For regular, thorough cleaning across several types of surface, start by looking at cylinder vacuum cleaners. UFC-Que Choisir recommends them for deep cleaning, although results on carpets and upholstery depend on the model and its brush. When choosing between a bagged and bagless cylinder vacuum, think about which maintenance routine suits you best. Only choose a stick vacuum as your sole cleaner once you’ve checked its carpet performance, battery life and upholstery tools.
Your main vacuum cleaner should see you through a full cleaning session, not just pick up crumbs between cleans.
You regularly move from hard floors to carpets, then on to the sofa or bedding. Check the main floorhead and the tools designed for fibres and hard-to-reach areas, rather than assuming how well they’ll work based on the type of vacuum alone.
If pet hair or human hair clings to carpets or upholstery, check the results on fibres and whether a suitable brush is included. A turbo brush advertised for a product range may not come with every model.
Stairs, a narrow cupboard or frequent moving around make weight, dimensions, storage and emptying important considerations. UFC-Que Choisir includes ease of use and maintenance among its testing criteria.
First, choose a vacuum that can handle your carpets and upholstery. Then compare models based on dust collection, ease of moving around and the tools you need at home.
Consider it if: you’d rather remove a bag than empty a canister after cleaning.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to find compatible bags and check which accessories come with the model you choose.
Consider it if: you want to avoid buying bags and don’t mind emptying the canister.
Bear in mind: the canister and filters need to be maintained as set out in the model’s instructions.
Consider it if: manoeuvrability matters to you and the model can handle a full cleaning session, including carpets.
Check: usable battery life, charging time and results on fibres. The manoeuvrability noted by UFC-Que Choisir doesn’t, on its own, prove that a model is up to the job.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Carpets, fibres and upholstery | Separate results for carpets and fibres; check that a suitable brush is actually included. | If pet hair and fibres cling to carpets or the sofa, I want to know how well it cleans those surfaces, not just hard floors. Around 33% of consumers rank this as a priority. |
| Carrying and storage | Weight, storage dimensions and either reach or battery life, depending on the type of vacuum. | When I have to carry the vacuum upstairs and store it in a small space, a model that’s difficult to move could make the whole cleaning session harder. For nearly 27% of consumers, this is their main concern. |
| Dust collection and maintenance | How it’s emptied, access to the filters and the availability of compatible bags, if needed. | I’d rather decide in advance whether to replace a bag or empty a canister, as I’ll need to do it after cleaning. This comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
| Surfaces and hard-to-reach areas | A floorhead for the floors you need to clean, plus the upholstery tools and crevice tools actually included. | To move from floors to furniture and reach into gaps during the same clean, I need the right tools for each area. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
The stated power rating or a good result on hard floors doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum performs on fibres. UFC-Que Choisir found that the standard brush on one Rowenta RO6984EA model performed poorly on fibres; this finding doesn’t apply to all vacuum cleaners.
Where possible, look for tests that assess hard floors, carpets and fibres separately. Then check which brush was used and which one comes with the vacuum.
A turbo brush for carpets and a crevice tool serve different purposes. Check exactly what’s included with the model you’re considering.
Check which accessories are included, whether extra tools are compatible and which surfaces they’re designed for.
You may need a separate accessory for the upholstery or hard-to-reach areas you clean.
Bagless models do away with bags, but you still need to empty the canister and follow the filter maintenance instructions. Any issues UFC-Que Choisir found with a specific older model shouldn’t be attributed to every bagless vacuum.
Before choosing, check the instructions to see how to access the canister and filters, and what maintenance is required.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy states that the legal guarantee of conformity can be claimed for two years on new and second-hand goods. An additional commercial guarantee doesn’t replace it.
Ask for the commercial guarantee’s terms in writing, including what it covers and its total duration, so you can distinguish its benefits from your legal rights.
These ranges offer a starting point for comparison. Always check the features and accessories included with the specific model you’re interested in.
The range includes bagged cylinder vacuums such as the Guard L1 and M1 Cat & Dog, with accessories varying by version.
The range includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, including Silence Force Cyclonic variants with different features.
Bosch offers bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, including bagless ProAnimal models worth considering for homes with pets.
Philips offers bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, with different brushes and dust collection systems across its ranges.
These two Electrolux bagged vacuum cleaners are worth considering as cylinder vacuums for your main clean. If carpets, pet hair or upholstery are priorities, compare them after checking the included accessories and results on fibres for each specific model.
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If you switch between hard floors and carpets during your main clean, check this model’s results on fibres before relying on it for upholstery and pet hair.
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If your cleaning routine includes carpets and upholstery, check which brushes are included and look for results on fibres for this model. The 550 W figure in its name isn’t enough, on its own, to judge its performance on these surfaces.
Yes, if the model you choose can genuinely handle a full cleaning session, including carpets and upholstery. Check its performance on these surfaces, usable battery life, charging time and accessories. A stick vacuum’s manoeuvrability alone doesn’t prove it’s suitable as your only cleaner.
It’s worth considering if pet or human hair clings to carpets and upholstery. Check that the brush is included or compatible, that it’s suitable for your floor coverings and that the model’s performance on fibres meets your needs.
Not necessarily. You won’t need to replace bags, but you will need to empty the canister and maintain the filters as set out in the instructions. With a bagged model, check that compatible bags are available and how they’re replaced. Compare the routines to see which suits you best day to day.
The legal guarantee of conformity applies to this purchase. According to the Ministry of the Economy, it can be claimed for two years on both new and second-hand goods. Any commercial guarantee is additional and doesn’t replace it; read the terms to see what extra cover it offers.
Take it to a collection point for electrical and electronic equipment rather than putting it in general household waste. The Ministry for Ecological Transition says that take-back and collection options are available. Ask the retailer about the arrangements that apply.