For frequent cleaning of hard floors in a small home, a cordless stick vacuum is easy to grab and put away. A 2-in-1 model also lets you clean furniture and corners with its handheld vacuum. If you have more carpets, rugs or floorboard gaps to tackle, compare its performance on these surfaces with that of a compact cylinder vacuum. And remember to check the stick vacuum’s battery life in the mode you’ll use.
In a small home, you want to pick up dust and crumbs without spending ages on every clean. How easy the vacuum is to grab and put away matters just as much as its size, as UFC-Que Choisir highlights in its advice on cordless stick vacuums.
If you regularly move from the floor to the sofa, skirting boards or car, a detachable handheld vacuum could save you from getting out a second appliance. Check which accessories are included for the surfaces you want to clean; Bosch describes this set-up in its Flexxo range.
If you want to be able to replace a battery or filter, check the parts available and repair options for the exact model before you buy. The availability of parts for one model, such as those listed by Dyson for the Cyclone V10, doesn’t apply to an entire brand.
Consider it: for frequent cleaning of hard floors, when getting the vacuum out and putting it away quickly is a priority.
Bear in mind: battery life varies depending on the power setting. UFC-Que Choisir also recommends checking performance on more challenging floor types.
Consider it: if regular cleaning includes furniture and corners, thanks to a detachable handheld vacuum like the one described in the Bosch Flexxo range.
Bear in mind: converting it to a handheld vacuum doesn’t in itself guarantee good performance on carpets or in floorboard gaps. Check the weight and accessories of the model you choose, too.
Consider it: if carpets, rugs or a deeper clean are important to you, even in a small home.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to get it out, plug it in and put it away, so it’s less convenient for a quick clean. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes these uses from quick touch-ups with a stick vacuum.
To compare these types of vacuum, start with your floors and any surfaces above floor level, then consider how long a cleaning session takes against the battery life available in the setting you need.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Getting it out and putting it away | Weight of the complete vacuum; space needed for charging and storage. | I want to pick up crumbs as soon as they appear, without leaving a bulky appliance in the middle of the room. Around 31% of consumers rank easy access and storage as their top priority. |
| Cleaning performance on floors | Tests on the floor types in your home; the included brush, rather than motor wattage alone. | If I have floorboard gaps or rugs, I need to know whether the vacuum will pick up dust from these surfaces, not just smooth floors. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Battery life and charging | Run time in each setting with the brush you’ll use; charging time and batteries included. | I don’t want to interrupt a regular clean because the battery runs out in the setting I need. Battery life and charging are a priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Maintenance and parts | Access to the filter, brush and battery; parts and repairs for the exact model. | I want to keep the vacuum working well and be able to maintain the parts that wear out or get clogged. Around 15% of consumers make this their top priority. |
UFC-Que Choisir explains that the maximum advertised run time is measured at the lowest power setting. A cleaning session using a more powerful setting or a motorised brush may therefore need a different benchmark.
Compare the run times given for each setting and, if you use a motorised brush, look for a run time specified with that accessory.
Electrical wattage alone doesn’t prove how well a vacuum picks up dust. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests look at performance on smooth floors, in floorboard gaps and on rugs.
Look for results for the specific model on your floor types and check which brush is included.
A vacuum that’s easy to put away may be less convenient to maintain than you expect if the parts that need cleaning or replacing are difficult to access.
Check the instructions and the parts available for the exact model, rather than relying on claims about the whole range.
Depending on the model, replacing a filter or battery may be an additional maintenance cost.
A compact stick vacuum is handy for quick cleans, but that doesn’t guarantee good results on thick carpets or in floorboard gaps. UFC-Que Choisir presents a cylinder vacuum as an alternative to consider for a deeper clean.
If these surfaces are a key factor in your purchase, compare the performance of the models you’re considering before making space-saving your only priority.
The X-Pert and X-Force ranges include cordless stick vacuums; maintenance features vary by model.
The Unlimited and Flexxo ranges suit two different needs: interchangeable batteries on some Unlimited models and a built-in handheld vacuum in the Flexxo range.
Electrolux provides information on accessories and maintenance for some of its stick vacuum ranges.
Dyson provides support information and lists parts for some of its cordless vacuums.
These cordless models are suited to quick cleans in a small home; some may also work for occasional cleaning of surfaces above floor level. For each one, check the run time in the setting you need, the accessories and how well it’s expected to clean your floors.
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Worth considering if you want to clean floors quickly and check whether it can also clean furniture in handheld mode.
The product listing gives 55 kPa, 550 W and up to 55 minutes of run time, but doesn’t specify the setting for that figure in the title. Check the run time with the brush you’ll use, the weight of the complete vacuum and which parts are available for the ME03.
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For occasional cleans with a break between areas, check whether its self-standing design and accessories suit your storage space and the surfaces you need to clean.
The title gives 45,000 Pa, up to 60 minutes of run time and a removable battery. Confirm the specifications for the UV1, which setting the run time applies to and which parts are available for this model.
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Worth a look if you want to stand the vacuum upright between cleans. To clean furniture, check the handheld set-up and included accessories.
The title gives 60,000 Pa and up to 65 minutes of run time. Check which setting and accessory this run time applies to, as well as the weight you’ll need to handle and the parts available for the UV5.
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If you’re short on storage space between cleans, check its self-standing design and whether the brush suits your floor types.
The title gives up to 50 minutes of run time and a removable battery. Check the run time at the suction level you’ll use, and how easy it is to access the filters and battery on this model.
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Worth considering if you adjust the suction level for quick cleans and more demanding surfaces, after checking how well it performs on your floors.
The title gives 45 kPa and a removable battery. Compare the run time at both speeds and check the weight, storage requirements and parts available for the V14.
Not necessarily: it needs to match the setting and accessories you’ll use during your cleaning session. UFC-Que Choisir explains that the maximum advertised run time is measured at the lowest power setting. So compare the run times available for the setting you need, with the motorised brush if you plan to use it.
It depends on how well the model performs on these surfaces, not just on the fact that it’s cordless. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests distinguish between smooth floors, floorboard gaps, and rugs or carpets. Look for results that match the floor types in your home.
No, motor wattage alone isn’t enough to compare dust pick-up. Rowenta distinguishes between electrical power and suction power; also look at the brush and, where possible, test results for the types of floor you need to clean.
Follow the instructions for your chosen model when cleaning the filter and brush, then check whether replacement parts and repairs are available for that model. For the Dyson models concerned, Dyson advises using the high-power setting less often in everyday use; this doesn’t replace the instructions for another model.