The Guardian tested 16 cordless vacuum cleaners to identify the best options for different household needs, assessing cleaning performance, battery life, suction and ease of use. The review matters because stick vacuums are a long-term purchase and their effectiveness depends on more than headline suction power.

– Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251 (£388) was named best overall.
– Vax HomePro Pet-Design (£202.12) was chosen as the best budget model.
– Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (£649) was recommended for deep cleaning.
– Henry Quick Pro (£399.99) was highlighted for clean emptying.
– Dyson Car+Boat (£199) was named the best handheld option.
– Tests used flour, cat litter pellets and pet hair on both carpet and hard floors, with only one forward-and-back sweep allowed.
– Batteries were tested at maximum and economical settings, while suction was measured with a pressure gauge.
– The reviewer notes that floor-head and roller design can be as important as raw suction.