5 Top Rated Cordless Vacuum Cleaners For Carpet -We Tested Them All

Just a few years ago, cordless vacuums were awful. They were great if you needed portability, but they were lacking in power. Thankfully, vacuum cleaner companies have been pouring a ton of research into portable tech, and modern cordless vacuums rival their plug-in counterparts.

The problem? Cordless stick vacuums are still in that transitionary phase. There are some brilliant cordless vacuums for sale, but there are some real monstrosities too.

My job is to help you in choosing the right cordless vacuum cleaner. I have been testing a lot of them, and I think the five that I have chosen here are the best of the best. 

Before I start talking about the best cordless vacuum for carpet, I want to discuss the sorts of things I was looking for. 

How To Choose The Best Cordless Vacuum on Carpet?

Choosing the right cordless vacuum cleaner isn’t that different from choosing a standard vacuum cleaner. Outside of battery runtime, you should look for the some more things.

I want to go through what I feel is the most important when choosing a cordless vac. They are certainly the things that I was thinking about when I was reviewing countless vacuum cleaners for you. 

1. High Airflow

A vacuum cleaner has just one job. That’s to lift the dirt and filth off your carpets. You want it to do that well. Thankfully, one of the key specs of a vacuum cleaner will tell you exactly how great that vacuum cleaner is at sucking; Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM).

The CFM is all about how powerful the suction on a vacuum cleaner is. A higher CFM means faster cleaning. The CFM takes a few things into account, including the power of the vacuum cleaner’s motor, the bag/filter resistance, etc.

Vacuum cleaner companies pour a ton of effort into calculating their CFM. You don’t need to know about all those experiments and calculations. You just need to know that you want that CFM number to be high. 

2. Brush Roll Design

Brush rolls are fantastic for lifting dirt and grime off your carpet. However, the design behind some brush rolls is poor.

I have seen some cheaper brush rolls that seem to push the dust away, rather than scooping it up.

Not exactly great when you want to clean a carpet. You want that vacuum cleaner brush to be working with you, not against you. 

I also prefer brush rolls that have an on/off switch. While I am focusing on vacuum cleaners for carpets here, I am aware that most of you may have other types of flooring in your home.

Brush rolls are fantastic for carpets, but they can damage rugs, hardwood floors, etc. No on/off switch means that your vacuum cleaner could be useless on some surfaces.

3. Nozzle Seal

The nozzle seal is that small bit of rubber that runs around the bottom of the vacuum cleaner. While it certainly isn’t going to be the most expensive part of a vacuum cleaner, it does perform an important job.

You know a vacuum cleaner works by using air to suck up the dirt. You want that suction to be targeting the bit of carpet directly underneath the vacuum cleaner head. This results in more powerful suction and ultimately faster cleaning.

To accomplish this, the air shouldn’t be escaping out the sides of the vacuum cleaner. The more air that escapes, the harder things are to clean.

This is where the nozzle seal comes in. The nozzle seal will ‘lock’ in that air. The less air that escapes, the better the suction, and the better the clean.

I have gone for vacuum cleaners that have fantastic nozzle seals. They aren’t going to lock in all that air (this is almost impossible), but they should keep most of it where you want it to be. 

4. Deep Cleaning/Run Time Ratio

One of the reasons why cordless vacuums were terrible in the past was because battery tech wasn’t quite there. Vacuum cleaner companies were still working on how to get around cordless vacuum battery life.

Older batteries (Ni-Cad tech, especially) would start at full power, but as the battery drained, the power of the vacuum dwindled. This means that the vacuum cleaner wasn’t constantly pumping out the highest level of suction at all times. Long before that battery fully drained, the vacuum cleaner would have been useless. 

Thankfully, there have been huge advancements in battery tech. When I was reviewing the various cordless vacuums, I took a deep dive into the deep cleaning/run time ratio.

This is how much time per single charge of a battery the vacuum cleaner was able to pump out full power. Vacuum cleaners measure this ratio as a percentage. 

The closer to 100% (and I have chosen a couple of 100% vacuum cleaners), the better. With a deep cleaning/run time ratio, the vacuum cleaner is working at full capacity until the battery uses up that last bit of power. 

5. Budget

Your budget is going to play a huge role in your choice of a cordless vacuum cleaner. However, I urge you not to skimp. Proper cordless vacuum tech is expensive, and unless you are spending more than a few hundred dollars, you will end up with something quite awful.

Anything less than $200 or so, and you may as well pick up a corded vacuum cleaner for $50. It will do the same job,

I have included a fantastic option on this list for those that are sticking to a budget (the Tineco A11). I wouldn’t pick up anything cheaper than that. 

6. Battery Technology

The only battery tech you should pay attention to is Lithium-Ion. Anything else is useless in a cordless vacuum cleaner. Lithium-ion tech gives you the longest battery life, the quickest charging, and way more power.

Lithium-ion batteries are lighter than cheaper battery technology too (i.e. NiCad or NiMH). You want a lighter battery when you are lugging about a cordless vacuum cleaner. 

I also love cordless vacuums with removable batteries. They are a lot easier to charge. You can even pick up a couple of batteries to keep you vacuuming, even when one battery is empty. It also means that you don’t have to replace your vacuum cleaner should the battery die (and with good vacuum cleaners, the battery will likely die long before the vacuum cleaner does). 

7. Parts Availability 

Cheap cordless vacs are a false economy. They rarely have parts that you can replace. When your vacuum cleaner breaks, you toss it to one side and pick up a new one. Not great for the environment, and certainly not good for your bank account.

You can repair quality vacuum cleaners easily. They often have a vast number of spare parts available, most of which you can fit yourself. Fixing a vacuum cleaner is always going to be cheaper than buying a brand-new one.

A quality cordless vacuum cleaner will last a good decade or so, assuming you keep up with your maintenance and replacing parts. The only thing that you will be replacing with any sort of frequency will be the battery. I have already told you that two is going to be fantastic anyway. 

What Are The Best Cordless Vacuums For Carpet?

For a long while now, cordless vacuums have been my life. I have been researching them, using them, and deliberately making my home filthy so I can see just how much dirt they can lift. I want to share all of my knowledge with you.

I have tested more cordless vacuum cleaners than I care to count, but I reckon each one of these five is the best in its class. Nothing comes close.

I have included a little something for everyone too, so even if your budget is tight, you will still find an awesome vacuum cleaner for you. 

1) Dyson V15 Detect – Best Overall

Here are the most important specs for the Dyson V15 Detect:

• Air Flow: 73 CFM
• Volume: 78dB
• Average Run Time: 1 Hour
• Deep Clean Ratio: 100%
• Battery Tech: 3,600MaH Lithium Ion
• Weight: 6.8lbs
• Dustbin size: 0.77 liters

The first thing people will notice about the Dyson V15 Detect is the rather pretty LCD screen on top. It’s quite cool, but it doesn’t do much. It shows that the vacuum cleaner is picking up a decent amount of dust and the remaining battery life, but that’s about it.

You will probably get bored of it quickly, and it does contribute to the vacuum cleaner being quite top-heavy.

However, Dyson cordless vacuums are always adding fancy features, and it is nice knowing that the vacuum cleaner is working, even if you know that it is working. 

Luckily, top-heavy design aside, there isn’t a whole lot wrong with the Dyson V15 Detect.

Dyson claims it is the most powerful vacuum cleaner on the market, and having had this one around the home for a good while now (it has become my main cordless vacuum cleaner), I must say that I agree.

Just a quick pass over your carpet, and it will be noticeably cleaner. You will be cleaning your room with this cordless vac in a fraction of the time it would take you with something far cheaper. In fact, in a fraction of the time that any of the other vacuum cleaners on this can offer. 

Sometimes, it is a bit too powerful. It has a tremendous nozzle seal, but it may be a bit too good. That nozzle seal helps to create a ton of suction, but it can be really hard to push the vacuum cleaner sometimes.

I am fairly strong, but I sometimes found myself straining to push myself on some thicker carpets. It’s not a massive issue, though. You can just open the gate on the nozzle seal and the V15 direct is still going to be a lot better than comparable vacuum cleaners. 

I was in awe at the deep-cleaning uptime on V15 Detect too. The battery lasts for about an hour (depending on the surface you are cleaning), and every minute of that hour will see this vacuum delivering full performance. It never feels like the performance falters. If it isn’t 100% deep cleaning uptime, I would say that it is close enough.

There are tons of goodies to play about with in the box too! I know that not all of these will be great for carpet cleaning, but most of you will probably be cleaning multiple surface and floor types anyway:

• Digital cleaner motorbar cleaner head
• Laser slim fluffy cleaner head
• Hairscrew tool
• Combination tool
• Stubborn dirt brush
• Soft dusting brush
• Crevice tool

There is still one more great feature to discuss! Loaded onto the front of the Dyson V15 Detect is a green laser. It may not seem like much, but turn that vacuum cleaner on, and that dirt will light up like a traffic light. You can see exactly where that filth is, stopping you from missing anything. 

I do recommend that you pick up an extra battery, though. The battery is fantastic. An hour of use is tremendous for a quality cordless vacuum cleaner, particularly one of this sort of power, but it has a whopping 4.5-hour charge time.

Since my household vacuum normally takes a good couple of hours, I always have two batteries fully charged so I am ready whenever I whip out my Dyson V15.

2) Shark Vertex Cordless – Best Mid-priced

• Air Flow: 53 CFM
• Volume: 76dB
• Average Run Time: 40 minutes to an hour
• Deep Clean Ratio: 95%
• Weight: 8.82lbs
• Battery Tech: 2450MaH Lithium Ion
• Dustbin size: 1.28 liters

The Shark Vertex Cordless didn’t come close to the raw suction power that the Dyson V15 had, but I didn’t expect it to. The Vertex is about half the price. However, to be honest, I didn’t notice a huge difference in suction.

Well, I did, but only if the floor was extremely filthy, or if I were trying to pick up some pretty heavy dust e.g. sand. For the average home vacuumer, the difference between the two products is negligible, at least on the suction front. 

The Vertex has a couple of awesome features that I love. One of the best is a small hinge in the middle of the stick. This allowed me to get under sofas, etc. with ease. With your normal stick vacs or cordless vacuum, you would have to get up close and personal with the floor, which is never that fun.

I admit I was a bit concerned about the low run time. Shark claims that the Vertex runs for around an hour before it needs charging, but I found that 40 minutes was about the average. Not a huge problem, though. This vacuum comes equipped with two batteries. This means that you get a solid 80 minutes of run time (minimum), and it also means that you don’t have to be spending the big bucks on picking up a brand-new vacuum cleaner battery. 

The brush roll design is superb too. It is great at picking up even the tiniest of dust (thanks to a twin roller design). It was tremendous at picking up pet hair too, although this cordless vacuum cleaner hasn’t been designed for that. It probably wouldn’t be my go-to vacuum cleaner for homes with multiple pets, but it can do a job. 

I know that some of you may be a bit concerned with the 95% deep clean, but I assure you that there is nothing to be concerned about. Again, it is barely noticeable. There is a drop in power near the end of the battery’s life, but it isn’t going to be a huge drop. You just have to try a tiny bit harder to get that dirt out but, as long as your home isn’t too filthy, that isn’t an issue. 

Just like the Dyson V15, there is an LCD screen on the top. It gives the same sort of readouts too i.e. how much dust has been picked up, life left on the battery, etc. However, I found it a lot less intrusive than the V15. It certainly doesn’t contribute to too much weight at the top. This does make the Shark Vertex easier to pick up, even though it is an overall heavier bit of kit. 

3) Tineco Pure One S12 – Lots of Tools and Attachments 

• Air Flow: 61 CFM
• Volume: 70dB
• Average Run Time: 50 minutes
• Deep Clean Ratio: 98%
• Weight: 6.6lbs
• Battery Tech: 2300MaH Lithium Ion
• Dustbin size: 0.6 liters

The main attraction of the Tineco Pure One S12, at least for me, was the sheer number of accessories in that box, particularly for such a low price. Here is what you get:

• Power Brush
• Mini Power Brush
• 2-in-1 Dusting Brush
• Crevice Tool
• Flexible Long Crevice Tool
• Hard Floor Soft-Roller Power Brush
• Extension Hose
• Multi-Angle Folding Tube

Now, I know that the Dyson V15 came with a ton of brushes too. I found that the accessories with the Tineco Pure One S12 were so much more useful, though. I love the extensions, and I use them frequently. All have fantastic designs too. 

The power brush comes complete with two brush rollers, and I found that the vacuum cleaner was gliding over surfaces with ease.

As it did that, it was picking up a huge amount of dust. I would even say it was better than the Shark Vertex there, but just marginally so.

It seems as if the Tineco Pure One S12 is just a bit better at picking up those heavier particles. 

The versatility doesn’t stop here either. With a couple of adjustments, the Dyson V15 worked incredibly well as a handheld vacuum cleaner, and it was offering the same amount of power.

I don’t think there is a single handheld vacuum on the market that even comes close to this.

The LCD screen is great too. It isn’t going to give you the same sort of readings as the Dyson V15 does, but it is nice to be able to see issues with the vacuum cleaner at a glance.

The Tineco Pure One S12 told me if there was a blockage in the air channels or tangles in the brushes.

Knowing this information made it so much easier for me to clean. It meant I was not frantically vacuuming the floor, not knowing whether I was whipping up dust or not. Superb!

I even love the way that you control the power here. It is a touch slider. It makes it simple for changing the power on the fly, and believe me when I say that there is a lot of power here, especially for the price that you are paying!

It wasn’t all sweetness and rainbows, though. Some glaring issues are worth pointing out. For starters, the dustbin was leaking a small amount.

There seems to be a problem with the sealing. I am not saying that dust is going to be spluttering everywhere.

That isn’t the case with any of the vacuum cleaners here. It is more than a couple of the smaller particles may escape. Not a massive issue, but one certainly worth considering. 

The price of this is pretty close to the Dyson V15 too. If you need all of those awesome accessories, then pick up the Tineco Pure One S12. It is more than worth it for its versatility. If you want raw power and are planning on cleaning only carpets, then the Dyson V15 may be better. 

Finally, it is not a self-standing vacuum cleaner. Frustratingly, it needs to be leaning against something.

This wasn’t a massive problem for me as I have a clip for all my vacuum cleaners, but it did get a bit annoying when I had to take a break from vacuuming.

I had to have it leaning up against a wall, and I was always afraid it would fall.

4) Dyson V11 Outsize – Super-Sized Cordless Stick Vacuum

• Air Flow: 66 CFM
• Volume: 78dB
• Average Run Time: Around an hour
• Deep Clean Ratio: 100%
• Weight: 7.85lbs
• Battery Tech: 3600MaH Lithium Ion
• Dustbin size: 1.89 liters

The Dyson V11 isn’t massively different from the Dyson V15. I know it has a tiny bit less air flow, but it wasn’t noticeable when I was moving it.

Honestly, every Dyson vacuum cleaner that I was testing was working superbly on the suction front. I really as if Dyson has worked hard on perfecting their suction design.

The major difference between the Dyson V11 and the V15 is the size of the dustbin. With a dustbin size of 1.89 liters, it is over double that of the V15. This means that you can pick up more dust before you need to empty it. I love this.

I know most people are emptying their vacuum cleaners constantly, but I leave the dust building up a little bit. I love the smallest amount of hassle when I am cleaning.

Outside of that, the features are much the same. You have an LCD screen. You have awesome suction, and you have an almost 100% deep clean ratio. It is up to you to decide whether you need that bigger dustbin.

5) Tineco A11 – Value-for-Money (Best Budget Cordless Vacuum)

• Air Flow: 58 CFM
• Volume: 75dB
• Average Run Time: 30 to 40 minutes. 
• Deep Clean Ratio: 96%
• Weight: 3.74lbs
• Battery Tech: 2000MaH Lithium Ion
• Dustbin Size: 0.6 liters

This is by far the cheapest cordless vacuum cleaner for the carpet. This is about as low as you can get before you start discovering vacuum cleaners that just aren’t fit for purpose.

Tineco has had to make a couple of cost-cutting measures to hit this price. For example, this is the lightest vacuum cleaner on this list. Considerably lighter. This isn’t because TIneco has a great R;D department that is on top of space-age weight reduction. It’s because they use cheaper components. It feels cheap to hold. It is very plastic. However, don’t let that put you off. I still love it.

Sure, it may feel cheap, but it is clear that the Tineco A11 offers real bang for your buck. Spare parts are easy to get hold of, and it never really feels that it is going to be breaking in your hands. Sure, it isn’t as durable as the other 4 options, but at this price, I didn’t wasn’t expecting it to be. 

That’s about where the cheapness ended. I could tell that this offered a bit less power than comparable vacuum cleaners, but I never really felt it unless I was dealing with a particularly tough bit of dust. It wasn’t wonderful at lifting heavier particles, and I often had to do a bit of light dustpan and brush work beforehand.

However, that was because of my experiments. In a normal carpet dust situation, the Tineco A11 is more than able to perform. 

I think my only major issue is with the batteries. Again, a cost-cutting measure. The batteries have a fraction of the power of the other options on this list, which means that you could be swapping the batteries out after 30 minutes.

Although, Tineco does give you a couple of batteries in the box, so it isn’t a massive issue. I was pleasantly surprised at their deep clean ratio, though. Cheap batteries but 96% deep clean uptime was awesome!

Airflow Comparison

Vacuum Cleaner	Air Flow (CFM)
Dyson V15 Detect	73 CFM
Shark Vertex Cordless	63 CFM
Tineco Pure One S12	61 CFM
Dyson V11 Outsize – Super-Sized Cordless Stick Vacuum	66 CFM
Tineco A11	58 CFM

As I was expecting, both the Dyson models lead the air flow rankings. Dyson has been working incredibly hard to perfect their suction technology, and it shows. I always found that both the Dyson models were able to whip up most dust in a single sweep. Great for quick cleaning.

Although, the other cordless vacuums aren’t too far behind. Even the Tineco A11, which is sitting at the bottom of the rankings, was pumping out a huge amount of suction power. It was grabbing most dust on a single pass, and an extra one left the carpet looking pristine. 

Cleaning Performance Comparison

Vacuum Cleaner	Deep Cleaning Ratio
Dyson V15 Detect	100%
Shark Vertex Cordless	95%
Tineco Pure One S12	98%
Dyson V11 Outsize – Super-Sized Cordless Stick Vacuum	100%
Tineco A11	96%

Again, both the Dyson models were leading the charge for me. Their effectiveness lasted right until that battery gave up its last bit of juice. I was in awe at how great the battery tech was in both of these models. I felt no power drop, and it was close to using a plug-in vacuum cleaner. 

I know that it may seem like the other vacuum cleaners pale in comparison, but even that low 95% deep cleaning ratio is superb. I could feel a small amount of power drop on the Shark Vertex and the Tineco A11, but it wasn’t impacting their function unless I was dealing with huge amounts of dust, which I rarely was. 

Run Time Comparison

Vacuum Cleaner	Run Time
Dyson V15 Detect	1 Hour
Shark Vertex Cordless	40 Minutes to an Hour
Tineco Pure One S12	50 minutes
Dyson V11 Outsize – Super-Sized Cordless Stick Vacuum	1 Hour
Tineco A11	30 to 40 minutes

Again, no real surprises here. I found the Dyson models were superior to the other vacuum cleaners when it came to battery life. This was especially surprising considering the high deep cleaning ratio too.

The Tineco A11 did lag far behind, and I found that I was often cleaning for as little as 30 minutes before the battery gave up. Although, having a pair of batteries to hand did help.

However, I don’t think I should be that critical of the Tineco A11 here. Sure, it had a lower lifespan, but it did also have cheaper batteries. A lot of the cost of a cordless vacuum cleaner is in the batteries. 

Noise Comparison

Vacuum Cleaner	Noise
Dyson V15 Detect	78 dB
Shark Vertex Cordless	76 dB
Tineco Pure One S12	70 dB
Dyson V11 Outsize – Super-Sized Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner	78 dB
Tineco A11	75 dB

I know it seems like there is a major difference between noise levels here, but there isn’t. Nobody is going to be able to tell the difference between 70 dB and 78 dB unless they have some testing equipment.

So, if noise levels are your biggest concern, then don’t worry too much about selecting the right model.

The Tineco Pure S12 is quieter, but you won’t know it is quieter than the Dyson V15. Other features should be your biggest concern. 

Our Verdict

Honestly, every single one of these cordless vacuums was superb. Top of the class. However, for raw power, features, and versatility, I reckon that you need to go with the Dyson V15 Detect. You won’t find a better cordless vacuum cleaner on the market. Sure, it is a bit on the expensive side, but this is a vacuum cleaner that will be with you for a long time. 

If you really must stick to a budget, then the Tineco A11 is also great. Perhaps not anywhere near as powerful as the Dyson V15 Detect, but at the lower end of the market, you can’t beat it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are mains-powered vacuum cleaners more powerful than cordless vacuum cleaners?

Mains-powered vacuum cleaners have a lot more power going into them. However, new cordless vacuums come pretty close to the power levels that a mains-powered vacuum cleaner has, but you will want to steer clear of the lower end of the market. Cheap cordless vacuums are never good.

Are Dyson vacuum cleaners worth it for cleaning the carpet?

Dyson vacuum cleaners are some of the best vacuum cleaners for cleaning carpets. Their cordless vacuums boast more suction power than competing products, allowing them to get deeper into the carpet with ease.

Which company makes the best cordless vacuums for carpets?

Dyson makes the best cordless vacuums on the market. If you are looking for cheaper cordless vacuums, then it is recommended that you look at Tineco products.

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