For cleaning floors, rugs, furniture and fabrics with your main vacuum cleaner, first check which attachments are included with the exact model you’re considering. If you want to minimise contact with dust when emptying it, choose a bagged cylinder vacuum. Que Choisir also reports better suction results for this category in the tests cited in its guide. A bagless model is a good option if you’d rather not buy bags and are happy to empty the dust container and maintain its filters more often.
If you move from hard floors to rugs, then on to furniture or fabrics, check that the vacuum comes with attachments for each of these jobs. The advertised power rating doesn’t tell you which accessories are included.
A bagged model is worth considering if you find emptying a dust container unpleasant and don’t mind replacing compatible bags. Que Choisir says bagged models expose users to less dust in the tests cited in its guide.
A bagless cylinder vacuum saves you from replacing bags, but you’ll need to empty its dust container and keep an eye on its filters. Que Choisir says bagless filters clog more quickly, so check how easy they are to access and what maintenance they need before you choose.
For a main vacuum cleaner in a home with a mix of floors and fabrics, start by considering the surfaces you need to clean, then choose the type of dust collection that best suits your maintenance preferences. Ease of movement and available storage space also matter if you’ll be using the appliance regularly.
| What matters | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Floors, rugs and fabrics | Check that the version you choose includes a brush suitable for hard floors, plus crevice and upholstery tools. If you often need to remove fibres or pet hair from rugs, look for a mini turbo brush too. | If I want to move from parquet to a rug, then vacuum a sofa, I need attachments suited to each surface. Around 36% of consumers rank this versatility as their top priority. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check the type of dust collection, the reference for compatible bags, or the instructions for cleaning the filter and dust container. | I find emptying a dust container unpleasant, or I’d rather not use bags: I choose based on the maintenance I’m happy to do. This is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Moving it around and noise | Check the operating radius and weight. For noise, compare figures measured under similar conditions. | When I clean several rooms, I want to move the appliance and change sockets as little as possible, while keeping noise in mind. Around 21% of consumers put this ease of use first. |
| Storage and ongoing maintenance | Check that it will fit in your intended storage space, and find out the references for compatible bags, filters and parts. | If storage space is limited, I look for a model that will fit and whose maintenance I can keep up with. This is the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Que Choisir describes stick vacuums as easier to manoeuvre for quick clean-ups. If you also need to clean crevices, furniture and fabrics, check the accessories on the appliance that will handle those jobs. A robot vacuum used for everyday floor cleaning can’t do them all on its own.
Electrical power alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean a rug, hard floor or sofa. Que Choisir assesses several aspects of suction in its tests, while the accessories supplied vary between models.
Where test results are available, look for those covering the surfaces you need to clean, then check the brushes, tools and settings included with the version you’re considering.
You still need to empty the dust container. Que Choisir also says that filters in bagless appliances clog more quickly because they come into closer contact with dust.
Before buying, check how to access the filter, clean or replace it, and confirm its exact reference.
A brush designed for parquet or different types of floor doesn’t mean the vacuum also comes with an upholstery tool or mini turbo brush. Accessories can vary between versions in the same range.
Match the list of included attachments to the surfaces you need to clean, especially crevices, upholstered furniture and rugs.
An advertised dB(A) figure doesn’t, by itself, tell you how loud a model will seem at every setting, or let you make a fair comparison with an appliance measured differently.
Compare figures measured under equivalent conditions, or use comparable independent test results. If you clean several rooms, check the operating radius too.
The range includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, with accessories, capacity and operating radius varying by model.
The Guard S1 Parquet XL could appeal to households that need to take particular care of delicate hard floors.
The BGB41BA1 bagged cylinder vacuum is worth a look if you want crevice and fabric tools close to hand.
The XD2142/12 from the 2000 Series is a bagged cylinder vacuum to consider if you want a brush that can switch between hard floors and rugs.
These two models offer a practical way to compare a bagless cylinder vacuum with a bagged one for a home with different surfaces. Compare their maintenance requirements and check that the version you choose comes with the accessories you need for your floors and fabrics.
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Worth considering if you’d rather empty a dust container than replace bags. To use it on floors and fabrics, check which attachments are included with this version, and remember to maintain the filters. Check the power rating on the product page for your chosen version, as figures associated with this model vary between descriptions.
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Worth a look if you prefer a bagged vacuum for your main cleaner. Check the reference for compatible bags and the exact list of accessories, especially if you also need to clean furniture or other fabrics.
Check that the exact model comes with a brush suited to your floors, a crevice tool and an upholstery tool for fabrics. If you often need to remove embedded fibres or pet hair from rugs, look for a mini turbo brush too. Que Choisir includes the removal of embedded fibres in its test criteria.
It saves you from replacing bags, but you’ll still need to empty the dust container and maintain the filters. Que Choisir says bagless filters clog more quickly, while a bagged model requires you to replace its bags with compatible ones.
In France, ADEME advises putting vacuum dust and other vacuumed-up waste in household rubbish, preferably in a sealed bag.
Yes. If an index is displayed for the model you’re considering, it can help you compare your options. When buying a corded vacuum in France, also check whether compatible parts, bags or filters are available: the index alone doesn’t tell you what day-to-day maintenance the model requires.