A cordless vacuum is a vacuum that uses rechargeable batteries rather than being plugged directly into a power socket. This allows for total freedom of movement when cleaning, as you dont have to worry about tripping over wires or ensuring you have access to a plug. A cordless vacuum is typically lighter and more compact than their corded counterparts, making them easy to store away when not in use. This also means that you can often use a cordless vacuum to access difficult-to-reach areas, with many cordless vacuums converting easily to handheld modes for cleaning surfaces such as sofas, stairs or the inside of your car.

When cordless vacuum cleaners first came out, they werent very good: they had a low run time and poor suction. These days, you can get suction around two-thirds as strong as a corded device and battery life of up to an hour. However, the biggest benefit is convenience a cordless vacuum cleaner allows you to clean little and often, rather than doing one weekly deep clean, and to easily spot-clean dust or spillages without the faff of dust bags and cables.

Theres quite a big variance in battery life. While some last under 10 minutes on the maximum setting, others go for much longer. The Dyson Gen5 Detect, for example, will function for just over an hour on the lowest setting. For what its worth, the lowest setting on the best cordless vacuums is often perfectly adequate. During our tests, we seldom needed to use the max setting. Charging the batteries is straightforward. You can plug the charger in wherever you like, but you can also connect it to a wall mount (which has to be attached to your wall, and will become your charging station). Youll also get indicator lights on the handheld section of the machine to tell you how long youve got left. Unless you have a huge home which you want to clean in one go, the models we tried have enough battery life for most vacuuming jobs.