Best Lightweight Vacuum Cleaners
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Corded | Battery | Battery - up to 50 mins. | |
Bagless | ✓ | |
Filter | High Efficiency | |
Weight | 5.5 lbs. |
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Corded | Battery | Corded | 35 ft | |
Bagless | x | |
Filter | HEPA | |
Weight | 11 lbs. |
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Corded | Battery | Corded | 35 ft | |
Bagless | x | |
Filter | Inner bag with Saniseal® automatic closing seal | |
Weight | 8.2 lbs. |
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Corded | Battery | Battery | up to 40 mins. | |
Bagless | ✓ | |
Filter | HEPA | |
Weight | 5.75 lbs. |
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Corded | Battery | Corded | 15 ft. | |
Bagless | ✓ | |
Filter | High Efficiency | |
Weight | 10 lbs. |
Cleaning the house with a bulky vacuum cleaner can be a challenge, especially when one has to carry it up the stairs or access tight, hard-to-reach places. Thanks to the power of technology, however, modern lightweight vacuum cleaners can help solve those woes.
Lightweight vacuum cleaners are becoming a household favorite as manufacturers are adding more features and functionality. These modern devices are designed to be more compact, easier to carry, and more convenient than old-fashioned heavy cleaners.
With the influx of lightweight vacuum cleaners available in the market today, it can be difficult to choose the best one for your needs and budget. At HowtoHome, we aim to provide a platform to help you shop for the things you need and find solutions to your everyday household woes. Below is an overview of what we found:
Overview
Details
Upright | Battery – up to 50 mins. | Bagless | High-Efficiency Filter 5.5 lbs | Powerful Suction
Versatile Quality that Doesn’t Break the Bank! Cordless doesn’t always mean less powerful. This high-performing lightweight vacuum cleaner is perfect for both regular and quick clean ups with its 22 minutes of operation on full power, a 180-degree rotation, and bright LED-powered headlights.
Pros
- Good for standard cleaning for most surfaces
- See-through dust holder is easy to clean
- Great customer service
Cons
- Roller brush needs frequent cleaning to avoid clogging
- No replacement batteries available
- Does not work well on high-pile carpets and rugs
Features
- 22 min runtime on full power; 50 min on eco mode
- Bright LED-powered headlights
- 180-degree swivel
- 15 months limited warranty
The Eufy HomeVac is a well-rounded, compact lightweight vacuum cleaner. It has an impressive 28.8V cyclonic filtration system, which translates to having one of the best suction power for a cordless machine so that you can say goodbye to tripping over wires or being hampered by power outlet locations. The vacuum is easily capable of cleaning smaller apartments and houses in one charge, however, two charges may be needed in order to clean larger spaces.
It is light at less than 6 lbs. and can easily be carried anywhere or anytime. The vacuum does a great job of sucking up dust, debris, and embedded muck on most surfaces and low pile carpets, but it doesn’t do as well on high pile carpets. Furthermore, the brush needs to be cleaned regularly because human hair, pet hair, and other larger debris may cause it to tangle or get stuck.
Its swivel feature allows the machine to go over hard-to-reach places with ease and the bright LED lights come in handy in dimly-lit places. The time-saving HomeVac moves and tilts fluidly so that it can easily maneuver under pieces of furniture without bending down or moving anything. However, like most uprights, this vacuum does not have a hose so it will be difficult to clean narrow spaces like the couch, window sills, and other tight spaces. A good handheld vacuum may be a great thing to have as a supplement.
The built is sturdy and comes with the base head, body, and handle, but it is not bulky. Assembly is straightforward and requires only a screwdriver. It comes with a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery which takes less than three hours to fully charge. The drawback is that Eufy does not offer replacement batteries. Some tips for making lithium ion batteries last long is to never overcharge them, so let them charge for only a couple of hours at a time. Another option is to never fully drain them by turning them back on to use the remaining power after it has turned off.
The dirt cup is transparent and can accommodate 0.9 L of dirt. The holding capacity could be a problem for some, but it is easily remedied by the way it can be quickly detached and emptied into a nearby trash bin. Storage is no problem because its collapsible handle makes it compact enough to fit in narrow spaces. The vacuum also comes with a practical wall mounting kit for those who would want to save even more space.
Another thing to note about the Eufy HomeVac is that it offers great support for its clients. The company is dedicated to providing great customer experiences and is quick to answer queries and offer replacements for defective machines. If you need an all-around lightweight vacuum cleaner that doesn’t break the bank, consider getting this machine.
Upright & Canister | Corded – Upright 35 ft. – Canister 25 ft. Cord | HEPA | Bagged | 11 lbs. total | Strong Suction
Powerful Lightweight 2-in-1 Vac. Why settle for one vacuum cleaner when you can have two for the price of one? These lightweight vacuums have long cords and strong suction designed to make floor to ceiling cleaning easy, convenient, and thorough.
Pros
- Great for most surfaces
- Both upright and canister vacuum
- Self-sealing HEPA bags trap and prevent dust particles from blowing out
- Auto-height adjustment
- Mid-range price
Cons
- Not self-propelled, no swivel
- Upright may scratch sensitive hardwood floors
- Storage
Features
- 2 in 1 product – Upright & canister vacuum
- Upright fingertip controls with dual cleaning speeds
- Canister vacuum includes crevice, brush and floor tool and a 5 foot flexible hose attachment
- Motorized brush perfect for embedded dirt, pet hair removal
- LED headlight
- 5-year limited warranty
Most vacuum cleaners in the market are made to be either a canister or an upright version. The Hoover UH30010COM Platinum Collection hits the sweet spot of being both. It promises to be a lightweight vacuum cleaner with a total 11 lbs. of weight for both the upright and the detached canister.
The highlight of this machine is that it is convenient for everyone and for all types of cleaning. The upright can be used by anyone, while the canister is even more friendly to use especially for those who are not allowed to carry a lot of weight.
The upright vacuum is as straightforward as can be and can clean multi-surface areas with ease. It has dual cleaning speeds – a low setting for hardwood floors and a high power setting for vacuuming carpets – that can be switched with a simple fingertip control.
The brand’s signature Windtunnel technology makes it ideal for carpets and muck-filled grooves, but some reviews said that the motorized brush may scratch linoleum and expensive hardwood floors. So, if your home is made up primarily of hardwood floors, this vacuum may not be for you. For an upright, though, it is considerably lightweight and can handle pretty much any cleaning including embedded dirt and pet hair. The bright LED lights are an added feature to help with cleaning in low-light areas. This upright does not swivel, nor does it have a hose, for which you would need to switch to the canister.
The shining feature of the Hoover UH30010COM Platinum Collection is the handheld canister vacuum that makes above floor cleaning a breeze. It comes with several canister-mounted brush attachments along with a carry-strap to make it easier for transport around the house. The upright has a 35 ft. cord, while the canister cord can extend up to 25 ft. By many standards, these lengths are long and convenient for use especially in big spaces, but with no automatic cord rewinder, it can be a hassle to put them away.
Another thing to note about this vacuum cleaner is that both machines use self-sealing HEPA bags, a feature that allergy sufferers will appreciate. While it can be costly to buy the HEPA bags, it can be a fair price to pay for keeping most of the allergens inside the bag to safeguard your health.
Upright | Corded – 35 ft. | Bagged | Inner bag with Saniseal® automatic closing seal Filters | 8.2 lbs. | Commercial Grade Suction
A pro-grade cleaner for a fraction of the cost, this sturdy but lightweight vacuum cleaner is great for residential use and does an excellent job at cleaning floors. While it has no hose or attachments, its self-adjusting brush roller and edge clean brushes more than make up for it
Pros
- Wide cleaning path
- Automatic floor adjustment
- Low-profile design allows cleaning under furniture
- Side brushes can clean edges, baseboards
- Affordable for professional grade
- Affordable bags available
Cons
- Motorized brush may scratch soft hardware surface
- No swivel steering
- No hose
Features
- Microsweep Technology
- Fingertip control switch
- Helping Hand handle commended by Arthritis Foundation
- Non-marring bumpers with outer cloth bag
- Edge brushes
- Top-fill bag design
- 1-year commercial warranty; 1-year belt warranty
Don’t let the simple design fool you, because the Oreck Commercial XL2100RHS is a professional-grade vacuum cleaner with one of the strongest suction power in the lightweight category. Sturdy and powerful seems to be the signature of Oreck as users have said repeatedly that their machines are built to last.
The 12-inch wide brush roll easily sucks in dirt, dust, debris, and even pet hair with no problem. Furthermore, the vacuum’s low profile design allows it to be easily maneuvered under furniture and tight spots. A drawback of its simple design, however, is that it does not come with LED lights which could be a problem for the vision impaired or when vacuuming dark areas.
The Microsweep Technology allows the machine to effortlessly glide from carpets to floors without changing the settings. The vacuum also has two side edge brushes, non-marring bumpers, and an outer cloth bag which assists in cleaning while simultaneously protecting corners and furniture.
Oreck’s Helping Handle feature has been lauded with the Ease of Use Commendation by the Arthritis Foundation for its design that minimizes hand movement. Users don’t have to twist or bend their wrists when using the device. The Oreck Commercial XL2100RHS only weighs 8.2 lbs. which makes it easy to handle and carry. The 35 ft. long cord allows the user to cover big areas without interruption.
A notable feature of its top-fill bag design is that it has a huge capacity (approximately 11 qt.) and the vacuum can maintain suction power even when the bag is almost filled. Like many bagged systems, the replacement of bags is as straightforward as pulling it out and installing a new one. It’s less messy than emptying bagless vacuums and a whole lot more sanitary and safe for those suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions. A lot of consumers are buying this machine for residential use because it has all the qualities of expensive but powerful heavy-duty machines, while being lightweight, straightforward, and a fraction of the cost.
While the Oreck Commercial XL2100RHS is great for a lot of surfaces, it unfortunately does not have a hose for above the floor cleaning. It does come with a self-adjusting roller brush and edge cleaning brushes. Depending on needs, some consumers supplement with handheld vacuums for tight nooks and crannies. Note that it is covered with a one-year commercial and belt warranty.
Stick| Battery max 40 mins | Bagless | HEPA 5.75 lbs. | Strong Suction
Impressive All-Around Stick vacuum. Stretching the limits of cordless vacs, the ultra convenient Dyson V8 is a powerful lightweight stick vacuum cleaner capable of sucking up fine dust and large debris from almost all surfaces.
Pros
- Transforms into handheld
- Multiple attachments
- Powerful direct-drive cleaner head
- Long battery life
- Low-profile & maneuverable
Cons
- Expensive
- Longer battery recharging than predecessors
- Attachments need separate storage
Features
- Attachments: direct drive cleaner head, soft roll cleaner head, combi tool, mini motorized tool, dusting brush, crevice tool
- 2 Tier Radial cyclones
- Max power mode
- Whole machine filtration
- Hygienic dust ejector
- Battery meter
- Docking and charging station
- 2-year limited warranty
The Dyson V8 Absolute has up to 40 minutes of runtime (25-30 minutes with the head attachments and up to 7 minutes on max power mode). The recharge takes about 5 hours on the wall-mounted dock, which is used to mainly store the machine and most of its accessories. The motorized heads, however, have to be stored elsewhere, which can be a bother if storage space is an issue. While the battery has greatly improved, this comes with a recharge time that is significantly longer than the older models, and it is slightly larger and heavier as well.
The company has claimed that the V8’s motor makes it the most powerful lightweight vacuum in the market. It does a great job at picking up fine dust and larger debris on most surfaces with its cleaning heads and attachments. It also transforms into a handheld, which makes it a versatile tool for cleaning above floors like ceilings, window sills, and more.
The direct-drive cleaning head has nylon bristles designed for deep-cleaning carpets, although it can be a little harsh for bare and hardwood floors, for which the soft roller should be used. Both cleaner heads have bristles close to the edge that, when combined with strong suction, can easily clean along skirt boards and edges.
For stubborn dirt, dust or pet hair, the max power mode comes in handy, but the extra suction power wears down the battery to just seven minutes of cleaning. The great thing about the V8 Absolute is that the battery meter lets the user know how much juice the machine has left before needing recharge.
As a stick vacuum, the V8 Absolute is easily maneuverable and with its low profile design, it is more than capable of sliding under furniture without moving them. Several attachments including the mini-motorized tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, and combi tool are great for stairs, crevices, and generally hard-to-reach areas. The beauty of this stick vacuum is that the attachments can be used for both the handheld mode and the extension tube.
The vacuum uses the company’s signature whole machine filtration with 2-tier radial cyclones to increase airflow and the HEPA filter allows it to filter finer particles. Manually getting rid of collected dirt and debris comes with the territory of bagless machines, but the V8 Absolute’s hygienic dust ejector makes the messy task easier. When the dirt cup is full, make sure to stand over the garbage can and press the switch.
With an efficient machine that is capable of all-around cleaning, the downside is that it is expensive. The cost is justified by having premium features and accounts for the huge time it saves when it comes to cleaning. If efficiency and convenience are the things you need in a lightweight vacuum cleaner, then get the V8 Absolute by all means. Those who want to save money but still want a Dyson are recommended to get the older models whose prices have significantly lowered since the release of the V8.
Canister | Corded – 15 ft. | Bagless | High-Efficiency Washable Filter | 10 lbs. | Good Suction
Affordable lightweight canister vacuum perfect for smaller houses and apartments. The Bissell Zing 6489 comes with a low-ground hose vacuum that makes stairs, hard-to-reach areas, and multi-surface floors easy to clean
Pros
- Compact, lightweight, user-friendly
- Low profile makes it easy to get under furniture
- Long extension hose with multiple attachments
- Height adjustment
- Affordable
Cons
- Short cord
- No HEPA filter
- No rotating brush
- Can’t deep clean thicker carpets
Features
- Cyclonic cleaning system
- Brush roll on/off switches
- Multi-surface cleaning
- Automatic cord rewinder
- Airflow regulator
- Washable & reusable filters
- 1 year limited warranty
The Bissell Zing 6489 is one of the most affordable lightweight vacuum cleaners out in the market today. The cyclonic cleaning system that allows it to power through multi-surface cleaning and its three-stage filtration feature lets dirt and debris go through different filters before going to the transparent dirt cup. The filters are both washable and reusable, which is a big plus for those who may find buying bags a hassle or too expensive.
The most highlighted feature of this machine is its price. While cheap, it does a good job of vacuuming many kinds of surfaces which can easily be achieved with the brush switch located on the floor nozzle along with the air flow regulator located on the handle. Note that it doesn’t have a rotating brush roll, which makes this vacuum more suitable for hardwood floors, tiles, and low pile carpets but not for thicker rugs and high pile carpets.
The machine comes with a long extension wand, crevice tool, and dusting brush attachments that make it convenient for cleaning stairs, blinds, vents, window sills and more. In fact, people love this vacuum to clean their car. Its portability and weight make it easy for anyone to carry it around. The machine also comes with an automatic cord rewind so there’s less cleaning up after cleaning up, but one thing to note is that the vacuum has a relatively short cord.
Maintenance of the machine is straightforward. The dustbin comes with one push of a button, the attachments are easily used and removed, and detangling is easy because it has only one strip of brush bristles. If you need a lightweight canister vac with decent suction on a budget, this is it!
Buyers Guide
What to know about lightweight vacuums?
First of all, lightweight vacuum cleaners should be what they are advertised to be: lightweight. Most vacuums weigh an average of 25 pounds and can take up space of about three feet. These dimensions can make for a hassle to lug around the house, particularly for physically-challenged individuals. Storing it can also be a problem especially in smaller households.
As a result, lightweight vacuum cleaners were produced. There is no standard set weight for the lightweight vacuum category, but as a general rule a machine is considered lightweight when it can be easily carried and weighs no more than 15 to 18 pounds. Lightweight vacuum cleaners also tend to be smaller. Most of them are compact and portable to carry up and down the stairs, around the house or apartment, and even to the car. Carrying a huge weight around should not be an added burden on top of cleaning. Those with back problems, other health issues, and the elderly will certainly benefit from using these lightweight devices.
Based on the vacuums in this article, you can see that lightweight vacuum cleaners come in all types: upright vacuums, stick vacuums, and canister vacuums. Uprights tend to be more powerful and are great for all types of flooring. Cordless stick vacuums tend to be more lightweight and are agile enough for both multi-surface and above the floor cleaning. Canister vacs are a great lightweight option for households with no stairs as you only need to hold the hose when cleaning, which are usually very lightweight. Handheld and robotic vacuums are other lightweight options for you to consider.
Like many things, lightweight vacuums out in the market either tend to either be affordable and adequate or powerful, light, and expensive. In general, vacuums that are both lightweight and powerful tend to be expensive.
What to know about lightweight vacuums?
Most people find cleaning in general to be a drag. The invention of vacuum machines serve to make this task less dull, but using lightweight ones certainly makes the job even easier without the added burden of lugging heavy machinery around.
Lightweight vacuum cleaners are especially useful for individuals who are mobility-challenged like the elderly or those with health issues. It’s already hard enough to have limited movement, there’s no need to settle for heavy, clunky machines when there are lightweight alternatives to make cleaning tasks easier.
Improperly lifting and carrying heavy objects can strain the back and can be dangerous even if you’re in perfect health. Lightweight vacs are designed to be mobile so they come with features that make transport up the stairs and around the house more convenient.
Furthermore, lightweight vacuums tend to be child-friendly. Sometimes, there are a lot of things to do around the house and kids, being kids, are inclined to have accidents or make messes. Cleanliness is a virtue and what better way to instill this habit than have them use light machines to clean up after themselves? It’s one less chore for you, and children may find this task of helping out fun too.