Best cordless handheld vacuums

Top pick: Shark WANDVAC. It's the handheld most people should buy — strong suction, a pet tool that actually lifts hair off upholstery, and a slim wand that reaches under car seats and along skirting boards. It's the one I'd hand to a household with pets or kids.

Who the others suit:

• Dyson Car+Boat — the premium choice if you mostly clean a car or boat and want the best build and filtration.
• BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser — dedicated pet-hair cleaning on a tighter budget.
• BLACK+DECKER Furbuster — a proven, widely rated pet-hair hand vac.
• Bissell AeroSlim — tiny and light for desk, keyboard and drawer crumbs.
• IonVac Handvac — the cheap spare to keep in a car or second floor.
• Cordless Handheld Vacuum with HEPA Filter — long run time on its gentler setting, small bin.

Skip the no-name car vacs with inflated suction claims; run times are short and bins tiny.