Who Said Vacuums Can’t Be Cute?

I might be a mom, but I've become one hell of a dad with my new hobby: vacuuming the cars every weekend.

My adorable, Cheerio-throwing toddler drives me to the end of my rope each week after seeing the state our cars end up in. Our vehicles descend into a madness of half-eaten snacks, piles of sand (there's somehow always sand), a toy graveyard, and random trash by every Saturday morning, if not Tuesday afternoon. I can't let it stand. Nothing chases away my Sunday scaries like getting our cars spick-and-span on the inside, leaving me excited for that Monday-morning day-care drive with a clean car.

So it's no surprise I have a handful of vacuums I've tried in my never-ending quest to keep our cars somewhat clean. I've used a stick vacuum base, a handheld vac, and even tiny vacuums that are meant for countertop messes. But the cutest one of all is easy to name: the Worx Cordless Cube Vacuum.

Does a vacuum need to be cute? Of course not. But being able to get my car clean (already something that brings me joy) with an item I find visually pleasing and adorably small scratches my brain in the best kind of way.

Photograph: Nena Farrell

Worx 20V Cordless Cube Vac

This little vacuum is made for on-the-go cleaning. The handle has the power button on it, so you can easily turn it off or switch the power level while holding it. This makes it convenient to spot clean or move around to the other side of the car without having to pause. Literally handy. Also handy? The two included attachments have storage compartments inside the vacuum's body, so you can easily switch around what tool you're using or store it away without needing to leave wherever you're vacuuming. For such a small vacuum, it's doing the work of larger vacuums that double as storage for their own accessories.

It doesn't have a massive dustbin, though the 7-ounce capacity is similar to the Dyson Humdinger ($250), our favorite handheld vacuum. I found it to be plenty of space as I vacuumed up the entirety of my four-seater sedan—trunk and carseat included—though it likely wouldn't be enough space if you were cleaning something more intense than a dirty car. The Worx should get about 10 minutes on the high-speed setting and about 25 minutes on the low-speed setting. I usually vacuum on the low speed, though I rarely run the vacuum for more than 10 consecutive minutes.

This little cube is also plenty small enough to stash anywhere in your garage or hall closet without being a burden. I'm stashing mine on the tool shelf in our garage. The battery clips on and off and looks like the base for a drill, and it comes with a little charging base to charge it. You should charge it after use since it's so small, unless you're certain you vacuum your car in a handful of minutes. The battery isn't designed for extreme weather, so while I could throw it in my trunk during spring here in sunny San Diego, it's best used at a normal room (or garage) temperature.

Small things bring me joy, and I don't think I'm alone in feeling that way. There are articles and videos and Reddit threads dedicated to exploring why we love miniature items. While this cube vacuum isn't so small that it could be a dollhouse vacuum, the petite take on what could have been a massive shop vacuum still satisfies that part of my brain that wants things around me to be cute and small.

Much in the way tiny things make our brains feel in control and organized, vacuuming my car brings me that sense of satisfaction and power over one of the messy aspects of my life. Getting to do it with a fun little tool only adds to the serotonin boost of what would otherwise feel like a monotonous task. It also offers some of the escapism my little Lego sets once offered me, though instead of a made-up universe, it's a life where everything is as clean and organized as the vacuum lines in my car trunk.

This little cube vacuum might not have the most accessories, the biggest dustbin, or the longest running time, but it's a nice in-between of all these features and a good size for the art of car vacuuming. Because for some of us, it is an art, or at least an escape from the cycle of messes that plague our lives.