In this review we’re going to talk about the best cordless stick vacuum cleaner for small spaces like RVs, dorm rooms, and studio apartments. Those are just a few examples of places where storage is at a premium and where a full-size vacuum or a robot vacuum would be overkill, but you still need a quality vacuum that won’t break the budget.
Best Stick Vacuum for Small Spaces
Verdict
The Bissell FeatherWeight 3061 is a nice upgrade to Bissell’s previous corded FeatherWeight models. For small spaces it gets the job done.
It is convenient, easy to store and performed well on both hard floors and carpeting. We think it is the best cordless stick vacuum for small spaces.
After testing several models over the years, we finally found one to recommend for just this case. The model we recommend is the Bissell FeatherWeight Cordless (see it on Amazon).
About the Bissell FeatherWeight Cordless
The Bissell FeatherWeight Cordless Stick Vacuum 3061 is the upgraded version of Bissell’s previous FeatherWeight stick vacuum, but there’s a big difference; those older versions were corded, whereas this one is cordless. This new one also has a lot of new features that we think make it a much better vacuum than other FeatherWeights we’ve tested.
Vacuum Wars’ Best of the Best
The Pros
Lightweight and easy to store
Starting off with the pros, one of the biggest advantages is its lightweight design. At only 5.8 pounds, it’s lighter than the average cordless vacuum and significantly lighter than the average upright vacuum.
…the Bissell FeatherWeight cordless is a small vacuum that’s versatile enough to be used on both hard floors and carpets. Other vacuums in this style are definitely not, and that is a big reason why we are recommending it.
It has a unique handle design that folds down for easy storage, which is great if you have limited space like with an RV or dorm. The same folding handle also means it can be used to clean under furniture without having to bend over.
Ease of Use
It also has a well-designed swivel, which might not seem important but it is something that other vacuums in this style sometimes cheap out on. This one is responsive to wrist movements and has a good range, making it easy to maneuver in tight spaces – like you’ll find in RVs, dorms, and studio apartments.
RELATED: See our top picks for vacuums for tile flooring.
Another great feature of the Bissell FeatherWeight is that it can be used as both a handheld vacuum for above-floor cleaning as well as a floor vacuum. The attachments it comes with aren’t all that great, but we still prefer having them rather than not.
Cleaning test performance
Another big pro is that the Bissell FeatherWeight is actually quite good at its main job of picking up debris on both hard floors and carpets. In our tests, we found that the Bissell FeatherWeight performed exceptionally well on both surface types.
It has a fairly large gate on the floorhead, so it was able to pick up much larger debris than many of its competitors. It also has a squeegee on the bottom, making it less likely to scatter debris on hard floors. But it was also good with carpets and rugs.
It has a spinning brushroll, which you can turn on or off. This is a big difference from previous FeatherWeight models, which just had a suction port. This means it can agitate carpets and rugs for deep cleaning. This was evident in our tests as it scored way higher on our carpet deep clean test than we expected it to.
To sum up its capability on different types of flooring, the Bissell FeatherWeight cordless is a small vacuum that’s versatile enough to be used on both hard floors and carpets. Other vacuums in this style are definitely not, and that is a big reason why we are recommending it.
Price
It’s affordable, at about half the cost of an average vacuum. And it’s cordless, which is just so much more convenient for quick pickup jobs or where there are power or outlet limitations like with some RVs.
Need a handheld work for your small space? Check out our review of the Black+Decker 20V Max. It’s a compact, versatile portable vacuum with high customer ratings.
The Cons
Battery
Moving on to the negative stuff, the first thing we’ll mention is the battery life. The FeatherWeight can get about 20 minutes of cleaning time before needing to charge. That is lower than average when compared against other cordless vacuums we’ve tested. While that might be a dealbreaker for people with large homes, we think 20 minutes is more than enough time for most small spaces.
The charge time however, is somewhat long to get that 20 minutes of cleaning. It takes four-and-a-half-hours to go from empty to 100%, and the battery isn’t removable either. So, if there were an area for improvement, we’d say the battery would be a good place to start. But, again, for our use case–the best cordless vacuum for small spaces–this really isn’t an issue.
Dustbin
Another negative point is that the dustbin isn’t as easy to use and empty as with a regular vacuum. It’s more like a handheld vacuum’s dustbin, which means that you have to manually remove the filter to dump the bin. The filters get dirty quicker too and should be replaced often. On the bright side, the filters are fairly inexpensive to buy online – so that’s good.
Filtration
We can’t think of a single vacuum in this price range that has a sealed HEPA system, and the FeatherWeight isn’t an exception. The absence of a sealed HEPA system could still be a dealbreaker for some users, but for its price range, a HEPA sealed system is a big ask. For our review though, we still will count this a con for the FeatherWeight.
Conclusion
There you have it—the pros and cons of the Bissell FeatherWeight Cordless Stick Vacuum 3061. Despite its few drawbacks, we still think it’s the best option for small spaces. It’s lightweight, versatile, easy to use, and affordable. If you’re in the market for a stick vacuum for your tiny space, it’s a solid buy with great reviews.