Your questions about cordless vacuum cleaners answered What is the best cordless vacuum cleaner?According to The Independent’s shopping reviews, the Henry quick pro is the best cordless vacuum overall. This vacuum is great for daily use, and the fuss-free dust disposal makes it ideal for those with allergies. If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, the Akitas cordless vacuum cleaner offers decent performance for less than £60. Meanwhile, for those happy to splurge, the Dyson V15s detect submarine is a cordless vacuum cleaner and mop in one, making it perfect for tackling all manner of messes. How I tested cordless vacuum cleanersI have tested dozens of cordless vacuums over the years, but I revisited some of my favourites to see how they hold up against new launches from Dyson and Shark. Each vacuum was tested on multiple surfaces, including wood, vinyl, carpet and even my car to make sure that they’ll work in different homes. I considered power, manoeuvrability, battery life, versatility and any additional features. Here’s the full criteria: Power: I wanted cordless vacuums that could pick up all of the dust and dirt on my floors the first time, or with as few passes as possible.Manoeuvrability: I needed lightweight vacuums with smooth wheels to navigate around furniture and other obstacles. I also wanted well-balanced vacuums that were comfortable to use when cleaning overhead, such as when cleaning curtains and bookshelves.Battery: I have only included cordless vacuums with long-lasting battery life, as few things are as frustrating as a vacuum running out of power five minutes into a job.Versatility: I tested these vacuums on wood, vinyl, carpet, rugs, stairs, upholstery and my car to make sure they suit a range of different cleaning scenarios. Features: Extra marks were given to vacuums that had useful features such as easy-to-understand buttons, clear displays or headlights. Should I use a bagged or bagless cordless vacuum?A bagless cordless vacuum is quick and convenient, but bagged vacuums hold more dust so need replacing less frequently. The Henry quick pro uses small bags that mean no spills or dust clouds when emptying.How big should the dustbin be?With cordless vacuums, look for a dust bin capacity of around half a litre. This allows the user to vacuum large areas without the disruption of having to empty the bin. The good news is that this capacity seems to be increasing with newer vacuums, and many models have auto-empty bases which can hold litres of debris, saving you from emptying the vacuum all the time.How heavy should a cordless vacuum be?The gold standard for cordless vacuums is to be lighter than 3.5kg; many now come in at around the 2.5-5kg mark. The larger the weight of your cordless vacuum, the more force is required to push and pull the vacuum while cleaning, so look for as lightweight a model as possible. This is especially important if you have mobility issues or live in a home with several floors.What accessories do I need?A dusting brush, a crevice tool, and a pet turbine tool are all useful accessories for your cordless vacuum.What’s a good charge time for a cordless vacuum?A 30-60 minute runtime allows your cordless vacuum to clean large areas on a single battery charge.Why you can trust IndyBest reviewsIndyBest is the Independent’s reviews section. All of the products featured in IndyBest guides have been tried and tested in the same real-life environments you’ll be using them.Joanne Lewsley is a journalist with a particular expertise in testing vacuum cleaners, having reviewed dozens of cordless, wet/dry, car, upright, and robot vacuums over the past five years. She has also spoken to countless experts on the technology behind various types of vacuum cleaners. Not every cordless vacuum Joanne tested made the grade – the following are the only ones that impressed. For more recommendations, read our guide to the best handheld vacuums