Today’s post will be scoping out the best vacuum cleaner for cars. Features that make a vacuum suitable for dealing with cleaning awkward areas are usually overlooked when considering the perfect cleaning appliance for your vehicle. Is your full-sized vacuum is too cumbersome to clean the interior effectively or maybe the power cable isn’t long enough to reach your car.

The frustration caused by using the wrong vacuum cleaner often results in putting off car cleaning for another day or ending up with a half-done job.

We all want our cars to look good inside and out. The cleanliness of your vehicle contributes to a comfortable driving experience. Nobody wants to get into a filthy ride with remnants of food or animal hair all over it. Vacuuming the inside of your car maintains the seat fabric, floor carpet and helps to retain its resale value much better.

Given that we spend an average of 2 hours (maybe more) a day in our cars, its seems reasonable to invest in a vacuum cleaner that can freshen the interior and leave it hygienic with minimal fuss.

There’s a great selection of specialized vacuums available to make the burden of car cleaning somewhat easier.

I’ll go through a carefully selected shortlist of outstanding machines that excel at doing away with motor mess.

But before we get there lets have a look at some of the features to look out for:

Cored or Cordless?

This is probably the most important feature when considering the best vacuum cleaner for cars. Put simply, when selecting a specialist car vacuum, it will either be a cordless or cored handheld.

Corded vacuums gain the advantage of an unlimited power supply hence the stronger suction out of the 2 variants. The snag is that they are restricted to an area with available power. Does your car have a cigarette lighter socket that works? Make sure that you test it out before purchasing a corded vacuum.

Cordless vacuums give you the freedom of venturing wherever you see fit without worrying about cable length or tangles. They are smaller than corded models and operate on rechargeable batteries. Not all batteries are created equal, ensure that you check operating and charging times before you make a purchase.

Suction Power

Powerful suction will mostly depend on the motor housed inside the vacuum cleaner and design innovations. Suction power is a hot topic, that’s what vacuums are made for right?

If you want your handheld appliance to clean beyond the confines of the car, then its wise to invest in a robust vacuum with the best possible suction. With continual advances in cyclone technology it’s now possible to achieve great suction power and battery life on cordless vacuums which can match a corded model.

Battery life and Charge cycle

I can’t stress the importance of battery life on a cordless vacuum cleaner. The frustration of your appliance running out of juice halfway through cleaning is like discovering that your other half secretly helped themselves to the last piece of cake.

Most cordless vacuums have a warning system that notifies you when the battery is running out so you can plan accordingly.

A good example is the Dyson DC58, its equipped with an LED light which flashes different colours to indicate when the battery is fully charged and when its nearly empty. This is a very useful feature.

A Compact vacuum cleaner

In some cases you might require a car vacuum for regular usage. Maybe your car is up for sale and you want the interior to look its best when viewed by potential buyers, but you still need to be driving it.

You will need a vacuum that is portable so that you can quickly clean your seats and mats whenever required. If you only need the vacuum for occasional use, then a slightly bigger vacuum shouldn’t deter you.

Car Size

Do you a small sports car or maybe a large people carrier? The size of your vehicle’s interior should be taken into account when choosing the best vacuum cleaner for cars.

If you have a family car you will need a robust vacuum cleaner to deal with the extra cleaning demand. Young kids will inevitably line the seats and carpets with crumbs and snack remnants. The Black+Decker BDH2000PL is a great choice for tackling these sort of cleaning nuisances.

Material of the car’s interior

Is your car’s interior fabric or a leather trim? It might not sound like it would make a difference but it does.

Fabric seats tend to hold more dirt, and crumbs can get ingrained into the material when repeatedly sat on. Powerful suction will ensure that stubborn dirt is sucked up with relative ease.

Cleaning car seats can be tricky because of their numerous folds which hide dirt very well. A versatile vacuum with good accessories will see to this problem and ensure that your car remains clean and comfortable for your daily commutes.

A leather interior is best cleaned using a soft brush attachment to protect the leather from damage.

The car floor is probably the hardest section to clean, especially underneath the car seats. You will need a good selection of crevice tools to make sure that tight spaces are vacuumed effectively.

 

Horse Power

Corded: The standard power on a corded vacuum at starts at 12V which is enough to match the suction of a house vacuum. Not bad huh? Be sure to select a powerful handheld vacuum cleaner with enough suction to work through demanding tasks.

Cordless: If you opt for a cordless, then the key is to strike the right balance between power and battery life. It’s possible to find a powerful vacuum with enough battery to run between 30 minutes to an hour. Aim for a lithium battery with a capacity of 2200mAh.

Ergonomic design

The perfect car vacuum should not only deal with tough dirt but also clean efficiently. The design of the appliance will play a big part in its ease of use.

Does it have suitable brushes and crevice tools to get between small gaps and folds?

Look out for a vacuum cleaner with suitable attachments, as you will need them for a hassle-free car cleaning experience. The models on our shortlist are ergonomically built to be user-friendly and comfortable to handle.

Features tick list:

• Soft brushes to maintain delicate fabrics.
• A choice of crevice tools for tight gaps.
• Washable or replaceable filters.
• Corded variants should have a long enough cable to reach the boot.
• Ergonomic design. Does it have a battery life indicator? Can attachments be swapped easily? Can it wash the dishes 🙂
  

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Here’s our list:

#1. Product: Dyson V6 Trigger (DC58)

WHY ITS ON THIS LIST: Hailed as the best modern handheld, this nifty Dyson vacuum provides impressively powerful suction.

You won’t find this much cleaning power elsewhere at this size, which makes it the perfect car vacuum.

The inventors at Dyson took care of the ergonomics to make car cleaning a doddle. We love the DC58.

Product Rating: 9.5

#2. Product: Black+Decker BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum 20-volt

WHY ITS ON THIS LIST: A truly reliable handheld cordless vacuum cleaner. Cyclonic action comes as standard and keeps the machine’s suction as strong as an ox.

The unique nozzle can be angled into different positions and the 20V battery provides long operating times.

The appliance has received plenty of great customer feedback and it’s one of the most sort after affordable vacuum cleaner for cars.

Product Rating: 9.4

#3. Black+Decker PAV1205

WHY ITS ON THIS LIST: Black & Decker have started coming to the forefront with vacuum cleaner technology.

This tiny appliance sports a 12v adapter which conveniently fits the car’s cigarette lighter.

The 5-metre cable is plenty to get round the car and boot.

The specially designed nose pivots into 10 different positions to reach under the seats and awkward spaces. It uses cyclonic action for powerful cleaning action. Your car is guaranteed a good clean.

Product Rating: 9.0 

#4. Black & Decker CHV1510 Dustbuster

WHY ITS ON THIS LIST: This portable vacuum has the most impressive battery power which lasts for more than a year. Yes, you heard that right!

Great car cleaning accessories are supplied plus the price of the CHV1510 Dustbuster won’t be beaten.

Product Rating: 8.6 

#5. Carrand 94005AS Auto-Vac

WHY ITS ON THIS LIST: The Carrand 94005AS is a bagless handheld corded vacuum with 550 watts of powerful suction.

It offers great value but doesn’t shy away from delivering a thorough clean.

A good selection of tools are provided including a dash brush, crevice tool, carpet and upholstery tool. Not bad for a vacuum at the lower price point.

Product Rating: 8.5 

Conclusion

In summary, you are spoilt for choice with corded/cordless handhelds but looking through them is a task in itself. Our top 5 selection of the best vacuum cleaners for cars is a great shortlist detailing the best of the best. You don’t necessarily need to go for a premium appliance for the best suction power. The value options on our list work just as good.

Are you thing of buying a portable handheld for your car or any other part of the house? Or do you already have one? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you!