How We Research
Every guide on LifeHandier starts with one question: will this product work for the person who is shopping for it? For our cordless vacuum guides, that means your floors, your pets and how much weight you want to carry.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with your floors and your pets
Pet hair is harder on a stick vacuum than dust. Long hair wraps around brush rolls, and carpet, hardwood and stairs each ask something different of a machine.
We check which floors each vacuum is made for, what kind of brush it uses and how big the bin is. When your home limits the choice, like stairs or thick carpet, we say what to check.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at the runtime the maker lists, weight, suction modes, bin size, filter type and the attachments in the box. We also check whether the battery is removable.
We also note the warranty terms the maker lists. When a detail comes from the maker, we say so.
3. We look at buyer feedback
We read through what buyers report after using a vacuum. We look for patterns, like hair wrapped around the brush, short battery life, bins that are hard to empty or parts that loosen.
One angry review doesn't sink a product. A pattern does.
4. We score each product
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A product that's great for one buyer may score lower in a guide written for another.
Scores spread out on purpose. A 10 is rare.
5. We keep pages up to date
Products change, and some disappear from stores. Cordless vacuums get new model codes often, and Shark and Dyson each sell models with near-identical names, so we check each model name and code before we write about it.
When we update a guide, the "Updated on" date at the top changes with it.
What our picks are not
Our picks are research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have used every vacuum we cover.
Our guides don't replace the maker's manual. For charging, battery care and filter cleaning, follow the maker's steps.
We don't promise that any vacuum will pick up all pet hair or help with allergies. We make no safety promises about batteries or chargers, and we label a maker's HEPA or filter claim as the maker's claim.