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1. A classic Black & Decker Dustbuster that'll quickly get rid of all kinds of messes — dust, pet hair, and other debris. Whether you're cleaning the carpet in your living room or the mats in your car, dirt and grime don't stand a chance!
It comes with a rotating slim nozzle, an extendable crevice tool, and a flip-up brush. The dirt bowl is translucent, so you can always see the dirt level and know when it's time to empty it.
Former BuzzFeed Shopping writer Allison Jiang says: "I just bought this guy for my apartment and so far and it's really living up to the hype! My roommate and I live in a small-ish apartment with relatively little storage, so the compact size of this vacuum is PERFECT because we can leave it charging at any outlet and it doesn't clog up precious floor space. The handle and the skinny nozzle are great at picking up the many, many sandwich crumbs that are under my desk, and the random dirt and grime that gets tracked on the floor from being out and about. Side note: if you're looking for a silent vacuum, this is not the one. But if you need a heavy-duty handheld vacuum that'll get the job done, I highly recommend it, especially for my fellow apartment dwellers."
Promising review: "This unit won't replace a regular sized vacuum cleaner, but it does a great job for small messes. The suction is better than any other I've tried over decades, and the design is good and easy for emptying, recharging, and storing. I have three of these now — it's nice to have them stored in different areas of the house for convenience. I recently bought replacement filters on Amazon, and that was also a great purchase — keeps this vacuum sucking up the dust and debris at full force. I think this is the best of its kind on the market for performance and value." —Theodora
Get it from Amazon for $49.
Be sure to also check out our roundup of the best vacuums you can get on Amazon.
2. A handy portable car vacuum to eliminate dirt, dust, crumbs, and whatever else that's making your vehicle a bit too messy. It's super lightweight and easy to maneuver around your car so you can reach all those nooks and crannies.
It comes with three detailing attachments (a flathead, extendable, and brush nozzle attachment). You also get a carrying bag, filter brush, and spare HEPA filter. Plug it into the 12V aux outlet in your car and the 16-foot cord will give you enough slack needed to clean the entire vehicle!
Promising review: "Yes, it is not as powerful as my vacuum cleaner in the house, however, it cleaned out all the garbage, which I accumulated over the past autumn and winter, in the car. At the end of October my husband and I went to the ocean and as we tried to be neat — the sand was still in the car. Finally, I got rid of it! Now my beauty again is clean, as on the first day, when I bought her!" —Julia Bright
Get it from Amazon for $28.49+ (also available in white)
3. Or a portable wet/dry vacuum when your car needs a DEEP cleaning but you'd rather do it yourself than pay for a professional job. It can also be used around the home for cleaning up household messes.
It offers strong suction for cleaning up wet and dry messes but also converts to a blower when needed. The 2.5-gallon tank, 14-foot cleaning reach, and carrying handle make it easy to clean the whole car. It also comes with a wall mount and an onboard hose, cord, and accessory storage.
Promising review: "I have to say... I love this little vacuum. I have two dogs and the dog hair is atrocious but this little vacuum did a great job getting it out of the carpet. The brush attachment that comes along is awesome, the bristles slide off (which I thought was great, to grab larger debris before getting down to the hard-to-reach dirt). Another thing that I like is the velcro tie for the cord that is attached so ya can't lose it and don't have to figure out how to wrap the cord around the vacuum itself. The canister holds a good amount of dirt too... I cleaned out my car and my Jeep before emptying it and probably could have done another vehicle yet without any loss of suction. It's lightweight enough to crawl all around the car and not feel like you're lugging a temperamental toddler around." —Mary
Get it from Amazon for $47.05+ (available in three sizes).
4. A perfectly powerful Black & Decker Pivot vacuum so even the most awkward areas get a proper cleaning! The nozzle ~pivots~ up to 200 degrees, so no area of the home is off limits.
This vac is equipped with a 20V MAX lithium-ion battery, a standing charging base, an onboard crevice tool and brush, and a pivoting nose feature for cleaning hard-to-reach areas. It comes with a 15-oz. bagless dirt bowl and filter, both of which are removable for easy cleaning right in the sink. The dirt bowl also has a side door for quick debris disposal.
Promising review: "This is the one to buy. As many other reviewers have noted, the suction is very strong, which is unlike most other small portable vacs. It picked up cat hair incredibly well, as an example of just how powerful the motor is. It runs a good 15 minutes, which is actually a long time given the uses you will find for it. Very compact and lightweight. Fits neatly into the charging base, and takes up practically no storage space. Charges quickly, too. I intended to use this in our cars, but it's so convenient and picks up so well that I'm finding myself using it in the kitchen and on floors, too. To summarize, this is one of those few products that just works!" —Jay
Get it from Amazon for $62.99.
5. A sleek and slender Shark handheld vacuum you'll *actually* enjoy using thanks to its lightweight design and incredible suction power. It is only 1.4 lbs, meaning you can take this lil' vac wherever there's a mess that needs cleaning.
This handheld vacuum comes with a duster crevice tool and a multi-surface pet tool for upholstery, carpets, and pet hair. You can empty the debris with the touch of a button. The control panel LED indicates the charging status and remaining battery life.
Promising review: "This is my second hand vac. The first one I purchased was from a big box store. I never had one before and thought it did it’s job pretty well. Then it died. So I thought I’d spend a few extra dollars and buy the Shark. What a difference! This one doesn’t even compare! The suction is ridiculous. It sucks up everything! There’s a brush attachment that grabs hair you didn’t even know was there! You don’t have to touch the canister to open it, just slide a little button. This is an amazing hand vac and worth every dime. As far as I’m concerned, there is no comparison to any other hand vac. This one is amazing! I haven’t even pulled out my regular vac at all since this purchase. Definitely worth it!!!" —Callay21
Get it from Amazon for $118.12+ (available in three colors).
6. A Bissell pet hair vacuum purr-fect for tidying up after your furry family member. Pet parents love this for getting rid of hair, litter, dust, and anything else the cat drags in.
This vacuum is powered by a 14V lithium-ion battery and offers triple-level filtration for optimal cleaning. The large dirt bin is easy to empty without getting your hands dirty. It comes with a motorized brush tool, upholstery tool, and crevice tool.
Promising review: "WOW! This is one fabulous vacuum! I use it daily to combat the cat litter and hair and dirt and dust bunnies and random filth that three cats and four kids bring into my house in unbelievable quantities. But mostly the cat litter. And this little vacuum rocks! The lithium-ion battery has a great life and will last for two or three 10–12 minute dirt-busting sessions. I am a vacuum snob and have tried MANY MANY vacuums (uprights and canister and handhelds, bagged and bagless). I absolutely LOVE this vacuum. Total epitome of 'bang for your buck,' and so far, has been able to keep up with the nastiness on my floors. Oh! It rocks on hardwood, low pile carpet, normal shortish length carpet, and tile. I mean, I am nearly in love with this vacuum. Really. Give it a try. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with it." —L. Quick
Get it from Amazon for $79.39.
7. A trusty Eufy HomeVac cordless vacuum with two different modes so you can customize your cleaning experience. Whether you're cleaning up after pets, kids, or yourself, this handheld vac has got you covered.
You can choose from two modes depending on the mess you're cleaning. Eco mode allows for 20 minutes of runtime for handling smaller messes. Max mode allows for 10 minutes of runtime and uses maximum power and suction for tougher messes. It weighs 1.78 lbs, so it's easy to maneuver and carry around the house while you clean. It comes with a mini-motorized pet brush and a 2-in-1 crevice tool. The charging station can be easily stored on a flat surface or you can mount it to the wall (screws included!).
Promising reviews: "It is worth the hype and price. So small and compact but the suction container section seems huge for small messes and crumbs. Fits on the charger underneath sitting on counter under the top kitchen cabinets. Matte color is cute and very lightweight!" —Laura
"This is a great little vacuum for quick pick up of messes. I have a robot vacuum from this same company(it runs daily) and they were great when something wasn't working correctly and quickly sent me a replacement vacuum, so I was confident when purchasing this one that if I had problems they will take care of them. This vacuum is way better than I expected. Lightweight and great suction with two modes. You can see it fill so you know when to empty it. The battery lasts a long time off the charger and charges fast." —SF
Get it from Amazon for $179.99.
8. A budget-friendly handheld car vac that comes with a carrying bag and all the tools you need to get the job done. It plugs into your car socket with a DC adapter and has a long 16.4-foot cord, so you can clean the *whole* car while it charges.
It has an LED light so you can clean in the dark and see all the dirt that needs to be cleaned! It also comes with a crevice nozzle, storage bag, cleaning brush, and extension hose.
Promising review: "I was impressed by everything that came with the bundle. Especially the air filter. I was expecting to get a cheaper filter that looked like stainless steel but it really is stainless steel. You can feel how sturdy and strong the filter is. The included bonus attachments are also great and easy to swap out with the click of a button. The LED light is extremely useful for getting in tight places and vacuuming at night. Overall, I had no issues with this vacuum and was impressed by its power for the price I paid." —Jonathan Morales
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
9. OR! A splurge-worthy Dyson V11 Animal vacuum if you mean business when it comes to cleaning all the messes in your life. It offers a whopping 60 minutes of runtime and can quickly transform from a cordless into a handheld for tackling upholstery, the stairs, your car, etc.
The High Torque cleaner head automatically adapts suction and power as you clean different floor types without having to change cleaner heads. The advanced whole-machine filtration system traps 99.99% of particles, dust, and allergens as small as 0.3 microns! It comes with a mini-motorized tool, crevice tool, stubborn dirt brush, combination tool, wand storage clip, docking station, and charger. The vacuum is equipped with a LED screen that displays cleaning modes, blockages, and filter maintenance reminders.
Promising reviews: "Nothing but 150% happy with this Dyson. I’ve had Dyson uprights before and they lasted 10+ years. I love how light it is, cordless, and the suction power is amazing, getting up all the dog hair from my pup. Easy to dump, charge and use the various attachments, or use it as a small handheld. Pricey, but so worth the cost." —Lynn Krembs
"I can’t believe how much dust and pet hair this sucks up. I also can’t believe how much I look forward to vacuuming, almost every day, with how easy it is to use! I love that it’s portable, holds a great charge, and sucks up dust perfectly! My asthma improved within days of buying this vacuum as I think I live in a particularly dusty apartment." —love2dance
Get it from Amazon for $542.
10. A tiny but mighty Bissell lithium-ion vacuum you'll probably want to carry with you at all times — it's just that awesome. It weighs less than two pounds and can be juiced up with a USB charger, so you can pretty much use it anywhere.
It includes a 2-in-1 crevice tool and dusting brush, which can easily be stored together with the hand vacuum on the storage stand. It also comes with a USB charging cable for fast and convenient charging when you're on the go, which is great for car cleanings!
Promising review: "Wow! I walked around the house cuddling this thing after first use; I love it that much! It is awesome!! I decided to take a leap of faith since I recently purchased a Bissell steam mop and really like it. Well, my gamble paid off 100-fold! I have a farmhouse-style kitchen table that I absolutely love, except for the fact that it is a crumb magnet with all the weathering and grooves. This little sucker (pun intended) grabbed all those crumbs in seconds. It is strong but lightweight, and I love that it is essentially the size of a wine bottle but thinner. It won’t crowd your countertop, closet, or anywhere in between. Without charging the battery, I ran all over the house searching for anything I could vacuum up. After finally setting it down to charge it, I realized that the battery was almost dying. I would never have guessed because the suction was so strong." —KellyC
Get it from Amazon for $41.19.
11. A small yet effective handheld vacuum for anyone who's desperate to remove pet hair but has limited storage. This lil' powerhouse has a rubber nozzle that picks up fur from various areas, including upholstery, stairs, and hard surfaces.
Promising review: "I have tried sooooo many different types of handheld vacuums to get pet hair out. I’ve wasted so much money. UNTIL NOW! I am absolutely mind blown by how well this vacuum works!!! THIS IS A MUST HAVE IF YOU HAVE PETS. It was so easy to use and I love the silicone top because it makes it easy to get into the little cracks of the stairs. I have carpet for the stairs so I didn’t have the issue that others had with the air blowing things to the side. My main goal for this vacuum was to get the hairs that are stuck in the carpet out. Others must be using the vacuum for crumbs. I was so excited by how my stairs turned out, I also used it on my couch to get the little feathers from my pillows out. Worked great. Highly recommend!! —Franchesca Nguyen
Get it from Amazon for $32.94.
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.