This Super Small $11 Vacuum Has Kept My Home Spotless All Year

Crumbs and I don’t get along. Yet certain members of my household, who I won’t name, enjoy eating the crustiest, crumbiest snacks in the most difficult-to-clean places: The back seat of the van, the couch, even in bed. In the past, I’ve used either the hose attachment on my vacuum or a hand vac to de-crumb these surfaces. Then, last year, I met this tiny, turtle-shell shaped vacuum in the Target aisle and gave it to myself as a stocking stuffer. 

I would have never found it had I not stopped by the auto aisle for something else (I can’t remember what, but it was December in Minnesota, so probably antifreeze or an ice scraper). At first, I thought the turtle was some kind of air freshener, and then I realized what it really was: a cordless mini vac for tiny messes. 

On the package, it’s advertised for use in vehicles—just pop it in the glove compartment and take it out to remove dust, hair, and other debris from the dashboard—but my mess-fixated mom brain immediately went to the crumb collections that frequently pop up on my furniture. It would be nice, I thought, to have a clean-up option that isn’t brushing the crumbs on the carpet or getting out the big guns. (I should mention I didn’t have a hand vacuum at the time I purchased the turtle.)

Immediately, I was sold. I love everything about this adorable turtle vac! It fits in the palm of my hand, which is oddly satisfying. It’s also super quiet, it doesn’t need to be plugged in, and it’s easy to glide across surfaces because it has bristles on the bottom. (The description says there’s ⅛-inch of clearance, so the bristles don’t interfere with the vac’s ability to do its job.)

The vac is also way more versatile than I thought. while I wouldn’t use it on, say, my kitchen floors, it’s perfect for those little trails of crumbs and dust on the windowsill or furniture. I’ve used it to suck up glitter after crafting with my kids, and I’ve used it inside my microwave to get rid of debris on and around the rotating tray. It would also work great to remove debris from shoes when you get home, or on other appliances, like a computer keyboard. Basically, anywhere there’s a tiny mess (in both area and particle-size), grab your turtle vac.

The only cons of the vacuum I’ve noticed so far are to be expected: The vac is battery-run, so it could stop working mid-use (there’s no indicator of low battery like on other devices, other than the dwindling suction power and sound). It’s also palm-sized, so again, it’s not the most powerful suction and it doesn’t hold a lot of dirt, dust, and debris. But if you temper your expectations at the outset, it could be the perfect $10 stocking stuffer for someone who likes to keep things tidy the cutest way possible. I might even grab another one for my minivan.