For many households, particularly those with children or pets, the vacuum is one of the most-used appliances, but not every job requires lugging out the big corded device. Amazon shoppers have been heaping praise on anaffordable, compact vacuum cleaner that's ideal for quick clean-ups in cars, on stairs and rugs - and it's less than £30.

The Handheld Vacuum Cleaner was originally £39.99, but has been reduced to £28.45 in a limited-time deal. With more than 2,000 bought in the last month, it's quickly becoming a go-to gadget for those looking for a fast, easy and budget-friendly way to keep on top of mess.

Despite its small size, the handheld vacuum features a 70W ultra-high-power motordelivering up to 8Kpa suction. It's ideal for picking up dirt on staircases, pet hair on sofas, and even sprucing up mattresses.

Powered by a 2200mAh lithium battery, the vacuum fully charges in three to four hours and delivers up to 30 minutes of runtime. While that may not initially sound like a long time, Shark's £99 Cordless Handheld Vacuum features just eight minutes of runtime, meaning the Amazon device offers almost four times longer battery life for less than a third of the price.

Moreover, it boasts noise-reducing technology, meaning it comes in below 78dB, so those with napping babies needn't worry about waking them. And speaking of little ones, it's said to be 'an outstanding choice for children' due to its lightweight feel,weighing in at 1.92lbs, meaning the kids can muck in and help with household chores, too.

The weight also makes it ideal for elderly users and arthritis sufferers, too, and allows for portable cleaning around the home without the need for unplugging and plugging in the device in each room. Furthering the joy of uninterrupted cleaning, the 400ml large-capacity dust container ensures users won't need to stop mid-task to empty the device, either.

Additionally, the handheld vacuum comes with multiple nozzles to suit different cleaning needs, including a crevice nozzle, ideal for car seat gaps and stair edges, a brush nozzle, perfect for air vents and lifting pet hair, and a wide-mouth nozzle that handles larger crumbs and debris with ease.
Elsewhere, Lakeland's Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner costs £69.99 and has between 10 and 28 minutes of run time depending on the speed setting selected. The brushless motor provides great suction to pick up dust and dirt with ease, despite the compact size of the vacuum itself.

But between the Shark, Lakeland and Amazon devices, it's the latter that has generated the most reviews from shoppers, with an average score of 4.3 stars. One said: "Powerful little vacuum, very easy to empty and clean out. Good battery life, amazing little machine."

Another added: "I have had this for 6 months now, so happy to leave a review that isn't rushed. This is such a good little handheld hoover. The suction is great, the battery lasts about 30 minutes, but when the battery runs out, it just shuts off after staying powerful. There is no drain of power or loss of suction as the battery depletes, it remains consistent. This is one of the items I own that I would replace instantly if it broke."

However, some suggested it wasn't as powerful as they'd hoped, commenting: "Its good not great, it compact but lacks in power although for the price it does what i need it to to keep my main hoover clean for indoor use." Another wrote: "Good suction but bulky and quite noisy, but overall a good product."

"Great for keeping on top of the stairs instead of having to carry my upright up and down them," said a fifth, with another customer said: "Well packaged. Light and easy to use. I bought it to do the stairs but my husband now uses it in the car, and to clean any crumbs from the table after the grandchildren have been."

While the under-£30 Amazon tool is certainly no replacement for a corded vacuum, it's ideal for cars, staircases, quick clean-ups, and everyday mess.