The 5 Best Car Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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We were impressed with the suction power and easy maneuverability of the Black+Decker 20V Max* Flex Handheld Vacuum.
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Car vacuums are convenient cleaning tools that can help you pick up car messes quickly and effectively, all while saving you money at the car wash.
To find the best car vacuums, we tested 20 different models in our Lab. We assessed each based on effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, setup, and value. We also consulted Igor Pomishchyk, owner of Ecostates Elite Car Detailing, and Joe Pallero, owner and founder of NYC Mobile Auto Detailing, for expert insights into choosing a car vacuum.
First things first: “Irrespective of the frequency of use, [you] should look for a vacuum that has a removable and washable filter,” says Pallero. “This is directly linked with suction power, as both complement each other. The filter would not only enhance the life of the vacuum, but also its efficiency.”
Our top pick is the Black+Decker 20V Max* Flex Handheld Vacuum for its excellent suction power, comfortable weight, and more.
Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum
Best Overall Car Vacuum
This vacuum is a steal for its weight, size, and suction power. The Black+Decker 20V Max* Flex Handheld Vacuum is handheld and cordless, weighing about 3.2 pounds. Even though it’s a little heavier than others we tested, it still feels lightweight—we especially like how we were able to hold the main mechanism in one hand and an attachment in the other without feeling fatigued. The four-foot-long hose is lengthy enough to get into the nooks and crannies of the car and remove debris successfully. And regardless of where the vacuum went in the car, the suction didn’t falter.
This vacuum comes with useful attachments, including a nozzle that can be converted into a flip-up brush, a crevice tool, and a pet hairbrush. It also comes with a three-stage filtration system, a washable filter, and a hefty 17-ounce canister. With all its perks, we were disappointed to discover that it only lasts about eight minutes on a single charge, especially considering it needs four hours to fully charge. Despite this, it’s a fantastic product that’s powerful, portable, and effective.
Price at time of publish: $125
Product Details:
Type: Cordless
Canister Size: 17 ounces
Weight: 3.2 pounds
Battery Type: Lithium ion
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
:The 8 Best Cordless Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Bissell AeroSlim Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Best Small Car Vacuum
Who it’s for: People who want a vacuum that is small enough to charge via USB.
Who it isn’t for: People who want a vacuum with suction power strong enough to pick up multiple types of debris.
This little vacuum is a great option for people who want to get ahead of big car messes by cleaning small ones right away. The Bissell AeroSlim Cordless Handheld Vacuum weighs only 1.3 pounds, takes between 2.5 and 3.5 hours to charge, and while fully charged, can clean for up to 12 minutes, which is longer than some of the bigger cordless car vacuums we tested. This vacuum also comes with a convenient charging station that is so compact, it won’t take up too much space on your kitchen countertop.
Due to its small size, we were able to get into floor crannies with ease, especially with the attachment (a two-in-one crevice tool/dusting brush). However, the suction power was lacking. We found that it picked up Cheerios well but had trouble sucking up the hair and sand we put down. We also didn’t love how small the canister was, but that’s to be expected from such a compact vacuum.
Price at time of publish: $42
Product Details:
Type: Cordless
Canister Size: 3.4 ounces
Weight: 1.37 pounds
Battery Type: Lithium ion
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Best Heavy-Duty Car Vacuum
Who it’s for: People who want multiple attachments included with their car vacuum.
Who it isn’t for: People who want a lightweight vacuum.
Everyone’s go-to brand for tools also does a decent job at making car vacuums. The Dewalt 20V Cordless Dry Hand Vacuum comes with six useful attachments that makes it easy to reach between and underneath car seats as well as the trunk. These attachments include an extension tube, floor nozzle, flexible hose, crevice nozzle, gulper brush, and round brush. It also comes with a storage bag for the accessories and a light attached to the machine that allows for greater visibility while cleaning.
We also appreciate that it comes with a HEPA filter, and we were generally pleased with the power of the machine, even though there were some inconsistencies with the suction. We were able to clean up our messes on hard surfaces well, but had trouble sucking up sand and hair on softer surfaces. Another thing to keep in mind is that the 3-pound machine started to feel heavy in hand. The good thing is that this cordless vacuum lasts longer than other models we tested, at more than 21 minutes. However, you do have to buy this vacuum’s battery and charger separately.
Price at time of publish: $149
Product Details:
Type: Cordless
Canister Size: 23.6 ounces
Weight: 6.98 pounds
Battery Type: Lithium ion
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
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Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum
Best Corded Car Vacuum
Who it’s for: People who want a car vacuum with an extra-long cord.
Who it isn’t for: People who don’t want a car vacuum that’s very loud.
People often pass on corded car vacuums because of the inconvenience of being tethered to a cord while vacuuming their car. We didn’t find this to be the case while using the Bissell CleanView during testing, however. That’s because the cord is super long, measuring a whopping 18 feet. And even if you’re still hesitant at buying a corded model, the strong suction power might make you reconsider. This unit picked up everything in a single pass, and the small size made it easy to move around in tight places.
The vacuum comes with three attachments, including a hose, crevice tool, and wide mouth tool. The latter tool was the only attachment that we weren’t satisfied with—because the suction hole is so small, the hair gets tangled into the bristles instead of going into the machine. Also, this vacuum is a lot louder than other vacuums we tested. Nevertheless, we think this car vacuum is a great value for the price, and it’s able to clean up any type of car mess, quickly.
Price at time of publish: $48
Product Details:
Type: Corded
Canister Size: 26 ounces
Weight: 5 pounds
Battery Type: N/A
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Ridgid 18V Cordless Hand Vacuum
Best Car Vacuum for Pet Hair
Who it’s for: People who want a cordless vacuum with a long battery life.
Who it isn’t for: People who want a car vacuum filter that is easy to clean.
Pet hair has an awful habit of getting embedded into the carpet, couch, or car, and it can oftentimes be pretty difficult to remove. We were delighted to find that this Ridgid model, which isn’t even explicitly designed for pet hair, successfully cleaned up hair the most out of all the car vacuums we tested. In fact, it was able to pick up almost all of the hair in one pass, as well as the sand and Cheerios that we sprinkled around our car.
This cordless vacuum comes with four attachments, including an extension tube, crevice nozzle and clip, and floor nozzle. These tools are helpful, but because the main mechanism is so bulky, it’s more difficult to get to hard-to-reach places even with the attachments. It was also challenging to clean the filter. Regardless, we were still happy with the performance of this product, especially for the low price. The suction was powerful and the battery never died throughout the 30+ minutes of testing.
Price at time of publish: $50
Product Details:
Type: Cordless
Canister Size: 26 ounces
Weight: 3.06 pounds
Battery Type: Lithium ion
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
:The 10 Best Vacuums for Pet Hair of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Final Verdict
Overall, we recommend the Black+Decker 20V Max* Flex Handheld Vacuum, as it was able to pick up all of our testing debris, including in hard-to-reach places thanks to its useful attachments. It also boasts a generous canister size and felt comfortable in our hands throughout the entirety of our vacuuming tests.
Our Testing Process
We tested 20 different car vacuums and evaluated them on effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, setup, and value. Before we started vacuuming, we timed how long it took to set up each vacuum for use, noting how easy the process was and if the instructions given were clear. We also took note of the noise level and tested to see if we could carry on a conversation at normal volume while each car vacuum was running.
We then put the vacuums to the test by sprinkling Cheerios all over the car, including in harder-to-reach areas, to assess each product’s suction power and maneuverability. We noted how many passes it took to clean up these messes, then repeated the same test with sprinklings of hair. After each vacuuming session, we emptied the vacuum’s canister and cleaned the filter to see how easy it was to go through that process. We then ran the same cleaning tests on our hard surfaces, such as the console and inside cup holders, but this time with sand.
After the tests, we evaluated how comfortable holding the vacuum while cleaning was, and whether the size made it difficult to get into the nooks and crannies of the car. We also noted if the attachments fit securely and worked, as well as if there was a decline in power the longer each vacuum ran. We took all this information and used it to come up with the best car vacuums.
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
More Car Vacuums to Consider
ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner: Although this affordable car vacuum is easy to carry and features a cord long enough to adequately move around your car, we found it ineffective at picking up our debris.
Dirt Devil Scorpion+ Hand Vacuum: This corded hand vacuum got high scores for portability and setup, but it was difficult to maneuver, especially in smaller areas of the car.
How to Shop for Car Vacuums Like a Pro
Corded vs. Cordless
There are pros and cons to both corded and cordless vacuums. Cordless vacuums, which are growing more popular, give you more flexibility to maneuver around your vehicle and allow for greater portability. “Cordless vacuums are ideal if it's a person at home, who wants to just do a quick vacuum to remove a few crumbs,” says Pomishchyk. It’s much easier to take your car vacuum’s charging mechanism with you while on the go than having to find an outlet close to your vehicle that you can plug your car vacuum into.
The main drawback of cordless vacuums is that the charging time can take hours, and the actual time it lasts while on a charge can range between 2-30 minutes. If your car sees frequent messes, whether that’s from pets, kids, or both, that may not be enough time to adequately clean your car, unless you commit to cleaning up small messes quickly so they don’t build to larger messes later on. “To enhance the effectiveness, cordless vacuums should be complemented by lithium-ion batteries,” says Pallero. “This combination (cordless, portability, ample battery-life) would be an attractive choice for the customer.”
Corded vacuums, on the other hand, typically offer improved suction power, and don’t require a charge, making them better suited to heavy-duty tasks. “It is often argued that corded vacuums are better because of their capacity of unlimited cleaning time, along with their strong suction power,” says Pallero. Pomishchyk agrees: “Corded vacuums are ideal because they are more powerful and long-lasting, and you don't have to worry about running out of power in the middle of the job.” Because corded car vacuums need a nearby outlet, these models are most ideal for people whose home or apartment has a garage.
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Attachments
While people can largely get away without using attachments for their regular, upright vacuum, you can’t do that with car vacuums. To be able to get to those hard-to-reach areas in your car, including under and in between the seats, you need attachments.
“Preferably the vacuum nozzle should be smaller, thin, and long to reach more areas in between the seats and underneath, reaching every corner of the car,” says Pomishchyk. Common attachments include a hose, a crevice tool (which helps you better get into the nooks and crannies of your vehicle), and a brush attachment. Pallero outlines the benefits and uses of each attachment below:
Crevice Tool: This is a long and narrow tool that can reach tight spaces of the car, such as between seats and in cup holders. This tool ensures you get a quality clean without leaving any dust and debris behind.
Brush Nozzle: This is a quite often used accessory, especially when there is a lot of dust. A brush tool can shake and remove dirt, debris, and pet hair that are often trapped in the carpets and vents.
Extension Hose: This can be attached to the vacuum to extend its reach, making it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas in your car. This is especially useful if you have a heavy, non-portable, corded vacuum.
Comfort
Because all car vacuums are handheld, it’s important to pick something that will be comfortable in your hands while vacuuming. “Users that travel with their car vacuum need one that is portable and lightweight,” says Pallero. “The misconception that light-weighted vacuums have a lack of suction power, battery-life, and durability isn’t plausible anymore with today’s advanced technology implemented by top-rated brands.”
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Questions You Might Ask
Can I use my regular vacuum’s attachments to clean my car?
You can certainly try. Lugging around an upright vacuum as you try to clean your car with its attachments will get very frustrating very quickly. Trying this will be easier if you have a handheld vacuum or a vacuum that converts into a handheld. Even then, it may not be as smooth as a process that you’ll get with a car vacuum. This is because you need car vacuum-style attachments to be able to clean your car in its entirety. With a handheld vacuum you may clean your seats and where you rest your feet, and maybe under the seats or cupholders to an extent, but it won’t produce the exact same results you’ll get with a vacuum that is designed for a car.
:The 13 Best Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
How long does a cordless vacuum last on one charge?
We found that this varies by brand and model. Of the cordless models we tested, they lasted between 2-30 minutes, with the median runtime being between 6-8 minutes. The best way to conserve your battery is by turning the machine off in between cleaning different parts of your car. You can also conserve the battery of your cordless vacuum by cleaning up messes as soon as they happen. That way, you won’t spend longer having to clean a dirtier car later on down the line.
Can I plug my car vacuum into the auxiliary outlet without draining my car’s battery?
It depends. If you have a device that can convert your car’s auxiliary outlet into a proper outlet, you can plug your car vacuum into it and it won’t put a dent in your car’s battery. Unless your car battery is really old or on its last leg, it’s strong enough to be able to handle 20 minutes of a car vacuum’s power once a week.
However, we aren’t confident that it won’t have a greater effect if you try to charge your cordless car vacuum from your car’s auxiliary outlet (if the cordless vacuum is charged via a cord, such as a USB, that is). That’s because it takes hours for a cordless vacuum to charge (typically between 3-4 hours), so that will certainly use up more power than a short vacuuming session. In short, we recommend staying on the safe route and charging it in a wall outlet.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Rachel Center, a product reviews home writer for Real Simple. We researched the best car vacuums and tested 20 of the most popular in our Lab, evaluating them on effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, setup, and value. We also spoke to Igor Pomishchyk, owner of Ecostates Elite Car Detailing, and Joe Pallero, owner and founder of NYC Mobile Auto Detailing, for expert insights into choosing a car vacuum.
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