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The past few years have been a revolution for the best cordless vacuum cleaners in Australia. Rechargeable batteries have become large and reliable enough that you can vacuum an entire house or apartment on a single charge.
Combined with the advancements of bagless vacuum technology, today's models make it easy to keep your home clean without having to constantly plug and unplug, or spend ridiculous amounts of money replacing bags.
Choosing the right cordless vacuum can be a challenge though. For a start, there are more and more models hitting the market every year.
Since launching BTTR three years ago, I've tested half a dozen stick vacuums in my own home. Out of all the cordless models I've reviewed, these are my clear favourites based on hands-on experience.
While I haven't tested every brand and model on the market, these are my recommendations based on extensive testing over the past few years.
If you're after something else, check out our guide to the best vacuum cleaners in Australia or the best robot vacuums in Australia.
My favourite cordless vacuums right now:
Best cordless vacuum overall: Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra
If you're looking for a single cordless vacuum that can handle just about anything, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is my top pick. Yes, it's expensive at $1,699, but the sheer versatility makes it worth considering.
The Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is a comprehensive cleaning system. The Active Dual Brush handles everyday floor cleaning, the slimline LED brush tackles hard floors brilliantly, the spray spinning sweeper mops as you vacuum, and the pet tool makes quick work of furniture and upholstery. Everything is included in the box.
The auto-empty base station (even if you do need to press a button to trigger it) means less frequent hands-on maintenance, and the 2 L dust bags lasts around three months.
The multiple brush heads mean you can actually clean your entire home – floors, furniture, awkward corners with a single device.
Battery life of 30-40 minutes in AI mode comfortably handled my three-bedroom home, and while the AI mode occasionally needs a manual boost for larger debris, the vacuum delivers consistent performance across different floor types.
The headline 400 W suction is mostly marketing (you'll rarely use Jet mode with its 14-minute battery), but the everyday performance is strong enough that it doesn't matter.
Nick Broughall
Other cordless vacuums worth consideration:
Best compact stick vacuum: Dyson PencilVac FluffyCones
If you want a stick vacuum that doesn't feel like a stick vacuum, the PencilVac FluffyCones is in a category of its own. This isn't just the most compact cordless vacuum I've tested – it's a genuine reimagining of what a vacuum can be.
Weighing just 1.8 kg and measuring only 3.8 cm wide, the PencilVac feels more like sweeping with a high-tech broom than vacuuming.
The ultra-slim design means you can slip into gaps and around furniture that traditional stick vacuums simply can't reach. I used it to clean behind my lounge without having to pull it away from the wall.
The two-stage compression system is clever, compacting dust as you clean so the tiny 0.08 L bin holds more dust and debris than you'd expect. Emptying it is satisfying, with the compressed dust sliding out in one smooth motion.
The green laser showing hidden dust is both helpful and horrifying (you'll see just how dirty your floors really are), while the conical FluffyCones design prevents hair tangles. After weeks of testing, not a single hair got caught around the roller.
The trade-off for this compact design is battery life: You get 25 minutes on eco, 18 on medium, and under 10 at full power.
It's also only good for cleaning hard floors. If you have carpets, this isn't the vacuum for you. But for apartments or homes with predominantly hard floors, nothing else comes close to this combination of compactness and cleaning performance.
At $949, the FluffyCones is a premium product, but there's genuinely nothing else like it on the market.
Nick Broughall
Best for comprehensive cleaning: Electrolux UltimateHome 800
The Electrolux UltimateHome 800 stands out for the sheer range of attachments and features you get in one package. If you want a single cordless vacuum that can tackle virtually any cleaning scenario, this is worth serious consideration.
In the box, you get two different power heads (one for carpets, one for hard floors), a furniture brush, a crevice tool, a soft brush, and two batteries. That second battery is really useful, allowing you to leave one charging in the dock, while you clean with the other. Battery life is solid at around 45 minutes in Auto mode, enough to clean most homes on a single charge.
The auto-empty dock is convenient, sucking dirt from the 0.4 L dustbin into a sealed bag so you don't have to touch the dust.
The main power head works brilliantly on low-pile carpets, really getting into the fibres to extract dust and debris. Hard floors are equally well-served by the softer brush-roll head. The Auto mode intelligently adjusts suction based on the floor type, maximising runtime without sacrificing cleaning performance.
The main brush head does tangle easily on high-pile rugs, and the BrushRollClean feature designed to cut away tangled hair simply doesn't work in my testing. You'll need to manually cut hair away periodically. Also, the S-Bag in the dock didn't seem to seal properly in my unit, letting some dust escape.
Available online at around $600 (down from the $999 RRP), it's excellent value, especially when you factor in the dual batteries and comprehensive attachment set.
Nick Broughall
Best for versatility: Shark Cordless Detect Pro
The Shark Cordless Detect Pro impressed me with its intelligent dirt detection and versatile cleaning modes. While Shark doesn't have quite the same brand recognition in Australia as it does in the US and UK, this vacuum deserves attention.
The standout feature is the DirtDetect sensor that automatically boosts power when it detects dirt too small for the eye to see. In practice, I found this worked well, though it does drain the battery faster when activated frequently.
What I really appreciated was the flexibility of the design. The vacuum easily converts to a handheld unit, and the various attachments make it capable of cleaning everything from floors to car interiors to upholstery. The MultiFLEX design lets you fold the vacuum in half for storage under furniture or in tight spaces.
Battery life is solid at around 50 minutes in standard mode, and the Anti-Odor Technology genuinely helps keep the bin from getting that unpleasant vacuum smell.
At around $799, it's more affordable than many flagships while still delivering strong performance across different cleaning scenarios.
Nick Broughall
How I chose the best cordless vacuum cleaners in Australia
I've reviewed dozens of vacuum cleaners in my career, and numerous stick vacuums since I started BTTR. In that time I learned that review sites – including this one – are subjective by nature. Everybody has a different opinion of what is best.
So for this guide, I've recommended my top cordless vacuum choices only from the models I have tested hands-on.
That's a limited pool of products, but it means it's an accurate reflection of my expertise. As I review more cordless vacuums, I'll keep this guide updated.
Cordless stick vacuums reviewed for this guide
What to look for when choosing the best cordless vacuum cleaners in Australia
Cordless vacuums are a great option for homes of all shapes and sizes. Battery life and suction power is now comparable to standard barrel vacuums, but with the convenience of not needing to tether to a wall.
Whether you decide to buy one of the products listed above or something completely different, these are the key factors you need to consider when buying a cordless vacuum.
Battery life
A cordless vacuum cleaner is powered by a battery. That means you can only vacuum your home so long as your battery is charged.
If you have a large house or apartment, you do not want to have to vacuum it in stages because you have to charge the battery in between rooms.
Make sure you get a model with a battery big enough to clean your whole home. Generally, manufacturers list either the battery capacity or the battery life time in the specs, so use this info to help you make a decision.
Bin capacity
Just like you don't want to charge your vacuum between rooms, you don't want to have to run to the bin every couple of minutes to empty it either.
So, making sure you buy a model with a large enough dustbin for your home is important.
Attachments
Before spending your hard-earned dollars on a vacuum, be sure to check out the attachments that come with it.
While you will mostly use the standard head or powerhead to clean the floors and carpets, having attachments for narrow spaces or upholstery can help you keep your home cleaner.
Consider how you can store those attachments. The last thing you want is a cupboard full of random vacuum attachments you never use.
Power head
For most people, having a power head is essential. These floor attachments connect to the vacuum's power and have a dedicated motor to offer a deeper clean of carpets and hard floors.
Alternatively, a turbo head will feature a rotating brush, but because it isn't motorised it doesn't do as good a job of cleaning.
Filter type
If you have pets, or suffer form allergies, consider getting a vacuum that features a HEPA air filter. These filters capture microscopic particles during the cleaning process, helping reduce odours and easing allergy symptoms.
Also consider if you can wash the filter. If you can't, think about how often you will need to replace them.
HEPA air filters are also important components of the best air purifiers.
Price
There's no getting around the fact that cordless vacuum cleaners can be quite expensive.
For a good quality model, expect to pay at least $500, but that can easily jump to somewhere around the $1,500 mark.
The upside of this is that vacuums are an investment, and a good cordless vacuum is an investment that should last for years.
So consider your budget and look to buy the best vacuum cleaner you can afford.
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