For regular cleaning of floors and rugs in a home with pets, start by choosing a cylinder vacuum that suits your flooring, then check which brushes are actually included for fabrics and awkward corners. A bagged model is a good choice if you want less contact with dust when emptying it. A bagless model means you won’t need to replace bags, but you will need to empty the bin and maintain the filters. A cordless stick vacuum can make quick clean-ups easier, but it won’t necessarily replace a cylinder vacuum for deep-pile rugs or longer cleaning sessions, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
If hair gets caught in the fibres, check how the model performs on your flooring and which floor head is included. UFC-Que Choisir tests distinguish between surfaces such as carpet, tiles and parquet: a result on one type of floor doesn’t tell you how it will perform on the others.
Cleaning floors, cushions and crevices calls for the right attachments. Check that they’re included in the box or, if you’re buying them separately, that they’re compatible with your vacuum’s exact model number.
Choosing between a bag and a bin affects the tasks you’ll need to do regularly: replacing a bag, or emptying a bin and maintaining its filters. UFC-Que Choisir says bagged models generally expose you to less dust during maintenance; still, compare the design of the models you’re considering.
First choose your main vacuum based on the floors you need to clean. Then decide how you’d prefer to empty it and which attachments you need for fabrics. A stick vacuum can meet a different need: quick clean-ups between full cleans.
Worth considering: for your main cleaning appliance, particularly if you want to minimise contact with dust when emptying it.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to replace the bags and move a corded appliance around.
Worth considering: if you’d rather avoid bags and don’t mind emptying the bin.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to maintain the bin and filters according to the model’s instructions.
Worth considering: as a handy extra for picking up pet hair between full cleaning sessions.
Check: how long it runs on the mode you need and how it performs on your rugs; UFC-Que Choisir notes that cordless models may struggle with deep-pile rugs.
| What matters | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and rugs | Test results for the model on your flooring; the included floor head and a brush suited to rugs. | When pet hair gets caught in rugs or carpets, I want to know first what the vacuum can remove from these surfaces. Around 36% of consumers put floor cleaning first. |
| Fabrics and awkward corners | Included fabric attachments; compatibility of any mini turbo brush you buy separately. | If pet hair clings to the sofa, cushions or crevices, I need attachments that can reach those areas. This is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Collection type, emptying routine and filter maintenance; bag reference if needed. | For frequent cleaning, I want to deal easily with the pet hair collected after each session. Around 21% of consumers prioritise emptying and maintenance. |
| Quick clean-ups | Run time on the mode you use and the brush included for the surfaces you need to clean. | Between full cleans, I mainly need to pick up pet hair quickly in the rooms we use most. Around 14% of consumers put ease of use for quick clean-ups ahead of the other criteria. |
These details alone don’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean your floors. UFC-Que Choisir tests vacuums on different surfaces, including with a dusty bag or a clogged bin.
Look for test results for the exact model on the surfaces in your home, and check which floor head is included.
A brush designed for pet hair won’t necessarily fit every vacuum. For example, Electrolux specifies a 36 mm connection for its ZE116 mini turbo brush.
Check your vacuum’s model number, the attachment fitting and the compatibility list published for the accessory.
A bagged cylinder vacuum needs compatible bags; a bagless model needs its bin emptied and filters maintained.
Before choosing, read the model’s maintenance instructions and check the reference numbers for any consumables it needs.
France’s repairability index covers aspects of repair; it doesn’t measure how well a vacuum cleans rugs or fabrics, according to the criteria set out by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition.
Consider this rating separately from vacuuming test results and the list of accessories included with the model.
The ProAnimal BGB41PET1 bagged and BGS41PET1 bagless cylinder vacuums show two ways to collect dust for the same household use.
The range includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, with fabric-cleaning accessories on some models.
According to its French product details, the Guard M1 Cat & Dog Flex bagged cylinder vacuum comes with a turbo brush and a flexible crevice nozzle.
The ZE116 mini turbo brush is an example of an accessory to consider for pet hair on fabrics, regardless of which main vacuum you choose.
This selection includes a bagged cylinder vacuum to consider as your main appliance, along with cordless stick vacuums for additional clean-ups. For each model, check the included accessories and how it performs on the surfaces you need to clean.
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Worth considering for cordless clean-ups between full cleans, but check how it performs on your floors. The product information claims up to 65 minutes of run time; check how long it lasts on the mode you’ll use on rugs.
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Consider it as your main appliance if you prefer collecting dust in a bag. Check how this model performs on your floors, which attachments are included if you want to clean the sofa, and the reference number for compatible bags.
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Its stick design may suit you if you want a handy vacuum for quick clean-ups between thorough sessions. If you have a lot of rugs at home, check how this model performs on them and how long it runs on the mode you need.
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Worth considering for touch-ups on different surfaces and use as a handheld vacuum. The product title states 550 W and 55 minutes of run time, but these figures don’t tell you how well it picks up pet hair. Check how long it lasts on the mode you’ll use on your rugs.
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Worth considering for cordless clean-ups if the removable battery mentioned in the product title suits your needs. The product details claim up to 60 minutes of run time; check which mode this figure applies to, and look separately at how it performs on your flooring.
Choose based on the maintenance tasks you’re happy to do: you replace a bag, while a bin needs emptying and its filters need maintaining. UFC-Que Choisir generally says bagged cylinder vacuums clean more effectively and expose you to less dust, but this doesn’t remove the need to compare specific models on your floors.
For rugs, check whether a turbo brush suited to the surface is included. For the sofa, look for an upholstery nozzle or mini turbo brush. If you’re buying an attachment separately, make sure it’s compatible with the vacuum’s full model number.
A stick vacuum may suit quick clean-ups, but it won’t necessarily replace a cylinder vacuum for long sessions or deep-pile rugs. UFC-Que Choisir notes that stick vacuums often perform less well on these surfaces, so check the model’s results and run time on the mode you’ll actually use before relying on it as your only vacuum.
No. For the vacuum cleaners covered in France, the score out of 10 gives information about repairability, including how easy the appliance is to dismantle and whether parts are available, according to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition. It’s no substitute for a vacuuming test on your flooring or for checking which accessories are included.