Famed American space scientist Carl Sagan stated that we are all made of ‘star stuff’; and, while it may be romantic and uplifting to consider that the various icky materials that constitute our bodies were forged in the bellies of distant, long-extinguished astronomical objects, the fact of the matter is that by ‘stuff’ he meant ‘dust’ and every day of our lives we’re shedding that dust all over our homes like the filthy horrors we are. There, that stripped all the romance out of it.
So, now that your ‘star dust’ is covering all surfaces, choking the vents of any AV equipment you might have and possibly causing allergies in others, maybe you want to think about cleaning up after – literally – yourself.
Dusting just spreads the lack of love around, so the easiest way to expunge all that shed skin and ensure it stays locked safely out of eye and harm’s way is to use a vacuum cleaner. There are, as I’m sure you’re aware, myriad options on the market, mostly coming with cords attached to keep them powered while you suck the unwanted DNA evidence of your existence out of the way. However, vacuums with cords are very 20th century and, as such, it’s time to upgrade.
Welcome to dust-busting in the 2020s, a process that is far safer and – dare I say it? Yes, I do – sexier than most other things the 2020s have dealt us thus far. A bright, shimmering future of cordless suction power and control that lets you get into all those awkward corners and hard-to-reach overhead dust/cobweb hotspots. I’m talking light, I’m talking manoeuvrability, sometimes I’m talking LCD displays, but always I’m talking cleaning convenience.
With a ridiculously dust-free house behind me and the mind-bending irreversible mathematics of a LOT of reboxing of review models now lying ahead like an M. C. Escher-designed roundabout, I present my pick of the crème de la crème of cordless vacuums…
Best cordless vacuum cleaners at a glance
- Best stylish vacuum: Samsung Bespoke Jet Complete, £899, Samsung
- Best innovative vacuum: Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, £600, Currys
- Best if you have pets: Shark Classic Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Pet Vacuum, £380, Shark
- Best affordable cordless vacuum: Proscenic P11, £129, Amazon
- Best 3 in 1 vacuum: Miele Triflex HX1 Cat&Dog, £479, Amazon
- Best lightweight vacuum: Halo Capsule Clean, £249, Currys
- Best portable vacuum: ROIDMI Nano P1 Pro, £74.51, Amazon
- Best for back ache-free cleaning: AEG 8000 Series, £369.99, AEG
- Best for long cleaning time: Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Pet Vacuum (Double Battery), £529.99, Shark
- Best for suction power: Lupe Pure Cordless, £499, Lupe
Best handheld vacuum cleaners from Shark, Dyson and more
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Best air purifiers to improve the air quality of your home
Best mattresses 2022: memory foam, pocket sprung and hybrid reviewed
Samsung Bespoke Jet Complete
Best for: a stylish vacuum
Power rating: 210W
Charge time: 210-minutes
Battery time: Up to 60-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank and bag
Capacity: 2.0L
Weight: 1.44kg
Whoever said that “nature abhors a vacuum” had clearly never clapped eyes on the all-new Bespoke Jet Complete from Samsung, for aesthetically. it is nothing less than a work of art.
Slim, shapely and packing some 210W of pure suction power, this freestanding All-in-One Clean Station contains all you could conceivably need to keep your home clean.
Okay, starting with the stand, this is how you charge the vac itself and 210-minutes gives you up to 60-minutes of suction. But this is also how you empty the Bespoke Jet after use. Yes, in a process far more exciting than it should be, slot the vac into the top, press a front facing button and the jet cyclone tank empties itself into a bag inside the stand, thus removing the risk of any dust, dirt or other allergen-taunting particles getting lose. And with 99.999 per cent Multi-Layered Filtration System in place, this is the vac for the very allergy-prone.
Also, very much the model for the gadget fan, the Samsung model comes with an LCD display that not only informs you of battery status and suction power (adjustable), but also whether the vac has become clogged, missing filters and if there’s something stuck in the brush. But cool showiness covered, how does it perform?
Well, in a household made up of two adults, two children and two cats, with a mix of hardwood, tiled and carpeted floors, I would have to say it was flawless. Every form of cat/kid/careless adult detritus was dealt with instantly and – point of interest for tall people – the telescopic pipe meant there was no stooping to use, even for a 6’3” freak such as myself, while the 180° swivel head gives great flexibility for vacuuming around cats/kids/careless adults who seem determined to get in the way.
Coming complete with an accessory cradle that neatly stores the bundled Jet Dual brush, Slim Action brush, Pet Tool, Combination and Crevice Tool, Flexible Tool and, if you opted for it, spare battery which can be charged while sat in the cradle.
Also available is a Spray Spinning Sweeper to make a mockery of the task of cleaning hard floors, thanks to its self-contained 150ml water tank and dual spinning brushes featuring reusable anti-bacterial micro fibre pads.
Okay, it’s a bit of a beast scale-wise and it comes at a large slice of a price, but if you have the space, income and terrible allergies, the Samsung Bespoke Jet is all the vacuum you could ever need.
Buy now £899.00, Samsung
Dyson V15 Detect Absolute
Best for: a cordless vacuum
Power rating: 230W
Charge time: 4.5-hours
Battery time: Up to 60-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.76L
Weight: 3kg
Okay, for those who crave all the bells and whistles, lights and colour LCD displays a cordless vacuum cleaner can pack in without breaking some odd aspect of the Geneva Convention Code, there exists the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, a vacuum that doesn’t hold back.
There is power aplenty, up to 60-minutes play per charge and a sizeable tank to detain dust and dirt. You can rely on 14 clever Cyclones clustered together to guarantee all areas it visits remains allergen free, but there’s also a colour LCD display that tells you dust stuff in real-time, including second-by-second run time, maintenance alerts, power modes and battery life. A brush head-mounted laser detects dust otherwise invisible to the eye and a piezo sensor counts dust particles passing through the inlet at 15,000 times a second.
Multi-filtration is, of course, evident, and its light enough to switch from upright to handheld configuration to take the Dyson’s ultimate level of vacuum tech into each and every corner of your home.
Arriving at your door with enough accessories to tackle even worst case scenario vacuum-requiring situations, the V15 Detect Absolute is Dyson’s top dog for a reason and with lasers, colour LCDs and multiple cyclones leading the charge at a price that can really be considered to be competitive with its realistic alternate options - you can see why the name Dyson carries so much weight.
Buy now £600.00, Currys
Shark Classic Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Pet Vacuum IZ201UKT
Best for: If you have pets
Power rating: 450W
Charge time: 3.5-hours
Battery time: Up to 40-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.7L
Weight: 4.1kg
This is the UK’s best-selling cordless vacuum cleaner based on sales by volume Jan-Dec 2021. That’s a stat that speaks volumes about a) what people in the UK spent their time doing during Jan-Dec 2021 and b) just how good Shark cordless vacs are.
This is the IZ201UKT, AKA the Classic Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Pet Vacuum and it’s a very slick bit of kit that fuses supreme suction power with contortionist level flexibility and very smart storage.
Perfect for all floor surfaces and featuring handheld accessories for assaulting stairs, sofas and car interiors, this Shark has real bite (face it, you saw that pun coming), and you can really feel the power when you go carpet-deep with the mighty DuoClean floorhead.
Cunning Anti Hair Wrap Technology removes hair from the brush-roll as you clean, keeping the whole shebang tangle-free, while it glides around obstacles with all the easy grace of a dust-seeking ice-skater.
Featuring – Nerd Alert! – LED headlights to help you detect more secretive dust, another outstanding feature of the Shark is that it has a flexible wand that allows you to vac under low lying furniture without having to even bend your back. This also transforms the Classic Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Pet Vacuum into a short-stack freestander when bent double at the end of cleaning.
Make no mistake, ingenuity abounds here and for homes that need to be regularly rendered dirt, dust and hair free with minimum physical effort and maximum effect, the Shark IZ201UKT Classic Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Pet Vacuum simply sells itself.
Buy now £380.00, Shark
Proscenic P11
Best for: affordability
Power rating: 450W
Charge time: 2.5-hours
Battery time: up to 53-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.65L
Weight: 1.8kg
A budget model that still offers a reasonable amount of cordless bang for your buck, the P11 from Proscenic can compete with many of the bigger names featured here, but at a vastly reduced price.
First off, it’s powerful and tackles both carpets and hard floors with equal aplomb, depending on dirt density in your carpets, of course; as mentioned earlier, my menagerie of cats and kids shed and spread hair with wild abandon and some of the cast-off stomped deeper into the pile still clung with tenacity despite the P11’s power.
A nimble little minx when it comes to manoeuvrability, the Proscenic glides smoothly around without much elbow grease, the HEPA filtration system keeping allergen-causing annoyances out of your face.
Three power modes are available, starting with an auto mode that reads the surface for you, an energy-efficient mode, and a max mode that gives you all the suction grunt, but also sucks more battery life, giving you just over 10-minutes with which to do your worse.
Coming complete with a fair selection of accessories, including an anti-hair-wrap roller brush for hard floors and carpets, round brush, long crevice nozzle, and a mini motorised tool, the Proscenic P11 is a more than capable cordless for less demanding households at a price that really can’t be argued with.
Buy now £129.00, Amazon
Miele Triflex HX1 Cat&Dog
Best for: a 3-in-1 vacuum
Power rating: 185W
Charge time: 240-minutes
Battery time: Up to 60-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.5L
Weight: 3.60kg
A meaty name in the world of vacuum cleaners, Miele has been in the business of making vacs since 1927 and have built a reputation as solid as its incredibly durable products. So, it should come as no surprise to learn that the Miele HX1 (reviewed here in its Cat&Dog iteration) is a portable powerhouse of dust, dirt and hair removal.
A 3-in-1 configurable cordless that lets you adapt to suit any vacuuming task, the HX1 in upright form is heavy enough to handle deeply dirtied carpets and light enough in its handheld format to smash ceiling and wall work. The HEPA filter frees allergy sufferers from the effects of even the tiniest dust particles.
A 240-minutes charge time gives up to 60-minutes of dust destruction and when it comes to pet hair, as a household that includes two/three/four cats depending on whether the smart cat-flap is working or not and one child with the flowing locks of Rapunzel that she sheds as freely as a snake sheds its skin, the Miele HX1 Cat&Dog makes amazing short work of picking p after all of them.
Bundled together with a crevice nozzle, dusting brush with synthetic bristles, an upholstery nozzle, Electro Compact SEB 23 electric brush, Multi Floor XXL SEB 435 electric brush with handy BrilliantLight for dust hunting in darker spaces, a wall mount and one battery, the HX1’s 180° swivel head allows it to swim around more unmovable objects with all the fluidity of a particularly supple salmon.
Once done, your collected dust, dirt and assorted detritus can be disposed of with ease by simply twisting open the 0.5L tank and dumping it into your bin.
Doing the Miele name proud in general and an absolute gift from the gods to those plagued with pet (and/or child) hair, the HX1 Cat&Dog is a cordless cleaner with clout.
Buy now £479.00, Amazon
Halo Capsule Clean
Best for: a lightweight vacuum
Power rating: 400W
Charge time: 3-hours
Battery time: up to 60-minutes
Bag or tank: Bag
Capacity: 1.6L
Weight: 2.6kg
Combining capacity with power and racing car-inspired construction, the Halo Capsule Clean was borne out of a realisation that while cordless vacuums were the future of dealing with domestic dust drudgery, most models could be quite heavy and unnecessarily cumbersome.
The Halo Capsule Clean is an intelligent rethink of the cordless vac that uses a carbon fibre construction and strips away all other unneeded elements. Leaving only the battery and the motor, this drastically reduces weight and also imbues the Halo with a massive dust bag capacity of 1.6L – the largest in its arena by a country mile.
A three-hour charge time delivers 60-minutes of dust sucking and three power modes gives you complete command over whatever floor-type you’re dealing with.
Alongside the main unit, you also get a power brush head, crevice tool, dusting brush, extension tool, charger, (compostable) dust pouches, accessory clip and a wall mount all included in the low asking price, making cleaning a breeze whether up high or down low.
Oddly, but undeniably easy on the eye to boot, the Halo Capsule Clean is a fresh slice of dust-inhaling innovation.
Buy now £249.00, Currys
ROIDMI Nano P1 Pro
Best for: a portable vacuum
Power rating: 90W
Charge time: 150-mins
Battery time: Up to 24-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.1L
Weight: 0.5kg
If you want to keep it simple, or need an ultra-portable cordless vac option that is small enough to keep in the car as you’ve be known to eat while ensconced behind the wheel, then the ROIDMI Nano P1 Pro will be right up your street.
Taking 150-minutes to charge, this diminutive design weighs in at just 500g, measures a miniscule 275 x 60mm (HxD), yet delivers real suction power thanks to its 130,000rpm brushless digital motor. It is ideal for smaller households, in the car and for those who take their hygiene very seriously while, say, staying away at a B&B or budget hotel chain, the Nano P1 Pro slips snuggly into your suitcase for any necessary use in your temporarily lodgings.
Chargeable by USB-C, featuring two power modes and a bit of a bargain, for cordless cleaning convenience in the home and on the go, the ROIDMI Nano P1 Pro is your portable pal.
Buy now £74.51, Amazon
AEG 8000 Series
Best for: back ache free cleaning
Power rating: 153W
Charge time: 2.5-hours
Battery time: Up to 35-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.6L
Weight: 2.88kg
A lot of thought has gone into the AEG 8000 - that much is immediately clear straight out of the box. There’s a charging stand, an extendable wand that keeps back pain at bay for people of my excessive height and over, the handheld configuration detaches from the charging stand at the click of a button for less fumbling and more vacuuming… and it’s been given careful consideration style-wise too, fitting nicely into more contemporarily designed homes.
It also provides you with up to 35-minutes of power, switching instantly and automatically between floor types, leaving you with little more to do that guide the thing about in your Captain Ahab-type obsession with dust. However, if auto isn’t floating your – to continue the pointless Moby Dick analogy for a second – Pequod boat, there are two more modes other than auto that place the power firmly in your hands.
With a five-stage filtration system, particles no matter how small and pesky will not escape it’s pull, while that aforementioned telescopic tube means getting to ceiling corner spider dwellings is simple too.
With a box brimming with accessories, such as a charger included, crevice tool, dusting brush, telescopic tube, UltimatePower bristle tool and an upholstery tool, all your vacuum cleaning scenarios are seen to with the AEG 8000 and, while not wanting to dwell on the shallower side of things too much, like I said, it’s also designed to be left on display when not in use, which is a massive plus for those pushed for storage space but with a keen eye for interior design.
Buy now £369.99, AEG
Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Pet Vacuum (Double Battery) IZ320UKT
Best for: long cleaning time
Power rating: 59.2W
Charge time: 4-hours
Battery time: Up to 60-minutes
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 0.7L
Weight: 4.58kg
Sharks look sharp; it’s quite simple. Whether it’s the twin LED headlights, the brilliant flexible design or the versatility that does it for me, I don’t know, but that unquantifiable, unnatural ‘something’ betwixt man and machine is undeniable.
So, a weightier proposition than the IZ201UKT I looked at earlier, you can feel the heft in your hand when you utilise it as an upright, however, the effortless nature in which it moves across both carpet and hard floors negates that weight.
In this option you get two batteries which, chargeable simultaneously, can then combine to offer up to a whopping 120-minutes of clean time, which you can monitor with ease due to the colour LED display at the top of the handle.
Ensuring a deep down clean, two motorised brush-rolls work together the DuoClean floorhead, agitating dirt caught within carpets and drawing in debris and stuck-on dust from hard floors, while, as with the previous model, Shark’s self-cleaning brush-roll separates and removes hair as you clean.
Shark’s Flexology wand is also in place, to help easily clean under low-lying furniture, plus allowing for you to simply fold it down after use for freestanding, compact storage.
Another super-slick design from Shark, the anti-hair wrap cordless pet vacuum comes bundled with an accessory bag, crevice tool, dual charger dock, DuoClean floorhead, multi surface tool, Powerfins pet tool and, naturally, a wand, covering all bases like the apex killer cordless cleaner it is.
Buy now £529.00, Shark
Lupe Pure Cordless
Best for: suction power
Power rating: 400W
Charge time: 3.5-hours
Battery time: Up to 60-mins
Bag or tank: Tank
Capacity: 1-litre
Weight: 4.6kg (upright) / 0.5kg (in-hand)
You’ve probably never heard of Lupe; and you may be staring at the photo of the Pure Cordless now and trying to decide whether you want to hear more about the company and the product or not. Well, I’m here to tell you that you absolutely do, so buckle up, buckaroos.
Firstly, Lupe and its first cordless vacuum are the product of co-founders Lucas Horne and Pablo Montero, who met while working for another British floor-cleaning model manufacturer. So, heritage in ingenious vacuum design already in place, the pair set about creating a cordless vacuum that not only did away with traditional problems of short charge times and poor suction, but also ticked all the eco boxes possible.
But first things first, the Lupe Pure is – without doubt – the slickest vac design I’ve ever had the pleasure to pull from a box and put together. Somewhere between a Transformer and an elaborate sniper rifle of the vacuuming world, the thing just makes perfect sense to the point that I didn’t even need to glance at the instructions. Clicking together in an array of three cleaning configurations, the hollow handle of the freestanding upright becomes the hose in to help suck cobwebs off ceilings and dust from curtain rails, while the build is supremely solid. It’s also absolutely eco-friendly, as every part is replaceable and recyclable after living out a long old life.
Three power modes give control over your cleaning, the universal pick-up head, the multi-function crevice and upholstery accessory tools mount on the main unit to be at hand at all times, the HEPA filter makes short work of all dust and allergens and is even washable to further please the planet.
When it comes to manoeuvrability, the Lupe Pure is a joy to use as an upright and very light and easy to handle as an in-hand and when it come to suction power and performance on all surfaces, it’s pretty much unbeatable.
Buy now £499.00, Lupe
What type of vacuum should I buy? Here’s what to look for in a cordless vaccuum
The best type of vacuum largely depends on what you’ll be using it for, if you have a pet (or perhaps messy children), and whether or not your home is carpeted.
Cordless vacuum have become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks to clever new technology and quick and easy clean up capability. Their lightweight design is ideal for flats or smaller homes where storage is tight, and they are easier to manoeuvre than traditional corded options. One thing to consider, though, is that you’ll have to charge it in between use, and if you live in a larger home, it’s a good idea to look for a model with two batteries for extended cleaning time. If you suffer with allergies, the maintenance of a cordless design might mean you come into contact with dust and debris as you change the filter, in which case, a corded option might be a better fit for you.
Another option for quick cleanup is a handheld vacuum. If you’ve ever found yourself tangled up in your vacuum cord in a last ditch effort to clean the house ahead of guests visiting, this is the option for you. Ideal for cleaning smaller spaces, or even car interiors or cushions, if you’re shopping for a handheld vacuum, you’ll want to look out for a model with at least 20 minutes of cleaning time so you don’t have to recharge throughout cleaning. Keep in mind that this is not a good option for cleaning the whole house, as although light in weight, they can get a cumbersome after a while.
Lastly, sometimes we have to sit back and accept that robots are taking over the world - especially when they do the hoovering for you. Robot vacuum cleaners are now smarter than ever, with sensors to avoid bumping into your furniture, and technology to map their whereabouts so no area is left untouched. The best part? Some even have their own ‘self empty’ feature, so you’ll rarely need to worry about cleaning up. These can be a great option if you’re too busy to hoover on a frequent basis, or if you’re not able to get around the house. Keep in mind though that although smart, these machines don’t have actual eyes (yet), so it is possible that it could miss a patch or area.
