Best car vacuums we tested
Best car vacuum: Black+Decker Max Flex BDH2020FL Handheld Vacuum
I could argue that none of the best car vacuums deserve a place in my vehicle. And before you click away because that’s the least convincing introduction ever, hear me out: I keep my car neat. Like, really neat. No trash on the floor. Anyone eating better be careful. As such, car cleaning isn’t a chore I have to do often. My habits keep it tidy to begin with. And it’s not that I’m driving a luxury ride here either. I’ve had my Toyota Corolla for more than six years and just like to keep its blue-trimmed seats looking fine.
I say this because you can be sure I went to great lengths to find a vacuum worthy of keeping my precious compact sedan spiffy. How? By begrudgingly trashing the interior over and over again until I found a device worthy of the job. Yes, I flung debris around like a baby in a high chair and then unleashed an arsenal of vacuums on the mess. When all was said and done, the Black+Decker Max Flex BDH2020FL Handheld Vacuum was best equipped to handle it.
Reaching under seats and on the floor is a cinch with the extendable hose and curved handle that wrap around this compact vacuum made with mobility in mind. Its trio of attachments can tackle a variety of messes, and its canister is more than big enough for most jobs.
Best car vacuum: Black+Decker Max Flex BDH2020FL Handheld Vacuum
The Max Flex entered the competition as the reigning champ and held on to the belt. In our previous testing of the best handheld vacuums, we found the tiny vac to be a versatile appliance that could handle a variety of cleanups, especially those in the car. And that hasn’t changed.
The suction is more than adequate on the Max Flex. I found it to have enough oomph to break up large clumps of dirt and Cheerios stuffed between the ridges of my rubber all-weather floor mats. Pesky flecks of glitter were unearthed by its flip-up brush tool, which also handled dust and smaller crumbs in the center console and on the dashboard.
That brush is one of three attachments included with the Max Flex, and each has its own calling card. The flip brush is the go-to, handling lighter debris and heavy stuff alike. A rubber pet tool equipped with tiny stubs best for pet hair loosens strands stuck to upholstery and even outperformed its moniker. While it did work on the hair my chihuahua mix, Seymour, had left behind, it was equally effective on dirt caked into the seats. The crevice tool shined in cracks and gaps because its narrow opening meant more suction. A few more dollars could score you this sibling of the Max Flex that features a full-length attachment to make it a stick vacuum to use around the house.
The best part about the Max Flex is its build, which lends itself to the mobility needed in a car vacuum. Its canister is stacked on top of its battery, and a 4-foot expandable hose neatly wraps underneath for storage. Up top, that hose connects to a banana-shaped handle that snaps into the main unit’s grip. The handle is the star of the show. Reaching to vacuum underneath seats and down to floor mats wasn’t as tough on my back and knees because its extra length and angle extended my range.
Multiple trips to the trash can weren’t necessary with the Max Flex. Its canister had more capacity than the other dustbuster-type vacuums we tested, saving time and frustration when tackling messes more significant than a few crumbs.
Even though the Max Flex is heavier than all but one of the models we tested, that mass isn’t a bother because you don’t have to move the body of the vacuum all that much. It’s like a shop vac in that sense but won’t roll away on wheels. You can place the vacuum on a seat or the floor and work with the handle and hose. And when you do want to move with the vacuum, you’re holding it like a kettlebell, with your grip on top and all the weight comfortably centered underneath.
It’s a small detail but I appreciated that the power switch on the Max Flex is a physical switch that clicks from one side of the device to the other, operating similarly to a safety catch on a gun. You’ll never accidentally turn it off when vacuuming, and you don’t have to constantly hold it down like the trigger switches on some of the other models we tested.
Battery life is the main downside of the Max Flex. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts about 14 minutes of continuous run time on a full charge. That was enough to clean my car, but it won’t do the trick if you have a massive SUV or want to clean your whole family’s fleet of vehicles at once. Charging from a dead battery to a full one took a little more than three and a half hours.
I also didn’t love that it charges on a flimsy plastic base instead of a plug directly into the unit. USB-C charging would have been even better. If charging in the car is essential and you only have a 12-volt outlet, this similar Black+Decker model we’ve yet to test is built like the Max Flex and might do the trick.
How we tested
I knew the Max Flex was a serious contender here because of its success in our handheld vacuum testing, so I rounded up a diverse pool of six competing vacs. Some filled different needs, while some operated in a very similar fashion. Once they were assembled, I evaluated them on the following points.
Performance
- Suction: A good vacuum has to suck. I assessed each model’s ability to suction various surfaces and materials with each of its attachments. The primary mess was a collection of dirt, cereal and glitter scattered across the back seat of my Toyota Corolla.
- Battery: I repeatedly ran each vacuum from a full charge to a dead battery and then plugged it back in to reach 100% juice and timed both the run time and the charge time.
Ease of use
- Mobility: Since vacuuming a car involves reaching into gaps and climbing over seats, a vacuum that can move with you is important. I assessed how easy it was to carry each vacuum while cleaning my car’s interior.
- Controls: How does the vacuum operate? I judged the simplicity and function of all buttons, switches and attachments.
- Emptying: Is emptying the vacuum a messy task? I took note of the process on each model and emptied canisters that were partially empty and completely stuffed to see how seamless the journey was from vacuum to trash can.
Design
- Grip: I analyzed the handles and grips of each vacuum to determine how comfortable they were to hold while using. While it sounds granular, a tired arm while cleaning a car can make the process a lot worse.
- Canister: How often did the canister need to be emptied? I placed significant value on vacuums with the capacity to handle a larger mess without requiring multiple loads during a session.
- Attachments: How many attachments are included with the vacuum? A greater variety was preferred, but I put more emphasis on the variety of messes the attachments could handle.
Price and warranty
- Price: While this wasn’t our primary qualifier, I noted the price to ensure each model’s performance lived up to it.
- Warranty: I accounted for the length of the warranty included with each vacuum.
How to choose a car vacuum
While some brands sell vacuums specifically made for the car, that definition is mostly up for interpretation — what one person wants their car vacuum to do isn’t necessarily what the next person needs. I sought vacuums based on the criteria above and landed on one that could handle a decent mess with great range and mobility.
If you’re looking for a vacuum that will get your ride back to dealership levels of cleanliness, the Max Flex won’t get you there. You might want to consider a shop vac — we’ve tested a ton and landed on these three as the best — because they can tackle serious debris. Our favorite shop vac, the Ridgid 12-Gallon NXT HD12000, has a long hose, supreme suction and is light enough to get around. The brand also sells a $55 car detailing kit to add to the vacuum.
On the flip side, some shoppers might just want a car vacuum that can scoop up a few crumbs after a meal on the go. For that, I included some pill-shaped vacuums compact enough to stow away in a glove box or trunk and come out when needed. The downside of those models was that their use was extremely limited by their small canisters.
Other car vacuums we tested
A powerful vacuum packed into a lightweight frame makes this a great buy for the price. It didn’t have the same range as the Max Flex, though.
The Dustbuster Blast is exactly what comes to mind when I think of handheld vacuums: a one-handed grip, great suction for sudden messes and a few limiting qualities that prevent it from being pressed into duty for bigger jobs. And that’s OK! While the Blast lived up to its name with impressive suction, I didn’t love its trigger power switch and compact canister. It filled up in about 90 seconds when cleaning my intentional messes, and emptying it into the trash was a two-handed job that involved taking it apart and fully removing the filter. It also came with just two attachments: a flip-up brush and a crevice nozzle.
Though I wouldn’t purchase the Blast as a dedicated car vacuum, I’d absolutely consider one for other roles in my home, especially at that price.
Sometimes the best vacuum for any job is the one already in your closet.
I use this Dyson to vacuum the floors and rugs in my apartment, and it always kills it. So why not try it in the car? To no surprise, it performed admirably. The suction wasn’t perfect, however, with its standard mode leaving a bit of mess behind and its high-powered mode coming on too strong and nearly ripping the fabric right off my seats. The plethora of included attachments was the real draw here, helping counter the heaviness and trigger switch our top pick doesn’t have.
If you’re shopping for a vacuum specifically for your car, you don’t need to spend Dyson money. But if you’re in the market for any vacuum, one that you’ll deploy in various environments, a Dyson like this can wear a lot of hats. The V11 Animal is our top cordless stick vacuum and is a better bet than the outdated V7 I included in this exercise.
Tremendous power and straightforward controls scored points for Shark’s pet-focused handheld, though we’ve never found it to be a true pet hair warrior.
A holdover from our handheld vacuum testing, the UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus has some great things going for it. It has above-average suction and easy controls. The power switch is a standalone button, and the canister empties like an open jaw, which meant all the debris from our cleaning ended up in the trash where it belongs.
Even though the UltraCyclone isn’t that heavy, it wasn’t very comfortable to hold because all its weight is on the opposite end of the vacuum from the handle. That resulted in a tiresome grip that had me wanting to switch to another option.
The attachments on the Shark had mixed results. While the crevice nozzle cleaned well where it could reach, it was too short to reach most places I wanted it to. And though the pet hair attachment did good work on dirt on upholstery, our long-term testing hasn’t found it as well suited for pet hair as we’d expect.
A comprehensive set of attachments for this tiny vac caught me by surprise. I’ll be keeping it stashed in my trunk for occasional cleanups, but a minuscule canister means you shouldn’t rely on it for much more.
I was amazed at all the attachments that came with this compact vacuum from Fanttik. A brush tool, a multisurface scrubber, two crevice nozzles — one wide standalone and one more narrow option on a flexible hose — plus four caps for blowing and inflating out the back end of the vacuum (which came in handy for dusting). That array of tools at my disposal meant I could clean up everything that tainted my interior during testing … albeit in small increments.
The battery in the Slim V8 Apex will last for about 10 minutes of run time and USB-C charging means you can plug it in while you drive. Its canister is a fraction of the size of the bigger vacuums I tested. That’s no shocker, but it’s something you have to accept if you want to seriously consider this model. It won’t handle an entire row of seats buried in dirt after soccer practice. But can it scoop up the fallen flakes from my latest bacon, egg and cheese croissant? Definitely. Whether that specific use is worth the price is a more complicated question. I think my answer is yes but only if it’s on sale.
The battery life on this model crushed even the bigger vacuums I tested, but it’s wasted on a vacuum that can’t do much with only one included vacuum attachment.
I was shocked at how long the battery lasted on the Baseus A3 Lite. It spanned 27 minutes on a full charge, nearly triple the duration of the similar model from Fanttik. Unfortunately, that run time wasn’t good for much. While Baseus’ suction was fine, the inclusion of just one cleaning attachment hindered its capabilities. While it does come with other attachments, they are for non-cleaning uses since the A3 Lite is also an air pump, inflator and blower. The only vacuum attachment included is a crevice tool with a sliding brush. So, if you want a tiny vacuum to stash in your car, opt for the Fanttik Slim V8 Apex instead.
FAQs
Do car vacuums have to be cordless?
How often should I vacuum my car?
Why trust CNN Underscored
CNN Underscored’s writers and editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team with many years of product testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to subject matter experts where necessary to ensure we test each product accurately and can speak about the pros and cons of each.
For this guide, CNN Underscored testing team writer, Joe Bloss, leaned on his experience testing the best vacuums for pet hair to find the best vacuums for your car. Of course, those two categories aren’t entirely 1:1 but Bloss went the extra mile, dirtying his typically clean car all in the name of valuable service journalism.