The battery life of this machine is around 5-10 minutes if we set the suction to maximum. We can increase this time to 15-20 minutes if we reduce the suction power to a minimum. We take care of this by emptying it when dirt/dust partially fills the canister. We replace the filter with a spare filter and wash it thoroughly after each use. I don't understand how Dyson still makes and sells these stick vacuums. We had 3, never again.