For a deep clean across different floor types and fabrics, choose a cylinder vacuum cleaner based on how it performs on your flooring and the accessories supplied. Then check its reach, weight and maintenance requirements. A bag means you don’t have to empty a dust container directly, while a bagless model needs its container cleaned. A stick vacuum or robot can make regular cleaning easier, but won’t automatically cover furniture and fabrics.
If you need to clean wood flooring, tiles, rugs or carpet in several rooms, compare how the vacuum performs on each type of flooring in your home. UFC-Que Choisir tests these surfaces separately, so a result for hard floors alone isn’t enough to judge how well it cleans a rug.
Sofas, bedding, furniture and hard-to-reach areas call for a check of the accessories supplied with the model. A floor head won’t necessarily replace the tool you need for these other surfaces.
Choosing between a bag and a dust container changes how you get rid of dust. Also check how easy it is to access the filters and brushes, as well as the care instructions, so you can choose a model you’ll be able to maintain regularly.
Consider this if: you’d rather remove dust with the bag than empty a container.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to replace the bag and check that the correct type is still available. UFC-Que Choisir also notes in its guide that bagged cylinder vacuums offer better suction than bagless equivalents. However, compare how individual models perform on the floors in your home.
Consider this if: you’d like to avoid disposable bags and don’t mind emptying a container.
Bear in mind: the dust container and filters need maintenance. Not having a bag doesn’t, by itself, tell you how easy a model is to use or how well it picks up dust.
Consider this if: you want quick clean-ups or automated floor cleaning between more thorough cleans.
Bear in mind: check separately how you’ll clean rugs, fabrics, furniture and areas a robot can’t reach.
For a thorough clean throughout your home, start with the surfaces you need to tackle. Then compare the vacuums by their reach and the maintenance you’re prepared to carry out.
| Criterion | What to check | What matters to different shoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Suction across different floor types | Results on your hard floors, rugs or carpets; the floor heads and accessories actually supplied. | If my rooms have a mix of wood flooring and rugs, I want to know how the same vacuum handles both. Around 33% of consumers would put this versatility at the top of their list. |
| Reach and manoeuvrability | Stated operating radius, the weight you’ll need to move and access to the areas you want to clean. | To clean a large home, I want to avoid changing sockets too often without choosing a vacuum that’s too cumbersome to move. This reach would be the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Maintenance and dust | How to replace the bag or empty the container; access to the filters as described in the instructions. | If I clean often, I want to be able to get rid of dust and maintain the vacuum without putting these tasks off. Ease of maintenance would come first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Adding a stick vacuum or robot | Which areas each appliance covers; the battery life you’ll need from a stick vacuum for your intended use. | I’d like to speed up routine cleaning while still having a solution for fabrics and awkward corners. Around 13% of consumers would prioritise this combination. |
The motor’s electrical power rating doesn’t, on its own, tell you how well a vacuum will clean each type of flooring. UFC-Que Choisir assesses performance on hard floors, wood flooring and rugs, among other surfaces.
Identify the surfaces that matter most to you, then compare the results for the exact model and the floor head supplied with it.
A dust container needs to be emptied and cleaned, while filters and brushes also need attention. How easy these tasks are depends on the appliance.
Check the instructions before choosing to see how to access the container, filters and brushes.
With a bagged cylinder vacuum, replacing the bag is part of regular maintenance. Knowing the bag’s reference helps you avoid choosing a model without knowing which consumable you’ll need.
Find out which bag is compatible with the model you’re considering and check that it’s available.
A robot vacuums floors on its own, while a stick vacuum is designed to be easy to manoeuvre. Neither will necessarily clean fabrics, furniture and hard-to-reach areas.
Make a list of these surfaces and plan to use a suitable vacuum and accessories for anything the stick vacuum or robot won’t handle.
These two bagged cylinder vacuums are options in the “bagged” category discussed above. If your home has a mix of floors and fabrics, check their performance on your flooring and exactly which accessories are included before choosing one.
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Worth considering if you’d like to use a bagged cylinder vacuum for a thorough clean throughout your home. Before buying, compare its performance on your rugs or carpets, check which tools are included for sofas and bedding, and find out which bags are compatible.
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Worth considering if you’d rather remove dust with a bag than empty a container. The stated 550 W power rating doesn’t tell you how well it will clean your floors. Check the results for each floor type and see which accessories are included for fabrics and awkward corners.
No. The wattage tells you the stated electrical power, but not, by itself, how well the vacuum will clean your floors. UFC-Que Choisir recommends looking at useful power and the design of the floor head. Also compare test results for the floor types in your home.
Check the floor head for your floors first, then look for tools suited to the tasks that matter to you, such as a crevice tool for awkward corners or a brush for furniture and fabrics. Check what comes with the exact model: an accessory sold separately won’t necessarily be in the box.
With a bagged model, you replace the bag when it’s full. With a bagless one, you empty and clean the container. In both cases, follow the care instructions for the filters and brushes. According to UFC-Que Choisir’s guide, a bag also reduces direct contact with dust when you dispose of it.
Maintain it according to the instructions and consider having it repaired before replacing it. ADEME says a well-maintained vacuum cleaner can last two to three years longer. In particular, check the condition of the filters and brushes when maintenance is needed.