Best lightweight vacuum: Make hoovering a breeze
Don’t lug a heavy hoover around, with our guide to the best lightweight vacuum cleaners
Vacuuming floors is hard work and can lead even the fittest amongst us to break out in a sweat. Some vacuum cleaners are so heavy and cumbersome that just the idea of getting it out of the cupboard can fill you with dread.
If you struggle with any kind of health problems, joint ache or mobility issues, it pays to choose one of the best lightweight vacuums. Even if you’re fit and well, a lightweight vacuum can make this chore far more pleasant.
There are several other reasons to pay attention to the weight of your vacuum. For example, a lightweight vacuum is a must if you have lots of stairs, or even just small level changes between rooms. If your vacuum isn’t too weighty, there’s more chance you can get the kids involved in cleaning the floors too!
Whatever your reason for wanting a lightweight vacuum, we’ve put together this handy list of the lightest vacuums we’ve tested. Rest assured, we haven’t selected them on weight alone, these are also top performing vacuums that impressed us on test.
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Best lightweight vacuum: At a glance
- Best overall lightweight vacuum: Dyson Micro 1.5kg
- Best lightweight vacuum for attachments: Eufy HomeVac S11 Infinity
- Best lightweight vacuum for mixed floors: Dyson V12 Detect Slim
How to choose the best lightweight vacuum for you
Should I choose a corded or cordless vacuum?
If weight is top of your priority list, then opting for a cordless vacuum will ensure you get the lightest models available. Generally speaking, cordless vacuums are lighter than their corded counterparts.
However, the listed weight isn’t the only thing to consider. Even a lightweight cordless vacuum can feel heavy if the weight isn’t well balanced. It’s worth considering whether you would prefer a model with all the weight concentrated at the top near the handle, or closer to the floor.
This decision may depend on your reason for wanting a lightweight vacuum. Whether it’s weak joints or mobility issues, there’s no one-size-fits-all and how a vacuum feels is very subjective.
Should I choose bagged or bagless?
For ease and convenience, bagless vacuums are the most common choice nowadays. Bagless cleaners also tend to weigh less. Vacuums that collect dust in a bag become progressively heavier as the bag fills, whereas a bagless model can be emptied frequently to avoid this.
What to do if even the lightest vacuum doesn’t suit?
If you can’t find a vacuum that’s light enough for you to use comfortably, we’d suggest checking out our guide to the best robot vacuums. These clever little cleaners can whizz around your home independently, collecting all the dirt and debris while you put your feet up. Most can now be controlled via an app on your phone which maps the floorplan of your home, allowing you to send the robot to clean selected areas or rooms. You can even schedule it to clean at specific times and days to suit you.
Robot vacuums have come a long way in the past few years, with dirt pick-up having improved significantly. But they can’t reach everywhere, so buying a light and portable handheld vacuum cleaner will allow you to collect anything the robot misses.
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The best lightweight vacuum to buy in 2022
1. Dyson Micro 1.5kg: The best lightweight vacuum you can buy
Price: £300 | Buy now from John Lewis
Not only is the Dyson Micro the lightest vacuum you can buy from this leading brand, but it’s also one of the lightest on the market. Most other vacuums of a similar weight are little more than a weak cleaner with a floorhead attachment. But that’s not Dyson’s style: this is still a great performer, albeit with reduced run time and suction power in comparison to Dyson’s full-size cordless models.
The big downside of this model is the main floorhead is designed for hard floors, so it’s not suitable for carpets. That said, the mini motorised brush can be used for rugs, stairs and upholstery, so all is not lost if you have a very small amount of carpet, though you’ll have to get down on your hands and knees to clean these areas. It’s also supplied with a combination crevice tool and brush, as well as a wall-mounted dock to keep it within easy reach.
The small 200ml dust bin will need regular emptying but that’s a small inconvenience that will, on the plus side, keep it from ballooning in weight as the bin gets full. On test it proved to be manoeuvrable and agile, making it a great lightweight option for hard floors.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 207 x 220 x 1,200mm; Weight: 1.5kg; Bin capacity: 200ml; Vacuum type: Cordless stick; Bagless: Yes; Suction power – stated: 50AW
2. Dyson Omni-glide: The best lightweight vacuum for hard floors
Price: £350 | Buy now from John Lewis
The Omni-glide has the same suction power and dust capacity as the Dyson Micro, so you might be forgiven for wondering why we’ve included both models. The truth is that despite being 400g heavier than the Micro, the Omni-glide feels lighter.
It moves effortlessly across floors in a way that we haven’t experienced with any other vacuum. This is thanks to the floorhead design, which incorporates four swivelling casters that give it the ability to glide in any direction.
Like the Dyson Micro though, the main floorhead is designed purely for hard floors which will immediately cross it off the list for most people who have a combination of carpets and hard floors. It still remains a great choice, with excellent pick-up in our tests and the kind of manoeuvrability that makes cleaning less of a chore.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 206 x 91 x 1,077mm; Weight: 1.9kg; Bin capacity: 200ml; Vacuum type: Cordless stick; Bagless: Yes; Suction power – stated: 50AW
3. AEG QX9: The best free-standing lightweight vacuum
Price: £330 | Buy now from AEG
At 2.8kg, the AEG QX9 is the heaviest cleaner on this list. But unlike all the other lightweight models, it’s the only vacuum where most of the weight is concentrated in the lower part of the vacuum. So the balance is different, which will make it better suited to some people.
Unusually, the handheld part of the vacuum slots into the lower section of a teardrop-shaped frame. It’s not the kind of configuration we’re used to, but it works well, and during testing we liked that the vacuum could stand unsupported, meaning you don’t need to find a suitable surface to lean it against, should you need a break.
It doesn’t have the suction power of the Eufy S11 (below), yet it managed to collect more from our floors than the S11 did. And unlike the Dysons above, the main floorhead is compatible with both carpet and hard floors, which gives it wider appeal.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 256 x 132 x 1,102mm; Weight: 2.8kg; Bin capacity: 0.3l; Vacuum type: Cordless stick; Bagless: Yes; Suction power: 30W
4. Eufy HomeVac S11 Infinity: The best lightweight vacuum for attachments
Price: £230 | Buy now from Amazon
The Eufy HomeVac S11 is only 300g lighter than the AEG QX9, but this is a budget-friendly lightweight vacuum that’s hugely versatile. It comes with two batteries, so although the battery only lasts for eight minutes when used on the maximum of the three power levels, you can immediately switch it out for the second battery.
It feels light to push around and manoeuvres well on both carpet and hard floors. It comes with an array of attachments including the usual suspects, such as a mini motorised tool and dusting brush. There’s also a long crevice tool and a handy extension hose that allows you to vacuum into all the nooks and crannies around your home.
The on/off switch is a trigger that has to be held in during vacuuming, which is a common feature among cordless vacuums. But if you’re looking for a lightweight vacuum because of joint issues, you might find this uncomfortable.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 220 x 260 x 1,250mm; Weight: 2.5kg; Bin capacity: 0.65l; Vacuum type: Cordless stick; Bagless: Yes; Suction power – stated: 120AW
eufy Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, HomeVac S11 Infinity, Lightweight, Cordless, 120 AW Suction Power, Additional Detachable Battery, Cleans Carpet to Hard Floor
5. Dyson V12 Detect Slim: The best lightweight vacuum for mixed flooring
Price: £430 | Buy now from John Lewis
There’s no denying the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is pricey and it’s up there amongst the heaviest on test here. But this recently launched model offers a carpet cleaning head, which makes it the only Dyson on this list that’s suitable for homes with carpet. That said, having to switch floorheads when manoeuvring between carpet and hard floors will be frustrating for some.
In terms of dirt pick up, it’s at the top of its game, so if you’re looking for a relatively lightweight vacuum that doesn’t compromise on performance, this is the one to go for. This new model is equipped with all the latest technology, including a screen that displays the battery level and power mode. It also has Dyson’s innovative laser ‘Detect’ feature to help illuminate dust on the floor, though its usefulness is questionable.
Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 250 x 252 x 1,234mm; Weight: 2.5kg; Bin capacity: 350ml; Vacuum type: Cordless stick; Bagless: Yes; Suction power – stated: 150AW
