For a thorough clean throughout a home with hard floors and carpets, start by looking at a corded cylinder vacuum cleaner. For short, frequent cleans, a cordless upright may be more convenient, while a robot is best suited to automating regular cleaning in the areas it can reach. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the importance of the vacuum head and notes that robot performance varies depending on the floor type. Whatever the format, check which brushes are included and how the vacuum performs on your flooring.
If you regularly vacuum several rooms, including carpets, consider a cylinder vacuum and the heads supplied for each floor type. UFC-Que Choisir describes this format as well suited to larger areas; you’ll also need to think about the cable and where to store it.
A cordless upright is easy to grab for a quick clean. If your carpets need a powerful setting, compare the battery life in that mode rather than relying on the maximum runtime alone, and check the dust container capacity too.
A robot can clean regularly in the areas it can reach. Check how it handles carpets, edges and obstacles; you’ll still need to maintain the dust container, brushes and, where applicable, the docking station.
Choose a format based on how long and how often you clean, then compare the brushes and maintenance requirements for your floors.
Worth considering: for a thorough clean across a large area, with continuous power.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move the cable, pull the appliance along and make more room for storage.
Worth considering: for frequent, shorter cleans without having to plug in a cable.
Bear in mind: battery life limits how long you can use it, particularly if you need a powerful setting.
Worth considering: for scheduling regular cleaning in accessible areas.
Bear in mind: you may still need to clean carpets, corners and areas around obstacles yourself, as well as maintain the robot.
| Criteria | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Brushes and floor types | Check which heads are actually included for parquet or tiles, and for carpets. Where possible, look at tests that assess these surfaces separately rather than comparing only the stated wattage or pascals. | I switch between hard floors and carpets, so I need a setup that works for both without overlooking delicate floors or carpet fibres. |
| Runtime and manoeuvrability | For a cordless upright, check the runtime on the setting you’ll use on carpets and how long it takes to charge. For a cylinder vacuum, check the operating radius; for a robot, consider how it moves between rooms and around obstacles. | I want to finish cleaning without an unexpected recharge, having to switch sockets too often or leaving areas the robot can’t reach. |
| Dust collection and maintenance | Compare the bag or dust container capacity with how often you clean. Check which filters, brushes, batteries and consumables are compatible; in France, also check the repairability rating of applicable new vacuum cleaners. | Frequently emptying a container, replacing bags or cleaning a brush needs to fit the time I have for cleaning. |
| Ease of use | Consider the weight of the appliance with its attachments, how it stores and its controls. When comparing noise levels in dB(A), only compare figures measured under similar conditions. | If I vacuum often, weight, handling and noise matter just as much as how easy it is to get the vacuum out. |
The stated power doesn’t tell you everything about how well an appliance removes dirt from carpets or hard floors. UFC-Que Choisir particularly emphasises the design of the vacuum head.
Check which brush is included and look for tests that cover the different floor types in your home.
UFC-Que Choisir explains that the maximum runtime quoted is measured on the lowest power setting. In its tests of dozens of cordless uprights, the average runtime at full power was around ten minutes.
Compare the runtime on the setting you need for your carpets, then check the charging time and whether the battery can be replaced.
Recharging during a long cleaning session may mean taking a break or making several trips.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, robot performance varies depending on the floor type. Carpets, corners, edges and obstacles all need particular attention.
Look for tests on your floor types and check how the model moves around your home, as well as what’s involved in maintaining its docking station and brushes.
Depending on the setup, you’ll still need to empty the dust container or replace docking station bags and filters.
Bags, dust containers, filters and brushes all require different day-to-day care. Compatible parts also matter if you want to keep your appliance for a long time.
Before choosing, find out which consumables and parts are compatible with the model. If you’re buying an applicable new vacuum cleaner in France, check the repairability rating shown at the point of sale, in line with information from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition.
These examples show different setups worth comparing; the features of one model don’t apply to every product in the brand’s range.
Rowenta offers cylinder vacuums and robots, among other products, for two different cleaning routines.
The V8 Advanced is an example of a cordless upright which, according to Dyson France’s product page, comes with a Fluffy brush for hard floors.
The Guard L1 Parquet XL is an example of a bagged cylinder vacuum designed with hard floors in mind, according to Miele France’s product page.
This selection includes a bagged cylinder vacuum, a robot and three cordless uprights, so you can compare formats suited to different cleaning routines on hard floors and carpets.
Image unavailable
This corded cylinder vacuum is worth considering if you do long cleaning sessions across several floor types. Check which brushes are included for your hard floors and carpets, and how much storage space you’ll need.
Image unavailable
This robot is suited to scheduled, regular cleaning rather than guaranteeing that every carpet or corner will be covered. Its product name lists 8,000 Pa, 3D obstacle avoidance and up to 180 minutes of runtime. Check the conditions behind that runtime and how it performs on your floors.
Image unavailable
This upright may suit households that switch between quick cleans on hard floors and carpets. Its product name lists 65 kPa, up to 70 minutes of runtime and an anti-tangle brush. Check the runtime on the setting you’ll use for carpets.
Image unavailable
Consider this self-standing upright if you want to leave it standing between cleans. Its product name lists 60,000 Pa, up to 65 minutes of runtime and an anti-tangle brush. Compare the runtime in the mode you’ll need for your carpets.
Image unavailable
This self-standing upright is another option for frequent cleans. Its product name lists 55,000 Pa, up to 45 minutes of runtime and an anti-tangle brush. Check the runtime for each mode and how it performs on the carpets in your home.
Look for a head designed for both floor types or separate brushes, including a soft brush for delicate hard floors and a head suited to carpets. Check that they’re included in the box: UFC-Que Choisir highlights that the design of the head matters more than the motor’s wattage alone.
Not necessarily. UFC-Que Choisir explains that the quoted maximum runtime is measured on the lowest power setting, and reports an average of around ten minutes at full power in its tests of dozens of cordless uprights. Check the runtime on the setting you need for your carpets, then look at the charging time.
Don’t assume so in a home with carpets and obstacles. UFC-Que Choisir says robot performance varies depending on the floor type. Check how it performs in corners and along walls too, before deciding which cleaning jobs you can leave to it.
When buying an applicable new vacuum cleaner in France, check the rating displayed near the price. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition includes vacuum cleaners among the product categories covered, and its guidance explains that retailers must display the rating.
A bagged cylinder vacuum needs compatible bags, and its filters and brushes require maintenance. An upright needs its dust container emptied and its brush cleaned. With a robot, you’ll also need to maintain the dust container and, depending on the system, the docking station and its consumables.