A noisy, yet working toy vacuum is the ultimate toy turned useful household item. Teach your child to help clean while they are young and they still think that it’s fun!
Here’s the ultimate list of the best toy vacuums for kids.
Best Toy Vacuums for Toddlers
The Laugh & Learn Light-up Vacuum is a true toy that lights up, plays music, gives directions, and makes realistic vacuum sounds but is very small so has a short play span, however, the VTech Pop and Count Vacuum also lights up, plays music, and allows your child to actually vacuum up blocks plus it is measures at 15″, giving it a longer play span for your toddler.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Light-up Learning Vacuum
The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Light-up Vacuum is a true toy that happens to look like a vacuum cleaner. None of that realistic or usable nonsense here, just a fun cleaning toy with lights and sounds galore.
If your older baby or younger toddler has taken an interest in the vacuum cleaner, then this is the perfect version for them. At about 2 feet tall, it’s just the right size for little ones to push around. Note that this isn’t meant to be used as a baby walker – it doesn’t lock into place and isn’t that sturdy.
When your child clicks the vacuum down and pushes it, it can make either songs and phrases or realistic vacuum sounds. The massive ON/OFF switch on the side controls what they hear: ON for vacuum, OFF for songs. As it makes noises, the dust bin on the front lights up and changes colors. The AA batteries that power this machine are included.
For more fun, your kiddo can adjust the clicking dial on the bottom or push the canister button on the front. All of the parts and songs are designed to help your child learn things like counting, colors, opposites, and even following directions, like when the vacuum asks “can you vacuum next to the chair?”
The size may be a con for some, as it is truly a small toy that could be too short for tall babies. Your child will probably outgrow it quickly, in any case. Also, the vacuum noises aren’t continuous and are replaced by songs after about 5 seconds.
LeapFrog Pick Up and Count Vacuum, Green
The LeapFrog Pick Up and Count Vacuum, Green is for serious cleaners only. Just kidding! This vacuum is for children ages two and up who want to follow mom around while she vacuums and make a lot of noise while getting in the way.
Use this vacuum to pick up ten pieces of play dust with the smart toy. Yes, it does unfortunately need batteries to enjoy all the bells and whistles. Kids will love that the toy makes noises while teaching numbers, colors, and includes a few games too.
Moreover, balls bounce, the canister sings, and it has a cute face too. Kids will adore the fun toy but moms will probably vacuum more to drown out the noise. Either way, your house will be cleaner!
VTech Pop and Count Vacuum
The VTech Pop and Count Vacuum is a fabulous toy vacuum option for younger kids. While it can’t clean up the mess on the rug, it can pick up blocks while singing a song.
The bottom of the vacuum has a chute for catching the 3 included blocks. Once it catches the blocks, it pops them up into the vacuum head and bounces them around like a corn popper when the child pushes the vacuum. This is a great way to teach a tiny mind the concept of cleaning things up with a vacuum.
Once the blocks are trapped, it’s easy to open the compartment and release them back into the wild. And if the blocks get lost or hijacked by the dog, you can grab any lightweight, round ball and use that instead.
The upright portion of this kids vacuum has bright numbers, buttons, and lights. The three light-up buttons help kids with numbers and counting. There’s learning mode and there’s music mode to help mix it up and keep your kiddo from getting bored with the same phrases over and over (which is gonna happen anyway, I won’t lie).
What parents will love is the auto-off feature that shuts off after a few minutes of inactivity and the volume control. Also, batteries are included. Yes, please!
At just over 15 inches tall, this vacuum is ideally sized for the recommended 12- to 36-month-old user. But buyer beware: this is top heavy and has to be leaning against something to be stored upright.
Best Toy Vacuums for Kids
The BLACK+DECKER Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is a child size, realistic looking dust buster that is lightweight and portable, requiring little space. Meanwhile, the PlayGo 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner is an upright vacuum that looks very much like a toy, which also includes a removable handheld vacuum.
BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Junior Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
![BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Junior Toy Handheld Vacuum Cleaner with Realistic Action & Sound Pretend Role Play Toy for Kids with Whirling Beads & Batteries Included [Amazon Exclusive]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41rkVqo7i6L._SL500_.jpg)
The BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Junior Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is a small toy vacuum to help in your child’s role playing fun. The big perk here is that this smaller version doesn’t require as much storage space or battery power.
This toy has a button on top, which activates the play motor and the swirling beads inside the dust bin. But instead of a real motor, there’s just a speaker that plays vacuum noises. The batteries are included! Yay!
As for design, this is made to look like the classic Dustbuster vacuum that your mom and grandma probably chased you around the house with after you made a mess. This version is lightweight and small, so it’s portable for your toddler, too.
The big con here is that this vacuum doesn’t actually work. It looks like the real deal, but looks are deceiving. It’s for play only. Also, the beads don’t stay whirling the entire time the noise plays.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Vacuum Cleaner Play Set
The Melissa & Doug Wooden Vacuum Cleaner Play Set is a durable wooden option that still has a lot of play value. If you love other Melissa and Doug toys, you’ll love this wooden vacuum toy, too.
This wooden toy offers plenty of play value. It has a fun painted design, a clicking knob, and a pick-up mechanism that actually works! You child can “suck up” the included wooden debris using the rotating wheel that pops the pieces up into the base. Your child can help clean up spilled popcorn, bottoms, rings, paper clips, cereal, and more.
There’s even an included checklist to help them determine what they’ve cleaned and what they haven’t. You could turn this into a game called “Hide and Clean” where you hid the pieces around the house and they have to find them and vacuum them up before checking them off the list. A completed list gets a prize!
This vacuum is 23.5 inches tall, so it’s ideal for preschool-aged children.
Since the base opens up, it can make a great place to keep and store the pieces for less mess. But since it doesn’t stay shut, it won’t keep the pieces in place all the time. Also, the pickup mechanism doesn’t always work, so sometimes your child has to go over something several times before it gets sucked up.
Play Circle by Battat – Home Neat Home Pink Vacuum Cleaner Set
The Play Circle by Battat – Home Neat Home Pink Vacuum Cleaner Set is a sweet choice for the helpful little one. Since it doesn’t mess around with suction, it can focus on fun features like a removable duster vacuum and swirling beads.
This vacuum has 3 main parts: the upright vacuum cleaner, the hand-held duster, and the removable duster bin. All of it fits inside the larger upright piece, which locks in a standing position.
The upright part has a hose and nozzle for cleaning those hard-to-reach or detailed areas. The hand-held duster then clicks into the heart of the upright toy. The duster contains the removable dust bin. The idea here is that the dust bin comes out so that your child can practice removing dirt without having to actually mess with a real mess.
A cute heart button turns on the nearly-too-loud and high-pitched motor. This vacuum makes realistic noises and has moving beads and ribbons inside the dust bin. All parts are made from safe, recycled plastic that’s easy to wipe clean.
For some, not being a functional vacuum is a con. Especially because the motor is big enough to support some sort of suction. The 3 C batteries needed do not come with the toy. Finally, the parts don’t always stay nested like they are supposed to.
PlayGo 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner
The PlayGo 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner is a basic and bright choice with solid features. While this doesn’t have the most bells and whistles, each feature is well thought out and sure to please any little cleaner.
The brush head has a roller bar that’s filled with colored beads. They’ll rattle around as your child vacuums, giving the impression that the vacuum is actually working and sucking things up.
Then there’s the removable hand vacuum. It makes vacuum sounds and contains a removable dust catcher full of confetti and a light at the bottom. There’s even a nozzle hose attachment that can go on the end of the hand vacuum. Best of all, that nozzle stores in the back of the upright vacuum for safe keeping.
This upright vacuum comes with the needed batteries and can lock in standing mode.
While the beads make quite a clatter and the wheels are squeaky, this vacuum holds up well to play and is a reliable option. The vacuum part isn’t very loud, which I fail to see as a con because my house is noisy enough as is!
Best Toy Vacuums that Work
While both claim to actually have working suction, the Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum is an upright vacuum that runs on 4 C batteries and only sucks up small debris, and the Casdon Little Henry Vacuum is a small shop vac type vacuum that also requires 4 C batteries but doesn’t have enough power to suck up more than small debris.
Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum Cleaner Toy
The Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum Cleaner Toy is the very vacuum that my firstborn used to help me out around the house. He loved that it was a mini-version of the big Dyson that mommy used. All of the details are realistic, and it actually has very flexible movement because of the ball design for rotation.
This toy has two great features. First, the area that would be the dust bin on a real Dyson has multi-colored poly beads that swirl around when your turn the vacuum on. This, combined with the whirring of the motor, makes your child feel like they are actually accomplishing something.
Second, this vacuum has working suction. There is a small hose under the beater bar of this vacuum and it will pick up little pieces of dirt and debris. This toy isn’t on the same level as a real Dyson when it comes to suction, of course, but it’s better than nothing!
The small debris container removes from the back of the big yellow ball. It doesn’t hold much, and it’s hard to figure out the first time you access it, but it does the job.
The cons here? 4 C batteries are needed but not included. Also, the longevity isn’t great. My strong toddler had this thing broken in under 6 months.
If you want a more feminine version, grab the CASDON – Dyson Ball Vacuum with Real Suction and Sounds – Toy Vacuum in pink.
Casdon Little Henry Vacuum
The Casdon Little Henry Vacuum has been dubbed the “Cutest Toy Vacuum in the world,” probably due to its sweet little face. Whether you find the personification of cleaning tools endearing or creepy, this toy will be a hit with kiddos.
It features a pretend cord with a suction cup plug. Your child can pretend to plug this into the wall and then reel it back up when they are done.
The hose also reels up for easy storage. All of the hose and accessories fit inside so that they won’t get lost.
The interior of the vacuum also houses the debris bin. It’s a small drawer that can be pulled out and emptied.
The suction is a con. This vacuum isn’t all that helpful. It is powered by 4 C batteries (not included), so it really doesn’t get enough power to do much more than suck up little scraps of paper or pieces of lint. Also, it’s only 8.7 by 8.3 inches, so it’s quite small.
Still, this is a great Shop Vac-type vacuum for children and it will keep them entertained. The Little Henry also comes as the Little Hetty vacuum, aka the pink version.
CASDON Dyson Cord-Free Vacuum Cleaner Toy
The CASDON Little Helper Dyson Cord-Free Vacuum Cleaner Toy is the modern version of the toy vacuum. Made to look like Dyson’s latest cordless vacuum models, this toy still features the working suction and the fun colors of the previous ball version.
3 AA batteries power the small motor, which can pick up little bits of trash. As your child works, the debris collects in the center of the collection bin. Kids can push the real button to release the trap door and take the trash out, just like they can on the real model.
When your child pulls the trigger, the motor will whir, the colored balls will fly in a cyclone around the faux collection bin, and the suction will get going.
An area where this vacuum excels is attachments. You can remove the orange extension bar to attach directly to the motorhead. You can also use the skinny attachment to get more precise suction in more narrow areas. The attachments click and lock on with the push of a red release button, just like a real Dyson.
Cons for this toy vacuum include the brush head, which doesn’t really spin like the real deal. Also, longevity seems to be another issue here. This model won’t outlast rough or frequent use.
CASDON Dyson DC22 Toy Vacuum
The CASDON Dyson DC22 Toy Vacuum is yet another Dyson look-alike with a real working motor and super-realistic features.
This Dyson toy vacuum has a bigger, badder motor than some of the other versions. The motorhead itself features large wheels, a long hose, and a big dust bin. And of course, the dust bin has the signature swirling colored beads.
The detachable wand has a working brush head. It also has 3 different tools built-in. The great news is that this is about 27. 6 inches high, so it works well for older and bigger kids.
This vacuum actually works! So as your child plays, they’ll be marginally contributing to the cleanliness of your home. The dust collects in a small bin that can be removed and emptied.
Another big difference here is the way you play. It has 2 functions: the first is the play function, with the spinning beads and the fun sounds. The second is the actual suction function. You adjust between the different modes using a little switch on the side of the motor.
The two biggest complaints here are the hose and the dust bin. The hose is flimsy and breaks easily. The dust bin has to be emptied very frequently for any suction at all to occur.
Toy vacuums make the perfect addition to a play kitchen!
PlayGo My Light Up Vacuum Cleaner
The PlayGo My Light Up Vacuum Cleaner is a classic option that looks like the standard vacuum cleaner that many of us have hanging out around the house. This set features both an upright play vacuum and a handheld dust vacuum for twice the fun.
The upright vacuum has a flexible handle that locks when standing. On the underside, you’ll find realistic rotary brushes that look like they can tackle even the messiest carpet.
The chrome accents are cute and useful. Both the on/off button and the pretend dust trap are chrome-covered so that they’re easy for your child to find. While the dust trap will catch no real dirt, it’s a great way for your child to practice emptying a real vacuum.
The center area of the vacuum has lights and sparkles and sounds to make cleaning fun. When the motor is turned on, the “bag” part of the vacuum turns into a glittery wonderland full of the prettiest dirt you’ll ever see.
As if that all weren’t enough, this vacuum also comes with a small handheld vacuum. The very small hand vac lights up when the button is pressed for cause-and-effect fun.
This 24.5 inch vacuum does require batteries that are not included. And although your child might be disappointed with how tiny the hand vac is, the rest of this vacuum is pretty stellar.
Comparing Toy Vacuums
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.
| PlayGo 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner | 3.9 | 9.4 | 41.37 |
| VTech Pop and Count Vacuum | 7.9 | 8.8 | 36.99 |
| Melissa & Doug Wooden Vacuum Cleaner Play Set | 8.0 | 9.0 | 34.99 |
| Casdon Little Henry Vacuum | 9.6 | 8.0 | 30.54 |
| LeapFrog Pick Up and Count Vacuum, Green | 9.9 | 9.2 | 27.97 |
| CASDON Dyson DC22 Toy Vacuum | 8.8 | 8.2 | 25.49 |
| Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum Cleaner Toy | 9.9 | 8.6 | 24.99 |
| CASDON Dyson Cord-Free Vacuum Cleaner Toy | 9.9 | 8.8 | 24.99 |
| Play Circle by Battat – Home Neat Home Pink Vacuum Cleaner Set | 9.7 | 9.0 | 24.95 |
| BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Junior Handheld Vacuum Cleaner | 9.8 | 9.2 | 14.99 |
| Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Light-up Learning Vacuum | 9.9 | 9.0 | 13.99 |
| PlayGo My Light Up Vacuum Cleaner | - | -0.2 | - |
How We Selected Toy Vacuums
Toy Vacuum Size
From the time they can walk until they’re old enough to use a real vacuum, your kiddo can use a toy vacuum. But there’s a big size difference in those few years. That’s why we’ve got lots of options on this list in different sizes.
The smallest vacuum on this list, the VTech, is only 15 inches tall, so it’s great for little cleaners. The other options are at least 20 inches tall, with most of them coming in the 20 to 30 inch range. This is a great size for most 3, 4, and 5-year-olds.
Cleaning Ability
There are two camps of toy vacuum shoppers. The first wants a toy vacuum that just looks the part. These options are about fun pretend play and nothing more.
Then there’s the second camp, the one that wants a real working vacuum. If your child is going to play pretend, they may as well get some work done while they’re at it, am I right?
There are both fake vacuums and working kids vacuums in this list to make both camps happy.
Vacuum Model
While a colorful and kid-friendly vacuum works for some, nothing but name brand will do for others.
You’ll find names like Henry, Dyson, and Black and Decker on this list. Unfortunately, they don’t make you models of Dirt Devil, Shark, Bissell, and Hoover vacuums right now.
As for the toy versions, they come from big names like Fisher-Price, VTech, and Melissa and Doug.
Fun Colors
While most of these are gender neutral, some of them are pretty in pink. But don’t let that stop you from buying that toy for a little guy!
Some of the best toy vacuums on this list just happen to be pink, but they have fun features and great quality. In general, most little boys won’t care too much if there’s some pink, but they will care if it works and makes noises.
So let the features be your guide and let the fun colors be just for fun.
FAQs About Toy Vacuums
Do toy vacuums actually work?
Yes! Many toy vacuums have a small amount of suction from their battery-operated motor. While they can’t tackle big messes, they can suck up lint and paper pieces and Cheerios.
If a small vacuum sounds like just another battery-sucking dirt spreader, you can opt for the pretend vacuums without any sucking mechanism.
What’s the best toy vacuum for a 1-year-old?
One-year-olds aren’t interested in too much besides fun colors, lights, sounds, and a shape that mostly resembles a real vacuum. I’d get a little toy model like the VTech Pop and Count Vacuum or the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Light-up Learning Vacuum. They’ll get a good couple of years out of either of those models.
What’s the best toy vacuum for a 2-year-old?
At 2, kids realize what’s going on in the world and they want to mimic it. For a kiddo coming into the toddler and preschool years, I really like the BLACK+DECKER Dustbuster Junior Toy Handheld Vacuum Cleaner. It’s small and easy to use. They can practice using and emptying a real vacuum without making a real mess.
Can I let my child play with an old, broken vacuum?
That’s probably not a great idea. For starters, it’s old and dusty and might make more of a mess. Then you have to worry about cords and electrical components. Add in the fact that it doesn’t make noise or suck anything up and it’s just a recipe for disappointment.
The vacuums on this list are smaller and made for kids, so they’ll be better able to use them. They won’t take up as much storage space and you can still buy models that look like the real deal. If your child has their heart set on using a vacuum, get them a toy one and save yourself a lot of trouble!
Do they make real vacuums for older kids?
Yes. In between the kiddie toy vacuums and expensive real vacuums, there are several options that older kids can use. Here’s a few ideas:
- Stick vacuums- smaller and less powerful than regular vacuums
- Electrostatic vacuums- kind of like the ones they use to clean restaurants
- Handheld vacuums- the Dustbusters that you’ve come to know and love
Is there a Dirt Devil toy vacuum that really works?
Unfortunately, no. But the good news is that there are Dirt Devil stick vacuums that truly work (very well!) and are inexpensive. If your child is age 6 or more, I’d say just go with a real Dirt Devil instead of a toy vacuum.
