I’ve Tested Tons of Cordless Stick Vacuums, and These Are My Favorites for Families

Red is my favorite color, so I loved the Roborock H6 at first sight—but there’s more to this vac than just good looks. It uses a Lithium Polymer battery that can last for 90 minutes (yes, that’s an hour and a half). It’s also featherlight, weighing just 3 lbs. Even better? Since the vacuum uses a 5-stage HEPA air purification system that removes dust mites, mold, dog and cat dander, pollen, and regular air pollution, it works well with my air purifiers to keep my home clean.

The OLED screen keeps track of the battery level, remaining time, and even provides maintenance alerts. And if I’m going to be cleaning for a long time (since it cleans both hard floors and carpet), I can push the lock button, which will keep the trigger on even though I’ve removed my finger. Another neat feature is that the front and rear filters are washable, so I don’t have to buy replacement filters. The Roborock also comes with five different attachments: carpet brush, dusting brush, motorized mini brush, crevice tool, and the flex tool that bends in different directions. All of these items fit neatly on the charging dock, which can be mounted on the wall.

The pretty teal green Jashen V18 can run up to 40 minutes on a single charge of the 7-cell battery pack. The brush head rotates 180 degrees, so the vacuum can fit under furniture and into the tightest spaces. This model is also pretty lightweight (5.72 lbs.), and there’s a 4-stage filtration system that combines HEPA and cyclone, so it can catch even fine dust particles. My favorite feature, however, is the dust sensor. When the vacuum cleaner detects a heavy amount of dirt, it switches to a more powerful mode. Plus, it can be used on both hard floors and carpeting, and you can switch modes from the soft roller head for hardwood floors to the stiff nylon bristles that go deep to clean carpets.

If you like a lot of attachments, this vacuum is for you. It has a cleaning brush, dusting brush, mini power brush, and crevice nozzle. You can also purchase a pet brush separately if needed. Another bonus is that you never have to guess about the status of the vacuum—there’s an LED display to let you know when the filter needs to be cleaned (hand-wash!), which suction mode it’s in, and also the battery level. You can also mount the vacuum on the wall so it doesn’t take up floor space.

The Levoit is the most economical item on my list, but I love that it still has a lot of great features. My favorite thing about this vacuum is that the LED light comes on when you use it under furniture and in dark corners so you can see what’s being vacuumed. It can be used on both carpet and hard floors, and since it’s lightweight (3 lbs.), it’s easy to clean high places. Plus, the brush has an anti-clogging design to prevent hair from getting wound around it. While the Levoit doesn’t have as many attachments as some other vacs on this list, it does have a 2-in-1 brush nozzle and a crevice nozzle. Storage is also convenient, and the battery lasts for 40 minutes before it needs charging.

Right off the bat, I loved the sleek, sci-fi look of the Tineco Pure ONE S11 (at just the right angle it resembles the USS Enterprise from "Star Trek"), and the fact that it has a gazillion attachments. In addition to the LED soft-roller power brush and the mini power brush, there’s also a flexible long crevice tool, LED multi-tasker power brush, 2-in-1 dusting brush, regular crevice tool, pre-filter cleaning tool, and a hair cleaning tool (phew!).

In addition, there’s an iLoop dust sensor that detects allergens and adjusts the suction accordingly using the the 4-stage filtration system. The Tineco runs for 40 minutes, and the LED display reveals all kinds of information. For example, it will let you know if the roller is tangled, if the dust sensor is malfunctioning, or if the air channel is blocked. And if that’s not enough, the Tineco app can connect to your smartphone and provide performance monitoring, cleaning reports, and maintenance reminders, in addition to troubleshooting and tech support.

I don’t have a pet, but I take comfort in knowing that if the Bissell ICONpet can handle pet hair it can handle anything in my home. First of all, the Tangle-Free Brush Roll means I don’t have to spend valuable time trying to pull out or cut debris from the brush roll. The vacuum also has LED headlights so I can clearly see when vacuuming dark spaces, and the 50-minute run time provides plenty of cleaning time. At 7 lbs., it's the heaviest item on the list, but it’s still relatively lightweight and has a slim profile.

One cool feature is that the vacuum has three cleaning modes so you can choose the degree of suction you prefer. Take note, though, that this is also the only vacuum on the list that does not have an eject button to release the bin’s contents. With that said, cleaning the dirt tank is actually really easy—simply pick up the handheld canister and turn it upside down into the trash can. The Cleanslide Technology ensures that everything comes out without you having to actually touch anything, and the washable filter saves money.

If 2-in-1 cordless vacs are the sports cars of vacuum cleaners, the LG CordZero A9 Kompressor is undoubtedly a Lamborghini—and I take it out for a spin as often as possible. From the hardwood floors in my kitchen, bath, and main living area to the carpet in my bedroom and on the stairs leading down to my garage, the LG CordZero gets plenty of use. It has a 120-minute run time as a result of two lithium-ion batteries, and while that’s impressive, my favorite feature is the Kompressor. When you press the Kompressor lever, it condenses the contents of the dirt bin, so you don’t have to stop and empty it.

The 5-step HEPA filtration system includes two cyclones, and all of the vacuum settings are located in one place. It also has a power carpet/universal nozzle, eliminating the need to stop and change nozzles when going from carpet to hardwood. In addition, there's also a power punch nozzle for upholstery and furniture, a crevice tool, and a 2-in-1 combination tool that can be used as either a brush or hard nozzle. Another neat feature is the telescoping wand, which I usually expand to clean under my bed. And since the filters and cyclone can be washed, the vacuum is easy to maintain. The CordZero is even WiFi-enabled, and can send a cleaning history and diagnostics to my phone (although honestly, I’m not into dust and dirt like that). There’s an option to hang the vac on the wall, but I choose to keep it in the stand (which also houses all of the accessories).