For regular cleaning in a large home with mixed flooring, a cylinder vacuum is a strong choice as your main appliance, particularly if you also need to clean furniture and fabrics using the right accessories. Compare cleaning results across your floor types, the vacuum’s reach and how easy it is to maintain. A cordless stick vacuum can make quick clean-ups easier, while a robot can only clean floors it can access.
If you move from parquet to tiles, then on to a rug or carpet, look for cleaning results for each type of flooring. Que Choisir assesses them separately in its tests: motor power alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up dirt from your floors.
For sofas, bedding and narrow spaces, check which accessories come with the exact model you’re considering. A crevice tool and an upholstery nozzle do different jobs from a floor head.
A cordless stick vacuum can be handy for a particular area, while a robot can maintain floors it can access. In either case, check what the appliance can actually cover rather than assuming it will also clean furniture and fabrics.
Consider it: as your main appliance for regular cleaning across several types of flooring and above-floor surfaces, using suitable accessories.
Bear in mind: you’ll need a plug socket within reach, have to move the vacuum around and replace its bags.
Consider it: for cleaning a large area if you’d rather not buy replacement bags regularly.
Bear in mind: emptying the bin and maintaining the filters are part of regular use.
Consider it: for a quick clean of a small area or as a handy addition to your main appliance.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the mode you use and may not be enough for a whole-home clean.
Consider it: for maintaining clear floors the robot can access.
Bear in mind: thresholds and obstacles can restrict its route, and you’ll still need another way to clean furniture and fabrics.
| What matters | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning performance on different floors | Look at separate test results for parquet, hard floors, rugs and carpet, and check which floor head is included. | If I clean several types of flooring, I want to know how well the vacuum picks up dust from each one. Around 36% of consumers say cleaning performance on different floors is their top concern. |
| Reach and above-floor surfaces | Compare the cleaning radius and check whether a crevice tool and upholstery nozzle are included. | To move from large rooms to the sofa and narrow spaces, I need the right tools to reach those surfaces. This versatility is the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Everyday maintenance | Check the capacity of the bag or bin, then find out what’s involved in replacing bags, cleaning filters and maintaining the brush. | When I clean often, I want to empty the bin or change the bag without having to stop too frequently. Around 21% of consumers prioritise ease of maintenance. |
| Quick clean-ups | For a stick vacuum, check battery life in the mode you’ll use; for a robot, measure thresholds and look at rugs and obstacles. | Between full cleans, I want to tackle a particular area quickly or keep accessible floors clean. Around 14% of consumers say reducing the effort involved is their main need. |
Motor power alone doesn’t show how well a vacuum picks up dirt from parquet, tiles, rugs or carpet. Que Choisir tests cleaning performance on several floor types as part of its cylinder vacuum testing process.
Look for results for the model on the types of flooring in your home, and check which floor head is included.
Battery life may be shorter when you use the power mode you need. Que Choisir says cordless stick vacuums last an average of around ten minutes at full power.
Compare battery life in the mode you plan to use with the time it takes to clean your home, and check whether the battery can be replaced.
Depending on the model, replacing the battery later on can also be an extra expense.
Thresholds, rugs and obstacles can restrict its route, while edges and corners also need special attention. iRobot says Roomba models can climb thresholds up to 1.6 cm high; this figure doesn’t apply to other brands.
Measure doorways and thresholds, check for obstacles, and keep a way to clean furniture, fabrics and areas the robot can’t reach by hand.
A floor head may not be enough for sofas, bedding, furniture and crevices.
Check the product page for the exact model to see whether it includes a crevice tool, upholstery nozzle and a brush suitable for your floors.
The range includes bagged cylinder vacuums worth considering for large areas and hard floors.
Its bagless cylinder vacuums and stick vacuums let you compare corded options for main cleaning with appliances for quick clean-ups.
A bagged cylinder vacuum from the brand can provide a useful comparison for capacity and cleaning radius.
Roomba robots are worth considering for maintaining accessible floors, but they aren’t a complete solution for furniture and fabrics.
These models suit different needs in a large home: cylinder vacuums for main cleaning, stick vacuums for particular surfaces or quick clean-ups, and a robot for maintaining accessible floors. Compare each model with your types of flooring, the accessories you need and the layout of your rooms.
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Worth considering if you’d prefer a corded stick vacuum for certain surfaces, without having to recharge a battery. Before making it your main appliance, check the cable reach, included accessories and cleaning results on your floors.
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A bagged cylinder vacuum is a good format for cleaning several rooms as your main appliance. Compare its reach and cleaning results on each of your floor types. If you clean sofas or bedding, check which accessories are included.
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Worth comparing if you want a bagless vacuum cleaner for different floor types and above-floor surfaces. Check which brushes and nozzles are included, along with the cleaning radius and bin capacity. The title and other product information give different power ratings, so ask for clarification rather than using them to judge cleaning performance.
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The cordless design is handy for quick clean-ups when you want to avoid dealing with a cable, and the title mentions a removable battery. To clean a large area, check the battery life in the mode you’ll need for your floors and whether it comes with accessories for furniture.
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Worth considering for maintaining floors the robot can access; the title mentions a mopping function and an OMNI station. Measure your thresholds and check whether it’s suitable for the rugs and obstacles in your home. You’ll need another appliance for furniture and fabrics.
Compare their cleaning results on the floor types in your home. Que Choisir’s testing process distinguishes between parquet, tiles and carpet for cylinder vacuums, among other things. Also check that each result relates to the exact model you’re considering and the right floor head.
A cordless stick vacuum may be suitable if its battery life in the mode you need and its accessories really cover all the surfaces you want to clean. For a large home, Que Choisir highlights the limits of battery life at full power. Before relying on it as your only appliance, work out how long it will take to clean your rooms and check its performance on rugs or carpet.
First, check that the robot can move between rooms and clean the floor types you have. Measure thresholds, check for rugs, cables and other obstacles, then look at its performance along edges and in corners. iRobot says Roomba models can climb thresholds up to 1.6 cm high; check the specification for any other model.
The ‘one-for-one’ take-back scheme described by the Ministry of Ecological Transition applies when you buy a new product of the same type. If you’re replacing your vacuum in France, ask the retailer about the take-back arrangements that apply to your purchase.