Let’s talk about cordless vacuum battery life.
Cordless Vacuum cleaners are the hottest item in this particular corner of the cleaning industry right now. Not only are they easy to use, but they are also some of the most maneuverable vacuum cleaners on the market right now.
And when you couple those factors with their lack of a need to be connected to the mains from a plug socket, it is not hard to see why they appeal to so many people!
However, there are a few details that often stop people from making that initial jump of buying one of these devices.
Firstly, they aren’t always as powerful as their larger and corded counterparts, and their battery life means that they are only useful for a limited amount of time.
These are large and important hurdles, for sure, and it isn’t unreasonable to want these things from your vacuum cleaner. However, the suction power issue is likely to only be less noticeable as better and stronger technology comes out over time.
And the latter? Well, if you know what you are looking for, and know where to shop for the right products, then you can grab yourself a good cordless vacuum cleaner with a great battery life right now!
Which is what we are going to cover in this guide! Here we are going to show you some of the best-performing cordless vacuum cleaners, at least when it comes to battery run time and capacity
Longest Cordless Vacuum Battery Life
Dyson V8 Animal Vacuum
Starting off our list strong, we have the Dyson V8 Cordless vacuum cleaner. Because it wouldn’t be a list about vacuum cleaners without Dyson appearing at least once now, would it?
Dyson is known around the world for being some of the highest quality vacuum cleaners that money can get you, and their handheld cordless line, including the V8, are proud bearers of that name.
With a battery life of around 40 minutes, this is certainly in the higher range of cordless vacuum battery run times, which only last around 30 minutes on average.
Plus, it has Dyson’s trademark power that their vacuums are known for, thanks to their impressive cyclone technology.
However, a couple of points stop it from being at the top of this list. One of them is its time, but its maximum power mode also drains power much quicker than it normally does, cutting that impressive 40 minutes down to just 6.
Even if you are only using this more powerful feature for a few moments, that’s still going to have a massive effect on your overall time!
Not only that, but the charging time isn’t particularly impressive, with it needing 4 to 5 hours to fully charge, which is noticeably longer than several other big names in this vacuum rat race.
Still, the V* Animal vacuum performs excellently and is an easy recommendation from us. It’s just not the first place spot.
- Cord free; Hassle free; Powerful suction; Washable lifetime filter
- Up to 40 minutes run time when using a non-motorized tool
- Lightweight and versatile, for easy home cleaning; Instant release trigger means battery power is only used while it’s cleaning; Requires charging for 4 hours minimum before first use
- Direct drive cleaner head; Up to 8 minutes of fade free power (in Max mode); Drives stiff nylon bristles into carpets to capture deep down dirt
- Designed to deep clean homes with pets; Whole machine filtration captures allergens and expels cleaner air than the air you breathe; Up to 25 minutes of working time with motorized floor tool attached
To learn more about the V8 Animal, we created guides to compare this model with V8 and V8 Absolute. We also have a guide for replacing V8 batteries.
Gtech AirRam MK2
For something that you can get a couple of extra minutes out of, you’ll want to take a look at Gtech and their AirRam model of a cordless vacuum cleaner.
Like the Dyson V8, this vacuum is recorded to have an effective operating time of around the 40-minute mark. However, in practice, that number might be a little closer to 41 or 42 minutes long, just edging out its well-known counterpart.
There may not be a maximum power mode on this product, but that just means that you know how long your charges should last
Not only that, but the design for this vacuum is incredibly simple, with pretty much all its components being contained in the head of the device, making it very easy to handle.
Plus, the charging time is around the 4-hour mark, making this a reliably quicker vacuum to recharge for use, too.
So, with all these numbers and features in mind, Gtech cinches the next spot.
However, there is so much more to cover for this list!
- CORDLESS VACUUM CLEANER: Tackle a range of jobs with the AirRam MK2. Weighing only 7 lbs., this high-powered cordless vacuum easily cleans hardwood and carpet floors. The low-profile handle helps to reach underneath sofas, beds, and tables.
- UNIQUE DESIGN: The AirRam MK2's powered brush head reaches awkward corners and cleans up to the edge of baseboards. Powerful AirLOC Technology creates a seal on the backstroke, effortlessly tackling embedded hair and fine dust.
- RECHARGEABLE BATTERY: Powered by a 22V lithium-ion battery, the AirRam MK2 provides up to 40 minutes of runtime after a 4-hour charge. The 4-stage LED indicator on the back of the vacuum gauges how much charge remains.
- BAGLESS DESIGN: This vacuum's waste disposal system is easy to empty on a regular basis. With a simple flip of a latch, the collected dirt and debris empties into your trash can.
- GTECH: From its humble beginnings in a small garage, Gtech has grown into a premier home and garden company. Their goal of making everyday jobs like vacuuming easier has expanded into multiple products.
Dyson V11 Torque Drive
You didn’t think that you’d seen the last of Dyson on this list, did you?
One of Dyson’s flagship products, the V11 Torque Drive is one of their most powerful handheld vacuums to date, and it reflects in pretty much everything, from the suction power to the battery life!
Coming in at 43 to 44 minutes long for its run time, it is one of the longest working items that you’ll find on this list, whilst also being one of the most powerful. Plus, the chagrin time is also a respectable 4 hours, making it a very viable option.
Not only that, but it is also surprisingly quiet, making it suitable for a home with anxious children and pets too.
Like the V8, the V11 Torque Drive also has a maximum power mode that can seriously affect the overall power, but being 8 to 9 minutes is a surprising upgrade from the V8 6.
The only other issue we have is that the advertised time is around 60 minutes, meaning that it doesn’t quite meet its hype.
- Dyson's most intelligent, powerful cordless vacuum. Twice the suction of any cordless vacuum.
- Dyson technology helps create a cleaner, healthier home - Our vacuums and purifiers are scientifically proven to capture particles as small as allergens and bacteria.
- Engineered for whole-home, deep cleaning. Suction power, run time and tools designed to deep clean your whole home.
- Intelligently optimizes suction and run time across all floor types. The right balance of power and run time when you need it.
- Up to 60 minutes of run time. Engineered for larger homes with pets. Actual run time will vary based on power mode, floor type and/or attachments used.
Bissell Air Ram 1984
Not only is Bissell excellent at their pet-focused vacuum cleaning products, but they’re pretty good at the cordless variety too!
Coming in at a respectable 47 minutes, The Air Ram 1984 is noticeably ahead of its other competitors, coming in at around 3 to 4 minutes longer than its last competitor, the Dyson V11.
Being one of Bissell’s main vacuum products, you had better believe that this vacuum is perfect for helping you get pet fur out from deep inside your carpets. Plus, it’s also pretty good at handling harder surfaces too, such as hardwood and tiled flooring.
The only issue that we have with the Air ram 1984, in terms of its battery life, however, is its long charge time. At around 5 hours, it is one of the longer charging items that we have covered so far in this guide.
Still, it’s tough to beat 47 consecutive minutes of cleaning time with your cordless vacuum cleaner.
Tough, but not impossible.
- Every Purchase Saves Pets. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets.Runtime: 40.0 minutes.Specific uses:hard floor,carpet,dual action
- Lightweight & Compact. This cordless powerhouse weighs less than 8 pounds and has a collapsible handle for easy storage.
- Powerful Multi-Surface Cleaning. Innovative power foot design and multi-surface brush roll delivers high performance cleaning on hard floors and carpets.
- Cordless Cleaning Power. Removable Lithium-Ion battery provides 40 minutes of fade-free power and cordless convenience.
- Maximized Maneuverability. Move under and around furniture easily with swivel steering and a lay flat handle.
Shark Ion F80 Cordless Vacuum
Coming in at the top of our list, we have Shark Ion F80 cordless vacuum cleaner. When it comes to run time, this is going to be the benchmark for other models to beat going forward!
The official number that the Shark Ion F80 is supposed to run for is 80 minutes, which comfortably puts it ahead of pretty much every other entry on this list. We’ve been here before, however, and as the Dyson V11 showed us, that official number can be a little misleading sometimes.
However, we were still pleasantly surprised when this powerful vacuum cleaner beat virtually all of its competitors, regularly coming in at the 65 to 80 minute mark before needing to be recharged, meaning that, even if you are doing an intensive cleaning session with this vacuum you will likely still find that it is one of the strongest out there!
However, that number does come at a price, taking 6 hours to fully charge! Still, for over an hour of use, we can’t complain.
And considering that this cordless vacuum comes with 2 ion batteries that can be charged separately as standard, this is an excellent deal for anyone looking to always have a cordless vacuum at the ready.
- Powerful cordless suction for everyday dirt, debris, pet hair, and high traffic areas
- Upto 80 minutes of total runtime with 2 batteries in hand vacuum power mode; Vacuum, switch the battery, and keep going
- 2X Ion power pack system includes 2 removable, rechargeable lithium ion batteries and a charging dock
- Multiflex technology enables convenient under furniture reach and freestanding, compact storage
- Duoclean technology invented for fine dust and large debris on carpets and hard floors; One powerhead, two brushrolls; Do not use soap
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! Whilst new tech might make these numbers redundant someday, these are still some very impressive run times on display from our current line of cordless vacuum cleaners!