Buyer’s guide
We tested six cordless stick vacuum cleaners. Four of them convert from a stick vac for cleaning floors to a handheld unit to which you attach crevice and brush attachments for cleaning things like upholstery, vents and blinds. They each come with a wall-mounted charging dock. The Genesis and Hoover vacs can stand on their own and have a pull-out hand-held vacuum that fits in the body of the machine; they come with a charging stand.
Some features to consider:
• BATTERY LEVEL INDICATOR: A handy feature for a cordless appliance.
• HEADLIGHTS: LED lights on the floorhead help you see under furniture.
• Balance is key for a stick vacuum cleaner. Some cleaners have a low overall weight but are poorly balanced, which can make them feel heavy.
