For regular cleaning throughout a large home, start by choosing a cylinder vacuum cleaner with tools suited to your floors, rugs and soft furnishings, and a reach that works for the rooms you need to cover. A bagged model means you don’t have to empty a dust container, but you will need compatible bags; a bagless model avoids buying bags, but you’ll still need to empty it and maintain the filters. A cordless stick vacuum is better suited to quick clean-ups between full cleans.
If you move from hard floors to rugs, then on to furniture and awkward corners, look for a main vacuum cleaner with tools suited to all these tasks. A single power rating won’t tell you how well it performs on every surface.
For a cleaning session that covers several rooms, consider the operating radius, bag or bin capacity, weight and stated noise level. These details can help you assess how often you’ll need to change sockets, how many interruptions to expect and how easy the vacuum is to move around.
Choosing between a bag and a bin changes how you dispose of dust. Before deciding, also check how easy the filters are to access, which compatible consumables are available and the model’s repairability rating.
For a thorough clean of a large home, first compare cylinder vacuum cleaners on your floor coverings and soft furnishings; then decide which emptying method suits you. A stick vacuum serves a different purpose: quick clean-ups without getting out your main appliance.
Worth considering : if you often clean your whole home and would rather remove a bag than empty a bin.
The trade-off : a corded appliance and the cost of buying bags that fit its model number.
Worth considering : if you want to avoid bags but still want a cylinder vacuum cleaner for thorough cleaning.
The trade-off : you’ll need to empty the bin and maintain the filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Worth considering : for quickly picking up debris or cleaning a small area between full cleans.
The trade-off : check the battery life and capacity before relying on it for a longer cleaning session.
| Criteria | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and accessories | Check which brushes are included for hard floors and rugs, then look for the tools you need for soft furnishings and awkward corners. Compare test results for each surface. | If I need to move from wooden floors to rugs and clean the furniture too, I want tools suited to each task; this would be the top priority for around 36 % of consumers. |
| Reach and comfort | Compare the operating radius, capacity, weight and stated noise level of the specific model. | When I have several rooms to clean, I’d rather avoid changing sockets and stopping frequently without compromising on manoeuvrability; for around 29 % of consumers, this comfort would come first. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check how to empty the appliance, which bags or filters are compatible and the model’s repairability rating. | If I’m concerned about coming into contact with dust when emptying the vacuum, I want to make an informed choice between a bag and a bin; around 21 % of consumers would put maintenance first. |
| Quick clean-ups | For a secondary stick vacuum, check how it feels in your hand, which heads are included and the stated battery life in the mode you’ll use. | Between full cleans, I want to tackle a small area without getting out the cylinder vacuum; this convenience would be the priority for around 14 % of consumers. |
A wattage figure alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up dirt from wooden floors, tiles or rugs. UFC-Que Choisir tests these surfaces separately in its testing procedure for cylinder vacuum cleaners.
Where available, check test results for each type of flooring and make sure you know which brush comes with the model you’re considering.
A brush featured in a product range won’t necessarily come with every appliance. For example, the Electrolux 500 EL51C2SW is listed with a hard-floor brush, but doesn’t include the mini brush or 2-in-1 tool.
Read the list of accessories supplied with the exact model number, and check that any separately sold tools are compatible.
You may need to buy a brush for wooden floors, soft furnishings or awkward corners separately if it isn’t included in the box.
A bin needs to be emptied and the filters maintained. A bagged appliance also needs its filters and brushes looked after, as well as compatible bags.
Before buying, check the model numbers of the consumables and read the appliance’s maintenance instructions.
Two models from the same brand aren’t necessarily equally easy to repair. In France, vacuum cleaners are among the product categories covered by the repairability index, according to the ministry responsible for the ecological transition.
Compare the score out of 10 and the criteria behind it for the models you’re interested in. Keep the appliance’s full model number so you can look for compatible spare parts.
Some of Rowenta’s bagged cylinder vacuum cleaners combine good reach and capacity with tools for different surfaces. Compare the specifications of the individual model rather than assuming they apply to the whole range.
The bagged cylinder vacuum cleaners and accessories featured by Miele France make it possible to compare equipment for wooden floors, rugs and soft furnishings.
The FC9747/09 is one bagless cylinder vacuum cleaner to compare if reach and bin capacity are important to you.
The Electrolux 500 EL51C2SW is an example of a bagless cylinder vacuum cleaner that lets you compare reach, capacity and what’s included in the box.
These models include two bagged cylinder vacuum cleaners to consider as your main appliance, and a cordless stick vacuum for quick clean-ups. For the cylinder vacuums, pay particular attention to the accessories for your rugs, furniture and soft furnishings. Don’t choose the stick vacuum as a replacement for a thorough clean based on its stated battery life alone.
Image unavailable
Consider this as your main appliance if you prefer to empty a bag in a large home. Check that the brushes supplied are suitable for your floors, and that any tools for rugs or soft furnishings meet your needs. Also check that compatible bags are available.
Image unavailable
Compare this model if you’re looking for a bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner for several rooms. For rugs, furniture and soft furnishings, check which tools are actually included and compatible with the EB61C2GRN. Remember to check the bag model number too.
Image unavailable
Consider this for quick clean-ups alongside a thorough clean. The product name states a battery life of up to 45 minutes. Before relying on it for a longer session, check the run time in the mode you’ll use and make sure the heads are suitable for your floor coverings.
Look for separate test results for each type of flooring, then check which brushes come with the model. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing procedure assesses tiles, wooden floors with gaps and rugs separately, among other surfaces. A result for one type of floor won’t tell you how the vacuum performs on the others.
Choose according to how you prefer to empty the vacuum and the maintenance you’re happy to carry out. A bagged model needs compatible bags; with a bagless model, you’ll need to empty the bin and follow the filter maintenance instructions. In either case, compare the reach and accessories of the specific model.
Yes. According to the ministry responsible for the ecological transition, vacuum cleaners are among the product categories covered by this index in France. When comparing new models, look at their scores out of 10 and the criteria behind them, rather than relying on the brand name alone.
Start with the maintenance steps in the manual, including checking the bag or bin, filters and brushes. If the problem persists, look into repair options for the specific model; ADEME recommends considering this before replacing the appliance.