For regular cleaning of carpets, floors and furniture, start by choosing a vacuum based on the surfaces you need to clean and the brushes supplied, rather than the advertised power alone. A canister vacuum with a suitable brush and an upholstery tool is a good choice for more extensive manual cleaning; an upright makes quick, targeted clean-ups easier, provided its battery life is sufficient for the job. A robot can keep floors clean between manual vacuuming sessions, but it cannot clean sofas or stairs.
If you find pet hair on carpets, cushions and the sofa, look for a main vacuum with a suitable floor brush and an upholstery tool. Que Choisir includes fibres designed to mimic pet hair in its test procedure for canister vacuums on carpets.
For stairs, armchairs or visible pet hair between full cleans, an upright’s manoeuvrability can be a real advantage. Que Choisir describes it mainly as a secondary vacuum: check its battery life at the setting you plan to use and make sure it comes with an upholstery brush.
A robot can clean floors regularly, alongside a manual vacuum for furniture and higher-up areas. Que Choisir notes that results vary depending on the floor covering; you’ll also need to check the brush and empty the dust container.
Best for: manually cleaning carpets, floors and furniture with a brush suited to each surface.
Keep in mind: it’s a corded appliance and, for bagged models, you’ll need to replace the bags.
Best for: quick clean-ups on stairs, floors and furniture, if the necessary accessories are included.
Check: Que Choisir considers uprights more suitable for quick clean-ups; the battery life must cover your cleaning session at the setting you use.
Best for: scheduling floor cleaning between manual vacuuming sessions.
Limit: according to Que Choisir, results depend on the floor covering; a robot won’t clean furniture or stairs.
| Criteria | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Results on different surfaces | Look at test results for fibres embedded in carpets, then check the results for your other floor coverings. Que Choisir tests fibres designed to mimic pet hair on carpets for canister vacuums; its test procedures for uprights and robots also include tests on fibres. | I need to remove pet hair from my carpets without neglecting floors and furniture. An advertised motor power rating is no substitute for test results on these surfaces. |
| Accessories | Check the accessories supplied with the exact model: floor brush, turbo brush or mini brush, and upholstery tool. If you’re buying an accessory separately, check the manufacturer’s stated compatibility. | Pet hair also collects on my sofa and cushions; I want to know which tool can reach it. |
| Maintenance | Find out how to empty the dust container or replace the bag, clean the brush and maintain the filter. Check which consumables are compatible with your chosen model. | If I vacuum often, I want to be able to remove hair wrapped around the brush and maintain the appliance easily. |
| Battery life and manoeuvrability | For an upright, compare battery life at the power setting you’ll use, as well as its weight and storage options. The maximum advertised battery life doesn’t necessarily reflect how long it will run at high power. | For frequent cleaning on stairs and furniture, I need an appliance I can quickly take out and use for the full session I have planned. |
This figure on its own doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum lifts fibres from a carpet. Que Choisir highlights the importance of the floorhead design and tests fibres designed to mimic pet hair.
Compare test results for your floor coverings and check that the supplied brush is suitable for each one.
Accessories vary by model. A brush designed for floors may not be suitable for cleaning a sofa or stairs.
Check what’s included in the box and whether any accessories you’re considering separately are compatible.
If the right tool isn’t included, you’ll need to find a compatible one.
A robot cleans floors, while pet hair on a sofa, cushions or stairs calls for a manual vacuum. Que Choisir also notes that robot vacuum results vary depending on the type of flooring.
Use a robot for floor cleaning and keep a suitable upholstery tool for surfaces above floor level.
Hair can wrap around the roller, and the dust container needs emptying. For its robot brush designed for pet owners, Rowenta recommends cleaning it weekly; always follow the instructions for your own model.
Before choosing, check how to access the brush, filter and dust container, and find out which consumables you’ll need.
According to Bosch, the ProAnimal range includes bagged, bagless and cordless models.
Rowenta offers Animal upright vacuums and lists the accessories supplied with each model in its instruction manuals.
Miele’s Complete C3 Cat & Dog Raspberry is an example of a bagged canister vacuum supplied with accessories for different surfaces.
Dreame offers robot vacuums designed for regular floor cleaning.
These models suit two of the uses covered here: an upright for manually cleaning floors and specific areas, and a robot for keeping floors clean. If you need to remove pet hair from furniture, check the accessories supplied with your chosen upright; a robot won’t clean it.
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An upright design to consider for manually cleaning floors and specific areas. Check which brushes are supplied for stairs and upholstery, then check the battery life at the setting you plan to use.
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This model is described as having an anti-tangle brush for carpets and hard floors, with a battery life of up to 65 minutes. That maximum won’t necessarily reflect use at high power, so check the battery life at the setting you’ll use and which upholstery tool is included.
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For cleaning floors alongside manual vacuuming. The model name mentions anti-tangle main and side brushes; check how to maintain them and look for results on your carpets. You’ll still need another appliance for furniture and stairs.
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This robot is designed to clean carpets and hard floors and features an anti-tangle system. Before choosing it for regular cleaning, check how it handles carpets, how to schedule it and how to access the brushes and dust container. It won’t clean upholstery or other surfaces above floor level.
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The model name indicates an anti-tangle brush, an illuminated head and upright storage, for use on carpets and hard floors. If you also find pet hair on your sofa, check which tools are included; you’ll also want to make sure the battery life is long enough for your cleaning session.
Look for tests measuring how well a vacuum removes fibres similar to pet hair from carpets, then check the results for the model you’re interested in. Que Choisir includes fibre tests in its procedures for canister vacuums, uprights and robots; an advertised power rating alone won’t tell you how well a vacuum performs.
Check that the box for the exact model includes an upholstery tool, upholstery nozzle or suitable mini brush. For example, Bosch lists an integrated upholstery nozzle for the BGB41PET1. If you’re buying a brush separately, check the manufacturer’s compatibility list.
Follow the robot’s instructions and check the brush if hair gets wrapped around the roller. For its own turbo brush for robot vacuums designed for pet owners, Rowenta recommends cleaning it once a week; this schedule doesn’t necessarily apply to other models.
An upright can be a good choice for frequent, targeted cleaning if its brush, tools and battery life suit the surfaces in your home. Que Choisir considers it more of a secondary vacuum; to decide whether it will work as your main appliance, compare fibre test results and how long it runs at the power setting you need.