Handheld Vacuums

If you've ever owned an upright  or canister  vacuum,  you know the challenge of schlepping one from Point A to Point B. Factor in a staircase, some furniture or narrow hallway and there is little convenience left to your so-called convenient vacuum. Handhelds  are designed to make small vacuuming tasks easy. Ideal for small spaces and hard-to-reach, oddly-shaped areas, handhelds get the job done. They're usually not very heavy duty, even when they say they are. They are smaller than full-sized and therefore, not capable of getting down to the nitty gritty the way larger vacuums can. Does that mean you should steer clear? Not at all. Especially if you feel a hernia in the works from hauling that heavy-duty suction machine up and down your stairs. You can find them with or without a cord. Some are powered on rechargeable batteries, while others run on electricity.

Is it for you?

• It's a great fit if...
• Your children are notorious for dropping their cheerios and smashing them under foot. A handheld will help reduce the strain of hauling the full-sized vacuum up and down stairs for individual clean ups.
• You live in a small apartment and thanks to your lack of storage, a full-sized vacuum is simply an eye sore.
• Your multi-leveled home has you trekking up and down stairs. You need something light weight. Also check out a light-weight upright  that will spare your back the pain of bending over.
• You can't quite reach the crumbs in between the cushions of your couch.
• You want to vacuum your staircase with ease.
• A great way to clean surfaces, countertops and upholstered furniture.

• It's not for you if...
• You have a bad back. It may be lighter, but you still have to bend over.
• You need to vacuum large areas.
• You need a heavy-duty cleaning machine.
• You want a long lasting vacuum. These battery-powered handhelds don't last for extended time periods.

Features to keep in mind

• Ranging in price from as low as $35 to as high as $110.
• Not capable of doing large jobs. Low powered and small capacity.
• If you plan to use it on multiple surfaces (upholstery, carpets, hardwood floors), consider one with attachments and brushes.
• Lightweight and fairly quiet.
• Easy to handle and store in small spaces.
• They are also available in wet/dry vac models. 
• Some are bagless  with canisters. Do note that canisters tend to release more dust particles in the air than bags during disposal.
• Generally they are cyclonic, but some come with bags or as bagless canister models that simply get emptied and cleaned every so often. You may also want to check out handheld steam vacuums. 
• Check for models that feature a HEPA filter, especially for allergy sufferers.

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