For frequent, quick dust-busting in a small home, a cordless stick vacuum is a good choice if easy handling matters more to you than long cleaning sessions. UFC-Que Choisir recommends it mainly for quick, supplementary cleaning: check the battery life in the mode you’ll use, how it performs on your floors and how easy it is to empty. Consider a cylinder vacuum for a thorough clean; a robot vacuum is better suited to hands-free maintenance.
If you get the vacuum out to deal with crumbs and dust between full cleans, the manoeuvrability of a cordless stick vacuum makes it a handy option for the quick, supplementary cleaning described by UFC-Que Choisir. Also check the battery life at the power setting you need and how often you’re likely to empty the bin.
Good results on hard floors alone aren’t enough to judge a model for all your floor coverings. Les Numériques’ tests assess different surfaces, including wooden floors, short-pile carpet and deep-pile rugs. Look for results for the specific model on the floors in your home.
Check what’s involved in emptying the bin and maintaining the filter. An emptying station can reduce the need to empty the bin directly, but it takes up space and may use bags. A bagged cylinder vacuum is also worth considering for a thorough clean.
First decide what kind of cleaning you want to do, then see how the model’s features match your floors and the length of your actual cleaning sessions.
Choose this: if you want to grab a manoeuvrable appliance quickly and clean a small area yourself.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the power setting, and you’ll need to empty the bin.
Choose this: if a thorough clean of floors and fabrics matters more than being able to grab your vacuum quickly.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move the body and hose around, then put them away.
Choose this: if you want your floors cleaned automatically, especially while you’re out.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to prepare the space and keep an eye on the bin; it isn’t a direct replacement for targeted manual cleaning.
| What to consider | What to check | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Manoeuvrability | Check how heavy it feels in your hand, whether it reaches under furniture and which accessories are included. If you also clean surfaces or your car, check whether it converts to a handheld vacuum or comes with suitable attachments. | I want to clean the floors quickly, then reach furniture without getting out a second appliance. |
| Battery life | Compare the run time at the power setting you’ll use, not just the maximum advertised figure. In its tests, UFC-Que Choisir found an average of around ten minutes at maximum power. Check the results for the model you’re considering. | I need to be able to clean the areas that matter most before recharging, especially if I have to turn up the power. |
| Performance on different floors | Look for separate test results on hard floors, grooved wooden floors, rugs and carpets, as relevant to your home. Check which floor head is included rather than assuming performance from the motor’s wattage alone. | Tiles and a rug present different challenges. I want to know how it performs on the surfaces I actually clean. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check how to remove and clean the bin, filter and brush. If there’s an emptying station, check how much space it needs and whether it uses bags. ADEME notes that vacuum cleaners are covered by the repairability index; this doesn’t measure suction performance. | I’d like to handle less dust without adding a bulky station or a difficult maintenance routine. |
This figure doesn’t necessarily reflect how long it will run at high power. In its tests, UFC-Que Choisir found an average battery life of around ten minutes at maximum power.
Compare the run times at the setting you plan to use and check whether recharging would interrupt your usual cleaning routine.
Suction tests assess different floor coverings and how well the floor head picks up dust and debris. The power rating alone won’t tell you how it will perform on a rug or grooved wooden floor.
Look for test results on your floor coverings and check which brush comes with the version you’re considering.
A small bin may need emptying often. An emptying station changes how you dispose of the dust, but some models, including the Narwal V40 described in Les Numériques’ review, use a bag.
Check how easy it is to reach the bin, filter and brush, and how the station works if the model comes with one.
If the station uses a bag, you’ll also need to allow for replacements.
Even a stick vacuum used for just a few minutes at a time needs maintaining and may eventually need repairing. ADEME notes that vacuum cleaners are among the appliances covered by the repairability index.
Check the index for the model you’re considering and find out how easy it is to access the battery and spare parts. Repairability isn’t the same as suction performance.
These brands are useful points of comparison, but findings from a test of one model don’t apply to the entire range.
The range includes the V12 Detect Slim Absolute, tested by Les Numériques.
The V40 is a cordless stick vacuum supplied with an emptying station; the following points relate to this model.
The A30S is an example of the brand’s stick vacuums tested by Les Numériques.
A cordless stick vacuum brand worth comparing model by model for a small home.
Another cordless stick vacuum brand to consider, depending on the layout of your home.
This selection includes cordless stick vacuums for quick cleans, handheld formats for surfaces and a corded stick vacuum if you’d rather not worry about recharging. The advertised features don’t replace test results on your own floors.
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Worth considering for frequent floor cleaning if you’re looking for a cordless stick vacuum. The listing states up to 65 min of battery life, an anti-tangle brush, a self-standing design and an LED display. Compare the battery life with the setting you’ll use.
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Consider this if a removable battery and self-standing storage suit your everyday needs. The listing states 60 min of battery life and an anti-tangle brush. Check the run time at the power setting you need.
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Its stick and handheld formats make it suitable for cleaning both floors and surfaces. The listing states 40 min of battery life and an LED display. Check which accessories are included and the run time at the setting you’ll use.
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This stick vacuum can also be used as a handheld and avoids charging breaks, as long as you have access to a plug socket while cleaning. The advertised bin capacity is 0.5 l and the cord is 4.5 m long. Check that it will reach around your home.
Not on its own: compare the run time at the setting you’ll use. UFC-Que Choisir says the maximum advertised figure usually refers to the lowest power setting. Its tests found an average of around ten minutes at maximum power, so check the figures for the model you choose.
Look for separate test results for the floor coverings in your home, including grooved wooden floors, rugs and carpets. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocols assess suction on different floors; motor wattage alone isn’t enough to predict the results.
It helps you assess whether a vacuum cleaner can be repaired rather than replaced. ADEME says the index covers corded and cordless vacuum cleaners, as well as robot vacuums; it doesn’t tell you how well they perform when vacuuming.
Clean the filter, brush and bin according to the model’s instructions. For the battery, UFC-Que Choisir recommends recharging after use rather than waiting for it to run completely flat, and storing the appliance somewhere dry, away from frost, heat and direct sunlight.
Not for the same jobs: a robot vacuum cleans floors automatically, while a stick vacuum lets you target an area or surface straight away. UFC-Que Choisir notes that robot vacuum performance varies. You’ll also need to keep an eye on the bin and check the app’s usage requirements if one is needed.