5 Best Handheld Vacuums of 2024, Tested by Cleaning Experts

You've likely never seen a square vacuum before, but this little cube from Worx is worth a second look. In our test, it easily picked up all the debris and most of the pet hair we put down, even without a rotating brush attachment or selecting the max power setting.

Its 4-foot hose reaches into tight spaces, and it ran for 23 minutes at regular power. Our tester called this hand vac "very quiet and comfortable to use." It earned a three-star Quiet Mark rating for quiet performance, which is the best rating a product can receive for noise.

The Worx is a little heavier than other handhelds but it stands on its own during use. The large dust cup empties from the bottom, though isn't removable, so we found cleaning it out to be a bit cumbersome. It does have other notable features including a removable battery that fits into other Worx tools, a washable HEPA filter (great for pets and allergy-sufferers), attachments that store on board and a top handle that also cradles the hose for easy toting.

Weight: 3 lbs | Run time: 23 minutes | Dust Cup Capacity: 0.18 L | Filter: Washable HEPA filter | Attachments: Crevice nozzle, brush attachment

You can count on Dirt Devil to make simple, no-nonsense vacuums at a great price and this easy-to-use, powerful little handheld vacuum is no exception. That's why we named it a Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning & Organizing Award winner and our best value pick here.

Weighing in at just over one pound, it's extremely lightweight and portable. And because it stands upright in its charging caddy (that also has a spot to stash its brush/crevice tool) storage is simple too. It only runs at one speed and doesn't come with a pet hair attachment, but it did run for almost 10 minutes on a single charge. We also found it comfortable to hold. One consumer tester said, "I loved this for easy clean-up in the kitchen while cooking!"

Weight: 1 lbs | Run time: 10 minutes | Dust Cup Capacity: 0.1 L | Filter: Mesh and pleated filter assembly | Attachments: Two-in-one combination crevice tool and brush

In the GH Cleaning Lab, we're seeing many new lightweight, sleek hand vacs so this slim Bissell is definitely on trend. The AeroSlim is quickly proving to be the ideal small vacuum for quick pick-ups on hard surfaces. It comes with a two-in-one brush and crevice tool to nab crumbs stuck in your car's cup holders or between seat cushions. Its trim design also makes it easier to tuck into a car's trunk to handle messes on the go, and it recharges via USB, so there's no need to find an outlet.

We appreciate that the filter is washable, so there's no need to buy pricey replacements. We were also impressed with this unit's suction, despite its conveniently compact size. And with 15 minutes of run time, you should be able to do the whole car. All it's missing is a pet hair attachment.

Weight: 1.4 lbs | Run time: 15 minutes | Dust Cup Capacity: 0.1 L | Filter: Dual-level filtration system | Attachments: Two-in-one crevice tool and dusting brush

Black+Decker literally invented the handheld vacuum, and this Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ model does the brand proud. It tied for first place in our tests with our best overall pick, was one of the quietest we evaluated and aced our pet-hair pickup test, earning it a spot here and on our list of the best vacuums for pet hair. It did well with other messes too — even without using the Power Boost setting.

Two standout features are an extra-long pullout crevice tool — attached to the vacuum so you'll never lose it — and an extra-large bottom-emptying dust bin that makes cleaning up after pets easy. The filter is washable, and the vacuum stands upright for charging or storage. The battery also had one of the longest run times at up to 32 minutes, though air coming out of the side vents caused some debris to be blown outside of the cleaning path which was a bit annoying.

Weight: 4.2 lbs | Run time: 32 minutes | Dust Cup Capacity: 0.75 L | Filter: Washable filter and pre-filter | Attachments: Motorized pet brush and built-in crevice tool

This Hoover is a little powerhouse, with a 2-in-1 crevice tool and dusting brush that makes it easy to clean hard-to-reach places full-size vacuums struggle with, like in the corners of your stairs. Our experts rated it highly on pickup of small and large debris on both carpets and bare floors. The unit even did well with trickier tasks like sucking up pet hair. We love how simple it is to empty the dust cup and remove the filter to clean, too.

We were not so impressed with battery run and charge time (with a ONEPWR 20V battery), but on the plus side, the removable, rechargeable battery is compatible across other ONEPWR System indoor and outdoor cleaning devices. If the battery runs out on your hand vacuum, you can borrow the battery from, say, your ONEPWR leaf blower, upright vacuum or carpet cleaner. Our Cleaning Lab Reviews Analyst says vacuums with replaceable batteries are more sustainable, too, since, "when your vacuum's battery dies, you don't have to throw it away — you can just replace the battery." Just keep in mind that the replacement battery is a bit expensive to buy alone ($40), but it will be more money-efficient than buying an entirely new vacuum when it dies.

Weight: 2.2 lbs | Run time: 19 minutes (with 3Ah battery) | Dust Cup Capacity: 0.4 L | Filter: Washable filter | Attachments: On-board crevice tool