One obvious quantitative test I could think of was to observe the amount of vacuum each handheld vacuum cleaner created.

Since I already had an automotive vacuum gauge in the garage, I wondered if I could use it to measure the maximum vacuum the Black and Decker Pivot and Dyson Root 6 were capable of creating. It turns out I could.

I closed the nozzle end of each handheld vacuum cleaner with "stuffing." For stuffing, I used used the following to form a crude closed vacuum chamber:

• bits from an old white towel,
• blue tape (painter's tape),
• and packing stretch wrap (similar to clear plastic Saran wrap for kitchen leftovers).

Then, I inserted automotive vacuum hose through the stuffing so that I could use my vacuum gauge to measure the vacuum created. For comparison, I also measured the vacuum created by my corded 8.3 amp Miele Red Star canister vacuum cleaner.

The relative results are what would expect:

• With the Dyson Root 6's stronger battery than the Black and Decker Pivot (21.6V vs 18V) and beefier motor (at least in appearance), the Black and Decker Pivot created 1 inch Hg of vacuum, the lowest of the bunch.
• The Dyson Root 6 created a whooping 2 inches Hg of vacuum.
• And, of course, the corded 8.3A Miele canister created the biggest vacuum of 4.5 inches Hg.