For regular cleaning of rugs, carpets and hard floors, start by choosing a cylinder vacuum with a floorhead suited to your flooring, then consider its carpet-cleaning results, noise level and maintenance. In tests featured by Que Choisir, bagged models pick up more effectively than bagless ones and reduce contact with dust. A bagless model may still be worth considering if its floorhead suits your needs and you’re happy to empty the dust container and maintain the filters.
If hair or fibres cling to your soft furnishings, check which floorhead is supplied and how the model performs on carpets. Que Choisir tests dust pick-up separately from pick-up of fibres designed to mimic pet hair.
If you need to move between parquet or tiles and rugs, check which floor types the main floorhead can handle and whether a suitable attachment for delicate floors is included. A ‘multi-surface’ claim doesn’t replace checking how well it cleans carpets.
If noise, storage or handling dust matter to you, compare the specifications of the exact model and check how to maintain its bag, dust container and filters.
For a thorough clean with a conventional vacuum, first weigh up bagged and bagless cylinder models based on your carpet-cleaning needs and maintenance preferences. A lightweight stick vacuum or an autonomous robot may be useful for quick cleans, but it won’t, on its own, solve the need for a thorough clean of soft furnishings.
Consider one if: carpets and handling dust are particularly important to you. Que Choisir’s tests favour bagged models in these areas.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to replace the bags, and not every model comes with a floorhead suited to embedded pet hair.
Consider one if: you prefer a reusable dust container and don’t mind emptying it regularly.
Bear in mind: the filters need maintenance. Carpet-cleaning results and noise levels depend on the model, not simply on whether it’s bagless.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pet hair and fibres on carpets | How the model performs on rugs or carpets; whether a turbo brush is included or compatible with the tube and its attachment. | When hair gets caught in my rug, removing it matters more than the motor’s stated power; around 36% of shoppers would put this need first. |
| Mixed flooring | Main floorhead, attachment for delicate floors and available settings; carpet-cleaning results if there’s carpet at home. | I move between parquet or tiles and rugs, and want to clean each type of flooring with a suitable attachment; around 29% of shoppers would put this versatility first. |
| Dust collection and maintenance | For bagged models, the bag reference and replacement requirements; for bagless models, how to remove the dust container and maintain the filters. | If I want to minimise contact with dust, dust collection matters as much as cleaning performance, but I also need to be able to follow the maintenance instructions; around 21% of shoppers would make this their priority. |
| Noise and manoeuvrability | Stated noise level under comparable conditions, operating radius, weight and storage space required. | In a home where noise or moving the vacuum around makes cleaning more difficult, I’d prioritise an appliance that’s easy to use and store; around 14% of shoppers would put this convenience first. |
Que Choisir tests dust and fibres on carpets separately. A power figure alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up embedded pet hair.
Check how the specific model performs on soft furnishings, and look at its product details or manual to see whether a suitable turbo brush is included or compatible.
If it isn’t included, you may need to buy the turbo brush separately.
Specifications vary from one appliance to another: Rowenta states 59 dB(A) for the Silence Force Cyclonic Effitech, while Electrolux lists 78 dB for the 500 EL51C2SW. These figures appear on their respective product pages and aren’t enough, on their own, to compare the models under the same test conditions.
Check the stated noise level, operating radius and how easy it is to access the dust container and filters on the model you’re considering.
A HEPA label or stated filtration rate describes a feature of the model in question; it doesn’t guarantee a medical benefit.
Compare the filter design and maintenance instructions without assuming it will affect allergies or indoor air quality.
A cylinder vacuum needs filters and may also need bags or parts that fit its specific model. For an old vacuum cleaner, ADEME suggests options to consider, including repair, donation and collection points.
Before you buy, check which consumables and parts are available for your chosen model. If you’re replacing an appliance, first consider whether it can be repaired or passed on.
The range includes bagged cylinder vacuums designed for different floor types and accessories. Miele describes the turbo brush on the Guard L1 Cat & Dog Flex as suitable for rugs, carpets and pet hair.
Its bagless cylinder range includes models designed with noise levels or pet-hair accessories in mind, depending on the model.
Bosch offers bagged cylinder vacuums, including versions designed for homes with pets.
Some product pages for bagless cylinder vacuums list features for hard floors and carpets separately.
This bagged model is aimed at shoppers considering a cylinder vacuum for a home with a mix of flooring. If thick carpets or embedded pet hair are the main reason you’re buying, pay particular attention to the floorhead supplied and how the model performs on these types of soft furnishings.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a bagged cylinder vacuum to clean different floor types by hand. For rugs or thick fibres, check that it comes with a suitable attachment and how it performs on soft furnishings before you choose.
Power stated in the product name: 550 W.
It’s worth paying particular attention to one if pet hair gets embedded, but not every carpet needs a turbo brush. Que Choisir tests pick-up of fibres designed to mimic pet hair separately; check how the model you’re considering performs, and whether its turbo brush is included and compatible.
In tests featured by Que Choisir, bagged models expose you to less dust than bagless ones. When choosing, also consider how easy it is to handle the bag or dust container, and check the maintenance instructions for the specific model.
The dust container needs emptying and the filters need maintaining in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. Before you buy, check how to remove the filters, whether they’re washable and which replacement parts fit the model you’ve chosen.
Compare the score displayed for the models you’re considering, then check which parts, filters and accessories are suitable for the appliance. The French Ministry for the Ecological Transition says vacuum cleaners are among the products covered by the repairability index. However, the score doesn’t replace checking whether the appliance has the features your floors need.
First, consider whether it can be repaired or donated. If you’re getting rid of it, ADEME also suggests taking it to a shop or a waste and recycling centre as part of the electrical and electronic equipment collection scheme.