Best Vacuum for Stairs (cordless handheld vacuum)

best vacuum for stairs
At Vacuumtester.com we also test vacuum cleaners on stairs. © Vacuumtester.com
In short: a good vacuum cleaner for stairs is compact, protects wooden steps and is lightweight. He must also blow out little air, so that dirt from other steps is not blown away (so that you can start again).

Best vacuum cleaner for stairs (handheld vacuum): Philips FC6149
Best Stick Vacuum for Stairs: Dyson V8
Best canister vacuum for stairs: Philips FC9745/09

Vacuuming stairs can be a chore. If you don't do this in the right way, you will be able to start again afterwards. This is partly due to the air that a vacuum cleaner blows out, whereby dust is spread again on the previous steps.

In addition, it can quickly turn into an unsafe job: it is therefore advisable to use a hand vacuum cleaner. This type of vacuum cleaner is lightweight, cordless and compact. As a result, the chance of accidents is a lot smaller and you can vacuum more flexibly.

When I test a vacuum cleaner, I also check how well it can vacuum stairs. This allows me to highlight the best vacuum cleaner for stairs. On this page I tell you everything you need to know.

Table of Contents

Best vacuum cleaner for stairs right now (handheld vacuum)

The best vacuum cleaner for stairs is the Philips FC6149 MiniVac. This powerful handheld vacuum cleaner comes out on top in many of my vacuum cleaner studies. Especially because of the many included accessories. This makes it super interesting for vacuuming stairs.

Philips FC6149 (MiniVac)

Thanks to the supplied accessories, it can also be used for vacuuming wooden steps.
🇺🇸 In the United Stated available at Amazon and EBAY
charging philips fc6149
The Philips MiniVac FC6149. © Vacuumtester.com

The Philips FC6149 comes with a soft brush, among other things, so you can vacuum wooden stairs well. In addition, with this hand vacuum cleaner, little air emission is felt, so that the dust from other steps is not spread much.

My review also highlighted the following pros:

  • It's the best quiet handheld vacuum at the moment
  • Has an excellent battery life of 11 minutes
  • Comes with a handy stand (see photo above)

I also note that it is a versatile hand vacuum cleaner. For example, it even comes with a car plug; It is not without reason that I also label this model as the best car vacuum.

Alternative vacuum cleaners for stairs

A handheld vacuum isn't the only type of vacuum you can use to vacuum stairs. For example, you can easily transform a stick vacuum into a hand vacuum by removing the rod.

Best stick vacuum for stairs

The Dyson V8 is a good choice: you can easily use this stick vacuum as a hand vacuum. Thanks to the many accessories, you can vacuum many types of stairs: removing, for example, animal hair from stairs is no problem at all.

Dyson V8

You can easily transform the Dyson V8 into a compact handheld vacuum for stairs.
🇺🇸 In the United Stated available at Amazon and Dyson.com
dyson v8 stairs
The Dyson V8 can be used well when vacuuming stairs. © Vacuumtester.com

Best canister vacuum for stairs

The best canister vacuum for stairs is the Philips FC9745/09 PowerPro Expert. This bagless vacuum can be lifted in two ways, so you can easily carry it with you up the stairs. In addition, at 6.2 kilograms, it is a lot lighter than other canister vacuum cleaners.

Philips FC9745/09

Lightweight, easy to lift and fitted with a soft dusting brush.
🇺🇸 In the United Stated available at Amazon and EBAY

Because this bagless vacuum cleaner is equipped with an integrated dusting brush on the rod, you don't have to worry about scratching your stairs.

best canister vacuum stairs
With the Philips FC9745/09 you can safely vacuum stairs © Vacuumtester.com

How I research the best vacuum cleaner for stairs

As I mentioned earlier in this article, I also test how well they can vacuum stairs during all my vacuum cleaner reviews. Vacuuming stairs is usually forgotten, while this is a very important activity. More on that later.

Vacuuming stairs is usually forgotten, while this is a very important activity. More on that later.

To test the suitability for stairs, I test the vacuum cleaners on several steps. From wooden steps to steps with a layer of carpet. I do not only look at the suction performance, but also, for example, whether the air emission does not cause dirt and dust to be blown away on other steps.

Important Research Factors

In order to assess a vacuum cleaner for vacuuming stairs, I look at specific factors. Take a look at the most important research factors below:

  • Weight: when you vacuum the stairs, you will have to lift the vacuum cleaner. Low weight is important.
  • Accessories: in many cases stair treads are made of wood. Accessories such as a soft brush are necessary to prevent scratches. Not all petty thieves have this.
  • Air emissions: to prevent dust and dirt from being blown away from other steps, low air emissions are a plus.
  • Compactness: The size of a vacuum cleaner determines how flexible and comfortable you can vacuum. Also important in terms of safety.

Of course I do not lose sight of factors such as suction power, noise level and dust emission.

Compare the best vacuum cleaners for stairs

In my research I highlight three different vacuum cleaners for stairs. See below how I rated it in my reviews.

Vacuum CleanerTypeReview
Philips FC6149Handheld vacuum8.1/10Best deal
Dyson V8Stick vacuum7.0/10Best deal
Philips FC9745/09Canister vacuum8.6/10Best deal

Why can you trust my research?

I take every inquiry at Vacuumtester.com very seriously. My mission is to conduct research that is as reliable and valuable as possible. It's good to know that my research is based on my own reviews: I've actually tested and rated every vacuum cleaner you name. For example, I have tested dozens of petty thieves on stairs, in order to finally be able to label the Philips FC6149 as the best.

handheld vacuum for stairs research
I've tested dozens of handheld vacuums on different steps. © Vacuumtester.com

It is good to know that Vacuumtester.com is a completely independent research platform. I guarantee this independence with the following rules:

  • Every vacuum cleaner I test at Vacuumtester.com I buy with my own money; I never accept free vacuum cleaners to test
  • I have no insight into any fees or commissions; we keep this well separated internally
  • We use our own measuring instruments, including a custom-made vacuum tester

If you would like to learn more about my approach, read more about Vacuumtester.com.

In summary: vacuuming stairs is important, but should be done with a suitable vacuum cleaner. A good vacuum cleaner for stairs is light, can be easily lifted and has a soft brush.

Best vacuum cleaner for stairs (handheld vacuum): Philips FC6149
Best Stick Vacuum for Stairs: Dyson V8
Best canister vacuum for stairs: Philips FC9745/09
Robbert Tigchelaar

Robbert Tigchelaar

Robbert Tigchelaar is the founder of Vacuumtester.com and is a true vacuum cleaner guru. With more than 10 years of experience in the world of electronic devices, he knows better than anyone what is important in a vacuum cleaner. When a new vacuum cleaner appears, he is eager to test it extensively.

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