For frequent, quick cleans in a busy home, a stick vacuum with several power settings may be a good fit, provided you compare its noise and cleaning performance at the setting you’ll use on your floors. If thick rugs or carpets need a deeper clean, compare cylinder vacuums too. A robot may suit scheduled cleaning, but only if it can move around your home and clean your floors effectively.
If you vacuum regularly at different times of day, look for a setting that’s practical for everyday use and keeps noise to a minimum without compromising on cleaning. Que Choisir highlights the potential trade-off between noise and suction.
Check suction performance on each of your floor coverings, especially rugs, carpets and gaps between floorboards. Que Choisir tests performance on different types of flooring.
If a stick vacuum is to become your main cleaner, compare its run time at the setting you need, how easy it is to manoeuvre and how well it performs on difficult surfaces. Que Choisir notes that cylinder vacuums can have an edge when it comes to suction on thick rugs and carpets.
Consider it: for frequent, quick cleans, especially if a compact design makes it easier to store.
Trade-off: a more powerful setting can significantly reduce run time; in its tests of stick vacuums, Que Choisir found an average of around ten minutes at maximum power.
Consider it: if cleaning thick rugs or carpets matters more than a compact design; Que Choisir found that stick vacuums often have lower suction on these surfaces.
Trade-off: you’ll need to accept a bulkier appliance and compare how noisy different models are at the setting you’ll use.
Consider it: for scheduled cleans, if your chosen robot can navigate thresholds, rugs and cluttered areas in your home.
Trade-off: check how well it cleans your floor coverings, edges and corners rather than assuming it will perform as well as another type of vacuum.
For regular cleaning in a busy home, start with the factor most likely to disrupt your routine, then check the others at the power setting you’ll actually need.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Noise levels | Noise measured at the setting you’ll use and cleaning performance at the same setting; don’t rely on the decibel figure alone. | When I clean while other people are at home, I want to keep noise down without compromising on picking up dust. Around 29 % of consumers put quiet operation first. |
| Performance on different floors | Separate tests on the floor coverings you have, especially hard floors, rugs and carpets. | With several types of flooring at home, I want to know whether the appliance can handle my most demanding surfaces too. Around 29 % of consumers prioritise performance on different floors. |
| Practical run time | Run time on standard and maximum settings, rather than just the maximum run time advertised. | I want to clean the areas I’ve planned without stopping to recharge the appliance. Around 24 % of consumers prioritise run time at the setting they need. |
| Ease of use and maintenance | Weight in your hand, storage, and access to the bin, filter and brush. | In a small space, I want to be able to take out, move and store the vacuum easily, then maintain its everyday components. Around 18 % of consumers prioritise ease of use. |
A noise figure on its own doesn’t tell you whether the vacuum will clean your floors effectively at that setting. Que Choisir points out that low noise and powerful suction can be difficult to combine.
Compare noise and suction under similar test conditions, at the power setting you expect to use when other people are at home.
The maximum run time advertised usually applies at a low power setting. In the tests cited by Que Choisir, stick vacuums lasted an average of around ten minutes at maximum power.
Check the run time on both standard and maximum settings, then compare it with the areas you need to clean at each setting.
A stick vacuum’s compact design doesn’t guarantee the same results on thick rugs or carpets. Que Choisir found that suction is often lower than with a cylinder vacuum on these surfaces.
If these surfaces make up a large part of your home, compare test results on them before deciding whether the space saving is worth the trade-off.
A clogged filter, brush or bin can reduce cleaning performance. So, a vacuum’s manoeuvrability when you buy it isn’t the only factor in how easy it will be to use over time.
Check how easy it is to access the parts that need cleaning, and look up the model’s repairability index. According to ADEME, the index applies to corded, cordless and robot vacuums.
Les Numériques includes the Dyson V12 Slim Absolute, V15 Detect Absolute and V8 Cyclone among the stick vacuums in its French selection.
The Narwal V40 stick vacuum features in Les Numériques’ French selection of models designed for different types of flooring.
Les Numériques includes the Hoover HF3 Dynamic Clean in its French selection of stick vacuums.
This cordless model fits the stick vacuum option for regular cleans. To decide whether it’s right for a busy home, also compare its noise at the setting you’ll use, practical run time and performance on your floor coverings.
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Worth considering for regular cleans if a cordless, self-standing appliance would make your routine easier.
Its product description lists 450 W, 45 000 Pa and up to 60 minutes of run time. These figures don’t prove how well it will clean your floors or how long the battery will last at the setting you need.
The brush is described as anti-tangle. Before choosing this model for cleaning while other people are at home, compare its noise at the setting you’ll use and its performance on your floor coverings.
No, these figures aren’t enough to establish how well it will clean the floors in your home. Instead, look for separate tests on hard floors, rugs and carpets, taking the power setting into account.
The maximum run time is usually quoted at a low power setting, while the maximum setting uses more power. In its tests of stick vacuums, Que Choisir found an average run time of around ten minutes at maximum power. So, check the run time at the setting your floors need.
It helps you compare how easy an appliance is to repair, but it doesn’t tell you how noisy it is or how well it sucks up dirt. ADEME says the index applies to corded, cordless and robot vacuums. Use it alongside cleaning test results.
Clean the filter, brush and dust bin regularly, following the instructions for your model. Que Choisir says a clogged appliance can use more energy while delivering poorer results. Also check that these parts are easy for you to access.