The best car vacuum cleaners for keeping your interior spotless

Car cleaning score: 10/10
Overall score: 89/100

This lightweight, intuitive cordless vacuum also barely dropped a mark in the lab. When used as a handheld, it aced our crumb pick-up tests, sometimes removing more than we’d laid down by reaching deep down into the carpet pile with its powerful suction. It needed two sweeps to clear away pet hair, but it really shone when we put it to work in the car.

The battery lasted a full 25 minutes on full power and it gobbled up both large and finer debris when we whipped it round the interiors. The crevice tool worked a treat too, fitting easily down the sides of seats.

Car cleaning score: 9.4/10
Overall score: 94/100

You’re in luck with this handheld vacuum; not only was it a top performer in both our car and indoor tests, but it’s also the most affordable model we tried. Testers found it super easy to manoeuvre in between seats and around seat belts with the 2-in-1 crevice tool, so they were able to lift most of the crumbs, dust and dirt laid. It was even effective at removing notoriously tricky pet hair.

And if that’s not enough, this vacuum comes with a squeegee accessory that can be used to suck up small spillages, so you’re sorted for both wet and dry messes.

Car cleaning score: 9.4/10
Overall score: 92/100

Testers found this Shark vacuum comfortable to hold and easy to use throughout testing. It took just 13 minutes to pick up most of the dust and dirt we laid, and the upholstery tool removed pet hair swiftly too.

It struggled slightly on short and long pile carpet though, and its relatively small dust canister meant it needed emptying more often during longer tasks. But for quick car cleans, it’s a stellar buy.

Car cleaning score: 8.9/10
Overall score: 90/100

Another bagged cordless design, but this one also has Henry’s signature smiley face. The nimble vacuum has impressive suction power, lifting large particles and hair from the footwell, seats and mats in the car. The combi tool really wowed here, while the crevice attachment proved a reliable extra for reaching into awkward spaces.

We did notice it left behind some finer particles that were ingrained in the carpet fibres, but it still managed to remove up to 98% of the debris we laid down. The battery lasted well too, with just under half the power left once we’d finished.

Car cleaning score: 8.3/10
Overall score: 93/100

This vacuum aced our handheld cleaning tests, collecting most debris in one swift sweep. It even lifted pet hair without a fuss.

In the car, the battery lasted long enough to clean the entire interiors and the suction lifted all the larger particles. Some ingrained dust was left behind in the carpet and the crevice tool was slightly too short in some areas – but even so, it removed most of the debris we laid down

Overall, it's easy to use and a good value buy.

Car cleaning score: 7.8/10
Overall score: 94/100

With a large, bagged design, this handheld proved itself a great go-to for clearing up crumbs in the lab. The dusting brush attachment was particularly effective, collecting almost all the Rice Krispies we laid down in a single sweep.

When it came to car cleaning, we found the crevice tool wasn’t long enough to get right to the bottom of gaps between the seats. The body of the vacuum is also a little bulky, making it awkward to manoeuvre at times. That said, it still sucked up over 80% of the dirt in the car and the battery lasted throughout.

Overall score: 93/100

Note that the Shark EveryMess was scored as a spot cleaner in the lab, which is why it doesn’t have a separate car cleaning score, although we did test its car cleaning abilities. We just had to highlight this excellent 3-in-1 gadget, which acts as a stain remover as well as a wet and dry vacuum. It’s ideal for clearing up spills from car journeys as well as handling general dirt and debris.

It gobbled up crumbs on carpet and hard floors when used as a standard handheld vacuum and the nozzle fitted easily into narrow crevices – perfect for cleaning between car seats.

Note, it isn’t cordless so you may need an extension lead for it to reach the car, but this is a worthwhile investment thanks to its powerful stain-removing abilities and great suction. You can read more about this versatile cleaner in our Shark EveryMess review.