The 6 Best Handheld Vacuums For Cat Litter

On the never-ending quest to control your cat's litter, you may be finding yourself looking for a vacuum that can help rid your floor, baseboards, and furniture of the crumbly mess. Luckily, the best handheld vacuums for cat litter can help you win the battle with powerful suction, helpful attachments, and convenient extras (such as pivoting nozzles and lights that help you see behind furniture). Plus, there are a variety of designs and price points to suit your style.

What To Consider When Choosing A Handheld Vacuum For Cat Litter

First, consider your space and the type of attachments that would make cleaning up litter easier. Most handheld vacuums come with a long crevice extension that makes it easier to get behind furniture or the litter box, but some vacuums also come with attachments such as upholstery brushes or multi-use tools that can be more effective at cleaning furniture, baseboards, and carpet — especially helpful when your feline tracks it into multiple rooms.

All handheld vacuums feature lightweight and relatively compact designs, but some boast a feather-light weight and adjustable nozzles that can be convenient when cleaning hard-to-reach areas. However, while all of the options on this list have impressive suction power to pick up stubborn cat litter (according to Amazon reviewers), cordless models do differ in the amount of runtime they’ll provide before their battery needs recharging and can be less powerful because they rely on a battery instead of AC power. If you’d prefer unlimited power for large jobs, a corded vacuum might be your best bet. Additionally, some boast filtration systems to reduce dust, dander, and odors from the air.

Shop The Best Handheld Vacuums For Cat Litter

In a hurry? Here are the top picks for the best handheld vacuums for cat litter:

1. This Best-Selling Vacuum With Over 57,000 5-Star Reviews: Black + Decker Advanced Clean Handheld Vacuum
2. A Corded Vacuum With Unlimited Power For Under $35: Dirt Devil Scorpion
3. This Cordless Vacuum Made With A Motorized Brush Tool Attachment: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser
4. A Budget-Friendly Cordless Vacuum: VacLife VL189 Handheld Vacuum
5. A Handheld Vacuum With A Pivoting Nozzle To Clean Tight Spaces: Black + Decker 20V Max Handheld Vacuum
6. This Small-But-Mighty Vacuum: Shark WV401 Handheld Vacuum

Check out this list of the best handheld vacuums for cat litter with rave reviews from fellow pet parents to rid your home of stray kitty litter.

1. This Best-Selling Vacuum With Over 57,000 5-Star Reviews

This pick is the best-selling handheld vacuum on Amazon. It provides strong suction power with a cyclonic design that keeps dirt and dust off of the filter, has a thin, rotating nozzle that helps get into corners and tight spaces, and boasts a little flip-out brush on the side that’s great for cleaning along baseboards or against furniture. The included crevice and brush attachments help to clean hard-to-reach spots as well as carpet and upholstery, and the washable dirt bowl and filter make it easy to clean. The fast-charging base delivers a full charge in just four hours and depending on use, the brand recommends replacing the filter every six to nine months — although many reviewers noted being able to go much longer.

One reviewer wrote: “I wanted a handheld vac for our house because we have two dogs and two cats, so there is always hair and cat litter to vacuum up and we don't always feel like dragging out the big one. I wanted something handheld but with enough charge and suction power to tidy up in between big cleans. This vacuum is perfect for that!”

Style: Cordless | Runtime: Approximately 11 minutes according to the brand | Included attachments: Crevice and brush | Weight: 2.6 pounds

2. A Corded Vacuum With Unlimited Power For Under $35

If you’re looking for the most powerful handheld vacuum to help win the battle against litter, this Dirt Devil corded vacuum may fit the bill. Corded power gives this vac an endless supply of super-strong suction and if you’re afraid of feeling restricted to the outlet, rest assured that the 15-foot cord will give you access to all corners of most rooms. This pick is the heaviest on the list at 3.75 pounds, but reviewers note that the strong suction is worth it. Plus, it comes with a handy 2.5-foot hose attachment, a dusting brush, and a helpful flip-down crevice tool to clean a variety of surfaces. The brand recommends changing the filter every three to six months, or as needed.

One reviewer wrote: “I LOVE this vacuum! I got it for my tiled bathroom (where my kitten's litter box is and for our bath mat). It has incredible suction power and easily sucks up pieces of clay litter and stray hairs. I love the convenient red nozzle that you can snap in and out of place to extend the vacuum's reach. I don't have to get on my hands and knees to use the vacuum. There is a velcro strap attached to the cord that allows you to fold it back up and keep neatly tucked away. The vacuum is so compact I can keep it on the little shelf in my bathroom closet. I love it!”

Style: Corded | Runtime: Unlimited | Included attachments: Dusting brush, 2.5-foot hose, onboard crevice tool | Weight: 3.75 pounds

3. This Cordless Vacuum Made With A Motorized Brush Tool Attachment

Equipped with a motorized brush tool, upholstery tool, and crevice tool, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser works to tackle embedded litter and hair on all surfaces including hard floors, carpet, furniture, and upholstery. It boasts a 14-volt lithium-ion battery for intense suction power and a three-stage filtration system to reduce odors, dust, and dander. The easy-to-empty bin makes dumping dirt and litter a breeze and the 17-minute runtime will allow you to hit all your cat’s favorite spots in a single charge. The life of the filter will depend on usage according to the brand but when it’s time to replace it, you can get a two-pack of replacement filters for less than seven dollars apiece.

One reviewer wrote: “Very impressed with this little vacuum! I bought it to do my carpeted stairs in our home with 3 cats and 2 dogs. The stairs get tons of fur and cat litter on them. This little guy cleaned them like a champion with plenty of power and suction left over. Emptying it is easy too. Well worth it!”

Style: Cordless | Runtime: Up to 17 minutes according to the brand | Included attachments: Motorized brush tool, upholstery tool, crevice tool | Weight: 3 pounds

4. A Budget-Friendly Cordless Vacuum

This budget-friendly cordless vacuum gets rave reviews from shoppers who are impressed with how powerful and lightweight it is with one reviewer calling it an “easy-to-use little dynamo!” Weighing in at just 1.46 pounds, this powerful vacuum boasts an LED that helps illuminate dark corners and underneath furniture and has a washable dual-filter system. It comes with a brush tool and a crevice tool and is available in either orange or red accent colors. According to reviewers, the dust box separates easily from the rest of the vacuum for emptying and the filter can be washed.

One reviewer wrote: “The vacuum is fantastic for cleaning both light debris, like sawdust, and heavy debris, like kitty litter. It’s also very good at tackling hard-to-reach spaces like behind the couch with the hose attachment, and the crevice tool is great for getting in between cushions and hitting those corners your standard vacuum can’t. My favorite thing, though, is how easily it picks up pet hair. I have a cat who loves to shed all over the apartment and this vacuum has completely sucked up ground-in cat hair from my carpet!”

Style: Corded [[It says it’s corded here?]] | Runtime: Approximately 20 minutes according to reviewers | Included attachments: Dusting brush, 2.5-foot hose, onboard crevice tool | Weight: 1.46 pounds

5. A Handheld Vacuum With A Pivoting Nozzle To Clean Tight Spaces

If you’re looking for one of the most versatile vacuums on the market, check out the Black + Decker 20V Max. The 200-degree pivoting nozzle can be set at the perfect angle for whatever you’re cleaning and the three-stage filtration system helps capture dust and odors. Cyclonic technology helps to keep dirt and dust off of the filter and the washable dirt bowl and filter make for easy cleaning. Replacement filters should be replaced every six to nine months (according to a reviewer), and it’s worth noting that this vacuum charges on a vertical base, so it will need a small dedicated spot for the base to plug in and charge.

One reviewer wrote: “I have 2 of these in the house and would be lost without them. I have had the first one for about 5 1/2 years and the second one for just over 4 years. I have cats (yes, plural..fun) and dogs. [...] The suction power is amazing on these. Whether I am getting litter, hair or food off the floor, I barely have to hover it over the items and it sucks them up.”

Style: Cordless | Runtime: 15–20 minutes according to the brand | Included attachments: Onboard brush and crevice tool | Weight: 3 pounds

6. This Small-But-Mighty Vacuum

As one of the lightest and most compact picks on the list, this small but mighty handheld vacuum can fit into places many vacuums can’t. It comes with a crevice attachment and a multi-surface pet tool to remove hair from carpets, furniture, and fabrics, and even has a boost button for a burst of extra-strong suction that’s great for large particles and heavy debris. This vacuum has a one-button emptying feature that makes dumping collected litter a breeze, and an included dust cup cleaning tool helps keep the inside clean. A small charging base houses both attachments and the brand recommends replacing the washable filter when you notice a decrease in suction power.

One reviewer wrote: “Awesome little vacuum for little spaces. Great for edges and detail cleaning. Washable filter. We use this vacuum more than I imagined we would.”

Style: Cordless | Runtime: Up to 35 minutes according to the brand | Included attachments: Crevice tool, pet multi-tool | Weight: 1.48 pounds