There are tons of vacuums on the market at any given time. If you’re looking to make a swap or upgrade an old model, it can be confusing to know where to start since every type and brand has their own benefits and drawbacks. Upright vacuums are helpful if you’re dealing with large messes, and robot vacuums are great for cleaning your space when you’re away, while cordless vacuums can improve your daily cleaning routine since they’re so easy to use. They’re lightweight — often a lot quieter than upright models — and you don’t have to worry about a tangled cord slowing down your day.
With that said, cordless vacuums range widely in size, style and price, with many seemingly identical models, so it helps to know what to look for in a good model. That’s why I spoke with cleaning experts to get their recommendations and understand the pros and cons of cordless vacuums. Plus, I share some NBC Select staff-favorite options to shop for.
How I picked the best cordless vacuums
If you are shopping for a new vacuum, experts I spoke with recommend keeping the following tips in mind:
- Battery life: This is the most important part of any cordless vacuum, according to Kadi Dulude, owner of home cleaning services company Wizard of Homes. She recommends cordless vacuums that come with a backup rechargeable battery so you can keep working while the other battery is charging.
- Size and weight: You want your vacuum to be as light and small as possible without giving up functionality, says Dulude. I curated options with various sizes and weights: The lightest option on this list is around 2 ½ pounds and the heaviest is a little more than 10 pounds.
- Dustbin: The size of the dustbin determines how often you need to stop and empty it. Check to see if the dustbin is easy to empty when it’s full, says Dulude.
- Vacuum type: I included traditional upright cordless vacuums in addition to a few handheld ones, all in a range of budgets. The most expensive vacuum on this is around $400 and the cheapest one is $52.
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The best cordless vacuums in 2025
Most of these top picks are expert or staff-recommended models from popular brands like Dyson, Shark and Black+Decker. I included specs like run time and dustbin capacity below each recommendation.
Best overall
This vacuum has a flexible design that makes everyday cleaning easier, says Kathy Turley, the director of marketing at the cleaning service company Home Clean Heroes. The main wand can hinge and bend in the center, which makes vacuuming under furniture and in corners a breeze, says Turley. It’s also great at catching hair, both from pets and people.
Like our other favorites on this list, it has a solid run time and you can convert it into a smaller handheld vacuum when needed.
Best lightweight
This is one of the best vacuums on the market, according to Dulude and NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin. Malin has used it for years to clean every spot of her New York City apartment — hardwood flooring, bathroom tile, carpets, furniture, you name it.
It has strong suction and automatically adjusts its speed depending on the dust it senses on the floor. It also has headlights that reveal hidden dirt, making it easier to get a deep clean, says Malin. The 40-minute runtime is enough to clean Malin’s entire apartment or spot clean throughout the week. Like most competitors on this list, it converts into a handheld vacuum and comes with a wall mount.
Best budget
Levoit is better known for its air purifiers, but this vacuum checks a lot of boxes without costing hundreds of dollars. It is lightweight, powerful, convertible, and even comes with headlights on the main cleaning attachments. Plus it has a run time of up to 50 minutes — cordless vacuums at this price point usually get under 30 minutes.
The vacuum has a pre-motor filter that should be replaced every three months, according to the brand.
Best premium
The Dyson V11 comes with a powerful motobar cleaning head that sucks up dust and other particles, including pet hair without getting tangled, according to the brand. You’ll also get attachments for: a hair screw, a combination tool and a crevice tool. You can use it to clean all floor types, like hardwood, laminate, tile, carpet and more, plus, the included attachments are great for cleaning upholstered furniture, baseboards and walls and other areas. It also has an LCD screen that shows you how much battery is left and what mode it’s on, of which it has three (auto, eco and boost).
Staff-pick
This model from Shark is a favorite of NBC Select editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez’s, who received it as a sample from the brand. It can automatically detect debris, and increases or decreases its motor speed depending on what its sensor detects. The light on the front of the vacuum also better illuminates dirt in front of you.
It comes with attachments that let you convert it into a handheld or crevice vacuum. It also comes with a dock that automatically clears the dust bin and charges the vacuum when not in use. It is a bit large, so make sure you have enough space to store it in your home. You can read more in our Shark Detect Pro review.
Best cordless vacuum under $100
If you need a vacuum under $100, Turley recommends this Dirt Devil — it’s affordable, lightweight and powerful. Part of that versatility is in the design: you can adjust it between upright, handheld and stick setups. It has a short battery life and small bin size compared to other options on our list — so it’s best for cleaning smaller spaces.
Best handheld
Turley describes this vacuum as “the little engine that could” — it’s the smallest and most portable vacuum on our list and one of our favorite handheld vacuums. It comes with a crevice tool and a slim nozzle that can rotate 180 degrees. Both attachments are great for cleaning behind appliances or under hard-to-reach places, says Turley. Its portability also makes it good for cleaning places outside your home, like a car or shed.
Best handheld for pets
This handheld cordless vacuum has anti-tangle rubber bristles that easily pick up pet hairs, says Turley, who has two dogs. It has two speeds, plus a boost button that increases suction to help clean tough messes. Its extra-long crevice tool attachment comes in handy for nabbing hair under the sofa or in crevices in your car, says Turley.
Best wet and dry
Our experts recommend the Bissell Crosswave for anyone looking to vacuum and mop with just one tool. It has two water tanks, one for fresh water with a cleaning solution and one that stores dirty water and debris. The main roller has LED lights on the front to better illuminate your path as you clean. When you are finished cleaning, it automatically self-cleans the brush roll and the inside of the canister so it’s fresh for the next use, according to the brand.
Keep in mind that it is larger and heavier than most options on our list.
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Why use a cordless vacuum?
There are various kinds of vacuums on the market, but most are sorted into six types: upright, canister, stick, cordless, handheld and robot. Our experts love cordless vacuums because they are:
- Portable: You don’t have to be near an outlet to use a cordless vacuum, making them much better for a quick cleanup in, around or outside your home. Many convert into small, handheld-sized vacuums with included attachments, too.
- Lightweight: They are typically smaller and weigh less than upright and canister vacuums. This makes them easier to handle, carry and store.
- Quiet: Many cordless vacuums are quieter than their corded counterparts, says Turley. If you are looking for a particularly quiet vacuum, she recommends checking reviews and manufacturer details for decibel information.
Where cordless vacuums fall short
Our experts admit there are some downsides to cordless vacuums. If you are considering a new one, be aware of these limitations:
- Not ideal for heavy-duty cleaning: “Cordless vacuums need battery power to function, and once the battery starts dying, the suction gets weaker,” says Dulude. If you want consistent power for long cleaning sessions in a large space, you may be better off with a corded upright or canister vacuum.
- Low suction power: Cordless vacuums typically have slightly lesser suction power than corded options, according to our experts. How much suction power you need depends largely on the types of floors you have. If you are mostly vacuuming hardwood, you likely don’t need as much power as someone vacuuming a lot of carpet, says Turley.
- Needs frequent recharging: Most of our recommended cordless vacuums have a battery life between 15 and 60 minutes. Charge times vary between brands, but can take up to four hours on some models, meaning there’s a potential for a lot of waiting around if you haven’t finished cleaning with one charge.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Kadi Dulude is the founder and owner of the cleaning and domestic referral agency Wizard of Homes in New York City.
- Kathy Turley is the director of marketing at Home Clean Heroes, a customizable home cleaning service company with locations in six states.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology including guides to smartwatches, air purifiers and over-ear headphones. For this piece, I spoke with cleaning experts to learn more about the complexities of cordless vacuums. I combined their recommendations with that of NBC Select staff to select the best cordless vacuums on the market.
Cory Fernandez is a commerce editor at NBC Select, who regularly writes about cleaning and kitchen appliances. He’s written extensively about vacuum sales during Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday as well.
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