Powerful Suction: The vacuum’s power will depend on its motor, with motor power being measured in watts. But that’s not the whole story: the actual suction is measured in units of Pa, for “Pascals”, which is force distributed over an area of 1 square meter. For reference, the Honiture Cordless Vacuum delivers up to 25,000 Pa of suction, with a 350 Watt motor.

HEPA Filtration: A HEPA (=high-efficiency particulate absorbing) filter means that the vacuum’s filter will trap at least 99.95% of dust and other particles that are larger than 0.3 microns--that’s fine enough to capture pollen, dust, and even some viruses! You should look for a device with a HEPA filter, especially if you have a family member who suffers from allergies.

Adjusting to different surfaces: Most cordless stick vacuums make the adjustment from carpet to hardwood floor at the press of a button. The Hoover 2-in-1 has a brush bar that moves the carpet fibers to loosen any debris. But, when you go to a hard floor, you switch off the brush bar and just rely on suction.

Maneuverability and portability: Since there is no power cable, you can take a cordless stick to any part of the house, or even outside. They may also have a swiveling head that allows you to vacuum without having to contort yourself.

Lightweight: An advantage to a stick vacuum over a heavier upright vacuum is that the stick vacuum won’t get you fatigued as you push it around the house. The Horniture Cordless Vacuum Cleaner weighs as little as 1.2 kg, so it’s no hassle to carry it up the stairs.

Suitable for pet hair: If you need a stick vacuum for picking up pet hair, look to see that it has a pet hair attachment. The typical carpet roller will get clogged from the hair and that may stop them from rotating.

Attachments: You’ll find vacuums with special attachments, such as a floor brush, a square brush for small areas, a mattress tool, and a crevice tool, for cleaning inside furniture in hard-to-reach places. More attachments mean more versatility when cleaning.

Battery life: Since you’re dependent on the battery to provide power, you’ll want a battery that lasts long enough so that you’ll finish going through your whole house. The Honiture Cordless charges up in 4-5 hours, and gives you 36 minutes of operation in standard mode, and 18 minutes on strong mode. The Hoover H-Free Pets will usually go for only 25 minutes when fully charged. Manufacturers recommend charging the battery after each use--this will prolong the battery’s life.

Noise: The best cordless stick vacuums should operate quietly. The Oneday Handheld Vacuum Cordless has a noise level of 75 decibels, which is a bit louder than the noise level of normal conversation in a room. Some can work as quietly as 55 decibels, which is around the noise level of a refrigerator.

Dirt cup: The dirt cup stores all of the debris that you vacuum up. The dirt cup on the Vytronix Cordless Stick has a 0.5-liter dirt cup--other brands can have as large as 0.8 liters.

Horniture makes a number of vacuums, including a handheld cordless model, cordless stick vacuums, and robotic vacuums that perform both vacuuming and mopping. Their cordless stick vacuum converts into a handheld model as well.

Hoover was founded by William Henry Hoover in 1908 when he purchased the patent for the vacuum cleaner from the inventor, James Murray Spangler. They presently market vacuums, carpet cleaners, and hard floor and steam cleaners. Their series of cordless uprights is the Onepwr series: lightweight vacuums that still deliver a lot of suction power.

Vytronix is a British manufacturer of vacuums and home and garden cleaning appliances, established in 2015. They make steam cleaners, carpet cleaners, and a range of vacuums: cylinder, upright, stick, and cordless models.