For regular cleaning in a large home, a cylinder vacuum is the main option to consider: choose a bagged model if you want to minimise contact with dust, or a bagless one if you’re happy to empty the bin and maintain the filters. A cordless stick vacuum can complement your main cleaner on the stairs or for quick, targeted clean-ups, but check its run time in the mode you’ll use and the bin capacity before making it your only appliance.
You move between hard floors, rugs, furniture and awkward corners in the same cleaning session. In that case, cleaning reach and the brushes actually included matter just as much as the type of dust collection. Que Choisir highlights the benefits of a cylinder vacuum for cleaning large areas.
How you feel about changing a bag or emptying a bin can influence your choice. Compare the maintenance involved and the filtration specified for the exact model, rather than assuming that a feature on one version applies to the whole range.
You’d like to clean stairs, furniture or the occasional spill more easily. To decide whether a stick vacuum could also handle your whole home, compare its run time in the mode you need and its bin capacity with the length of your usual cleaning sessions.
First, choose a cleaner that can cover your floors and get through a full cleaning session. Then decide between dust collection systems based on the maintenance you’re happy to do.
Consider it: as your main cleaner if you want to keep dust more contained.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to replace it with compatible bags and manoeuvre a cylinder vacuum.
Consider it: if you’d rather empty a bin than replace bags.
Bear in mind: you’ll come into contact with the contents of the bin and need to maintain the filters regularly.
Consider it: for stairs and quick, targeted clean-ups where moving a cylinder vacuum is awkward.
Bear in mind: run time depends on the mode you use, and you’ll need to recharge and empty it as required.
| What matters | What to check | Who might prioritise it? |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and awkward corners | A main brush suited to your floors; accessories actually included for furniture and crevices. | If I move from hard floors to rugs and then furniture in the same session, I want the right tools to hand so I don’t miss any areas. Around 31% of consumers put this ability to clean different surfaces first. |
| Dust collection and filtration | Replacing the bag or emptying the bin; the filtration specified for the exact model. | If dust bothers me when I empty the cleaner, maintenance becomes a deciding factor. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise minimising this contact. |
| Getting the cleaning done in one go | Cleaning reach and dust capacity; for a cordless stick vacuum, run time in the mode you use. | When cleaning several rooms in a row, I want to avoid changing sockets, emptying the cleaner or having to recharge halfway through. Around 25% of consumers would put this first. |
| Long-term maintenance | Compatible bag, filter and brush references; the repairability index for the model in question. | Before keeping an appliance for years, I want to know which consumables and replacement parts I might need. Around 19% of consumers would make long-term maintenance their main concern. |
According to Que Choisir, motor power alone isn’t enough to assess suction performance: the design of the cleaner head also matters for the surfaces you need to clean.
Look at the main brush and, if possible, find tests of the exact model on the types of flooring in your home.
A bag or filter sold by a brand won’t necessarily fit all its vacuum cleaners. Rowenta and Miele list compatibility by reference.
Note down the exact model and check which bags, filters and brushes are compatible before choosing.
Rowenta quotes up to 45 minutes for the X-Force Flex 12.60 when used as a handheld vacuum in Eco mode; this maximum doesn’t reflect every type of use. Dyson also quotes a maximum run time for the V15 Detect Absolute.
Before considering a stick vacuum as your only cleaner, compare the mode you’ll need for your floors, the length of your usual cleaning session and the bin capacity.
The repairability index applies to a specific model. Any commitment to making spare parts available may also depend on whether the product is eligible.
Check the index for the model you’re considering and identify which parts it covers, particularly the brush, hose or, for a stick vacuum, the battery.
Its range gives you the option to compare a bagged cylinder vacuum for larger areas with a cordless stick vacuum as a back-up.
Its bagged cylinder vacuum range includes models designed for different floor areas and needs.
The BGL38WH3H is a useful, well-documented point of comparison among bagged cylinder vacuums.
Its bagless cylinder vacuums come with different bin capacities and brush configurations.
The V15 Detect Absolute is a useful point of comparison for a cordless stick vacuum used as a back-up.
This selection includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums for your main cleaning, as well as a corded stick vacuum to consider for targeted clean-ups. The latter is not the cordless stick vacuum mentioned as a back-up.
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Worth considering if you want a bagged cylinder vacuum for cleaning several rooms. Check that the included brushes suit your floors and furniture, and note the reference for compatible bags.
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Another bagged cylinder vacuum to consider for floors across several rooms. Its product title states 550 W, but that figure alone won’t tell you how it performs on your rugs; check the brushes supplied and compatible consumables.
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Worth considering if you’re happy to empty a bin rather than replace bags. The product title mentions LED lighting and 900 W; above all, check that the brushes suit your floors and find out how to maintain the filters.
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Its stick design could suit quick, targeted clean-ups, but it is corded, so bear the cable in mind when moving between rooms. Check that the accessories suit your floors and fabrics before choosing it as your only vacuum cleaner.
Yes. Check the index displayed for the exact model rather than assuming its rating based on the brand. The French Ministry of the Economy explains the repairability index that applies to vacuum cleaners in France; the order of 22 April 2022 published by Légifrance sets out the criteria for corded vacuum cleaners.
No. You’ll need to empty its bin and maintain the filters and brushes; with a bagged model, you’ll need to replace the bag. Que Choisir points out that both systems require regular maintenance.
Consider it as your only cleaner only if its run time in the mode you need, its bin and its accessories are suitable for your whole cleaning session. The maximum run times quoted by Rowenta for the X-Force Flex 12.60 and by Dyson for the V15 Detect Absolute don’t guarantee the same performance on every floor or in every mode.