Best Vacuum Cleaner for a Car

This canister vacuum is a little unusual in comparison to our other picks. While you may initially notice the sharp increase in product cost, you may also be surprised (or elated) to know that this vacuum cleaner uses bags to operate. The Miele Compact C2 ignores modern tendencies toward bagless vacuum cleaners and uses HEPA filtration to deep clean your home.

Its canister, which weighs in at nearly 20 pounds, can easily be set aside as you extend the hose and use its many attachments to clean upholstery and carpet. The included Electro Plus floorhead will deep clean your car’s carpets better than any other product on our list. Otherwise, homeowners (and car owners) can make use of the dusting brush, upholstery tool and crevice nozzle along with a 7-foot hose to clean your car better than the local car wash ever could.

Miele protects their customer’s investments with a generous warranty that lasts up to 7 years for certain parts, so there’s little to fear if questioning quality. We also think the Miele Compact C2 is one of the Best Canister Vacuums in the market today, so if you’re interested in checking out the Miele (or its competition), head over to our article on canister vacuums.

When it comes to your car, however, the Miele has more than enough reach and suction power to do its job. If your home needs a new vacuum and you’re looking for features to eliminate the need for a handheld, you can either start with the Miele or check out some of our other picks in our Best Canister Vacuum cleaner article.

Dyson products are known for polarizing public perception as some balk at their high cost while others praise the powerful suction of Dyson models. The Dyson V7 Trigger surprisingly subverts expectations and proves to be one of the best products in the current Dyson lineup.

The Dyson V7 Trigger is Dyson’s current handheld option, which—as the name may imply—only runs when the device’s trigger is pulled. At under four pounds, this vacuum is about as light as possible without sacrificing power. Handheld vacuums are also known for skipping motorized tools in the interest of suction power, but Dyson wasn’t afraid to come up with a proprietary solution to that common problem.

Instead of utilizing a brush roll to stir up dirt in carpeting, Dyson uses a Mini-Motorized Tool that spins a smaller, bristle-free roller that does an excellent job while also saving power. This savings is important, it seems, since the V7 Trigger seems to struggle on managing its stated 30 minute battery life.

While a half-hour of intensive cleaning should be more than enough time to clean out larger cars, the V7 Trigger is often reported to quit quite a bit before 30 minutes have passed. The lack of hose is also a separate issue, since cleaning under seats and around doors will require more careful maneuvering of the motor and bin. However, the crevice tool extends enough to eliminate the worst of the issue.

Turning the machine on and off with the pull of a trigger is a handy design choice, but doing so has been reported by multiple users to make the operation of this vacuum uncomfortable and even painful. In some regard, the spotty battery life is a good reminder to vacuum quickly to save your hands.

Quirks aside, there’s no knocking the Dyson’s power. While this vacuum costs more than other handhelds, it’s surprisingly affordable enough to lure in many that would otherwise never consider the brand. We think the Dyson V7 Trigger is a great tool for upholstery and pet hair. Without the need for outlets and cords, you won’t find a product as powerful and as portable as this one.

If you like the idea of a handheld vacuum cleaner for the car but want to see other options, check out our Best Handheld Vacuum cleaner article.

While we mentioned earlier that canister and handheld vacuums are often the best for cleaning cars, Armor All has made a product that’s not quite a handheld but not entirely a wet/dry vacuum either. The Armor All Utility wet/dry vacuum cleaner is a small, 2 horsepower shop vacuum that seems especially made for cars. In case you aren’t familiar, wet/dry vacuums or shop vacuums are designed to either use filters and bags for dirt and grime, or switch to a simple tank to pick up wet messes without causing damage to the device.

With a 2.5 gallon tank, practically any spill in the car can be quickly sucked up by Armor Alls Utility vacuum cleaner. This product also comes with a host of attachments that can make cleaning up a breeze. These include a 2-in-1 utility nozzle, deluxe car nozzle, crevice tool, blower nozzle, and even a detail brush. Other products on this list fail to feature so many different tools for the car, even when they can run significantly higher in price.

Wet/dry vacuums are only as strong as their motors, so unfortunately a 2 horsepower motor is going to struggle with deep messes. There also isn’t any motorized tool to agitate carpet fibers to get a deep clean, so anyone with an all upholstery interior might be justifiably hesitant.

The deluxe car nozzle and auto-shut off feature are both helpful in their simplicity, but with the cord only extending 10 feet, most people are going to need to pull out the extension cord or utilize a car inverter to get this vacuum up and running. The Armor All Utility vacuum, despite the flaws, is still the most affordable car-centric vacuum on our list, and is our Budget Choice.

A 6 foot hose also means that you won’t be moving the main unit all that much as you effortlessly get into those hard-to-reach places. We think that if you don’t mind a bit of extra work with the extension hose and own a car with leather upholstery, this model is a valuable asset that could even be kept in the trunk in case of emergencies.

If you like the idea of a wet/dry vacuum but need a product with a bigger capacity or higher horsepower, be sure to check out our Best Wet/dry Vacuum cleaner article.

Back and Decker tends to stick more to power tools and lawn care than vacuum cleaners, but their car-focused variation of the handheld vacuum cleaner is more than worthy of the brand name.

The Black and Decker 12V Flexi Automotive vacuum cleaner is the only vacuum cleaner on our list with a 12V car adaptor. Black and Decker’s focus in this model is on portability, so this adaptor is the only way to operate this product. There’s also only one tool that comes with this product: the combination crevice and brush tool. The hose itself is only a measly 4 feet, but when combined with the 16-foot cord, you won’t need to worry too much about reach. That singular tool is also indicative of the nature of this specific product, because to make a handheld car vacuum cleaner at such an affordable price means a few corners need to be cut.

The lack of a motorized tool and the reduced suction power are two major problems, especially given the fact that this vacuum is supposed to be for all cars. Similarly, the method of debris disposal is confusing at best. A side door is designed to open up, forcing users to carry the entire vacuum with them and shake it sideways over a trash can.

However, a 2-year warranty should keep you covered from manufacturer’s mistakes, so the low cost becomes less of a worry. It is also a huge bonus for many looking for vacuum cleaner specifically for their car to utilize just one tool and a 12V adaptor. Where some see detriments, others would see simplicity.

Overall, the Black and Decker Flexi Automotive vacuum cleaner makes no apologies about what it is or about what it can and cannot do. If your car is light on upholstery and needs a vacuum with it at all times, this product is a clear winner.