Cleaning the interior of your car can be a chore, but having the right tools makes all the difference. A high-quality car vacuum is essential for removing crumbs, pet hair, dirt, and debris, keeping your vehicle looking its best. A handheld vacuum designed for cars offers the perfect blend of power and portability to tackle any mess.
Our Top Recommendations
Top Pick
Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit
The Best All-Around Car Vacuum
The Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit stands out as an excellent all-purpose car vacuum. Its strong suction power, extended runtime, and large dust bin capacity make quick work of car cleaning tasks. While its size might present challenges for reaching under seats, its overall performance is unmatched for general car interior cleaning.
Buying Options
$89 from Home Depot(bundle)
$50 from Home Depot(tool only)
Also Great
Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Cordless Pet Hand Vacuum HHVK515JP07
The Best Car Vacuum for Pet Hair
For pet owners, the Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Cordless Pet Hand Vacuum HHVK515JP07 is a game-changer. This Best Car Vacuum for pet hair features a motorized brush that effortlessly lifts pet fur, especially from car upholstery. The extendable crevice tool is perfect for reaching into tight spaces and corners within your car’s interior.
Buying Options
$99 from Amazon
$100 from Chewy
$99 from Lowe’s
Also Great
Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDH2020FL
The Most Comfortable Car Vacuum
If comfort and ease of use are your priorities, the Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDH2020FL is an excellent choice. The flexible hose design of this portable car vacuum allows for comfortable cleaning of hard-to-reach areas in your car. While it may have slightly less suction power compared to other models, it still provides effective cleaning for everyday car messes.
Buying Options
$100 from Amazon
$144 from Walmart
$119 from Home Depot
Also Great
Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L
The Smartly Designed Car Vacuum with Tool Storage
The Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L is a testament to smart design in car vacuums. This compact and efficient car vacuum features onboard tool storage and a flexible hose, making car cleaning convenient and organized. Despite a smaller dust bin and slightly less suction, its thoughtful design and user-friendly features make it a compelling option.
Buying Options
$79 from Amazon
$120 from Best Buy
How We Selected the Best Car Vacuums
To determine the best car vacuum models, we focused on several key features:
- Powerful Suction: A top-performing car vacuum needs strong suction to effectively handle various messes, from pet hair and mud to spilled snacks and everyday dirt.
- Adequate Runtime: The best cordless car vacuums offer sufficient battery life to allow for a thorough cleaning of your entire car interior without needing to recharge frequently.
- Useful Attachments: Helpful attachments like crevice tools, motorized brushes, and extendable hoses are crucial for reaching tight spots, cleaning upholstery, and detailing every nook and cranny of your car.
- Reliability and Durability: A reliable car vacuum should come with a solid warranty (at least two years) and feature replaceable parts, particularly the battery, ensuring long-term use and value.
For routine car cleaning, the Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit is our top recommendation. Its powerful suction and long battery life make it a standout. If pet hair is a primary concern, the Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet Hand Vacuum HHVK515JP07 excels at removing fur from car interiors. For users seeking lightweight comfort and flexibility, the Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDH2020FL and the Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L offer comfortable handling and convenient features.
Top Pick
Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit
A Great All-Purpose Car Vacuum
This model’s powerful suction, long runtime, and extra-large bin make short work of tidying up your car. Its design might be a bit bulky for reaching under car seats, but for overall car interior cleaning, it’s a top performer.
Buying Options
$89 from Home Depot(bundle)
$50 from Home Depot(tool only)
The Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit boasts impressive suction, a long-lasting battery, and a large 22-ounce dust bin – bigger than most cordless handheld vacuums we’ve tested. The included pivoting dust brush and crevice tool are effective for cleaning cup holders and car storage areas.
Its runtime is a respectable 18 minutes, and it recharges in under an hour, making it faster to recharge than many competitors.
Many components, including filters and the battery, are easily replaceable, and the battery is compatible with the Ryobi One+ tool system.
The three-year warranty is among the best offered for car vacuums in its class.
Also Great
Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Cordless Pet Hand Vacuum HHVK515JP07
A Top Car Vacuum for Pet Owners
This model’s motorized brush excels at removing pet fur from car upholstery, making it the best car vacuum for pet hair. The extendable crevice tool effectively reaches into most car nooks and crannies.
Buying Options
$99 from Amazon
$100 from Chewy
$99 from Lowe’s
The Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet Hand Vacuum HHVK515JP07 consistently handles typical car messes and is particularly effective at cleaning pet fur, outperforming other handheld models in our tests.
The strong suction is enhanced by a motorized brush, which effectively loosens debris and lifts stubborn pet hair from car upholstery and other surfaces. The integrated extendable crevice tool is useful for reaching dirt in most car storage areas, though it can be a bit bulky for very tight spaces. Its 25-ounce dust bin is the largest among the handheld car vacuums we tested, which is especially beneficial when dealing with large amounts of pet fur.
It offers a runtime of up to 25 minutes and charges in under three hours. It includes a two-year warranty.
Also Great
Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDH2020FL
More Comfort, Less Power in a Car Vacuum
The extendable hose on this model makes cleaning those hard-to-reach car crevices far more comfortable. However, it’s not as powerful as other options, has a shorter runtime, and takes longer to recharge.
Buying Options
$100 from Amazon
$144 from Walmart
$119 from Home Depot
The Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum BDH2020FL is designed with a flexible hose, allowing you to set down the main unit while cleaning under seats and in tight crevices. This design makes it more comfortable, especially for those with hand or wrist sensitivities. While it may struggle with larger debris like cereal pieces, it effectively picks up dust, small particles, and pet hair with its rubberized pet hair tool. It features a 17-ounce dustbin.
However, the Black+Decker BDH2020FL has a runtime of only 12 minutes, which may not be sufficient for thoroughly cleaning larger vehicles, and it requires a lengthy four hours to fully recharge. It is also louder than many other handheld car vacuums we evaluated.
It comes with a two-year warranty.
Also Great
Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L
Smart Design, Small Dustbin in a Car Vacuum
This model boasts a clever design with an extendable hose, integrated tool storage, a generous warranty, and a replaceable battery. However, it has weaker suction compared to our other top picks and a very small dustbin.
Buying Options
$79 from Amazon
$120 from Best Buy
The Worx 20V Power Share Cordless Cube Vac WX030L showcases a well-thought-out and compact design. It features convenient onboard storage for its attachments and a flexible hose that allows users to set the main body down during cleaning tasks.
The Worx WX030L excels at picking up fine dust but struggles with larger debris and pet fur. It also has a small 6-ounce dustbin capacity.
The vacuum offers a runtime of up to 25 minutes and recharges in just one hour. The battery is replaceable and compatible with other Worx tools, and it comes with a robust three-year warranty.
