Tested: Best Car Vacuums for 2022
Are car vacuums worth it?
Using a car vacuum saves you the time and struggle of pulling around a big shop vac or forcing your home vacuum into a tiny space it’s not designed to clean. Car vacs are quick, compact, and typically come with attachments that allow you to get into tight spaces, like under seats or around the dashboard. If you clean your car on a regular basis, yes, they’re worth it.
Can I use my regular vacuum to clean my car?
In theory, yes. However, your conventional home vacuum probably has a power cord that will limit its (and your) mobility. It also might not have the reach or attachments to get into all of your vehicle’s nooks and crannies properly. Moreover, many home vacs have large, unwieldy heads. Good luck cleaning your floorboards with that sucker attached.
How much does a car vacuum cost?
We tested a wide range of vacuums with prices all over the map. In our findings, we didn’t really see a notable correlation between price and performance. In other words, the cheapest vacuum we tested did not perform well at all, but the most expensive vacuum didn’t massively outperform the rest.
The prices ranged from $40 to $450, and the sweet spot seems to be right around $100. It all depends on what you want from a car vacuum—for us it’s power, performance, and versatility—and the price will reflect that.
If you already own and use power tools with a proprietary rechargeable battery system, like with Milwaukee or DeWalt, we recommend buying the vacuum in your system. These units work nearly as well in vehicles as any car-specific vacuum, but the added cost of a battery and charger (if you don’t already own those) can really jack up the overall price.
Are stick vacuums good for cars?
Most stick vacuums, like the Dyson V8 and Shark Ultralight, disconnect from the main unit, so they will work in cars. However, the head unit often enhances the suction power and effectiveness of stick vacuums, so performance could be compromised with it removed.
If you own an RV or motorhome, a stick vacuum might be the way to go. They’re fantastic for these because of their versatility, and they’re portable enough to pack.
While you’ll likely never use the stick and/or floor attachments when cleaning your car, a vacuum that cleans both house and car is handy.
How often should I vacuum out my car?
A good rule is once a month, but this depends on how much use your vehicle gets. To prevent buildup, it might be smart to perform a simple touch-up vacuuming every week or two, which will save you from getting into the dirty trenches caused by neglect over time. This approach could justify buying both an inexpensive, lightweight vacuum to keep in your car as well as a larger garage unit or shop vac.
Why trust us?
Car and Driver and its sibling brands at Hearst Autos represent three of the most influential automotive publications in the world. With the legacies of Autoweek, Car and Driver, and Road & Track behind us, the Hearst Autos Gear Team doesn’t need to worry about getting clicks or padding our coffers. Gear Team picks and recommendations are based on testing and knowledge, not hype.
For consistency, this test was conducted in an environment that provided equal testing procedures for each product: the Car and Driver garage. We tested the car vacuum cleaners on sound, suction, weight, ease of dirt disposal, battery life at full charge, and a floor-mat challenge to see how well they sucked up different debris. Once all the data was collected, we determined which car vacuums were best for different scenarios.
Upon tallying up our findings, we agreed that our test was fair, legitimate, and provided the most complete information for us to recommend our picks to our readers.
Read more about our product testing and evaluation process here.
