Households that clean their entire home every week
You move from wooden floors to tiles and rugs, then clean the furniture and awkward corners. You want to cover several rooms without having to stop repeatedly.
Who are these vacuum cleaners suited to?
People who prefer quick clean-ups
For crumbs, stairs or furniture, you want an appliance that’s easy to grab and use. Make sure its battery life and capacity are suitable for the length of your cleaning sessions.
Households looking to automate floor cleaning
You’re considering a robot vacuum to run between manual cleans. How useful it will be depends on how easily it can move between rooms, and on thresholds, rugs and other obstacles.
What should you look for first?
Bagged cylinder vacuum
Consider it: for regular, room-by-room cleaning without needing to recharge.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move the vacuum and its cable, and replace the bags.
Bagless cylinder vacuum
Consider it: if you want a mains-powered vacuum without using bags.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty the canister and maintain the filters.
Cordless stick vacuum
Consider it: particularly for stairs, furniture and quick touch-ups between deeper cleans.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the mode and brush you use. This is especially important to check if it will be your only vacuum cleaner.
Robot vacuum as a supplement
Consider it: for regular cleaning of accessible floors between manual cleans.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to prepare the rooms, and manual cleaning will still be necessary for furniture and stairs.
For a large home with different types of flooring, start by considering your floors and how long you usually spend cleaning. Then think about hard-to-reach areas and whether automated cleaning would be useful.
| Criterion | What to check | What matters to consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and awkward corners | Comparable test results on your flooring; the brushes and nozzle supplied with the model you choose. | When I have wooden floors, tiles and rugs to clean, I want the right accessories for each, without overlooking awkward corners. Around 36% of consumers prioritise being able to clean all their floor surfaces. |
| Uninterrupted cleaning | The operating radius of a cylinder vacuum or battery life in the mode you use; bag or canister capacity. | When cleaning several rooms in a row, I’d rather avoid stopping to recharge, change sockets or empty the canister. Around 29% of consumers put uninterrupted cleaning first. |
| Ease of handling | How heavy it is to carry up the stairs; accessories for furniture and narrow spaces. | If I regularly clean stairs and furniture, I want to be able to move and handle the vacuum without difficulty. Around 21% of consumers put ease of handling first. |
| Automated cleaning | Which thresholds the model can cross; how it handles rugs and mopping zones. | Between deep cleans, I’d like a robot vacuum to take care of routine floor cleaning as it moves between rooms. Around 14% of consumers prioritise automation. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Choosing based only on the advertised power
A figure in watts or Pa doesn’t, by itself, tell you how well a vacuum will clean wooden floors, rugs or carpet. Que Choisir tests these surfaces separately and highlights the importance of the vacuum head.
Look for test results on your type of flooring and check which brush comes with the version on sale.
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Confusing maximum battery life with cleaning time
With a cordless stick vacuum, battery life depends in part on the mode you use. Que Choisir reports an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power in its tests, so the advertised maximum won’t necessarily give you an idea of how long it will last during a full clean.
Compare battery life in the modes you’ll use on your floors, then check the charging time and battery replacement options.
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Buying a robot vacuum without checking the routes between rooms
A threshold or rug may stop a robot vacuum from reaching certain areas. iRobot says its Roomba models can cross thresholds up to 1.6 cm high while cleaning; this figure doesn’t apply to other brands.
Measure your thresholds and check the limits of the model you’re considering, along with its mopping settings near rugs.
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Forgetting the accessories and maintenance a cylinder vacuum needs
A cylinder vacuum that’s suited to large areas may be less practical for your furniture or awkward corners if it doesn’t come with the accessories you need. A bagless model also needs its canister emptied and filters maintained.
Check what’s included in the box, the maintenance instructions and the repairability index for the exact model.
Brands to consider
Rowenta
A brand worth considering for its bagged cylinder vacuums, designed for cleaning larger areas.
- Rowenta gives the G-Force Silence RO6179EA an operating radius of 12 m. This specification applies to this model only.
- Check the accessories and repairability index for the model you choose. Its operating radius doesn’t tell you how well it performs on each type of flooring.
Miele
Bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums to compare based on your floors, the accessories you need and how often you’ll have to move the appliance.
- Miele lists an operating radius of 11 m and a 2 L canister for its bagless Blizzard CX1 Parquet Flex.
- At 8.7 kg, the stated weight of this model is worth bearing in mind if you’ll often need to carry it. These specifications don’t apply to all Miele models.
Dyson
Cordless stick vacuums to consider if stairs, furniture and quick clean-ups are part of your cleaning routine.
- Dyson advertises up to 70 minutes of battery life for the Gen5detect Absolute.
- This maximum isn’t guaranteed in every mode, on every floor or with every brush. If you’re thinking of using it as your only vacuum in a large home, compare it with the length of your usual cleaning sessions.
iRobot
A brand worth considering if you want a robot vacuum to clean regularly between manual cleans.
- iRobot says Roomba models can cross thresholds up to 1.6 cm high while cleaning.
- Measure the thresholds in your home and check the features of the exact model. A robot vacuum can’t clean furniture and stairs in the same way as a manual vacuum.
Vacuum cleaners to consider on Joybuy
These models cover three uses: a bagged cylinder vacuum for regular whole-home cleaning, cordless stick vacuums for awkward areas and quick touch-ups, and a robot vacuum for routine floor cleaning. Compare each model with your flooring and the routes between rooms in your home.
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Electrolux 600 EB61C4OG bagged vacuum cleaner
A corded cylinder vacuum to consider for cleaning several rooms in a row. Before choosing it for your rugs and hard floors, check which brushes are included and look for test results on the relevant flooring.
Also check the repairability index for this specific model.
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Daynee XL618E-8 with hose and pet hair brush
A cordless stick vacuum to consider for furniture, stairs and quick touch-ups. The product description lists a hose, a pet hair brush and 55 kPa suction power. This figure alone doesn’t tell you how well it will clean your rugs.
If you want to use it throughout your home, check how long it runs in the modes you need and look up its repairability index.
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Lubluelu L20 MAX robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying station
A robot vacuum to consider for routine floor cleaning, alongside manual cleaning. The product description lists laser navigation and the ability to save five maps.
Measure your thresholds and check how this model moves between rooms, as well as its mopping settings near rugs.
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Severin HV7185 grey cordless stick vacuum
A cordless stick vacuum to consider for quick clean-ups and areas where a cable would get in the way. If you plan to use it throughout your home, compare its battery life in the modes you need and look for test results on your type of flooring.
Also check how often you’d need to empty it and look up the repairability index for this model.
Frequently asked questions
Should I check the repairability index of a vacuum cleaner sold in France?
Yes, it’s worth checking when comparing models. ADEME says that corded, cordless and robot vacuum cleaners are among the appliances covered. Check the index displayed for the exact model rather than relying on the rating of another model from the same brand.
Are watts or Pa enough to compare suction?
No. One figure on its own doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum will perform on every type of flooring. Que Choisir highlights the role of the vacuum head, so compare test results for the floors in your home and check which brush is included.
Can a robot vacuum cross every threshold between rooms?
No. It depends on the model and the height of the threshold. iRobot gives a limit of 1.6 cm for Roomba models while cleaning. Measure your thresholds and check the specifications of the robot you’re considering; don’t assume this figure applies to other brands.
Can a cordless stick vacuum be the only vacuum cleaner in a large home?
It can, if its battery life, capacity and performance on your floors are enough for a full cleaning session. Que Choisir reports an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power in its tests of stick vacuums. So check how long it lasts in the mode you’d actually use, especially on rugs.