Do you still bother to vacuum your car? Then we salute you, and we have the best car vacuum for the job. The best car cleaners suck dust and debris from your car's interior like a champ: some plug into a 12V socket, and others are gloriously cordless, but either way, they'll bust dust and dirt fantastically.
As a nation, we've become a bunch of lazy slobs willing to hand over excessive amounts of cash in order for someone else to carry out what was once a fine Sunday ritual. Where's the commitment? Where's the pride? Where's the feeling of satisfaction from knowing every single dog hair has been removed from the back seats? Exactly.
A lot of these vacuum cleaners can be used in settings other than four-wheeled ones. And if you check out our best cordless vacuum and best Dyson cordless vacuum guides, you'll find a number of other suitable candidates. However, these are the very best vacs for car cleaning duties specifically. (We've found the best Dyson deals too, so scroll down for the lowest prices anywhere.)
T3's top 3 car vacuum cleaners
The best car vacuum cleaners you can buy
Our favourite, purely for its ease of use and compact storage, is the Shark Premium Handheld Vacuum WV270UK. It packs a solid 15 minutes of run time, which we found plenty enough for an everyday car spruce up, while its lightweight build makes it really easy to get into tight spaces.
Granted, there are more powerful and more premium units on this list should you need to tackle really dirty interiors, but for most, this little Shark has got your back. We found it powerful enough to deal with crumbs, pet hair and even dried up mud. Plus, it charges quickly on its neat stand, too.
Best overall
Sometimes, all you need is a small, handy and inconspicuous cordless vacuum cleaner to deal with the day-to-day muck that accumulates in the car. Despite not having a 12V charger or converter to charge via a cigarette lighter socket, this small but handy Shark is perfectly fine for quick jobs.
It’s why we think it is one of the best overall, as it’s so easy to use and easily handles cleaning sessions up to 15 minutes long. The bin capacity is pretty tight, so you probably don’t want to tackle really massive car cleaning jobs with it, but go for the little and often approach and you won’t be disappointed.
Best premium
If money is no object, the Miele Triflex HX2 Pro Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a supremely powerful cordless vacuum cleaner for the toughest in-car jobs. Due to its portable nature, the bin capacity only hovers around 0.5L, which should be plenty for a normal family car but could be restrictive for very dirty jobs.
However, with a maximum run time of up to 120 minutes, there’s plenty of juice locked inside the battery pack for epic cleaning sessions. It even comes with a spare rechargeable battery pack, so you can hot-swap mid-clean.
It is also super easy to set the Miele Triflex HX2 Pro up as a super compact handheld by removing the longest nozzle and opting to bolt the provided tools directly onto the main body of the unit. We found these attachments were good for removing pet hair and for getting into stubborn, hard-to-reach spaces within the car.
Best budget
One of the biggest issues with the many battery-powered rivals we have mentioned in this guide is that you will have to inevitably leave said vacuum cleaner in the house or garage (should it have a power supply) to store and charge.
Not so with the Black + Decker 12V Auto Flexi Car Vacuum, as this handy unit plugs directly into a vehicle’s 12V outlet of cigarette lighter socket. That means you can keep it in the boot and whip it out whenever required, whether that’s an unfortunate crisp packet explosion or a pet that’s shedding fur like mad.
The 0.5L bin capacity is competitive and the numerous nozzles and tools make it really easy to get into awkward spots. In fact, this model was up there among the best when it came to getting into awkward cup holders or those irritating chasms behind IsoFix covers.
Annoyingly, it is only the suction power that lets this one down, as its 12V power source means it can’t compete with the sort of dust-busting vortex a Dyson or Miele model can produce. Long and particularly tough pet hair that’s embedded into upholstery will remain there and heavier bits of dried mud and crud will struggle to be sucked up.
Best for cars and boats
You can’t really go wrong with cordless Dysons from the V6 onwards. The fact that this one says ‘car’ in the name actually doesn't make a huge amount of difference to the actual vac, but what you do get is a wealth of car-specific accessories, most notably a handy extension hose and a motorised brush for removing pet hair and a stiff, 'stubborn dirt brush' for ground-in muck and oomska.
In terms of suction power, the V6 lags behind the newer V8 and V10 but it is much more manoeuvrable than the V10 and cheaper than the V8, even with all the bonus goodies provided. It is also still powerful enough for most in-car cleaning tasks and can also happily turn its hand to cleaning up minor spills and dust outbreaks in your home too. Oh, and your boat, of course.
Our only quibble with the V6 is that the bin is not that easy to fully empty – you'll need a chopstick or similar to get stubborn clots of dirt out.
It's somewhat pricier than the V6 and lacks the extension hose and stubborn dirt brush but the Dyson V8 is more powerful and easier to empty, despite being pretty much the same size and shape. It will also do a better job around your home as a whole. The only question is whether you want a pricier all-rounder or a cheaper car specialist. And then there's this thing…
Best Dyson rival
Again, while this is designed primarily with households in mind, the latest and greatest vac offering from Philips is too good to pass up as a vehicle-vacuuming device thanks to its considerable power and some excellent attachments.
The aptly-called Turbo Brush features its own powerful motors that rotate a cleaning bar for effortless pet hair and dried mud removal, while a small built-in crevice brush is perfect for getting down the back of seats and other awkward spots.
We found claimed the run time to be very accurate and the lower powered eco mode enough to get the worst of the dirt off, with the top-whack turbo mode only required for really stubborn bits.
For some reason, this lacks a soft brush head of the type Dyson supplies but in your car, the attachments that are provided more than compensate.
Best for tools
Small, light and easy to lug around, this model from Gtech is only really let down by the fact that it's very much like the V6 Car & Boat in terms of performance and price, but not quite as good, as well balanced, or as aesthetically pleasing. So you end up thinking, "I might as well just get the Dyson, then."
The 20-minute run time is similar to the Dyson, but because it's slightly less powerful, everything takes slightly longer and hence 20 minutes is sometimes not enough for more challenging jobs. Although the Gtech's clear dust compartment is slightly easier to empty once full. The battery takes an additional half an hour to charge, but on the plus side it is removable, unlike Dyson's. That means you can charge it more easily and also gives the option of buying a spare battery for £70.
The additional Car Kit (£25) includes a plethora of attachments that are great for getting into those hard to reach places – most notably the flexible crevice tool. Even without the extra kit, you get a mini motorised tool and an extending tube and non-flexible crevice tool for getting into nooks and crannies.
All in all, this is a clever, well-designed car vac and a solid alternative to the Dyson.
Best for hard to reach areas
This is another cordless vac that has Dyson in its sights. Although primarily aimed at the home cleaning crew, it's perhaps a little underpowered for that, but it's very affordable, and doubles up brilliantly as a car-cleaning device.
The Cordless Pro Kit contains a number of brush heads and extension nozzles that are particularly good at getting into tough spots, while the main multi-surface cleaning head can removed from the extension stick and used to get rid of pet hair and muck.
This is undoubtedly a little uncomfortable to use, as the grip handle doesn't seem to have been ergonomically designed, while the vacuum itself is heavy compared to rivals. There is also a 24V version, which is cheaper, but has a shorter run time. However, for whatever reason, this one is only £20 or so more expensive, and that is well worth it as you will spend a lot of time using the Boost mode and powered brush bar during use.
Best for windows and glass
One for the car and for the house, this Karcher window vacuum will revolutionise the way you clean windows. Coming with a spray bottle and microfibre cloth, the vacuum is famed for its streak-free finish.
Offering up to 35 minutes of charge, there’s plenty of time to work your way round the car and a bit of the house, too. It’s super lightweight and you can use it to suck up spillages, great if your household is a clumsy one.
How to buy the best vacuum for car maintenance
This is essentially going to come down to budget but be warned: some of the cheaper models simply don't pack the wattage or suction power to be of much use, unless you are so fastidious that all you ever need to suck up is dust.
That said, if it's simply a mild cleanse that's required, it might be worth considering some of the smaller models that plug into a vehicle’s 12V cigarette lighter. These tend to be lighter, smaller and easier to squeeze into tight spaces, while the corded power supply means it doesn't matter if the clean takes a little longer than expected – you're not going to run out of juice.
Those with pets kids and a love of outdoor pursuits should definitely shell out more for a powerful cordless from the likes of Philips, Gtech and Dyson (or one of the other best high-end cordless vacs. They are designed to lift pet hair and suck away awkward spills, and will happily serve as a vacuum for using around the house as well.
