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Shopping for the best cordless vacuum cleaners means finding that sweet spot between power, portability and convenience. Whether you're cleaning up after pets, tackling hardwood floors or reaching those tricky spots under the couch, cordless vacuums offer freedom and versatility that traditional canister vacuums just can’t match.
Today’s top models come packed with smart features to make cleaning less of a hassle — from built-in LED lights that illuminate hidden dust bunnies to HEPA filters that trap allergens and fine particles. Many also come in combo kits with swappable heads or attachments for stairs, furniture and even car interiors. Some even pay attention to the little things, like the placement of the on/off button or how well they manage noise levels during use.
Whether you want a lightweight vacuum for quick touch-ups or a high-powered model that can handle your entire home, we've rounded up the best cordless options to help make your cleaning routine faster and easier.
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Best cordless vacuums for 2025
Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget Best cordless stick vacuum overall Dyson V15 Detect Suction power: 240AW | Bin capacity: 0.2 gallon | Battery life: 60 min | Weight: 6.83 pounds | Charging dock: Yes The Dyson V15 Detect is just as impressive now as it was when it first came out in 2021. It’s our top pick because it provides the best mix of features and its suction power is remarkable. Even a few years after it's initial release, it remains one of the best vacuum cleans out there today. One thing that was immediately apparent during my testing was that Dyson models just have superior suction, period. That’s not to say a cordless vacuum from another brand can’t get the job done, because they absolutely can. But even in auto mode, all of Dyson’s vacuums did a better job trapping even the smallest dust and debris. The “Detect” in this model’s name refers in part to the laser “blade” on the Fluffy Optic cleaner head. It does a great job of illuminating floors to clearly show you where the mess really is, and that goes for large debris like food and granules of cat litter, as well as much smaller stuff like layers of dust on an untouched part of the floor. But it’s worth noting that this light is only present on the Fluffy Optic head, a brush roll designed to work best on hard floors. The V15 Detect comes with a few other head attachments, including a Digital Motorbar head that automatically detangles hair from the brush bar as you clean. That’ll be better for all floor types, including carpet, but you won’t get the same illumination effect. The V15 Detect also has a piezo acoustic sensor that recognizes the size and frequency of the particles it’s sucking up. It’ll show that information on the machine’s LCD display in a neat little bar graph. Is this information useful? Not particularly, but it’s satisfying to clock this while cleaning and see the bars increase and decrease as you move throughout your home. However, this is more of a neat perk than a killer feature; it’s not going to change the way you vacuum your home. But the piezo sensor is also involved in automatically adjusting the V15 Detect’s cyclone engine to better clean particularly dirty floors. That automatic adjustment is separate from the machine’s three power settings: Auto, Eco and Boost. I spent most of my time in Auto mode, every so often switching to Boost in rooms where I knew I needed a more thorough cleaning. Eco mode is convenient to have if you need to conserve battery life. But the V15 Detect, like all of the other Dyson machines I tested, really stands out for its suction power. I rarely, if ever, had to go over the same spot twice because the V15 Detect captured all of the dust and debris the first time. In my one-cat household, it’s easy to see tufts of fur on our hardwood floors and tile, but they’re basically invisible on our upstairs carpet. But it didn’t matter if I could see fur or not — the V15 Detect collected all of it. After every cleaning the bin was full and I was consistently shocked by how much cat hair was hiding in my carpet. As with most cordless vacuums, you get a number of attachments with the V15 Detect. In addition to the Fluffy Optic and Digital Motorbar cleaner heads, hair screw, combination and crevice tools are included in the box. I particularly like the hair screw tool, which is great for vacuuming chairs and couches, and the crevice tool is handy for cleaning car interiors and other tight spaces. The docking station must be mounted to a wall, but it’s separate from the vacuum’s charger, which means you can power up and use the V15 Detect before picking a permanent place for it in your home. My biggest gripe with the V15 Detect is that it doesn’t have a single-button start like the newer and more advanced Dyson Gen 5 Detect and Dyson V15 Detect Submarine do. You must press and hold down the trigger to vacuum, which requires constant effort. However, that’s a small price to pay considering the complete package you’re getting. At $750, the V15 Detect is a machine on the higher-end of the price spectrum that’s well worth the money if you want an easy to use cordless vacuum that will provide a truly thorough clean every time. Pros Fantastic suction power
Includes Fluffy Optic cleaner head with illuminating blade light
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