The best caravan vacuum cleaner will provide an effective way of keeping your tourer’s interior in tip-top condition, whether it’s for a thorough clean at the start or end of the season, or for a quick freshen-up mid-tour.
After going to the trouble of using the best caravan cleaner to ensure your van’s exterior is sparkling (and making sure you know how to clean a caravan roof is a crucial task here), it’s understandable that you would want to do everything you can to achieve a tidy interior. This is where a vacuum cleaner for a caravan comes in. Whether it’s to get on top of the dirt and debris that can build up during a tour or suction up any stray dog hairs from a four-legged friend, a good vacuum cleaner will provide an efficient way of keeping your tourer looking its best.
It’s a part of cleaning a caravan that you’re not going to want to overlook. The way you intend to use the vacuum cleaner will be the most important factor when you’re choosing the one for you – if you opt for one with a rechargeable battery, it will generally be cordless and handheld, making it easier to get into the small corners a caravan can have. This may not be the best choice if you’re a caravanner who wants the option of using a vacuum cleaner off-grid or at a site with no hook-up, in which case a 12V option could be a better bet – or else one which has a good battery runtime. If you’re taking it on tour with you, make sure you have the payload and storage space for it too.
Here, we’re sharing our favourite options for the best caravan vacuum cleaner, featuring products from Gtech, Shark, Black+Decker, and more, including both 12V and cordless options.
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What is the best vacuum cleaner for a caravan?
The best caravan vacuum cleaners
Gtech Multi Mk2 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
Shark Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Shark WandVac 2.0
Gtech Multi Mk2 K9 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
Draper 24392
Beldray BEL0770N-GRY
Best 12V caravan vacuum cleaners
BLACK+DECKER 12 V Flexi Auto Dustbuster
Hilka 12V Corded Wet and Dry Car Vacuum Cleaner
Black+Decker 12V Corded Handheld Vacuum
The best caravan vacuum cleaners:
Gtech Multi Mk2 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
- Runtime: up to 20 minutes
- Charge time: four hours
- Weight: 1.5kg
- Cordless: yes
Reason to buy:
- Lightweight, portable, has an LED headlight
Reason to avoid:
- Not 12V, Multi Mk2 K9 could be better for more stubborn stains
We’re impressed by the features the Gtech Multi MK2 offers. It’s a lightweight and portable caravan vacuum cleaner which we reckon will provide an effective way of keeping your tourer’s interior spotless.
It comes with a 22V lithium-ion battery and takes four hours to charge, at which point it has a runtime of up to 20 minutes. The cordless option should be relatively straightforward to get into all those nooks and crannies, thanks to its weight of only 1.5kg, with components such as the extension tube making it even simpler to use. We like how its LED headlight will help to make sure every bit of dirt is vacuumed up, even in those darker corners of a tourer. We also appreciate how easy it is to keep track of the battery capacity, thanks to its LED display.
It retails at a cheaper price than the Multi MK2 K9, another option from Gtech which also impressed us. What differentiates the two is that this model doesn’t have reinforced aluminium which makes the MK2 K9 a better choice for dealing with more stubborn stains – if this sounds like something you are not likely to encounter, we reckon this is a vacuum cleaner that will help you achieve a spotless tourer.
BLACK+DECKER 12 V Flexi Auto Dustbuster
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 1.49kg
- Cordless: no
Reason to buy:
- A lightweight option that runs on 12V, useful 5-metre long cable
Reason to avoid:
- Not cordless
If you’re looking for a 12v caravan vacuum cleaner, this Black+Decker option is well worth considering.
We like how lightweight it is, coming in at only 1.49kg, offering caravanners a highly portable option. While it’s not cordless, we were impressed to see it comes with a five-metre cable. Combine that with the 1.5m-long flexible hose and you should have plenty of scope for reaching those awkward corners of your tourer that can otherwise be a magnet for dust.
Another feature that stands out to us is how straightforward it is to empty the 500ml dust bowl, something that we always look for in the best caravan vacuum cleaners. Here, it’s done via the side door – this can then be poured straight into the bin.
A little feature we appreciate is the storage bag it comes with – it’s not a dealbreaker in its own right, but it’s a useful way of keeping all of the bits together until you next need it
Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Runtime: 40 minutes
- Charge time: 5 hours
- Weight: 2.5kg
- Cordless: yes
Reason to buy:
- Ideal if you want an option to use both indoors and in your tourer
Reason to avoid:
- Premium price makes it unrealistic to buy just for your van
Suitable for use as either a handheld or an upright vacuum, we like the versatility provided by this cordless vacuum cleaner from Dyson.
This is an option you’re not likely to buy solely for use in your tourer, but if you’re looking for a new domestic option that you can also use in your ‘van, we think this could be the perfect option. We like how it can be used on a wide variety of surfaces, ranging from sofas to mattresses, making it perfectly equipped for cleaning the different surfaces in your tourer.
Spinning at up to 110,000rpm, it provides an effective performance and comes with as much as 40 minutes of run time, allowing you to deep clean your caravan. Thanks to its de-tangling technology, pet owners can vacuum up any dog hairs, while a supplied combination tool and crevice tool allows you to reach those awkward areas in your tourer.
There’s no getting away from the price, but we think this is a highly effective product for keeping your tourer in tip-top condition.
Shark Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Run time: 10 minutes
- Charge time: 4 hours
- Weight: 1.2kg
- Cordless: yes
Reason to buy:
- Highly portable, ideal for pet owners
Reason to avoid:
- Low run time
We think this is a great option for caravanners who tour with their pets and want to have the option of quickly vacuuming up any dog hairs or dirt that has been trodden in after a walk. Usefully, there’s a battery light that lets you keep an eye on its charging levels, so you’ll know when it’s starting to run down.
It’s worth drawing attention to its runtime though. Offering only 10 minutes of use off of a charge time of around four hours, it’s got one of the lowest runtimes in our guide.
However, we like how the cordless product is highly lightweight, meaning it will be easy to manoeuvre wherever it’s needed. It helpfully comes with three different attachments too – a motorised pet tool, a dusting brush and a crevice tool.
Black+Decker 12V Corded Dustbuster
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 1.3kg
- Cordless: no
- A good five-litre cord, runs on 12V
- Can’t be used cordlessly
At 1.3kg, this Black+Decker option is a fairly lightweight 12V option to consider. While we should highlight it can’t be used cordlessly, it only requires a 12V DC outlet to run, and comes with an impressive cable length of five metres which should provide plenty of freedom for achieving a tidy tourer.
Thanks to its 12.5 air watts of suction power and 1,053l/min airflow, it should be capable of getting rid of crumbs and dirt that get trodden into your tourer, and we like how it should be easy to know when the 0.5L dustbowl needs emptying, thanks to its transparent exterior. We reckon it’s better suited to lighter debris than achieving a thorough clean but for a quick freshen up of your interior while you’re away, this should tick the boxes. Helpfully, it also comes with a brush tool, a crevice tool and a flexible hose.
Shark WandVac 2.0
- Runtime: up to 15 minutes
- Charge time: 3.5 hours
- Weight: 650kg
- Cordless: yes
Reason to buy:
- Lightweight, has a boost mode
Reason to avoid:
- Gtech has a better runtime and a bigger capacity
Coming with a longer run time of up to 15 minutes compared to the 10 minutes seen from the other Shark product in our guide, the WandVac 2.0 should ensure caravanners can achieve an efficient spruce up of their tourer. It’s more lightweight than the Gtech options, weighing only 650g, which should make it easy to manoeuvre it into the various corners of a caravan, with provided attachments including a crevice tool and, usefully for dog owners, a multi-surface pet tool.
Another helpful feature is its Boost power mode, which will give you some extra suction for dealing with more stubborn bits of dirt. Its 0.1-litre capacity is smaller than those seen in the Gtechs, but if a light weight is something you prioritise, this could be the best caravan vacuum cleaner for you.
Gtech Multi Mk2 K9 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
- Runtime: up to 20 minutes
- Charge time: four hours
- Weight: 1.5kg
- Cordless: yes
Reason to buy:
- Useful for extra stubborn mess
Reason to avoid:
- If you want it just for a quick freshen up mid-tour it has a premium price
Similar to the MK2 from Gtech, the K9 offers lightweight and effective vacuuming for a caravan interior. It comes with a range of attachments which will make the job even easier, including a crevice tool and a dusting brush, while its 22V lithium-ion battery provides a runtime of up to 20 minutes off of a four-hour charge. It has a 0.4-litre capacity which can be easily emptied into your bin when it’s needed.
What sets it apart from the MK2 is it is reinforced with aluminium, which, according to the manufacturer, means it offers enhanced performance for dealing with any extra stubborn bits of dog hair or stains, which is particularly helpful if you’re an outdoor activity enthusiast who could inadvertently walk mud in or are touring with a canine companion.
Thanks to its LED headlight, it can illuminate any dark corners too, helping you ensure you’ve got rid of all of the dirt.
Draper 24392
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 1.5kg
- Cordless: no
Reason to buy:
- Low wattage option at 600w
Reason to avoid:
- Not cordless or 12v
Draper is a name caravanners who are into DIY are likely to be familiar with, as the brand makes numerous items that could feature in a caravan tool kit. In the case of this vacuum, it’s a corded option and isn’t 12V, but we like how it has a wattage of only 600 watts. It’s fairly lightweight too, weighing only 1.5kg to provide you with some useful portability.
We’re fans of the variety of useful accessories it comes with too, including a hose, a swivel head brush nozzle and a square head brush, so you can get the attachment set up that suits you. That’s not all – it even features a shoulder strap. A lead of around 4.5M should ensure you can give your tourer a thorough clean too.
Hilka 12V Corded Wet and Dry Car Vacuum Cleaner
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 977g
- Cordless: no
Reason to buy:
- Budget friendly, 12v, can be used on small wet spillages
Reason to avoid:
- Not cordless, only 2.8m long lead, more suited to small tourers
This corded vacuum from Hilka is a budget-friendly option which runs on 12V. One of its most impressive features is how it not only deals with dirt but can also combat small wet spillages, ideal if you accidentally knock a drink over in your tourer.
Its lead is only 2.8m long, so nearly half the length of the other 12V option in our guide, the Black+Decker, so we reckon it’s more suited to those with smaller tourers. However, it offers an impressive 500ml capacity and would be ideal for giving a smaller van a quick freshen-up while away, before a more in-depth clean is done upon your return.
Beldray BEL0770N-GRY
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 1.38kg
- Cordless: no
Reason to buy:
- Only 600w, can be used handheld or as a traditional option
Reason to avoid:
- Not a cordless option
This budget option from Beldray is another lightweight option that is ideal for giving your tourer some TLC when you’re on the road. We should highlight that it’s not cordless – instead, the 600W product will need plugging in to run. However, we like how it has a five metre cable and, impressively, a one litre container for suctioning up debris in your van.
What we particularly like with it is the option of either using it upright as a more traditional vacuum or, if you prefer, as a handheld option, giving you the flexibility to clean your tourer as required.
Usefully, it comes with a crevice tool for getting into those tiny gaps and corners of your van too.
How to choose the best caravan vacuum cleaner
Before buying any caravan vacuum cleaner, make sure you know how you want to use it. What we mean by this is do you want the option of taking it on tour with you, or do you plan to stick with using it before and after you’ve enjoyed a getaway in your van?
If you want to take it way with you, factor in how much it will weigh and whether you have the payload to take it – after all, when you’re loading a caravan, you don’t want to bring an unnecessarily cumbersome device, as well as being aware of the various caravan weights that need factoring in, to ensure you don’t go over the payload allowance.
An option which provides a good battery will be important if you’re not going to be able to charge it up when you’re away. Even if you’re vacuuming your caravan at home, you still want to have a good enough runtime to be able to give it a thorough clean without having to recharge it every five minutes. In contrast, a 12V vacuum cleaner will offer the flexibility of being easier to operate when off-grid or when staying at a campsite without hook-up, but will be corded, lacking a little bit of the versatility a cordless option provides.
Lastly, be sure to pick a portable option that you will be able to manoeuvre to clean all of the nooks and crannies in your tourer.
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