These days there are so many options for cordless stick vacuums, and it seems like they all have their own bells and whistles. While I have been using the Dyson cordless vacuum for quite some time, I wanted to test how it compared to some of these newer flashy models. My curiosity got the best of me, and while I’ve been on a roll testing other home items (bed pillows, duvet inserts, and pillow inserts), I had to put stick vacuums to the test!

Let’s meet the contestants!

These are some of the top rated cordless stick vacuums on Amazon and since there’s so many features to look for, we made a sort of rubric, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each vacuum. The basics of the test involved a lot of cereal on both hardwood and carpet. Here’s the results!

1. Samsung Jetstick 90 with Clean Station

If you are into tech, gadgets, and various attachments then this may be the vacuum for you. Overall the Samsung vacuum was very easy and comfortable to use with a strong suction making clean up (especially on the carpet) very easy. Surprisingly it pushed the cereal around a bit on hardwood, but after a couple of passes it sucked it all up. A major perk to this one is the self-emptying feature. Once your canister is full, you pop it out and into the self-cleaning dock and it empties itself.

2. Black + Decker Powerseries Extreme

First impressions? This vacuum stands up on its own, which (if you have a stick vacuum), can be super convenient when you’re starting and stopping vacuuming! I also didn’t know how much I liked having lights on a vacuum until taking this one for a spin. While it did a great job at picking up crumbs on the carpet, it didn’t do as well on hardwood. Again, after a couple of passes it picked it all up no problem. I also realize that this one has rubberized bristles meant for pet hair and although we don’t have a pet right now, I can see how this would be a great option for a pet owner!

3. Shark Navigator Freestyle

If you’re looking for a great first stick vacuum (or even a regular vacuum) with a smaller budget, this is for you. I’m picturing a newly married couple, or somebody living in an apartment. The suction was

The most noticeable thing about the Shark vacuum was how loud it was on the hardwood floor, along with its very surprising short battery life. With only an 11 to 16 minute battery life, this cordless vacuum is really only meant for small clean ups and not cleaning a whole house or even a large room. However the suction was very powerful and it did not miss a beat when I went between the wood floor and carpet.

4. Tineco Pure One Smart Stick

This vacuum almost became a new favorite. The Tineco vacuum has the easiest and most ergonomic swivel – I could barely feel the weight of it as it glided along. It instantly picked up all the crumbs on the carpet in one swoop. But surprisingly, it was the least efficient vacuum on hardwood floor. It barely picked up crumbs and mostly pushed them around. I thought there must be a different hardwood attachment, nope! I even went back and read several reviews that said it was returned because of its performance on hardwood floor.

5. Dyson Cordless Stick Vacuum

Best for last? I have used the Dyson cordless vacuum every day since November 2018. The Dyson can vacuum an entire floor before it dies, it transitions seamlessly between multiple surfaces, and it has stood the test of time. I was skeptical that after all these years it would still be my favorite on the market, but looks like it is unbeatable. This vacuum roundup post goes into the Dyson and why I use it everyday. There are several different models at various price points. I found a more budget-friendly Dyson option here and here!

Shop Stick Vacuums

Cordless vacuums should be a non negotiable for any home, they make cleaning so much easier. And this vacuum test was so fun to do! The best part was seeing that Dyson cordless vacuums are still my favorite on the market. Do you have a favorite vacuum?