Stick vacuums are certainly convenient due to their compact size. There is more to their appeal than just that.
According to Frank Rizzi, a senior test lab engineer at Consumer Reports, stick vacuum suction has improved significantly over the past few years.
These vacuums can do a great deal of cleaning, if you do not have wall-to-wall carpeting. (If you do have wall-to-wall carpeting, please refer to our article on the best upright vacuums).
Cordless vacuum cleaners are the most popular type of stick vacuum.
The market research firm Gap Intelligence estimates that there are currently more than 100 cordless stick vacuum cleaners on the market, as opposed to fewer than 30 corded models.
However, cordless vacuum cleaners are not without problems.
We found that nearly half of battery-powered stick vacuums developed problems within five years, according to an exclusive survey conducted by CR.
Therefore, we examine the reliability of cordless and corded stick vacuum cleaners separately.
It has been found that consumers prefer cordless models for their convenience, but the batteries are prone to malfunctioning.
A cordless model is not included in our recommended products list due to lackluster performance in our lab tests or poor reliability in our member survey.
If you wish to explore the topic in greater detail, please refer to “The Problem With Cordless Stick Vacuums?”. I recall a battery.”
There is a wide variation in the run time of cordless stick vacuums.
According to Consumer Reports, some stick vacuum cleaners lose power within 15 minutes while others continue to run for an hour or more.
You can charge one of the batteries while you clean with the other when some brands include an extra battery with their cordless stick vacuums.
Some models also have the option of purchasing an additional battery.
Test Methods for Stick Vacuums
CR conducts a carpet surface cleaning test to determine whether stick vacuums can effectively pick up sand, rice, and cereal as well as full-sized vacuums.
Engineers test full-sized vacuum cleaners against sand that has been ground into pile carpet in an embedded-dirt test.
A tiled floor with grout grooves is used in our test of cordless stick vacuums in order to increase the difficulty of cleaning bare floors.
The company also performs tests on medium-pile carpets to evaluate pet hair removal as well as clean-emissions tests to determine whether vacuums release dust after removing it.
Listed alphabetically, not according to CR rank, are the top performers of each type.
Vacuum cleaners with cords that work best
It can be found in Walmart by selecting the item code 2897.
A basic corded Bissell Pet Hair Eraser surpasses CR’s pet hair test by living up to its name.
On our clean-emissions test, however, it was rated Poor for its ability to contain fine dust particles.
You will make fewer trips to the trash can if you have a large dustbin.
A 27-foot power cord is slightly shorter than the standard 30-foot cord, however it is long enough that you will not need to constantly change outlets as you move around the house.
As a stick vacuum, this vacuum weighs approximately 9 pounds.
It is considered to be Bissell CleanView Pet Slim 283111.
This is CR’s take: The Bissell CleanView Pet Slim 28311 delivers on its promises.
Not only is it slim, but it also performs extremely well in our pet-hair-removal test, receiving an Excellent rating.
The product is also an excellent choice for cleaning bare floors and is almost as effective at cleaning carpets. This is all accomplished in a quiet manner.
Due to the 30 foot length of the cord, you will be able to run freely.
In terms of removing grit from edges, it didn’t perform well, however its greatest weak point was the emissions tests, which indicated that some of what you vacuum up may be released back into the atmosphere.
A corded version of the Shark Apex DuoClean ZS362 is available.
Our verdict: Shark Apex DuoClean scores an Excellent rating on our difficult carpet cleaning test, as well as all of CR’s other cleaning tests.
You can easily move from floor to carpet with the DuoClean powerhead thanks to its bristle roller and soft roller.
The brush roll of this machine is automatically cleared of hair by this machine as it cleans itself.
Under furniture, the small vacuum can easily be maneuvered due to the LED lights and ease of maneuverability.
As opposed to some other stick vacuums, this one stands on its own, making storage easier.
The dustbin can be easily inserted and removed. Shark corded sticks received an Excellent rating in our member survey concerning reliability and owner satisfaction.
Zero-M Ultra-Light rocket by Shark Rocket
In CR’s opinion, the Shark Rocket Zero-M Ultra-Light ZS352 is not a lightweight when it comes to cleaning bare floors and picking up pet hair.
It received Excellent ratings in both tests. Its only disadvantage is its inability to effectively clean carpets
Besides this, it zips along the edges of the floor picking up debris, operates quietly, and captures all the dust particles it gathers.
With a 29-foot cord, you will not need to change outlets frequently, especially if you are working in a small area.
Spectral Vertex Ultralight HZ2002
CR’s opinion: When used in hand vacuum mode without the stick, the Shark Vertex Ultralight HZ2002 is characterized by its light weight (2.9 pounds).
Compared to the Shark Vertex Ultra IZ462H, the Tineco A10 Dash has a hand mode weight of 2.7 pounds.
Shark’s performance in our tests for carpet, bare floors, and pet hair is Outstanding. It also receives a Very Good rating for edges.
The 30-foot cord on this model makes it less versatile than a cordless vacuum, but it is long enough that you will no longer have to map out electrical outlets constantly.
The best cordless stick vacuum cleaners
A9 LG Compressor
Our take on the LG A9 Kompressor: The LG A9 Kompressor is among our top contenders.
When you vacuum along the edges of a room, it leaves no residue, even on carpets, bare floors, or pet hairs.
The Tineco below is not quite as quiet as those below, but you will not be bothered by it during short bursts of cleaning.
On a single charge, it can last almost half an hour. In addition, two batteries are included with the device.
We do not have enough data to rate LG cordless vacs for reliability at this time since the company is a relatively new entrant in this market.
A9 A906SM by LG
In its product review, Consumer Reports finds the cordless LG CordZero A9 A906SM to be a very good performer, especially with bare floors.
An additional brush is included for carpets, as well as a soft roller for hard surfaces.
Due to the LG’s dual battery design, you are able to charge one battery while vacuuming with the other. You do not need to hang the charging stand on a wall as it is self-standing.
S11 Pure One from Tineco
According to CR, the Tineco Pure One S11 has impressed us in all our major tests and offers a wide range of features.
When you change from bare floors to carpet, an LED panel displays the remaining battery life and the suction level. As a result of a sensor, the suction power is adjusted based on the amount of debris.
A Tineco app can be downloaded on your smartphone to display cleaning performance, such as battery life.
Both the high and low settings were tested by CR and provided 22 minutes of operation per charge.
We do not have enough data to rate Tineco’s reliability since it is a relatively new brand on the U.S. market.
EX Pure One S11 Tango from Tineco
As for CR’s evaluation, the Tineco Pure One S11 Tango EX has a lot more features than the Tineco Pure One S11, but it performs similarly in terms of performance.
There is an LED panel that displays battery life and suction power in this model, as well as all the bells and whistles of its brandmate.
There is a slight premium for this product since it comes with a soft power brush in addition to the main power brush. A single charge will last for 17 minutes.
Using Tineco’s app will allow you to monitor battery life, but if you do not wish to use another app on your phone, the LED panel will provide you with all the information you require.
Infinite Pure One S12 from Tineco
The high-end Tineco Pure One S12 is an all-around top-notch performer that is packed with features as well.
Moreover, this model received excellent ratings in all of our cleaning tests, including one for pet hair.
You can view the power level and remaining battery time on the LED panel located on the top of the handle as well as see if there is a clog or tangle in the cable.
A dust sensor detects the amount of debris and adjusts the suction power accordingly. Power settings can be adjusted by swiping up or down on the screen.
A second battery is included with the device, it runs very quietly, and there are no emissions from the device.
