There are some cleaning jobs that we tend to leave until last because they seem like hard work and the effort of cleaning and vacuuming the stairs, especially carpeted stairs, can seem like a chore unless with have the right tool for the job.
There are many vacuum cleaners around that promise a great performance in this tricky area by providing a combination of features such as a light, portable body, a powerful motor, the ability to handle multiple surfaces, the flexibility and reach to get into crevices and plenty of accessories for dealing with pet hair and upholstery. The following corded and cordless stair vacuums are considered to be among the best this year because of their combination of these features and buyer satisfaction.
Handheld Vacuums for Cleaning the Stairs
1. BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Vac
There are many powerful cordless models around that ensure that going away from mains power does not mean a decline in power or the intensity of the clean. Another Bissell model that is worth considering when looking for a suitable stair vac that can easily pick up pet hair is the Bissell Pet Hair eraser hand vac.
There is the promise of a strong lithium-ion battery that won’t fade and a light, manageable shape but there are some important differences to the cleaning head and brushes that highlight its potential on stubborn hair in carpets.
There is a selection of attachments available with this product – the crevice tool, the dusting brush, the power head brush-roll and the pet upholstery tool. The former gives users the chance to get into tight corners, the latter has three blades for greater speed and efficiency across the carpet and the dusting brush provides a more delicate action on vulnerable surfaces when a tough brush may cause damage. With all of this, and the LED battery status indicator, this ergonomic, capable little device should make short work of the mess left behind by pets.
2. Shark ION W1 Handheld Vacuum
While there are clearly plenty of great vacuum cleaners out there that can handle the job with a big cord trailing behind them, some consumers will much prefer the convenience of something that is cordless as there are fewer concerns about portability.
The Shark ION W1 hand vac is a small, streamlined option, with the added benefit of weighing just 1.4 lbs, that takes away the mains power source but promises to still provide great power and suction with its high speed brushless motor design and ability to clean any surface with the multi-surface cleaning tool.
As a result, the model is designed to be the ideal option for cleaning carpeted stairs and upholstery. This multi surface tool is a great way of lifting hairs and dirt from fabrics to ensure that the process is much quicker and easier for the user but there are other tools that can add some versatility to the clean, such as the crevice tool that gets deep into the creases of car seat ans sofas to collect every last crumb. Once the job is completed, the design of the device means that buyers can easily empty out all the dirt and debris and there is also a reusable filter that can be rinsed off.
3. Eureka RapidClean Handheld Step Vacuum
Because the job of cleaning hair and dirt off of carpeted stairs can often be a tricky one requiring plenty of power, many of the best vacuum cleaners for this area are corded models for a reliable, ongoing source of power to the powerful motor. The Eureka RapidClean Step Vacuum is a hand held model that is designed to not only be easy to use in those difficult areas – with the 25ft cord, 3ft hose and tools to reach up high and into crevices – but also be both reliable and gentle on the stairs.
There are two distinct cleaning options with this model and the simple flick of a switch lets users change from a brush for hard floors to one for carpets depending on the surface. The power of the 6 amp motor means that all the embedded dirt and hair should be lifted with plenty of force but there is also a gentle feel to this device in the use of soft wheels that won’t cause damage. It seems that this handy bagless model is something that can be used with confidence across the house, on stairs or upholstery, and it even stores away neatly due to its compact shape.
4. Shark Rocket Corded Hand Vac
The last of the corded models to consider here comes from a different manufacturer and brings a completely different style and shape. The problem with handheld models like the Eureka ones above is that even though they are designed to be compact enough for storage, they are not the smallest around and the Shark Rocket Corded Hand Vac shows us just how small and convenient these sorts of vacuum cleaners for carpeted stairs can be.
This machine promises to be ultra lightweight to ensure that it is portable – something that is aided by the 15ft cord – and there is very little to it aside from the motor, canister, handle and “extended reach stretch” hose.
It may be small but it still promises a tough clean and the motor really makes a difference. This is one of those “never loses suction” models and this strength comes in handy when picking up dirt and pet hair from carpets using the TruePet motorized brush. In addition to this brush, the vacuum also comes with a dusting brush and crevice tool which means that this portable model really does have potential in lots of different spaces and on different surfaces.
5. Eureka Easy Clean Handheld Vacuum
Another model from Eureka that makes great uses of a small, compact design and a great reach is the Eureka Easy Clean Vacuum. There are a lot of similarities here with with the RapidClean model because it has the extended reach from the hose, a long cord to trail up the stairs and the motor is only slightly less powerful at 5.5amps.
This should mean that the device has a comparable cleaning power and performance on different surfaces, and there are the same great promises about multi-surface cleaning, but there are also additional features that should add to the experience.
Like the previous model, there is a simple switch to flick the brush roll between carpet and hardfloor modes for a more suitable approach depending on the surface but there is also a visor to the front that can be flipped up to clean at better angles and a washable filter. This means that it should be much easier for users to pick up the dirt and hair from vertical areas, like sofa cushions and the edges of the steps, because there is no longer the need to hold the vacuum at an awkward angle. The model numbers 71A/ 72B and 71C stand for the the colors Sunflower Yellow, Red and Blue respectively.