For quick clean-ups in a small home, a cordless stick vacuum is easy to handle and store, as long as its battery life on the setting you use is sufficient. For a larger home or a mix of floor types, UFC-Que Choisir’s guides tend to recommend a cylinder vacuum for a more thorough clean. Whether you choose a bagged or bagless model also depends on how much maintenance you’re happy to do. A robot vacuum can clean on a schedule in uncluttered spaces, but it won’t necessarily replace manual cleaning.
If you mainly vacuum small areas, an appliance that’s easy to take out and put away may matter more than one designed for long cleaning sessions. Just make sure its battery life on the setting you need is suitable for your floors.
If you have several rooms, rugs or carpets, compare how each model performs on your different floors, along with its accessories and bag or bin capacity. A cylinder vacuum is worth considering for more thorough cleans.
A robot vacuum is a good option if you want to keep uncluttered floors clean on a regular basis. Keep a manual vacuum handy for areas it can’t reach easily and for more thorough cleans.
Worth considering: for short, frequent cleans when easy handling and storage are priorities.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the setting you use, which may limit how long you can clean for.
Worth considering: for a more thorough clean across a larger area or several floor types, according to UFC-Que Choisir’s guides.
Bear in mind: the cord and storage space; bagged models need replacement bags, while bagless models require you to empty and clean the bin.
Worth considering: for scheduled cleaning on uncluttered floors between manual cleans.
Bear in mind: results vary depending on the floor, and the robot needs looking after too, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Handling and storage | Compare how much space the vacuum takes up when stored, its weight and whether it has a cord. Check where you’ll keep the appliance and its accessories. | For a few crumbs or a small room, I want to be able to get the vacuum out quickly and put it away without any fuss. |
| Cleaning performance | Look for results relevant to your hard floors, rugs or carpets, and check which brushes are included. Motor power alone doesn’t show how well a vacuum performs on every floor type. | I have both hard floors and rugs at home, so I want an appliance and accessories suited to both. |
| Battery life and capacity | For a stick vacuum, compare battery life by mode and brush with the time it takes to clean your home. For all types, check the bag or bin capacity and how it’s emptied. | I’d rather clean several rooms without stopping to recharge the appliance or empty its bin. |
| Maintenance and consumables | Check how easy it is to access the filters, brush and spare parts. For a bagged cylinder vacuum, check the bag reference; for a connected robot, also look into maintaining the docking station and app. | Regular maintenance and consumables need to suit the way I plan to use the appliance. |
This figure usually refers to the lowest setting. UFC-Que Choisir says stick vacuums last around ten minutes on average at full power, so using this mode can affect how long it takes to clean your home.
Compare battery life by mode and brush with the time you need to clean your rooms and floor coverings.
A wattage figure on its own doesn’t tell you how well an appliance will clean a rug, carpet or wooden floor with gaps between the boards.
Look for tests on the types of flooring in your home and check which heads and accessories are included.
Bags, filters, the bin, brush and, depending on the type, the battery all need different kinds of attention over time.
Before choosing, check the references for consumables, access to spare parts and the maintenance needed for the specific model.
UFC-Que Choisir notes that robot vacuum performance varies according to the type of floor. The layout of your rooms and how well you maintain the appliance matter too.
Use a robot for scheduled cleans, and think about how you’ll tackle hard-to-reach areas and any dirt it leaves behind.
Rowenta’s French catalogue includes cordless stick vacuums, bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, and robot vacuums.
Miele France offers, among other products, bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, as well as cordless stick vacuums.
Dyson France offers cordless stick vacuums and bagless cylinder vacuums, including the Big Ball and Cinetic Big Ball ranges.
These Joybuy options include two cylinder vacuums, two cordless stick vacuums and a robot vacuum to use as an extra. Compare their design with your floor types, the length of your cleaning sessions and the maintenance you’re happy to do.
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This bagless cylinder vacuum is worth considering if you’re looking for an appliance for more thorough cleans and are happy to empty a bin. Its product listing specifies 900 W and LED lighting; motor power alone doesn’t show how well it will clean your floors.
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This bagged cylinder vacuum is worth considering for a thorough clean if you’re happy to use bags. Before choosing, check that the included brushes suit your floors and find out which bags are compatible.
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The cordless design makes quick clean-ups easier, without a cable to get in the way. The manufacturer claims up to 65 minutes of battery life. Compare this figure, given for standard mode, with the setting you’ll need for your floors.
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The self-standing design may be useful if you want to put the appliance down between cleaning sessions. The 45-minute figure in its name is given without specifying a mode, so check the battery life on the setting you’ll use.
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This robot vacuum and mop is an option for scheduled cleans between manual sessions. Check how much room its docking station needs, what maintenance it requires and whether the robot is suited to your home’s layout and floors.
Not necessarily: the maximum figure usually refers to the lowest power setting. UFC-Que Choisir reports an average battery life of around ten minutes for stick vacuums at full power, so compare the time for each mode with how long it takes to clean your rooms and rugs.
A bagged model may suit you if you’d rather not empty and clean a bin. In the comparison published by UFC-Que Choisir, bagged vacuum cleaners performed better than their bagless counterparts on the floors and types of dirt tested. A bagless model means you won’t need to buy bags, but you will have to empty the bin and maintain the filters. Check that the brushes are suitable for your floors too.
Don’t assume it will replace your main vacuum altogether. A robot can clean uncluttered floors on its own, but UFC-Que Choisir notes that results vary depending on the floor covering. Make sure you have a way to clean difficult areas, and check what’s involved in maintaining the bin or docking station.
ADEME recommends considering repair, donation or resale before taking the appliance to a collection point for electrical equipment. Check whether you can drop it off at a shop or recycling centre in your area.