The Best Cordless Vacuum (2025) is the Only Floor Cleaning Device You Need
When I tested this in 2023, Shark claimed this was their most powerful cordless vacuum and it did not disappoint. In fact, it was almost as powerful as the Shark Vertex Ultralight, a corded (and since discontinued) Shark stick vacuum I used to recommend. Though not as smart or techy as a Tineco, the Stratos does have dirt-detection technology (the brand calls it Clean Sense IQ) and adjusts the suction power as needed to preserve the battery life, even in hand vac mode with the crevice tool attached. The two brushrolls on the motorhead have what Shark calls “Powerfins,” which are little rubber “fins” that help to pick up pet hair and also prevent any hair from wrapping around the brushrolls. There’s also an optional odor-neutralizing cartridge, which really just masks bad smells but not in an unpleasant way (the scent reminds me of Downy’s laundry scent booster).
This vacuum is on the loud side, and unless you find it on sale, it’s somewhat pricey compared to other Shark stick vacuums (including this similar Shark Stratos that’s available at Walmart). That said, there’s a 5-year limited warranty on it (2 years on the battery).
Battery runtime: Up to 60 minutes
Weight: 8.9 pounds in stick mode
Canister capacity: .72 quarts
HEPA filter: Yes
Warranty: 5-year limited
How we selected and tested cordless vacuum cleaners
Since 2022, I’ve tested 16 vacuum cleaners, including 10 cordless vacuum cleaners in a home I share with small children and a big, hairy rescue mutt. Out of the box, I used each vacuum on my hardwood floors, on my flat-weave kilim rugs, and on my shaggier high-pile rugs. I then performed some official tests, first observing how each sucked up glitter from a jute rug. Next I looked at how each picked up cornstarch and glitter from my black, textured kitchen floor. I also made sure to vacuum under and around my appliances, kitchen trash can, and other obstacles using the vacuums’ various attachments and configurations. The final test was the worst: my kids’ car seats. I used each vacuum in its handheld configuration to remove crumbs, petrified fries, other unidentified detritus, and probably a few small Legos.
What we looked for
Though most can be configured for different uses, a cordless vacuum cleaner really has one job: to pick up dirt, debris, and pet hair from different types of flooring. So I looked for vacuums with powerful suction that could suck up a variety of messes from hard floors, rugs, and carpeting.
I looked at whether or not the vacuum ran as long as the product description promised, and what that meant in terms of power. For example: if a vacuum runs “up to” 60 minutes, that usually means on the lowest setting.
A stick vacuum cleaner should be lightweight and easy to maneuver so I paid attention to how easy or hard it was to use the vacuum around the whole house, including how well it transitioned between flooring types, turned around corners, and fit under furniture and into tight spaces.
I looked for vacuum cleaners with at least one or two attachments like a crevice or upholstery tool for non-floor vacuuming jobs. I also noted how easy or difficult it was to attach and detach the accessories.
I looked for vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to help combat allergens like pet dander and dust. A vacuum cleaner will lose suction quickly if you don’t maintain all of the filters, so I also looked at whether filters were washable, easy to access, and how expensive they would be to replace.
I considered how easy it was to empty the dust bin on each vacuum, and looked for pet hair clogs in the airways. I also noted whether human hair or threads from rugs caught on the roller brush.
Cordless stick vacuums need to charge between cleaning sessions and don’t stand up on their own, so they need to have some sort of freestanding or wall-mounted base for charging and storage. I considered the convenience and footprint of each, and also if the base had any sort of storage for the vacuum cleaner’s included accessories.
Other cordless vacuum cleaners we’ve tested and liked
Dyson Outsize
When I unboxed the Dyson Outsize cordless stick vacuum in 2022, I felt like I’d dreamed it into existence. For years, I’d had to empty what felt like endless dog hair from my Dyson canisters multiple times each cleaning session. The Outsize solved that problem with a much larger dust bin—though because it could run on a single charge for up to an hour I would still have to empty it at least once or twice if I were to vacuum that long during a deep cleaning session. The powerful suction rivaled some of the corded vacuum cleaners I was testing then too. Unfortunately, it just felt too big and top heavy for a stick vac and when I converted it to handheld vacuum cleaner, I felt like The Terminator. Those are mostly subjective criticisms though, so if you’re not bothered by a big, bulky stick vac, you’ll likely be very happy with this powerful cordless vacuum cleaner.
Dyson V8 Absolute
The Dyson V8 Absolute is now a pretty old model, but it’s still a reliable Dyson stick vacuum cleaner with powerful suction, up to 40 minutes of battery runtime, and a handy mechanism for emptying the canister when it’s full (I had to use a chop stick to release clumps of dog hair that always built up between filter and the wall of the dust bin my older Dyson V6 Animal). It’s not as powerful as newer Dyson stick vacs and it lacks many of the features that make newer models so appealing, but it’s often on sale. So if you want a cordless Dyson but don’t want to spend a lot, it’s still a solid option.
Tineco Pure One S15 Pro (Currently sold out)
The Tineco Pure One S15 Pro is newer than the S11 Tineco I recommend above, and it’s a quiet, powerful vacuum with some nice features the earlier model lacks. This one comes with a convenient freestanding charging dock (the S11 has a wall-mounted dock) and a five-stage filtration system. But my biggest problem with this cordless vacuum is really a problem with the brand—and it’s that Tineco releases so many variations on its models that selecting one can be confusing, even for someone who writes about these things for a living. With Tineco’s cordless vacmops, the differences usually have more to do with accessories than power or features. However, when I tested the Pure One S15 Pro in 2023, the price for different S15 model variations ranged from about $400 to $700 and it was hard to make sense of what was what. At the time, there were three different S15 models on Amazon, but none were the Pro, and there were even more variations at Best Buy and at other retailers and because each store presents product specs differently, there was no easy way to tell whether the differences had to do with voltage, suction power, accessories, or built-in features. Tineco’s website isn’t much help either. All of that said, the particular model I tested—the Tineco Pure One S15 Pro—is a very good vacuum cleaner and if you can find it in stock you’ll likely be very happy with it, though at the time of publishing it’s sold out. In the meantime, the Pure One S15 Essentials is about half the price.
Cordless vacuum cleaners we don’t recommend
Shark Wandvac Cordless Self-Empty System + HEPA
Overall, Shark makes really good vacuums and I really wanted to love this self-emptying Shark Wandvac stick. It’s lightweight, converts to a hand vac, and has a nice minimalist look—even when on the charging/emptying dock. In its primary stick vacuum configuration, it’s easy to maneuver around obstacles and under furniture but if you have pets or high-pile carpeting, this is not a good option. When I tested it, it did a pretty good job picking up almost everything on my flat-weave kilim rugs, but dog hair often caused clogs in the dust bin and the self-empty feature just wouldn’t work. Shedding from my wool shag rug also clogged up the roller brush more than once. If you don’t have shaggy rugs, high-pile carpets, or pets, this might be a good option for quick cleanups. And because it’s so lightweight it could be a good everyday vacuum for people with mobility issues. All of that said, a self-emptying vacuum might not be the best option for the kitchen if you use it to pick up lots of fallen food particles because the canister on the dock could start to smell.
Lupe Pure Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (Discontinued)
UK-based Lupe had lofty goals: to build a cordless vacuum cleaner that would last. The idea was that parts could easily be replaced as needed—and the battery could be removed for charging, and even replacement if needed—so you wouldn’t end up tossing an entire device when one thing went wrong. I wanted to love it when I tested it in 2022, but it was strangely configured, I found it very difficult to maneuver, and it kept catching on my rugs when I tried to transition between different floor types. As of 2025, the company no longer exists.
Nequare Cordless Vacuum (Discontinued)
When I first tested vacuum cleaners in 2022, the Nequare Cordless Vacuum kept popping up on Amazon with customer reviews claiming it was an affordable alternative to a Dyson stick vacuum. It was not. It didn’t even come close in its max mode with a fully charged battery. Multiple passes didn’t help either.
Why we’re no longer testing corded vacuum cleaners
I’ve tested nearly 40 floor cleaning devices for Epicurious and Bon Appetit, including robot vacuums from Euphy, Ecovacs, Samsung, iRobot and vacmops from Bissel, Tineco, Dyson and Shark. When I started testing vacuum cleaners for our vacuum reviews in 2022, I assumed a traditional, corded upright vacuum cleaner would end up as the top pick. Generally they’re more powerful (thanks to the cord) and affordable (also thanks to the cord). After I tested 16 corded and cordless vacuum cleaners that year, I found a corded, bagless canister vacuum from Miele (the Boost CX1) to be the most powerful and versatile. It also cost less than any of the Dyson stick vacuums I tested that year. But a canister vacuum takes some getting used to if you’ve never used one, and even still, there’s the whole issue of dragging around a canister and dealing with a cord (I’ve also learned via customer reviews and forums like Reddit that many people have been disappointed with the Boost CX1 after extended use). But the best vacuum is really the one you’ll actually use frequently. To me that seems like a cordless model that’s always at the ready for a quick clean up. I also found plenty of powerful stick vacuum cleaners that cleaned even my dog-hair-covered rugs and kosher-salt-covered kitchen floor well enough to eliminate the need for a corded vacuum. In the end, cordless stick vacuums are infinitely more convenient, and as stick vac suction power and battery life continue to improve, the demand for cordless vacuums grows. So that’s where we’re focusing our attention.
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