Pushing round a heavy vacuum can get tiring, particularly when you have a big house or have to hold it up or down stairs. Your vacuum doesn’t need to be a burden, although — the perfect light-weight vacuums are much less strenuous to function but ship simply as a lot cleansing energy as their outsized counterparts.
Consultants Say
“Once you push and pull a vacuum, it locations stress in your higher physique and in your decrease again as a result of the burden of the machine is way away out of your heart of gravity and core.” —Dr. Milica McDowell, physician of bodily remedy and vp of operations at Gait Occurs
We’ve examined greater than 350 of the finest vacuum cleaners, and there are a number of standout choices that weigh lower than 10 kilos, making them simpler to handle. We additionally spoke with a bodily therapist about how you can choose cleansing instruments when you have mobility limitations or situations like arthritis. Preserve scrolling to buy the perfect light-weight vacuums we advocate in your house.
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Simple to hold round and function
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Laser filth detection works effectively on laborious flooring
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Spectacular runtime for a cordless mannequin
At simply over 5 kilos, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is the model’s lightest cordless vacuum, but it nonetheless delivers the cleansing energy you’d count on from a Dyson vacuum. We love how simple it’s to hold round and maneuver throughout the ground, and it does an awesome job choosing up most particles — the one space the place it struggled a bit was massive items of canine kibble. This vacuum is especially nice when you have a number of laborious flooring, as its filth detection laser lights up mud and pet hair, making certain you don’t miss any spots.
One other key characteristic of this Dyson mannequin is its on/off energy button, which is less complicated to function than the model’s traditional trigger-style controls. It will probably run for as much as an hour on its low suction setting, and its LCD display has a count-down timer that allows you to know precisely how a lot runtime is left.
Sort: Cordless stick | Weight: 5.2 kilos | Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.8 x 49.1 inches | Bin Quantity: 0.1 gallons
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Light-weight for an upright vacuum
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Swivel steering makes it simple to maneuver
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Efficient for selecting up pet hair
Upright vacuums may be fairly hefty, however the Shark Navigator Freestyle weighs in at simply 7.5 kilos. Regardless of its smaller-than-average dimension, we discovered that this cordless upright vacuum nonetheless does an awesome job choosing up particles from each laborious flooring and carpeting, and it was notably efficient at cleansing up pet hair.
Along with being light-weight, this Shark vacuum has swivel steering that makes it simple to maneuver round obstacles, and since it’s battery-powered, you possibly can transfer from room to room with out stopping to search out an outlet. We have been capable of clear for round quarter-hour per cost, and the dustbin is fast and straightforward to empty whenever you’re completed.
Sort: Cordless upright | Weight: 7.5 kilos | Dimensions: 9.6 x 10.5 x 46 inches | Bin Quantity: 0.64 quarts
Consultants Say
“Light-weight vacuums are additionally good for individuals with smaller areas, as you may make extra passes in a smaller room with a extra compact machine.” —Dr. McDowell
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Cleans up moist and dry messes
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Low upkeep due to self-cleaning operate
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Self-propelled steering is simple to make use of
Moist-dry vacuums are all the trend proper now, and our favourite light-weight possibility is the Bissell TurboClean, which weighs simply over 8 kilos. This unit vacuums and mops flooring concurrently utilizing contemporary water and cleansing answer, and we liked that its self-propelled design makes it practically easy to push. The TurboClean did an awesome job choosing up each moist messes and dry particles, nevertheless it did battle a bit with bigger chunks of particles.
You might must empty this vacuum’s soiled water tank mid-clean, because it’s not the largest, however we discovered that the unit was simple to keep up due to its self-cleaning characteristic. Plus, not solely is it efficient and straightforward to make use of, however this wet-dry vacuum can be well-priced, costing tons of lower than many different choices.
Sort: Moist-dry vacuum | Weight: 8.37 kilos | Dimensions: 11 x 9.84 x4 5.27 inches | Bin Quantity: 17 ounces
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Good suction, even on lowest setting
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Cleans for greater than 25 minutes per cost
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Consists of HEPA filter
The Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum is one other among the finest vacuums we’ve examined, and it weighs just below 7 kilos. Not like many cordless vacuums, this mannequin carried out effectively even on its lowest setting — we by no means wanted to extend the suction whereas choosing up all types of particles. It additionally lasted for greater than 25 minutes per cost, providing you with loads of time to scrub throughout your private home.
This cordless vacuum is simple to maneuver, and it boasts a HEPA filter to assist lure allergens and mud. It has a novel design that may stand upright whereas charging, nevertheless it doesn’t have a wall-mounted charging dock — as an alternative, you need to plug it in by hand whenever you end cleansing.
Sort: Cordless stick | Weight: 6.89 kilos | Dimensions: 10.24 x 7.09 x 46.09 inches | Bin Quantity: 0.34 quarts
True to its title, the Bissell Featherweight Cordless Stick Vacuum is kind of compact, weighing just below 6 kilos, and in contrast to different cordless vacuums, it may stand upright by itself, which is handy when it is advisable to pause cleansing. Throughout testing, we have been impressed with its potential to choose up particles, and it did an particularly good job eradicating pet hair from carpeting with out getting its brushroll all tousled.
Due to its light-weight design and swiveling head, the Featherweight is simple to drive round obstacles and even underneath furnishings. You even have the choice to show off its brushroll, if desired. Nevertheless, its runtime is shorter than most, maxing out at 20 minutes on its low suction setting, so it’s not a great choose for bigger properties.
Sort: Cordless stick | Weight: 5.8 kilos | Dimensions: 10 x 6 x 44 inches | Bin Quantity: 0.45 liters
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Highly effective suction for low value
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Shiny headlights for extra thorough cleansing
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Stands upright by itself
In order for you a robust vacuum at a low value, the Black and Decker Powerseries+ is without doubt one of the finest cordless vacuums we’ve examined. At 8 kilos, it’s barely heavier than different cordless fashions, nevertheless it delivers really spectacular suction that’s capable of clear up all forms of particles, together with filth, mud, grass, hair, and extra. Its floorhead swivels simply to scrub round furnishings and different obstacles, and it has vivid LED headlights that assist illuminate particles that you just may need missed.
This mannequin has a freestanding design, so that you don’t need to lean it up in opposition to one thing whenever you cease cleansing, and its dustbin is simple to empty. Nevertheless, it’s louder than different cordless vacuums and solely lasts for round 18 minutes on low suction. Nonetheless, it’s laborious to beat the cleansing efficiency for such a low value.
Sort: Cordless stick | Weight: 8.3 kilos | Dimensions: 9.84 x 6.77 x 43.5 inches | Bin Quantity: Not listed
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Efficient throughout several types of flooring
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Canister rolls easily whereas cleansing
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On-board accent storage
This canister vacuum from Kenmore is a compact, light-weight possibility that’s efficient throughout laborious flooring and carpeting alike, simply choosing up particles like sand, mud, and uncooked pasta. It weighs lower than 10 kilos, and in testing, we discovered that its canister rolls easily alongside behind you, even when it is on carpeting. Plus, since you solely need to push the vacuum’s wand, it’s not practically as tiring to make use of as an upright vacuum.
Not like many canister vacuums, this mannequin has a bagless design, which means you received’t need to buy substitute baggage. You may wash out the canister as wanted, and the vacuum’s equipment, which embrace a dusting brush, crevice instrument, and pet brush, can all be saved on board in order that they’re simple to entry when wanted.
Sort: Bagless canister | Weight: 9.5 kilos | Dimensions: 11.4 x 12.2 x 28.8 inches | Bin Quantity: Not listed
Professional Tip!
“Individuals who may gain advantage from a light-weight vacuum embrace the older inhabitants who’ve mobility, endurance, and power deficiencies, in addition to individuals with bodily impairments similar to an harm or persistent ache.” —Dr. Devin Trachman, bodily therapist and clinic director at Bodily Remedy Central
What to Know About Light-weight Vacuums
Vacuum Varieties
A number of forms of vacuums fall into the light-weight class, weighing lower than 10 kilos:
- Upright: Whereas upright vacuums are sometimes heavy, some extra compact choices are price contemplating in your house. These vacuums are inclined to carry out the perfect on carpeting, they usually are available each corded and cordless designs, relying on what you favor.
- Canister: If you happen to battle to push an upright vacuum, a canister vacuum could also be extra manageable. You merely need to push the vacuum’s wand and floorhead, and the physique of the vacuum rolls alongside behind you, so that you don’t need to help its weight.
- Cordless stick: These common vacuums are a few of the lightest out there at present, they usually’re typically extremely versatile. They typically include quite a lot of attachments for above-floor cleansing, and plenty of can be utilized as handheld vacuums, too. Simply understand that their cordless nature means they’ve restricted runtime, in order that they’re not splendid for lengthy cleansing classes.
- Moist-dry: The newest craze within the vacuum world, wet-dry vacuums choose up dry particles whereas concurrently mopping your flooring. They’re nice when you have principally laborious flooring in your house, however they’ll’t be used on carpeting.
Ergonomics
Weight isn’t the one issue that impacts how simple — or difficult — a vacuum is to make use of. An ergonomic design will help to scale back pressure, even when the vacuum is barely heavier. “Different issues I inform my sufferers to think about when vacuum buying embrace ergonomic design similar to a deal with that enables for impartial wrist placement, adjustable peak choices, and attachment items that may additional promote good positioning to keep away from extreme bending or reaching,” says Dr. Trachman.
Different options it’s possible you’ll wish to search for embrace a swiveling head, which makes vacuums simpler to maneuver, or a self-propelled design that strikes ahead by itself.
Suction Energy
A vacuum’s suction energy additionally performs a job in its ease of operation, so search for a mannequin with a number of suction settings, when potential. “Greater suction means you may take much less passes to scrub an space, however you may expertise extra power wanted to maneuver the vacuum,” explains Dr. McDowell.
If you happen to’re struggling to push your vacuum, it’s possible you’ll wish to strive decreasing its suction energy and making a number of passes to choose up particles.
Worth Vary
Light-weight vacuums can vary in value from $100 to $600 or extra. Essentially the most inexpensive possibility we advocate is the Black and Decker Powerseries+ Stick Vacuum, which retails for lower than $100, whereas our most premium choose is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, which is $650 at full value. Nevertheless, there are many choices in between these two that can match any price range.
Behind the Scenes
We’ve accomplished firsthand testing on greater than 350 vacuums — sure, actually — together with fashions of all styles and sizes. The PEOPLE Examined staff has reviewed every thing from traditional upright vacuums to high-tech robotic vacuums, and we parsed by means of all our testing outcomes to search out the top-performing vacuums underneath 10 kilos for this checklist. Listed below are a few of the elements we take a look at whereas testing:
- Setup: Whereas placing collectively every vacuum, we take into account how simple it’s to assemble, if the instructions are clear, and if any particular instruments are wanted.
- Efficiency: We put vacuums by means of a sequence of checks to evaluate their cleansing efficiency on quite a lot of flooring varieties. We arrange impediment programs utilizing supplies like filth, grass, mud, cereal, pet meals, and hair, and we measured how lengthy it took every vacuum to choose up all of the particles.
- Maneuverability: Throughout testing, we word how simple it’s to drive every vacuum across the flooring, maneuvering round obstacles and underneath furnishings. We search for options like swiveling floorheads and self-propelled designs, which regularly make vacuums simpler to function.
- Emptying: After our cleansing checks, we empty the vacuum’s dustbin, noting its dimension and the way simple it’s to scrub out.
- Noise Stage: We additionally measured every vacuum’s noise degree with a decibel reader and famous whether or not it was potential to carry a dialog over it.
After testing, we rating every vacuum on a scale of 1 to 5 in every class, and winners are chosen based mostly on a mean of scores. All of the vacuums featured on this article have been prime performers of their respective classes.
Why Belief PEOPLE?
Camryn Rabideau is a contract author and product reviewer specializing in house, kitchen, and pet merchandise. In her over six years of expertise as a product tester, she’s reviewed dozens of vacuums firsthand, in addition to many different cleansing merchandise. Her work seems in publications similar to PEOPLE, The Spruce, and Houses & Gardens. Whereas placing collectively this text, she reviewed testing insights from the PEOPLE Examined staff, in search of vacuums underneath 10 kilos which can be simple to hold and function. She additionally spoke with two bodily therapists for added recommendations on deciding on a light-weight vacuum to scale back pressure whereas cleansing.
What Is PEOPLE Examined?
We created the PEOPLE Examined seal of approval that will help you discover the easiest merchandise in your life. We use our distinctive methodology to check merchandise in three labs throughout the nation and with our community of house testers to find out their effectiveness, sturdiness, ease of use, and a lot extra. Based mostly on the outcomes, we fee and advocate merchandise so you will discover the suitable one in your wants.
However we don’t cease there: We additionally repeatedly re-review the classes by which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Examined seal of approval — as a result of the perfect product of at present won’t be the perfect of tomorrow. And by the best way, firms can by no means purchase our suggestion: Their merchandise should earn it, truthful and sq..
In brief, PEOPLE Examined supplies suggestions you possibly can belief — day by day, each buy.