How Many Rooms Can a Stick Vacuum Clean? (With Comparisons!)

With a vacuum cleaner, you can clean your whole house in a matter of minutes. However, there is a drawback with every machine and with vacuums; one of those is battery life.

Different types of vacuums have different battery lives. Some are better at cleaning your whole house in a go while others can handle only a few rooms before needing to recharge.

Stick vacuums are popular because of how easy and convenient they are to use. Let’s take a look at the stick vacuum and how many rooms it can clean before its battery runs out.

How Many Rooms Can a Stick Vacuum Clean?

Stick Vacuums don’t have long battery lives. Older models have a usual 15 to 30-minute run time, while the newer models have an extra 5 to 10 minutes of runtime.

The average time it takes to vacuum a room depends on the size of the room and how dirty it is. It can range from 15 minutes to over an hour. But let’s assume that a room can be cleaned in 15 minutes.

So with a run time of 20 to 40 minutes, it is safe to say that a stick vacuum can clean 1 big room or 2 small rooms on the lower end and can clean up to 2 big rooms or 4 small rooms on the higher end of the battery life (depending upon the model).

This is one of the reasons why stick vacuums are preferable for quick cleans and not thorough cleans.

New Stick vacuum models can have battery life of upto 55 minutes.

Stick Vacuums vs. Other Vacuums (In terms of Run-Time & Area They Can Clean!)

Now that you know how long stick vacuums last and how many rooms they can clean in a single go, here is a comparison of this battery life with that of other vacuum types, such as canister vacuums and upright vacuums.

Canister Vacuum vs. Stick Vacuum

A standard Canister vacuum has a 45-minute runtime which makes it perfect for cleaning three small rooms and above. Its high suction power and extended runtime make it ideal for cleaning nooks, stairs, upholstery, and other hard-to-clean places.

With its many attachments, a canister vacuum is the most versatile option for cleaning large homes.

In comparison to a stick vacuum, this is a preferable option in terms of battery life.

One major limitation is the difficulty of maneuvering it on the stairs and lifting it to clean high places.

Upright Vacuum vs. Stick Vacuum

Many popular upright vacuums have a runtime of anywhere between 14 to 20 minutes.

For quick cleaning, these vacs are good for cleaning 1 big room or two small rooms, but for deeper cleaning of your home, you’ll need to take a charging break for the vacuum.

Some upright vacuums have high-voltage, lithium-ion batteries that can add as much as 15 to 20 minutes to your vacuums’ runtime and increase the suction power.

Depending on your upright vacuum model, it can be just as helpful in cleaning corners and nooks as stick vacuums. Also, Upright vacs can stand on their own while Stick vacuums can’t.

Handheld Vacuum vs. Stick Vacuum

Handheld vacuums are getting increasingly popular because of how convenient and hassle-free they are to use.

From a comparison of several handheld vacuums, the average runtime is between 10 to 20 minutes. This is perfect for cleaning a small or an average-sized room.

This ranks handheld vacuums slightly below stick vacuums and upright vacuums.

However, one advantage that it has over these other types is its versatility. It is easier and faster to clean tight spaces with handheld vacuums. These vacs are especially popular for vacuuming cars and upholstery.

With this runtime and its powerful suction, it is very popular for people whole live in homes with one or two rooms.

However, cleaning a whole room with a handheld vacuum will quite be a challenge as these vacuums are not meant for the floors. Bending down all the time while cleaning will give a hard time.

Robot Vacuum vs. Stick Vacuum

Robot vacuums easily rank past all the other types of vacuums to have the highest battery life.

On average, they have a battery life of 70 to 90 minutes. This is more than enough to easily tackle at least three average-sized rooms or 4-5 small rooms, higher than the limit of a stick vacuum.

The battery life of robot vacuum is also higher than the canister, upright, and handheld vacuums. It also requires the least supervision and can run and return to its base to recharge by itself.

However, it is not as efficient as the other types for cleaning tight corners and nooks in your home.

Is a Cordless Vacuum Good for a Large House?

The structure and power of cordless vacuums are generally preferred for cleaning large homes. Many people find it annoying to have to drag cords around the house, which is why they like the freedom to move that comes with cordless vacuums.

When it comes to surfaces like tiles and carpets, cordless vacuums are also an excellent choice because they are powerful enough to give it a thorough clean.

Their 15 to 30-minute runtime might be a damper when it comes to cleaning large homes, but with an extra battery or a rest and charging break, this isn’t much of a problem.

If you have a large house (3 rooms or more), a cordless vacuum is a good choice for you. Just remember that they tend to be a bit noisy but nowhere as bad as upright vacuums.

What Are Stick Vacuums Good For?

Stick vacuums are one of the best cleaning tools you can have in your arsenal. They are good for both small and large houses.

Here are various scenarios where cordless vacuums are ideal:

1- These vacs are ideal for quick and light cleaning in open spaces and also in tight nooks and corners.

2- If you are old or have joint pains, cordless vacs can be of advantage to you. as they are lightweight and are thus easier to carry around the house.

3- Stick vacuums are very versatile vacuums that can clean most kinds of surfaces. They can clean carpet, tile, wood, etc., and do a thorough job.

4- If you have friction with wires, then it’s a “No-Brainer” that cordless vacuums are for you. As these are battery-operated, they save you the hassle of dealing with cords. However, it is important to note that cordless vacs cannot be used while charging.

How Long Should a Stick Vacuum Last?

Unfortunately, vacuum cleaners don’t live forever, and a time will come when you have to lay that vacuum to rest and get a new one.

A Stick vacuum usually has a life of about five to eight years, depending upon the model and quality of the vacuum, how rough it has been used, and the type of care and maintenance it has received.

With the highest possible care, some stick vacuums can go up to 10 years.

If you pass the 10-year mark with your old stick vacuum, you should probably change it for a more powerful and efficient vacuum as the technology improvements take place rapidly.

Final Thoughts!

In the end, it all comes down to the number of rooms you have in your home and the layout and surfaces in these rooms. The type of cleaning you will want to use your vacuum for is also important.

If you have a large home (4 or more rooms) and the battery life of the stick vacuum is too short for you, then we suggest you try out a canister or robot vacuum.

If your heart is set on a stick vacuum because of how easy and lightweight they are to use, then you should set your eyes on a newer model with high-tech batteries (and possibly extra batteries) so that you have an interruption-free cleaning session.