You don’t need to lug out a full-size vacuum every time there’s a small mess to deal with. The best handheld vacuum cleaners are designed for those quicker jobs, with many models offering useful attachments and enough battery life to tackle everything from stairs and sofas to the inside of your car (though you may prefer a dedicated car vacuum cleaner for your vehicle).
Keeping on top of dust and crumbs can be a pain, particularly when your main vacuum isn’t suited to smaller jobs. Cordless and robot models aren’t always the best at picking up fine debris, while upright vacuums can be cumbersome around corners, edges and other tricky areas. When it comes to those hard-to-reach spots, a handheld vacuum is often the better option.
To help you find the best one for your home, I put a selection of models through their paces. I assessed how well they dealt with everything from muddy hallway floors and pet hair on sofa cushions to the everyday dust and debris that builds up around the home.
With more than 10 years of experience in reviewing home and cleaning tech, I found the Dyson car+boat handheld vacuum cleaner came out on top during this round of testing. For a budget option, Beldray’s cordless wet and dry hand vac was able to handle small wine spills as well as crumbs, while Gtech’s multi K9 cordless handheld pet vacuum is merciless on pet hair.
Read on for my full verdict on the handheld vacuums worth considering.
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The best handheld vacuum cleaners for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Dyson car+boat handheld vacuum cleaner: £250, Argos.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Beldray cordless wet and dry hand vac: £32.99, Beldray.com
- Best for pet owners – Gtech multi K9 cordless handheld pet vacuum: £139.99, Argos.co.uk
Read more: Best robot vacuums, tried and tested by a tech expert