For frequent cleaning of small areas, a stick vacuum offers greater manoeuvrability. For a thorough clean of larger areas and carpets, a cylinder vacuum is worth considering, as Que Choisir explains in its guides. A robot can clean your floors regularly, but results vary depending on the flooring. A floor washer is mainly for wet-cleaning hard floors and won’t necessarily replace vacuuming carpets and upholstery, according to Que Choisir.
If pet hair gets caught in fibres or clings to upholstery, consider the main appliance and its accessories together. Check whether the model you’re considering comes with a turbo brush for carpets and a mini motorised brush for upholstery. Les Numériques highlights the value of this type of accessory for stick vacuums.
If you regularly clean floors, the sofa or awkward corners, a stick vacuum’s manoeuvrability can be a real advantage. Que Choisir highlights this benefit of cordless models. Also check the battery life in the mode you’ll use and how easy it is to access the brush for cleaning.
A robot vacuum can clean your floors regularly if you’re happy to schedule it, empty its bin and maintain its brushes. Que Choisir notes that results vary depending on the floor type, so look for test results that match your flooring.
Start by considering the surfaces where pet hair builds up, then think about how much time and effort you want to spend on each clean.
| What to consider | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and upholstery | Check test results for your types of floors and carpets, as well as whether the vacuum includes a turbo brush for fibres and a tool suited to upholstery. Les Numériques specifically mentions mini electric brushes among the accessories supplied with some stick vacuums. | Pet hair gets caught in my carpets or clings to the sofa: a product review focused on hard floors isn’t enough to help me decide. |
| Brush maintenance | Check how easily you can access the roller, its ends and the duct, even if the brush is described as tangle-free. iRobot recommends checking Roomba s Series brushes twice a week in homes with pets. | I’d like to be able to remove wrapped hair without making every clean of the appliance a chore. |
| Cleaning routine | For a stick vacuum, compare battery life in the mode you’ll use for carpets, bin capacity and manoeuvrability. For a cylinder vacuum, look at the cable, reach and accessories. Que Choisir distinguishes the stick vacuum’s manoeuvrability from the cylinder vacuum’s suction performance. | For frequent quick cleans, I’d choose an appliance that’s easy to get out. If I clean the whole home in one go, I’d also consider the practicalities of each type. |
| Automated cleaning | Compare robot vacuum test results for your floors and carpets, particularly around edges and in corners. Check the bin capacity and brush maintenance instructions. Que Choisir reports that results vary depending on the floor type. | I’d like to schedule regular cleaning, while still being able to clean upholstery myself and tackle areas the robot doesn’t handle well. |
| Wet cleaning | Check that your flooring is suitable for wet cleaning and what the appliance actually does when it comes to pet hair. According to Que Choisir, floor cleaners are mainly designed for washing hard floors. | If my hard floors also need frequent washing, a floor washer could be useful. My carpets and upholstery will still need a suitable vacuuming solution. |
| Repairs and spare parts | If you’re buying a new vacuum cleaner in France and it’s covered by the scheme, check its repairability index and make sure brushes and filters are available for its model number. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition includes vacuum cleaners among the product categories covered by the index. | I use my appliance regularly and want to be able to find the right parts for my model. |
The advertised run time doesn’t necessarily reflect how long it will last in the mode you choose for carpets or pet hair. You may find you need to recharge part-way through a clean covering several rooms.
Compare the run times listed for the modes you plan to use, and consider how much floor space you clean in one go.
Que Choisir describes floor cleaners as appliances mainly intended for wet-cleaning hard floors. This doesn’t automatically cover carpets, rugs and upholstery.
Choose this type of appliance for washing if your flooring is suitable, and make sure you have a vacuuming solution for other surfaces.
iRobot’s instructions for Roomba s Series models still recommend checking the brushes twice a week in homes with pets.
Before you buy, check how to remove the brush, clean its ends and access the bin and filter on the specific model.
A brush sold separately may only fit certain appliances. Rowenta lists compatible model numbers for its accessories, but that doesn’t mean they’ll work with its entire range.
Check your vacuum’s exact model number against the compatibility list, and see which accessories are included.
These examples highlight specific types of appliances and accessories; they don’t represent every product in each brand’s range.
The Guard M1 Cat & Dog Flex cylinder vacuum is worth considering for carpets and rugs where pet hair is an issue.
The V16 Piston Animal stick vacuum is worth a look if accessories and brush maintenance matter to you when cleaning frequently.
Roomba robot vacuums are worth considering if you want to schedule regular floor cleaning.
If you’re looking for a brush designed for pet hair, check Rowenta accessories by model number.
These stick and robot vacuums offer two ways to keep the floors in a pet-friendly home clean regularly. For carpets and upholstery, check that their accessories and performance on your surfaces meet your cleaning needs.
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For regular cleaning of floors, carpets or stairs, the product listing describes an XL motorised brush and a motorised stair tool. It claims up to 50 minutes of run time across three modes; check the run time in the mode you’ll use for your carpets.
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The product listing describes a stick vacuum that converts to a handheld model for quick cleans on sofas and in awkward corners, with a brush described as tangle-free. It claims up to 65 minutes of run time in standard mode; check the run time in the mode you’ll use for carpets.
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This robot vacuum is designed for scheduled floor cleaning. The product listing mentions LiDAR navigation, a dual-brush system described as tangle-free, and a liftable mop function for carpets. Check how it performs on your carpets and along edges before relying on it as your main appliance.
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For quick cleans on floors or upholstery, the product listing describes a convertible stick vacuum with a removable battery and a combination brush designed for use on upholstery and in cars, among other things. It claims up to 60 minutes of run time, but doesn’t specify how long it lasts in the mode used on carpets.
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For automated floor cleaning, the product listing mentions LiDAR navigation, a main brush with a comb, a bagless station and a 2 L bin. Check how it handles pet hair, carpet fibres and edges, as well as how to maintain the station and brushes.
No. For Roomba s Series models, iRobot recommends checking the brushes at least once a week, or twice a week in homes with pets. Follow the instructions for your chosen robot and check how it performs on your floors and carpets.
Not necessarily. According to Que Choisir, floor cleaners are mainly for wet-cleaning hard floors. For carpets and upholstery, check that the appliance and its accessories are designed for those surfaces. If they aren’t, make sure you have a suitable vacuuming solution.
Follow the instructions for your model and each component. For example, iRobot recommends checking Roomba s Series brushes twice a week in homes with pets. This schedule doesn’t automatically apply to other vacuum cleaners.
Check the repairability index if it applies to the product, then make sure the parts available match its exact model number. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition includes vacuum cleaners among the product categories covered. Its guidance says the score should be displayed near the price at the point of purchase.