For regular, thorough cleaning of floors, rugs and carpets, start by comparing cylinder vacuum cleaners and how well they perform on your floor coverings. According to UFC-Que Choisir, a bagged cylinder vacuum exposes you to less dust when emptying it than a bagless model. A cordless stick vacuum is better suited to quick clean-ups, while a robot is mainly for keeping on top of things between targeted cleans, provided your floors and home layout are suitable.
If you regularly clean hard floors, rugs and carpets, compare performance on each surface rather than relying on a single advertised power rating. UFC-Que Choisir also includes parquet floor gaps in its testing criteria.
Emptying the vacuum matters just as much as its suction if you want to avoid spreading dust while cleaning. According to UFC-Que Choisir, emptying a bagged cylinder vacuum exposes the user to less dust than emptying a bagless one; this is not a health claim.
A cordless stick vacuum is easy to grab and put away for a quick clean. A robot lets you schedule cleaning, provided the floor coverings, obstacles and thresholds suit the model you choose, as noted in UFC-Que Choisir’s guides and iRobot’s instructions.
For regular cleaning of floors, rugs and carpets, first decide what you need the appliance to do. Then check how it performs on your floor coverings and what’s involved in maintaining it.
Choose this if: you’re looking for a main vacuum and want to reduce the dust you handle when emptying it, according to UFC-Que Choisir’s comparison.
Be prepared for: moving a corded appliance around and replacing it with compatible bags.
Choose this if: you want a main corded vacuum without bags to replace.
Be prepared for: emptying the dust container and maintaining the filters. According to UFC-Que Choisir, emptying a bagless model exposes you to more dust than a bagged cylinder vacuum.
Choose this if: quick clean-ups and easy storage matter more to you than deep cleaning.
Be prepared for: run time that depends on the mode you choose, and a dust-container capacity you’ll need to check suits your needs, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
Choose this if: you want to schedule maintenance cleans between more targeted sessions.
Be prepared for: getting the space ready and checking how well it cleans your floors, as well as whether the specific model can get over your thresholds.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning different floor coverings | Compare results from like-for-like tests on hard floors, parquet gaps, rugs and carpets; check which brushes are included. | If I often clean rugs and carpets as well as hard floors, I want to know how it performs on each surface. Around 31% of consumers rank cleaning different floor types as their top need. |
| Dust when emptying | Check the dust collection system, the reference number of any bags and how to maintain the filters. | I’d rather handle less dust when emptying the vacuum, even if that means replacing bags. This is a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ease of use and run time | For a stick vacuum, check the run time in the mode you need and how it stores; for a cylinder vacuum, look at its weight and operating radius. | When I often vacuum small messes, I want to be able to get the appliance out and put it away easily. Around 25% of consumers prioritise ease of use above all else. |
| Automated cleaning | Check its performance on your floors, how it handles obstacles and whether it can get over the thresholds in your home. | Between more targeted cleans, I’d like to schedule regular runs while making sure my home is easy for the robot to navigate. Automation is the main need for around 19% of consumers. |
The stated power alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum will pick up dirt from a particular surface. UFC-Que Choisir tests performance on hard floors, parquet gaps, rugs and carpets, among other things.
Compare tests on the surfaces you need to clean and check which brushes are supplied with the exact model you’re considering.
For a cordless stick vacuum, the advertised run time may refer to the lowest power setting, while you may need a different mode for your rugs.
Check the run time for each mode, the charging time and whether the battery can be replaced before making it your main vacuum.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, robot vacuum performance varies depending on the floor. Their cleaning cycles are also affected by obstacles and thresholds in your home.
Measure your thresholds, check your rugs and plan how you’ll clean areas that need a more targeted approach.
You’ll still need to prepare the space and empty the dust container or maintain the docking station.
Depending on the system you choose, you’ll need to replace bags or maintain the dust container and filters. These tasks affect how convenient the vacuum is to use after you buy it.
Check which parts are compatible, the maintenance instructions and the availability of spare parts for the model you’re considering.
Miele offers bagged cylinder vacuum cleaners and cordless models, among other options.
Rowenta offers cylinder vacuums, cordless stick vacuums and robots, which you can compare based on how you’ll use and maintain them.
iRobot specialises in robot vacuums and mops, which are worth considering for scheduled cleaning in a home that’s suitable for their navigation.
These models suit three of the uses discussed here: quick clean-ups with a cordless stick vacuum, cleaning with a bagged cylinder vacuum and scheduled maintenance with a robot. Compare each model’s performance on the floor coverings in your home before choosing.
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Worth considering for quick clean-ups on hard floors and rugs, provided you compare its performance on your floor coverings.
The title advertises up to 65 minutes of run time and an anti-tangle brush. If you clean rugs in long sessions, check the run time in the mode you’ll need.
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Worth a look if you prefer a cordless appliance for frequent clean-ups, particularly on hard floors and rugs.
The title advertises 55 minutes of run time and a charging stand. Check how long it runs in the mode you’ll use on your rugs, as well as how well it cleans these surfaces.
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Compare it as a main vacuum if you prefer a bagged dust collection system for regular cleaning.
Check how well it cleans your rugs and carpets, which brushes are included and the reference number of compatible bags.
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Worth considering for occasional cleaning of floors and rugs if a stick vacuum that converts into a handheld model suits your needs.
Check the run time in your chosen mode and how well it cleans rugs before using it for all your cleaning.
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Worth considering if you want to schedule maintenance cleans between more targeted cleaning sessions.
The title mentions an OMNI station and a mopping function. Check how much space the station needs, the thresholds in your home and how well the robot cleans your floors and rugs. The station will also need maintenance.
Yes. According to UFC-Que Choisir’s guide, a bagged cylinder vacuum exposes you to less dust than a bagless one when you empty it, if your priority is to handle less dust. Also check the bag reference and the model’s maintenance instructions; choosing this type of vacuum doesn’t guarantee a health benefit.
A cordless stick vacuum may be suitable if its performance on your floors and its run time meet your cleaning needs, but don’t assume it will replace a cylinder vacuum. UFC-Que Choisir generally describes this type of vacuum as suitable for quick, everyday cleaning. If you often clean rugs and carpets, compare test results on these surfaces in particular.
Check that the robot can move around your floors, navigate obstacles and get over the thresholds in your home. iRobot recommends removing obstacles before a cleaning cycle and gives a threshold clearance limit of 1.6 cm for some Roomba i1, i3 and i4 models only. Check the figure for the specific model you’re considering.
It gives you an additional way to compare the repairability of applicable models in France: the French ministry responsible for ecology includes vacuum cleaners among the product categories covered. Also check the availability of the parts you may need for your model, particularly the battery if you choose a cordless stick vacuum.