Cats are known for kicking litter all around the floor when they use the potty. Unfortunately, that litter can also attach to their feet and find its way throughout your home without your feline friend even knowing it. To keep messes at bay, having the best handheld vacuum for cat litter is a must. In this review, we’ll help you find which one will work best around your house so you and your kitty can enjoy life without sticky litter all around.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Dirt Devil Corded Vacuum
Features a powerful motor
The cord is long for easy transport
Great price
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Best Value
Dirt Devil Scorpion+ Vacuum
Features power brush for all-over cleaning
Affordable
Lightweight
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Premium Choice
IRIS Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Lightweight design
2-speed settings
Translucent dust cup
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Best for Kittens
VacLife Handheld Vacuum
Uses HEPA filters
Filters and dust collectors are washable
20 minutes of run time
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BLACK+DECKER Handheld Vacuum
Powerful suction
Odor fighting filtration system
Rotating nozzle
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The 10 Best Handheld Vacuums for Cat Litter
Our choice for the best overall handheld vacuum for cat litter is the Dirt Devil Scorpion Corded Handheld Vacuum. This handheld brings everything you’re looking for together in one powerful package. The powerful motor makes cleaning up litter and other debris easy. The lengthy cord provides you with adequate reach and no worries of losing power while you clean. The included tools allow for easy clean-up around the entire house, even down on the sofa if your kitty has tracked litter on its feet. It’s also easy on the bank account if you’re watching your budget.
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This lightweight vacuum has no bags which makes cleaning up after each use easier. Simply remove the dirt cup and empty it. The biggest downside we found with this handheld vacuum is the air vents located on the sides. When cleaning up cat litter or other debris left behind by your cat, the warm air that escapes may blow remnants around. This is easy enough to clean up but it can be annoying and take more time.
Pros
Features a powerful motor
The cord is long for easy transport
Great price
Cons
Air blows from vents and scatters debris
If you’re looking for the best value the Dirt Devil Scorpion+ Corded Handheld Vacuum for cat litter, look no further than the Dirt Devil Scorpion+. Similar to the original Scorpion mentioned as our best overall handheld, this vacuum has a powerful motor that does well at sucking up cat litter, pet hair, and other debris around the house. The difference between this one and the original is the power brush option. With this attachment, you can easily clean scattered litter off the floor, furnishing, or your kitty’s bedding. You can even use it on the stairs. The lightweight design makes it very maneuverable and easy to use. With a great price tag attached, you can’t go wrong with this handheld vacuum.
Features a powerful motor
The cord is long for easy transport
Great price
- Features a powerful motor
- The cord is long for easy transport
- Great price
Air blows from vents and scatters debris
- Air blows from vents and scatters debris
While this handheld has a lot going for it, there is one major issue. The noise. Unlike the original Scorpion, this version seems to be a bit louder when in operation. If you have skittish kitties in the house, this could be an issue.
Pros
Features power brush for all-over cleaning
Affordable
Lightweight
Cons
Noisy
The IRIS High-Power Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is great for people who want the best money can offer. Free of cords that hold you back when cleaning up after your pets, this lightweight vacuum can be used all around the house and on all surfaces. With 2 speed settings, this vacuum can easily clean up big messes or handle the little ones that pop up randomly. When on low, you will have 20 minutes of operation. If used on high, you’ll have the opportunity to run this handheld, without a charge, for up to 15 minutes. When you see the battery light come on, you’ll know it’s time to recharge the unit.
Features power brush for all-over cleaning
Affordable
Lightweight
- Features power brush for all-over cleaning
- Affordable
- Lightweight
Noisy
- Noisy
The dust cup of this handheld vacuum is translucent. This allows you to see how much debris you’ve collected and when you should empty it. This collection cup is also easy to clean after yucky kitty messes. The biggest issue we had with this vacuum is the battery. Yes, it operated for the amount of time it claimed but after only a few minutes, the charging light came on and we could easily notice the difference in power.
Pros
Lightweight design
2-speed settings
Translucent dust cup
Cons
Loses power quickly
- VacLife Handheld Vacuum – Best for Kittens Check Latest Price
Weight 1.94 pounds
Battery Lithium-Ion
Surface Recommendation Carpets
The VacLife Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is a great option for pet owners who want the best for their kittens. Not only does this vacuum have a powerful motor that allows it to clean up high traffic litter areas, but it also features washable HEPA filters and a dust collector that can be sanitized also. This makes it ideal for use around kittens and cats with allergies.
Lightweight design
2-speed settings
Translucent dust cup
- Lightweight design
- 2-speed settings
- Translucent dust cup
Loses power quickly
- Loses power quickly
This vacuum takes a few hours to charge to full power but it offers up to 20 minutes of run time when full. This is great when compared to some of the other options on the market. This handheld also features two nozzles for whatever debris you run into. Unfortunately, when it comes to carpeted floors, this may not be the best vacuum choice. If your house has high carpeted areas, you may want to consider another option.
Pros
Uses HEPA filters
Filters and dust collectors are washable
20 minutes of run time
Cons
Does not work well on carpets
- BLACK+DECKER 20V Max Handheld Vacuum Check Latest Price
Weight 3 pounds
Battery 20V Lithium
Surface Recommendation Any
The Black + Decker 20V Max Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is one of the most powerful on our list. The 20V lithium battery makes it a great vacuum for cleaning up cat litter on all the surfaces throughout your home. It even separates dirt and hair using cyclone action to help keep the suction working great even after several uses.
Uses HEPA filters
Filters and dust collectors are washable
20 minutes of run time
- Uses HEPA filters
- Filters and dust collectors are washable
- 20 minutes of run time
Does not work well on carpets
- Does not work well on carpets
This lightweight vacuum uses a filtration system to fight the odors cat litter can bring to your home. The filters used in this system are replaceable and can be purchased online when needed. Unfortunately, no matter how great the suction of this vacuum is, durability isn’t its strong suit. After a year, this vacuum is known to experience issues. You’ll also discover that the operation only lasts 10 to 15 minutes on a single charge.
Pros
Powerful suction
Odor fighting filtration system
Rotating nozzle
Cons
Lacks durability
Short battery life
- Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lithium-Ion Cordless Vacuum Check Latest Price
Weight 3 pounds
Battery 14V Lithium-ion
Surface Recommendation Any
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lithium-Ion Cordless Vacuum is optimized for pet hair but also does a great job when it comes to cat litter scattered around the house. The 14V lithium-ion battery supplies this vacuum with powerful suction. This makes it strong enough to suck up cat litter from any surface, including carpets. For many handhelds, carpets can be difficult to clean. This one makes quick work of this issue.
Powerful suction
Odor fighting filtration system
Rotating nozzle
- Powerful suction
- Odor fighting filtration system
- Rotating nozzle
Lacks durability
Short battery life
- Lacks durability
- Short battery life
The Bissell also features several attachments to make it easier to use around the house. This added with the lightweight feel makes it an easy handheld vacuum to use. The only true downside to this vacuum is the run time on a full charge. It only gives you time to do quick jobs before it needs to be returned for charging.
Pros
Works great on carpet
Powerful battery
Several attachments included
Cons
Short run time
- BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Handheld Vacuum Check Latest Price
Weight 2.6 pounds
Battery 16V Lithium-ion
Surface Recommendation Any
If your cat litter pan sits on a hard surface then the Black + Decker Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is a great choice. This handheld is good with a quick cleaning of cat litter after your kitty has kicked and made their mess. When using this vacuum, you’ll use less energy thanks to the Smart Charge Technology Black + Decker has used.
Works great on carpet
Powerful battery
Several attachments included
- Works great on carpet
- Powerful battery
- Several attachments included
Short run time
- Short run time
While this handheld vacuum is a decent option, it does have a few issues. While the dust bin can easily be cleaned after use, it is very small which makes it difficult to handle big jobs. You’ll also find that the run time of this vacuum is average at best, yet the charge time takes 4 hours. This can be an issue. Even worse when it comes to the battery is the fact it isn’t replaceable. If the battery goes out, another vacuum would need to be bought.
Pros
Great on hard surfaces
Uses less energy
Cons
Long charge time
The battery isn’t replaceable
Small dust bin
The last option on our list is the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Corded Handheld Vacuum. Unlike some of the others on our list, this handheld features a 16-foot long cord instead of a rechargeable battery. While some users may not like dealing with cords, you won’t need to worry about recharging every few minutes when using this vacuum.
Great on hard surfaces
Uses less energy
- Great on hard surfaces
- Uses less energy
Long charge time
The battery isn’t replaceable
Small dust bin
- Long charge time
- The battery isn’t replaceable
- Small dust bin
The Bissell comes with two attachments. One is a rubber nozzle best used when cleaning up pet hair. The other is firmer and ideal for cat litter messes. Luckily, this handheld also utilizes odor control technology with a multi-level filtration system. This will help reduce the smell of cat litter throughout your home.
While this vacuum is priced well, it can be inconvenient to use. The cord and shape make portability and reaching tight spaces difficult. Another issue we noticed in the airflow from the sides. Like with the Dirt Devil, this tends to blow litter around making for longer cleaning periods.
Pros
Two attachments for better cleaning
16-foot cord
Odor fighting technology
Cons
Air blows litter and debris around
The shape makes hard to reach places impossible
Related Read: 7 Best Handheld Vacuums for Cat Hair – Reviews & Top Picks
Two attachments for better cleaning
16-foot cord
Odor fighting technology
- Two attachments for better cleaning
- 16-foot cord
- Odor fighting technology
Air blows litter and debris around
The shape makes hard to reach places impossible
- Air blows litter and debris around
- The shape makes hard to reach places impossible
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Handheld Vacuum for Cat Litter
Choosing the right handheld vacuum for cat litter doesn’t have to be difficult. That is if you know what to look for. Since we’ve shared our review of the best handhelds on the market, let’s also take a look at the criteria we used to determine our picks.
Cost
One of the first things many of us look at when buying a new product is the cost. This is true even when it comes to handheld vacuums. While we may need these vacuums in our lives, going too far over our budget can cause big issues around the house. Keep this in mind when making your choice. More expensive doesn’t always mean better but you should expect to pay a little if you want a handheld vacuum that truly does its job.
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Suction Power
Suction power is usually determined by the power of the battery and the size of the motor. Unless, of course, you’re using a corded handheld. Then it’s all dependent on the motor. If you truly want a handheld that is powerful on cat problems around the house, choosing one with a good battery is key. A strong battery will keep the suction at its peak while you attempt to chase down all the litter your cats have kicked throughout your home.
Weight
A handheld vacuum should be lightweight enough for someone to carry throughout the house with ease. Before you choose your vacuum, read the product information and learn the weight. If it is over 4 to 5 pounds, then it can’t truly be considered lightweight. If you have issues with carrying heavy weights in your hands, then you should stick with smaller, more compact cleaners.
You might also be interested in: 10 Best Carpet Cleaners for Cat Vomit – Reviews & Top Picks
Conclusion
Now that you’ve seen our picks for the best handheld vacuums for cat litter, you can choose the one that’s right for you and your home. While our best overall choice and our best value, the Dirt Devil Scorpion and the Scorpion+ offer power, suction, and a lightweight vacuum at a great price, any of the vacuums on our list could be the one you’ve been looking for. Choose wisely so you and your cat can be free of scattered litter.
- Related article: 8 Best Vacuum Cleaners for Cat Litter in 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image Credit: Sergey Zaykov, Shutterstock
