As the season of cleaning springs upon us once again, we turn to an important car cleaning question: which is the best vacuum cleaner for cleaning a car?
Small cordless vacuums are certainly an intriguing option with their convenience and no-strings-attached design. But they are costly compared to the corded wet and dry alternatives, which also offer more power. So, we decided a group test was needed to establish which reigned supreme.
Our line-up consisted of five vacuum cleaners: three high-end handheld cordless vacuum cleaners and two affordable wet and dry vacuums. These are the two kinds of vacuum that are commonly used for cleaning the interior of a car.
Each vacuum had a chance to undertake car vacuuming tasks, such as attending to gritted footwells and mucky floor mats. We also tested the wet and dry vacuums’ ability to handle sucking up water.
During the testing, we got the feel for not only how each vacuum performed, but how easy it was to use, their ergonomics, and overall build quality.
First up in the test, the handheld cordless vacuums. We’ll tell you which is the best of the options tested here before checking out the wet and dry vacuums, and which comes out on top there. Lastly, we’ll establish an overall winner out of all the car vacuums on test here.
Cordless car vacuums: the contenders
Our three models of cordless vacuums were the Eufy HomeVac H30 Venture, the Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, and the Gtech Multi MK2 K9 (as pictured above, from left to right).
| Cordless vacuum | Eufy HomeVac H30 Venture | Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner | Gtech Multi MK2 K9 |
| RRP | £149.99 | £124.99 | £199.99 |
| Weight | 808g | 600g | 1500g |
| Dimensions | 425 x 90 x 73mm | 385 x 64 x 61mm | 250 x 136 x 386mm |
| Bin capacity | 250ml | 250ml | 400ml |
| Max quoted run time | 20 mins Eco / 10 mins Max | 8 mins | 20 mins |
| Battery | 2,500mAh | Not stated | 2,200mAh |
| Warranty | 24 months | 24 months | 24 months |
| Attachments | 2-in-1 crevice tool, multi-surface tool | Crevice tool and pet tool | Power head, crevice tool, extension tube, dust brush |
Cordless car vacuums: the test
All three of our competitors look the business, with the Gtech appearing the most serious of the three given its extra heft and bulkier build. Indeed, this K9 version is £20 more than the standard Multi MK2, with some of its parts being aluminium, rather than plastic.
The Eufy is one of those appliances from a reasonably new brand that comes across well on a spec sheet, so it will be interesting to see how well it goes in the real world. Shark has been around for quite a while and its tiny vacuum still needs to perform well given the price.
Each model was first tasked with tackling a mildly grubby footwell, with the expectation they would be able to remove the loose grit without issue. Each was nice and easy to hold, but we were a little disappointed with their efforts. The main issue with the Eufy and Shark vacuums was that their attachments were small, so covering an area the size of a footwell takes a long time.
The Gtech does have its much larger Power Head attachment that works quite well (it even smells nice thanks to the scented cartridge in the bin), but the shape of the vacuum means you can’t run it right up to edges; it always comes into contact with a seat or door sill, for example. You can use the longer, smaller attachments, but then it suffers from the same issue as the others.
Despite the Eufy’s boasting about power, the bigger Gtech was better. The Eufy was more on par with the Shark vacuum, that is, it’s capable of lifting small pieces of grit, but struggled with anything larger than peppercorn-sized stones or anything slightly embedded in the carpet. That said, with the Gtech’s longer attachments fitted, such as the long crevice tool included in the additional Car Accessory Kit, suction power did drop off a bit.
We do approve of the build quality of each, and all feature 24-month manufacturer warranties. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise with the Gtech and Shark models, but does with the Eufy. Likewise, the shapes of all the crevice tools were very good. None of them had any issue reaching beside or underneath seats, or between creases in upholstery. The Gtech’s long tube brush and Eufy’s 2-in-1 tools are also excellent for cleaning the far reaches of dashboards and parcel shelves.
Given its superior power, ability to cover greater area at once, and runtime, the Gtech proved the most useful for full (but still light) car cleaning. While the Eufy has a similar run time, it simply can’t cover ground fast enough to achieve anything more than a quick dust bust. And the Shark vacuum is certainly meant just as a machine to tart up an interior that’s pretty clean already.
We tried the extra Car Cleaning Accessory Kit with the Gtech and we have to say that we don’t think it’s worth the money. You get a longer and more flexible crevice tool, a soft brush, and an upholstery tool. As a standalone pack it’s £50, but you can get it for £25 when bought with one of several Gtech models – including the Multi MK2 K9. Even so, it’s still overpriced and the collection of attachments you get as standard are great and all you really need for car cleaning.
Cordless car vacuums: the test result
First place: Gtech Multi MK2 K9
Being the most powerful counts for an awful lot, and we like the number of attachments that come as standard with the Gtech Multi MK2 K9. Of the handheld vacuums, this also has the longest run time, the largest capacity bin and it smells nice while you vacuum, which is a pleasant touch.
Second place: Eufy HomeVac H30 Venture
The Eufy HomeVac H30 Venture performs in a a similar way to the Shark vacuum but, thanks to a longer run time, the Eufy edges ahead to secure second place.
Third Place: Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
It’s small and stylish, and has a quick-release clip for the bin. But with such a short run time the Shark vacuum isn’t able to be used for any decent car vacuuming.
Wet and dry vacuums: the contenders
Our two models of corded wet and dry vacuums were the Karcher WD 2 Plus and Draper 1250W Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner (as pictured above, from left to right).
| Wet and dry vacuum | Karcher WD 2 Plus | Draper 1250W Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner |
| RRP | £67.99 | £65.99 |
| Weight | 4.4kg | 4.8kg |
| Dimensions | 349 x 328 x 378mm | 384 x 316 x 315mm |
| Bin capacity | 12L | 15L |
| Power | 1000W | 1250W |
| Hose length / cord length | 1.8m / 4m | 1.5m / 5m |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Attachments | Floor tool, crevice tool | Dual-action floor brush, crevice tool, floor brush |
Wet and dry vacuums: the test
These two wet and dry vacuums are intended specifically for home use, what with their reasonably compact size and attractive price tags. But does being corded immediately render them clunky and impractical compared to the cordless models?
The very first thing we noticed was that the power cords of both ought to be longer. The Draper’s was five metres and the Karcher’s only four, neither of which were quite long enough, so we had to begin by moving the test car closer to the plug.
We know that on a building site cord lengths don’t matter too much because there is almost always an enormous extension cable around. But for home use, for which these models are designed, that may not be the case. Therefore, if you were to opt for the Draper or Karcher, we would recommend getting an extension cable along with it if you don’t have one already.
Upon switching on both, the power difference compared to the cordless models is obvious and huge. And that really pays dividends when tackling the interior. With the Draper or Karcher, footwells, mats and boots are sucked free of large and embedded debris in moments. Does the presence of a suction hose cause problems? No, you just hold it with one hand while you vacuum with the other. And, because of their design, you can readily use them as wet car vacuum cleaners and suck up liquid spills and moisture without concern.
However, there’s no getting away from the fact that these wet and dry vacuums aren’t as tidy to store as the cordless models. Neither the Draper nor Karcher have any proper cable tidying system, meaning the power cords just dangle around. But this aside, these vacuum cleaners are much more robust. You don’t worry each time these machines ingest stones, flecks of dry mud or anything damp. They are both very plasticky, but it’s the chunky Tonka Toy style of plasticky that can take a beating.
With the lack of soft brush attachments as standard, the Karcher isn’t great for vacuuming dashboards and delicate surfaces. But you can always compensate for this by giving the surface in question a wipe with a damp cloth.
Comparing the two purely on merit is quite tricky because there’s some tit-for-tat going on. The Draper is more powerful but the Karcher feels a little more well made. The Draper is smaller and has a larger capacity, but the Karcher comes with a longer warranty. The Karcher is simpler to use but the Draper is cheaper. The Draper has a longer power cord but the Karcher has a longer suction hose.
We definitely prefer the Karcher’s filtering system. It comes with a simple paper cartridge filter that can be used for wet or dry vacuuming. Meanwhile, the Draper comes with foam and cloth filters. The former to be used for wet vacuuming, the latter for dry.
Regarding wet vacuuming, nothing separates the two. They achieve similarly effective results. They also both feature a blower function, which is very handy for outdoor use, as they can blow away leaves or debris that might be stuck somewhere inaccessible with the vacuum nozzle.
Wet and dry vacuums: the test results
First place: Karcher WD 2 Plus
On balance, we do think the Karcher WD 2 Plus is the better machine. The design is better, the function simpler, and the build quality of a slightly higher standard. The short cord is annoying but the Draper has a similar problem.
Second place: Draper 1250W Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner
It’s a close contest and the Draper 1250W Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner certainly has merit. We like how small it is, its powerful motor, and its price is very attractive. It also carries Draper’s typical traits of good build quality at a great price. But, ultimately, the Karcher edges ahead.
The final test: which car vacuum is best?
After testing all the vacuums, the race for first overall place came down to the Gtech Multi MK2 K9 and the Karcher WD 2 Plus.
The results of this final are not going to come as much of a surprise: the Karcher is the winner, and by a long stretch. If you’re looking for a vacuum cleaner for your car, it’s a great buy.
That isn’t to say that the Gtech is a poor alternative, though; it’s well made, relatively powerful and comes with a good range of attachments. And, if you need a cordless solution, it’ll prove ideal in that respect.
But the Karcher costs less, and is more powerful, robust and effective. It’s also not constrained by battery life. And, given that both are designed for car cleaning, it’s not unreasonable to compare them.
The best car vacuums: conclusion
Our mission was to find out whether handheld cordless or wet and dry vacuums are better for car cleaning and the results are conclusive: both entry-level wet and dry models tested were vastly superior in value and performance to the cordless models.
Not only that, but the wet and dry models are more versatile. You can also use them for cleaning up your garage or patio, neither of which you would do with a more delicate portable car hoover.
Read on for more opinions from the Parkers experts.
Ryan Gilmore: The handheld cordless car hoovers are fine for very light duties but totally out of depth for any debris bigger than crumbs.
Tom Wiltshire: Buying a purely handheld vacuum seems like a needless waste of money when an all-in-one solution is so much cheaper and tidier. Most full-sized upright or cylinder vacuums work just fine for cleaning out the car, and there’s glut of good-performing and versatile cordless machines that can also clean floors.
Richard Kilpatrick: I’m surprised the Karcher WD 2 Plus doesn’t come with a foam filter as standard, but the ability to act as a blower for drying cars and clearing leaves is a bonus and it feels thoughtfully designed.
Car vacuum test winner: Karcher WD 2 Plus
Price: £67.95 | VIEW OFFER
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