When choosing a vacuum cleaner for a home with a dog or cat, start by thinking about the surfaces you need to clean: floors, but also rugs, sofas and stairs if they collect pet hair. A stick vacuum can work well for frequent quick cleans, a cylinder vacuum with suitable attachments for more thorough sessions, and a robot vacuum for regular floor maintenance. Whichever type you choose, check which brushes are included, whether they’re compatible, what maintenance is required and how easy the specific model is to repair.
If you regularly vacuum around furniture, consider how easy the machine is to manoeuvre, whether it can reach under furniture and how simple it is to empty. The included brush should suit your floors: the words ‘pet-friendly’ alone don’t tell you which surfaces it can clean.
Upholstery and awkward areas call for suitable attachments: a mini motorised brush or turbo brush, depending on the surface, as well as an upholstery tool and crevice tool. Check what’s included and whether each attachment is compatible with the vacuum you’re considering.
Before deciding, check the repairability index for the specific model sold in France and look up the part numbers for components that may need replacing. Check the repair arrangements, warranty and manufacturer’s commitments on spare parts separately.
First, choose according to the surfaces that take the most effort to clean. Then check the attachments and maintenance requirements for the type you’ve chosen. It’s also worth checking repairability, whatever type of vacuum you’re considering.
Worth considering: for frequent cleaning, provided the floor brush and upholstery attachment you need are compatible with your chosen model.
Bear in mind: the stated battery life may apply to a particular setting that differs from the one you’ll need.
Worth considering: for thorough cleaning of rugs and upholstered furniture, with a turbo brush and suitable smaller attachments.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move the vacuum body, tube and cable around; also check which attachments are actually included.
Worth considering: as an additional way to clean floors, provided you already have a manual solution for sofas, stairs and higher-up upholstery.
Bear in mind: the brush, dustbin or dock will need maintenance, depending on the model.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent cleaning of floors | Whether the included brush suits your floors and can reach under furniture; for a stick vacuum, check the battery life in the setting you’ll use. | I want to vacuum floors often and reach underneath furniture without too much effort. Around 29% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Rugs, sofas and stairs | Whether a mini brush or turbo brush suited to the surfaces in question is included and compatible, along with any useful nozzle attachments. | When pet hair builds up in upholstery and corners, I want a machine equipped to reach it, not just one that vacuums the floor. This would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Repairability and spare parts | The index for the exact model and the part numbers for brushes, filters, batteries or other components you may need. | I plan to keep my vacuum cleaner and want to know how to replace parts that get regular use. Around 21% of consumers would put this at the top of their list. |
| Automated floor maintenance | Which areas the robot can reach, how to maintain its brush and whether model-specific consumables are available. | I want to cut down on manual vacuuming of floors while keeping a solution for surfaces the robot can’t reach. Around 21% of consumers would make this a priority. |
A floor brush won’t necessarily be suitable for sofas, cushions or stairs. Mini brushes and other attachments are often compatible only with specific models.
Compare the list of included attachments with the surfaces you need to clean, then check the part number for each compatible attachment.
You may need to buy a suitable upholstery brush or nozzle separately.
The stated running time for a particular setting may not reflect use with another brush or a higher-power setting. For example, Rowenta says the 60 minutes quoted for its X-Force Flex 13.60 applies when used as a handheld vacuum in Eco mode.
Check the conditions attached to the stated running time and compare them with your cleaning routine.
The repairability index for a model, a manufacturer’s commitment to supplying spare parts and the legal guarantee of conformity answer different questions. None of them, on its own, confirms that a specific part will be available or that a repair will be covered.
Check the index, part numbers, terms of any repair service and the warranties available from the seller separately.
A robot takes care of accessible floors, not sofas, cushions or stairs. Its brushes and consumables also need regular attention.
If upholstery is part of your regular cleaning routine, make sure you have a suitable manual vacuum and check the care instructions for the robot you choose.
Cleaning upholstery too may mean keeping or buying a manual vacuum and its attachments.
These examples can help you identify attachments and services to check for a specific model; they don’t apply to every model from a brand.
Worth considering across stick, cylinder and robot vacuums if pet attachments and repair options are important to you.
Worth considering if a motorised mini brush for smaller areas of upholstery is a priority.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a bagged cylinder vacuum and regularly clean rugs, cushions and upholstered furniture.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a robot vacuum to complement manual floor cleaning.
These models cover two of the uses discussed here: stick vacuums for manual cleaning of floors and other accessible surfaces, and a robot vacuum for floor maintenance. For each one, check that it has suitable attachments for your upholstery and review the repairability information before choosing.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a stick vacuum for floors and also want to clean upholstery and hard-to-reach corners.
The product listing features an anti-tangle brush and claims up to 65 minutes of battery life. Check which setting this applies to, what attachments are included and the model’s repairability index.
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Worth considering for cleaning floors and rugs if you’d also like an attachment for upholstery.
The title mentions a removable battery and a claimed battery life of 60 minutes. Check which setting this applies to, the exact upholstery brush configuration and the model’s repairability.
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Worth considering for floors and rugs, with the handheld mode worth looking at if stairs are also part of your routine.
The title mentions an anti-tangle brush and a claimed battery life of 55 minutes. Check the conditions for this running time and which attachments are designed for upholstery before relying on this model to clean your sofa.
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Worth considering for manual cleaning of floors and rugs if you’d like a stick vacuum that can stand upright between cleans.
The title mentions an anti-tangle brush and a claimed battery life of 45 minutes. Check the conditions for this running time and the list of included attachments if you need to clean your sofa.
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Worth considering for automated floor cleaning, alongside a manual vacuum if you also clean sofas and stairs.
The title mentions LiDAR navigation, app control, a mopping function and an anti-tangle system. Check how to maintain the brush and whether parts for the Q7 L5+ are available.
First, choose an attachment that’s compatible with your vacuum and suited to the surface: a mini brush for smaller areas of upholstery, a turbo brush to consider for rugs, and a crevice tool for gaps. Miele lists its STB 101 mini turbo brush for upholstered furniture and rugs, while Dyson describes a motorised mini brush for confined spaces. Check which attachments are included, not just whether they’re available separately.
Not if you also need to vacuum sofas, cushions or stairs: a robot only cleans floors it can reach. Keep a manual option and a suitable upholstery attachment for these other surfaces, then check the maintenance requirements and replacement brushes for the robot you choose.
Check the repairability index for the exact model, then look up the parts and repair options relevant to you. ADEME says that corded, cordless and robot vacuum cleaners are among the appliances covered by this index; the rating doesn’t replace checking whether a specific part is available.
According to the Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual. It covers faults that existed when the goods were delivered and is separate from an optional commercial warranty or a manufacturer’s commitment to supply spare parts.
Yes. Check it and remove any wrapped-up hair according to the instructions for your model. For its ZR720003 robot brush, Rowenta recommends cleaning it weekly using the tool provided; don’t automatically apply this frequency to other brushes.