For regular, thorough cleaning in a large home, choose a cylinder vacuum as your main appliance: UFC-Que Choisir describes this type as suitable for larger homes. Whether you choose a bagged or bagless model comes down mainly to the kind of maintenance you prefer. A cordless stick vacuum can complement your cylinder vacuum for quick clean-ups, but check its battery life if you plan to use it for longer sessions. In all cases, compare performance on your floors, the accessories supplied and how easy the vacuum is to carry up and down stairs.
If you clean carpets, hard floors and high-up surfaces, look at performance on each type of flooring and check which accessories are included. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol covers carpets, tiles, parquet flooring with gaps and rugs.
For a long cleaning session, the vacuum’s reach and bag or bin capacity matter just as much as the available brushes when planning your cleaning. UFC-Que Choisir describes cylinder vacuums as suitable for larger homes, while advising you to consider their weight and storage footprint too.
You’ll need to be able to carry and store the appliance between uses. A stick vacuum may be more convenient for a quick clean-up, while a cylinder vacuum is still worth considering for a thorough clean. Measure your storage space and check the weight of the model you’re interested in.
Choose this if: you want a main appliance for long cleaning sessions and would rather remove a bag than empty a bin.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to replace the bags with compatible ones and make room to store the cylinder vacuum.
Choose this if: you want a cylinder vacuum but prefer to use a dust bin.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty the bin and maintain the filters as instructed for your model.
Useful for: stairs and quick clean-ups between thorough cleans.
Bear in mind: battery life, particularly at full power, limits longer cleaning sessions. UFC-Que Choisir also recommends checking performance on rugs and carpets.
To compare models, start with the surfaces you need to clean, then look at the vacuum’s reach, how easy it is to carry and its maintenance requirements.
| Feature | What to check | Who should prioritise it? |
|---|---|---|
| Performance on different surfaces | Check test results for your rugs, carpets and hard floors, and see which brushes are included. | If my rugs and parquet flooring need different tools, I want to know how the vacuum performs on each floor before choosing. This would be the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Reach and capacity | Compare the operating radius with the position of your plug sockets, and check whether the bag or bin capacity suits your cleaning sessions. | When I clean several rooms in a row, I want to avoid changing sockets and stopping to empty the appliance. Around 29% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Carrying and storage | Check how heavy the vacuum is to carry up and down stairs, and measure the space where you plan to store it. | With multiple floors or a narrow cupboard, I need to be able to move and store the vacuum without too much difficulty. This would be the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Maintenance | Check how to replace the bags or empty the bin, as well as how to maintain the filters. | I prefer to decide in advance whether I’d rather change a bag or empty and clean a bin. For around 14% of consumers, maintenance would come before the other criteria. |
Motor power alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up dirt from carpets, parquet flooring or tiles. UFC-Que Choisir assesses performance on different floor coverings and the design of the floorhead.
Compare tests on the floors in your home and check which brush comes with the model.
A cordless stick vacuum is handy for quick clean-ups, but its battery life at full power may limit longer cleaning sessions in a large home, according to UFC-Que Choisir.
Check the battery life in the mode you’ll use, and bear in mind any rugs or carpets you need to clean.
The brush for your main floor may not be suitable for parquet flooring, upholstery, furniture or awkward corners.
Make a list of your surfaces, then check what’s included with the exact version before you order.
Both bagged and bagless models need their filters and brushes looked after; the way you collect the dust is what differs.
Read the instructions for your model and check that the compatible bags or filters you’ll need are available.
The brand’s range of bagged cylinder vacuums includes models worth considering if you need accessories for different surfaces.
Some of the brand’s bagged cylinder vacuums focus on reach and accessories for different floors.
The brand also offers bagless cylinder vacuums for households that prefer to empty a bin.
These bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums are worth considering for cleaning a large home. Compare them based on your floors, the maintenance you prefer and the accessories included with your chosen version.
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Worth considering if you’d rather empty a bin than replace bags when cleaning several rooms.
Check how it performs on your floors and which accessories come with this version. The 900 W stated in its name isn’t enough to judge its pick-up performance.
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Consider it as your main cylinder vacuum if you’d rather remove a bag after cleaning.
If your home has stairs, check its weight before choosing. Also check which brushes are included and how it performs on your floors.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a bagged cylinder vacuum for regular cleaning across several rooms.
Check how easy it is to carry up and down your stairs, which brushes are included and how it performs on your floors. The stated motor power doesn’t tell you how well it picks up dirt.
No. Motor wattage alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up dust from your floors. UFC-Que Choisir recommends looking at performance on different floor coverings and the floorhead, rather than relying on this figure alone.
Look for separate results for each type of flooring. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol covers carpets, tiles, parquet flooring with gaps and rugs. Also check which brush comes with the version you’re considering.
Yes. The French Ministry of the Economy says vacuum cleaners are among the products that must display a repairability rating in France. Check the rating for the exact model before comparing two products.
If it still works, consider donating it or giving it a new lease of life through reuse. Otherwise, take it to an electrical equipment collection point. If you’re preparing a bagged vacuum for recycling, ecosystem recommends removing the bag.