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Are our cordless vacuums as good as corded?
Do they work well on rugs?
In our opinion, the best cordless vacuums for carpets have power equivalent to many corded models.
Plus, they are lightweight and very easy to maneuver around tight spaces.
The only downfall is the limited runtime before they need a recharge.
In our reviews today, we’ll discuss cordless vacuums with the best suction.
All of our top picks are excellent for cleaning low and medium-pile carpet.
But besides trusting our opinion, you can also rate a vacuum cleaner’s performance for yourself.
Look at the airflow, airspeed, and water lift or vacuum power (1).
Suction is measured by kPa or inches of water lift.
Corded vacuum cleaners have an average water lift of 40 to 80 inches.
Compare that to the cordless model that interests you.
Also, consider the charge time, the noise level, and the weight.
Bissell’s Air Ram resembles an old-school carpet sweeper. But this battery-powered wonder runs up to 40 minutes on a single charge.
Even better, it has a fade-free floor cleaning performance. It won’t slowly wind down and suck less as the battery dies. There is an indicator on the battery that will show you the status at a glance.
What’s more, it’s suited to carpets and bare floors like hard floors as it has a multi-surface brush roll.
If you need to climb stairs with it, it weighs under 8 pounds. There’s also a collapsible handle that allows it to fit into small storage spaces.
While you vacuum, the bright LED lights illuminate the path. It also lays flat to go underneath furniture. And when you finish, the dust cup slides out so you can dump it in the trash.
People ask us what is the best cordless vacuum cleaner for pet hair?
We usually reply that it’s a Dyson. That’s because these vacuums have peerless suction.
As each Dyson cordless vacuum appears on the market, it has incremental improvements over the previous generation.
Furthermore, the lithium-ion batteries are integrated. That’s why we no longer recommend saving money by going with the V6 or V7.
The Dyson V11 torque drive vacuum has the double suction power of any other cordless model on the market. It’s also 40% better than the V8.
It’s so powerful that you will not want to use it on area rugs.
The onboard computer automatically adapts to different floor types when you put it in auto mode. Then the LCD displays how much runtime you have left and how well the machine is performing.
On a full charge, the Dyson V11 runs up to one hour, depending on the power mode and the attachments.
You can pull it apart to transform it into a handheld vacuum, too. The kit includes tools to dust and clean upholstery.
The main complaint we heard is that it won’t stand up on its own. That’s why it comes with a wall-mount docking station. If your primary concern is pet hair, we recommend you to read our top pet hair cleaning vacuums buying guide.
You can still save a little money by going with the V8. It runs up to 40 minutes as long as you’re not using the motorized tool. Otherwise, you’ll get between 8 to 30 minutes of runtime.
On the bright side, if you’re upgrading from a V6, you’ll end up with a direct-drive cleaner brush head that provides 150% more power.
Additionally, it has whole-machine HEPA filtration with a washable lifetime filter.
Also Read: Dyson V6 vs Dyson V8: Which is Better?
The Shark ION P50 does your hands a favor by putting the weight closer to the floor. This is unlike the Dyson-like models that put the motor up by the handle.
It’s also helpful for persons with asthma or allergies. Shark gave it a HEPA filter with Complete Seal Technology that traps up to 99. 99% of allergens and dust.
It’s a stick vacuum, upright, and a handheld vacuum. It converts to a handheld canister, which simplifies cleaning stairs or using the crevice tool to edge baseboards.
On one charge, it runs up to 50-60 minutes. Then you can refill the rechargeable battery in or out of the vacuum. In other words, if you have two lithium-ion extra batteries, you can swap them and get back to work right away.
Two other things that owners love include the headlights and the fact that the vacuum stands up by itself for storage.
Also Read: Shark IONFlex vs Dyson V8: Which is Better Vacuum?
This cordless vacuum doesn’t have a brand name that you’re likely to recognize, but it’s been quite popular. We hesitate to say it’s a knockoff of a Dyson, but there is a strong resemblance.
The manufacturer provides a 45-day any-back guarantee and a 24-month warranty on it.
Like a Dyson, it’s a cyclonic vacuum with HEPA filtration. It runs up to 45 minutes on a charge depending on the model you choose. Besides that, it has LED headlights.
The machine itself weighs just over 3 pounds without attachments. It comes with a two-in-one dusting brush, an extension wand, a mini cleaning brush, a motorized floor brush, and a docking station.
Every time Bissell sells an ICONpet stick vacuum, they donate $25 to their Pet Foundation to help homeless animals and more.
But don’t buy a vacuum cleaner just because it comes from a charity-minded company. Buy it because it works well. Happily, this one does.
It has three cleaning modes: Max for carpets, every day for bare floors and area rugs, and Quiet for hardwood floors and the longest runtime.
It has a tangle-free brush roll that sends pet hair into the debris tank. Then the tank itself is straightforward to dump so you don’t make a mess while cleaning up.
There is a Smart Sealed Allergen System that traps fine particles, and specialized pet tools to clean up after your furry friends.
It comes with a motorized turbo brush, a dusting brush, and a crevice tool with LED light. Even the vacuum itself has LED headlights.
Eureka’s PowerPlush is available in pink and blue. This cordless stick vacuum has a removable lithium-ion battery. That’s beneficial as you can replace the battery without replacing the vacuum in the years to come.
It has swivel steering and a self-propelled motorized nozzle specifically for carpet cleaning.
The vacuum weighs just over 5 pounds and converts to a hand vac for cleaning stairs were vehicles. It comes with a crevice tool and an upholstery accessory.
The only con is the short runtime of just 20 minutes.
Eureka’s HyperClean runs longer than the PowerPlush– up to 30 minutes in normal mode. But you have Max Power Level Mode for intense suction on high-traffic areas.
It weighs 6.5 pounds and transforms into a hand vacuum for cleaning stairs, furniture, or cars. Either way, you have LED headlights to hunt down the dust bunnies.
Once you finish the job, the press of a button dumps the dirt into the trash.
Hoover’s Air cordless vacuum operates up to 25 minutes on the carpet and hardwood floors. It has the same Wind Tunnel cyclonic technology featured in their corded models.
Hoover says that they took off the power cord and kept all the rest.
While it’s a bit heavier (at 9.9 pounds) than some cordless models, it’s much easier to maneuver. The large dust bin means you don’t have to dump it every time you vacuum. Plus, it comes with a five-year limited warranty.
Bissell’s Bolt is best-suited for bare floors, low pile carpets, and area rugs. It’s a basic stick vacuum with a folding handle to simplify cleaning under furniture.
The 14.4 V lithium-ion has a battery life of 25 minutes.
The kit includes a pet hair nozzle, a crevice tool with a dusting brush, a scoop and sweep tool for large debris, and a pet hair brush roll.
Eureka’s Blaze may be the best budget cordless vacuum.
It’s a three-in-one model that converts from stick to hand vacuum and stair vacuum in seconds. Moreover, it weighs only 4 pounds.
The company points out that it’s best on bare floors like hard floors, low-pile carpets, and area rugs.
It has a washable filter and comes with a crevice tool.
Black + Decker expands its Dustbuster into a cordless stick vacuum that doubles as a hand vac.
It’s made for whole-house cleaning if you have a small home.
There is a powered beater bar for carpets, plus an extendable crevice tool. But don’t expect much from the filtration as it’s a washable filter only.
You can refer to the battery indicator to see how much battery life is left and when it’s time to clean the filter.
Dirt Devil designed the Power Swerve for homes with pets. It runs on a 16-volt lithium battery that recharges quickly. That’s just as well as the expected battery life is just 15 minutes.
Lay it flat to clean underneath the bed and swivel around corners and chair legs. It weighs just over 5 pounds and has a roller brush for low pile carpet.
Also, note that the air filter has an activated carbon layer to reduce odors. It’s also effective in cleaning pet hair.
Another stick vacuum we recommend for quick cleanups when you have pets is the Bissell Adapt XRT.
It folds up for compact storage and breaks apart into a hand vacuum for cleaning above the floor.
If you have laminate flooring, you’ll be glad to know you can turn the brush roller off and on.
The kit includes a combination of upholstery and dusting brush as well as a crevice tool.
The Hoover Linx weighs about 10 pounds but has the same Wind Tunnel Technology as a full-size corded model.
It works well on hard floors and carpets alike. We were glad for the edge-cleaning bristles as there’s no crevice tool. The vacuum also lays flat to go underneath the bed.
Happily, the lithium-ion pack is interchangeable. The vacuum itself comes with a two-year warranty.
Electrolux’s Ergorapido has a motorized power brush for carpets. But it also converts to a hand vacuum.
The accessories like the crevice tool and dusting brush fit in the charging stand.
It weighs under 9 pounds and is very maneuverable with swivel steering.
It’s not cheating to include robotic vacuums as they are, without a doubt, cordless.
One of our favorites is the Roomba i7 that empties its dustbin.
What’s better, it runs up to two hours on a charge – far longer than cordless vacuums that require human intervention.
The suction is ten times better than the Roomba 600 series. So yes, this is a good cordless vacuum for carpet.
You can control it with the iRobot Home app, the Google Assistant, or Alexa.
Also Read: Dyson V11 vs V8: Ultimate Showdown
Get yourself a cordless vacuum for the carpet, and you’ll discover how easy it is to keep your home clean. There’s one for every budget.
Runtimes range from fifteen minutes to an hour, depending on the job that you do.
If we inspired you to get a cordless vacuum today, tell us about it in the comments below.
Related Reading: How to Vacuum Stairs Perfectly?
Sources:
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_cleaner accessed October 4, 2019
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