Best cordless vacuum cleaners 2026
Can’t use mains power? We put eight cordless vacs to the in-car cleaning test
If you cannot get mains power to your car, the next best option for a quick cabin clean is a cordless vacuum.
Advances in batteries and motors have seen cordless vacs go from the poor relation to the preferred option for many. They may not have the sheer grunt of a mains machine, but they are much more convenient, with no leads to tangle or trip over, plus are easier to carry to your car.
But those same advances have made cordless vacs viable options for using in the home as well – particularly when there’s just a small spill to clear up – and that has seen prices rise.
So which is the one to grab when your cabin needs a refresh? We charged up eight cordless vacs to find out.
How we tested them
As makers shift their focus firmly towards home use, our testing was geared towards finding to find the ones that work best in a car.
We took a mix of sugar, salt, sesame seeds and split peas then saw how quickly each vac could shift a measured amount from a car mat. We did this with the crevice tool at standard and maximum power, plus used a brush, powered if supplied, at the latter setting. We also tackled the same mix in-car for 10 minutes on the highest strength. Ease of use, noise, weight, tools and versatility were assessed before price was factored in.
Verdict
For car cleaning it has to be the powerful, light and compact Ryobi RHV and Makita, with the RHV taking a narrow win. Even if you have to buy a battery and charger, they still undercut rivals. The Dyson takes a debut podium, but its performance comes at a price. Miele is our pick for home and car use.
Ryobi RHV18F-0
- Price: around £65 tool only (£120 incl. charger and battery)
- Rating: 5 stars
- Contact: uk.ryobitools.eu
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This is a no-brainer if you have other Ryobi ONE+ kit with its universal battery and charger, because the vac works really well in-car and topped the mat tests.
Even if you have to buy the battery and charger, it still undercuts the home-and-car rivals.
Accessories are pretty basic, but it can be used on floors with an extension tube and floor tool alongside the well designed crevice attachment. Ryobi claims a 34-minute runtime with a 5Ah battery, and we had three of four bars showing on a 4Ah version after 10 minutes. It’s noisier than most rivals, though.
Makita DCL180Z
- Price: around £47 tool only (£109 incl. charger and battery)
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: makitauk.com
This electric tool battery-powered Makita takes the runner-up spot by impressing in a similar vein to our winner. It is compact, light and its one speed is more powerful than the standard mode of more expensive rivals.
Accessories are limited, but the crevice tool works well, although having to hold the power button on is irritating. It easily made it through our 10-minute test with the supplied 3Ah battery, with three of four LEDs still lit.
Dyson Car+Boat
- Price: around £250
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: dyson.co.uk
Dyson’s latest has to narrowly give best to its less-expensive rivals in the top three. Unlike the other high-end vacs, it’s compact and easy to move around one-handed in a car. It has a powered brush bar, a two-in-one brush and a wide nozzle, plus a well designed crevice tool that was one of the best at shifting our test mess.
The brand claims a 50-minute runtime and it got through the 10 minutes at maximum power in our test. While the Car+Boat is not cheap, it oozes quality.
Miele Duoflex HX1 CarCare
- Price: around £340
- Rating: 4 stars
- Contact: miele.co.uk
If you need to use your car vac in the home too, then the Duoflex HX1 is our choice. It weighs a little under two kilos and its 60cm length means it works pretty well in the car with the supplied flexible hose. The vac still needs to be held because the hose is stiff, but tackling tight spots is easier.
It comes well equipped with accessories, including a wall mounting bracket and a choice of crevice tools. The Miele isn’t cheap, but it works well.
Beldray Airgo Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Price: around £118
- Rating: 4 stars
- Contact: beldray.com
You get a lot for your money with this Beldray unit at this discounted price. Even at the £139.99 full price, this is ideal if you’re on a tight budget, but need a vac for the car and home.
It comes with 10 bags and will not work without one. There’s also a wall bracket and a powered brush bar. Suction was a bit down on the best in this test, but it’s still worth considering.
Hoover HF2 Pet
- Price: around £240
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: hooverdirect.co.uk
As with the Ryobi (below) and Vax (right), this has a bias towards use in the home. The HF2 is the lightest of the three, at less than 1.5kg, and is easier to use in a car.
It’s 10cm longer than its nearest test rival, which puts strain on the wrist. The Hoover also struggled with the brush test, but the crevice tool is a match for the best.
Ryobi ASV18BL
- Price:around £340
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: uk.ryobitools.eu
Our second tool to use Ryobi’s ONE+ battery system is at the other end of the scale from the minimalist RHV18F-0, but comes with a 4Ah battery and a neat charger.
There are also two powered brush bars and an effective crevice tool. But these couldn’t overcome its 2.5kg-plus weight, which made it hard work in the footwell.
Vax HomePro Pet-Design
- Price: around £200
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: vax.co.uk
Our increased focus on performance in a car didn’t suit this former test winner, despite the discounted price at the time of writing – down from £319.99. Part of the problem is the Vax’s 2kg-plus weight.
This is partially offset by the free toolkit you get by buying direct from Vax, which includes a flexible hose. It is quite stiff, so you need to hold the vac while using it and the rubber-tipped crevice tool was tricky to use on carpet.
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