Best: Overall

• Dimensions: 7cm x 7cm x 43cm
• Charge time: 5 hours
• Run time: 30 minutes on low power, 15 minutes on high

We liked the choice of two speeds on this mini vac, as it gave us a longer window of vacuuming when there wasn’t anything too heavy-duty to deal with. It came with its own little charging station, this looked good enough to be left on display and came in useful all over the house. It was effective on upholstery too, really bringing up the pile of a velour car interior and ensuring all the fiddly corners were dust free. Our favourite of this round up for price, power and run time.

Best: For pet owners

• Dimensions: 7cm x 7cm x 69cm
• Charge time: 3 hours
• Run time: 12 minutes

This dinky Hoover model was a great choice for clearing pet hair and tackling the crumb-strewn cabin of our tester’s school-runner. Versatile attachments such as the mini turbo brush really helped get into all the little corners and dislodge the dirt. He found that it was used all over the home for clearing up, sitting ready to go on its charging and storage station. It may have a relatively short 12-minute run time, but it was so effective that was more than enough to get the car sorted and spruced.

Best: For small cars

• Dimensions: 7cm x 7cm x 42cm
• Charge time: 2.5-3 hours
• Run time: 15-30 minutes

This powerful little vac is great for grabbing from its charger station and heading to the car for a quick, easy clean up. We found it more than adequate for a once-over of all the carpet panels and seats after a week or so of daily car use. We found the run time just right at around 20 minutes for tackling a small-to-medium-sized car.

Best: For cleaning nooks and crannies

• Dimensions: 25cm x 14cm x 39cm
• Charge time: 4 hours
• Run time: 20 minutes

There’s not a space in the car you won’t be able to clean with the Gtech multi mk2 vacuum and Gtech accessory kit (£50, Gtech.co.uk). The soft dusting brush is brilliant for running over tricky dashboard areas, and won’t scratch highly reflective surfaces. We used the crevice tool with satisfying results between seats  and then the small upholstery tool was fitted to the extendable hose and made light work of fabric seats. Brilliant.

Best: For short, deep cleaning

• Dimensions: 52cm x 10cm x 11cm
• Charge time: 4 hours
• Run time: 10 minutes

This chunky little vac may not have the longest run time in our selection, but if your car is used to transport hairy dogs like our tester’s, you’ll appreciate a short, daily run over with it. The pet tool attachment is motorised and the spinning brush will help to dislodge Fido’s fur from seats, carpet or the boot. There’s a handy crevice tool, too, which is useful for crumbs and cabin dust.

Best: For versatile cleaning

• Dimensions: 39cm x 28cm x 31cm
• Charge time:  5 hours
• Run time: 10-20 minutes

This brilliant little machine can tackle so much more than a sweep of the car mats. Its battery detaches, too, so there’s no need to keep the whole thing out when charging. We loved the digital run-down of time left so there was no cut-out surprise. Not only does it vacuum powerfully, it will also suck up spills and even blow outwards to dislodge dust from tricky areas. Our tester said it was in constant use around her workshop and garage for all sorts of cleaning.

Best: For upholstery

• Dimensions: 25cm x 37cm x36cm
• Charge time: Corded, n/a
• Run time: n/a

This great little machine is for upholstery that needs more than just a quick vacuum. It uses clean and dirty water tanks to treat surfaces with Bissell chemical solutions and water, and your car upholstery will really thank you for it. If you have children, you’ll know that there can be all sort of spills and … erm… accidents that can make a car honk to high heaven. This made our tester’s light grey car upholstery look like new again, and, since it’s corded, she could take her time.

Best: For home and car cleaning

• Dimensions: 114cm x 24cm x 18.5cm with long pole attachment
• Charge time: 3 hours
• Run time: Up to 45 minutes

Yes there are other “stick” vacuums on the market, but this one comes with a free toolkit that is absolutely brilliant for car clean-ups. With its crevice tool, mini motorised pet tool and soft dusting brush, you can whizz through the car interior. Pop it back on the included wall mount to charge or run round the lounge if you have spare juice – this model also comes with a floor head and up to 45 minutes’ run time.

Best: For power

• Dimensions: 21cm x 13cm x 31cm
• Charge time: 3.5 hours
• Run time: 30 minutes

The Dyson V7 trigger is a classic design that we’ve always rated on IndyBest. Although it’s not the lightest to handle, you do get the option of a “max power” switch that can give you up to six minutes of extra-strong suction:great for tough areas in a grimy car interior. Otherwise, stick to normal power and you should be able to run round seats and carpets for up to half an hour. Great for pet hair and deep-down dirt, we love the combination crevice tool and brush on this model.