Anika Begay
We haven’t tried a vacuum cleaner that we absolutely hate. The ones below are solid vacuums and in some cases are much cheaper than our top picks, but we didn’t like them that much.
Levoit VortexIQ 40 cordless vacuum cleaner for $230: This was one of the first picks. It has been in short supply, but it seems to have stabilized, so if you can find it, it is a solid vacuum. In just a few passes, it sucked up all the hair, cat litter, and Cheerios I put in it. I like its automatic mode, which adjusts the power based on need, like when I ran over a litter stain and it jumped to high suction and then back to low. It can also double as a handheld vacuum as efficient as some more expensive vacuums.
Proscenic P13 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner at $170: I didn’t try the Dyson pick above with the green laser, so I was surprised at how well this vacuum’s green light illuminated dust and dirt. It was almost disgusting to see how much it went unnoticed with the regular lighting. However, it took several passes to actually clean most of that debris. For the price, it’s not a bad everyday cordless vacuum, but you’ll definitely need a more powerful upright vacuum for deeper cleans.
Eureka Innova Cordless Multi-Surface Vacuum Cleaner for $229: This is a good cordless vacuum for a reasonable price. It cleaned a litter box carpet particularly well, and there are specific settings for carpets and hardwood floors. However, to vacuum larger pieces like Cheerios, I had to lift the vacuum up and place it directly on top of them.
Shark Wandvac Self-Emptying Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $330: I love that it converts into a small handheld vacuum with its little attachments. It worked well for cleaning my desk. It has a base that automatically collects dirt from the dust bin, which means there are fewer clouds of dust to breathe in. I enjoyed cleaning with this vacuum, but it is probably best used with a powerful upright vacuum, as its suction power is not as strong as I would like. It also seems like it needs to be just an inch or two taller, and the dust bin is small, only 0.13 liters.
Hoover OnePwr Emerge Pet for $200: Our tester said it wasn’t a bad vacuum in normal mode, but the attachments felt flimsy with weak suction power. Otherwise it did its job.
