Best Budget-Friendly: Dirt Devil Scorpion Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

Cordless vacuums are super handy, but they have two big drawbacks. First, the battery never lasts that long (some only 30 minutes or less). Second, they can be very pricey.

To the rescue comes this model, the Dirt Devil Scorpion. Yes, it is corded, but that is a feature not a bug. And the price is much easier on the wallet. If you’ve got a few extension cords, this one will save you some money and not run out of juice.

What We Liked

• Powerful suction.

• Easy to use.

• Long cord.

• Pre-filter and filter are super easy to clean.

What Needs Work

• Heavier than cordless models.

• Loud.

• Can get hot.

Best For Hard-to-Reach Areas: Brigii Mini Vacuum Cleaner Y120

We liked the look of this ultra-modern vacuum—and it impressed us with its ease of use. We loved how great it worked getting into hard-to-reach areas, both in a car and home (think crumbs in the kitchen that find their way into places no crumb should go).

What We Liked

• Great for office or car.

• Attachments are helpful.

• About 20 minutes of use on full charge.

• Reusable HEPA filter is washable.

• Easy to clean.

What Needs Work

• Better for light duty. The suction power of this vacuum is on the moderate end of the scale—not so good if you need to tackle a super dirty area. 

• A bit loud.

• Pricey.

Best for Pet Hair: Shark CH951 UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus

If you have a pet that sheds a lot (yes, we are looking at you, Fluffy), you may need to up your handheld vacuum game. Although it is more pricey, we recommend the Shark CH951 if you need more power and great accessories.

This model was recommended by several of our pet-owning readers—they loved the self-cleaning pet power brush. This removes hair that can get tangled. 

Here’s more: 

What We Liked

• Great on stairs, carpet, hard surfaces.

• Extra-large dust cup.

• No touch “dirt ejector” works hands-free to empty unit.

• Lightweight.

• Two air streams mean better suction.

• About 30 minutes of battery life in the real world.

What Needs Work

• Takes six hours to charge.

• Pricey.

Best For Desk: ODISTAR Desktop Vacuum Cleaner

If you have a home office, a small vacuum to handle dust around a keyboard or dust bunnies behind a computer is most helpful. We researched several models that would fit that description before picking this reader favorite: ODISTAR desktop vacuum.  It’s great for that quick clean up–convenient and easy to use.

What We Liked

• Great to clean up crumbs in bed!

• Runs on 2 AA batteries—super easy to replace.

• Batteries last about 90 minutes.

• Good for hair and dust.

• Brushes help loosen dirt.

• Cleans up craft supplies like glitter.

What Needs Work

• Doesn’t work well on dirt in corners. 

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!