Cars have a lot of nooks and crannies where dirt, food, and other detritus tend to accumulate. While you can technically use your Dyson (or whatever brand you choose), the tiny design of most autos makes utilizing a full-size canister or upright vacuum practically impossible.
Over the years, the specialists at the Home Accessories Institute’s Home Care & Cleaning Lab have examined a car vacuums, Cordless Stick Vacuums, Vacuum Cleaners, Robot Mops, Robot Vacuums, Cordless Handheld Vacuums,Best Vacuums on Amazon, cheap vacuum cleaners, Our intensive testing on various surface kinds, such as hardwood floors, and with various dirt types, such as pet hair, has enabled us to continue making the most relevant and up-to-date suggestions in the field. We’ve picked up our top-tested selections for vacuuming your vehicle, paying specific attention to the necessities of auto cleaning.
Our top picks:
To truly detail your automobile, you’ll need a handheld cordless vacuum intended for compact places to reach into the tight spaces beneath seats, between leather seams, and into small compartments. With new developments entering the market on a regular basis, these portable vacs are swiftly rising to challenge their larger counterparts in terms of dirt pickup and general performance, and their compact size makes them a cleaning asset both in your car and in your home.
Read our entire reviews, then scroll down for additional information on how we test vehicle vacuums, what to look for when looking for a car vacuum, and why you should trust Good Housekeeping’s selections.
1
PROS
- Motor-powered pet brush makes cleaning pet hair much easier
- Three-star Quiet Mark rating
CONS
- Side vents might move messes around as you clean
Weight: 4.2 lbs.
Claimed run time: 20 minutes.
Removable battery: No.
HEPA filter: No.
Model number: HHVK515JP07.
Pet hair travels everywhere, and if you’ve ever driven with your pet, you know how much they shed on the seats and floor. This type is distinguished by its capacity to take up pet hair thanks to its motorized pet brush attachment with rubber bristles. The AdvancedClean+ Pet Hand Vacuum made our list of the best vacuums for pet hair, competing with upright and stick vacuums, which is impressive given its small size.
Our testers also praised the vacuum’s silent operation. In fact, it got a three-star rating from the independent certification program Quiet Mark, the quietest grade a vacuum can receive. It should be noted that the air vents on the sides of this model send out a lot of air, so you may need to pay close attention when vacuuming to avoid blowing your mess elsewhere.
2
PROS
- Comes with four attachments, including a squeegee
- Battery is compatible with many other RYOBI tools
CONS
- Limited capacity
Weight: 2 lbs.
Claimed run time: Not listed.
Removable battery: Yes.
HEPA filter: No.
Model number: PCL702K.
It pays to have a number of attachments on hand for a genuine detailing experience at home, including a crevice tool for nooks and crannies and a brush for tough dirt like pet hair. This cordless handheld comes with an outstanding set of equipment: four specific tools to assist you in getting the job done. It even comes with a squeegee to clean up liquid spills, which is ideal for families with young children or the occasional coffee spill.
The vacuum requires a separate battery and charger, which is included in this set for your convenience. If you already own a RYOBI battery, go with the solo vacuum to save some money. While our Lab experts have yet to try this specific model, we have had great results with the brand’s dry-only vacuum. (It received so high marks that it previously won the Cleaning & Organizing Award.) The only drawback we notice with this device is that the dust bin capacity is restricted, so you’ll probably have to empty the canister several times during larger operations.
3
PROS
- Easy to maneuver in even the tightest spots
- Performs amazingly well on both higher and lower settings
CONS
- Dust cup can't be removed
Weight: 3.8 lbs.
Claimed run time: 30 mins.
Removable battery: Yes.
HEPA filter: Yes.
Model number: WX030L.
Worx had a stroke of inspiration with this vacuum: it’s rare to see a handheld vacuum with a hose rather than a self-contained machine, and we’re quite excited about it. The hose is four feet long, and with different attachments, it can easily pick up dirt in the most difficult-to-reach areas of an automobile.
This vacuum also performed admirably in our suction testing, clearing an average of 94% of dirt in a single swipe despite not even being set to its highest setting. The dust chamber is our only complaint about this vacuum. Unlike some other models, the dust cup on this vacuum is not removable, so you must bring the entire vacuum with you when emptying it, and cleaning it can be time-consuming. However, because the dust cup is large in comparison to the overall volume of the vacuum, you may only need to empty it occasionally.
4
PROS
- Good suction at a great price
- USB charging means you may never have to take it out of the car
CONS
- Tiny dust cup
Weight: 1.3 lbs.
Claimed run time: 12 min.
Removable battery: No.
HEPA filter: No.
Model number: 29869.
Clocking in at under $50, this vacuum shows that you don’t need to spend a fortune to make your car’s more modest messes disappear. For the price, this vacuum has impressive suction and was able to clean up smaller messes quickly in our tests. The USB feature also makes charging in the car convenient so that you can keep it in your vehicle.
You won’t mind looking at it, either — it boasts a sleek, modern design. Please take note: Despite its suction power, this vacuum features a very small dust cup, meaning that for bigger messes, you may need to stop and empty it more frequently than some other models. But for the price, we think an extra trip to the trash is worth it.
5
PROS
- Extra-long 16-foot power cord
- Crevice tool is fully attached
CONS
- On the heavier side
Weight: 3.75 lbs.
Claimed run time: N/A.
Removable battery: No.
HEPA filter: No.
Model number: SD20005.
If you don’t mind the heftier 3.75-pound construction and its accompanying power cord, this is a fantastic budget-friendly option. At 16 feet, you shouldn’t have any trouble extending the cord from an outlet in the garage to your vehicle, but keep in mind many modern cars even have built-in outlets that afford you even more ability to move around with a corded model.
Our Lab pros haven’t tested this specific handheld vacuum but have tested similar ones with the flip-down crevice tool — and they work very well. Not to mention, having the crevice tool onboard means it never gets lost. The corded unit is suitable for big messes, too, thanks to an extra large dirt cup that minimizes the trips you need to take to the trash can. It also has a rinsable removable filter to keep the vacuum running efficiently for longer.
6
PROS
- Ultra-strong suction
- Comes with a variety of accessories
- Impressive debris pickup
CONS
- Heavier than other models
- Battery not included
Weight: 3.2 lbs.
Claimed run time: Configurable (depends on the capacity of the battery, sold separately).
Removable battery: Yes.
HEPA filter: Yes.
Model number: DCV517B.
When it comes to suction power, Dewalt’s cordless hand vac delivers. In our dirt pickup testing, it regularly removed more than 90% of particles from low-pile carpet with just one back-and-forth swipe. Furthermore, because it comes with a variety of attachments, this vacuum makes cleaning between hard-to-reach cracks and small nooks a breeze.
With suction strength as strong as this vacuum’s, this model is regrettably somewhat heavy, making maneuvering it a little harder than with some of the more compact variants. Nonetheless, an extra pound and a half of weight makes no difference, given how well it takes up dirt. Additionally, reviewers pointed out that the vacuum does not come with a battery pack. If you already own any other Dewalt lithium-ion-powered hand tools, you’ll most likely have everything you need to get started.
How we test car vacuums
We spent more than 10 hours running five different tests that provided more than 40 data points to determine the finest car vacuums.
All vacuums were tested on low-pile carpets to simulate the texture of car rugs and various sorts of materials were cleaned with the vacuums, including crumbled cereal, baking soda, and nearly two pounds of oats. We also weighed the vacuums, evaluated their ergonomics, and tested their working noise to see how easy and comfortable they were to use.
Data points from prior handheld vacuum testing were also analyzed and integrated. The Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab examined 19 models from 14 different brands in our most recent handheld vacuum test. All handheld vacuums are evaluated on bare floors and low-pile carpets for their ability to pick up small particles such as sand, baking soda, dry oats, orzo pasta, and pet hair. We also put their suction to the test with heavier things like screws and nuts.
What to look for when shopping for a car vacuum
Consider the following four factors when weighing your selections to locate the best car vacuum for your needs:
✔️ Run time: A longer run time means fewer charges between cleanings and not having to worry about charging the vacuum every time you use it. Choose a bigger capacity battery for vacuums with separately sold batteries to keep your vacuum running clean after cleaning.
✔️ Though not usually necessary, a HEPA filter in your vacuum can help prevent microscopic particulate matter, such as pet dander, pollen, dust mites, and smoke ash, from being recirculated into the air as you vacuum. People with allergies or sensitivity to air pollution should opt for vacuums with HEPA filters to better catch irritating particles.
✔️ Attachments: When cleaning a space with many tight crevices and constructed of a variety of materials, such as the interior of a car, attachments are your best friend. Consider a vacuum with a crevice tool to get into the nooks and crannies where dirt tends to lodge, as well as one with a rotating brush attachment to remove hair from fabric materials effortlessly.
✔️ Charger type: If you intend to keep your car vacuum in your car, go for one that has a USB charger. That way, you’ll be able to charge it using the auxiliary power socket present in most cars, and you’ll be ready when a disaster strikes.
What is a good suction power for a car vacuum cleaner?
If we want to get super technical, the air power (reported in watts) of a vacuum is a description of the net time rate of work performed by an airstream while expending energy to produce an airflow under specified air-resistance conditions, according to ASTM F558-13, the standard test for measuring air performance of vacuum cleaners. In other words, a vacuum with more suction power will have more air power.
When shopping for a car vacuum, it’s critical not to mix air power with electrical power (measured in volts). A vacuum with more power will not necessarily create more suction. Unlike electrical power, vacuum makers frequently do not publish air power.
We assess vacuum pickup in a more practical approach due to the complexity of calculating air power and the fact that not all manufacturers report air-power wattage. Pickup tests are used in the Cleaning Lab to estimate suction power as a percentage of deposited debris retrieved by the vacuum after one forward and one backward pass. Seven of the nine vacuums tested in this article picked up more than 80% of the deposited dirt after just one complete pass (the other two were not included in the initial round of testing), indicating that they’re powerful enough to clean up most messes with no effort.
Why trust Home Accessoris?
As executive director of the Home Care Lab, Carolyn Forté has tested and assessed hundreds of vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, mops, and other big (and minor) home equipment. She manages all cleaning lab testing and recently evaluated all of the handheld, stick, upright, and canister vacuums submitted for consideration in the most recent Cleaning and Organising Awards. She is a member of the ASTM Committee on Vacuum Cleaners and the chairperson of the subcommittee on consumer information.
Lynn Redmile, Contributing Product Analyst, tested three of the four models featured in this post. Redmile did the testing for our most recent handheld vacuum test, as well as dozens of other vacuums in a variety of categories, including robot vacuums and beyond.
