Jacqueline
Deputy Writer from Forbes.com, at ForbesMeet Jacqueline, the deputy writer and editor from Boston. She has a decade of experience at Forbes.com, where she served as an editor. Jacqueline is skilled in lifestyle publications, covering various topics like product reviews and how-to guides. She approaches each assignment with attention to detail and a dedication to excellence. Outside of work, Jacqueline enjoys spending time with her three young children, who were born just five years apart.
Jacqueline
Deputy Writer from Forbes.com, at ForbesMeet Jacqueline, the deputy writer and editor from Boston. She has a decade of experience at Forbes.com, where she served as an editor. Jacqueline is skilled in lifestyle publications, covering various topics like product reviews and how-to guides. She approaches each assignment with attention to detail and a dedication to excellence. Outside of work, Jacqueline enjoys spending time with her three young children, who were born just five years apart.
As a mother of a rowdy 6-year-old who loves to spill various crackers and fruit snacks all over the back seat, I know the importance of having an effective and efficient car vacuum.
And naturally, I was getting tired of having to keep wasting time and money going to the car wash and paying to use their dustbuster vacuums so I figured it was finally time for me to look for one of my own.
There are so many different kinds out there, however, so it may be a bit of a challenge to find one that fits your needs and your budget the best.
With that being said, we’re going to check out some of the best 12v portable car vacuums of 2023 and hopefully assist you in finding the best one for what you are looking for, especially in time for Father’s Day!
Top Portable Car Vacuums Cleaner Reviewed 2023
Wet & Dry Handheld Auto Vacuum Cleaner with 2 HEPA Filters
The Hikeren is a low noise car vacuum with powerful suction, as well as being CE and ROHS certified; the suction power is 12 volt, 106 watts, and can effectively clean dust and debris out of your car without making a huge racket and disturbing the neighbors.
The Hikeren car vacuum is incredibly multifunctional, being able to support both dry and wet applications. There are three accessories that come with the Hikeren- a long mouth, soft long tube, and brush, allowing you to efficiently clean your trunk and every corner in your car.
There is a removable and washable HEPA filter that is incredibly easy to be cleaned (make sure you clean the filter after every use for best results).
The power cord that comes with the Hikeren is very easy and convenient to use, with a LED light for those dark spaces. There is also a storage bag that comes with it so you can simply keep it in the car for ease.
- The price of the Hikeren is certainly reasonable, costing less than $30.00 on Amazon; the portability of the Hikeren is also a plus.
- Having the ability to simply keep your vacuum in your car (just in case that to-go bag of Cheerios decides to take a dive) is another major benefit to the Hikeren.
- Although it is pretty powerful considering its size, you may want to look for another model if you have some major cleaning up to do.
- In all honesty, the Hikeren is better suited for the smaller jobs and not necessarily anything that will require significant cleanup.
Automatic Hand Car Vacuum Cleaner with Power Cord
The LOLLDEAL vacuum cleaner is about $25.00 on Amazon and is both a portable and powerful car vacuum that is guaranteed to get all of those hard-to-reach places in that car of yours via a high-powered suction hose and pivoting nozzle.
The pivoting nozzle (that is amazingly slim) makes it efficient to reach all those annoying nooks and crannies (i.e. those irritating spaces in between the seats).
There is also a convenient long cord that comes with the LOLLDEAL (about four and a half feet long) that makes vacuuming a breeze, with no need to repeatedly unplug and plus up the vacuum as you clean.
The filter that comes with the LOLLDEAL is washable as well (even as simple as gently scrubbing it with a toothbrush will work).
- What’s pretty cool about the LOLLDEAL is that you can use it as a home vacuum, but keep in mind that this will mean that you will need to purchase a universal AC-DC Power Socket Adapter Converter.
- It is also pretty powerful- being able to suck up the mess that was over an inch away!
- The shape of the nozzle can be a bit of a hassle as (even though it can get into the tight spaces) it may be a little struggle to actually get there.
Onshowy Auto Lightweight Vacuum Cleaner
The Onshowy is about $20.00 on Amazon and comes with a strong suction nozzle that is 12 V, 75 W. which provides 3200PA for that power level of suction and also offers a longer service life.
It is an ideal tool for all of that day-to-day debris that we tend to accumulate in our car, including pet hair, various wool fabrics, dust, dirt, cigarette ashes, leaves, and all those other pesky things.
The Onshowy car vacuum has cyclonic action which keeps the filter clean and suction power constant (that means no need to worry about it cutting off on your mid-clean). The low noise vacuum can effectively clean everywhere inside your car within a short period of time.
- The Onshowy is amazingly powerful and able to get all of that debris that consistently get on our nerves (i.e. the little things that we notice while driving and wishing we hand a vacuum on hand to get it up)!
- It can be a bit of a struggle to navigate within your car unfortunately due to the nozzle being a little awkward in shape.
- So although you may see that debris in those annoying areas you might have a hard time getting to it.
LIBERRWAY Portable Vacuum Cleaner
The LIBERRWAY is less than $25.00 and comes with a two-year warranty and offers powerful 5.0Kpa suction, with a 1.5X vacuum suction that is the best ideal for cleaning the dust, sand, cigarette ash, crumbs, pet hair, and everything else out of your vehicle.
Let your children and pets enjoy playing in the car, knowing that you will have this handy vacuum at your disposal! The accessories that come with the LIBERRWAY include a brush that can be used for cleaning the carpet/cushion/air conditioner outlet, etc.
There is also an extension hose that can be used for connecting the other accessories to clean the various corners of your car. The last accessory is the nozzle, which is slim and can be used for cleaning those gaps.
- If you happen to be OCD (much like I am) about your car- this will be a good option! The price will certainly be in agreement with your wallet and the needs of your car!
- The suction on the LIBERRWAY can be a bit on the weak side so albeit powerful, you might have to go over the area of your car a few times which can be disappointing.
HOTOR Car Vacuum Cleaner with LED Light
The HOTOR is another affordable car vacuum cleaner (costing less than $30.00 on Amazon) and is a low noise but powerful-suction car vacuum.
The HOTOR has a DC 12V 4300-4500PA suction, 75db (which is the reason for the low noise), and can pick be hooked up to just about any outlet in your car, which is a bonus.
The HOTOR is multifunctional, meaning that it can handle both wet and dry conditions, not to mention that it comes with three attachments that allow you to clean all of those hard-to-reach areas with ease.
There is also a convenient storage case that comes with the HOTOR so that you are able to easily keep it in the car whenever the moment arises.
- The price is certainly a plus, as well as the fact that the suction is pretty good on the HOTOR so you will definitely be able to get all that debris that escapes to the underside of our seats!
- The suction is powerful; however there may be other models that are a bit more powerful (depending on how much cleaning you have to do) other than the HOTOR.
High-Power Portable Handheld Vacuum Cleaner for Car
Can additional filters be purchased?
Yes, typically you can buy additional filters but usually, most of the filters that come with car vacuums are washable so you won’t need to buy another one right away.
How do you remove the filters to wash them?
The exact method to remove the filter depends on the model that you have but typically there is a release button on the canister that can easily be pushed and the filter should come out. Just make sure to check those instructions prior to doing so.
Conclusion
All in all, for them to just simply be car vacuum cleaners, all of the wet-dry car vacua above are incredibly decent, when choosing, if anything, just decide on what brand would best fit what you are looking for.
Another plus is that all of them are no more than $30.00 so your bank account will certainly NOT be upset. Happy shopping!