RV Vacuums That Don’t Take Up a Lot of Space
Camping is dirty, but that’s what makes it so fun!
You’re no longer in your nice clean neighborhood with sidewalks and entryways to keep the dirt out. You’re in the woods or parked by the lake where there are bugs and dirt everywhere.
It’s all a part of getting out of your regular life and into the wild.
Related Product: Keep the clothes in RV closets dry and mold free using Eva-Dry Rechargable Mini Dehumidifers (click to view on Amazon)
A big vacuum cleaner in a house that has its own storage space is great, but it becomes very impractical when you’re in a small RV or van with limited room for large cleaning accessories.
Small RV owners need an RV vacuum that can be packed down to a small size, but actually works.
In this review, I would like to share the best portable handheld vacuum cleaners for RVs and vans.
These also work great for cars and even large RVs if you need something for the hard to reach places like the top bunk or inside cabinets.
To See Larger RV Vacuum Options Check Out: What Is The Best Vacuum Cleaner For RVs & Campers
Best Overall Cordless
Best Premium Option
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Corded Small Vacuums for RVs & Vans Reviews & Info
I’ve added a few RV vacuums that are corded for those of you who are often hooked up to power or have portable power stations.
Most RVers like the cordless options because they can be charged and used when boondocking but corded vacuums for RVs are often more powerful and can last longer.
1. Dirt Devil Scorpion Handheld Vacuum
The Scorpion from Dirt Devil is a neat little handheld vacuum cleaner. It’s portable and perfect for small campers and vans with a 15 ft cord.
It weighs only 3 lbs, and is just 12 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 7 inches tall. It doesn’t take up a lot of space, which is perfect for small RVs and vans.
It requires a power source that can supply at least 600 watts to use. That means a smaller 500 watt power station won’t be able to power this small RV vacuum.
It uses a 0.45 liter capacity dirt cup instead of a vacuum bag. And There’s a quick flip crevice tool getting into tight spots.
You can easily tell when the vacuum is full and with the touch of a button the dirt cup comes off so you can easily dump it in the trash.
The filter in the dirt cup is easily cleaned with some warm water, and it’s recommended to do this every time you empty the dirt cup.
Keeping the filter clean makes sure the suction power will stay as powerful as possible.
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The dirt cup is big enough to clean out the truck and trailer in one load.
It would’ve been sweet with a 12v connection on this for easier use in RVs with a 12 volt outlet or vans but unfortunately, the plug is a 120v.
In my opinion, it’s a pro that it’s corded, as you won’t have to worry about the battery running out and the vacuum losing suction due to low battery life.
The suction power is also very important when you want to get rid of pet hair. A vacuum cleaner of this size is great for even smaller pet cages like guinea pigs.
In addition to the onboard crevice tool, an attachable hose is also included.
The Dirt Devil Scorpion is a great vacuum cleaner if you usually have an outlet nearby.
Dirt Devil does make a wireless option called the Dirt Devil Plus (click to view on Amazon), if you prefer that style. It uses a powerful 16 volt battery with a fast charge time.
It’s perfect for quickly cleaning up your car and it even comes with an upholstery tool you can use on the couch in your RV.
PROS
- Long Power Cord
- Only Weighs 3 lbs
- On-Board Crevice Tool
- Attachable Hose
- Wireless Version Available
- Bagless
- Cleanable Filter
CONS
- Must Have 120V Power Source to Use
- Limited Accessories
2. Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser might make it sound like it’s only good for pet hair, but you can also use this to clean up dust and dirt.
The reason it’s called the Pet Hair Eraser is due to how one of the included nozzles is designed.
The pet hair eraser is a rubber nozzle with spikes, designed to attract hair. It also comes with a regular suction nozzle made of hard plastic.
With 0.78 L dirt cup capacity, it has the biggest dirt storage in today’s comparison, so you can fill it up with a lot of hair and dirt before it needs to be emptied.
There is no vacuum bag required.
When it gets full it’s as easy as removing the dirt cup and emptying it into the trash. The screen inside the cleaner is easy to rinse off with some warm water.
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Bissell’s vacuum comes with a 16 ft power cord. It requires 120 volt power and plug into a standard wall outlet.
When running it requires 480 watt hours.
That means a 500 watt inverter or small 500 watt power station could power it but I recommend using something that can output at least 600 watts continuously.
At 5 lbs, it’s somewhat heavy compared to other car vacuum cleaners in this review, so take that into consideration.
The body is really compact and small though which means it will be easier to store than some of the longer RV vacuums.
It measures around 10 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 8 inches tall.
Since there is no extendable nozzle, it might not be the best option for vans with lots of small crevices, but if you have a pet it’s a fantastic way to get hair off of the seats.
For large floor space, you could always use a small broom or brush to sweep up the dirt and then use this vacuum to clean it up, so I’m not saying you should disregard this as a vacuum cleaner for RVs.
I recommend the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser for cleaning up pet hair on the upholstery, but not as an all-around RV vacuum cleaner.
I believe there are better options when you need to clean bigger areas.
But for pet owners this is an excellent small RV vacuum to have. It can get the hard to remove pet hair not only out of your RV but your car as well.
Bissell also makes a wireless van and RV vacuum (click to view on Amazon).
The body is slightly longer than its corded counterpart but that’s only to accommodate the lithium-ion battery inside.
It’s a powerful portable vacuum that uses a 14 volt battery and the dirt cup has a 0.7 liter capacity.
If you camp or travel with a pet and you want a small portable vacuum to pick up all the hair the Bissell pet hair eraser vacuums are a fantastic choice.
PROS
- Special Nozzle For Pet Hair
- Long Power Cord
- Small Size for RVs & Vans
- Big Dirt Cup
- Battery Powered Version Available
CONS
- Uses 120V Power (Wall Outlet)
- Heavy
- Not Good For Large Areas
- Limited Accessories
- No Crevice Nozzle
Best Cordless Battery Powered Vacuums for RV & Van Use
1. BLACK+DECKER CHV1410L Cordless Vacuum
Next up is the portable handheld RV vacuum that I currently own, the Black+Decker CHV1410L.
It weighs only 2.6 lbs and measures 17.2 inches long, 5.5 inches wide, and 7.75 inches tall.
This is a cordless vacuum which means that it runs on a battery.
It’s great for use when the RV is not hooked up to power, but it limits the amount of time you have to clean.
It also makes a difference in suction power.
It starts out pretty strong, but as it loses battery it loses suction power and when 15 minutes have gone by, the suction power is pretty much gone.
When the battery has run out, it needs 4 hours on the charger to be ready again.
One pro to this battery powered RV vacuum is the high quality lithium-ion battery.
It makes sure you get the most suction power and the longest cleaning time possible and it can be drained over and over again without losing charge capacity.
The charger only requires 36 watts. That means you can easily use a small power station hooked up to solar panels or even a small inverter plugged into your battery or 12 volt outlet.
With a 4 hour charge time, it means it will only need 144 watt hours in total to be fully charged.
This is a bagless vacuum for RV and van use.
The dirt cup holds up to 0.6 L of dirt and is really easy to empty when the cup is full. Remove the nozzle and pour out the dirt.
If the filter is dirty, you can take apart the whole dirt cup base and rinse all non-electrical items under warm water.
I do this every time I empty the dirt cup, making sure that I get the filter as clean as possible for the best possible suction power.
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What I really like about the CHV1410L wireless RV vacuum is the several built-in features.
It has a crevice tool that lets you extend the reach and get into tight spaces, a flip-up brush for certain areas, and a nozzle that rotates 180 degrees.
There are no extra accessories to store or lose.
So why did I buy the BLACK+DECKER CHV1410L for my truck and travel trailer and what’s good about it?
I really like the built-in nozzles, how easy it is to clean, the suction power before 15 minutes has gone by, and how portable it is.
Note that it’s the lightest vacuum cleaner in today’s comparison, at 2.6 lbs.
As always, longer battery life would’ve made it even better, but for now, this is where battery technology is at. If all you need this for is the car though, it’ll do a pretty good job.
It’s not fantastic for large carpeted areas though.
If you want suction that is strong enough to clean carpets and large areas, I recommend going with a corded vacuum or a more heavy-duty cordless model like the Dyson below.
PROS
- Built-In Crevice & Brush Tools
- Fast Charge
- Low Charging Watts for Small Inverters
- Lightweight
- Battery Powered
- Easy To Pick Up And Start Vacuuming
- Great For Camping Without Power
CONS
- Loses Suction Power As Battery Gets Low
- Only 15 Minutes Of Good Clean Time
- Not Great For Thick Carpets Or Large Areas
2. Shark CH951 UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ Vacuum
Shark is a well known brand that makes some fantastic cordless RV vacuums that are perfect for small campers and vans.
It weighs only 2.8 lbs and measures 20.8 inches long, 3.8 inches wide, and 4.3 inches tall.
It’s a lot like some of the other battery powered RV vacuums in this review. It has a run time of about 15 minutes and uses a high quality Lithium-ion battery.
The included charging cable outputs 36 watts.
It will take around 6 hours to fully charge the battery, which is larger than some of the others in this review because of the high power use of this extra strong small vacuum.
Because of the small charging wattage, you can easily charge this with a small inverter or portable power station.
It uses a dust cup instead of a bag.
The cup holds 0.43 liters and there’s a special eject button on the vacuum that opens it so you can empty the vacuum without ever having to touch the dirt cup.
The filter is washable and reusable.
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The thing that sets this small RV vacuum apart from the rest is the included attachments.
There’s a standard hard plastic nozzle built in that’s for larger areas and general cleaning, a crevice tool, a brush attachment, and the special pet power brush.
The pet power brush is a powered attachment that is made for picking up pet hair on any surface.
It will reduce the overall run time by a few minutes, but the extra power usage is worth it if you have pets in your RV or van.
The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro is a fantastic battery powered RV vacuum for pet owners.
It has all of the things you want from a small and portable RV vacuum plus a few additions that make it the best choice for pet owners.
PROS
- Special Nozzle For Pet Hair
- Crevice & Brush Tool
- Powerful 80 Watt Motor
- Low Charging Watts for Small Inverters
- Lightweight
- Battery Powered
- Great for Boondockers
CONS
- Uses 120V Power (Wall Outlet)
- Small Dirt Cup
- Long Charge Time (Due to the Big Battery)
3. Dyson V7 Trigger Cord-Free Vacuum
Dyson is considered the best vacuum cleaner brand of all time and its small battery powered vacuum cleaner for RV and van use is a step above the rest.
They have several products that are cordless and handheld with impressive battery life and suction power. The V7 Trigger is no exception.
With 30 minutes of fade-free cordless suction, it’s one of the best portable cordless vacuum cleaners on the market.
The long battery life is possible due to the use of lithium-ion batteries that are lightweight and capable of fast discharging and charging.
The charger outputs less power than some of the other options in this review.
It only uses 20 watts. That means the charging time is pretty long, 5 hours, but it’s more friendly to campers with small inverters or power stations.
Dyson has also created one of the best dust cups that is extremely easy to empty.
Pull a handle on the top of the vacuum and the bottom will open up and dirt will fall out on its own. No need to take the vacuum apart and risk getting dirt all over the place.
The dirt cup has a capacity of 0.56 L and the vacuum weighs 3.7 lbs, just like the Shark Rocket.
It’s small and easy to store in RVs and vans with limited storage space. Without the attachments it measures 12.45 inches long, 5.2 inches wide, and 8.1 inches tall.
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The included mini motorized tool does a great job on pet hair and ground-in dirt, so it’s great for vans and RVs.
There’s also a crevice tool for hard to reach places and a brush tool for dusting and general use.
So is the Dyson V7 Trigger the best portable wireless vacuum cleaner for RV and van use?
Well, it depends on what you need.
Are 30 minutes of cleaning enough for you? Do you have access to electricity most of the time? Would it be your main RV vacuum?
If you have access to electricity most of the time, I would go with a corded vacuum.
Although the Dyson has the best suction power when looking at cordless vacuums, corded vacuums have better suction power in general.
You’ll have to decide if it’s worth the extra money for a cordless instead of a corded, depending on your situation.
I also want you to have realistic expectations when it comes to cordless vacuums.
To have the same suction power even for a couple of minutes you could have to pay possibly twice as much compared to a corded one.
PROS
- Cordless
- 30 Minutes Fade-Free Suction
- Motorized Tool For Pet Hair
- Lightweight
- Good for Boondocking
- Best Suction for Being Battery Powered
- Low Charging Watts for Small Inverters
CONS
- Charges Slowly
- Not Budget Friendly
The VacLife is a fantastic little cordless handheld vacuum that is perfect for small cleaning jobs often found in small campers and vans.
It’s very basic but it still has everything you need to keep your van and camper dust free.
The body is small measuring 14.8 inches long, 5.1 inches wide, and 4.6 inches tall.It only weighs 2.2 lbs.
It isn’t specified how large the removable dust cup is but judging by the style it’s going to be around 0.5 liters.
Much like the handheld Dirt Devil vacuum reviewed above.
The inner filters are washable and there is a dust brush tool and a crevice nozzle included.
The dust brush tool is an excellent attachment for both van and RV cleaning since dust tends to get everywhere when traveling and camping.
The battery offers an advertised 20 minutes of run time but there is no low suction shut off.
That means you really get around 15 minutes of great suction power and then as the battery drains the suction will become less and less.
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The VacLife does have a great fast charge feature. It uses a wall outlet charger and can fully charge in 2-3 hours.
The battery inside is pretty small. The charger outputs only 12.5 watts, which is very low compared with the other battery powered RV vacuum in this review.
But that small charge output makes it great for charging with very small inverters and power stations.
As an extra little bonus, there is an LED light near the handle by the on/off button. This makes cleaning under seats and furniture a little easier and it makes this portable RV vacuum a little bit nicer.
The is one of the more basic options but there is enough wireless run time and extra features added to make it a great van or RV vacuum.
It’s especially good for getting into small spaces and for RV use it could be a great product to use for daily dusting.
PROS
- Dusting & Crevice Attachments
- Fast Charging
- 20 Minute Run Time
- Small Size
- LED Light
- Great for Dry Camping
- Low Charging Watts for Small Inverters
CONS
- No Low Suction Shut Off
- Not Good For Large Areas
- Weakest Suction Power in Review
What to Look For in a Small Vacuum For RV & Van Use
Corded Vs. Cordless
The first thing you should decide is, does your RV vacuum need to be cordless, or will a corded option work?
There are limitations to both.
A corded vacuum requires a 110 wall outlet, but when your van or RV is hooked up to power, you can vacuum for as long as you need.
A corded vacuum will also have better suction compared to a cordless vacuum if you spent the same amount on both.
A cordless vacuum will have the portability some people want, but you’ll lose suction and be limited in terms of battery life.
I have read reviews by people that expect way too much out of a cordless vacuum and end up disappointed.
A cordless vacuum will have limited battery life and suction power and take several hours to charge.
But the chargers use very low watts which means you can usually use very small inverters or portable power stations to charge them.
Weight
How are you going to be using your vacuum?
Are you going to carry it around, or is it just to clean the car so you can rest it on the seats and the floor a majority of the time?
One pound weight difference doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you’re carrying it around for 20 minutes you’ll start to notice the difference.
Nozzles
Do you have a pet and struggle with pet hair all over your camper’s furniture and carpet?
Strong suction with an attachment that’s made for collecting pet hair will be important.
A corded vacuum will have better suction and a great nozzle will make sure there’s no hair left behind.
If you need a vacuum to clean tight spots, a slim nozzle is preferred. Some vacuums include one, while some don’t.
Stick
The vacuums we’ve looked at today are not stick vacuums and are meant for handheld use.
If you’re looking for a vacuum to clean floors with and the occasional tight spot, I recommend taking a look at my article about the best vacuums for RVs here (click to view).
Note that stick RV vacuums are often much larger than the smaller handheld options.
That means they require more storage space which can be hard to find in a small camper or van.
My Recommendation For Best Small RV Vacuum
Here’s the thing when it comes to finding a good van or RV vacuum cleaner, you need to consider what you need and where.
The most important thing to consider is whether you want a corded or cordless one and then decided on smaller things like included accessories and dust bin size next.
Here’s my pick for the best small RV vacuum overall.
Best Overall – BLACK+DECKER CHV1410L Cordless Vacuum
You may be surprised to see that I’ve chosen the more basic Black+Decker cordless vacuum over the fancy Dyson one reviewed above.
In my opinion, when it comes to battery powered vacuums performance is never going to be as good as a cored wall outlet ones.
Getting a good basic version with lots of accessories is the way to go.
I use this Black+Decker vacuum in my own RV in combination with a broom.
It’s perfect for cleaning up the small hard to get to spots that the broom misses and for getting dust out of window seals.
I use it in the truck regularly for a quick cleaning after long travel days and so far it’s been great.
The battery life hasn’t seemed to diminish over the years and I like the base charging station.
For RV campers and people who want a decent wireless vacuum to keep their vehicles nice and tidy the Black+Decker is a fantastic option.
Best For Pet Owners – Bissell Pet Hair Eraser
Pets are amazing to bring along in the car or camper for adventures but hair is of course the hardest thing to clean up afterward.
Even in an all wood floor RV a broom just isn’t enough to get up all of the hair that can collect on the furniture, chairs, and beds.
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is a powerful but portable corded vacuum that has a pet hair specific nozzle.
It’s great for cleaning up problem areas where hair tends to collect in both campers and cars.
There is even a high quality wireless version of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser available you can find a link to it in the review section above.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Small RV & Van Vacuums
Is a cordless RV vacuum going to have enough suction to clean carpet?
Here’s the thing, if you want to get a cordless vacuum that will clean carpet as good as a corded one, be ready to pay double.
There are cordless vacuums that do a great job on carpet, but the equivalent corded option will be cheaper and longer lasting.
How can an RV vacuum cleaner be bagless?
Even though a vacuum cleaner is bagless, your dust and dirt have a place to go.
Bagless vacuums have bins that are easy to empty and clean.
The biggest advantage they have compared to regular vacuums with bags is that you don’t have to go buy new bags just because you want to empty your vacuum.
Open the bin, empty the dirt directly into your trash can, and you’re done.
Have any more questions about car and RV vacuums? Leave a comment below.
Great collection! Well written and wonderful article full of information. Thanks for Sharing:-)