For frequent pick-ups of hair from floors, a stick vacuum that’s easy to grab can be a good choice. If you also need to clean the sofa, check that it comes with a suitable mini motorised brush. A cylinder vacuum with the right attachments is worth comparing if you need to deep-clean carpets and upholstery. A robot can keep floors clean with regular runs, but it won’t replace manual vacuuming of furniture and raised upholstery.
For visible hair on floors and in high-traffic areas, manoeuvrability, enough battery life for your usual cleaning routine and easy emptying are especially important. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the maximum battery life advertised for a stick vacuum is measured at its lowest power setting.
If hair clings to carpets, armchairs or sofas, look at how the specific model performs on embedded fibres and check which attachments are included. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocols include a separate assessment of fibre pick-up from carpets.
A robot can keep floors clean with regular runs between manual cleans. However, you’ll still need a way to vacuum sofas and other surfaces above floor level.
Start by choosing a format that suits the surfaces you need to clean and how often you’ll use it, then compare the performance and attachments of the exact model.
Worth considering: for frequent floor cleaning, with a suitable attachment if you also want to clean seats and sofas.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the setting you use. According to UFC-Que Choisir, the advertised maximum is measured at the lowest power setting.
Worth considering: for longer cleaning sessions across carpets and several rooms, with the upholstery attachments you need.
Bear in mind: its cable and manoeuvring take up more space and effort than a quick clean with a stick vacuum.
Worth considering: for keeping floors clean regularly between manual cleans.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty its dust container and use another appliance for sofas, stairs and raised upholstery.
| What matters | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Quick clean-ups | How easy it is to manoeuvre with the floor head fitted, and battery life on the setting you’ll use. | When hair appears every day in high-traffic areas, I want to grab the vacuum without turning a quick task into a major clean; around 31% of consumers prioritise quick pick-ups like this. |
| Carpets and upholstery | Performance on embedded fibres and whether a suitable upholstery attachment is actually included. | If my sofa or carpets trap hair, a quick clean of the floor doesn’t meet my main need; a deeper clean comes first for around 31% of consumers. |
| Automated cleaning | How the robot performs on carpets, along edges and in corners, and how easy its dust container is to maintain. | To avoid having to clean the floors manually as often, I mainly want to automate floor care while keeping a solution for furniture; this is the priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Long-term maintenance | Access to the roller, availability of consumables and the repairability rating of the model in question. | If I often need to remove hair from the brush, I want to be able to maintain it and find the parts I need; around 15% of consumers put maintenance and repairability first. |
On its own, this figure doesn’t tell you how much hair a vacuum will remove from a carpet. UFC-Que Choisir assesses how well models pick up fibres similar to pet hair embedded in carpets.
Compare performance on the surfaces in your home, and check the floor head and attachments included with the specific model.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, the maximum battery life advertised for a stick vacuum is measured at the lowest power setting. It may not reflect a carpet-cleaning session using a more demanding setting.
Check the battery life for the setting and brush you plan to use.
Bags, filters, batteries and rollers all need to be factored into maintenance, depending on the type of appliance. Hair wrapped around a roller also means another cleaning task.
For the model you’re considering, check the availability of parts and consumables, how to clean the roller and, where applicable, its repairability rating.
A robot moves around on floors, so it can’t vacuum a sofa, armchair or staircase. UFC-Que Choisir also assesses its performance across different floor types and areas of a room.
If upholstery is part of your cleaning routine, make sure you also have a manual vacuum and check that it comes with a suitable attachment for those surfaces.
The X-Force Flex range includes Kit Animal versions worth considering if you’re looking for a stick vacuum with an attachment for furniture.
The Shark IW3612EU Detect and IZ380EUT PowerPro Pet stick vacuums are models worth comparing for frequent pet-hair pick-ups.
The Bosch BGS41PET1 ProAnimal cylinder vacuum is worth considering if carpets and upholstery make up a large part of your cleaning routine.
This selection includes stick vacuums for manual floor cleaning, including a corded model, and a robot vacuum for regular floor cleaning. If you need to clean upholstery, check which attachments come with each stick vacuum before choosing.
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A cordless stick vacuum worth considering for frequent floor cleaning. The product listing specifies an anti-tangle brush, 60.000 Pa of suction and up to 65 minutes of battery life; these claims don’t determine how well it will remove embedded hair. If the sofa is a priority, check which attachment is included and how long the battery lasts on the setting you’ll use.
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This cordless stick vacuum could suit manual cleaning of hard floors and carpets. The product listing specifies 55 kPa, 550 W, up to 55 minutes of battery life and an anti-tangle function. Compare battery life on the setting used for carpets, and check the attachments if you plan to vacuum furniture.
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A cordless stick vacuum to consider if you’d also like a detachable battery. The product listing specifies 45,000 Pa, up to 60 minutes of battery life and an anti-tangle function. For hair on carpets or sofas, check the model’s performance, the setting used and which brush is actually included.
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This robot is designed for regular floor cleaning, not for cleaning sofas. The product listing specifies an automatic-emptying dock, LiDAR navigation, a mopping function, an anti-tangle system and 8,000 Pa of suction. Compare its performance on carpets and along edges, and check what maintenance the dock requires.
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A corded model could suit you if you’d rather not rely on a battery for manual cleaning. The product listing specifies 550 W, a 0,5 L dust container and a 4,5 m cable. Check that the cable reaches from your sockets, and find out which floor head is included for carpets and how to maintain it.
Yes, for new vacuum cleaners covered by the French scheme. The French Ministry for the Ecological Transition lists vacuum cleaners among the product categories included. Check the displayed rating and its details, including information on how easy the appliance is to dismantle and access to spare parts. The rating doesn’t measure how well it picks up hair. Second-hand, refurbished and rented appliances aren’t subject to the same display requirement.
No. A robot cleans floors, not furniture or raised upholstery. If your sofa is a key surface in your home, check that you have a manual vacuum with a suitable attachment actually included.
Check how the roller is removed and cleaned on the specific model, even if it’s described as anti-tangle. The care instructions and tests that assess how easy it is to clean will tell you more about this task than the feature’s name alone.
No. A filtration specification describes how particles are captured under the conditions stated for the appliance; it doesn’t prove that the appliance offers a medical benefit for allergies. Compare this feature separately from how well the vacuum cleans hair from the surfaces in your home.