5 Best RV Vacuums and Buying Guide to Help You Choose in 2023

1. Bissell Featherweight Stick Bagless Vacuum — Best RV Vacuum

This affordable stick RV vacuum can do a little bit of everything, and it packs a surprising amount of wallop for such a lightweight machine.

The Bissell Featherweight is our favorite RV vacuum for a variety of reasons; it’s simply a fantastic vacuum, regardless of whether you’re using it at home or your home on the road.

At under 3 pounds, it definitely lives up to its “featherweight” label, and you can lug it around without throwing your back out. Despite that, it’s surprisingly powerful; it can pick up pet hair, crumbs, and even dig in deep on thick carpet. 

It’s equally well-suited for use on a variety of other surfaces. It can get cobwebs out of window sills, dirt off steps, and Cheetos dust off upholstery (don’t ask how it got there). 

Transitioning between those different locations is a snap as well. The thing quickly converts from a stick to a handheld vacuum, allowing you to get into nooks, crannies, and crevices with ease.

What We Like

The RV vacuum is very quiet while in operation, and while we wouldn’t use it while your family’s asleep, it won’t blow your eardrums out either. You can use it with the TV on, for example.

The most surprising thing about this is that it does all this at an incredibly low price. It’s one of the most affordable stick RV vacuums on the market, and it just so happens to be the best we found.

What We Don’t Like

That’s not to say it’s perfect, of course. The cord is frustratingly short, so you’ll have to stop and move from outlet to outlet periodically. It may also get snagged on all sorts of things if you have a cramped RV. Buying replacement filters can also be a challenge, as many stores don’t carry them, although they should be readily available at larger online retailers.

This little machine comes in handy when cleaning up spills or other messes, although it’s not ideal for vehicles with lots of carpeting.

If you don’t want to sacrifice a ton of space in your RV to a vacuum, this little dustbuster from BLACK+DECKER can do a lot of what a larger vacuum can do without ever getting in your way.

Make no mistake — if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, this thing isn’t going to be up to the task. However, for cleaning up little messes and taking care of small rugs, it’s hard to beat.

It works especially well on surfaces like tile or hardwood floors. It can get into thick shag carpeting as well, but again, don’t expect it to match what an upright can do. 

What We Like

There’s a lithium-ion battery inside that holds a charge for up to 18 hours, so it will still work even if you forget to plug it in after every use. The effectiveness does die off a bit towards the end, but you can definitely get 12+ hours out of it, no problem.

Maintenance isn’t an issue, either. The tip pops off when the canister is full, and all you have to do is dump it out in the nearest trash can. If dirt and debris start to accumulate, the dirt bowl can be washed out in the sink. 

This RV vacuum has a cloth filter, and you can just rinse it off if it gets especially filthy. If the dirt and grime are truly out of hand, though, replacing it is cheap and easy.

What We Don’t Like

One thing you’re going to have to make peace with, though, is the fact that the broad nozzle doesn’t get into crevices very well. It really needs some sort of attachment with a thinner head.

When you do need to charge it, all you have to do is set it on the small little base, and it should be juiced up in around 4 hours or so. The batteries aren’t replaceable, though, so once it stops holding a charge, you’ll have to throw the entire thing out.

This canister is a good option for someone who wants a more traditional vacuuming experience.

The Eureka 3670M is a nice compromise for anyone who wants the power of a larger RV vacuum in a package small enough that it won’t dominate your entire vehicle.

This RV vacuum is on wheels, so it can move around without much effort on your part. At nearly 9 pounds, it’s bulkier than the other options on this list, but still lightweight compared to an upright model.

What We Like

The suction is fantastic. It’s great at picking up pet hair, so things like dirt and crumbs don’t stand a chance. You’ll need to make sure that all your valuables are picked up before you get started because this thing won’t hesitate to suck up earrings, your curtains, and even your little Chihuahua (kidding about the Chihuahua — we think).

The power cord is 20 feet long, so you should be able to vacuum your entire rig without ever having to stop and reposition the machine. It also comes with a pair of extension wands to give you a ton of flexibility, so you may not have to really move the canister at all.

This RV vacuum comes with your basic brush and crevice attachment, but the real star of the show is the blower port. When activated, it basically turns the machine into a leaf blower, allowing you to clean out big messes in a hurry. It makes tidying up the garage or cleaning up a messy campsite quick and easy.

What We Don’t Like

As you might expect from a canister vacuum, it’s not bagless, which some users may like and others may hate. Emptying the bag is fairly painless, though, as is replacing it when the time comes. 

While the Eureka was one of the most powerful RV vacuums we tried, it had some serious flaws as well. The attachments don’t always “click” into place, and so they come off with annoying frequency.

Also, just about every part of this thing is made of flimsy plastic. If you’re rough on equipment, you may find it’s not long until the hose cracks or the canister breaks. Barring accidents and mishaps, though, it should last quite a while.

If you’re willing to put in a little more effort up-front, this might be the most convenient option on the list.

The HP Products 9880 is a different beast than the others shown here. Rather than being a standalone vacuum, it’s a complete system that you actually have to install in your RV.

Right away, this has several positives and negatives associated with it. On the sunny side of the ledger, it’s extremely powerful, never in the way, and you’ll never forget it or leave it behind.

What We Like

The hose expands from 7 feet all the way to 35, giving you plenty of freedom to move around. The hose itself is quite heavy, though, so you’ll still feel like you’re lugging around a larger RV vacuum while cleaning.

It has all the standard vacuum attachments as well, not to mention a handy little mesh bag to store them in (if you’re anything like me, you’ll lose the bag immediately).

The suction is top-notch and the system has a one-gallon capacity, so you won’t need to empty it too often. It comes with 3 bags, each of which has a HEPA filter inside, making the system great for neutralizing pet hair and dander.

Installation is fairly easy — provided you know what you’re doing, of course. It will likely require modifications to your vehicle, though.

What We Don’t Like

The downsides, of course, are that you have to install it — which will either drive up the costs (if you pay someone to do it) or ruin one of your Saturdays. It’s also a lot harder to replace if it breaks.

You don’t have to worry about getting tangled up in this battery-powered model.

The Stylus is an excellent stick RV vacuum cleaner, and really, its biggest sin is being not quite as good as the Bissell Featherweight. Unlike the Bissell, it’s a cordless vacuum, which may make it more attractive to some people.

It offers 45 minutes of runtime, which should be more than enough to clean up an RV (and if it’s not, please invite me to your next party). The suction is strong and even throughout that runtime, and it has a “MAX power” mode that you can switch to if need be; be aware that the MAX setting really saps its juice, though.

What We Like

While it’s a good overall RV vacuum, it’s the intelligent features that set it apart. Unlike many other stick vacuums, the dust cup is situated on the front, which allows you to completely lay the thing down when it’s time to get under furniture. It’s a small thing, but if it saves you from moving things around, it’s well worth it.

The stick has an easy-rest feature as well; there’s a nook that lets you prop it up on the nearest surface whenever you need a break. The thing only weighs 6 pounds, though, so it’s not like it’s a huge burden to hold onto.

This cordless RV vacuum has an LED headlight that allows you to see in dark spaces or to vacuum late at night if that’s your thing (on second thought, maybe don’t invite us to your parties). It does come in handy when vacuuming up glass, however.

What We Don’t Like

You will need to rest it on something, though, as it has a tendency to fall over if you try to stand it up on its own. It does come with a wall mount, so you can keep it out of the way when you’re done with it.

You might want to keep looking if you travel with pets, though. This cordless vacuum clogs very easily when faced with fur, so you’ll have to stop and clean it out regularly. It handles all other kinds of dirt and debris capably.