If you ever find yourself wondering “how much is my car worth?” we can tell you straight away that its value will almost certainly be higher once you get around to hoovering up those biscuit crumbs. So, we’re here to help with this handy list of the best car vacuums on sale.

The following list covers everything from tiny cordless items to more conventional – but car-centric – affairs, and we’ve got a solution here that will really do the business no matter how small your budget.

So, while you could drag your standard household vacuum out of the cupboard, these dedicated car cleaners come with appropriate accessories for all those nooks and crannies, while also offering you the option of cable-convenience in some cases – and wet/dry capability in others.

Five of the best car vacuum cleaners

1) Karcher WD 2 Plus

This is the most conventional vacuum cleaner in this list, in as much as it comes with a cord and you have to plug it in. However, if you recognise the Karcher brand name, you’re probably more likely to associate it with pressure washers. So perhaps it will be less of a surprise to learn that this is a wet and dry vacuum – meaning it’s as happy to suck up liquids as it is to deal with dust and debris.

And while it might not be as convenient as the cordless items below, this Karcher car vacuum is the most powerful device listed here and at around £60 for the basic model (you’ll need to pay extra for some of the car-friendlier nozzles) also one of the cheapest options – making it great value before you discover it works as a blower, too. Helpful not just for blasting the dust out of crevices on the inside but speeding up drying the outside of the car as well.

Specs

Runtime: n/a
Capacity: 12 litres
Weight: 4.4kg
Attachments: Floor tool, crevice tool

2) Gtech Multi MK2

This is quite the tiny marvel – a lightweight 1.5kg cordless vac that uses a bagless whirlwind-type system (similar to that of another famous brand of vacuums you might be able to think of) to provide reliable, continuous suction that’s easy to work with in the tightest of interiors. You get a bunch of useful accessories as standard too, including a rectangular power brush (great for getting hair out of carpet), a dusting brush on an extending pole and a crevice tool.

As such, the optional official Car Accessory Kit seems a little unnecessary (and a touch cheeky, given this thing costs around £170 already). Our biggest issue with the Gtech Multi MK2, however, is the runtime. Being so compact there’s not much battery capacity, so at best you’ll get around 20 minutes before you have to recharge. Maybe one to avoid if you have a particularly big car.

Specs

Runtime: 20 minutes
Capacity: 0.4 litres
Weight: 1.5kg
Attachments: Power brush, dusting brush, crevice tool

3) Hoover H-FREE 500

Want something that will do double-duty as a useful household cleaner as well? Then check out this cordless vacuum from arguably the most famous name in the business. The Hoover H-FREE 500 Energy has a removable floor attachment, and taking this off quickly converts it from the sort of thing that’ll happily tackle your stairs to a handy 1.7kg portable device that’s just about small enough to easily get around an auto interior.

It even has a Turbo function to boost its cleaning power – and although it’s upwards of around £160, you do get a 40-minute run time (in theory, stay away from that Turbo button) and it’s available in a pack with dual batteries to keep you going for longer (80 minutes in standard mode, 50 minutes if you used the auto setting). The improved 2.5-hour charging time isn’t bad, either.

Specs

Runtime: 40 minutes per battery
Capacity: 0.45 litres
Weight 2.2kg
Attachments: Crevice tool, upholstery tool, floor attachment

4) Worx WX030 Cubevac

Here’s an innovative take on the portable vacuum. The Worx Cubevac is – you guessed it – a cube-shaped device with a hose a nozzle more akin to what you’ll find on a traditional vacuum cleaner. But instead of relying on the mains and an extension lead, it’s powered by a lithium-ion battery, of the exact same type as the rest of the Worx cordless equipment range.

This is good news if you’re already invested in the brand, as it means you can buy the Cubevac without a battery at a lower price (around £70). The extendable hose makes it a real pleasure to use compared with conventional handheld vacuums, and the crevice tool with flexible tip in particular is an excellent accessory. Shame it’s not more powerful, and the emptying process is a bit of a faff. But otherwise this Worx rather well.

Specs

Runtime: 25 minutes
Capacity: 0.2 litres
Weight: 1.6kg
Attachments: Brush, flexible crevice tool

5) Eufy HomeVac H11 Pure

This is a bit of a wacky one. As well being an exceptionally compact cordless vacuum – seriously, it’s tiny, the dust compartment is just 0.09 litres and the whole thing is about the size of a wine bottle – the Eufy Pure also functions as an Ozone air purifier. Put it in the car, shut the doors, and 15 minutes later everything should be lovely and fresh inside. Wonderful.

Oh, you actually wanted to do some vacuuming? The HomeVac will manage that as well, although it’s not especially powerful so don’t expect too much in the way of pet-hair removal or effective dispersal of sand from floor mats. It’ll only run for 13 minutes in this mode, too, but at least all you need to do to charge it is find a USB socket. One for the hoover enthusiast who already has everything, perhaps.

Specs

Runtime: 13 minutes vacuum, 15 minutes aur purifier
Capacity: 0.09 litres
Weight: 0.6kg
Accessories: Dusting brush, crevice tool