The 9 Best Car Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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Out of the 36 car vacuums we evaluated, these are our favorites.
Fact checked by Emily Estep
Car vacuums are convenient cleaning tools that can help you pick up car messes quickly and effectively, all while saving you money at the car wash.
“Irrespective of the frequency of use, [you] should look for a vacuum that has a removable and washable filter,” says Joe Pallero, owner and founder of NYC Mobile Auto Detailing. “This is directly linked with suction power, as both complement each other. The filter would not only enhance the life of the vacuum, but also its efficiency.”
To find the best car vacuums, we tested 36 different models in real-world conditions and in our Lab. We assessed each based on effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, setup, and value. We also consulted Pallero, as well as Igor Pomishchyk, owner of Ecostates Elite Car Detailing, for expert insights into choosing a car vacuum.
Best Overall Car Vacuum: Baseus A2 Pro Car Vacuum Cleaner
What Stands Out
It’s super compact and has a 2-in-1 nozzle for hard-to-reach areas.
What Could Be Improved
The canister is small and needs to be emptied often.
For a top-quality car vacuum that will clean your vehicle thoroughly and efficiently, we recommend this great option from Baseus. The vacuum offers high-powered suction in a small and lightweight build, and when we tested it, we were pleased to discover that it performed well on every type of debris and surface.
Setting up the vacuum is quick and easy; it just needs to charge for 3.5 hours, then it’s good to go. It can run for 30 minutes on one charge, which is more than enough time to clean even a large car, and it comes with a handy two-in-one nozzle to get into hard-to-reach areas. And because it’s so compact, you can store it under the seat when it’s not in use. It’s also super comfortable to hold and quiet enough to hear a conversation or listen to music as it operates.
We also like how easy it is to empty this vacuum’s dustbin and that it has a HEPA filter to trap particles. Price-wise, it’s a great value, as well. The only downside we found is that you may need to empty the bin a few times when cleaning a bigger car, as the canister isn’t the biggest.
Price at time of publish: $60
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: 120 milliliters | Weight: 1.2 pounds | Charge Type: USB-C charging cable
Best Budget Car Vacuum: ArmorAll Armor All-12V Wet/Dry Car Vac (AA12V10901)
What Stands Out
It has multiple helpful attachments and an LED light.
What Could Be Improved
It’s not great at picking up pet hair.
If you want to keep costs low, opt for this corded car vacuum from ArmorAll, which is especially great on leather seats and trunks and has several helpful tools to make cleaning even easier.
During testing, we loved that this vacuum was immediately ready to use (no set-up required) and that it’s both lightweight and easy to hold. It runs off your car’s 12V charging port and comes with a long 15-foot power card, although it might struggle to reach the farthest areas of your trunk. The vacuum also has its own storage bin and multiple attachments including a crevice tool, bristle, and squeegee. All the tools are helpful while cleaning, although the bristles are a bit too coarse for vents, and the squeegee tool isn’t long enough to get into deep areas like cup holders.
It’s also worth noting that this vacuum isn’t ideal for picking up pet hair from carpets. Still, this vacuum is easy to empty, fairly quiet, and even has a handy LED light to help you see as you clean.
Price at time of publish: $23
Type: Corded | Canister Size: 9.5 liters | Weight: 2.2 pounds | Charge Type: 12V port
Best Car Vacuum With Attachments: Black+Decker Flex Cordless Handheld Vacuum
What Stands Out
The powerful suction remains consistent throughout cleaning.
What Could Be Improved
The vacuum only runs for eight minutes on a charge.
This vacuum is a steal for its weight, size, and suction power. The Black+Decker 20V Max Flex Handheld Vacuum is handheld and cordless, weighing about 5 pounds. Even though it’s a little heavier than the other car vacuums we tested, it still feels lightweight—we could hold the main mechanism in one hand and an attachment in the other without hassle. The 4-foot hose is lengthy enough to get into the nooks and crannies of the car and remove debris successfully. And regardless of where the vacuum went in the car, the suction didn’t falter.
This vacuum has helpful attachments, including a nozzle that converts into a flip-up brush, a crevice tool, and a pet hairbrush. It also has a three-stage filtration system, a washable filter, and a hefty 17-ounce canister. With all its perks, we were disappointed to discover that it only lasts about eight minutes on a single charge, especially considering it needs four hours to fuel up. Despite this, it’s a fantastic product that’s powerful, portable, and effective.
Price at time of publish: $125
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: 17 ounces | Weight: 5 pounds | Battery Type: Lithium ion
Related: The 8 Best Cordless Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Compact Car Vacuum: Black+Decker 20V Max* Handheld Vacuum
What Stands Out
It folds in half during charging and storage.
What Could Be Improved
The charger and canister latch both feel flimsy.
Looking for a car vacuum that barely takes up any space? This device from Black + Decker may be the one for you. This ultra-compact car vacuum conveniently folds in half for charging and storage and has an easy-to-hold, lightweight feel.
When we tested the vacuum, we found that despite its small size, it features strong suction power and can clean the whole car on just one charge. Its pivoting nozzle makes maneuvering a breeze, although it’s worth noting that it isn’t the best at getting into super narrow spaces. We also wish the vacuum came with attachments, which would help with those hard-to-reach areas.
On the upside, however, this vacuum is very easy to set up and empty, it only needs a four-hour charge to get up and running. It isn’t quite as durable as some other models (the charger and canister latch both feel rather flimsy), but its compact size, strong suction, and average price still make it a worthwhile pick in our book.
Price at time of publish: $90
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: 15 ounces | Weight: 3 pounds | Charge Type: Wall outlet
Best Corded Car Vacuum: Auto Joe 12-Volt Corded Car Handheld Vacuum Cleaner with Interior Auto Detailing Accessory Kit
What Stands Out
It can get underneath seats and into tight spaces.
What Could Be Improved
The suction isn’t as powerful as other corded models.
Although cordless car vacuums let you maneuver more easily, corded vacuums like this option from Auto Joe let you clean for longer periods of time and tend to be more powerful. When we tested this device, we found that it has impressively strong suction and, despite its cord, can easily maneuver underneath seats and into deep crevices.
This highly affordable vacuum comes with multiple handy attachments including a brush, crevice nozzle, and extension hose, all of which come in handy while cleaning. It’s easy to set up, lightweight to hold, and has a large, 17-ounce dust bin that’s easy to empty. It also has a carrying case, HEPA filter, replacement filter, and filter cleaning brush.
You can plug the vacuum’s long, hard-to-tangle cord right into your car’s auxiliary outlet, and when you’re done cleaning, store it in its included carrying case. Because of its slightly larger size, the vacuum probably won’t fit under your seat. It’s also not as strong as some other corded car vacuums, so you might need to go over larger debris a few times. Still, there’s a lot to love about this model.
Price at time of publish: $30
Type: Corded | Canister Size: 17 ounces | Weight: 1.6 pounds | Charge Type: 12V port
Best Car Vacuum for Car Detailing: Baseus A3 Car Vacuum Cleaner
What Stands Out
It can get into tight areas like cup holders and under the gas cap.
What Could Be Improved
It’s pretty expensive.
No car vacuum we tested was as good at getting into tight crevices and leaving every inch of a car spotless as this pick from Baseus. This powerful cordless vacuum can run for nearly 45 minutes on one charge, and it comes with multiple nozzles that, as we found during testing, make a big difference in the cleaning process.
Setting up this vacuum took no time after its four-hour charge, and we love how light and compact it is. It picks up all types of debris, including pet hair, with minimal issue and is so easy to maneuver that it can even get into hard-to-reach areas like cup holders and underneath the gas cap. Emptying the canister is quite simple, and the vacuum’s low noise level is another great bonus. Plus, it has a HEPA filter and a double filtration system to keep the air clean. This is one of the pricier car vacuums, but for how strong and easy to use it is, we think it’s worth the cost.
Price at time of publish: $100
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: Not listed | Weight: 2 pounds | Charge Type: USB-C charging cable
Related: The 9 Best Vacuums for Pet Hair of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Car Vacuum for Pet Hair: Huepar 13000PA Cordless Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner
What Stands Out
It has two suction modes and multiple attachments.
What Could Be Improved
The flexible hose is too flexible.
If you love driving around with your pet, chances are they’ve left a lot of hair in your car, which is where the Huepar Car Vacuum comes in. This powerful device is especially good at removing pet hair from seat cushions and carpets.
This vacuum takes less than three hours to charge and can work continuously for up to 30 minutes, ample time to fully clean a car. It includes a brush attachment that’s excellent at getting under seats and in tight crevices, LED lights to help you see, two type fittings, two suction modes, and a flexible hose (although the hose is a bit too flexible, making it difficult to use).
Additionally, the vacuum’s large dustbin is easy to empty and helpfully comes with an extra filter. It’s too large to fit under seats, but it can easily go into the trunk when not in use. And price-wise, it’s a bit lower than average, proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality cleaning device.
Price at time of publish: $56
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: 450 milliliters | Weight: 2.5 pounds | Charge Type: 12V port
Best Cordless Car Vacuum: Worx Power Share Cordless Cube Vac Compact Vacuum
What Stands Out
It takes only 40 minutes to charge.
What Could Be Improved
It’s a little loud and pretty expensive.
There are many great cordless car vacuums, but this one from Worx is an absolute standout. During our testing, the small yet powerful cordless vacuum was fantastic at picking up all sorts of debris (including pet hair) from multiple surfaces and cleaning up the whole car—cushions, floors, trunk, and all—quickly and efficiently.
This vacuum has three attachments; a brush, a crevice nozzle, and a four-foot-long flexible hose. It has two speed settings (high and low) and features a larger-than-average canister that we found extremely easy to empty. The vacuum requires minimal setup and takes only 40 minutes to charge, far less time than many other models on our list.
We also love how lightweight and ergonomic this vacuum is, allowing us to maneuver around tight areas. It is a bit loud, and the price point is notably higher than many other similarly-sized car vacuums on the market. That said, this HEPA-equipped cordless vac is a great all-around choice for casual car maintenance.
Price at time of publish: $99
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: 6 ounces | Weight: 3 pounds | Charge Type: Wall charger
Best Heavy-Duty Car Vacuum: Dewalt 20-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum
What Stands Out
This vacuum is equipped with a HEPA filter and six handy attachments for convenient cleaning.
What Could Be Improved
It’s not as effective on soft surfaces.
Everyone’s go-to brand for tools also does a decent job at making car vacuums. The Dewalt 20V Cordless Dry Hand Vacuum comes with six useful attachments that make it easy to reach between and underneath car seats as well as the trunk. These attachments include an extension tube, floor nozzle, flexible hose, crevice nozzle, gulper brush, and round brush. It also comes with a storage bag for the accessories and a light attached to the machine that allows for greater visibility while cleaning.
We also appreciate that it comes with a HEPA filter, and we were generally pleased with the power of the machine, even though there were some inconsistencies with the suction. We were able to clean up our messes on hard surfaces well, but had trouble sucking up sand and hair on softer surfaces. Another thing to keep in mind is that the 3-pound machine started to feel heavy in hand. The good thing is that this cordless vacuum lasts longer than other models we tested, at more than 21 minutes. However, you do have to buy this vacuum’s battery and charger separately.
Price at time of publish: $179
Type: Cordless | Canister Size: 23.6 ounces | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Battery Type: Lithium ion
Related: The 4 Best Upholstery Cleaners, According to Our Testing
Final Verdict
Overall, we recommend the Baseus A2 Pro Car Vacuum Cleaner, as it was able to pick up all debris, including in hard-to-reach places thanks to its useful attachments. It also was easy to set up and felt comfortable in our hands throughout the entirety of our real-world testing.
Our Testing Process
We tested 36 car vacuums over the past couple of years, both in real-world conditions and in our Labs.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the vacuums in real-world conditions, we tested 16 models by cleaning regular messes you might find in your own car. We first unboxed and set up the car vacuum, adding a filter if one wasn’t already installed and charging the vacuum before use. Throughout the testing period, we used the car vacuums to clean messes like dust, dirt, rocks, leaves, sand, pet hair, and food crumbs.
We also maneuvered the car vacuums in various areas of our car including the seats, floors, car seats, dashboard, trunk, cup holders, and air vents. While we used the vacuums, we evaluated suction power, maneuverability, any included attachments, noise level, battery life, recharging time, ease of use, ergonomics, ease of emptying, and how easy it was to store when not in use.
For the Lab testing, we put 20 vacuums to the test by sprinkling Cheerios all over the car, including in harder-to-reach areas, to assess each product’s suction power and maneuverability. We noted how many passes it took to clean up these messes, then repeated the same test with sprinklings of hair.
After each vacuuming session, we emptied the vacuum’s canister and cleaned the filter to see how easy it was to go through that process. We then ran the same cleaning tests on our hard surfaces, such as the console and inside cup holders, but this time with sand.
We used all this information to come up with our list of the best car vacuums.
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
More Car Vacuums to Consider
Bissell AeroSlim Handheld Vacuum: This tiny vacuum’s compact size and two-in-one attachment make it great at getting into tight spaces. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the strongest suction power and can struggle with large debris.
Ridgid Hand Vacuum: When it comes to picking up pet hair, this cordless vacuum is highly effective, due in part to its many helpful attachments. But it’s pretty bulky and hard to maneuver into tighter areas, and the filter is tricky to clean.
How to Shop for Car Vacuums Like a Pro
Corded vs. Cordless
There are pros and cons to both corded and cordless vacuums. Cordless vacuums, which are growing more popular, give you more flexibility to maneuver around your vehicle and allow for greater portability. “Cordless vacuums are ideal if it's a person at home, who wants to just do a quick vacuum to remove a few crumbs,” says Igor Pomishchyk, owner of Ecostates Elite Car Detailing. It’s much easier to take your car vacuum’s charging mechanism with you while on the go than having to find an outlet close to your vehicle that you can plug your car vacuum into.
The main drawback of cordless vacuums is that the charging time can take hours, and the actual time it lasts while on a charge can range between 2-30 minutes. If your car sees frequent messes, whether that’s from pets, kids, or both, that may not be enough time to adequately clean your car, unless you commit to cleaning up small messes quickly so they don’t build to larger messes later on. “To enhance the effectiveness, cordless vacuums should be complemented by lithium-ion batteries,” says Joe Pallero, owner and founder of NYC Mobile Auto Detailing. “This combination (cordless, portability, ample battery life) would be an attractive choice for the customer.”
Corded vacuums, on the other hand, typically offer improved suction power, and don’t require a charge, making them better suited to heavy-duty tasks. “It is often argued that corded vacuums are better because of their capacity of unlimited cleaning time, along with their strong suction power,” says Pallero. Pomishchyk agrees: “Corded vacuums are ideal because they are more powerful and long-lasting, and you don't have to worry about running out of power in the middle of the job.” Because corded car vacuums need a nearby outlet, these models are most ideal for people whose home or apartment has a garage.
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Attachments
While people can largely get away without using attachments for their regular, upright vacuum, you can’t do that with car vacuums. To be able to get to those hard-to-reach areas in your car, including under and in between the seats, you need attachments.
“Preferably the vacuum nozzle should be smaller, thin, and long to reach more areas in between the seats and underneath, reaching every corner of the car,” says Pomishchyk. Common attachments include a hose, a crevice tool (which helps you better get into the nooks and crannies of your vehicle), and a brush attachment. Pallero outlines the benefits and uses of each attachment below:
Crevice Tool: This is a long and narrow tool that can reach tight spaces of the car, such as between seats and in cup holders. This tool ensures you get a quality clean without leaving any dust and debris behind.
Brush Nozzle: This is a quite often used accessory, especially when there is a lot of dust. A brush tool can shake and remove dirt, debris, and pet hair that are often trapped in the carpets and vents.
Extension Hose: This can be attached to the vacuum to extend its reach, making it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas in your car. This is especially useful if you have a heavy, non-portable, corded vacuum.
Comfort
Because all car vacuums are handheld, it’s important to pick something that will be comfortable in your hands while vacuuming. “Users that travel with their car vacuum need one that is portable and lightweight,” says Pallero. “The misconception that light-weighted vacuums have a lack of suction power, battery-life, and durability isn’t plausible anymore with today’s advanced technology implemented by top-rated brands.”
Real Simple / Dera Burreson
Questions You Might Ask
Can I use my regular vacuum’s attachments to clean my car?
You can certainly try. Lugging around an upright vacuum as you try to clean your car with its attachments will get very frustrating very quickly. Trying this will be easier if you have a handheld vacuum or a vacuum that converts into a handheld. Even then, it may not be as smooth as a process that you’ll get with a car vacuum. This is because you need car vacuum-style attachments to be able to clean your car in its entirety. With a handheld vacuum, you may clean your seats and where you rest your feet, and maybe under the seats or cupholders to an extent, but it won’t produce the exact same results you’ll get with a vacuum that is designed for a car.
How long does a cordless vacuum last on one charge?
We found that this varies by brand and model. Of the cordless models we tested, they lasted between 2-30 minutes, with the median runtime being between 6-8 minutes. The best way to conserve your battery is by turning the machine off in between cleaning different parts of your car. You can also conserve the battery of your cordless vacuum by cleaning up messes as soon as they happen. That way, you won’t spend longer having to clean a dirtier car later on down the line.
Can I plug my car vacuum into the auxiliary outlet without draining my car’s battery?
It depends. If you have a device that can convert your car’s auxiliary outlet into a proper outlet, you can plug your car vacuum into it and it won’t put a dent in your car’s battery. Unless your car battery is really old or on its last leg, it’s strong enough to be able to handle 20 minutes of a car vacuum’s power once a week.
However, we aren’t confident that it won’t have a greater effect if you try to charge your cordless car vacuum from your car’s auxiliary outlet (if the cordless vacuum is charged via a cord, such as a USB, that is). That’s because it takes hours for a cordless vacuum to charge (typically between 3-4 hours), so that will certainly use up more power than a short vacuuming session. In short, we recommend staying on the safe route and charging it in a wall outlet.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Rachel Center, a product reviews home writer for Real Simple, and was updated by Rachel Simon, a contributing writer for Real Simple. We researched the best car vacuums and tested 36 of the most popular in real-world conditions and in our Lab, evaluating them on effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, setup, and value. We also spoke to Igor Pomishchyk, owner of Ecostates Elite Car Detailing, and Joe Pallero, owner and founder of NYC Mobile Auto Detailing, for expert insights into choosing a car vacuum.
What Is Real Simple Selects?
Next to each product on this list, you may have noticed a Real Simple Selects seal of approval. Any product appearing alongside that seal has been vetted by our team—put through tests and graded on its performance to earn a spot on our list. Although we buy most of the products we test, sometimes we do get samples from companies if purchasing a product ourselves isn’t an option. All products go through the same rigorous process, whether they are purchased or sent by the company.
Love our recommendations? Check out more products that have earned the Real Simple Selects, from humidifiers to cordless vacuums.
Related: The 12 Best Vacuum Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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