Choose a stick vacuum if you want something that’s easy to grab and put away for frequent cleaning, but check the runtime in the mode you’ll use. For regular cleaning across several rooms and carpets, a cylinder vacuum is worth considering as your main appliance. A stick or handheld vacuum can complement it if quick touch-ups and full cleaning sessions meet two different needs.
If you vacuum briefly but often, an appliance that’s easy to grab and put away may matter more than being able to clean for a long stretch without stopping. Que Choisir highlights the convenience of a stick vacuum for quick clean-ups, while advising you to consider its runtime.
For regular cleaning across hard floors, carpets and several rooms, assess your main appliance based on the surfaces you need to clean. Que Choisir’s guides recommend looking at cleaning results and the brush, rather than relying on power figures alone.
If handling dust is a concern, or you plan to keep your appliance for a long time, compare bags, filters, brush maintenance and replaceable parts. You’ll need the exact model reference to find compatible consumables or a replacement battery.
Worth considering: for short, frequent cleaning sessions when you want your vacuum to be easy to reach.
Bear in mind: runtime depends on the setting you choose. Que Choisir notes that at full power, average runtime is much shorter than the maximum advertised figure.
Worth considering: as your main appliance for longer cleaning sessions across different floors, especially if you have carpets.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to make space to store it and allow for the cable. A bagged version also requires compatible bags.
Worth considering: if you use a stick or handheld vacuum for furniture and quick clean-ups, while another appliance handles full cleaning sessions.
Bear in mind: two appliances take up more space and each needs maintaining.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quick clean-ups and storage | Weight in the configuration you’ll use, storage space and runtime for each setting. | If you clean in short bursts, being able to take the appliance out and put it away without effort becomes a priority. Around 36% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Cleaning floors and carpets | The brush supplied for each floor type and test results for the surfaces you need to clean; useful reach or runtime. | If you regularly clean several rooms and carpets, I’d prioritise being able to complete a full cleaning session. This would be the main need for around 29% of consumers. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Bag and filter references, cleaning instructions and exact compatibility of a replacement battery. | If emptying the bin or replacing consumables could make maintenance more difficult, I’d want to know what the model I choose will involve. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Furniture and awkward corners | Whether it converts into a handheld vacuum and which accessories are actually included for the areas you want to clean. | If you often clean cushions, stairs or tight spaces, reaching these areas matters more than covering every floor. This would be the priority for around 14% of consumers. |
As Que Choisir points out, these figures alone don’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean your carpets or hard floors.
Look for test results on the types of flooring you have and check which brush comes with the exact variant.
The advertised runtime for a stick vacuum depends on the setting. In its tests, Que Choisir found an average runtime of around ten minutes at full power.
Check how long it runs in the mode you’ll need, and make sure you know the compatible reference if you’re considering a replacement battery.
A bagged model needs compatible bags, while a bagless model needs its bin emptied and filters maintained according to the instructions.
Before choosing, find out which consumables you’ll need and what maintenance the exact model requires.
A handheld vacuum makes spot cleaning easier, but its format alone doesn’t mean it will also cover all your floors and carpets.
Only pair two appliances if each meets a different, regular need – for example, one for furniture and the other for floors.
You’ll also need to store and maintain two appliances.
The X-Force Flex stick vacuum range is aimed in particular at people looking for a cordless design for frequent cleaning and easy access under furniture.
The BGL38WH3H Série 4 bagged cylinder vacuum is worth considering if bag capacity and operating radius are key factors in your choice of main appliance.
The Guard L1 Allergy is a bagged cylinder vacuum worth considering if accessories and filter type are among your priorities.
The V8 is a cordless stick vacuum worth considering if converting it into a handheld vacuum would also suit your furniture-cleaning needs.
These models cover everyday cleaning with cordless or corded stick vacuums, longer sessions with a bagged cylinder vacuum, and spot cleaning with a handheld vacuum. Start by choosing according to the surfaces you need to clean and how long you expect each session to take.
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Worth considering for frequent cleaning and, depending on the accessories supplied with the variant, for reaching under furniture. The product information lists up to 65 minutes in standard mode. Check the runtime in the mode you’ll need, particularly with the brush you’ll be using.
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Its cordless design could suit regular cleaning if you’d rather not keep switching sockets. The product information lists a detachable battery and up to 60 minutes of runtime. Check which mode this figure applies to and which accessories are included.
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Worth considering as your main appliance if you expect to clean several rooms in one session and prefer a bagged cylinder vacuum. Make sure it’s easy to manoeuvre and store in your home, then check which bags are compatible before buying.
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The convertible design could suit both floor cleaning and spot cleaning, without needing to recharge. Check that the advertised 4.5 m cable works with the position of your sockets. If you have carpets, also check which brush comes with this variant.
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Worth considering as a companion for furniture, the car and awkward corners, rather than for cleaning every floor in one session. The advertised 40-minute runtime is for Eco mode. Check the runtime in Turbo mode and which accessories are included with the variant you choose.
No. Que Choisir says that the watts, volts or air watts shown don’t, on their own, tell you how well a vacuum will clean. Compare test results for your flooring and check which brush is included, especially if you have carpets.
Check which operating mode it refers to: the maximum advertised runtime usually applies at low power. Que Choisir found an average runtime of around ten minutes at full power in its tests, so check how long it runs in the mode you’ll use.
You’ll need compatible bags to replace when they’re full, but replacing the bag means you don’t have to empty a dust bin directly. With a bagless model, you’ll need to empty the bin and maintain the filters according to the instructions.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning the filters, brush and, where applicable, the bin. Before buying, check the references of any replaceable parts too, as these depend on the exact model.