Our pick
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim comes closer to an ideal stick vac than any model we’ve tested. It’s light and nimble around furniture and on stairs, and it even works on shelves, walls, and ceilings.
The V12 Detect Slim rivals more expensive vacuums (such as the Dyson V15) in suction, airflow, and cleaning power, and it comes with multiple brushes and attachments, including a motorized brush for pet hair. It runs for 45 minutes on a single charge, longer than most of the other vacuums we’ve tested.
It has high-tech features that make it almost fun to use, including a sensor that automatically adjusts suction, a laser headlight that illuminates dust in dim corners, and an LCD screen with a battery countdown and other information. It’s also one of the quietest models we’ve tested.
The biggest downside of the V12 Detect Slim is its tiny, 12-ounce dustbin, which requires frequent emptying. You also have to swap between two different brushes depending on whether you use it on carpet or bare floor.
It takes four hours to recharge—longer than most other models—and doesn’t stand up on its own. Dyson covers it with a two-year warranty.
Our pick
This sturdy, versatile vacuum has several useful attachments and a large dustbin. It stands on its own and recharges quickly, but it’s heavier and less agile.
The Ryobi 18V One+ HP Cordless Pet Stick Vac Kit with Dual-Roller Bar is a well-rounded workhorse, though it’s heavy and harder to maneuver on stairs.
In our tests, it offered outstanding performance, picking up debris particles of different sizes and weights on all types of floors. Its large, 27-ounce dustbin, which is more than double the size of our other top pick’s bin, won’t quickly fill up with debris or fur.
Its motorized cleaner head works equally well on bare floors and carpet (you don’t have to swap brushes, as with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim), and it comes with a variety of useful attachments, including a motorized brush for pet hair and a surprisingly useful micro crevice tool for tight cracks.
The vacuum stands upright on its own and runs for about 35 minutes. The battery charges in two hours (one of the fastest charge times we saw in our tests) and is compatible with a variety of Ryobi tools. The Ryobi 18V One+ HP kit (which includes the battery and charger) is sold only through Home Depot and has gone out of stock at times, sometimes for several days or weeks.
This model has a three-year warranty—longer than the coverage on most other stick vacs we’ve tested.
Budget pick
This model is cheap, lightweight, and agile, and it cleans a variety of floor types well. But its non-replaceable battery and one-year warranty are disappointing.
Most cordless stick vacuums that cost less than $200 are terrible. The Kenmore Elite CSV Max Cordless Stick Vacuum DS4095 is a rare exception, but it still makes major trade-offs.
We found that it’s a superb cleaner on both rugs and bare floors, picking up fur and debris almost as effectively as our top picks.
This lightweight model cleverly folds in half for easier cleaning under furniture, and it has an extra-large, 33-ounce dustbin. It offers a solid 38-minute run time and recharges in four hours, similar to the Dyson V12 Detect Slim.
It lacks the convenient, versatile attachments that our top picks have for cleaning fur off upholstery, dusting shelves, or reaching into crannies.
But its biggest drawbacks are its weak one-year warranty and non-replaceable battery.
