The best compact handheld vacuum cleaners

Usually, the buyer is faced with a dilemma - to use a compact, but not very powerful hand-held vacuum cleaner, whose power decreases along with its size, or a large classic device that copes with its task perfectly, but is not so convenient. And Ryobi's product can solve this problem, since it represents a kind of middle ground between these two options. With its entire appearance, the vacuum cleaner shows that it is a more professional device with efficient operation and consistently high results. The manufacturer has added a rubberized handle for a more comfortable grip, but the dimensions are not so compact: the model weighs 1.4 kg and can be felt in the hand, especially during prolonged use. If you clean at home or at work, this is unlikely to be a problem, but in a car, the vacuum cleaner is somewhat clumsy.

But the emphasis here is on performance and reliability. The air flow rate is 1300 l/min, which provides powerful suction of dust, small crumbs, animal hair and larger debris, including after repair work. And thanks to the HEPA fine filter, the device retains even the smallest particles, which is especially important for people with allergies. For collected waste, a spacious dust container with a volume of 540 ml is provided, which eliminates the need for constant emptying. It is made of transparent plastic, so you can control its filling. It also comes with a small crevice tool to help you get into hard-to-reach places. The big plus is that it is attached directly to the body - thus, the brush will always be at hand and will not get lost.

For buyers unfamiliar with Ryobi products, the handheld vacuum cleaner has a surprise in store: it does not come with a battery and charger. And this was not done even for the purpose of additional income, it’s just that all the manufacturer’s power tools use one Ryobi ONE+ battery platform. That is, a universal battery, produced in different containers, is suitable for various devices, be it a lawn mower, hammer drill, screwdriver or drill. For example, a 5 Ah battery provides a hand-held vacuum cleaner with up to 30 minutes of battery life, which allows for complete cleaning of rooms, an office or a car interior. The charging itself is quite fast, so if the device is discharged at the wrong time, cleaning will not have to be postponed until the evening or the next day.

Thus, if you already have some tool from the Ryobi collection, you get a powerful and high-quality vacuum cleaner with a pleasant price tag. However, otherwise, together with the expenses for the battery and charging, the cost will no longer be so attractive.

An inexpensive manual vacuum cleaner from the Czech brand ETA is made according to all the canons of similar household devices: compact dimensions, an ergonomic body that smoothly turns into a handle, a built-in battery that allows you to work wirelessly, and several attachments included. The advantage of the model is that it is designed both for dry cleaning and for collecting liquids - for example, accidentally spilled milk, water, coffee, etc. All this is sent to a fairly large dust container: it can hold up to 500 ml of garbage or 120 ml liquids.

The device’s performance is not the highest, although no one intended to compete with full-size, powerful vacuum cleaners. The main task of the device is to eliminate small messes, that is, to collect crumbs, dust, small debris, hair and puddles from the floor, table, and upholstered furniture. But this little guy is unlikely to be able to clean a carpet with pile properly. The picture is completed by the aforementioned dust collector with a cyclone system and a HEPA filter, which will take care of cleaning the exhaust air from dust and small particles. It is also worth praising the model’s package, which includes three nozzles: a crevice nozzle for effective cleaning in hard-to-reach places, a brush with fine bristles for removing dust and cobwebs from upholstery, curtains, walls, etc., and a rubber spatula for collecting liquids.

A 10.8 V lithium-ion battery is installed inside the case, which provides up to 15 minutes of battery life. Since there is only one power mode, the indicator does not depend on other factors. Additionally, the package includes a special stand for charging and storing the vacuum cleaner. The device needs about 5 hours at the outlet to fully restore its “strength”.

Karcher, which perhaps needs no introduction to many, has a compact solution for quick everyday cleaning - a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner with advanced features, which are hinted at by the Premium prefix in the name. Manufacturers often make the mistake of producing simple, low-power devices with an emphasis on small size and ease of use, but Karcher is not used to half-hearted measures. The model is equipped with a brushless DC motor, which provides high suction power and long service life and reduces noise during operation. The vacuum cleaner really performs its tasks efficiently, removes debris of various sizes (crumbs, scattered grains, hair, wool, dust) and is capable of cleaning not only smooth surfaces, but more complex surfaces - for example, car rugs, upholstery, pile products, etc. There are two power modes to choose from depending on the degree of contamination.

In addition, the manufacturer added a 2-stage filtration system. It consists of a steel mesh with fine mesh that traps hair and large debris, and a HEPA 12 filter that traps the smallest particles and releases purified air. The collected debris settles in the dust collector, which is easily removed and cleaned. Unfortunately, due to the small size of the device, the tank itself is very small - the volume is only 150 ml, so it will have to be emptied quite often.

Another important factor is simplicity and ease of use. Karcher CVH 2 Premium has an ergonomic shape, weighs just over 0.5 kg and, thanks to its compactness, reaches the most difficult to reach places. If the cracks are too narrow for it, a 2-in-1 nozzle will come to the rescue, performing the functions of a crevice and a dust one. It can clean the folds of furniture, corners, the space between windows, and dusty household appliances, including a work laptop or computer keyboard.

The vacuum cleaner works wirelessly, powered by a built-in battery. One charge will last for 20 minutes in low power mode; by increasing the suction power, this time is halved - to just 10 minutes. Of course, such devices are not designed for long-term cleaning, but 10 minutes is hardly enough to clean the inside of a car. Moreover, it takes about 4 hours to fully charge. But the package includes a convenient station-stand, where you can not only charge the device, but also store the attachment.

When developing a handheld vacuum cleaner, Black&Decker sacrificed size and opted for quality, performance and efficient operation: this model is not too compact, weighs 1.2 kg and is equipped with a handle. But at the same time you get all the necessary functionality for thorough cleaning and convenient use.

It is immediately worth noting the good suction power, which makes it easy to remove both fine dust and larger debris. The model is designed for dry cleaning only and is equipped with a HEPA fine filter to keep the air coming out cleaner. Also a big plus is that there is a power regulator on the handle: you can choose turbo mode for difficult dirt or turn on the economical mode to extend battery life.

The dust collector deserves special attention. In his case, the manufacturer also put ease of use first and did not skimp on the size - the tank volume is 0.7 liters. This means that you don’t have to interrupt the cleaning process to throw away the accumulated garbage. By the way, emptying the tank is as hygienic as possible: you just need to press a button, after which the tank lid will open and the contents will be poured into the bucket.

There are no additional accessories included in the package, and all due to the fact that the nozzle is built directly into the body. The vacuum cleaner already has an elongated “spout”, and a crevice nozzle also extends out of it. It will clean all the hard-to-reach places and nooks and crannies of the house without you having to bend over too much. In addition, the vacuum cleaner is paired with a charging dock, because it is powered not from the mains, but from the built-in battery. One battery charge lasts up to 21 minutes of continuous operation in economy mode; with increasing power, this figure is almost halved. And it takes about 5 hours to fully charge. Conveniently, the indicator on the case shows the charge level, so a dead device will not take the owner by surprise. The docking station can be placed on a surface or attached to a wall - for this, a set of dowels and screws was placed in the box. It is designed not only for charging, but also for storage, since the charging process automatically stops after the energy reserve is fully restored.

Now there are so many household devices on the market that to be competitive, manufacturers need to think not only about characteristics and functions, but also about appearance, because, as they say, you meet people by their clothes. And the SHARK company coped with this task with a solid “A”: its manual vacuum cleaner looks solid and stylish, although its price is appropriate. The assembly is made with high quality, the elongated shape facilitates comfortable use, and the device weighs only 600 g. The delivery set includes a charging station in the form of a stand, on which you can place not only the vacuum cleaner, but also attachments.

But still, the main advantage of the model is its fairly high power, which often becomes a sacrifice for the sake of compact dimensions. The vacuum cleaner easily copes with dust, large debris, crumbs and, importantly, hair and animal hair, but is quite noisy during operation. There is only one mode, but the device comes with several useful attachments. This is a long dust brush that will help clean hard-to-reach places like baseboards and corners, as well as an attachment for upholstered furniture. With such a set, the vacuum cleaner can safely be called universal and will serve well not only in the house, but also in the country, in the work office and inside the car. But keep in mind that it is intended for dry cleaning only - collecting liquids is not included in the list of its capabilities.

The model is equipped with a HEPA filter that captures dust and small particles, which is especially important for families with children and people with allergies. The dust container deserves special attention: it is not very spacious (0.25 ml), which is explained by the compact size of the device, but it is very easy and convenient to empty with one button.

The vacuum cleaner does not require wires to operate; it is powered by a built-in battery. One charge lasts for approximately 10 minutes, that is, during general cleaning it will not help you - rather, the model is designed to quickly remove small dirt as a modern and more convenient alternative to a broom. It takes 2.5 hours to fully recharge - by the standards of hand-held devices, this is a pretty good indicator.