We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Home Products Vacuums The 8 Best Car Vacuums We’ve Tested for a Pro-Grade Clean From car seat messes to floorboard debris, these handheld vacuums kept our cars pristine By Olivia Avitt Olivia Avitt Olivia is a writer and content creator that has written about a wide range of subjects, including health, beauty, relationships, culture, and music. When she's not working, you can find her perusing coffee shops, reading, or catching up on reality TV. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 28, 2024 10:50AM EDT In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Others We Tried What to Know Behind the Scenes Why Trust PEOPLE? What Is PEOPLE Tested? Photo: People / Dera Burreson Nothing beats the feeling of a clean car. But do you find that the vacuums at the car wash are hard to maneuver and don’t always give you the level of cleanliness you want? Purchasing a handheld vacuum not only makes it easier to get a high-quality clean, but you can also clean up messes as they come. The Best Right Now Don’t feel like scrolling? After multiple rounds of testing car vacuums, we still stand by our best overall pick, the Ridgid 18V Cordless Handheld Vacuum. It has strong suction and a large tank capacity. Plus, professional detailers swear by it for a pro-grade clean. We put over 50 models to the test in our lab and in our own cars to find the best cordless and corded models. We considered each car vacuum for ease of setup, effectiveness, maneuverability, portability, ease of emptying, noise level, and value. Our Top Picks Best Overall: SALE Ridgid Hand Vacuum at Amazon $100 $80 Jump to Review Best Overall, Runner-Up: Black + Decker Flex Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $125 Jump to Review Best Budget: SALE Lipuws Portable Car Vacuum at Amazon $30 $20 Jump to Review Best Cordless: Baseus A5 Car Vacuum Cleaner at Amazon $100 Jump to Review Best for Detailing: SALE Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum at Amazon $179 $125 Jump to Review Best for Quick Cleans: Dirt Devil Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaner at Amazon $72 Jump to Review Longest Battery Life: RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless Multi-Surface Handheld Vacuum Kit Model at Amazon $78 Jump to Review Best with Cord: Auto Joe Corded Car Handheld Vacuum Cleaner at Amazon $24 Jump to Review Best Overall Ridgid Hand Vacuum PHOTO: Home Depot $80 at Amazon $60 at Home Depot Star Qualities Strong suction power Comes with four different extensions for more precise cleaning Has a large tank capacity Red Flags Bulky and difficult to store Charger sold separately If you feel like you can’t seem to find a handheld vacuum that’s strong enough to efficiently clean your car’s interior, you just may have met your match in this one. The Ridgid Propack is designed for the messiest of cars. The tank has a generous capacity, so you don’t have to worry about constantly emptying it while cleaning, and its ergonomic design makes it easy to hold for long periods of time. Additionally, the push-to-release tank and washable filter make cleaning between uses a breeze. While it is great for tough messes, it is on the bulkier side and doesn’t store as easily as some of the others we tested. Also, it’s important to note that the battery and charger are sold separately, so you’ll need to make an additional purchase before this vacuum is ready to use. Considering its strength, extensions, and canister capacity, this would be a great addition to your arsenal of cleaning products if you want something that can easily tackle a messy car at a professional level. How It's Held Up After six months of additional testing, our love of the Ridgid Handheld Vacuum didn’t wane. The battery life and suction power stayed as strong as the day we took it out of the box, and the vacuum easily picked up the rock salt that littered our car mats during the winter. If we could change anything about this vacuum, it would be to make it slightly quieter, as the noise level is a bit loud in small enclosed spaces (like a car). Cordless: Yes | Dirt Canister: 1.5 pints | Attachments: Extension wand, utility nozzle, crevice nozzle, crevice clip People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson Best Overall, Runner-Up Black + Decker Flex Handheld Vacuum PHOTO: Amazon $109 at Amazon $119 at Walmart $110 at Lowe's Star Qualities Powerful suction gets you a clean car interior in just a few minutes Lightweight and portable design Pop-out door and washable filter make it easy to clean with minimal fuss Red Flags Loud while in use Earning perfect scores in nearly all our tests, the Black and Decker Flex Max is definitely built for cleaning cars. The cordless design runs on a lithium-ion battery and promises to last for 15 minutes on a full charge. And thanks to the powerful suction, it only took us eight minutes to vacuum out our entire car. The suction power didn't falter the entire time, which was impressive considering how lightweight and portable it is. With a four-foot hose, a pet hair attachment, and a crevice tool, this vacuum gets into all the nooks and crannies of car seats, dashboards, and floors. The decently-sized dirt canister is easy to empty, thanks to a simple pop-out door, and the washable filter was a breeze to clean. Cordless: Yes | Dirt Canister: 0.5 liters | Attachments: Pet brush, flexible hose, 2-in-1 nozzle/flip-up brush, crevice tool People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson Best Budget Lipuws Portable Car Vacuum PHOTO: Amazon $20 at Amazon Star Qualities Lightweight and compact Quiet while in use Crevice tool and brush attachment are good for varied surfaces Red Flags Weak suction when picking up some debris No storage bag for vacuum and attachments If you aren’t looking to make a major investment, we found this hidden gem at Amazon for just under $20. We love how lightweight and compact it is — it’s easy to store and hold while you’re cleaning, even when you’re dealing with hard-to-reach areas like under and between the seats. It also comes with two attachments — a crevice tool for tight spaces and a brush for carpeted surfaces — that make working on varied surfaces easier and more precise. One thing we noticed during testing was that the vacuum struggled to effectively pick up debris in the grooves of textured floorboards and took several passes on fabric surfaces as well. While the vacuum came out of the bag with a little bit of charge and didn’t lose power while we were cleaning, it takes about three hours to get a full charge after fully powering down, according to the manufacturer. The other drawback, although small, is that it doesn’t come with a storage bag for the vacuum and its attachments. Cordless: Yes | Dirt Canister: 0.45 liters | Attachments: Crevice nozzle, brush nozzle, flexible hose, USB-C cable People / Kayla Kitts People / Kayla Kitts People / Kayla Kitts People / Kayla Kitts People / Kayla Kitts Best Cordless Baseus A5 Car Vacuum Cleaner PHOTO: Amazon $100 at Amazon Star Qualities Easy to clean between uses Low noise level while using Lightweight and compact design Easy to maneuver in tight spaces Red Flags Struggled to suck up heavier debris If your top priority is having a lightweight cordless vacuum that’s easy to maneuver, we highly recommend this one by Baseus. It’s incredibly lightweight and compact, which makes it not only easy to store but also easy to handle when climbing around your car’s interior to clean it. It also comes with a long attachment that you can use to clean between the seats and on textured floorboards. It did great picking up smaller debris on all surfaces, and although the canister is fairly small, we didn’t have to empty it once while cleaning. In between uses, when the canister does get full, it’s fairly easy to empty and clean without getting your hands too dirty. The main drawback with this one is that it struggles with heavier debris, so if you are dealing with bigger messes in your car, you’ll probably have to make multiple passes over each surface. However, if you just want a lightweight, handheld vacuum for run-of-the-mill wear and tear, this one is great and worth the $80 price. Cordless: Yes | Dirt Canister: 0.15 liters | Attachments: Crevice tool, brush nozzle, 2-in-1 suction and air nozzle, USB-C cable People / Kelly Lewis People / Kelly Lewis People / Kelly Lewis Best for Detailing Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum PHOTO: Amazon $125 at Amazon $149 at Home Depot $149 at Lowe's Star Qualities Powerful suction for tough messes Can clean the entire interior of a car on one charge Includes HEPA filter Red Flags On the heavier side Battery sold separately For detailing, we recommend the Dewalt 20V Max. This powerful cordless vacuum comes pre-assembled, though you'll have to buy the battery separately. It promises to run for over 20 minutes on a full charge and was still going strong after 15 minutes when we finished cleaning the car. Sucking up Cheerios and clumps of hair took only one pass, and the crevice tool was perfect for getting between the seats. It also has a HEPA filter and a larger-than-average dirt canister. Weighing in at a little over 7 pounds, we noticed it felt heavy after a few minutes. Still, we found it generally easy to maneuver. The only other thing to note is that it's pretty loud, but that's what you'd expect for such a powerful tool. How It’s Held Up We continued to test the Dewalt vacuum for six months and, thanks to its impressive suction, found ourselves reaching for this vacuum over a cordless stick vacuum when we really needed a deep clean. The suction remained as powerful as it was the first time we used it, making this one of the best vacuums in our cleaning arsenal. Cordless: Yes | Dirt Canister: 0.7 liters | Attachments: Extension tube, flexible hose, crevice nozzle, round brush, gulper brush, floor nozzle, accessory bag People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson Experts Say We asked the team at MAV’s Mobile Detailing, a New York-based car detailing service, what tips they have for getting that pro-grade clean on your car’s interior. “It’s best to start off the vacuuming process working from high to low, such as starting with the center console and seats. After that, you can move onto the floor mats and foot wells,” they said. “If you’re struggling with getting into the nooks of your car, pick up a flexible crevice tool from your local hardware store. You might also find a car cleaning accessories kit to go along with your vacuum.” Best for Quick Cleans Dirt Devil Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaner PHOTO: Walmart $72 at Amazon $50 at Target $50 at Walmart Star Qualities Reasonably priced yet efficient 15-foot cord makes it easy to maneuver around the car Lightweight Red Flags Loud while in use For quick cleans, reach for the Dirt Devil Scorpion+. This handheld vacuum has a 15-foot power cord, plus a beater bar head and a crevice tool for tackling various surfaces and textures. We were happy to see that it picked up loose Cheerios and Goldfish crackers in just one pass. And since it's just 3 pounds, maneuvering it doesn't require much effort, which is a game changer for targeting hard-to-reach areas. After a few months of testing, we often found ourselves reaching for the nifty roller brush attachment since it easily sucks up debris in tighter spots, like under seats and the space between your seat and the center console. The main drawback of this vacuum is that it’s pretty loud, so you won't be able to hear other people talking while it's running. Once we figured out where the release button was, we thought emptying the dirt canister was a piece of cake. How It’s Held Up This handheld vacuum’s quality stayed pretty consistent throughout our test. The body of the vacuum showed no signs of wear and tear, and we loved how easy it was to empty the canister and clean the filter. We did have one big qualm with the motorized roller brush, which became tangled with hair that jammed the rolling mechanism and stopped the brush head from working properly. But if you’re not planning on using the vacuum to pick up lots of pet hair, then we still think this one is a good option for the price. Cordless: No | Dirt Canister: 0.45 liters | Attachments: Quick-flip crevice tool, pivoting stair and upholstery tool People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson Longest Battery Life RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless Multi-Surface Handheld Vacuum Kit Model PHOTO: Home Depot $78 at Amazon $80 at Home Depot Star Qualities Long battery life Canister lid easily pops up, making it easy to clean between uses Small and compact design Red Flags Struggled to pick up debris on fabric surfaces Loud while in use This handheld vacuum by Ryobi is great if you’re looking for something that you don’t have to charge very often. Although it is small and lightweight, we were impressed at how long one charge lasted us — we were able to clean an SUV three times without having to charge it again! We really appreciated its thoughtful design too — the sleek and compact shape makes it easy to tuck in your trunk neatly, and the easily unlatched canister allows you to empty any debris without too much fuss. While we did love its long battery life, we did notice that it struggled with suction on cloth textures. While it managed to suck up debris on hard surfaces and leather, it hardly picked up anything when it transitioned to fabric. It is loud, so you won’t be able to listen to the radio or have a conversation while it’s running. If you have a larger car with leather interiors that needs a longer battery life for a full clean, this is a great option for you. How It’s Held Up Over six months of testing, the Ryobi's performance didn’t falter. The battery remained strong and long-lasting, and we reached for it whenever our seats required a deep clean. The Ryobi charges quickly and feels super lightweight in hand. We stored it in our garage for easy access, and the vacuum stayed in mint condition. Cordless: Yes | Dirt Canister: 2.5 cups | Attachments: Universal nozzle, battery and charger Best with Cord Auto Joe Corded Car Handheld Vacuum Cleaner PHOTO: Home Depot $24 at Amazon $22 at Walmart $25 at Home Depot Star Qualities Comes with lots of attachments Includes a carrying case for easy storage Relatively quiet while in use Red Flags Doesn’t work well on cloth interiors Although this vacuum is cord-operated, it still has lots of features that make it a great addition to your car cleaning arsenal. Thanks to the three removable cleaning attachments, this vacuum has all the features you need to clean every nook and cranny of your car thoroughly. Whether you’re picking up dust from your cupholders, leaves from grooved floorboards, or crumbs between the cracks of seats, the customizable attachments allow you to pick up debris in hard-to-reach places where it’s most likely to collect. The cord is easily plugged into your car’s auxiliary power outlet, and although this lightweight vacuum has strong suction, it’s relatively quiet. The whole thing packs neatly into a soft-shell zip-up carrying case that, while it wouldn’t fit under a seat, tucks away nicely in your trunk. One thing to note about this vacuum is that it doesn’t perform as well on cloth interiors. While we were still able to clean them, we found that we had to keep going over certain areas. How It’s Held Up Over six months of testing, the Sun Joe was as good as new. The cleaning attachments worked just as well to remove crumbs between seats, and the suction remained just as strong as it was during our first use. We kept this vacuum in the trunk of our car and found the USB power cord to be convenient to plug into the power outlet in the backseat of our car whenever our mats could use a touch-up. We still wish that we had the option to use this vacuum cordlessly, but it’s such a great value for its quality that we can’t complain. Cordless: No | Dirt Canister: Not listed | Attachments: Extension hose, crevice nozzle, brush attachment, carrying bag, filter cleaning brush Other Car Vacuums We Tried Black and Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum: We did appreciate how effective this vacuum was at getting things like dirt, crumbs, and even sticky pet hair off cloth seats and hard surfaces. Its charge lasted long enough to effectively clean the entire car and even move onto other pieces of furniture in the house. It was also very easy to clean the device itself. However, this one didn’t make the cut in our eyes for a couple of reasons — not only was it hard to maneuver in the car due to its cumbersome shape, but it also didn’t perform as well on cloth upholstery. Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless Hand Vacuum: This one has excellent suction and customizable attachments that get you a very thorough clean. With that being said, it didn’t win a spot on our list because it is fairly cumbersome, and while it does have some nice attachments, it still isn’t able to get in all the nooks and crannies you’d need. Also, the battery didn’t last to fully clean either car we tested in, so we had to stop and recharge. This isn’t exactly optimal for use in a car, but it would be a great addition to have in your garage arsenal for general cleaning around the house. Sakold Handheld Vacuum: We liked this one because of how lightweight and compact it is. Although it’s lightweight, its suction was impressive, thanks to the two suction intensity settings you can adjust depending on what type of mess you’re cleaning up. It also came with a crevice attachment, which was great for things like getting debris out of cupholders. The main reason it didn’t make the cut was because of its poor battery life — it didn’t last through the entirety of our test. We suspect that it would last for a quick once-through, but if you wanted to do a thorough clean, you’d have to stop midway to charge it again. People / Bridget Annear What to Know About Car Vacuums Size and Weight The first thing to consider when buying a car vacuum is the size. You want something compact enough to fit into all the nooks and crannies of your vehicle. If it's small enough to store in your car or truck, even better. Your car vacuum should also be relatively lightweight and easy to maneuver with one hand since you'll be holding it up rather than pushing it like an upright model. Cordless vs. Corded There are a few types of car vacuums: handheld vacuums, compact models with hoses, and stick vacuums. After you narrow it down to your preferred type, you'll want to consider whether you want a corded or cordless model. Cordless handheld vacuums are a popular option, as they're generally small and lightweight. There are also cordless compact models with hoses, allowing you to reach into tight spaces at various angles. A stick vacuum (cordless or corded) can also work, especially if it has a handheld configuration. Mint Cleaning co-founder Monika Scott is a fan of corded models, as they won't die on you midway through. Though you won't have to worry about the battery dying, you will want to make sure the cord is long enough — 15 to 18 feet should suffice. Battery-powered vacuums are more portable, but they may only run for about 20 minutes before needing to be recharged. Attachments Scott also says to look for something with various attachments, like a crevice tool and a pet hair remover — both helpful features for those hard-to-reach areas. Crevice tools are the most useful for cleaning cars, as they allow you to get into all the nooks and crannies of your vehicle. A pet hair tool can also come in handy for dog owners, and some handheld vacuums — like the Dirt Devil Scorpion+ Hand Vacuum — have beater bar heads, which are nice for cleaning the floor and trunk of your vehicle. Canister Capacity The canister capacity you need will depend on the size of your car. For example, if you have a larger SUV, you’ll want a vacuum with a bigger canister so you can clean your whole car without having to empty it midway through. If you go too long without emptying the canister and let it get too full, it can impact the suction and ultimately damage its power in the long term. Price Range Car vacuums are available at a range of prices, so consider your budget before shopping around. Handheld models are typically more affordable than standard upright models, though they can still range anywhere from $25 to $150 or more. Behind the Scenes Our editors selected 55 best-selling car vacuums to try firsthand. We began by testing the car vacuums in our PEOPLE Tested lab and then took them home and used them again in our cars to see how they did against real-life messes. We thoroughly tested each vacuum, rating them on the following qualities: Setup: We began by unboxing the vacuums and reading over any included instructions. If the vacuum required charging before use, we made sure to charge it according to the directions.Portability: We paid attention to how heavy the vacuum was both when we took it out of the packaging and as we carried it around the car we tested it on. We kept in mind whether or not it was awkward or uncomfortable to hold and how easy it is to store when not in use.Effectiveness: Perhaps the most important thing we looked for was the performance of each vacuum, which included the vacuum’s ability to pick up debris off car mats, carpets, and seats — from Cheerios and pet hair to leaves and gravel. If the vacuum was cordless, we took note of how long the battery life lasted in between charges. We used these vacuums in a variety of cars, from four-door sedans to SUVs, to see how well they maneuvered around different interior designs and how long batteries lasted depending on the car’s size.Noise Level: When it came to evaluating noise level, we considered whether or not we’d be able to carry on a conversation or listen to the radio while using it at its highest setting. Ease of Emptying: When we cleaned out the dust canister of each vacuum, we kept in mind how long the process took, how hands-on and messy it was, and how often it had to be emptied while being used. Durability: We continued to test the best-performing car vacuums over six months, taking notes about each vacuum’s performance after two months and then again after six months of use. We compared each vacuum’s battery life, suction power, and overall performance throughout our long-term testing.Value: After completing all tests, we had testers review the things they liked about the vacuum, what they would change, and how it compares to others they’ve used in the past. Then, we had them look at the price and, taking into consideration the things they liked and things they’d change, determine whether or not it was on par with the quality. The car vacuums with the highest average scores were ultimately selected for this story, and we threw in a few honorable mentions on the end that didn’t quite make the cut. Why Trust PEOPLE? Olivia Avitt is a freelance writer for PEOPLE who specializes in thorough, honest product reviews. For this roundup, she compiled the nine vacuums on this list based on our detailed lab and real-life testing. She also consulted Monika Scott, co-founder of Mint Cleaning, and the team at MAV’s Mobile Detailing for tips on how to get an expert-level clean in your car and what products they use during their jobs. This story was recently updated with new products to reflect the ever-changing market and insights on our methodology so that you can know how exactly each product made the cut. Our Expert Panel Monika Scott is the co-founder of Mint Cleaning, a professional cleaning service with their own line of cleaning products. MAV’s Mobile Detailing team is a New York-based car detailing service. What Is PEOPLE Tested? We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs. But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square. In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.