For regular cleaning of the floors, carpets and upholstery in a large home with one appliance, a cylinder vacuum cleaner with the right accessories is a good starting point: UFC-Que Choisir describes this style as suitable for larger areas. Whether you choose a bagged or bagless model depends on the type of maintenance you prefer, while a cordless stick vacuum should be judged by its genuinely useful run time. A robot can clean clear floors, but it won’t take care of stairs or upholstery.
You move from hard floors to carpets, then on to furniture and upholstery, without wanting to switch appliances. UFC-Que Choisir describes cylinder vacuums as suitable for larger areas; check that the model’s brushes and nozzles also cover your other surfaces.
You’re weighing up replacing a bag against emptying a dust container. Consider which task suits you best, how easy the filters are to access and how often the model needs maintenance.
A stick vacuum can be handy when you want to grab a cleaner quickly; a robot can keep clear floors clean. If you also have stairs, upholstery or cluttered corners, think about how you’ll clean them.
Start with the surfaces you need to clean, then consider the appliance’s reach, accessories and maintenance needs over a full cleaning session in your home.
| Criterion | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and upholstery | Look at test results for the floor coverings in your home, rather than relying on a single power rating. Check for brushes for hard floors and carpets, as well as tools for fabrics and crevices; UFC-Que Choisir’s test methods assess carpet, tiled floors and parquet separately, among other surfaces. | I want to move from parquet or tiled floors to carpets, then clean the sofa and hard-to-reach places. |
| Reach and run time | For a cylinder vacuum, compare its operating radius with the position of your plug sockets. For a stick vacuum, check the run time with the setting and brush you’ll use; for a robot, see what happens when it needs to recharge. | I need to clean several rooms in one session, without changing sockets or stopping to recharge too often. |
| Access and storage | Consider how heavy the appliance is to carry up stairs, whether it can reach under furniture and how much storage space it needs. For a robot, also check for obstacles and edges, as well as space for its docking station. | I need to reach the skirting boards, get under some furniture and put the appliance away after use. |
| Maintenance | Compare replacing a bag with emptying and cleaning a dust container. Check how to maintain the filters and brushes, and which consumables are compatible with the exact model. | How the vacuum is emptied and its filters maintained matters just as much to me as how easy it is to use. |
| Repairability | If you’re buying a new domestic vacuum covered by French labelling rules, check the model’s repairability index. The DGCCRF lists corded, battery-powered and robot vacuum cleaners among the categories covered. | I want to compare the repair options before choosing an appliance for regular use. |
A single figure doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum cleans each of your floor types. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing method for cylinder vacuums assesses suction on carpet, tiled floors and parquet, among other things.
Compare results for your floors and check that the vacuum comes with the brushes and tools you need for upholstery and tight spaces.
The run time you need depends on the setting and brush you use. UFC-Que Choisir measures stick vacuum run time in its tests, separately from manufacturers’ claims.
Before choosing one as your only vacuum, compare its run time on the setting needed for your carpets and floors with the time you usually spend cleaning.
UFC-Que Choisir reports that robot vacuum performance varies by floor type. A robot that moves around on the floor won’t clean stairs or upholstery on its own.
Check its results on your floors, how it navigates around obstacles and how you’ll clean areas it can’t reach.
Replacing bags or maintaining the dust container, filters and brushes are all regular tasks. The DGCCRF states that domestic vacuum categories covered by the repairability index include corded, battery-powered and robot models.
Before choosing, check which consumables fit the exact model, its maintenance instructions and its repairability index, where applicable.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a bagged cylinder vacuum, particularly in the Guard range.
Worth considering if you want a cylinder vacuum without a bag.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a cordless stick vacuum for frequent cleaning.
Worth considering if you want to automate floor cleaning alongside a manual vacuum.
This selection includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, a corded stick vacuum and cordless stick vacuums. Compare their styles with your surfaces, available storage space and cleaning-session length. The products below aren’t ranked against one another.
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A bagged cylinder vacuum could make a suitable main appliance for a large home. For your floors, carpets and upholstery, check which brushes are included, its operating radius and which bags are compatible with the EB61C4OG.
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This bagless cylinder vacuum means you won’t need to replace bags, but you will need to empty its dust container. Its product details list it as a 900 W model with LED lighting; power alone doesn’t tell you how well it will clean your different floors. Check that its accessories and reach suit your home.
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A corded model avoids the recharging breaks needed with a cordless stick vacuum, but you’ll need to consider where your plug sockets are. To clean several rooms and upholstery, check the appliance’s overall reach, which brushes are included and how well it performs on the relevant floor coverings.
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A cordless model can make frequent cleaning and tackling stairs easier. The product name claims 50 minutes of run time: check how long it lasts on the setting and with the brush needed to clean your home, as well as how it performs on your carpets and upholstery.
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If you’ll be cleaning several types of flooring, check that it has suitable brushes for each and find out how to maintain the dust container. The product claims 70 minutes of run time; before using it as your only vacuum in a large home, compare that figure with the time it lasts on the setting you actually need for your floors and carpets.
Look for test results for each type of flooring in your home and check which accessories were used. UFC-Que Choisir’s test method for cylinder vacuum cleaners assesses suction on carpet, tiled floors and parquet, among other surfaces. A result for just one floor type won’t tell you how well a vacuum will suit every use.
It’s an option if the run time on the setting you need is long enough for your cleaning session, and its accessories suit your floors, carpets and upholstery. UFC-Que Choisir measures stick vacuum run time in its tests, so compare those results with your needs rather than relying solely on the maximum run time claimed.
If your home also has stairs, furniture and upholstery to clean, make sure you have a way to tackle those surfaces. A robot can clean floors, but UFC-Que Choisir notes that its performance varies by floor type. Also consider obstacles and how to maintain the dust container.
For the labelling requirements that apply to new domestic vacuum cleaners in France, the DGCCRF lists corded models, cordless battery-powered models and robots. Check the index for the specific model you’re considering to factor repairability into your decision.