Best cordless vacuum cleaner 2026: exceptional floorcare with no wires
The best cordless vacuum cleaners do battery-powered cleaning with ease and speed
The best cordless vacuum cleaner is, for most peoples' purposes, now the best vacuum full-stop. They're bigger sellers than the corded ones and that's because people have realised the convenience and versatility of cordless vacuums outweigh worries about battery life.
As long as your home isn’t a maze of deep-pile carpet, the best cordless vacuums deliver impressive battery life and strong suction. They’re easy to manoeuvre too, and you can glide them around without getting tangled in a cord or wrestling with a heavy, traditional vacuum. I would also argue that they're more reliable than the best robot vacuum cleaners, but we'll leave that debate for another day.
The top three
For the best cordless vacuum cleaner overall, the award goes to the Shark PowerDetect Cordless Pet. Nothing quite compares, especially if you want power, intelligence and a long runtime all mixed into one.
Ultenic is a seriously underrated brand when it comes to cordless vacs, and the U20 is currently the best it offers. With an affordable price point and some great features, it's well worth a look if you're working with a budget.
Our best premium mower award goes to the Dyson V16 Piston Animal after its launch last September. It's got some very innovative features which explains the high price tag, but it's a great choice if you've got the pennies to spend.
We’ve refreshed our best cordless vacuum guide with the newest models tested in 2025, and since then, nothing has quite matched the Shark PowerDetect Cordless Pet – which is why it’s now claimed the top spot.
Best cordless vacuum cleaners ranking 2026
The best cordless vacuum overall
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless Pet has been a huge standout since its debut at IFA 2024, and it’s easy to see why. The PowerDetect combines the smartest elements of Shark’s Detect Pro range with the raw suction power of the Stratos line, resulting in a vacuum that adapts to your home as it cleans. Its five advanced deep-cleaning technologies automatically detect dirt levels, floor types and edges, adjusting power in real time to deliver consistently excellent results on both hard floors and carpets.
Yes, it’s Shark’s most expensive cordless vacuum to date, but it earns that title. Alongside class-leading cleaning performance, it introduces useful innovations, including dual detection features and a clever Auto-Empty Base that both empties the bin and charges the vacuum whilst it’s stored. That means less maintenance, less mess, and a vacuum that’s always ready when you need it.
Whilst it may occasionally snag on certain surfaces, this is a minor inconvenience in an otherwise stellar design. For those seeking a vacuum that excels in intelligence, efficiency and ease of use, the Shark PowerDetect is the best out there without hesitation.
The best affordable cordless vacuum
When it comes to finding a cordless vacuum that feels premium without the premium price tag, the Ultenic U20 really stands out. Whilst many budget cordless vacuums end up feeling flimsy or underpowered, the U20 combines an impressive performance, smart design and thoughtful features at a price that’s hard to argue with.
It’s surprisingly well built for a budget model, offering a self-standing design so you don’t have to lean it awkwardly against a wall, plus a large 1.5 litre dustbin. The compact 1.7 kg body makes it easy to handle, and the inclusion of a smart digital touchscreen – showing battery life, cleaning mode and maintenance alerts – adds a premium touch rarely seen at this price point.
Attachments are limited and it’s not the strongest on deep-pile carpets, but for everyday cleaning on hard floors and light messes, the Ultenic U20 more than delivers. If you’ve been put off cordless vacs because of high prices, this model shows there’s an affordable option that deserves your attention.
The best premium cordless vacuum
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal isn’t just another cordless vacuum – it’s arguably the most capable and refined model Dyson has produced to date. Powered by Dyson’s latest Hyperdymium 900W motor, it delivers up to 315AW of suction, making it one of the strongest anti-tangle cordless vacuums available.
The new All Floor Cones Sense cleaner head automatically adapts to different floor types, switching suction and brush speed between hard floors and carpets. It also features dual conical brush bars that eject long hair directly into the bin, finally solving one of the biggest annoyances with cordless vacs.
Dyson has also improved usability with thoughtful touches like an LCD screen that shows real-time cleaning feedback, and a CleanCompaktor bin that compresses dust and debris to increase capacity and make emptying easier. The V16 can run for up to 70 minutes on a full charge, which is more than enough for most homes.
It's obviously incredibly expensive and it needs a wall mount rather than standing upright on its own, but the V16’s combination of power and premium design puts it a step above most other cordless vacuums. If you’re willing to invest in great cleaning performance and convenience, the Dyson V16 Piston Animal is hard to beat.
The best slimline cordless vacuum
The appealingly named AirFox weighs just 2.9kg, which makes it incredibly easy to move around the house. If you’re after something light that won’t leave your arms aching halfway through a clean, this is a really great choice. It feels effortless to manoeuvre, even when tackling stairs or awkward corners.
It also comes with a surprisingly generous set of accessories, including a mini power head, crevice tool, upholstery tool and soft brush. There’s even a concertina hose thrown in for extra flexibility, which is always handy. The main floor head is fairly simple in design, but it does the job well on both hard floors and carpets. It includes an anti-hair-tangle comb to keep the dual bristles free from hair and threads.
Like some much pricier cordless vacuums, the AirFox includes an Auto mode that intelligently adjusts suction depending on how dirty the floor is, ramping up power when needed and dialling it back to save battery. You can also switch to Eco mode for hard floors or Max mode when you need full power. Battery life is respectable too, with up to 80 minutes in Eco, around 45 minutes in Auto, and about 15 minutes in Max.
The 0.4-litre dustbin is on the smaller side, so you may find yourself emptying it more often, but that’s a fairly minor trade-off. Overall, it’s a lightweight, capable cordless vacuum that still manages to hold its own against some of our favourites.
The best cordless vacuum for allergies
If allergies are a real issue for you, the Henry Quick Pet is one of those vacuums that will make life a lot easier. Yes, it cleans well but it’s how it manages dust, pet hair and airborne irritants so effectively that makes it special.
First off, it uses Henry’s proven no-loss suction system, which means it keeps pulling in dust and debris consistently rather than losing power as the bin fills up. That’s crucial for allergy sufferers because small particles are more likely to get picked up rather than kicked around the room.
Even more importantly, the Quick Pet has an excellent filtration setup, including extra filters that trap fine dust and allergens rather than expelling them back into the air. We loved how it manages fine particles and pet hair, which are two of the biggest triggers for allergy flare-ups. A good seal and effective filtration help stop that itchy, wheezy feeling that often comes after vacuuming with less capable machines.
Another practical plus for allergies is the pet hair tools and accessories it comes with, which make it much easier to strip hair from carpets, upholstery and tricky corners where allergens hide. Combined with strong suction and a spacious dustbin, the Henry Quick Pet is built to handle the kinds of messes that would normally leave you sneezing or rubbing your eyes.
The best Dyson cordless vacuum
Yes, we’re slightly cheating here, as we have a dedicated guide for the best Dyson vacuum cleaners, but the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute is simply too good not to include here as well. Even compared to its predecessors, the jump in cleaning performance is obvious. Before our current premium pick came along, this was the first Dyson to feature the now-iconic angled laser on the hard floor head – and once you’ve seen the amount of dust it reveals, there’s no going back.
Carpet cleaning is just as impressive thanks to the High Torque head, which automatically adapts to different floor types for consistently strong results. You also get an excellent selection of attachments, including a powered upholstery tool that’s impressively resistant to tangling with pet or human hair.
Put simply, the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute delivers across the board. It’s powerful, intelligent and incredibly well-rounded, which is why it’s picked up multiple T3 Awards and continues to be one of the very best cordless vacuum cleaners you can buy.
The best cordless vacuum for larger homes
This keenly priced upright is a brilliant option for larger homes, especially if you like the convenience of a cordless vacuum that can stand up on its own rather than ending up in a tangled heap under the stairs. The Vax ONEPWR Edge is also built to handle more space in one go, thanks to its generous 1.5-litre dustbin, which is up there with some of the largest in this list.
The Edge uses two near full-width brush rolls designed to cope with everything from hard floors to deep-pile carpet. That wider cleaning path makes a noticeable difference when tackling large rooms, helping you get through the job faster. Whilst the low-set rollers can feel a little grippy on thicker carpets, the vacuum is actually fairly light for an upright, making it manageable on stairs and easy to manoeuvre around furniture.
There’s no complicated automation to deal with, which will suit anyone who prefers straightforward controls. Instead, you get four clearly defined modes, including suction-only, a gentle hard-floor setting, a dedicated carpet mode and a powerful boost option when you need extra muscle.
Where the ONEPWR Edge really earns its place in bigger houses is battery life. It ships with two removable batteries, each offering up to 50 minutes of runtime, giving you around 100 minutes of total cleaning time without needing to stop and recharge.
The best cordless vacuum for pet owners
Taking a totally different approach to a lot of other options, the Gtech AirRam Mk2 K9 is a stripped-back, traditional upright that’s been fine-tuned with pet owners firmly in mind. There are no flashy extras or unnecessary attachments here – just a lightweight, highly effective vacuum that’s exceptionally good at dealing with pet hair.
Its 22-volt lithium-ion battery delivers up to 40 minutes of runtime, which is plenty for cleaning a two-bedroom home in one go. Charging takes around four hours, but because it’s designed for quick, regular cleans rather than constant top-ups, you won’t feel the need to keep it permanently plugged in.
The floorhead is excellent at lifting embedded pet hair from carpets, whilst still performing strongly on hard floors. Everything it collects is compressed into a neat cylindrical capsule positioned behind the roller brush, and the emptying process is one of the cleanest around. Simply pop out the 0.8-litre bin, flip it open over your rubbish bin and slide the ejector arm. Being able to see how much pet hair it’s captured is oddly satisfying, too.
Put it on a dog-hair-covered carpet or a hard kitchen floor after muddy paw traffic, and the AirRam Mk2 K9 consistently picks up more fur and debris than you’d expect.
The best simple cordless vacuum
The Shark Freestyle Pro is a great choice if you want something simple, lightweight and easy to use. It skips the clever tech and complicated settings in favour of effective everyday performance, making it ideal for quick clean-ups and regular maintenance.
It’s easy to manoeuvre yet powerful enough to handle dust and crumbs on both hard floors and carpets. Battery life is perfectly reasonable for day-to-day cleaning, and the quick handheld conversion makes it handy for stairs, sofas and cars too.
If you don’t need smart sensors or premium extras and just want a reliable cordless vacuum you’ll actually enjoy using, the Shark Freestyle Pro is a strong, no-nonsense option.
The best cheap cordless vacuum
The Beldray Airfinity stands out as one of the best cheap cordless vacuums because it delivers a surprisingly strong performance without a hefty price tag. For anyone who wants the convenience of a cordless cleaner without spending big, it strikes the perfect balance between cost and capability.
Despite its affordable price, the Airfinity still offers good suction and handles everyday dirt, crumbs and light pet hair well across hard floors and low‑pile carpet. Its straightforward design and easy‑to‑use controls also mean you don’t need to fuss with multiple settings.
Battery life won’t match premium models, but it’s enough for quick jobs and regular tidies, and the lightweight build makes it effortless to carry between rooms. If your main priorities are price, simplicity and decent performance for everyday messes, the Beldray Airfinity is hard to beat.
How to choose the best cordless vacuum cleaner
You've probably realised that the biggest advantage of cordless vacuums is the lack of a cord, so if easy cleaning is your priority, you're in the right place. That makes them far easier to push around than traditional uprights, and light enough to reach everything from ceilings to skirting boards. Since Dyson first made them a premium, versatile option, cordless vacs have evolved to handle everything from quick car cleans to vacuuming large carpets.
Of course, there are trade-offs. To keep them light, the lithium-ion batteries can’t be huge, so runtime is limited. Brands like Dyson and Shark have steadily improved battery performance, but some brands take a simpler route, including two batteries to double your cleaning time. The general rule is to aim for a longer runtime if your house is large and you vacuum a few times a week, but if you need something for quick cleaning bursts, you should be fine with an average option.
Nearly all cordless vacs are bagless, which is great… until it comes time to empty the often small, translucent dust bins. It can be fiddly at first, but with a well-designed model, it quickly becomes second nature. Models like the Dyson V16 Piston Animal make this easier too, especially if you're not a fan of touching the dust.
Finally, most models come with a range of attachments for carpets, hard floors, pet hair, and crevices. You can buy cheaper models with just one or two heads, but as a rule of thumb, more heads always means more versatility.
How we test the best cordless vacuum cleaners
As we do not own a T3 testing lab, with robot arms pushing vacs along lengths of mind-blowingly expensive carpet, the only way to test is in the homes of our reviewers. We put these machines through their paces on carpets and hard floors, doing day-to-day cleaning and also dealing with spills – both ones that happen naturally and ones we create ourselves.
We base our assessment of cleaning performance and battery life on real-world testing rather than going on what the manufacturers claim. Although at this point, it can be taken as read that any vac we recommend will last the usual 5-10 minutes on max power, 1 hour on the lowest setting and somewhere in the region of 30-40 minutes when on auto, eco and medium power settings.
Best cordless vacuum cleaner FAQs
Which features should you look out for in a cordless vacuum cleaner?
When choosing a cordless vacuum cleaner, there are five features you should initially look out for.
1. Solid battery life – aim for 60 minutes or more.
2. Strong suction power – the best models should have a minimum of 150–200W.
3. Easy manoeuvrability – prioritise lightweight models with flex technology.
4. Large dustbin capacity – this will reduce emptying interruptions
5. Useful attachments – crevice tools and pet hair brushes will ensure efficient, versatile cleaning.
Read 5 must-have features to look out for in a cordless vacuum cleaner for more details.
How do you clean a cordless vacuum cleaner?
To clean a cordless vacuum, start by emptying the dustbin after each use to prevent buildup. Remove the filter and wash it regularly, using warm water and mild detergent if necessary.
You should then clean the brush roll by removing any tangled hair or debris, and check for any blockages in the airways or hoses and clear them.
Finally, ensure the battery is fully charged and properly maintained for optimal performance. Regular cleaning keeps the vacuum running efficiently and extends its lifespan.
Take a look at our guide on how to clean a vacuum cleaner for more tips.
How often should you replace your vacuum cleaner?
Vacuum cleaners tend to last eight years, but this will depend on the brand and how well you look after your vacuum. You can also prolong the life of your vacuum by replacing its attachments rather than getting rid of the entire device.
Reviewer Panel
Lizzie has reviewed more cordless vacuum cleaners than she count, and gets strangely excited whenever a new launch appears with even more impressive features. She's reviewed most of the options in this list, so her comparisons are reliable.
Derek specialises in home and outdoor tech, and has tested a huge range of cordless vacs over the years. His reviews are some of the best on T3, and the magazine wouldn't know what to do without his insights.
Bethan is T3's Home Editor, and whilst she's usually tucked away reviewing the latest air fryer or coffee machine, she's still dabbled in testing some impressive cordless vacuum cleaners over the years.
Rob has been reviewing tech longer than he likes to admit, including many cordless vacuum cleaners. This means he certainly knows what he's talking about.
Duncan is the former Lifestyle Editor of T3 and has been writing about tech for almost 15 years, meaning his reviews are still ones to rely on.
