a handheld vacuum cleaner 10 the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 has a main body 12 which houses a motor and fan unit not shown the main body 12 also includes a power source 14 such as a battery a handle 16 is provided on the main body 12 for manipulating the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 in use a cyclonic separator 100 is attached to the main body 12 a dirty air inlet 18 extends from a portion of the cyclonic separator 100 remote from the main body 12 a brush tool 22 is slidably mounted on the distal end of the dirty air inlet 18 a set of exhaust vents 24 are provided on the main body 12 for exhausting air from the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 the cyclonic separator 100 is located between the main body 12 and the dirty air inlet 18 consequently the cyclonic separator 100 is located between the handle 16 and the dirty air inlet 18 the cyclonic separator 100 has a longitudinal axis 26 which extends in a generally upright direction so that the axis 26 and therefore the cyclonic separator 100 lies substantially parallel to the direction in which the handle 16 extends the orientation of the handle 16 is such that when the user grips the handle 16 the user 39 s hand forms a fist in a manner similar to that adopted when gripping a saw this ensures that the user 39 s wrist is not strained more than necessary when manipulating the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 for cleaning purposes the cyclonic separator 100 is positioned close to the.