HANDHELD VACUUMS

Size doesn’t always matter – sometimes a handheld vacuum is all you need. We tested 10 to find you the very best…

WINNER Dyson V7 Trigger Handheld Vacuum Cleaner currys.co.uk; £199 90/100

Capacity: 0.54L; weight: 1.7kg; run time: 30 mins; recharging time: 3.5 hrs With two power modes, this sturdy, if a tad heavy, vac has an easy-to-empty dust canister and impresses across all floor types. Pet hair poses no problem and its mini motorised tool makes light work of ground-in dirt. A reliable all-rounder.

RUNNER-UP Black + Decker Dustbuster Flexi PD1020LP-GB Handheld Vacuum Cleaner currys.co.uk; £79.99 88/100

Capacity: 0.5L; weight: 1.4kg; run time: 10 mins; recharging time: 4 hrs Vacuuming is a breeze with the extensions hose and pet tool on this relatively affordable model. Its 10-min battery life isn’t quite enough to clean a whole car, but it’s a master of all surfaces.

BUDGET BUY Bush Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner VHW01B17W argos.co.uk; £29.99 82/100

Capacity: 0.5L; weight: 1.4kg; run time: 15 mins; recharging time: 5 hrs This model ran for five minutes more than advertised, successfully picking up debris from every surface. Pet fur was a struggle, but this shone for car cleaning. Comfortable to use, but testers would like a longer crevice nozzle.

✶ HOW WE TESTED We tested 10 handheld vacuum cleaners, trying each one on both long- and short-piled carpet, laminate and floorboards. We covered each surface with a set volume of dust and weighed how much each vacuum collected. We also assessed pet hair and crumb pick-up, battery running time and how well each cleaned car interiors.