The best cordless vacuums are a fast, efficient way to clean your home. Unlike corded vacuums, there’s no faffing around with a cable. They’re lighter and easier to use than bulky upright vacuums and awkward cylinder vacuums, and they take up much less room. They make excellent car vacuums, too, and pack enough power to rank among the best vacuums for pet hair.
If you live in a flat, a terraced house, or a new build, there’s no better type of vacuum. But scrolling through your options, you might be surprised to see that some vacuums include anti-allergy filters, LCD screens, and even particle sensors and lasers. With prices stretching as high as £1,000, it can be tricky to work out which vacuum is the best option for your home.
That’s why I’ve curated this list of the best cordless vacuums you can buy. I have years of experience testing vacuums, and after discounting lots of inferior models, I think these are the ones worth knowing.
My favourite isn’t a Dyson or a Shark, but the Henry quick pro – a fairly priced but effective cordless vacuum that’s perfect for most homes. However, the big vacuum brands still have a lot to offer, and two of them have inevitably made their way into this list, as well as options from other excellent brands such as Levoit and Miele. Based on weeks of testing – and years of experience – these are the best vacuums you can buy.
How I tested
I have tested dozens of cordless vacuums over the years, but I revisited some of my favourites to see how they hold up against new launches from Dyson and Shark. I judged these vacuums by the following criteria:
- Power: I wanted cordless vacuums that could pick up all of the dust and dirt on my floors the first time, or with as few passes as possible.
- Manoeuvrability: I needed lightweight vacuums with smooth wheels to navigate around furniture and other obstacles. I also wanted well-balanced vacuums that were comfortable to use when cleaning overhead, such as when cleaning curtains and bookshelves.
- Battery: I have only included cordless vacuums with long-lasting battery life, as few things are as frustrating as a vacuum running out of power five minutes into a job.
- Versatility: I tested these vacuums on wood, vinyl, carpet, rugs, stairs, upholstery and my car to make sure they suit a range of different cleaning scenarios.
- Features: Extra marks were given to vacuums that had useful features such as easy-to-understand buttons, clear displays or headlights.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
IndyBest is the Independent’s reviews section. All of the products featured in IndyBest guides have been tried and tested in the same real-life environments you’ll be using them.
The best cordless vacuum cleaners for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Henry quick pro: £249, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Akitas cordless vacuum cleaner: £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for carpets – Miele duoflex HX1 totalcare: £499, Johnlewis.com
- Best for hard floors – Dyson V15s detect submarine: £799, Currys.co.uk