The best cordless vacuums include 3 Dyson models (and 1 alternative)

Who it's for:

Do you dread the act of emptying a vacuum's dust bin more than the act of vacuuming itself? Maybe the swirl of dust that puffs up from the trash triggers your allergies, or maybe you're irked by the particles that miss the trash can and create yet another mess. Maybe it just makes you gag. If you're over coming face to face with that gray cloud on a regular basis, then you will appreciate a self-emptying stick vacuum like the Shark Detect Pro. At $449.95 at full price, it's also more affordable than the average Dyson stick vacuum.

Why we picked this:

Not to be confused with the homonymous Shark Detect Pro robot vacuum, the Shark Detect Pro cordless stick vacuum is a bang for your buck that deserves more attention. First things first: Automatic emptying isn't the norm for upright vacuums like it is for self-emptying robot vacuums. The chance to combine the power and control of a manual vacuum with the hands-free convenience of an auto-empty station, and for the price of a lower-end Dyson, is pretty convenient. (Dyson still hasn't attempted automatic emptying, though brands like LG, Samsung, and now Shark are all over it.)

After the auto-empty whoosh that punishes your eardrums for about 10 seconds, you're greeted with a laundry-scented puff of odor neutralizer that's installed in the dock. Of course, the best part of the dock is not having to deal with the dust bin for at least a month. When it's full, you can just toss and replace the bag. This makes the super small dust bin onboard the actual vacuum a moot point.

As for the performance of the vacuum itself, I had no complaints. I could hear the DirtDetect technology ramping up suction power on dirtier areas, like around the litter box or across a pile of spilled chia seeds, as well as on the living room and hallway rugs. And because it's the Detect Pro, the vacuum also boosts suction if a corner or wall is sensed. All of this combines to allegedly give the Detect Pro 50% better hair pickup than Shark vacuums without this tech.

Who it's for:

Homes with lots of pets or homes who get lots of visitors need a serious sidekick to keep the floors spotless. The most heavy-duty Dyson cleaner (and arguably the most robust cordless stick vacuum on the market) would be the ideal match if you're willing to drop that true Dyson coin. The Gen5outsize also sports the largest dust bin capacity of any Dyson. So, even with all that power sucking up so much debris on a regular basis, you still won't need to empty it after every clean.

Why we like it:

On its face, the beast that is the 2023 Gen5outsize rocks the outwardly familiar design of any other Dyson vacuum with a vertical dust bin. But I could tell that it was a powerhouse when holding it up beside the measly V10. Dyson kept the same half-gallon dust bin from the older Outsize, which holds more than double the grime of the brand's other 0.2-gallon bins, ditched the finger trigger, and added a digital LCD screen for displaying runtime. It also sports a dust particle counter that lets you know when you've thoroughly cleaned the spot in question.

Dyson's heaviest stick vacuum also provides a heavy-duty clean. It's armed with an intuitive Hyperdymium motor that rotates up to 135,000 times per minute, hitting 250 Air Watts of suction power — not too far off from the 290 AW output by the clunky corded Ball Animal 3. Despite expending so much oomph, the battery's good for up to 140 minutes (depending on the suction mode). You can choose from three cleaning modes with any of the included attachments, including the beloved laser head that illuminates dust on the floor and the mini motorized tool, the ultimate handheld weapon for tackling pet hair on furniture, stairs, and car seats.

Who it's for:

Most of us mop our floors far less often than we'd admit. And the excuse may be nothing more than the tediousness of it all, especially if mopping requires digging out a separate mop that will disrupt the closet's precious Tetris-style organization. For homes with high-traffic hard floors that just aren't feeling barefoot ready after mere dry sweeping, the most practical bet would be to combine a powerful vacuum and a Swiffer.

There's no shortage of cordless upright vacuum and mop combos out there —the problem is that they're not supposed to be used on carpet. If you have a decent amount of carpeted floors or rugs, opting for the Dyson V15 Detect Submarine over something like the Roborock Dyad Pro or Bissell Crosswave allows you to give your carpet the attention it deserves, plus the freedom to pivot to a wet polish with one click. Plus, unlike those non-stick models, the V15 Detect Submarine can hang right on your wall.

Why we like it:

While the mopping aspect is a draw in it itself, Dyson doesn't expect you to go in on a crumby or dusty floor with water before vacuuming it first. The V15 Detect Submarine still boasts Dyson's second-most powerful cordless suction power (230 AW) and comes with the popular laser head attachment, the Digital Motorbar for deep cleaning carpets, and the mini motorized attachment.

The mopping head does have a few quirks that limit the variety of messes it can tackle. Unlike full-fledged hybrid devices that can vacuum and mop at the same time, the Submarine doesn't suck while mopping, as the extender tube connecting to the dust bin is completely closed off during wet cleaning. (I found that out the hard way when I thought I could sweep up a pile of cornstarch with the wet roller head.)

I also found that gross, dirty water squeegeed out of the roller head when it was jostled around as I refilled the clean water tank. I ended up emptying the dirty water tank way more often just to avoid that. This less-than-streamlined design kind of reserves the Submarine to small droplets or dried stains from shoes or small spills. Still, that's more clutch than using a paper towel or not mopping at all.