Coming clean: Ten cordless vacuum cleaners

Incredible suckers

Black & Decker PV1820L Pivot

When the Pivot first came out in 2010, it was the strongest most powerful handheld on the market and the one to rival the Dyson model of the time. However, there were problems with dust leakage when on charge, which Black & Decker has endeavoured to resolve with this latest model.

The PV1820L big for a handheld but the industrial design is modern, heavy to the hand yet still one of the most powerful handhelds for suction. Full-stop. Indeed, it’s great as a handheld for the house and for those wanting fast hard suction for car cleaning.

The nozzle pivots up to 200˚ to access awkward spaces and folds in half for compact charging and storage. Since January 2014, the latest model with the upgrade to lithium-ion battery has a run time of 15 minutes from a four-hour charge with indicator flashing 30 seconds before the battery runs out. It doesn’t sound like much but compared to the piddly handhelds from past, car-cleaning enthusiasts will find it a joy.

The pull-out soft head-brush is ideal for electronics, but make up your mind whether it’s for indoor use only or car and shed too. However, at half the price of other high-powered models, it’s a no-brainer.

Price £70
Weight 1.42kg
More info Black & Decker

Dyson DC58 Animal

Any sensible person splashing out on a Dyson cordless would go for the DC59 stick version (reviewed earlier) and use the detachable handheld for all the jobs like car and stair detail. That said, the DC58 – which lacks the long aluminium wand – is £80 cheaper. So if money matters and you don’t need a stick, it’s worth opting for.

With the latest V6 motor, the DC58 is more powerful then previous models. Run time is 20 mins after 3.5 hours charge time, 17mins with the motorised tool or in "Boost mode" six minutes of high suction power.

Along with the motorised head tool, which gives it the edge over the other handhelds tested here, the DC58 comes with a soft brush combination tool and crevice tool. Although it may sound heavy at 1.6kg, the ergonomic design is light on the wrist and arm and if you don’t mind spending over £200, it doesn’t disappoint.

Price £220
Weight 1.6kg
More info Dyson