The 10 Best Vacuums for Small Spaces

When it comes to pretty much all home appliances, apartment dwellers must be very selective with the items they own and store. If you live in a small-to-medium-sized home, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Chances are you don’t have the same storage real estate that a larger house or garage does. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones blessed with a little more closet space, let’s be honest, you’re using that for kettlebells and foam rollers, not boring plug-in gadgets. On the bright side, it also means you have a much smaller space to clean (hey, take all the bragging rights you can get). Even so, it can be tricky to find appropriately-sized vacuums that will be able to clean and store in smaller spaces.

When it comes to sucking dirt, dust, dander and pet hair out of every crevice, you don’t want to skimp out on power when selecting the best vacuum for your small apartment. After all, it’s your everyday living and breathing space we’re talking about here. Plus, you’re probably spending more time at home now than ever before, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lucky for you, the latest and greated tech of 2021 has made powerful home gadgets available in more compact sizes.

Ahead, we round up the 10 best vacuum cleaners for small apartments or tiny living spaces at every price point. Handheld vacuums, robot vacuums, stick vacuums—we cover it all, along with what to consider before you buy a vacuum for your small apartment and how to choose the best cleaner to meet your needs. Even if you don’t think you’re in the market for a new vacuum, the knowledge we’re about to drop is good to keep in mind as you continue to #adult. And hey, it might just inspire you to get rid of the old dust buster and take the plunge by purchasing a more efficient vacuum that doesn't sacrifice power for its small size.

Hoovr

walmart.com

$139.99

BUY IT HERE

Stick Vacuums are great for quick messes at dinner, tidying up from hair shedding and more. They don’t typically give the top-of-the-line, Mrs. Doubtfire spring-cleaning results like an upright vacuum does (unless you opt for a high-end option), but they do the trick for when you need something quick and handy. This one from Hoover LiNX has a low profile, minimal design for efficient cleaning. It covers both carpets and hard wood floors with a three suction channel making it one of the best (and most affordable) stick vacuums on the market.

Roborock

walmart.com

$449.99

BUY IT HERE

Folks with allergies should look for a 5-stage HEPA air purification system, and that’s exactly what this one has. With an immensely powerful suction, yet quiet motor, you can draw particles from deep in carpets, beds and car upholstery. It only weighs 3 pounds and easily detaches to transport and store in small spaces. This stick vacuum will work wonders in your small space.

Dyson

amazon.com

$599.99

BUY IT HERE

There’s no vacuum quite like a Dyson. The V11 Torque is the brand’s most intelligent, powerful cordless stick vac to date. It works wonders in picking up stubborn pet hair, allergens and more. With 60 hours of cordless run time, the advanced smart machine optimizes suction and purification preferences at first touch. It’s minimal in design and light and weight, making it easy to store in tiny spaces.

iRobot

amazon.com

$199.99

BUY IT HERE

Robot vacuums are all the rage right now. Who would’ve ever thought you can give your entire home a deep clean without having to lift a finger in this lifetime? The iRobot Roomba is the best tried and true value robot vacuum. You can schedule a “daily dirt cleanup” by speaking to it through its Alexa capabilities. The 3-stage system loosens, lifts and suctions all the unwanted particles tracked into your apartment. This price point is perfect for spaces 1,000 square feet or less. It will get to know your space quite quickly.

eufy

amazon.com

$179.99

BUY IT HERE

An affordable robot vacuum that does the trick in smaller spaces is the BoostIQ from eufy by Anker. This one is especially great for storage because of the ultra slim design. The operation is quiet with a consistent powerful suction no louder than a microwave. It’s a remote-controlled device that knows exactly where to clean on multiple surfaces while notably avoiding collisions.

ECOVACS

amazon.com

$199.99

BUY IT HERE

ECOVACS is another household name is the robotic vacuum space. This one comes complete with both Alexa and Google assistant voice commands, 110 minutes of run time and a plethora of features to clean up just about any mess. It brushes, sweeps, lifts and vacuums your floors on auto mode and can really focus on deep clean, focused treatments in spot mode to name a few.

BISSELL

$129.99

BUY IT HERE

A moderately priced option with over 4,000 near-perfect reviews on Amazon is the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus. While it appears to be clunkier than the rest, it’s pretty compact when it comes to upright vacuums with a ton of added features. With an extended reach tool for hard-to-reach surfaces and a 2-in-1 pet dusting brush, no particle will be left behind.

Shark

amazon.com

$299.99

BUY IT HERE

Shark’s latest patented Powerfins captures excessive hair without the tangled mess. It’s a continuous cleaning method that digs deeper than any of their previous models. It’s a bit bigger in size, but lighter in weight, and can be used many different ways with the lift-way detachable pod. It’s complete with an anti-allergen seal and HEPA filter to trap 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner.

Bissell

amazon.com

$29.99

BUY IT HERE

This small-but-mighty under $50 option is a solid, highly reviewed choice if you don’t have the budget for an expensive techy vacuum cleaner. It can be used as both a stick and a hand vacuum cleaner for quick and easy cleanups. It doesn’t have any fancy features or to notch suction, but it’s well worth this inexpensive price point.

+

amazon.com

$90.52

BUY IT HERE

If you’re extra tight on space, you might want to consider a handheld vacuum. At one point in time these were known to be the weakest form of suction, but they have come a long way. This top-rated one from Black+Decker has a pivot, brush and crevice tool to reach deep and difficult crevices with a super powerful suction. The pivoting nozzle leaves no mess behind while filtering dust and debris.