Finding the best cordless vacuum cleaner for your home and cleaning needs may take time and research, but the perfect model can make a huge difference to your day-to-day life. After all, cordless models initially started out as clunkier and ineffective versions of traditional vacuums, but many of today's cordless vacuums are just as powerful as their corded counterparts.
Some of the best vacuum cleaners are indeed corded, but I’ve tested more cordless vacuums deserving of a 5-star review than corded ones throughout my professional career. They offer the freedom to move from room to room and clean untethered from a plug socket, the ability to vacuum stairs without running out of cord halfway, and many cordless vacuums are now packing a serious power punch.
The last thing I want is for you to spend your hard-earned money on the wrong cordless vacuum cleaner, so here at Ideal Home we've spent months diligently following Ideal Home’s vacuum cleaner testing process and evaluating their suction power, ease of use, and adaptability in dealing with messes that we encounter in day-to-day living – including testing cordless options to see if they have what it takes to qualify as one of the best vacuums for tacking pet hair and deep-rooted debris. As a result, I am confident that my recommendations below are the top-in-the-class cordless vacuum cleaners you can buy.
Quick list
Best overall
The Shark PowerDetect Clean and Empty is the brand's newest release, having launched just in October this year. Fully equipped with advanced four-detection cleaning, Direction Detect technology which cleans both in forward and reverse, and an auto-empty dock for little to no maintenance, it's an all-rounder we can't refuse.
Best value
Despite having been released back in 2016 and being one of Dyson's oldest cordless vacs, the V8 Absolute continues to stand as a worthy investment. You still get excellent suction power and the premium feel of a Dyson, but at a fraction of the price of the newer models. Being 8 years old, it's not got any new smart features, but it's ideal if you want a no-frills-attached entry-level vacuum.
Best for pet hair
Cleaning a home with furry friends can quickly get tiring, but the Halo Capsule X makes light of this task by effectively picking up deep-rooted pet hair on upholstery and carpet thanks to its handy attachments and brilliant performance mode. Even better, it's bagged system offers fuss-free emptying and is a relief to those who suffer from allergies caused by dust, pet dander, and the like. It's also extremely lightweight, despite its generous 2L bag capacity.
Best high-tech
Dyson vacuums have a big reputation for being some of the most technologically advanced models on the market, and the Gen5detect takes the cake as offering the most intelligent cleaning capabilities and features to date; all of which making it nothing less than a star buy. But, it of course comes with a steep price tag only a few can justify.
Best battery life
The Shark Stratos was an immediate hit for us during testing, picking up hair without any tangling and tackling dust and debris seamlessly. It auto-senses the amount of suction needed and its genius Anti-Odour capsules are easily our favourite touch, making it our top-rated cordless vac among everything we've tried. We only wish it came with a stand and a more functional dust tool.
Best for carpet
The AirRAM Platinum is a newer addition to our roster of tried and tested vacs, but it instantly earned a top spot because of its impressive suction and cleaning power. Its clever AirLOC technology ensures effective pick-up not only on the forward stroke, but the backstroke too, making it a top choice for cleaning carpet.
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Best for hard floors
This newer Shark vacuum is a cleaning dream, weighing only 2.76kg and performing exceptionally well on hard floors thanks to four new detection technologies. However, the dustbin is quite a bit smaller than the tried and true Stratos, which is something to keep in mind for more thorough cleaning sessions.
Best budget
If your biggest priority is affordability without sacrificing power, this Beko vacuum packs a punch at its affordable sub-£200 price point; offering fantastic value for money. It's easy to use, is equipped with a range of attachments, and works brilliantly across all floor types. The power controls can be a tad temperamental, is all.
Best vacuum and mop
If you've ever dreamed of combining your key cleaning tools into one appliance, we believe the result is the ultra-innovative Dyson V15s Detect Submarine. Marrying vacuuming and mopping, everyday cleaning is far more bearable thanks to this product – so long as you're willing to work a little harder on the maintenance side of things.
Best cordless vacuum cleaners 2025
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Best cordless vacuum cleaner overall
The Shark PowerDetect Clean and Empty is the brand's latest addition to their tried and true roster of vacuum cleaners, and claims to be their most powerful cordless model to date. After trying it out for a weeks, I can safely that that it delivers on its high claims, thus immediately taking the top spot in this guide after much deliberation.
The vacuums that previously fought for the #1 spot were the Shark Stratos and the Dyson Gen5detect (which now each sit in their own dedicated section), but I believe the PowerDetect is actually the perfect middle ground, marrying the great parts of both of these vacuums as you get the advanced cleaning technology and premium feel of a high-end, without the overly astronomical price tag.
Features we loved during testing
While I was testing the Shark PowerDetect, the Auto mode performed brilliantly, responding quickly to detect changes in dirt levels and floor types. On some of the areas of my home with deep-rooted dirt, I could even feel the vacuum shift gears and double in suction power, almost propelling the entire appliance forward to make for easier cleaning.
Not only that, but the all-new Direction Detect has been designed to pick up dirt and debris in both forward and reverse to ensure nothing gets left behind, streamlining your cleaning as you only need to go over areas once. Paired with the auto-empty dock, there's really little to no maintenance that comes with this model as you simply dock the vacuum after use and let it do the emptying and charging for you. However, with a runtime of up to 70 minutes, even without the dock, the Shark PowerDetect offers a competitive battery life that can last you your entire cleaning session – even as you switch from floor to handheld mode.
If I had to be picky, some little gripes of mine include the vac feeling a tad top-heavy when used in handheld mode (admittedly, I'll just be using it for vacuuming floors and using my dedicated handheld vac that is much lighter) and the auto-empty dock not being perfect, as some hair can get stuck here and there. However, these are merely trivial and don't take away from it being a 5-star buy across the board.
Read our Shark PowerDetect Clean and Empty cordless vacuum cleaner review for more details.
Best value cordless vacuum cleaner
The Dyson V8 Absolute has been in Dyson's roster for over 8 years now having been released all the way back in 2016, but it's safe to say, it's aged like fine wine and only gotten better through the years.
The V8 Absolute is one of the brand's oldest (and thus, cheapest) cordless vacuums still in circulation today. Available to purchase from anywhere between £249-£399, it offers fantastic suction power, a wide range of handy attachments, and the sought-after premium feel of a Dyson – sans the hefty price tags that are often attached to the newest models in their line of vacuums.
Features we loved during testing
When our freelancer, Lauren, tested the Dyson V8 Absolute, it exceeded her expectations and more. She loved the different floorheads for carpet and hard flooring, which both visibly made her floors so much cleaner and seamlessly picked up hidden dust and debris. Considering she also has a dog who is notorious for shedding everywhere, it also did a fantastic job at picking up pet hair (and human hair alike) without getting tangled or having any hair stuck in the blades, which is a huge plus.
Not to mention, it's also the lightest vacuum we've tested in this entire guide, weighing just 2.54kg. Being lightweight and manoeuvrable is easily one of this vacuum's biggest draws, especially if you want to take advantage of that cordless experience. In fact, Lauren loves it so much that despite other vacuums she's tested, the V8 Absolute has remained her go-to.
Sure, it's not kitted out with the latest cleaning technology like the Dyson Gen5detect and dustbin capacity may be a bit on the smaller side if you have a bustling home, but if you're after a no-frills-attached vacuum cleaner that'll do what it says on the tin (and reliably at that), we think the Dyson V8 Absolute is still a worthwhile product to pick up, even in 2024.
Read our Dyson V8 Absolute review for more details.
Best cordless vacuum cleaner for pet hair
We've heard a lot of good things about the Halo Capsule X and were very excited to give it a whirl, especially because it employs the use of a bagged system, which is something we rarely see nowadays as the vacuum world is dominated by bagless models. However, the Halo Capsule X is a bagged cordless vacuum that is, in our opinion, equally as versatile and stylish as some of the other popular products on the market right now – and has, suffice to say, completely changed our opinion on bagged vacuums.
The Halo Capsule X truly combines the suction power and practicality that traditional bagged, corded vacuums possess, in the silhouette of a sleek, lightweight model. In fact, it's actually one of the lightest vacuums on this list, weighting just 2.6kg and coming second place to the Dyson V8 Absolute. This feature, paired with all the benefits that come with bagged vacuum cleaners, including increased suction power and easy, dust-free emptying – a huge plus if you often suffer from allergies – makes it a fantastic buy that deserves more spotlight.
Features we loved during testing
One of the things that immediately earned the Halo Capsule X the title of being the best for tackling pet hair are the included attachments, namely, the upholstery tool and mini power brush, which both impressed our tester Lauren when she used them on her pet hair-riddled furniture.
She tested the upholstery tool on her velvet sofa bed, which she claimed was 'the bane of her life' to clean as it doubles as her dog's frequent lounging spot, and said that it did a 'stellar job' at precisely picking up all the hair, you wouldn't even be able to guess that her pooch had been anywhere near there in the first place. The same goes for when she used the mini power brush on her living room footstool, which her dog also frequents. With just a few swipes, all the dirt and mud that had accumulated and was gone without a trace.
The suction power delivered in performance mode when using the general floorhead worked a treat for picking up deep-rooted pet hair on her carpets too, making the Capsule X a brilliant all-rounder for cleaning up after pets – whether it's hair, mud, or dirt. The bagged system is also a huge benefit, as it keeps any pet dander completely sealed and is easily disposed of without issue. You do, of course, just need to be prepared to buy extra bags and be aware of when they're full, which can be difficult to gauge if you're used to a bagless, dustbin system where you can clearly monitor it.
Read our Halo Capsule X review for more details.
Best high-tech cordless vacuum cleaner
The Gen5detect Absolute is a vacuum that's as good at cleaning up as it looks. With two floorheads (one for hard floor, and one for carpet which we absolutely love) you feel like you have more options for deep cleaning with this vacuum. The catch? Its very steep price tag – even for a Dyson.
With this premium model, you're shelling out for innovation, with the hard floor head boasting lasers that illuminate dirt and dust that you'd never usually see – a cleaning enthusiast's dream. However, what makes it a standout option for cleaning carpets is its game-changing anti-tangle feature on the Digital Motorbar (the head for carpet cleaning). It works as well as similar offerings from Shark and revealed a huge amount of sunken-in dirt during our at-home tests. The three modes are perfect for toggling between everyday and deep cleaning, too.
Features we loved during testing
It's the fine details that make a vacuum better to use than others on the market, which is why you can't overlook the magic of a Dyson bin mechanism. Point the dust bin, pull the trigger and everything will come out the first time without a fuss – something that pretty much no other vacuum brand has achieved.
The LCD control panel is also incredibly intuitive, featuring indicators showing exactly how many microscopic dust particles you've eradicated from your home, adding to the experience that you're paying almost £900 for.
Read our Dyson Gen5detect Absolute vacuum cleaner review for more details.
Best cordless vacuum cleaner for battery life
The Shark Stratos range was released in 2022 and goes further than other vacuums to make debris and dust pick-up as seamless as possible. This particular cordless Stratos showed unbelievable suction power during testing, and left carpets visibly cleaner, with no issues with pet hair or human hair. Gone are the days of lengthy maintenance with the Stratos too, with easy-to-clean mechanisms that you'll be unbelievably grateful for. With an option for a two-battery model which will give you up to 120 minutes of runtime, you also won't need to worry about running out of charge midway through your cleaning session, offering you the reliability of a corded model.
Features we loved during testing
There's no doubt that our testing process proved that the Shark Stratos is worth the large price tag. Even if you don't have pets, the ease with which this vacuum does away with hair is astounding, and our Kitchen Appliances Editor, Molly found that it was unmatched when it came to suction.
The capacity of this vacuum to transform into a smaller handheld model is also phenomenal, and you'll be reaching for the smaller attachments all the time to resolve smaller messes all over your home quickly. One non-essential that we are obsessed with is the anti-odour capsules that you can pop into the dustbin. These mean that there are no more musty smells when you're emptying your vac.
You will need to fork out more for the two-battery model if you reckon it's something that'll be of use to you; however, it's not a necessity if you live in a small or medium-sized home. All in all, this is admittedly a pricier vacuum, but if you can afford it, we're sure it will impress you time and time again.
Read our Shark Stratos IZ420UKT cordless vacuum review for more details.
Best cordless vacuum cleaner for carpet
The Gtech AirRAM Platinum is one of the newer additions to our big roster of tried and tested vacuums, but a worthy one at that. Sporting a sleek, stylish, compact design with unmatched cleaning technology, it might just be one of the best vacuums we've tested for cleaning carpeted flooring.
This power is all thanks to its innovative AirLOC technology, which Gtech describe as such: it collects large debris as you push forward and then forms a seal on the backstroke, tackling embedded hair and fine dust to ensure nothing is left behind.
We will admit, manoeuvring the AirRAM Platinum takes a little bit of getting used to because the AirLOC technology is unlike anything we've experienced with other vacuums, but once you've got the technique down, it makes for a very impressive clean. In fact, the suction is so strong that it not only left carpets visibly cleaner, but those satisfying vacuum lines, too. Although we especially love it for carpet, it performed just as well across other floor types in our tests.
Features we loved during testing
On top of the vacuum's impressive suction power, we're big fans of the quality of life features Gtech considered in its making. Namely, the simple foot power controls, adjustable carrying handle, and the mess-free emptying system. Say goodbye to having to faff around with trigger controls and lugging your vacuum around, because Gtech's solutions to these problems make it a super seamless experience.
Unfortunately, the AirRAM Platinum just slightly falls short of a 5-star rating because of its lack of hand tools or floorheads it comes with (yes, it's just the one floorhead and unit in the box, unless you get the bundle with the Multi Platinum handheld vacuum). However, in some ways we think that this is also a strength because you don't have to deal with storing extra accessories or switching out floorheads. You simply plug and play and get to cleaning; and for its superb performance, it's quickly become one of our favourites.
Read our Gtech AirRAM Platinum Anti Hair Wrap cordless vacuum review for more details.
Best cordless vacuum cleaner for hard floors
The Shark Detect Pro is one we've eagerly been anticipating to test, and it's safe to say that it instantly met our expectations and more. Namely because of its unbelievably lightweight build, coming in at just 2.76kg, meaning you can wave goodbye to the days of lugging around a heavy appliance during what is already considered a pretty laborious task.
This vacuum has four detection technologies, meaning cleaning your home is more thorough than ever. During testing, we found dealing with high-traffic areas much easier thanks the the amped up suction and the FloorDetect technology makes transitioning into different rooms across your home much easier too.
Features we loved during testing
The cleaning performance of this vacuum very much impressed us during testing, thoroughly cleaning floors but especially excelling on wooden and hard floors where dust and debris are the most problematic. You gain design points too with this newer release, which is available in a swish-white colour scheme and has a stripped-back LED control panel for that super sleek look.
It performed excellently in our at-home tests, and the new detection features go a long way to improve day-to-day vacuuming sessions. We're a huge fan of the stand system too, even though it comes at an additional price, and would be keen to try out the self-emptying bin system next, which seems like a lifesaver for streamlining cleaning.
Read our Shark Detect Pro cordless vacuum cleaner IW1511UK review for more details.