August 2022 Update: After a few months of use, the cracks have started to show in this vacuum's design. The motor assembly is really solid, still as capable as ever- but the rest of the device is plastic and shoddy... and effectively ruins the useability of the device. The filter is not HEPA, not even close, it allows even large, granulated powder out the exhaust of the assembly. The dust container has no rubber seal, and the 'snap' into position can very easily be over-torqued and strip to where you can infinitely turn the container once the threading has been cracked. Apart from that though, the killer detriment is that the sturdy motor assembly- because of its lack of competent filtration system- can become clogged and provide no ability to suck debris into the container once it is. I am troubleshooting the assembly now but it's not a 'user replaceable' part, and parts like the plastic dust container have nowhere on the internet to buy replacement parts for once broken, so you are out of luck replacing problem parts on this vacuum. Sadly- I give this vacuum a 1-star rating, with an overall 3.5 stars in concept as the vacuum is truly powerful... it just has such a small dust container and overall such shoddy build quality, that I can no longer recommend it.
Although I'm a huge fan of and own a few cordless Dysons (my primary is the Dyson V11 Torque Drive), sometimes you just need something smaller, cheaper, and better for throwing in something like a car or kitchen or electronics room where you don't need all the horsepower of a full size vacuum but just something to suck up the occasional dirt.
Well, I stumbled upon a product that actually, finally, fits this bill. And I say "finally" because there have been countless cheapo products for a decade now that use sponges as filters, that use off-brand used batteries as the power cells, that essentially use a novelty-sized micro-vacuum to claim an ability to suck air in, but when in use, they can't pick up a loose strand of hair off a hardwood floor.
This product is just called a "Handheld Vacuum" from a no-name Chinese company (at this point, but maybe they could be the next RAVpower or Anker? Who really knows) called Baseus. It's a new design where most of the engineering has been dedicated to the actual vacuum and batteries, but it does skimp on the dirt capacity in the unit. That's not a big deal for the use case of occasional clean-ups in unique places like I mentioned in that first paragraph.
They are relatively pricey right now at $80-$100, but that's about the range of other premium universal designs that are extremely useful, just get manufactured by tons of no-name companies (such as the TS-80 soldering iron, DT71 Multimeter tweezers, MHP30 hot plate, etc). But I have never in my life felt suction from a 'portable vacuum' that impresses me until now.
Here's a quick run down of the pros:
Very sleek, premium modern design with aluminum body
Can fit into a standard cup holder (useful for cars)
Extremely powerful motor
2-in-1 ability to suck AND blow air. NOTE: The 'blow' feature is just a byproduct of the motor on the opposite side of the suction inlet, cleverly designed to flow into a high-power and narrow outlet on the device.
Quick USB-C Charging ability and it actually uses the enhanced USB-C power capabilities at ~18w power draw (vs USB-A's top out at ~12w)
'Smart' motor that has 2 selectable speeds and will increase suction if it comes across an object that puts up extra resistance
LED array lined across the cylindrical frame to illuminate what's in front of the vacuum
Brush and crevice attachments for both the suck and blow ends of the machine
But here are the main cons:
Very small dirt bin capacity, around 2oz of volume at best- although since it's portable, emptying it frequently during a job shouldn't be a big deal
Relatively short battery life, ~10-12 minutes on the highest speed. Have not tried this on the low speed, although I don't really see much use for the low speed seeing as the biggest complaint about traditional portable vacuums is lack of suctions and this speed is in that legacy area
Pricey for a new technology from a no-name company (but Amazon allows for risk-free returns so it's not that big a deal to give it a shot)
Not a real HEPA filter- very cheap and basic filtration system
Here's where you can grab it if you're interested in picking this gizmo up yourself on Amazon:
Thanks for reading!