Best Car Vacuums for 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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We tried out 13 of the best car vacuums on the planet to find the best. From handheld portables to powerful shop vacs, here's what we found.

This article was updated with new information in October 2024.

Whether you're on a Sunday-morning cleaning frenzy or returning from a cross-country road trip, it always seems like your vehicle could use a quick vacuuming. There might be pesky blades of grass in the footwells or leftover Goldfish under a seat—no matter what the debris is, it's gotta go. The problem is, a clumsy oversized shop vac might not be able to reach it, and you can forget about trying to squeeze your home vacuum in there. Thankfully, we have found some solutions.

Car vacuums are designed to reach those nooks and crannies of a vehicle's interior, but which one is the best? We collected 13 of the top car vacuums on the market for a battle of the ages. We evaluated each vacuum on metrics including suction power, battery life, ease of disposal, noise readings, and, of course, how well they remove various types of debris from the floor. Here are the results.

Car vaccums are usually lighter and more compact than a standard vacuum, so it's wise to decide which one works for you before you make an investment. To tackle Cheerios and beach sand, they come with a few attachments that allow you to get in the toughest spots. Once all the chunks are sucked up, disposing of the dirt is typically much easier than with larger vacuums. Here's everything you need to know before you buy a car vacuum.

We set out to answer this question by pitting a few auto-oriented vacuum cleaners against some typical household models, and we also included a few garage/shop-centric vacuums. Bottom line: Whichever one works best for you, that's the best car vacuum you can buy.

For example, we gave our Best Overall award to a typical Black+Decker Dustbuster, mainly because of its versatility around the car, home, and garage. Meanwhile, in our testing the best-selling and top-rated "car vacuum cleaner" on Amazon truly sucked; that is, it only plugs into a 12-volt cigarette-lighter port, it doesn't work unless the engine is running, and it could barely vacuum up anything beyond some surface grains of sand. Get the car vac that best suits your needs, even if it isn't labeled specifically as being for vehicle cleaning.

When it comes to car vacuums, size does not matter—in terms of performance. We tested tiny, handheld models that demonstrated impressive and competitive suction power, not just for their size but relative to the larger vacuums we tested. We also evaluated a few bulkier models that weren't as effective at vehicle cleaning as smaller, more nimble vacuums.

As for versatility and usefulness, yes—size matters, but not in the way you might think. Even if a larger vacuum cleaner has more suction power than handheld models, it's probably more difficult to move around the car or to get into the nooks and crannies of your vehicle's cabin. Strive to find a car vacuum that's lightweight and maneuverable enough to get behind and between your seats—and anywhere else you might need to suck up dirt.

It's a good idea to find a vacuum cleaner that has a variety of attachments; most importantly, a crevice tool, but also a brush for things like A/C vents, cupholders, door nooks, and other tough-to-reach places. If using a household vacuum, look for one that lets you remove the end tip completely, so you're able to get maximum suction straight from the hose when you need it. Versatility is key for thorough cleaning.

Corded vacuums will provide long-lasting power but can inhibit mobility in and around the vehicle. Moreover, some corded car vacuums use the vehicle's 12-volt power port, meaning they will only operate with the engine running.

We found that cordless vacuums work best for cars. They usually have enough battery life and are easily maneuverable. If you buy one from a brand-name tool company like Ryobi, Milwaukee, or DeWalt, double-check that you have the correct battery pack and charger.

We wanted to test these car vacuums as thoroughly as we could, so we organized a gauntlet for them. We used six metrics to determine the best:

We quickly discovered that it wasn't necessarily the suction power that was important in a car vacuum. Rather, the size of the mouth opening was the real key to coming away with a clean floor mat. Cars, particularly for families, can accumulate a variety of dirt and debris, and every small-mouthed crevice tool simply got clogged up by bigger chunks—usually (parents, take note!) by Cheerios.

We lined up five different contaminants: fine sand, Cheerios (of course), crushed Cheez-Its, potting soil, and pet hair. Then, in an effort to keep the test uniform and fair, we equipped each vacuum with a crevice attachment—whether built-in or included separately. Because it's the most popular attachment to use when vacuuming your vehicle, we believed it made sense to test the vacuums with it exclusively. Also, some of the smaller vacuums come out of the box with small mouth openings, so to test them against those with larger mouths wouldn't have been fair.

It should be noted, then, when looking at the photo results of the floor-mat tests, that many vacuums came with attachments that would have easily handled the larger chunks. While small crevice-tool openings produced higher suction readings, they really struggled against larger debris.

So if you seriously want to cut down on time and effort when it comes to vacuuming your ride, it's time to pony up some cash for a car vacuum. Some messes demand a more powerful machine, while for others, a compact unit will suffice. Either way, it's better than lugging the vacuum cleaner out of your hall closet.

Surprised? So were we. But there's no doubt—this is the best car vacuum we tested. While it lacked gold-star status in the suction and battery-life test, the trusty Black+Decker Dustbuster reigned supreme in our real-life floor-mat test. Black+Decker's renowned portable vacuum features a large mouth that had zero issues cleaning up all five of our test contaminants—just the sort of mess that's often found on a car floorboard. The opening was wide enough to avoid clogs and the collection chamber handled it all with ease. Dumping it is a breeze, too—without leaving anything stuck around the filter. We also liked the design of the stand-up charging base.

That said, it's not perfect. The battery life is low compared to the other contenders, so you'll have to hustle if you want to vacuum your entire interior. The Dustbuster is also on the loud side, with a high-pitched whistle that might make your dog squirm.

Despite those drawbacks, we chose the Dustbuster as our Best Overall Car Vacuum for its successful blend of price, performance, and household versatility.

Despite its relatively short battery life and high-pitched whine, the trusty Dustbuster really aced our floor-mat test. It's great for around the house. And the price is right.

Black+Decker performed well in our tests, as shown by its occupation of the top two spots. Again, the wide-mouthed crevice opening did very well against our five contaminants, but the most attractive feature is the pivot function, hence the name.

The long crevice opening, paired with up to 200 degrees of pivot angle, allows the Black+Decker Pivot to get into typically unaccessible places. Battery life is so-so, coming in at just around 11 minutes, and the noise level is pretty average.

Our one knock on the Pivot comes when dumping the dust. Due to its design, the small intake channel gets clogged with large particles quite easily as they try to get around the filter. Be prepared to empty it a few times if you're tackling big chunks.

Aside from that, the Pivot does an excellent job cleaning cars quickly, and the pivoting function offers unique angles.

The Pivot worked well—until it inevitably became clogged. We like the clever design and extendable crevice tool, though.

You'll feel like Rambo throwing this bad boy over your shoulder, but by golly it does the job. Resembling some sort of jet engine activated by a chunky, old-school toggle switch, the MetroVac Vac N Blo Compact Wall Mount is a true beast.

While it's meant to be mounted onto your garage's wall, this vacuum comes with a handy shoulder strap that we prefer. (Make sure you don't bonk it into the vehicle as you work.) The vacuum comes with a plethora of attachments, but we used the crevice tool for our floor-mat test—where it underachieved against the big pieces.

When it comes to power, the Vac N Blo scored highly while somehow keeping the noise levels lower than most of the handheld vacuums. However, the 10-pound weight does get heavy, and emptying the filter is a chore—we had to manually remove it and shake the pieces out, which proved to be an endeavor on its own.

If you're not playing around and need to clean your car with power, look no further.

The Vac N Blo is ideal for vacuuming van/RV interiors and truck beds. It's bigger and heavier than most, but the blow-drying function is a feature you don't get from most handheld vacs.

If you're looking for a car vacuum cleaner without any frills at a rock-bottom price, the Temola vacuum cleaner is our pick. Weighing in at just under a pound, this lightweight vacuum is perfect for navigating the crevices of your car.

The battery life is fantastic, with the Temola lasting longer than many of the higher-end brands on this list. Even dumping the dirt is a simple one-button press away. You'll be grateful for that, as the vacuum does fill up fast.

The cons rear their head eventually, revealing a build made entirely of cheap plastic. Even the attachments, a crevice and brush head, aren't great. But honestly, for the price, this thing rocks. Don't expect anything fancy, but the Temola does the job.

The cheap yet excellent Temola car vacuum cleaner boasts lightness and a friendly price, though the housing fills up quickly and the mouth struggles against big chunks.

The Dyson V8 gets brownie points for also being usable in the home; only needing one vacuum to clean everything is a plus in our book. While there are plenty of bright spots—it's quiet, emptying the waste is a breeze, swapping attachments is simple—it underwhelms as a standalone car vacuum.

The battery life is the big negative on the V8. It's equipped with two different power levels, and max power lasted just under eight minutes in our test. Shocked, we charged the battery again for 24 hours, and once again, it lasted the same amount of time. This is a problem, as the weaker, longer-lasting power isn't sufficient enough to get most sand and dirt out of carpeted floor mats when used with the crevice tool—let alone vacuum more than a room or two in the home.

Speaking of crevice tools, the V8's is criminally small and really struggled against large pieces. For a home/car vacuum, it works—but we wouldn't recommend dropping this kind of cash to use it strictly for your vehicle.

Despite its unique design and around-home functionality, when it comes to cleaning up floorboards the Dyson V8 doesn't quite live up to the hype surrounding the brand.

Milwaukee really makes everything these days, so we had to try the Milwaukee M18 Cordless Vacuum. Right off the bat, you're looking at the winner of our battery-life test—the M18 RedLithium XC5.0 beating all of the contenders with a healthy 23-minute, 24-second time.

The collection chamber is nice and large, and emptying it is simple. The vacuum doesn't produce that much noise either—but all of the excess air blows out from the top, so expect a warm breeze as you use it.

The crevice attachment is sadly skinny, and it struggled against Cheerios and Cheez-Its, as seen in the photo below. Weighing in at nearly six pounds, it does get the forearms burning after extended use.The other knock is you'll need Milwaukee's proprietary M18 battery and charger, sold separately. But if you already have other Milwaukee M18 tools, the battery works with this vacuum like a charm. For a long cleaning session, this is the way to go.

If you're already a Milwaukee acolyte, you're good to go. If not, you'll need to purchase an M18 battery and charger separately. The same holds true with all rechargeable tool systems—components sold a la carte usually don't include a battery or charger.

The DeWalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Vacuum competed nicely with the Milwaukee vac, but the yellow machine was edged out in certain areas. Notably, battery life from the 20V Max XR Lithium Ion was not as impressive as the Milwaukee M18's, but it was still good enough for a comfortable second in our testing.

The DeWalt's crevice tool also struggled against large chunks, and emptying the vac was a tad trickier. However, the DeWalt is lighter, and more of the weight is over the middle of the machine—which helped with wrist fatigue.

Our verdict? Get whichever machine you already have batteries for—the DeWalt and the Milwaukee are similar enough in price and performance. Even companies like Bosch, Makita, and Ryobi offer handheld vacuums along with the power tools in their respective proprietary rechargeable-battery lines, and most offer optional power packs that increase run time even further. These rechargeable-battery systems really work—but they only make sense if you go all-in on one brand.

If you already own a system of cordless rechargeable Li-ion hand/power tools, then that's the brand you should go with when buying a car vacuum. They generally outperform household handheld vacs but require a proprietary battery and charger, sold separately.

Most of us aren't professional car cleaners or shop owners. But if you are, it might be time to upgrade to the Bissell Garage Pro. This wall-mounted wet/dry vacuum/blower isn't portable in the slightest but makes up for it with supreme power and a 32-foot-long hose.

Once the Garage Pro is mounted, the professional-grade features become available. The hose is more than long enough to wrap around a vehicle and comes with tons of attachments. The dirt tank is simple to empty, and a nice protective cover over the power button is designed to keep it clean.

It's the loudest vacuum of the bunch, but that's expected because of the fantastic suction power. It sucked up just about everything with the crevice tool, leaving behind only a few stray chunks.

The Garage Pro won't be for everyone, but it's a great investment for professional detailers, shop owners, or someone who cleans cars frequently.

If you've been thinking about a wall-mounted wet/dry vacuum/blower for your garage or shop, the Garage Pro is a solid investment.

Alongside many other top-name cordless-tool brands comes Ryobi's entry into the car vacuum space. The design is a bit different from its competitors, aiming for a slim-style design where maneuverability duels with a small collection chamber.

Like with many of these cordless-tool brands, we recommend sticking with whatever ecosystem you're invested in—no need to own different batteries and chargers for everything. For the Ryobi, we liked the battery life, ease of use, and overall look of the tool. It comes with a crevice and brush attachment, which are connected via an adapter to the vacuum nozzle.

Once the clear collection chamber is full, it's a challenge to dump. Removing the flush-set filter housing requires some good fingernails or a flathead, and the one-way reassembly process took us a minute to figure out. Dirt and chunks get stuck around the nozzle, leading us to question why there's even space around it. If you're in the Ryobi ecosystem, it's not a bad option—if not, there are better car vacuums out there.

Even with excellent battery life and a sleek look, the Ryobi falls a bit short thanks to a tricky dumping process and a frustrating design for its dirt-collection chamber.

The Shark WandVac is another lightweight wand vacuum with a sexy, sleek design that excelled with small messes but struggled against anything beyond that. The battery life is quite poor, but the noise is tolerable. The vacuum's mouth opening just isn't designed to handle Cheerios or any other modestly sized objects that may end up on your floorboard. It's great for home or office, but not so much for the car.

One note we had is that small bits of dirt and other debris sprinkled out the bottom when we powered off the vacuum. This seemed to be due to some sort of issue with the seal around the dirt-chamber-release door on the bottom. It is possible that we received a faulty unit. Again, it's usable for small touch-up messes on your dashboard or seats but not much else in a vehicle.

The WandVac couldn't pick up Cheez-Its, Cheerios, or even potting soil. It did well with the sand and pet hair, though.

Collin Morgan is a Commerce Editor at Hearst Autos, where the former Rust Belt mechanic and gadget enthusiast presents the best gear for your automotive endeavors.

Jon Langston is an avid motorcyclist and gear collector whose work has appeared in Men’s Journal, Cycle World, The Drive, Rider, Iron & Air, Motorcyclist, and more.

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