The Best Car Vacuums (Review & Buying Guide) in 2018

Picking the right vacuum cleaner for your vehicle actually has a lot to do with how often you clean your car, how ‘dirty’ it can get with each trip, and how obsessive you are keeping it in pristine condition. You will have to consider the gadget’s vacuum power, its tank capacity, its weight, and the various attachments that come with it. To help you better arrive at a product that’s perfect for you and your vehicle, we’ve prepared this buying guide. 

Why Use a Car Vacuum Cleaner?

One of the things that car owners typically ask when it comes to vacuum cleaning their vehicle’s interior is the type of vacuum that they are going to use. A great number of vehicle owners consider using conventional vacuum cleaners, those that are typically used in homes. While these may work in most instances, they may not have the correct attachments necessary to clean every surface inside your vehicle.

Additionally, depending on the type of household vacuum cleaner that you have, you may not be able to really reach in under the seats and under the dashboard as well as other hard-to-reach areas of your vehicle. Plus, do take note that majority of household vacuum cleaners are bulky and may not really fit inside the car. Take for example a canister-type vacuum cleaner. These drum-like gadgets will have to have an extra-long vacuum hose to clean the vehicle interior; otherwise, it would simply not fit inside.

For the most part a car vacuum cleaner is designed specifically to be used on vehicles. These are powerful enough to draw every type of debris or particle that can be found inside a modern vehicle. Many also come with HEPA filters to help rid the air of allergens and other harmful particles.

Corded vs. Cordless Car Vacuum Cleaner

Choosing between corded and cordless car vacuum cleaners is all a matter of preference as well as your car interior cleaning habits. Here we’ll try to examine the pros and cons of each type to help you make a better-informed decision.

• Corded 

Corded systems have power cords that can be connected to either DC or AC power source. Some models allow for the interchangeability of the power source given that the appropriate AC-DC adapter-converter is readily available.

One of the most significant advantages of corded car vacuum cleaners is their power which translates to better cleaning efficiency. Since the device is plugged directly into an electrical outlet or even into your car’s 12-volt battery system, you can draw as much power into the device to ensure greater vacuuming efficiency. This helps save time in cleaning and ensures deeper, more thorough cleaning.

However powerful, corded devices will have to sacrifice convenience since you will be limited to the availability of a power source. This is where 12-volt corded systems have the advantage over their AC counterparts since you can easily plug such systems into your car’s cigarette light adaptor. But then this will also draw power from your vehicle’s battery. On the other hand, an AC-only corded vacuum cleaner can still be used efficiently provided you have an electrical extension cord or if you choose a system with an exceptionally long power cord.

• Cordless  

For those who clearly don’t like getting tangled with wires or cords or those who simply don’t wish to use their car’s battery or home’s electricity to power up their cleaning devices, then the cordless car vacuum cleaner is a must-have. Such systems allow for greater coverage, flexibility, and versatility since you’re not literally tied down by power cords.

Sadly, there are quite a few drawbacks to such systems. Cordless car vacuum cleaners in general provide less suction power than their corded counterparts. And even if the device happens to churn impressive numbers in the suctioning department this often comes at a price in terms of battery drain. Most cordless systems can only manage a meager 15-minute runtime which is, unfortunately, not really sufficient if you’re considering on really performing a deep and thorough clean of your vehicle’s interior. Additionally, while the runtime is dismal at best, their charging times are also mediocre since you will need a considerable amount of time to charge its batteries.

Nevertheless, if your car doesn’t really have that much dirt or debris to pick up, then cordless car vacuum cleaners provide a great solution. Just make sure to pick one that charges really fast and has a longer-lasting battery life with each operation.

Tips on Using a Car Vacuum Cleaner

Now that you have an idea of the type of vacuum cleaner to get for your vehicle, it is equally important to know how to use it properly. Here are some tips you might want to consider.

• Open your car’s doors and windows 

Whenever you have to use any cleaning tool or gadget in your car, don’t ever forget to open the doors and roll down the windows to allow for dirt and debris to naturally be carried by the circulating air. This is especially true if you’re working with certain chemicals. While vacuuming doesn’t really involve the use of chemicals, opening your windows and doors can help dissipate musty, stale odors. Additionally, it allows for greater use of the space you have.

• Physically remove trash and other large objects 

Your car vacuum cleaner is designed to pick up smaller objects. As such it is important to physically remove or pick up your trash and other larger objects before giving your vehicle interior a good vacuum cleaning.

• Remove car accessories to allow for more expedient cleaning 

Check your car’s interior accessories and remove those that can be removed such as floor mats, seat covers, dashboard covers, cup holders, and the like. The point is that you would want to access every inch of your vehicle’s interior. Having these can only impede in the cleaning process. Moreover, you can give these accessories a separate yet more thorough cleaning.

• Use the various attachments of your vacuum cleaner 

For your car’s floor as well as other surfaces with fibers, it is best to use the brush attachment. This physically loosens up dirt and debris that may be trapped within the fibers themselves. This allows for easier vacuuming. If you don’t have a brush attachment, then an ordinary brush will do. Also, use the long-nose hose attachment of the vacuum cleaner to access hard-to-reach areas. If it comes with a crevice tool, make sure to vacuum every inch of space in your car. Vacuum your floorboard, the seat track rails, the air vents, the area underneath the pedals, the dashboard, the upholstery, and everything else inside the car.

• Vacuum every inch of your car’s interior 

It is often ideal to vacuum with a system in mind such as vacuuming the driver section first before heading to the front passenger side then finally moving to the back. Or, it could also be the other way around. It’s actually up to you to devise your own system. The whole point in vacuum-cleaning your car is to make sure that it is free from dirt and debris. As such, making sure that there is no surface that is not covered by your vacuum cleaner is an absolute must.

Our Top Pick for Best Car Vacuum

In this list of the best car vacuum cleaners, we’ve seen a variety of units from corded to cordless and from bin units to handheld. It is quite difficult to zero-in on a single absolute best.

ArmorAll’s Utility Wet/Dry Vacuum is a formidable gadget for the mere fact that it has the most powerful suction capabilities on this list. It’s very affordable, too, considering the various attachments that it comes with, enabling you to clean not only your car but your house and backyard, too. The only downside is that it is reliant on electrical power and not from batteries or from your car’s 12V system.

At first glance, the 15.2-watt power of the BLACK+DECKER CHV1410L seems underpowered to even suck up anything at all. But a lot of car owners sing praises for its powerful suction plus an exceptionally remarkable battery technology that allows it to remain charged for up to 18 months. What we only wished is for a HEPA filter to be made an integral part of the system.

The ArmorAll needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet for it to operate. The BLACK+DECKER requires its battery to be charged before use. For a really automotive vacuum cleaner that you can plug into your car’s cigarette light adaptor, we’ve got several candidates. But ultimately, it’s the Holsea that got our attention for its unique combination of triple filtration system, lower power output but powerful suction, lengthy power cord, and a simple design. LIBERRWAY could have made it, but we found the lack of HEPA filter as unacceptable. Hikeren is a good candidate, too, but it only maxes out at 4500 Pa.

Related Post: Best Car Air Purifiers

So which among these three should you get? If it’s power and home- and car-versatility that you’re after, then ArmorAll’s Utility Wet/Dry Vacuum is a good choice. However, if you prefer powerful suction with superior battery technology, the BLACK+DECKER is the one to get. But if you’re looking for a cleaning tool that you can use anywhere your car is while also giving you exceptional suction power, then the Holsea is tops.

For strict car enthusiasts we recommend the Holsea Portable Handheld Vacuum Cleaner for its exceptional combination of affordability, powerful suction, high-density sponge mesh, stainless steel HEPA filter, extra-long vacuum hose, useful cleaning attachments, and a 16.4-foot cord. As we have already said, the ArmorAll is great but you will have to make sure you have an electrical outlet nearby. The BLACK+DECKER is also great but it doesn’t come with HEPA filter and it’s costlier, too. Overall, we’d say the Holsea provides the best solution for today’s car owners.

Cleaning your car’s interior doesn’t really have to be a chore. As long as you have the right device to help you remove dirt and other unwanted particles in every imaginable surface in your car’s interior you, should do just fine.