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With so many different types of vacuums on the market, it’s already hard enough to narrow down the type of vacuum you should go with. But if you’ve already made your decision and have your eyes set on a handheld vacuum, here’s what you should consider.
Overall, with handheld vacuums, you’ll want to pay attention to its dust bin capacity, how easy it is to clean as well as its battery life. These will greatly influence how easy or how much of a hassle it will be to operate.
A washable filter that can be easily removed for washing is a good feature to have. It can help you maintain the strong suction power of your vacuum and avoid extra costs of having to buy replacement filters.
Have people in the house with long hair that gets everywhere? Then a handheld vacuum with a dedicated brush will probably be the way to go. It’ll help to pick those hairs up, especially if there’s carpet involved.
If you’re after a vacuum for your furniture, sofas or car, then you’d probably want it to be compact and lightweight. Other good features to consider in this case would be included attachments dedicated to hard to reach spaces.
As you can tell, what you want to use your handheld vacuum for is probably the most important consideration to help you determine the features.
With that in mind, check out our selection of the best handheld vacuums in Australia, with reasons to buy and reasons to avoid highlighted as well as what each model is great for.
1. Black+Decker 18V Lithium-Ion Flexi Dustbuster
Reach areas without having to lift the whole machine
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Among cordless vacuums cleaners, the Black and Decker Flexi Dustbuster is the best handheld vacuum in our list, a handy little machine that is great for hard-to-reach areas, due to the ability to use it as is or to detach the hose from the machine to reach a little further when you’re cleaning.
You can unclip the 1.5m hose from the machine itself, so that you can maneuver it into narrow spaces or higher areas. This makes it a lot easier as you wouldn’t have to lift the whole machine, and hence its weight, to reach those spaces.
There’s also a flip-out upholstery nozzle attached to the main nozzle, making it really convenient to clean more delicate surfaces as you move around the house without having to carry an additional attachment. Having it attached to the handheld vacuum cleaner itself also means you don’t have to worry about storing or losing it.
A useful feature of the Flexi Dustbuster is its charge technology. Once the battery has been fully charged, the charger automatically turns off. This helps to save power and preserve the life of the battery.
It also means you don’t have to worry about remembering to turn it off once it's done charging. One downside though, is that it takes about four hours for this handheld cordless vacuum to be fully charged. The upside with the charge technology is that you can constantly have the charger on so that it will start charging again without you having to turn on the power switch whenever it’s not fully charged.
The filter of the Flexi Dustbuster is also really easy to clean. You’ll just need to open the side door of the vacuum and empty the contents out into the bin. Want a deeper clean? The bowl itself can be fully removed from the body of the vacuum itself so that you can give the filter and bowl a good rinse to remove any remaining dust particles.
2. Black+Decker 18V Lithium-Ion Pivot Dustbuster
Handheld vacuum with a 200° pivoting nozzle and large dust bowl
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The Black+Decker Pivot Dustbuster is an all-rounder handheld vacuum, and our choice for best handheld vacuum for caravans, as it’s great for cleaning bigger areas and smaller spaces too.
With a wider nozzle, this handheld vacuum can cover a slightly larger surface area than the other vacuums on this list. It also has built-in features on the main nozzle - an extendable crevice tool and a flip out brush tool. The extendable crevice tool helps you get a little more reach and the brush tool helps you pick up dirt better on fabrics like carpets or sofas. This is enhanced by the 200° pivoting nozzle.
Another great addition on the Pivot Dustbuster is its large 440ml dust canister, bigger than a lot of handheld vacuum capacities. This means you can go longer without compromising the suction power. When you do need to empty it, you can just empty the dust bowl out from the side door and fully remove it to wash and dry to ensure that it's clean.
This cordless hand vacuum is on the heavier side though. at 1.38kg, so that’s something to take note of. It also takes about four hours for a full charge.
Overall, it’s nozzle versatility and larger capacity make it a great hand vacuum for caravans as it can handle larger spaces yet get into smaller, harder-to-reach areas. It also takes up little room when storing, which is great for caravans that don’t typically have heaps of space.
Best For Pet Hair
3. Fityou Handheld Vacuum Cordless
One of the best handheld vacuums for pet hair, human hairs and carpets
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The Fityou Handheld Vacuum Cordless is a great handheld vacuum for pet and human hair. It includes a dust brush tool, that can be easily attached to the vacuum, that’s designed to clean carpets as well as suck up hairs.
It also comes with a washable filter. By washing your filter regularly and getting rid of any dust particles within it, you’re ensuring that the suction power of your vacuum remains at its best.
One annoying thing about this cordless handheld vacuum cleaner is that only a USB charging cable is provided and it doesn’t come with a power adapter. This just makes it a bit more of a hassle if you don’t have a spare power adapter lying around or a socket that has a USB port. However, nowadays you can easily buy a power adapter anywhere, so this isn’t a dealbreaker by any means.
Finally, this machine charges relatively quickly, in less than 3.5 hours, which is not too shabby. Overall, The Fityou Handheld Vacuum Cordless is a great option if you’re looking for a portable and cordless vacuum cleaner that can tackle hairs.
4. Black+Decker 10.8V Lithium-Ion Dustbuster Cyclonic Action
Ergonomically designed, making cleaning more comfortable
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The Black+Decker Dustbuster Cyclonic Action is one of the best handheld vacuums for stairs. It’s ergonomically designed and has an integrated long crevice tool. With these two features, you won’t have to bend over too much to reach those stairs, which is great news for your back.
This vacuum features triple action filtration and cyclonic action that spins particles away from the filter. The triple action filtration helps with the performance of the vacuum and the cyclonic action preserves the vacuum’s suction ability, keeping it strong.
Like other Black+Decker handheld vacuums, the Dustbuster Cyclonic Action also comes with a washable filter and removable dust bowl that can be easily cleaned. You can easily remove the filter for washing to ensure that the suction power of the vacuum remains strong. You can also remove the dust bowl to wash to keep it clean and remove any remaining dust particles.
You can also increase the suction power if you need some extra power by using the advanced boost mode. A flip out brush is also attached to the main nozzle, so you can use that whenever you need to as you’re cleaning.
With this vacuum cleaner, you have the option of purchasing a compatible scented pre filter which will help make your space smell nicer as the cotton scent disperses into the air as you vacuum.
It’s worthwhile to note that it takes five hours to fully charge this handheld vacuum. However, if you don’t plan on using it very frequently and for long periods of time, this shouldn’t be a major issue.
Best For Cars
5. Proscenic S1
Super compact and lightweight design, our top choice for car cleaning
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When it comes to cleaning your car, it’s ideal to have a handheld vacuum that’s easy and light enough to hold, as you’ll constantly be maneuvering it around your car rather than resting it on the floor like you would do in a typical clean in your home. This is why we’ve picked the Proscenic S1 as the best handheld vacuum for cars as it has the right features to do the job.
Weighing in at just 630g, the Proscenic S1 is light enough to not cause a lot of pressure on your wrists from lifting it while cleaning. It’s very slim and compact, so you can get a good grip on it and get into all the tight spots of your car. It’s size and shape also make it easy to store in your car so you don’t have to worry about moving too many things around to make space for it.
The Proscenic S1 comes with 2 attachments, a 2 in 1 flat suction and a mattress brush. The flat suction is perfect for cars, helping you get into tight spaces and crooks and crannies. If you have upholstery on your car seats, then the mattress brush would be great with getting the dirt out of that.
You also get the benefit of a HEPA filter with this handheld vacuum. This type of filter is important if you or anyone who frequently travels in your car suffers from asthma or is allergic to dust. The HEPA filter ensures that smaller particles, that normal filters might not pick up, are trapped while you’re vacuuming.
The vacuum lasts for 15 - 30 minutes on one charge, so if you're just cleaning the car or some hard-to-reach areas in the house after a main clean, then this should be plenty of time.
For more options on car vacuum cleaners, here’s our dedicated buyers' guide.
6. Koonie Air Duster & Vacuum 2 in 1
Ultra lightweight vacuum that can be used as an air duster
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The Koonie Air Duster & Vacuum 2 in 1 is one of the lightest handheld vacuum cleaners on this list, weighing in at just 500g. It’s a great option if you find it challenging to lift heavy objects over extended periods of time.
This is the only handheld vacuum cleaner on this list that is designed with both the inlet and output airflow, that suits for multiple cleaning purposes. This feature comes in handy especially if you’re planning on cleaning hard to reach objects such as computer keyboards, bed tops or desks...
We also love that the battery part can be removed and it could also be used as a charger, making it more versatile and standing out among other contenders.
Do note that the noise level is a bit high to some users. And due to the fact that this is a small and lightweight handheld vacuum, the dust chamber fills up quickly so you may have to clean the filter and suction chamber more often if you use it on a regular daily basis.
7. Autowoel Handheld Vacuum
A convenient vacuum that can be charged quickly anywhere
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The Autowoel Handheld Vacuum is a great option if you’re looking for a compact handheld vacuum with a HEPA filter. Not all handheld vacuums have this feature, so if you’re sensitive to dust or have asthma, this is the model for you.
The HEPA filter is also washable, so you can ensure that it remains clean and your allergies at bay. This also means you don’t have to worry about buying replacement filters later down the line.
A convenient feature of this handheld vacuum is the ability to charge it in multiple ways. As it uses a USB Type-C cable, you can charge it using a wall outlet, portable charger, laptop or car if you have a USB outlet. It charges fully within 2 hours, the fastest of any on our list. With such a diverse range of ways you can charge it, this vacuum could pretty much go anywhere with you.
Although you might think that you could use the vacuum while it’s being charged considering the convenient charging options, the manual states that the vacuum should be turned off while charging, so that’s a bit of a downside.
This vacuum is a bit on the shorter side as well, without attachments that extend its reach very far. If you need one that’s a bit more far-reaching, then perhaps this isn’t the right vacuum for your needs.
Overall, this is a great compact handheld vacuum cleaner that is easy to store and has decent features. It’s also the least expensive option on our list, so it would be a good one to consider if you’re on a budget or just not wanting to spend too much on a secondary vacuum cleaner.
How to choose a handheld vacuum cleaner
Not all handheld vacuum cleaners are created equal. There are many different features out there that may be useful for some but not for others. It all depends on what you’re planning on using your handheld vacuum cleaner for.
As handheld vacuum cleaners are usually purchased as a secondary vacuum to get into smaller and narrower spaces, a good one to think about is how it can complement your current vacuum cleaner especially if you’re planning on using it for household cleaning.
With so many options, choose the right handheld vacuum cleaner to spend your money on by keeping the factors below into consideration when you’re looking to buy one.
Capacity
If you’re planning on using your handheld vacuum cleaner for irregular cleaning of a space that can get quite dusty or dirty, then you might want to consider getting one with a larger capacity. This is so that you can avoid having to make multiple trips to empty it out to maintain the suction power.
Battery life and charging time
Consider the space that you’ll mainly be using your vacuum on. You’ll want to get one with longer battery life if you’re cleaning a bigger space like a caravan versus a small car like a sedan that might not take that long to clean.
Charging times can take between 2 - 4 hours depending on the model, so just keep that in mind when choosing a handheld vacuum cleaner as well.
Size, shape and weight
Size matters if you don’t have too much space to store your vacuum. It’s also something to keep in mind along with its shape. This is important when you’re thinking about the areas you have to clean. You might want to get a smaller, narrower handheld vacuum if you have a lot of tight spaces to clean.
Weight is pretty self-explanatory - go for a lighter vacuum if you find it challenging to lift heavy items over a period of time. This is especially important for handheld vacuums, as you would be holding its full weight most of the time. This is unlike a barrel or cordless stick vacuum, where you would lean most of its weight against the floor or drag it on wheels behind you.
Filter
If you suffer from allergies or asthma, choose a vacuum with a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and this type of filter is better at trapping particles. However, if that’s not something you need to worry about, then a normal filter will do.
Ease of cleaning
Handheld vacuum cleaners, due to its small nature, tend to need cleaning quite regularly. Choose one that is easy to empty and clean. A washable filter is a great feature to look for. This will help to ensure that the suction power is maintained. If the filter gets too clogged up, it will affect the amount of suction you get and hence make your vacuuming less efficient.
Main use
Think about the main thing you’ll be using the handheld vacuum to clean. This will help you choose the right model to buy. For example, if you’re mainly going to be using it to clean your car, you’d want to choose a vacuum that’s more compact and easier to maneuver tight spaces. If you’re mainly wanting to clean things that are higher up like hanging lights and curtains or blinds, then look for a handheld vacuum that has an attachment or feature that allows you to reach higher areas without the need to stand on a chair.