For regular cleaning in a home with carpets, rugs and hard floors, start by looking at cylinder vacuum cleaners. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes these from stick vacuums, which are mainly intended for smaller spaces. It also says that bagged models vacuum more effectively than bagless ones, while reducing contact with dust when emptying. A bagless model may suit you if you’re happy to maintain the dust container and filters. If you want a cordless stick vacuum to be your main appliance, check that its battery life in the required mode will genuinely cover your cleaning sessions.
If your vacuum needs to clean both floor coverings and tiles or wooden floors, compare its performance on each surface and the brushes supplied, rather than looking at motor wattage alone. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol includes carpet, tiles and wooden flooring.
To clean several rooms, consider the capacity, cord reach or battery life in the mode you use, as well as the weight you’ll need to move around. These factors determine how often you may need to stop during a full cleaning session.
Choose the maintenance routine that suits you: replacing a bag or emptying a dust container. A bagless appliance saves you from buying replacement bags, but the container, filters and brushes still need looking after.
First decide what trade-off you’re happy to make between cleaning different floor types, maintenance and moving around your home. UFC-Que Choisir says a bagged cylinder vacuum reduces contact with dust when emptying. With a cordless stick vacuum, you’ll mainly need to compare its full-power run time with the length of your carpet-cleaning sessions.
Worth considering: if thorough cleaning of mixed flooring and less exposure to dust when emptying are your priorities.
The trade-off: you’ll need to have compatible bags available and move an appliance that needs to be plugged in.
Worth considering: if you’d rather avoid buying replacement bags for cleaning different types of flooring.
The trade-off: the dust container needs emptying and the filters require regular maintenance.
Worth considering: if freedom of movement matters and one charge will cover the cleaning you need to do.
The trade-off: battery life can be much shorter at high power; UFC-Que Choisir reports an average of around ten minutes at full power.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning different floor types | Test results for your floor coverings; the brush and settings supplied with the exact model. | If my carpets trap fibres and I also clean hard floors, I want to compare performance on both types of surface. Around 50% of consumers put cleaning performance first. |
| Emptying and maintenance | The bag reference for a bagged model; emptying the dust container and maintaining the filters on a bagless one. | I’d rather decide when I buy whether to replace a bag or handle and clean a dust container. This is a priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Moving around and run time | Cord reach and weight for a corded model; battery life in the required mode for a cordless stick vacuum. | When I move from room to room, I want to minimise interruptions without losing sight of the area I need to clean. Around 20% of consumers prioritise uninterrupted use. |
The stated electrical power on its own won’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean a carpet or a grooved wooden floor.
Look for test results by floor type, then check the brush and settings on the version you’re considering.
A run time quoted for an energy-saving mode won’t necessarily reflect a high-power session on carpets. UFC-Que Choisir reports an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power.
Compare the run time in the mode you’ll need, with the brush you’ll use, and check whether the battery can be replaced.
A bagged cylinder vacuum relies on you being able to find bags that fit its model throughout its useful life.
Check the compatible bag reference before choosing your appliance.
The dust container and filters need regular attention, as do any fibres wrapped around the brush.
Check the manual for instructions on emptying, cleaning and replacing parts for the model.
Rowenta offers bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, with ranges that highlight features such as accessories and noise levels, depending on the model.
Electrolux cylinder vacuums give you details such as capacity and reach to consider when choosing a model for multiple surfaces.
Miele offers bagged cylinder vacuums, including Parquet, Silence and Cat & Dog versions with different features.
Dyson is a brand to consider in the cordless stick vacuum category if mobility is important when choosing your main appliance.
This selection includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, a corded stick vacuum and a cordless stick vacuum. For each one, compare the brushes and stated operating conditions with your carpets, hard floors and typical cleaning-session length.
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Worth considering as your main appliance for mixed flooring if you prefer a bagged cylinder vacuum. Check the brushes supplied with this version, its performance on your carpets and the reference for compatible bags.
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Another bagged option for cleaning different types of flooring. The 550 W stated in its name isn’t enough to judge its performance on carpets: compare test results for different floor coverings and check the brushes supplied with this version.
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Worth considering if you’d rather empty a dust container than replace bags. Check the brushes supplied with the FC9556/09 version, its maintenance requirements and its performance on carpets; the electrical power figures associated with this model are inconsistent.
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Its corded power supply avoids interruptions caused by a battery, but you’ll need to account for the cord as you move around your home. The figures 65 KPa and 600 W appear in its name, but on their own they don’t tell you how well it cleans carpets.
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Consider it as your main appliance only if its run time suits your carpet-cleaning sessions. Its name states up to 55 minutes of battery life and an anti-tangle brush; check the run time in carpet mode with the brush you’ll use.
Yes, if its battery life in the mode you need covers your cleaning sessions and its capacity and brush maintenance suit you. If you need to clean carpets or rugs for a long time at high power, check the run time first: UFC-Que Choisir reports an average of around ten minutes at full power in its tests.
Start by looking at a bagged cylinder vacuum if thorough cleaning and reduced contact with dust when emptying are your priorities: UFC-Que Choisir says bagged models vacuum more effectively than bagless ones. A bagless model is still an option if you’re happy to empty the dust container and maintain the filters regularly.
Look for test results on carpet for the model you’re considering, then check the brush supplied and its settings. UFC-Que Choisir’s protocol distinguishes between floor coverings and includes testing how well embedded dust is removed from a carpet; motor wattage can’t replace those results.
Follow the model’s instructions for replacing the bag or emptying the dust container, maintaining the filters and removing fibres caught in the brush. Before buying, check whether these parts are easy to access and what you’ll need to do regularly.