A battery - powered vacuum cleaner

A vacuum cleaner (602) comprising: a motor coupled to a fan for generating air flow; a body (604) with a handle (606); a dirty air duct (610) with a dirty air inlet (612); a battery pack (900) housing at least one rechargeable cell for powering the motor; and a dirt separating means (8) located in a path of the air flow generated by the fan, wherein the dirt separating means comprises: a hollow substantially cylindrical dirt container (120,130) with a longitudinal central axis; and an air inlet port to the dirt container, wherein the air inlet port is in communication with the dirty air duct and wherein the battery pack has a curvilinear or annular cross-sectional profile transverse to the central axis and a curvilinear inner wall embracing the dirt container.