For the main clean in a large home, start by comparing cylinder vacuum cleaners. UFC-Que Choisir describes this type as suitable for large areas, while cordless stick vacuums are more of a supplementary option. Whether you choose a bagged or bagless cylinder model depends on your floors and the maintenance you’re happy to take on. A wet and dry vacuum meets a different need if you also have DIY debris or small amounts of water to clear up.
If a cleaning session includes hard floors as well as rugs or carpets, check the cleaning results on each surface. Dust capacity and operating radius also matter when you move from room to room. UFC-Que Choisir describes cylinder vacuums as suitable for large areas.
Tiles, gaps between floorboards and rugs can’t be judged by a single result. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocols assess different surfaces separately, so compare the results relevant to your home and check which brushes come with the model you’re considering.
A stick vacuum can be handy for quick clean-ups between full-house cleans. Before making it your only vacuum, compare its run time, capacity and performance on your floors with the length of your usual cleaning session. UFC-Que Choisir describes this type as more of a supplementary option.
Consider it: for regular cleaning across several rooms, particularly if rugs are part of your routine. UFC-Que Choisir’s comparison found that bagged models vacuum better than bagless ones.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move a mains-powered appliance around and replace its compatible bags.
Consider it: if you’d rather not use bags but still want a cylinder vacuum for your main cleaning.
The trade-off: you’ll need to empty the dust container and maintain the filters as instructed for your model. Compare its performance on your floors too, rather than assuming it cleans as well as a bagged model.
Best for: cleaning up DIY debris or small amounts of water. Kärcher describes these uses for its WD 3 S V-19/4/20.
Keep in mind: this doesn’t show how well it cleans rugs or carpets. Check which floorhead is included and which uses are approved for the specific model.
As a backup: for quick clean-ups when you don’t want to get out your main vacuum. UFC-Que Choisir considers this type more suitable for occasional cleaning.
Before replacing your cylinder vacuum: check that the run time and performance on your rugs are enough to cover a full cleaning session.
| Feature | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Floor cleaning | Compare results from the same testing protocol on hard floors, gaps between floorboards, and rugs or carpets. Look separately at tests for embedded dust and fibres if these are concerns for you. UFC-Que Choisir assesses these surfaces separately in its testing protocols. | I have floors and rugs to clean regularly, so one vacuuming result won’t tell me how the appliance will perform on each surface. |
| Cleaning for longer | Check the capacity of the bag or dust container and, for a cylinder vacuum, its operating radius. For a stick vacuum, look for run time measured at the setting you need for your floors, as well as charging time. | I move from room to room and want to know when I’ll need to change sockets, empty the dust container or recharge the battery. |
| Moving around and access | Check the model’s weight, wheels and overall size. Make sure it includes the brushes and nozzles you need for skirting boards, gaps and upholstery. | I want to use the right accessories around furniture and in awkward corners without making the whole cleaning session more complicated. |
| Maintenance | Find out the compatible bag reference, how to empty the dust container, and how to maintain the filters and brushes. In France, the repairability index applies to vacuum cleaners, according to the Ministry for Ecological Transition. Check the information for the exact model you’re considering. | Replacing bags and cleaning a dust container are different routines. I’d rather make an informed choice about which one suits me. |
The stated electrical power doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean tiles, wooden floors or rugs. UFC-Que Choisir advises against relying on this figure alone and tests cleaning performance on different floors.
Compare tests carried out under the same conditions on your floor types, then check which brushes are included with the exact model you’re considering.
If you’re deciding whether a cordless stick vacuum can be your main appliance, its usable run time at the setting needed for your floors matters more than a single battery-life figure. UFC-Que Choisir generally describes this type as a supplementary option.
Before giving up your cylinder vacuum, compare the run time at the setting suited to your rugs, the charging time and the cleaning results.
Not having to buy bags doesn’t mean you can skip emptying the dust container or maintaining the filters and brushes as instructed. A bagged cylinder vacuum, on the other hand, needs bags of the correct type.
Check the model’s instructions and choose the dust collection method with a maintenance routine that suits you.
Kärcher describes the WD 3 S V-19/4/20 as suitable for vacuuming dust, rubble and small amounts of water. These uses alone don’t tell you how well it will clean rugs or furniture.
If your main aim is to clean the floors in your home, start by comparing performance on those surfaces and the accessories included. Choose a wet and dry vacuum for the types of dirt it’s designed to pick up.
These ranges offer useful points of comparison; check the features and accessories for each specific model.
Rowenta offers bagged cylinder vacuums, including the Silence Force Effitech RO7473EA.
Miele’s French catalogue includes bagged cylinder vacuums, with some variants designed for parquet floor care.
Bosch’s French catalogue lists bagged vacuum cleaners in Series 4, 6 and 8.
Kärcher offers wet and dry vacuum cleaners for jobs beyond everyday household floor cleaning.
These two Electrolux models are bagged cylinder vacuums to consider for your main cleaning. To compare them for a home with both hard floors and rugs, check the included accessories and compare test results on these surfaces. Their inclusion here doesn’t settle the choice between all types of vacuum cleaner.
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This bagged cylinder vacuum is worth considering for your main clean across several rooms. If you also clean rugs, check which brushes are included and look for test results on your different floor types. Also check the reference for compatible bags.
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This bagged cylinder vacuum has a stated electrical power of 550 W, but this figure alone doesn’t measure its cleaning performance. For hard floors or rugs, check which accessories are included and compare test results for each surface. Also check the reference for compatible bags.
Compare their results using the same testing protocol, surface by surface. UFC-Que Choisir’s protocols distinguish between tiles, parquet and carpet, among other surfaces. Choose tests relevant to your home, then check the accessories included with each model.
It can, if its run time at the setting you need, its capacity and its performance on your floors are enough to cover a full cleaning session. However, UFC-Que Choisir describes stick vacuums as more of a supplementary option. If you have rugs or carpets, compare relevant test results before replacing your main vacuum.
Compare performance on your floors and the maintenance involved for the models you’re considering. UFC-Que Choisir’s comparison found that bagged vacuum cleaners perform better than their bagless counterparts. You’ll also need to decide whether you’d rather replace bags or empty and maintain a dust container.
Yes, it’s a useful factor to check for the specific model, rather than a guarantee of how long it will last. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition says vacuum cleaners are among the product categories covered by this index. Compare it with the model’s cleaning results and maintenance requirements.