Our commitment to independence
Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaners was founded on a simple principle: product reviews should serve the reader, not the manufacturer. We do not accept free review units, sponsored placements, or affiliate arrangements that influence our rankings. Every product you see ranked on this site was purchased at full retail price by our team.
Our Amazon affiliate links allow us to earn a small commission when you purchase through them — but this commission is the same regardless of which product you buy, so it creates no incentive for us to recommend one brand over another.
Our 12-point testing methodology
Every vacuum we test is scored across 12 criteria. The final score is a weighted average with suction and filtration carrying the most weight — because those are the factors that most affect real-world cleaning results.
Suction power
Measured at the floor head on carpet and hardwood, in Auto mode and max mode. We record Air Watts delivered at the nozzle, not at the motor.
HEPA filtration
We test filtration efficiency using particle counters before and after the exhaust. We differentiate between true whole-machine HEPA and standard HEPA filters.
Real battery life
Run time tested in Auto mode with the motorised floor head on a mixed carpet and hardwood course — not in Eco mode with no attachment, as manufacturers measure.
Pet hair pickup
Real dog and cat fur embedded into medium-pile carpet. We measure the percentage collected in a single pass at Auto mode and maximum power.
Hard floor performance
Fine sand, cereal, and hair on hardwood. We test scatter resistance (does it blow debris around?), edge pickup, and crevice pickup at the baseboard.
Value for money
Performance relative to price. We compare each vacuum to every other model we've tested at a similar price point to produce a value score.
Affiliate disclosure
This site participates in the Amazon Associates program and may participate in other affiliate programs. When you click a link to a product and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This commission income funds our testing — it allows us to continue purchasing products at retail price rather than relying on manufacturer loans. Our affiliate relationships do not influence which products we recommend, how we rank them, or what we write in our reviews.
We never accept payment to feature or positively review a product. The only way a product ranks highly on this site is by performing well in our testing.
Contact us
Have a question about a product, spotted an error, or want to suggest a vacuum we should test? Get in touch here.
For professional cleaning services in Australia, visit our sister brand CleanSePro.com.au.