Best Stick Vacuum Reviews and Buying Guide 2018

 1   Deik Vacuum Cleaner: 2-in-1 Cordless and Handheld

If you want all the freedom of movement and maneuverability of a stick vacuum alongside the convenience of a handheld, this nifty little 2-in-1 from Deik is well worth popping on your shortlist.

Although cordless vacs are undeniably convenient, one of the inbuilt flaws is batteries that simply don’t stay the distance. With a 22-volt lithium ion powerplant, you’ll get around 25 minutes of full-blast cleaning power before you need to give the Deik some juice. Even if you have a fairly spacious home, this should be more than enough battery life for a thorough clean. The added bonus is that you’ll get fade-free suction so you won’t end up limping along mid-cycle.

While the stick itself will allow you to clean up on high and in any awkward spots, sometimes you need even more freedom of movement. At the push of a button, you get a detachable handheld which is ideal for cleaning up and down the stairs or even out in the car.

Many bagless vacuums can be messy to empty. This is especially bad news for anyone with allergies or asthma. When you ditch the contents of the dirt container, the last thing you want is a face full of pathogens. With the Deik, simply snap off the dirt cup and empty the contents into the trash without any backdraft. You’ll accommodate a half-liter of debris in the generous container before needing to empty it.

Thinking of allergy sufferers, the washable HEPA filter is almost maintenance free and ensures your home remains blissfully free of airborne contaminants and fine particles of dust. This sets the Deik apart from many cordless vacs which do a good enough job of cleaning but simply agitate these fine particulates rather than wicking them away.

The motorized brush roll will afford you sufficient power to get low or medium pile carpets spotless. You might need to make a few passes but you can dispatch even stubborn stains and pet hair without too much ceremony.

If you have mixed flooring, hit the button and make a seamless transition to wooden surfaces without scratching or scuffing them.

User-friendliness is uppermost with the Deik and the always-on trigger means you can clean for long periods without your hand feeling clawed up.

For a multi-purpose and lightweight stick vacuum tailor-made for a range of surfaces, the Deik 2-in-1 is affordable, dependable and a great addition to any cleaning arsenal.

 2   Shark Navigator Freestyle Cordless Stick Vacuum, White (SV1106)

Shark has a hard-won reputation for providing Dyson-rivaling vacuums at an extremely affordable price point. Good sticks are not particularly cheap as a rule but the Navigator Freestyle breaks the mold.

Off the bat, we’ll make it clear that run time could be substantially improved with the Navigator. The manufacturer doesn’t disclose any figures and that’s not surprising. You’ll get just over 15 minutes on carpet and a risible 12 minutes on hard flooring. Every vacuum simply needs to be fit for purpose so the Navigator Freestyle is perfect if you have an apartment or smaller house and you’re aware of its limitations before purchasing.

On the plus side, recharging is fairly brisk with a full burst of power delivered in anywhere from 5 to 7 hours. Simply leave it powering up overnight and you’ll be good to go in the morning.

Although there are lighter vacuums, at just over 7 pounds the Shark is still highly maneuverable. Swivel steering makes an already svelte vacuum seem to dance around the room.

The dual-speed brushroll means that you can confidently clean carpets then glide directly onto any hard flooring without worrying about the beater bar creating mayhem on your laminate or tile. On bare flooring, the powerful suction and brush combine to pick up large or small debris without needing to keep going over the same patch time and again. Many cheap stick vacuums fall woefully flat on carpet but the Navigator acquits itself well on even medium-pile without getting bogged down.

If you’re a pet owner, the Shark does a reasonably deft job of sucking up rogue hair and dander. If the hair gets tangled up around the brush, this is particularly easy to clean.

This bagless Shark vacuum has a substantial dust container which is a cinch to empty without needing to come into close contact with the debris.

As far as attachments and accessories go, you’re clean out of luck. You can’t really expect much more when you take into account the price of the Navigator and its hard-hitting functionality, though.

For a keenly-priced stick vacuum that doesn’t stint on cleaning power or durability, you could do far worse than road test the Shark Navigator Freestyle. If you are comfortable with a lesser run-time, this is a convenient way to restore your home to show house condition without breaking the bank.

 3   Hoover Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

Next up is a top-notch cordless stick from the industry titan Hoover that packs a considerable punch without requiring you to take out a bank loan.

As with the Shark, if you’re expecting a length run-time with the Hoover you’ll end up disappointed. With a scant 15 minutes on hard flooring and just 10 minutes if you’re cleaning carpet, don’t expect to clean up the whole house in one shot. The good news is that you can impart a full charge in just 3 hours which is much more rapid than most competing cordless vacs. There’s a crisp

The wide, 11-inch cleaning path lets you get more done in less time. Hoover’s innovative WindTunnel 3 technology with powered brush roll allows you to deal with both surface debris and more embedded dirt without any bother. The edge cleaning bristles ensure you get a perfect finish, too.

The Linx works best at restoring your hard floors to their former glory but it’s also more than capable of cleaning up on carpet when called upon.

The dirt cup releases from the bottom so you can ditch the debris directly into the trash can without coming into close contact with it. This is invaluable for anyone who suffers from allergies.

Since the Hoover has a low-profile design with a handle that reclines at a steep angle, cleaning up under your furniture just got even easier.

If you’ve got a cat or dog at home, cleaning up after them is a cakewalk. As with all vacuums, any long hair tends to wrap itself around the brush roll but this can be unraveled without too much trouble.

The Hoover Linx is not just a neat performer but also comfy to use. The fingertip controls ensure that everything you need is within reach and the lightweight nature of the stick means vacuuming needn’t be a tiring affair.

One thing to note is that cleaning the filter is straightforward enough but more than a little messy.

Hoover’s solid 2-year warranty takes the sting out of purchase and you know you’re covered in the unlikely event of anything going wrong.

For an inexpensive stick vacuum from a brand you can rely on, the Hoover Linx is a classic with good reason. Check one out today and enjoy stress-free cleaning year-round.

 4  VonHaus 2-in-1 Corded Upright Stick Vacuum and Handheld Vacuum

For an incredibly cheap vacuum that serves double duty as both a stick and handheld, the VonHaus 2-in-1 gives unparalleled value for money in a choice of attractive colorways.

Tipping the scales at just 5 ½ pounds, even in conventional upright incarnation, the VonHaus is super-simple to steer around the house. By detaching the extension handle, you can take full advantage of the ultra-portable handheld for any impromptu messes or cleaning in tight, awkward spots.

Amazingly for a vacuum in this price range, the VonHaus boasts HEPA-filtration which will help keep your home not just immaculate but also allergen-free.

As you might expect with a cheaper stick vacuum, the VonHaus is not without its drawbacks. We always honestly point out any flaws in a product so you can buy fully informed. There’s nothing worse than reading a glowing review only to be unsettled by obvious downsides that were never mentioned…

Firstly, the power cord is far too short which restricts your freedom of movement. To salt the wound, there’s no auto-retract functionality so you’ll need to wind it in manually.

As well as kicking out a little too much noise for our liking, the attachments are not really built to last. While this is not particularly surprising with a cheaper vacuum, it’s worth being aware of rather than going in heavy-handed and facing a broken vacuum and an expensive repair bill.

While the lack of a motorized brush roll guarantees your wooden flooring won’t get damaged, it does mean you won’t get quite the suction power you need on carpets. The VonHaus will clean lower pile carpets but don’t expect the raw power of a full-bore upright with beater bar.

Overall, considering the shower of benefits and the pocket-friendly pricing, we’d suggest investigating the VonHaus further if you want a cheap and cheerful stick vac with a HEPA filter and substantial dirt capacity. This vacuum is not perfect but it’s a wonderful budget stick that gets the thumbs up from us!

 5  Electrolux Ergorapido Deluxe 2-1 Stick and Handheld Vacuum

Last but by no means least in our stick vacuum reviews is another stick and handheld combo that punches above its weight.

There are 13 models in Electrolux’s extremely popular Ergorapido line and the EL2081A is our pick of the bunch.

While many cordless sticks only serve up a bare 10 or 15 minutes of continuous run time, the Ergorapido will let you spring clean for a half hour before needing a boost of charge. It takes around 4 hours for a full recharge. This is achieved through the 14.4-V lithium-ion battery which is highly effective.

You’ll be able to clean a variety of surfaces but the Electrolux comes into its own on hard flooring.

For anyone tired of unpicking tangled hair from the brush roll of the vacuum, the self-cleaning beater bar on the Ergorapido makes that a thing of the past.

If you often clean up in the basement, garage or anywhere with dimmer lighting, the LED headlights are a wonderful touch and quite unexpected on a cheap stick.

Using the Electrolux is as pleasurable as vacuuming can be. It’s lightweight body and crisp steering mean you’ll dart around your room without feeling burdened.

Although you won’t get too much by the way of attachments, the crevice tool is perfect for angling into awkward spots and the dusting brush lets you finish your cleaning off nicely for a professional finish. These attachments slip down into the handle when not in use so you won’t misplace them in a hurry.

There’s an allergy-friendly filter that’s a breeze to clean and this will be protected from harm due to the cyclonic action which separates fine particles from bigger debris.

Suction power could be improved but if it’s unchecked cleaning power you’re after, you’re much better advised to purchase an upright vacuum instead so we can’t really complain about this too much.