Choosing a cordless vacuum isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. You’re likely to keep a vacuum cleaner for years, relying heavily on its ability to suck up dust, crumbs, mud, pet hair and any other dry spillages or sheddings that end up on your floor. Choosing the right model can be the difference between an effective cleaner that’s a delight to pull out of the cupboard and a dud that you dread having to unblock, detangle and clean after every use.
In this review, I took 15 of the leading cordless vacuum cleaners from a range of manufacturers and at various prices and inflicted the same cleaning tests on each one. That takes all the guesswork out of picking your next cleaner: I can tell you exactly which ones picked up the most mess.
***
At a glance
Best cordless vacuum cleaner overall:
Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251
Best budget cordless vacuum cleaner:
Vax HomePro Pet-Design
Best cordless vacuum for deep cleaning:
Dyson V15 Detect Absolute
Best cordless vacuum for clean emptying:
Henry Quick Pro
Best cordless/robot vacuum combo:
Eufy Robot Vacuum E20
Best handheld cordless vacuum cleaner:
Dyson Car+Boat
***
Why you should trust me
I’ve been reviewing technology and home products for more than 30 years. In the past few years, I’ve specialised in testing vacuum cleaners. During that time, I’ve tested more vacuum cleaners of various shapes, sizes and types than I’d care to count, from handheld helpers to heavy-duty dirt-shifters.
How I tested
Most cordless vacuum cleaners are designed to work on carpet and hard floors, so I tested them all on both. To do this, I weighed out spillages of flour, recycled wood cat litter pellets and pet hair. Flour and cat litter are easy enough to come by, but my dog doesn’t shed enough hair to test this many vacuums. So I’m also the proud owner of a box of sweepings from a friendly (but slightly bemused) local dog groomer.
I gave each of the 15 vacuum cleaners I tested a chance to pick up as much of the spillages as possible, with a single push-forward and pull-backwards motion, and weighed the collection bins before and after.
Most vacuums will collect more if given more chances to go over a mess, particularly from a different angle, but I wanted relatively tough tests that would truly differentiate one vacuum from another, so I allowed only a single sweep.
I also tested the batteries by seeing how long it took them to run down from a full charge – at full suction and in each one’s most economical setting. I performed these tests with the floor head attached, where possible.
Lastly, I tested the suction using a pressure gauge. While strong suction is useful, the cleaning tests were more important because other factors play a big part in the overall cleaning prowess. For example, a well-designed floor head can make a moderate sucker as good a cleaner as a more powerful model with an inferior brush or roller.
All the vacuums I tested are being sent back to their manufacturers or donated to the British Heart Foundation.
***
The best cordless vacuum cleaners in 2026
***
<em>Best cordless vacuum cleaner overall:</em>Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251
- What we love:Excellent at cleaning, empties into its own docking station
- What we don’t love:Expensive
If there’s one thing that makes cordless vacuum cleaners a pain, it’s the emptying: taking it to the bin and jettisoning the debris after vacuuming. And, if your family is anything like mine, you may have to do it before you clean too, because someone else didn’t bother to empty it. That won’t be the case with this Shark vacuum, though: it empties itself. It’s also very good at cleaning.
Why we love it
The Shark IP3251 comes with a base station that operates as a stand and charging dock. When you rest the cordless vacuum cleaner on it, it springs into life, opening the base of the vacuum’s collection bin and sucking its contents into a larger container, leaving the cordless stick empty and ready for next time. The secondary bin has a volume of two litres, so it can take a few empties of the 0.7-litre stick.
That would all be pointless if the device itself wasn’t up to snuff, but it’s an excellent cleaner. Its floor head has a fluffy roller for hard floors and a brush bar for carpet, and it works well on both surfaces, performing a literal clean sweep in my tests.
It’s a shame that … I found it worked better if I held it lower while vacuuming on some carpets, with the fins on the base otherwise catching when I pulled it back. That may make it better for shorter than taller people.
Weight: 3.71kg
Max suction power (measured): 28kPa
Battery life (measured): 43mins
Dust capacity: 0.7l
Additional filters supplied? No
***
<em>Best budget cordless vacuum cleaner:</em>Vax HomePro Pet-Design
- What we love:Affordable, effective and easy to use
- What we don’t love:Best on carpet, with no soft roller option for hard floor
The Vax HomePro Pet-Design is good value for money, sitting at the lower end of the price spectrum but still coming with a good selection of tools for handheld use. It also performed well in all the tests.
Why we love it
It’s comfortable to hold and use, and simple to operate, with just two large buttons – one to switch it on and the other to boost the power. Battery life is displayed by a light-up ring and lasted a decent 34 minutes in our rundown test.
Emptying it is straightforward, too, with a button to open the collection bin, while a pump action lifts dirt off the filter, so you don’t have to poke your hands in. It’s one of the few cordless stick vacuums that can support itself when standing up, so there’s no need to find somewhere to lie it down between cleaning jobs.
It’s a shame that … the floor head is a basic single-brush bar, which is unsophisticated when compared with the alternatives you get on Shark and Dyson models. Still, for the price, it’s ultimately forgivable.
Weight: 3.5kg
Max suction power (measured): 19kPa
Battery life (measured): 34mins
Dust capacity: 0.7l
Additional filters supplied? No
***
<em>Best cordless vacuum for deep cleaning:</em>Dyson V15 Detect Absolute
- What we love:Superb cleaning on both carpet and hard floor
- What we don’t love:Expensive and messy to empty
Although the V15 Detect Absolute was usurped at the top of Dyson’s range by the new V16 Piston Animal, it remains widely available. That’s good news, because this older model did a much better job of cleaning up in my tests than the V16.
Why we love it
The V15 Detect Absolute is as close to vacuuming perfection as we’ve seen to date. It comes with two interchangeable floor heads: one with a brush bar for carpet, the other with a fluffy roller for hard floor. They blitzed my tests, with the anti-tangle brush bar leaving only tiny fragments of cat litter and a light trace of flour on carpet after a first pass, both of which were easy to deal with on a return visit. On hard floor, the fluffy roller is king, picking up every last morsel of mess that I dropped. Its dust-detecting green glow is a genuine help, highlighting just how effective it is at collecting even tiny particles.
Remove the extension wand, and the Dyson converts into a useful handheld. The included crevice tool is good at getting into tight corners, while the combination upholstery and dusting tool copes with most other problems. Sadly, it doesn’t come with the hair screw tool, which is really effective at removing pet hair from upholstery and also handy on stairs. It’s well worth seeking out as an optional extra if you let your pets on your furniture (and suffer the consequences).
It’s a shame that … Dyson hasn’t managed to solve the conundrum of messy emptying, with this model creating quite a dust cloud when you release dirt into the bin. It’s also really expensive.
Weight: 2.96kg
Max suction power (measured): 31kPa
Battery life (measured): 50mins
Dust capacity: 0.77l
Additional filters supplied? No
***
<em>Best cordless vacuum for clean emptying:</em>Henry Quick Pro
- What we love:Dirt collects in bags, eliminating mess when emptying
- What we don’t love:Disposable bags cost money and are an environmental issue
Most cordless sticks create a dust cloud when you deposit the contents of their collection bins into your dustbin. The Henry Quick Pro is the only cordless vacuum we’ve reviewed here that doesn’t do that because of its disposable dirt-capturing bags.
Why we love it
We can’t emphasise this enough – it’s frustrating to vacuum the floor only to have the dust billowing out of your bin and back into the air when you empty it. With the Henry Quick Pro, you push a lever on the top, and the base opens, jettisoning the bag of collected rubbish out of the bottom. It leaves no mess and has the added benefit of no filters to clean.
In my tests, the Quick Pro performed decently enough, other than on hard floors with the cat litter, which it pushed ahead instead of sucking up. That job would be better tackled by removing the extension wand and using the device with a handheld attachment. It comes with a comprehensive selection of accessories, including a motorised mini head for stairs and upholstery, a flexible hose and a useful handle extension for taller users.
It’s a shame that … the bags have a plastic top that holds them in place inside the collection bin. Henry manufacturer Numatic claims to offset the carbon cost, but it would be better environmentally if it didn’t use any plastic at all. They also cost £1.30 per 1-litre bag.
Weight: 3.2kg
Max suction power (measured): 10.75kPa
Battery life (measured): 1hr 11mins
Dust capacity: 1l
Additional bags supplied? Yes, six pods (bags)
***
<em>Best cordless/robot vacuum combo:</em>Eufy Robot Vacuum E20
- What we love:Two-in-one design cleverly combines robot and cordless stick
- What we don’t love:Small capacity bin that’s fiddly to empty in cordless mode
While robot vacuums are excellent at keeping on top of everyday cleaning, they can’t completely replace your regular vacuum. You’ll still need a cordless stick or upright cleaner for heavy-duty jobs, focused spot cleans and hard-to-reach places that robots find difficult. The Eufy Robot Vacuum E20 solves this by offering both devices in one package.
Why we love it
While I was testing the E20’s cordless capabilities, I also ran it as a regular robot. It’s an excellent performer, with Eufy’s superb smartphone app providing total control over regular cleaning tasks.
However, lift the vacuuming unit out of the robot chassis, and it immediately looks like a handheld. It comes with basic handheld accessories (a crevice tool and a combo funnel/dusting brush), but also an extension wand and floor head to convert it into a full cordless stick.
The floor head has a regular brush bar that proved very effective on carpet in my tests, picking up all of the cat litter and 98% of the flour. Pet hair was also plucked from the carpet, although some stuck to the roller bar as there’s no anti-tangle mechanism. It was less effective on hard floors but still performed well.
It’s a shame that … it has a fairly small collection bin that’s fiddly to empty. However, you can place it back into the robot chassis and let it empty itself into the three-litre bag that’s hidden inside the charging dock.
Weight: 2.4kg
Suction power (tested): 28kPa
Battery life (tested): 48mins
Dust capacity: 3l (self-emptying base)
Additional filters supplied?: No
***
<em>Best handheld cordless vacuum cleaner:</em>Dyson Car+Boat
- What we love:Handheld cordless vac that’s as powerful as a regular Dyson
- What we don’t love:A fully-equipped Dyson V8 doesn’t cost much more
Dyson doesn’t manufacture a vacuum purely for handheld use, instead opting to repackage an existing cordless stick without the extension wand. The result is a handheld device so powerful that you may wish you could also use it on the floor.
Why we love it
The Dyson Car+Boat is a cunning repackage of the Dyson V8. That model is now the bottom of the range of Dyson’s regular cordless stick cleaners, but it makes for a handheld unit that performs above and beyond expectations.
It comes with three key attachments: a mini motorised tool for upholstery and stairs; a crevice tool for gaps; and a combination dusting brush and funnel. It’s a powerful combo that cleaned up my test messes with aplomb. I had to use the funnel rather than the motorised tool to collect cat litter, though, because there’s no way this smaller device wouldn’t just push them ahead.
It’s a shame that … you can still buy the V8, with the extension tube and attachments, for a similar price. It also comes with Dyson’s old mini-motorised tool. Newer models come with a better-designed tool, which has a tapering roller that doesn’t trap longer hairs. It would have been a nice addition to this repackage.
Weight: 1.9kg
Max suction power (tested): 21kPa
Battery life (tested): 38mins
Dust capacity: 0.54l
Additional filters supplied? No
***
The best of the rest
***
Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones
- What we love:Glides across hard floor, superb in tight spaces
- What we don’t love:Doesn’t work on carpet, so won’t replace your existing vacuum
Best for: hard-floor sweeping
Dyson’s PencilVac Fluffycones is a hard-floor expert, designed for a quick, regular sweep of kitchens, dining areas and bathroom floors. It doesn’t work on carpets and is best with dust, crumbs, fluff and light scatterings of pet hair, rather than clumps or chunks of dirt.
While that minimises its usefulness, it’s fantastic at what it does. A clever floor head design makes it feel like it’s floating on air, and it can be pushed in any direction, manoeuvring around chair and table legs with ease. As a secondary device just for hard floor, it’s hard to beat.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it only works on hard floor, so can’t replace your existing carpet-friendly vacuum cleaner.
Weight: 1.8kg; suction power (measured): 21kPa; battery life (measured): 23mins; dust capacity: 0.8l; additional filters supplied? No
Read our full Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones review
***
Tower VL220 Cyclone
- What we love:More affordable self-emptying model than the Shark
- What we don’t love:Fluffy roller isn’t great on carpet
Best for: budget self-emptying
If you like the idea of the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251 but are put off by the price, Tower has a more affordable alternative. This uses a similar self-emptying base that sucks the dirt out of the collection bin and doubles up as a charging station.
The vacuum cleaner is less sophisticated than Shark’s, with fewer features. It still performed reasonably well in my tests, but it only comes with a fluffy roller. That makes it ideal for homes with mostly hard floors, but it lacks the ability to dig deep into carpet.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it left too much flour and pet hair behind in my carpet cleaning tests.
Weight: 2.6kg; suction power (tested): 26.5kPa; battery life (tested): 43mins; dust capacity: 2l (self-emptying base); additional filters supplied? Yes, one spare
***
Dyson V16 Piston Animal
- What we love:One floor head for carpet and hard floor means no switching
- What we don’t love:New floor head not as good at cleaning as the old system
Best for: a Dyson that doesn’t require you to switch floor heads
The V16 Piston Animal is a significant change for Dyson, using a single floor head for both carpet and hard floor. Previously, Dyson’s top-end cordless vacuums came with two interchangeable floor heads, which needed switching over as you changed surfaces.
The new floor head has several design tweaks, but basically uses a brush bar with both bristles and fluffy strips so that it works with either surface. By detecting what it’s cleaning, the vacuum adjusts its spin speed and suction to get the best performance.
Eliminating the requirement to switch makes using this Dyson less of a faff. The downside is that, in my tests, the new floor head wasn’t as effective on either carpet or hard floor as the V15 Detect Absolute above.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I’m used to Dyson’s vacuums producing near-perfect results in my tests, but the redesigned floor head in the V16 fails to deliver, making the V15 a better option.
Weight: 3.4kg; suction power (tested): not tested; battery life (tested): 1hr 11mins; dust capacity: 1.3l; additional filters supplied? No
For more, read our full Dyson V16 Piston Animal review
***
Gtech AirRam 3
- What we love:Small, compact and great for getting into corners
- What we don’t love:Not a great performer when cleaning flour and pet hair
Best for: smaller homes
The Gtech AirRam 3 is a third-generation refinement of a cleaning device that looks more like an old-fashioned carpet sweeper than a vacuum cleaner. The collection bin is in the base – you lift it out by its classy leather strap and can tip the debris straight into the bin.
I particularly liked that it has edge sweepers on its front corners – a concept borrowed from robot vacuums. These flick debris out from the very edges of skirtings and kickboards into the path of the suction. It’s an area in which few other vacuums are particularly effective.
It didn’t make the final cut because … although it was brilliant with cat litter, it didn’t fare well with my pet-hair or flour tests, leaving behind dirt when I lifted the collection bin from the floor head.
Weight: 3.8kg; max suction power (tested): not tested; battery life (tested): 25mins; dust capacity: 0.8l; additional filters supplied? No
***
Gtech AirFox Platinum
- What we love:Stands up without support, cleans smaller particles well
- What we don’t love:Struggled with cat litter, not comfy to hold for long spells
Best for: light weight and light use
A constant source of annoyance with cordless vacuum cleaners is that you have to find somewhere to lean them when you want to put them down. The AirFox is light and well-balanced enough to stand on its own, so you can leave it in the middle of the room while you do some dusting, and it won’t fall to the floor.
The trigger needs to be held down to keep the vacuum running, and while there is a trigger lock to keep it in place, it’s fiddly to use. It cleaned well in my tests, though, only really struggling with the cat litter, which seemed to get stuck in the floor head.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I found it uncomfortable to hold for extended periods because the back extends out over the handle, getting in the way of my wrist.
Weight: 2.9kg; max suction power (tested): 31kPa; battery life (tested): 1hr 9mins; dust capacity: 0.4l; additional filters supplied? No
***
Miele Duoflex HX1 Total Care
- What we love:Good performance on carpet
- What we don’t love:Short battery life, basic features
Best for: simple operation
Despite being a high-end brand in most categories of domestic appliances, the Miele Duoflex HX1 sits in the middle of this gathering in terms of price. That’s largely thanks to the lack of additional features you get when compared with the likes of Shark and Dyson. It performed well in my cleaning tests but generally proved better on carpets than on hard floors.
It operates in either floor or handheld mode. The floor head is basic, with a simple brush bar and no anti-tangle features. It comes with three handheld attachments – a crevice tool, a basic upholstery nozzle and a dusting brush.
It didn’t make the final cut because … emptying relies on gravity alone, so you end up having to poke your fingers into the collection bin to clear it out. Most disappointing was the battery, which didn’t last long with the floor head attached, even on the weakest suction setting.
Weight: 3.1kg; max suction power (tested): 12.5kPa; battery life (tested): 13mins; dust capacity: 0.3l; additional filters supplied? No
***
Bosch Unlimited 10 BCS1051GB
- What we love:Solid build quality, good cleaning performance
- What we don’t love:Unnecessary features drive up the price
Best for: super-long battery life
With the Unlimited 10, Bosch has gone all in on the bling. It has a very flashy screen, which informs you visually when you’re changing floor surfaces, and lights up in a different colour depending on what power setting you’ve got the suction on. It’s useful, but possibly not useful enough to justify its higher-than-average cost.
The overall build quality is excellent, though. I loved the spring-loaded filter-clearing lever on the back, which means you can empty the collection bin in a smooth single-push motion rather than the banging and poking you have to do with most other vacuums. This lever can also compact the rubbish as you clean to reduce how often it needs emptying. The Unlimited 10 also had the best battery, which made the unit heavy but lasted an astonishing hour and a half in its Eco setting.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s a bit expensive without there being enough of a cleaning benefit to justify it.
Weight: 3.8kg; max suction power (tested): 13kPa; battery life (tested): 1hr 34mins; dust capacity: 0.4l; additional filters supplied? No
***
Beldray Airgility Pet Plus+
- What we love:Extremely affordable and a fair performer
- What we don’t love:Prone to getting blocked by larger particles
Best for: lowest price
If most of the other reviews left you thinking that you were going to have to take out a second mortgage to get a new cordless vacuum cleaner, the sub-£100 price tag of the Beldray Airgility Pet Plus+ should be a breath of fresh air. It’s light and petite but has small attachments, too, which aren’t large enough to pick up larger particles. It doesn’t collect dirt as well as the best vacuum cleaners here, but for a fraction of the price, it does a reasonable job.
The biggest problem was cat litter, which was sucking OK from the floor but caused a blockage after only a tiny amount had entered the collection bin. It was surprisingly proficient at removing flour from hard floors but failed to agitate my test carpet enough to replicate that success. It also left a bit of pet hair behind during testing, either on the floor or stuck to the rollers.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it didn’t perform as well as more expensive rivals, though it does still impress for the price.
Weight: 2.2kg; max suction power (tested): 9.25kPa; battery life (tested): 41mins; dust capacity: 1.2l; additional filters supplied? Yes, one
***
What you need to know
***
Why choose a cordless vacuum cleaner
Cordless vacuum cleaners are vastly more convenient than corded models. There’s no cable to unwind and no need to find a power socket – you just take the vacuum to the mess and get started.
The downside is that they run on battery power. The batteries can last anywhere between an hour or so on light settings and down to a few minutes on full blast. They should last long enough to get around an average-size house in one go, but larger spaces might need a mid-clean charge, which can take a few hours (or an expensive extra battery).
What should you look for in a cordless vacuum cleaner?
Suction power
Generally speaking, a vacuum cleaner with powerful suction will be better at cleaning than a model with weak suction. However, other factors also come into play. A well-designed floor head, for example, can help a less powerful vacuum outperform a more powerful rival.
I tested the suction on the models reviewed here using a vacuum gauge, which measures suction pressure in kPa (kilopascals). A suction of 25kPa or above is good. Anything less than 10kPa isn’t ideal for picking up larger debris, though it may still be good at vacuuming dust, particularly if it’s paired with a decent floor head.
Weight
Cordless vacuum cleaners are perfect for transporting around the house, as you don’t need to worry about plugging them into a wall socket and managing a cable. It makes weight a key consideration, though, as you want a unit that’s light enough to carry around.
The weights I’ve quoted are the actual weights of the vacuum cleaner in their standard configurations, including extension wand and carpet floor head.
Vacuums that weigh less than 3kg are relatively light, while those approaching the 4kg mark are likely to feel quite heavy. A weighty vacuum will be less problematic in use, though, because a good portion of the weight is usually found in the floor head, which will be resting on the floor during cleaning.
Vacuums will be lighter in their handheld modes without the extension wand and floor head attached, but a model that’s heavier overall is likely to be weightier in this configuration, too.
Battery life
How long your cordless vacuum’s battery will last is important, particularly if you’re expecting to clean an entire house between charges. I test batteries by keeping the device running on a section of carpet, from a full charge until they cut out. Generally, this tends to be shorter than the battery life quoted by manufacturers, though the difference can vary from model to model.
A runtime of less than 20 minutes or so may not get you all the way around a whole house clean. Longer life is a bonus, particularly if you live in a large house. If the battery life on your chosen model isn’t that long, you may still be able to buy a secondary battery that you can swap to extend cleaning sessions. You can only do this if your model has a replaceable battery, so check before you buy if you’re likely to want that feature.
Bagged v bagless
Most cordless vacuum cleaners are bagless, which means they collect all the dust and dirt directly into their collection bins, and you empty them by releasing or tipping the dirt into the bin. A few models use bags, however, which provides a cleaner emptying process, as all the dust and dirt is contained in a sack that you dispose of when you empty. If you suffer from allergies, this cleaner emptying process could make life more pleasant.
Vacuum bags can vary in price, though popular models often have third-party bags available, as well as those supplied by the manufacturer. They tend to be single use only, and you dispose of the entire bag and its contents when you empty.
Of more concern is what the bags are made of. While some can feel papery, most are made from synthetic plastic fibres, which often use recycled plastic but may still take a long time to break down in landfill. Bagless vacuum cleaners are significantly kinder to the environment.
Carpet v hard floor
Almost all cordless vacuum cleaners will have a good go at your carpeted areas, but most work on hard floor, too. Basic models will use the same brush bar floor head, but may spin it slower when cleaning hard floor for a gentler approach.
Some models come with a soft, fluffy roller, either built into the main floor head or in a separate unit that can be swapped as required. These are even better at picking up dirt from smooth surfaces than a standard roller brush.
If you don’t have much hard floor, you probably don’t need a soft roller, as carpet vacuums work here too, or you may just prefer to do a quick sweep with a dustpan and brush.
Attachments
Cordless vacuums can be broken down into a handheld device if you remove the extension wand and add an attachment. Check that the model you want comes with the attachments you need.
Almost all vacuums come with a crevice tool – a narrow funnel that’s useful for getting into small spaces and nipping around skirting boards. Also useful are dusting brushes and upholstery tools with wider nozzles. Look out for motorised upholstery/pet hair tools. These look like miniature versions of a regular floor head, complete with a mini brush bar. They’re ideal for vacuuming smaller areas, such as stairs and furniture.
Do cordless vacuums have good filtration systems?
Yes, cordless vacuums quote high levels of filtration, with some claiming to trap even the tiniest of particles, such as pollen. However, emptying cordless vacuums that don’t use bags can create a messy dust cloud, so these may not be the models for you if you’re allergic to dirt particles. Filters also need regular cleaning, which is something you won’t be used to if you’re moving away from a vacuuming system that uses disposable bags.
How to clean your cordless vacuum cleaner
Maintaining your vacuum cleaner doesn’t stop at emptying the collection bin. There are a few other areas that deserve your attention if you want top performance and a long life from your vacuum.
The first is keeping the filter clean. This doesn’t need doing after every use, but it’s worth keeping an eye on how dirty it’s getting and cleaning it before it gets too clogged up. Dyson recommends doing this once a month. With Dyson vacuums, you remove the filter by twisting it and lifting it out of the body of the cleaner, then rinsing it in cold water to remove the dirt. Let it air dry for at least 24 hours and check it’s completely dry before refitting.
The filters on most other brands can be cleaned in a similar way, but some don’t like getting wet, so check your vacuum’s instruction manual if you’re not sure.
The other problem area is the brush bar. Anti-tangle floor heads have improved things in recent years, but even these can be clogged up with hair, fluff and dirt over time. The brush bar can usually be removed from the floor head, and you can attack entangled hair with a pair of scissors. If the bristles are loaded with fluff, you can tease it out with your fingers or use an old comb.
For a really deep clean, you can dismantle most vacuum cleaners and wash any non-electrical parts with a damp cloth. Make sure it’s all properly dry before putting it back together.
What to do with your old vacuum cleaner
While you might have decided to move on from your old vacuum cleaner, a working model could still hold value for others. It’s worth seeing if you can sell it locally or donate it to someone who can still get some use out of it.
Alternatively, when you buy your new vacuum, ask the retailer about its WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling scheme. The UK’s WEEE Regulations state that companies selling such items must accept the device you’re replacing and responsibly recycle it.
Lastly, you can always recycle it yourself. Your local recycling centre should have a section for electricals, and you can find your nearest at Recycle Your Electricals. Alternatively, check your local council’s website to find out about its recycling services and opening hours.
For more cleaning inspiration from the Filter:
• How to make your vacuum last longer
• The best robot vacuums, tested
• The best steam cleaners and mops
• Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones vacuum review
***
Andy Shaw is a consumer journalist and technology addict. Having reviewed tech products professionally for more than 30 years, his favoured working environment is a small desk surrounded by big boxes. His greatest weakness is that he never, ever remembers how things came out of their packaging, so they rarely fit back in again when it’s time to return them.
• This article was originally published on 28 March 2025. Reviews published in the Filter may be periodically updated to reflect new products and at the editor’s discretion. The date of an article’s most recent update can be found in the timestamp at the top of the page. This article was last updated on 18 March 2026; two vacuum cleaners were added after testing, more information was added to the buying guide, and prices were updated throughout.
