For regularly cleaning every floor in a large home, a corded cylinder vacuum is the first type to consider: UFC-Que Choisir describes it as particularly well suited to larger areas. Your choice between a bag and a dust container then comes down to the maintenance you’re happy to do. A stick vacuum or robot can make it easier to clean between whole-house cleans, but shouldn’t be expected to replace your main vacuum on every type of flooring.
If your whole-house clean includes wooden floors, hard floors and rugs or carpets, compare the exact model’s results on each type of flooring in your home. UFC-Que Choisir tests these surfaces separately; the motor’s wattage is no substitute for those results.
A corded cylinder vacuum lets you carry on cleaning without recharging. To make sure it’s practical across several rooms, compare its cord reach with the position of your sockets, then check its weight and how much storage space it needs.
A stick vacuum can be handy for quick clean-ups, while a robot can be scheduled to clean between whole-house cleans. However, UFC-Que Choisir highlights the limited battery life of stick vacuums and the way robot vacuum results vary depending on the floor type.
For regular cleaning across a large home, start with the floors you need to clean and the distance between your sockets. Then decide what kind of maintenance suits you and whether quick clean-ups justify a second appliance.
Worth considering: if you want a corded vacuum for whole-house cleans and prefer to remove dust by replacing a bag.
Bear in mind: you’ll need compatible bags and space to store the vacuum and its cord.
Worth considering: if you want a corded vacuum but don’t want to use bags.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty the dust container and maintain the filters according to the model’s instructions.
Worth considering: as a second vacuum if you value manoeuvrability for quickly cleaning a specific area.
Bear in mind: battery life limits how long you can clean. UFC-Que Choisir also reports that results are often less effective than with a cylinder vacuum on some thick rugs, carpets and wooden floors with grooves.
Worth considering: as a second vacuum for scheduling regular cleans in uncluttered areas.
Bear in mind: its dust container needs maintenance and, according to UFC-Que Choisir, results vary depending on the type of flooring.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Results on your floors | Compare test results for the exact model on your flooring and check which brushes are suitable. | When my home has wooden floors, hard floors and rugs, I want to see results for each type, not just one. Around 33% of consumers prioritise cleaning performance across different floor types. |
| Bag, dust container and maintenance | Find out which bags or filters are compatible and what’s involved in replacing or emptying them. | If I clean often, how I dispose of dust matters to my routine. For around 27% of consumers, choosing between a bag and a dust container, and the maintenance involved, comes before other features. |
| Moving and storage | Compare the cord reach with the position of your sockets, then check the vacuum’s weight and dimensions against your home. | As I move from room to room, I want to be able to manoeuvre the vacuum and put it away after use. Around 27% of consumers say ease of moving and storage is their main consideration. |
| Quick clean-ups | For a stick vacuum, check the battery life in the mode you’ll use; for a robot, consider obstacles and dust-container maintenance. | Between whole-house cleans, I mainly want to deal with a small area quickly or schedule a clean. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this kind of supplementary use. |
The wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much dust a vacuum will pick up from your wooden floors, hard floors or rugs. UFC-Que Choisir tests these types of flooring separately.
Make a list of the floors in your home, then look for test results for the exact model and brushes suited to those surfaces.
It may be easy to manoeuvre for quick clean-ups, but battery life and performance on certain surfaces can limit its suitability as your main vacuum. UFC-Que Choisir highlights differences in particular on thick rugs, carpets and wooden floors with grooves.
Before replacing a cylinder vacuum, check how long the stick vacuum lasts in the mode you need and how well it performs on your floors.
A bagged model needs replacement bags; a bagless model needs its dust container emptied. You’ll also need to maintain the filters as instructed for the appliance.
Check which bags and filters are compatible, as well as the maintenance instructions for the model you’re considering.
A corded cylinder vacuum may mean switching sockets as you clean, and you’ll need to find space to store it.
Work out your usual cleaning route, compare it with the stated cord reach and check the vacuum’s dimensions before you buy.
The Complete C3 range is worth a look if you’re after a bagged cylinder vacuum with accessories for different areas of your home.
The brand’s bagged cylinder vacuums come in several sizes, so you can compare them based on your available storage space and how often you clean.
The bagless FC9747/09 gives you a specific model to consider if you’re looking at a dust container for cleaning several rooms.
The bagged BGL6PET1 cylinder vacuum is worth including in a comparison if bag capacity and cord reach matter to you.
This selection features a bagged cylinder vacuum to assess as your main appliance for regular cleaning in a large home. Check that it suits your floors, socket positions and storage space.
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Worth considering if you want a bagged cylinder vacuum for regular cleaning across several rooms. Before choosing it, compare its cord reach with the position of your sockets, and check which brushes are included, which bags are compatible and how it performs in tests on your flooring.
Compare the exact model’s results on hard floors, wooden floors with gaps, and rugs or carpets. UFC-Que Choisir tests these surfaces separately; an overall score or the motor’s wattage alone is no substitute for comparing them.
Check that its battery life in the mode you need is long enough for your cleaning route and that it performs well on your floors. UFC-Que Choisir says stick vacuums are easier to manoeuvre, but notes that battery life is limited at full power and that they often have less suction than cylinder vacuums on thick rugs, carpets and wooden floors with grooves.
Depending on the model, you’ll need to replace the bag or empty the dust container, as well as maintain the filters and brushes. Follow the instructions for your chosen model to find out what to do and how often.
Yes. For the corded vacuum cleaners covered, this index provides information separate from cleaning performance. Legifrance’s published regulations set out how the index is calculated and displayed in France. Compare the index for the exact model, but don’t treat it as a test result for your floors.