What we’d leave: Shorter battery life is the big drawback here, and while the runtime is dependent on power mode and configuration, you can expect to get anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes on a single charge. If you want to double your runtime, you can pick up an additional battery.
Best for small spaces: Shark Stratos Cordless — an easy-to-store solution
Pros
- Powerful
- Stores very compactly
- Long warranty
Cons
Battery runtime: Up to 60 minutes
Weight: 8.9 lb. in stick mode
Canister capacity: .72 quarts
HEPA filter: Yes
Warranty: 5-year limited
What we love: If you want a powerful stick vacuum but you’re seriously short on storage space—like you need to keep it under the kitchen sink or tuck into an awkward RV nook—the Shark Stratos is the cordless vacuum for you. That’s because the shaft, or the stick part of the vacuum, folds in half, making it about half the height of most stick vacuums so it’s truly easy to store this thing in really small spaces. The charging cord plugs right into the vacuum, too, so there’s no dock to bother with. The hinge in the shaft can also be used when cleaning if you need to get into awkward spaces.
When I tested this in 2023, Shark claimed this was its most powerful cordless vacuum, and it did not disappoint. In fact, it was almost as powerful as the Shark Vertex Ultralight, a corded (and since discontinued) Shark stick vacuum I used to recommend. Though not as smart or techy as a Tineco, the Stratos does have dirt-detection technology (the brand calls it Clean Sense IQ) and adjusts the suction power as needed to preserve the battery life, even in hand vac mode with the crevice tool attached. The two brushrolls on the motorhead have what Shark calls Powerfins, which are little rubber “fins” that help to pick up pet hair and also prevent any hair from wrapping around the brushrolls. There’s also an optional odor-neutralizing cartridge, which really just masks bad smells but not in an unpleasant way (the scent reminds me of Downy’s laundry scent booster).
What we’d leave: This vacuum is on the loud side, and unless you find it on sale, it’s pricey compared to other Shark stick vacuums. That said, there’s a 5-year limited warranty on it (2 years on the battery), so you can feel your purchase is somewhat protected.
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How we selected and tested cordless vacuum cleaners
Since 2022, I’ve tested 16 vacuum cleaners, including 10 cordless vacuum cleaners in a home I share with small children and a big, hairy rescue dog. Out of the box, I used each vacuum on my hardwood floors, on my flat-weave kilim rugs, and on my shaggier high-pile rugs. I then performed some more standardized tests, first observing how each sucked up glitter from a jute rug. Next I looked at how each picked up cornstarch and glitter from my black, textured kitchen floor. I also made sure to vacuum under and around my appliances, kitchen trash can, and other obstacles using the vacuums’ various attachments and configurations. The final test was the worst: my kids’ car seats. I used each vacuum in its handheld configuration to remove crumbs, petrified fries, other unidentified detritus, and probably a few small Legos.
What makes a good vacuum cleaner?
Though most can be configured for different uses, a cordless vacuum cleaner really has one job: pick up dirt, debris, and pet hair from different types of flooring. So I looked for vacuums with powerful suction that could suck up a variety of messes from hard floors, rugs, and carpeting.
I looked at whether or not the vacuum ran as long as the product description promised, and what that meant in terms of power. For example: If a vacuum runs “up to” 60 minutes, that usually means on the lowest setting.
A stick vacuum cleaner should be lightweight and easy to maneuver, so I paid attention to how easy or hard it was to use the vacuum around the whole house, including how well it transitioned between flooring types, turned around corners, and fit under furniture and into tight spaces.
I looked for vacuum cleaners with at least one or two attachments like a crevice or upholstery tool for non-floor vacuuming jobs. I also noted how easy or difficult it was to attach and detach the accessories.
I looked for vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to help combat allergens like pet dander and dust. A vacuum cleaner will lose suction quickly if you don’t maintain all of the filters, so I also looked at whether filters were washable, easy to access, and how expensive they would be to replace.
I considered how easy it was to empty the dust bin on each vacuum and looked for pet hair clogs in the airways. I also noted whether human hair or threads from rugs caught on the roller brush.
Cordless stick vacuums need to charge between cleaning sessions and don’t stand up on their own, so they need to have some sort of freestanding or wall-mounted base for charging and storage. I considered the convenience and footprint of each and also if the base had any sort of storage for the vacuum cleaner’s included accessories.
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Other cordless vacuum cleaners I liked
Dyson Outsize
When I first unboxed the Dyson Outsize cordless stick vacuum in 2022, I felt like I’d dreamed it into existence. For years, I’d had to empty what felt like endless dog hair from my Dyson canisters multiple times each cleaning session. The Outsize solved that problem with a much larger dust bin—though, because it could run on a single charge for up to an hour, I would still have to empty it at least once or twice if I were to vacuum that long during a deep-cleaning session. The powerful suction rivaled some of the corded vacuum cleaners I was testing then too. Unfortunately, it just felt too big and top heavy for a stick vac, and when I converted it to handheld vacuum cleaner, I felt like The Terminator. Those are mostly subjective criticisms, though, so if you’re not bothered by a big, bulky stick vac, you’ll likely be very happy with this powerful cordless vacuum cleaner.
Dyson V8 Absolute
The Dyson V8 Absolute is now a pretty old model, but it’s still a reliable Dyson stick vacuum cleaner with powerful suction, up to 40 minutes of battery runtime, and a handy mechanism for emptying the canister when it’s full (I had to use a chop stick to release clumps of dog hair that always built up between filter and the wall of the dust bin my older Dyson V6 Animal). It’s not as powerful as newer Dyson sticks, and it lacks many of the features that make newer models so appealing, but it’s often on sale. So if you want a cordless Dyson but don’t want to spend a lot, it’s still a reliable option.
Tineco Pure One S15 Pro (Currently sold out)
The Tineco Pure One S15 Pro is newer than the S11 Tineco I recommend above, and it’s a quiet, powerful vacuum with some nice features the earlier model lacks. This one comes with a convenient freestanding charging dock (the S11 has a wall-mounted dock) and a five-stage filtration system. But my biggest problem with this cordless vacuum is really a problem with the brand—and it’s that Tineco releases so many variations on its models that selecting one is confusing, even for someone who writes about these things for a living. With Tineco’s cordless vacmops, the differences usually have more to do with accessories than power or features. However, when I tested the Pure One S15 Pro in 2023, the price for different S15 model variations ranged from about $400 to $700, and it was hard to make sense of what was what. At the time, there were three different S15 models on Amazon, but none were the Pro, and there were even more variations at Best Buy and at other retailers. Because each store presents product specs differently, there was no easy way to tell whether the differences had to do with voltage, suction power, accessories, or built-in features. Tineco’s website isn’t much help either. All of that said, the particular model I tested—the Tineco Pure One S15 Pro—is a very good vacuum cleaner, and if you can find it in stock (which the links here should let you do), you’ll likely be very happy with it. In the meantime, the Pure One S15 Essentials is about half the price.
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