By Bryan Wall
Product Test Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakamātautau Hautaonga
We’ve tested cordless stick vacuums from Dyson, Samsung, Miele, Kmart and more. Here are our picks, including the best for hard floors and pet hair and the best cheap stick vacuum.
Battery-powered stick vacuums are now a good option for a whole house clean, with their improved suction and runtimes. But many come at a premium, so it’s important to choose a reliable model with performance to match.
Our expert test results can help you make the right decision - we rate stick vacuums on how well they clean hard floors and carpets and suck up pet hair, along with how easy they are to use and how repairable and reliable they are likely to be.
Our buying guide makes choosing easier. We’ve also written about the stick vacuums you should avoid buying and the models that are best for cleaning up pet hair.
Read on for our top stick vacuum picks based on performance, price, flooring type and specific needs (for those of you with asthma, allergies or pets).
Best all-round stick vac
Best stick vacuum for hardwood floors
Best cheap stick vacuum
Best stick vacuum with hand-held mode
Best stick vacuum for asthma, allergies or pets
Which brands are most reliable?
We asked thousands of Consumer members about their experience with products they've used to find out which brands are most reliable and satisfying to own. The results are available to members and Digital Pass holders.
How Consumer NZ tests stick vacuum cleaners
Stick vacuum cleaners are tested in our lab to assess how well each model cleans carpet and hard floors, how effectively it gets into corners and edges and how well it picks up pet hair. We also check how easy each vacuum is to use, including its manoeuvrability, controls, emptying, storage and attachments, along with battery runtime and charging.
Our overall scores factor in brand reliability and repairability, so our recommendations aren’t based on cleaning performance alone.
