For most UK homes the best cordless vacuum in 2026 is the Dyson Gen5detect: 280 air watts, a genuine HEPA seal and about 70 minutes of run time, so a stick vacuum finally cleans like a mains-powered one. If you would rather not pay Dyson money, the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty does the thinking for you and empties itself, and the Henry Quick gets you cordless cleaning for under £200.
Cordless wins on convenience. You grab it, you do the stairs, you do the car, you put it back on the wall, and you never hunt for a socket. The catch is run time and dust capacity, and the honest truth that the headline minutes on the box come from the lowest power setting. Here is what we would actually buy, with the small print that the spec sheets leave out.
Different floors, different guide. If your home is mostly deep or shag pile, read our best vacuums for high-pile carpets guide instead, because thick pile rewards an adjustable head over a cordless stick. Want a machine that runs while you do something else? See our best robot vacuums and best cylinder vacuums guides.
How the cordless vacuums compare
| Model | Weight | Run time (max) | Bin / bag | Empties | Best for | Approx UK price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyson Gen5detect | About 3.5kg | Up to 70 min | 0.77L bin (bagless) | Hand, into the bin | Most powerful all-rounder; allergy homes | £749–£770 |
| Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty | About 3.2kg wand | Up to 70 min | 0.7L bin, 2L dock | Self-empty dock (up to 45 days) | Hands-off cleaning across mixed floors | £330–£400 |
| Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra | 2.80kg | 100 min single, 160 min two batteries | 0.5L bin | All-in-One Clean Station | Highest suction; long run time | From £799 |
| Henry Quick | 3.2kg | Up to 60 min | 1L bagged pod | Sealed pod, no dust cloud | Best value; clean emptying; dust allergies | £179–£300 |
| Halo Capsule XR | 2.7kg | 70 min per battery (140 with two) | 2L compostable pouch | Sealed pouch, no dust cloud | Lightest to carry; stairs and small flats | £300–£340 intro |
Dyson Gen5detect
The cordless that finally cleans like a mains vacuum, with a true HEPA seal.
| Type | Cordless stick, bagless |
|---|---|
| Suction | 280 air watts, Hyperdymium motor |
| Run time | Up to 70 minutes (Eco) |
| Bin / weight | 0.77L bin, around 3.5kg |
| Filtration | Sealed whole-machine HEPA, 0.1 microns |
| Heads | Fluffy Optic for hard floors, Digital Motorbar for carpet |
Reasons to buy
- 280 air watts is the most usable cordless suction we have tested
- Fully sealed HEPA traps particles to 0.1 microns, so it suits allergy homes
- The LCD screen counts the dust it lifts, which is oddly motivating
- Anti-tangle vanes spiral long hair straight into the bin
Reasons to avoid
- Expensive at about £749
- Small 0.77L bin needs emptying in a big house
- You hold a button to run it, which some hands find tiring
If you want one cordless and you do not want to think about it again, this is it. The Gen5detect is Dyson’s flagship stick, and the numbers back up the price: 280 air watts of fade-free suction from the Gen5 Hyperdymium motor, up to 70 minutes of run time, and a fully sealed HEPA system that captures 99.99 per cent of particles down to 0.1 microns. That sealed filtration is the part allergy households care about, because a leaky vacuum just redistributes fine dust.
It comes with the laser Fluffy Optic head for hard floors, which throws everything you have been missing into sharp relief, and the Digital Motorbar head that senses load and adjusts on carpet. Two honest gripes. The bin is small at 0.77 litres, so a big carpeted home means a few trips to the kitchen bin. And on very deep pile the head can shift to maximum power and start to grab, which is the same physics we cover in our high-pile carpet guide, where the related V15 Detect makes the cut.
Where to buy
Dyson direct, Currys and John Lewis stock it; deals appear around £649 on older colours. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless
Senses the floor, sets its own power, then empties itself for weeks.
| Type | Cordless stick, bagless |
|---|---|
| Auto modes | Floor, Dirt, Edge and Direction Detect |
| Run time | Up to 70 minutes |
| Bin / dock | 0.7L bin, 2L auto-empty dock (up to 45 days) |
| Brushroll | DuoClean, anti-hair-wrap |
| Filtration | Anti-Allergen complete seal, HEPA |
Reasons to buy
- Auto-detect sets suction and brush speed, so you never fiddle with modes
- Self-empty dock locks dirt away for up to 45 days
- Anti-hair-wrap genuinely keeps long hair off the brushroll
- Often half its £549.99 RRP, which makes it the value pick of the smart vacuums
Reasons to avoid
- The dock takes up floor space and is not small
- On the deepest pile the auto mode can ramp up and start to grab
This is the one we point most people at. The PowerDetect uses four sensors, Floor, Dirt, Edge and Direction Detect, to read the surface and the muck in front of it, then sets suction and brushroll speed itself. You push it back and forth and it does the thinking. The Clean & Empty version adds the part that makes a stick vacuum feel like an upgrade: it charges and empties itself into a 2-litre dock that holds dust for up to 45 days, so you barely touch the dirt.
Anti-hair-wrap on the DuoClean brushroll holds up well in testing, and the sealed HEPA filtration is a sensible pick for homes with pets or dust allergies. The RRP is £549.99 but it is very often discounted to between £330 and £400, which is where it becomes a clear win over the Samsung. If your floors lean towards thick pile, drop it into a lower manual mode rather than letting the auto setting fight the carpet.
Where to buy
Sold through Shark, Currys, Argos, Amazon and Costco as the IP3251UKT; street prices move a lot. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra
The most powerful cordless we have measured, with two batteries and a self-empty station.
| Type | Cordless stick, bagless |
|---|---|
| Suction | Up to 400W in Jet mode |
| Run time | 100 min single, up to 160 min on two batteries |
| Bin / weight | 0.5L bin, 2.80kg |
| Batteries | Two interchangeable, swap mid-clean |
| Station | All-in-One Clean Station, charges and empties |
Reasons to buy
- The strongest suction of any cordless we have vetted, at up to 400W
- Two batteries mean you can clean a whole house without stopping to charge
- The Clean Station empties the bin for you and seals the dust away
- Light in the hand at 2.80kg despite the power
Reasons to avoid
- From £799, it is one of the priciest sticks on sale
- The promised AI auto-adjustment is hit and miss in testing
- Small 0.5L bin, so the station does a lot of the work
When you want the most powerful cordless full stop, this is it. The Bespoke AI Jet Ultra puts out up to 400W of suction, the highest figure we have measured on a stick, and it backs that with two swappable batteries that stretch run time to around 160 minutes between them. In independent testing it cleaned near-flawlessly on every surface, and the All-in-One Clean Station charges the vacuum and empties the bin so fine dust never escapes into the room.
It is not perfect. The AI cleaning mode that gives it its name is meant to read the floor and adjust on the fly, and reviewers found it unreliable, so you may end up picking modes yourself. At £799 it also costs more than the Dyson while the Shark does the smart stuff for half the money. Buy it if outright power and unbroken run time matter more than price.
Where to buy
Samsung UK, Currys, AO and John Lewis list the VS90F40DEK/EU; watch for seasonal cashback. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Henry Quick
A cordless Henry that takes bagged pods, so emptying never coats you in dust.
| Type | Cordless stick, bagged pods |
|---|---|
| Run time | Up to 60 min low, about 16 min high |
| Pod / weight | 1L sealed pod, 3.2kg |
| Charge | Around 2.5 hours to full |
| Power | Two modes, low and high |
| Made by | Numatic, the firm behind the corded Henry |
Reasons to buy
- Bagged 1L pods seal the dust in, so emptying is genuinely clean
- Often under £200, which undercuts every smart cordless here
- Up to 60 minutes on low is plenty for a flat or a small house
- The Numatic name comes with a real reputation for lasting
Reasons to avoid
- Only about 16 minutes on full power
- You buy replacement pods, roughly £13 for ten
- Filtration is not HEPA-rated
The original 2022 version of this guide loved the lightweight bagged stick. The Henry Quick is the idea done properly: a cordless Henry, red face and all, that takes 1-litre disposable pods instead of a dust cup. That is the headline. You eject a full pod into the bin without the cloud of dust a bagless bin throws up, which matters a lot if anyone in the house has a dust allergy. A pod lasts up to three weeks of normal use, and an LED tells you when to swap it.
It is not the most powerful here, and the run time on high is short at about 16 minutes, so it is best used on low for everyday cleaning. But it is reliable, easy to live with, and very often under £200, which is why owners rate it so highly. For a flat, a small house, or anyone who hates emptying a dusty bin, it is the value buy.
Where to buy
Numatic sells it direct; Argos, Currys and Amazon stock it too, often on offer. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Halo Capsule XR
A 2.7kg bagged stick that is kind on the wrist for stairs and small flats.
| Type | Cordless stick, bagged pouches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2.7kg, carbon-fibre build |
| Run time | 70 min per battery, up to 140 min on two |
| Pouch | 2L compostable, FSC-certified |
| Filtration | H14 HEPA, medical grade |
| Brush | Anti-hair, fully removable |
Reasons to buy
- At 2.7kg it is the lightest here, so stairs and overhead work are easy
- H14 HEPA filtration beats most rivals on paper for fine dust
- Bagged 2L pouches are compostable and seal the dust away
- Two batteries give up to 140 minutes, rare at this size
Reasons to avoid
- The £672 list price is only worth it at the £300 intro deal
- You buy replacement pouches over time
- A direct-sold brand, so you are buying without seeing it first
The 2022 guide picked the original Halo Capsule, and the brand has kept going. The Capsule XR is the current flagship, and the appeal is the same as before: it is light. At 2.7kg in a carbon-fibre body it is the easiest machine here to carry up stairs or hold above your head for cobwebs, and that matters more day to day than a suction figure you rarely use. It runs 70 minutes per battery, ships with two, and takes 2-litre compostable pouches that seal the dust in.
It pairs that with H14 HEPA filtration, a step above the H13 most rivals quote, so it is a fair shout for allergy homes that want something featherlight. The list price of £672 is steep, but it routinely sells on an introductory deal around £300, which is where it makes sense. Buy it for a flat, for anyone with a bad wrist or back, or as an easy-to-handle second vacuum for upstairs.
Where to buy
Sold direct by Halo and on Amazon; the two-battery bundle runs about £340. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
How to choose a cordless vacuum
Forget the suction number on the box for a moment. Five things decide whether a cordless vacuum suits your home, in roughly this order.
Run time, and the number they do not print
Manufacturers quote the run time on the lowest power setting with a non-powered tool fitted. On full power with a motorised brush, a 60-minute vacuum often manages 15 to 20 minutes. Which? got tough on this exact claim because some brands overstate it by a third. Work out how long a clean actually takes you, then look for a swappable second battery if your home is large.
Weight and balance
A cordless puts the motor and battery in your hand, not on the floor. Most sit around 3kg, and that weight tells after ten minutes of overhead or stair work. If your home has a lot of stairs, or if a wrist or shoulder gives you trouble, drop to a lighter machine like the Halo Capsule XR at 2.7kg and treat the suction figure as secondary.
How it empties: bin or bag
Bagless bins are cheaper to run but throw up a puff of dust every time you empty them over a kitchen bin. Bagged sticks, like the Henry Quick and the Halo, seal the dirt into a pod you bin whole, which is far cleaner and much kinder to dust allergies. A self-empty dock, as on the Shark and Samsung, does the job for you but eats floor space and pushes the price up.
Dust capacity
Stick vacuums have small bins, typically 0.5 to 0.8 litres, against two litres or more on a cylinder. That is fine for a flat and a frequent quick clean. For a big house with pets it means stopping to empty mid-clean, which is the strongest argument for a dock or a roomy bagged pouch.
Filtration, especially with pets or allergies
If anyone in the home has asthma or a dust allergy, look for a fully sealed HEPA system rather than a lone HEPA filter bolted into a leaky body. The Dyson, Shark and Halo all seal the whole machine so fine dust cannot escape around the filter. A bagged design helps here too, because the dust stays trapped when you empty.
What we have learned using cordless vacuums on the job
We clean UK homes for a living, and cordless sticks have earned a place in the kit since about 2014. A few things we would tell any client.
Buy a second battery before you buy more suction
The single biggest frustration with a cordless is the machine dying halfway round. A spare battery fixes that for far less than the jump to a more powerful model. The Samsung and Halo ship with two for a reason. If your chosen vacuum sells a spare, it is usually money better spent than the next model up.
Use the right power mode
Boost mode is for a spill or a patch of ground-in grit, not for the whole house. Run on low or auto for everyday cleaning and you keep the battery alive three or four times longer. A smart vacuum like the Shark does this for you; on the others, your thumb does it.
Empty it before it is full
A small bin or pod loses suction as it fills, more noticeably than a big cylinder does. Empty a bagless bin at about two thirds, and swap a bagged pod when the light tells you, and the machine keeps pulling properly. Tip a bagless bin out slowly to keep the dust down.
Cordless is a partner, not always the whole answer
For day-to-day pickup and stairs, a cordless is the easiest vacuum to live with. For deep pile, a big house, or a proper periodic deep clean, a corded machine still does more in one go. If your carpets are looking flat and tired, vacuuming alone will not fix grit and grease bedded down at the base; that is where a hot-water extraction clean earns its money, and you can read what that involves on our professional carpet cleaning page. We also clean sofas and mattresses on our upholstery cleaning service, and handle whole homes through domestic cleaning and move-outs through end of tenancy cleaning. If you would rather hand the job over, get in touch for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cordless vacuum to buy in 2026?
For most homes the Dyson Gen5detect is the best cordless overall, with 280 air watts, sealed HEPA filtration and about 70 minutes of run time. If you want the same smart cleaning for less, the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty senses the floor and empties itself, and the Henry Quick is the value pick under £200.
How long do cordless vacuum batteries actually last per clean?
Less than the box claims. The quoted run time is measured on the lowest setting with a non-powered tool. On full power with a motorised brush, a 60-minute vacuum often manages 15 to 20 minutes. Pick low or auto mode for everyday cleaning, and buy a spare battery if your home is large.
Are cordless vacuums powerful enough to replace a corded one?
For most homes now, yes. The Dyson Gen5detect and Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra match or beat many corded machines on suction. The real trade-offs are a small dust bin and limited run time, not power. For deep pile or a very large house, a corded machine still does more in a single session.
Bagged or bagless cordless vacuum, which is better?
Bagless is cheaper to run but puffs dust when you empty it. Bagged sticks like the Henry Quick and Halo Capsule XR seal the dirt into a pod you bin whole, which is cleaner and far kinder to dust allergies. The trade-off is buying replacement pods or pouches over time.
Which cordless vacuum is best for pet hair?
Look for anti-hair-wrap and strong suction. The Shark PowerDetect cleared a long-hair tangle test with nothing left on the brush, and the Dyson Gen5detect uses anti-tangle vanes that spiral hair into the bin. Both also seal the fine dander that triggers allergies, which matters in a pet home.
Are cordless vacuums good for stairs?
Yes, this is where cordless shines, since there is no cord to drag or replug. Weight is the thing to watch, because you hold the machine up on each step. A lighter model like the 2.7kg Halo Capsule XR is easiest, and most sticks convert to a handheld for the steps and skirting.
How much should I spend on a cordless vacuum?
You can clean well from about £180 with the Henry Quick. The smart, self-emptying models sit around £330 to £550 once discounted, and the flagship Dyson and Samsung run £749 to £800. Spending more buys power, run time and self-emptying, not necessarily a cleaner floor.
Do cordless vacuums work on carpet as well as hard floors?
The strong ones do. A motorised brushroll agitates carpet while suction lifts the dirt, and auto-sensing models raise power on carpet automatically. On deep or shag pile the most powerful heads can seal and grab, so for thick carpet read our high-pile guide before you buy a cordless.
Last updated: May 2026. Written by the team at Monster Cleaning, professional cleaners working in UK homes since 2014. Prices and models were checked against UK retailers and manufacturer listings at the time of writing and do change.