For regular cleaning across several rooms, including hard floors and carpets, a cylinder vacuum is a good place to start. A bagged model means you don’t have to empty a dusty bin directly. A cordless stick vacuum is better suited to quick clean-ups, provided its battery lasts long enough on the setting you use. A robot vacuum can help keep floors clean, but it won’t tackle furniture or the car. A wet and dry vacuum is more suited to mess associated with specific tasks, such as DIY.
You switch between parquet or tiled floors and rugs or fitted carpets. When choosing a main vacuum cleaner, check how it performs on each surface, particularly in gaps and on carpet fibres. UFC-Que Choisir assesses these surfaces separately in its tests.
You want to be able to quickly vacuum up crumbs, clean the stairs, freshen up a piece of furniture or tidy the inside of the car. A cordless stick vacuum’s manoeuvrability may matter more than its advertised maximum run time, as long as the battery lasts for your cleaning sessions.
You want to minimise contact with dust or make regular cleaning tasks easier. Compare how easy it is to remove a bag, empty a bin and clean the filters, and, for a robot vacuum, maintain its docking station if it has one.
If your home has a mix of floors and above-floor surfaces, start by considering which surfaces you need to clean, then think about run time and how maintenance fits into your routine. UFC-Que Choisir covers these uses in its guides to cylinder, stick and robot vacuums.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Performance on different floors | Check test results for your floor types and make sure the vacuum has suitable brushes for hard floors and carpets. | If my rooms have a mix of parquet flooring with gaps and carpets, I want a vacuum that can handle both rather than relying on the wattage alone. Around 36% of consumers prioritise cleaning different surfaces. |
| Speed and battery life | Compare run time on the setting you need and check which tools are included for furniture and awkward corners. | For frequent clean-ups on floors, cushions and sometimes in the car, I prioritise a vacuum that’s easy to pick up and use. Around 29% of consumers are said to prioritise quick and easy cleaning. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check how to remove the bag or empty the bin, and how easy it is to access the filters and brush. | If I find emptying a dusty bin or untangling a brush a hassle, I consider the tasks I’ll need to do every week. Around 21% of consumers say managing maintenance is their main concern. |
| Automated floor cleaning | Check performance on your floors, how well it reaches corners, and what’s involved in maintaining the bin or docking station. | If I want to leave regular floor cleaning to a robot, I’m happy to keep another tool for furniture and the car. Around 14% of consumers are said to prioritise automation. |
A figure in watts, volts or pascals doesn’t tell you by itself how well a vacuum picks up dirt from parquet, rugs and fitted carpets. UFC-Que Choisir tests vacuums on different floor types, as both the floorhead and the surface affect the results.
Look for test results on the floors in your home and check which brushes come with the exact model you’re considering.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, a stick vacuum’s advertised run time is often based on a low-power setting. You may need a different mode for some carpets.
Compare run times for each mode and find out whether the battery can be replaced.
Depending on how long your cleaning sessions last, you may need a second compatible battery or a replacement further down the line.
A bagged cylinder vacuum needs compatible bags, while a bagless model requires you to empty the bin and maintain its filters. These options differ in how much contact you have with dust.
Before choosing, check how to remove the dust container, clean the filter and access the brush.
A robot vacuum can keep floors clean, but it can’t clean furniture, stairs or the car. UFC-Que Choisir also notes that results vary across different surfaces.
Keep another way to clean above-floor surfaces, and check how the robot performs on your carpets and in corners.
Miele’s bagged cylinder vacuums may appeal to households looking for a main vacuum in this style.
Rowenta stick vacuums are worth considering if you’re looking for a cordless model with tools for different surfaces.
A stick vacuum that converts into a handheld model is worth looking at if you plan to clean furniture, upholstery and car seats.
These models cover three of the uses discussed here: cordless stick vacuums for easy, flexible cleaning, a bagged cylinder vacuum for household cleaning, and a robot vacuum to help keep floors clean. Compare their accessories and operating requirements with the needs of your home.
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Its stick design is worth considering for quick clean-ups on floors or around furniture. The product name states up to 45 minutes’ run time, an anti-tangle brush and a self-standing design. Check the run time on the setting you’ll need for your carpets, as well as which accessories are actually included.
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Worth considering for frequent, short cleaning sessions, especially if you want to clean both floors and above-floor surfaces. The product name states up to 65 minutes’ run time and an anti-tangle brush. Check the run time on the mode you’ll use and which accessories are included.
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The cordless design may suit you if you alternate between cleaning floors and tackling hard-to-reach areas. The product name states that it has a removable battery and offers up to 60 minutes’ run time. Check which mode that figure applies to and how it performs on your floor types.
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A bagged cylinder vacuum is worth considering for regular cleaning across several rooms, without relying on a battery. Check which brushes come with this model, how it performs on your carpets, and whether it includes tools for furniture or crevices if you need them.
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This robot vacuum is worth considering to help with regular floor cleaning, but not for furniture, stairs or the car. The product name states that it has an auto-emptying station, 3D obstacle avoidance and up to 180 minutes’ run time. Check how it performs on your carpets and what maintenance the station requires.
Yes, if its run time on the setting you need is long enough for your cleaning sessions and it performs well on your carpets and hard floors. For frequent deep cleans or thick carpets, compare it with a cylinder vacuum too: UFC-Que Choisir generally describes stick vacuums as better suited to occasional or supplementary cleaning.
Look for a floorhead suited to your hard floors, a tool for carpets if needed, a crevice tool and an attachment for furniture or seats. Check that these are included with the model you choose and that the brush is easy to access for cleaning.
It’s a run time based on particular usage conditions. According to UFC-Que Choisir, the advertised maximum is often measured at low power. To find out whether you can finish cleaning, look for the run time on the setting you’ll need for your surfaces.
Not if your cleaning routine also includes furniture, upholstery, stairs or the car. A robot can clean your floors regularly, but compare its performance on each surface and allow for the maintenance its bin or docking station requires.