- Worse: airflow on lower power settings The cheap stick vacuums, including the Dirt Devil, had more airflow than the Dyson v10 on low and medium settings.
Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik Vacuum Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for cheap, light hard-floor touchups, crevices, small apartments, or a child-friendly helper. Skip it for pet hair, heavy carpet cleaning, large debris, quiet operation, or a sturdier-feeling everyday vacuum.
Best for
Best for small apartments, quick hard-floor messes, kitchens, bathrooms, crevices, and lightweight handheld cleanup because reviewers found it cheap, light, and handy in those roles.
Not for
Not for heavy carpet cleaning, embedded pet hair, larger debris, quiet cleaning, or buyers expecting a sturdy full-size vacuum replacement.
Verdict
Across the reviews, the Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik comes across as a very cheap, very light cleanup tool rather than a full replacement vacuum. Its strongest evidence is on hard floors, fine dust, crevices, quick handheld use, and small-space touchups, where reviewers repeatedly found it handy, fast, or surprisingly capable. The tradeoff is that the same simple design limits it: no brush roll, a flat floorhead, a cord, loud operation in one test, and mixed plastic durability impressions. It can feel like a bargain for quick messes, but the negative review shows that expectations matter; when judged as a primary household vacuum, it disappoints.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Bissell
- Similar: crevice pickup The Dirt Devil and Bissell both cleared crevice debris in one pass.
bissell featherweight
- Similar: large debris pickup The Dirt Devil matched the Bissell Featherweight in struggling with larger debris on hard floors.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
42 reviewed features- Very positive 4.5-5.0 17% 7 features
- Positive 3.5-4.4 40% 17 features
- Neutral 2.5-3.4 36% 15 features
- Negative 1.5-2.4 7% 3 features
- Very negative below 1.5 0% 0 features
Pros
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Weight was one of the clearest strengths, with multiple reviewers emphasizing how extremely light it is.
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Tool changes were praised as quick and easy, especially when switching into handheld or crevice-tool use.
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Fine dust and small hard-floor debris were consistently strong, including hard floors, bathrooms, kitchens, and dust/crumb cleanup.
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The handheld conversion was a consistent strength, described as cool, quick, and useful for switching modes.
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The look and design were praised in one review as cool and attractive.
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One negative review still saw it as a surprisingly good working toy or helper for a child.
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Surface safety was positive in one review because the soft plastic wheels were not expected to scratch hardwood or linoleum.
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The crevice tool and included attachments were received positively, with reviewers calling the tool useful and conveniently placed.
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Battery-related feedback was positive because the corded design avoids depletion and battery dying.
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Crevice and groove pickup was strong in the direct tests, including one-pass crevice cleanup and quick pickup with the crevice tool.
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Onboard tool storage was praised because the crevice tool clips onto the handle or vacuum so it is not lost.
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Runtime evidence was positive because the corded design does not lose power or depend on battery life.
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Above-floor use was a strength thanks to handheld mode and the crevice/detailing tool for couches, cars, and hard-to-reach areas.
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Versatility was a major positive, with reviewers liking the multipurpose stick, handheld, and detail-cleaning use cases.
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Setup was mostly easy, with reviewers describing simple attachment or assembly steps.
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Rug and mat evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer calling it solid for little mats.
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Edge cleaning received positive evidence from the floorhead cutout that helped it clean along edges.
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One reviewer described the vacuum as not requiring much power, giving limited positive evidence for efficiency.
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Upright stability was a small positive, with the unit able to stand upright in one review.
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Reviewers generally saw stronger-than-expected suction or airflow for the size, especially in tests, though one negative review still framed the motor as limited.
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Value was strongly context-dependent: several reviewers liked the very low price, while one felt a better cordless handheld would be worth paying more for.
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Small-space suitability was positive, especially for first apartments, quick household jobs, and keeping a lightweight tool around.
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Build quality was mixed, with one review praising durability after abuse, one calling the plastic cheap, and another saying it did not feel fragile.
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Durability impressions were split, ranging from surviving rough handling to concerns that the cheap plastic might break.
Cons
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Overall opinion was mixed: some reviewers recommended it or saw it as a good cheap tool, while one gave it two thumbs down.
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The dirt cup and bagless bin were mixed: one reviewer found it simple to empty, while others noted caution or reassembly difficulty.
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Maintenance centered on the filter; reviewers noted it needs cleaning and can get dirty quickly, though one found washing and reinstalling easy.
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Emptying and mess control were mixed, with easy dumping in one review but caution and reassembly complaints in others.
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Floorhead design was mixed; the rubber blade and channels helped guide dirt, but the flat or fixed head hurt large-debris pickup and steering.
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Large debris intake was inconsistent: two reviews found bigger items difficult, while one rice test cleared debris in one swipe.
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Comparative performance was mixed: it placed second in one cheap-stick-vac test but was criticized as slower than using a broom in another.
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Ease of use was split, from easy lightweight operation to frustration when performance required extra effort.
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The control placement was a mild annoyance because the switch sits low enough to require reaching down in stick mode.
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Low-pile or carpet surface cleaning was only moderate; one test found it fairly good on low pile, while another said it was not a carpet unit.
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Cord length was a limitation, with reviewers noting unplugging, outlet changes, or being limited by the cord.
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Carpet hair pickup was mixed to weak, with one test finding surface pet hair acceptable and another saying hair did not come up well.
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Large debris raised clogging concerns in one review, especially when using the small opening.
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Filtration drew a concern because the filter was said to get dirty very quickly.
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Handling was limited by the fixed-position floorhead, which required arm or body shifts to change direction.
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The cord was a recurring convenience drawback, even when reviewers accepted it as part of the low-price design.
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Reviewers agreed it is not built for heavy-duty work, especially carpets and bigger cleaning jobs.
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Noise was a clear downside in the one measured review, which described the vacuum as loud for such a small unit.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Stick Vacuums & Electric Brooms, this product is below average in Cordless convenience, Maneuverability and Handling, Noise level.
Summary
8 compared features- Above average 0.4+ pts higher 0% 0 features
- Same as average within 0.3 pts 0% 0 features
- Below average 0.4+ pts lower 100% 8 features
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordless convenience | 2.3 | 4.5 | -2.3 |
| Maneuverability and Handling | 2.5 | 4.3 | -1.8 |
| Noise level | 2.0 | 3.8 | -1.8 |
| Hair Pickup — Carpets | 2.5 | 4.2 | -1.7 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 | 4.6 | -1.6 |
| Filtration / Dust Containment | 2.5 | 4.0 | -1.5 |
| Carpet — Low-Pile Pickup | 2.8 | 4.2 | -1.4 |
| Cord length | 2.5 | 3.8 | -1.3 |
FAQ
Is the Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik good on hard floors?
Yes. Reviewers gave the strongest praise to hard-floor dust, crumbs, rice, bathroom, kitchen, and crevice cleanup.
Does it work well on carpet?
Only for light surface pickup. One review found it fairly good on low pile, but reviewers also stressed that it lacks a brush roll and is not a carpet unit.
Is it good for pet hair?
Evidence is mixed to weak. One comparison test picked up surface pet hair, but another reviewer said dog hair was harder and did not come up well.
Is it easy to carry and use?
It is consistently described as very light, but ease of use depends on the mess. Some reviewers found it simple and handy, while one found bigger cleanup frustrating.
Does the cord help or hurt?
Both. The cord avoids battery depletion, but reviewers disliked being tied to outlets and noted that larger areas may require unplugging.
Can it replace a full-size vacuum?
The review evidence says no for heavy-duty cleaning. It fits quick touchups, small spaces, hard floors, crevices, and handheld detail jobs better than whole-home carpet cleaning.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
YouTube - Youtube
- Review score
- 3.7/5
YouTube - Youtube
- Review score
- 3.9/5
Consider This Instead
If you want better Noise level
Choose Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum. It scores 5.0 vs 2.0 for Noise level, with a 4.5 overall score.
If you want better Suitability for heavy-duty use
Choose Tineco Pure ONE S12 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner. It scores 4.8 vs 2.0 for Suitability for heavy-duty use, with a 4.4 overall score.
If you want better Cordless convenience
Choose Dyson V12 Detect Slim Vacuum. It scores 5.0 vs 2.3 for Cordless convenience, with a 4.3 overall score.
If you want better Hair Pickup — Carpets
Choose Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. It scores 5.0 vs 2.5 for Hair Pickup — Carpets, with a 4.3 overall score.
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