8 Best Cordless Stick Vacuums of 2024

Cut the time you spend cleaning with these lightweight champs.

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Cordless stick vacuums are one of the fastest-growing categories in the vacuum cleaner industry and for good reason. They make cleaning floors, upholstery, stairs and even the car quick and easy without sacrificing efficiency and power. Lightweight and slimmer than traditional canisters or upright vacuums, today's best stick vacuums have more power, longer run times, more attachments, more innovative features and are better able to vacuum pet hair and clean along edges than models made years ago. For some households, they may suffice as the only vacuum or can at least help delay having to lug out a full-size vacuum as often.

In our most recent Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab test of 23 stick vacuum models, we assessed how well they picked up debris from bare floors and along edges and pet hair from carpets. We checked the weight, battery run time and how easy they are to use, store and convert to a convenient handheld vacuum to clean your car, upholstery and stairs. Ahead, find the best stick vacuums of 2024, tested and approved by our experts.

Emptying a bagless vacuum can toss dust back into the air that you just worked so hard to vacuum up. But with Samsung's Bespoke Jet AI Cordless Stick Vacuum, you set it back on its slim charging station, press a button and the dust bin automatically empties into a disposable bag inside the station. And the filter on this model spins while emptying to better release tangled hair and other debris.

As if this wasn't enough to earn it a Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning & Organizing Award, this vacuum aced our cleaning tests on carpet and bare floors, was easy to assemble, has three cleaning modes (min, mid and max) and ran for one hour and 20 minutes on the min setting. It uses AI technology and sensors to detect the type of flooring and amount of debris you are picking up to adjust the suction and brush roll speed accordingly.

Its only downsides are that it comes with only one battery, is pricey and doesn't have a built-in place to store the attachments.

Weight: 6.3 lbs | Run time: 100 min. | Removable battery: Yes | Charging caddy: Freestanding self-empty tower | HEPA filter: Yes | Attachments: Active dual brush, pet tool+, combination tool, long reach crevice tool, seven dust bags and all-in-one clean station

Electrolux's Well Q7 is for those who prefer a more traditional take on a stick vac/hand vac combination. It's slim and streamlined and includes a base that allows it to stand up on its own for charging and storage.

Upscale extras that impressed us at this price point include two power nozzles, an extending crevice tool and a pedal that you press to snip hair wrapped around the roller brush to eliminate tangles. And we liked that the tools can be stored on the vacuum or the stand.

The WellQ7 is simple and straightforward to use, maneuvered easily, ran for over an hour on the lowest setting and did an excellent job in our bare floor and pet hair pick-up tests. The hand vac and stick vac share the same dust cup and we found it easy to pop off the hand vac without having to disassemble the entire vacuum.

The only hiccup was that it stumbled in our edge-cleaning test. To clean along edges, you'll have to attach the crevice tool to the handheld vacuum. This vacuum also doesn't come with a HEPA filter.

Weight: 6.5 lbs | Run time: 62 min. | Removable battery: No | Charging caddy: Floor stand | HEPA filter: No | Attachments: Brush roll floor nozzle, soft fluffy floor nozzle, crevice tool and dusting brush

You'll find the best Bissell vacuums recommended in many of our vacuum cleaner round-ups, and this ICONpet stick vacuum is our newest addition to the list. It aced our bare floor and edge cleaning tests and did a very good job removing pet hair from carpets too. We got almost a full hour of run time on a single charge, though online reviewers were disappointed to get a shorter battery life when using higher settings.

Where it excelled was in our ease-of-use assessments. The dust cup was very easy to remove, empty and replace, something I can't say for all the models in our test. I like the extended soft, comfy grip and how well it maneuvered on bare floors and carpets. The controls are clear and easy to navigate and its wall-mountable caddy holds all the vacuum's attachments — even a flexible hose — so nothing gets lost.

Other perks include a tangle-free brush roll, a lighted crevice tool, a dusting brush and a flexible extension hose for extended reach. The vacuum is sealed to trap dust and allergens, though I wish it had a HEPA filter. Most novel is a parking brake that keeps it from sliding down when resting against a wall. Genius!

Weight: 7.4 lbs | Run time: 54 min. | Removable battery: No | Charging caddy: Wall mountable | HEPA filter: No | Attachments: Floor nozzle, extension hose, LED crevice/dusting brush tool and LED lighted turbo brush tool

In the past few years, we've tested an assortment of Tineco carpet and floor care cleaning appliances in the GH Cleaning Lab, all with impressive results. This Tineco S10 ZT stick vacuum follows suit, offering very good performance, especially for those on a tight budget.This model features a removable battery for easy charging, a smart sensor to ramp up power as it detects dirt and a sealed system with HEPA filter. In our tests, we saw very good pick-up on low and medium pile carpet though edge cleaning was poor. Pet hair pick-up was also very good.

The LED display is very informative and indicates any maintenance needed while the dust cup completely disassembles for cleaning and is very easy to remove and replace. Handy too is the on/off switch with a lever to keep the vacuum running without having to hold the trigger down. Our only real hiccup was that we did notice some snowplowing of debris on bare floors which required extra passes to fully collect. Weight: 5.8 lbs | Run time: 37 min. | Removable battery: Yes | Charging caddy: Wall mountable | HEPA filter: Yes | Attachments: Floor nozzle, crevice tool, two-in-one dusting brush

A nice change from bagless stick vacuums that are messy to empty, this new and innovative Halo Capsule X stick vacuum traps dirt inside a compostable paper bag. Simply snap a bag into the oval body and dispose of it when full. The vacuum comes with 10 bags.

I found this vacuum easy to use and maneuver and the pickup on bare floors and carpets was quick, thorough and easy. We like that it offers three cleaning speeds and the brush roll can be turned on or off on all of them, effectively giving you nine cleaning options. It comes with two floor nozzles — one for carpet and a soft, fluffy one for hard floors. It's also equipped with a HEPA filter, a mini motorized brush attachment for upholstery or the car, a stretch hose and other attachments all of which can be stored on the wall caddy or the vacuum itself.

I did think that the big, boxy battery makes the vacuum a bit top-heavy, and this vacuum was just introduced to the US market from the UK, so I'm a bit concerned that replacement bags are not yet widely available for purchase but hope they will be soon.

Weight: 6 lbs | Run time: 49 min. | Removable battery: Yes | Charging caddy: Wall mountable | HEPA filter: Yes | Attachments: Two floor nozzles, crevice tool, combination brush and upholstery tool, stretch hose, mini power brush

Dyson is the vacuum cleaner brand all visitors to the Good Housekeeping Institute ask me about, and it's easy to understand why. Dyson leads the way in innovation, and this V12 Detect Slim is a great example. Dirt, pet hair and dust bunnies can't hide thanks to the innovative laser on the fluffy bare-floor roller attachment. It shines a light in front of the vacuum to illuminate the tiny specks of dust and hair you can’t easily see in normal light. And the colorful display shows the amount and size of the particles it's grabbing along with the run time, power level and maintenance alerts.

It's fully featured with powerful suction, great filtration and many useful attachments, including a unique cone-shaped tool that picks up pet hair and spirals it into the bin without tangling. In the Cleaning Lab, this Dyson model aced all of our performance tests for bare floor cleaning, pet hair pickup and edge cleaning. Plus, it ran on Eco mode for just over 50 minutes. The only thing that would have made it better was having a second charged battery waiting in the wings.

Weight: 5.2 lbs | Run time: 50 min. | Removable battery: Yes | Charging caddy: Wall mountable | HEPA filter: Yes | Attachments: Two floor nozzles, crevice tool, hair screw tool, combination tool, mini soft dusting brush and stubborn dirt brush

RELATED: Shark vs. Dyson: Which Vacuum Brand is Better?

No other stick vacuum we've tested is as adaptable as the Miele Triflex. Most can be used in two configurations — upright and handheld, but the Miele can transform into a third design.

With the motor, battery and dust cup placed up top, it works like a traditional pole vacuum, making it easy to reach under low furniture or up high. Move the power unit down by the nozzle and it's easier to push and maneuver across bare floors, areas rugs and carpets. Finally, detach the power unit completely and use it as a handheld for stairs, upholstery and other above-the-floor cleaning needs.

In our tests, we got great bare floor cleaning, pet hair pick-up and edge-cleaning performance on all our test surfaces. The Miele Triflex HX2 was easy to use and has a lifetime HEPA filter that never needs washing or changing. And it stands on its own when the power unit is placed near the floor nozzle.

Run time was less than others at under 30 minutes on the lowest power setting with the power nozzle attached. And at 8 pounds, it's heavier than others on this list.

Weight: 8 lbs | Run time: 22 min. | Removable battery: Yes | Charging caddy: Yes (for battery only) | HEPA filter: Yes | Attachments: Floor nozzle, upholstery nozzle, crevice tool and dusting brush

This Dyson Omni-Glide is a wiz at cleaning hardwood floors. Its dual soft fuzzy rollers hug the floor and allow you to pick up dirt whether you push, pull or move it side-to-side.

I love it for how easily it maneuvers around obstacles like table legs and area rugs and how perfectly it fits on a stair tread. It has powerful suction and whole-machine filtration to trap at least 99.7% of dust and allergens.

Weighing in at less than 4.5 pounds, its low-profile head (just over 3.5 inches tall when laid flat) goes where others can't, such as beneath low furniture. It transforms easily into a slim handheld vacuum with just one click and is simple to operate with just two thumb-operated buttons.

Other features include a small dust bin that opens from the bottom and an unobtrusive wall-mounted charging dock. Just be careful if you lean it against a wall. It will likely fall over. The run time is also shorter than other vacuums at 20 minutes.

Weight: 4.2 lbs | Run time: Up to 20 minutes | Removable battery: No | Charging caddy: Wall mountable | HEPA filter: No | Attachments: Soft roller head and combination crevice tool

In our most recent category test, we tested 23 stick vacuums to calculate the highest overall scorers and select the top models to recommend.

When we evaluate any stick, full-size, compact or robot vacuum, we base our tests on ASTM International standard test methods. As a member of this voluntary standards-making organization's F11 Vacuum Cleaner Committee, I meet twice yearly with engineers and experts from the industry to discuss, develop and update the vacuum cleaner testing methods we all use. A major part of Good Housekeeping's role on this committee is to make sure these standards are relevant to how everyday consumers actually use vacuum cleaners and their experiences with them.

Our stick vacuum testing includes evaluations for:

✔️ Performance: We evaluate how well each vacuum removes "pet hair" by evenly spreading industry-standard rayon fibers that simulate and cling like actual pet hair over the surface of a carpet. Each vacuum is passed over the carpet the same number of times and what's left behind gets scored.

In a similar fashion, we assess how well the vacuum picks up large and fine particles of debris (like rice, dry oatmeal and gritty sand) from hard flooring, like vinyl, and how closely it cleans along edges. The tests on each model are repeated three times to obtain more accurate results.

✔️ Ease of use: Because a vacuum must not only perform well but also make cleaning less of a chore, we weigh how heavy it is and measure run time for battery-operated models. We run these tests with the rotating floor brush nozzle attached as this is the most likely way you will use it. We assess how comfortable it is to hold, how convenient the controls are to access and how easy the dust cup is to clean and empty. We also consider how easily it stands on its own, whether or not the battery is removable for easier charging and how neat and compact it is to store.

✔️ Sound: When we test models for quietness, we reach out to Quiet Mark, a global certification organization that aims to reduce noise pollution. They measure the noise output of each model for us.

✔️ Features: We note and test any unique features like whether or not it has a battery charge indicator, a brush roll control button or extra tools and attachments.

✔️ Consumer experience: We often recruit consumer testers to rate the vacuums’ maneuverability on bare floors and carpets, around corners and under furniture. They also test the ease of removing the dust cup or bag and the ease of operating the vacuums’ controls.

✔️ Effectiveness in real homes: Finally, we test and review some of these models in our and in consumer homes as well. This gives us a better understanding of how efficient these vacuums are in larger, non-controlled spaces. Plus, it helps us consider the charging and storage situation in a real house or apartment.

Dreame T30 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: We're fans of Dreame vacuum cleaners in the GH Cleaning Lab. We found this fully-featured and beautifully designed maneuverable and easy to use. At 6 pounds, it was lightweight, did an excellent job on bare floors and was very good at edge cleaning, but it struggled a bit with pet hair. We got just under one hour of run time on a single charge.

Levoit Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: This Levoit model exhibited very good cleaning performance in our tests, especially when removing pet hair from carpet. We found it maneuverable and easy to use and store though not as comfortable to hold as other models in our test. We like that it has a HEPA filter, but it only got about 30 minutes of run time.

Innova by Eureka Cordless Stick Vacuum: One of the most affordable stick vacuums in our test, the Eureka was a very good performer on bare flooring and carpet, though it fell short with edge cleaning. It provided us with just over 45 minutes of run time and was easy to use, maintain and store. It also includes a HEPA filter and four useful attachments.

✔️ Battery run time: Today’s lithium-ion batteries provide power and longevity. Some lasted up to as long as 60 minutes in our tests. On some models, the battery pack can be removed for charging while you store the rest of the vacuum out of sight. Keep in mind that manufacturers report battery run time without any attachments, which is, honestly, not how people clean. Once you add the rotating brush or another attachment that requires power, the battery run time goes down. Don't be surprised if the battery doesn't last as long when you are cleaning as is claimed on the box.

✔️ Floor type: Stick vacs work best cleaning bare floors, low-pile rugs and carpets that just need a quick surface clean (to remove crumbs, dust or pet hair). Those that convert to a hand vac or have hand vacuums on board can also clean upholstery, stairs and even the car. For bigger jobs, like deep cleaning a whole house with multiple rooms, deep-pile carpets or a mix of hard and soft surfaces, you may prefer a full-size upright or canister vacuum or at least a stick vacuum that comes with a second battery. But a good stick vac with max or turbo settings can certainly suffice, especially if you are in a hurry. Just keep in mind that the higher the power setting you use, the less run time you get.

✔️ Brush roll: A rotating brush roll is important to help remove dirt that’s settled down into the tufts of area rugs and carpets. Brush rolls also help collect debris on bare floors but can sometimes cause debris to scatter and should only be used if they're soft enough not to scratch your floors. If you are vacuuming only bare floors, a stick vacuum with a soft, fluffy rotating brush roll is your best bet. Some of the newest stick vacuums, like our Samsung pick, now have power nozzles that combine a rotating brush with a soft roller for a universal head that works on all flooring types.

A HEPA filter is a high-performance filter that traps 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size — too small to see with the naked eye, but not too small to be felt by allergy sufferers. A HEPA filter on a vacuum cleaner is best located on the exhaust, where the air blows out of the vacuum and back into the room. Dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke and more are all caught by these high-efficiency filters that are also found on air purifiers, and since HEPA filters are available on many upright, canister and stick vacuums, it's easy to find a model with one. Several of our stick vacuum picks here have HEPA filters.

“HEPA-type” or “HEPA-like” filters may look like traditional pleated HEPA filters and will trap some small particles, but they could miss the tiny, microscopic ones that can't escape a true HEPA filter. Vacuums with HEPA filters are generally more expensive. Less expensive vacuums can be sealed and have filters that grab 99% of particles down to 0.5 microns, but only a HEPA filter nabs 99.97% of particles as tiny as 0.3 microns (and yes, that can make a difference to the allergy-sensitive!).

Carolyn Forté has over 40 years of experience testing and reviewing hundreds of vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, mops and other major (and small) home appliances as executive director of the GH Institute Home Care and Cleaning Lab where we have a temperature- and humidity-controlled chamber dedicated to testing vacuum cleaners. She is an active member of the ASTM Committee on vacuum cleaners and chairman of the consumer information sub-committee.

Carolyn's home is a multi-level mix of carpets, area rugs and bare floors so she has first-hand experience with every type of vacuum cleaner on the market and is a big fan of using a vacuum cleaner for as many cleaning tasks as she can think of.

Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.

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