The soft bristles on this brush struggled to clean dirt or dried mud, with this vacuum doing one of the worst jobs at cleaning mud from linoleum in our test. However, the soft bristles allow shark pet hair vacuum you to easily clean corners or on small ledges. Here at The Spruce, we want to ensure we fully stand behind every product we recommend and that when we say something is the best, we mean it.
The slide-out crevice tool and swing-out combo brush, both built into the tip of the vacuum, have limited reach but may come in handy. The casing, made from thick plastic, withstood at least two (accidental) drops on cement floors during our tests. Its dust-bin opening mechanism is straightforward—some other vacuums we tested required us to perform complicated manipulations to open the bin—and its filter is washable.
We’ve tested over 30 dustbusters side-by-side in The Lab and at home. During our Lab tests, we started by evaluating the time it took to unbox, assemble, and charge the vacuums. Dustbusters that were ready to use immediately got extra marks over those that were wrapped in excessive plastic with confusing instructions. After setup, we put the dustbusters through a series of tests on hardwood and carpet. We evaluated how quickly they sucked up various scattered debris, including Cheerios and hair, from the different surfaces.
(It comes with a crevice tool and scrubbing brush.) We were pleased to see that we could complete all of the testing with one battery charge. Plus, the dust bin was more than suitable for the amount of debris we cleaned up. We only emptied it three times when completing our testing, which was on the lower side of all the vacuums we tested, and even then, the dust bin wasn’t always full. Other small details proved to be convenient, too, such as the comfort of the handle.
Due to the tiny dust bin size, we had to empty it ten times in our testing, which was more than the average. But if you value portability and strong suction, we think this model is another great choice. This eliminates the need to get your shark robotic vacuums hands dirty like other handheld vacuums. The Shark WV201 also features a removable and washable filter, so you don’t have to worry about losing suction power over time due to a clogged filter or spending money to replace them constantly.
You can also count on standard features like ergonomic grips, a variety of speeds speeds and dust cups that are easy to dump out and reattach. Dena Ogden, commerce writer at The Spruce, updated this piece and contributed additional research. She reviewed new testing insights from The Lab to carefully select products to include on this list. She’s been writing professionally since 2016 and with The Spruce since August 2022. She’s yet to give up on the handheld setting of her traditional vacuum, but seeing the results of the dustbuster testing has her rethinking that life choice.
This depends on a few factors, including the brand you invest in, how often you’ll use your vacuum and what kind of messes you’ll mainly need to tackle. Several handheld vacuums also come with warranties, which helps extend the lifespan of your purchase. And rather than replacing an entire machine, you also have the shark canister vacuum option to replace things like blocked filters, jammed brush rolls, frayed hoses and broken accessories yourself. On an average, a well maintained handheld vacuum from a quality brand should last you a minimum of 6 years. The Hoover OnePwr works on hard and upholstered surfaces to powerfully suck up debris with ease.