capabilities than just normal vacuuming.

Battery Life: 13 minutes | Weight: 2.4 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 2.5 ounces | Attachments: Extra-long crevice tool, charging plug, brush | HEPA Filter: No

Best for Home Office

Bissell AeroSlim Handheld Vacuum

$35 at Amazon View on Bissell.com $42 at Best Buy

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  3/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5

For those tight corners around your desk and gadgets that your regular vacuum just can't reach, this tiny handheld vacuum from Bissell is the way to go.

Not only is it sleek in appearance, but this handheld vacuum has all the capabilities to effectively clean those hard-to-clean areas of your space that larger models can't quite get to. Due to its slender, cylindrical shape and extra attachments, this lightweight vacuum can get into the smallest corners of your home. While a tiny vacuum is great for small spaces, it also has small parts, meaning you'll have to take more trips to the trash to empty the svelte dustbin as you clean.

Though it’s only charged by a USB cord, this tiny vacuum packs a punch when it comes to suction power. From different spills and messes, like dry cereal and clumps of hair, this small but mighty machine was able to effortlessly suck up the messes made in our testing lab — only struggling a bit with strewn flour, a task that requires a bit more elbow grease for most vacuums, so we're not holding that against it.

Battery Life: 12 minutes | Weight: 1.37 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 4 ounces | Attachments: 2-in-1 crevice tool and dusting brush, USB charging cable | HEPA Filter: No

Best for Car

Black + Decker Flex Handheld Vacuum

$107 at Amazon $120 at Walmart $110 at Lowe's

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5

Car messes don’t stand a chance against this cordless handheld vacuum from Black and Decker, which comes complete with a charging stand and three attachments, including one with a paw print, designed specifically for tackling your car seats after a trip with your furry friend.

During our testing of car vacuums, it scored a perfect score on all surfaces with a variety of debris. We were blown away again and again by its capabilities. The long neck makes it super easy to shove underneath car seats, and it's small enough to combat any tricky angles you throw its way. It's also incredibly easy to empty the dustbin using the clip on the side, making it a completely mess-free process.

The price tag is undeniably steep, and its two distinct parts make it a bit more of a chore to tote around. It's also fairly loud given its small size. Overall, it's a fantastic vacuum, though, and we think the Black and Decker is perfect for someone who needs a machine that can deep clean their car with a powerful handheld vacuum.

Battery Life: 15 minutes | Weight: 3.2 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 17 ounces | Attachments: 2-in-1 nozzle brush, pet hair attachment | HEPA Filter: No

Best for Big Messes

Worx Power Share Cube Vac

$89 at Amazon $120 at Target $120 at QVC

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  5/5

When you've got a big mess on your hands, you need a powerful handheld vacuum. This easy-to-assemble model was powerful enough to suck up all of our messes thanks to its two-level power modes and two attachments, plus a hose for more detailed cleaning. 

We liked how easy it was to carry this vacuum around, coming in at only three pounds but having the horsepower of a machine with much more strength. The hose and extra attachments allowed for an added layer of versatility with this vacuum, so we could easily get under and around car seats and behind couches without a problem. Just be sure to keep it on the charger when you’re not using it because it can run out of battery pretty quickly when used on the highest setting.

Battery Life: 10-25 minutes | Weight: 3 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 7 ounces | Attachments: Crevice tool, brush tool, charger | HEPA Filter: Yes

Best Design

Shark Wandvac Cordless Handheld Vacuum

$90 at Amazon $130 at Best Buy View on Sharkclean.com

Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.3/5
• Ease of Emptying
  5/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Noise Level
  4.3/5

Everyone knows Shark vacuums for their savvy and sleek designs, which is why it was no surprise that we loved the Shark Wandvac the most for its super lightweight and luxe structure.

It was easy for this vacuum to pass over all of our surfaces and suck up our messes along the way, though the suction was so strong that it sometimes stuck to the fabric of our high chairs and upholstery. We liked how easy (and clean) emptying the dustbin was — just the click of a button triggered the waste bin to release the debris we had accumulated during our tests.

While we think it performed well, we do think it is a little overpriced. If you want a more affordable option, the IonVac we also tested has very similar functions to this more high-end one. However, no one can deny the power of the Shark name, so if you’re itching for the Wandvac, you should go with ole’ reliable.

Battery Life: 10-15 minutes | Weight: 1.4 lbs. | Bin Capacity: 0.08 quarts | Attachments: Duster crevice tool, multi-surface pet tool | HEPA Filter: No