Cheap Handheld Vacuums, Hand Held Vacuums

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Prices for hand held vacuums range from just under $30 to more than $200, which gets you a top-of-the-line Dyson. We looked at cheap handheld vacuums between $30 and $80. Models in this price range have limited features and moderate suction power. Higher-end vacuums give you more suction power, more accessories, and lighter weight for added convenience. They also can clean up both wet and dry spills.

The good news for frugal shoppers is that there are cheap hand held vacuums that will meet most users' spot-cleaning needs. When shopping for cheap handheld vacuums, keep in mind that they come either with or without a cord. Cordless hand held vacuums are convenient and easy to maneuver but need to be charged. A corded hand held vacuum cleaner will run as long as you need it to, but you have to move the cord from outlet to outlet. Despite the convenience of cordless vacuums, for the most part, users give higher ratings to models with cords. However, we also found some good cordless hand held vacuums.

Other features that help make a cheap handheld vacuum even more convenient include the weight of the machine and the special features. Hand held vacuums are designed to be used one-handed, so they should be as light as possible. Many pricey models pride themselves on being feather-light, but plenty of options in our price range are also fairly lightweight; none of the cheap handheld vacuums on our list weighs more than five pounds. Special features include attachments such as crevice tools and upholstery brushes. Some hand held vacuums are specifically designed to pick up pet hair or come with special attachments just for that purpose.

Buyers should also consider the filter type and warranty on a cheap handheld vacuum cleaner. Most cheap handheld vacuums use standard filters; only a few use high-efficiency particulate air filters, or HEPA filters, which are said to collect even more dust, dirt, and allergens. All the machines we researched have at least a one-year warranty.

Popular brands in this category include Bissell, Dirt Devil, Black and Decker, Eureka, and Dyson. Dysons are out of our price range, but all the other brands offer cheap handheld vacuums. Our favorites are the Eureka Easy Clean Hand Vac 71B (starting at $40, Amazon) and the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Corded Hand Vacuum (starting at just $29, Amazon). Both are lightweight, have long cords, and receive near-perfect reviews from users. We also like the Black and Decker 18V Platinum Series Cordless Hand Vacuum (starting at $50, Amazon) and the FilterStream DirtTamer Ultima V2510 (starting at $79, Amazon). Both are cordless and receive good user reviews. The FilterStream DirtTamer Ultima V2510 is also the only cheap handheld vacuum we found that cleans both wet and dry messes, while the Black and Decker 18V Platinum Series Cordless Hand Vacuum is the only model with a replaceable battery, so the entire machine isn't rendered useless if the battery stops holding a charge. The battery is our major gripe with the Euro-Pro SV75 Shark Cordless Hand Vac (starting at $40, Amazon); it seems to have major issues holding a charge.

by Raechel Conover (Google+ Profile)