For a thorough clean across different floor types, including rugs, carpets and upholstery, a canister vacuum is generally the best choice as your main appliance, according to UFC-Que Choisir. A cordless stick vacuum is better suited to quick clean-ups, while a robot vacuum automates routine cleaning on accessible floors. Pairing a main vacuum with a stick or robot can cover both needs, as long as you’re happy to make room for another appliance and maintain it.
If you regularly clean hard floors, rugs, carpets and upholstery, focus on how well the vacuum performs on each surface and whether it comes with the right accessories, rather than choosing on weight alone. UFC-Que Choisir recommends a canister vacuum for this kind of thorough clean.
For picking up crumbs, dust or pet hair between full cleans, it’s more important to choose a vacuum that’s easy to get out and put away. UFC-Que Choisir describes easy handling as the main advantage of a cordless stick vacuum, while recommending it mainly for quick top-ups.
A robot vacuum can clean accessible floors if you’re able to prepare the rooms and maintain the appliance or its docking station. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that results vary by floor type: being able to move around on its own doesn’t guarantee a thorough clean everywhere.
Choose this if: a thorough clean across several surfaces is your priority, and you’d prefer less direct contact with dust when changing the bag.
Bear in mind: you’ll have a cable to manage, more to carry around and bags to replace.
Choose this if: you want to grab your vacuum for quick, targeted clean-ups.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the mode you choose, particularly when you turn up the power.
Choose this if: you’d like an autonomous appliance to handle regular cleaning on accessible floors.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to prepare the rooms and maintain the system, and results can vary by floor type.
Choose this if: you need both a thorough clean and quick or automated top-ups.
Bear in mind: you’ll need more storage space and have two appliances to maintain.
| What to consider | What to check | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning different surfaces | Check which brushes are included for hard floors, rugs and carpets, as well as the accessories for upholstery. | If I want to clean both floors and the sofa or bedding, I’m looking for a main vacuum that suits each surface. Around 33% of consumers say this kind of thorough clean is their top priority. |
| Quick clean-ups | Check how heavy it feels in your hand and how long the battery lasts with the brush and mode you’ll use. | For picking up crumbs or pet hair between big cleans, I want an appliance that’s easy to handle. Around 27% of consumers are said to prioritise this convenience. |
| Automated cleaning | Compare performance on your floor types and check how much room the robot and its docking station need. | If my floors are easy to access, I’d rather delegate regular cleaning, even if I need to prepare the rooms and maintain the robot. Around 20% of consumers would make automation their main priority. |
| Storage and maintenance | Measure the space available and find out which bags, filters, brushes or batteries are compatible with the model. | When space is limited, I want to be able to put the appliance away easily and find the parts needed to maintain it. This is said to be the top concern for around 20% of consumers. |
That figure won’t necessarily reflect how long it’ll last when cleaning a carpet with a powered brush. UFC-Que Choisir notes that advertised battery life often refers to low-power mode, and that it drops when you use a more powerful setting.
Compare battery life in the mode you plan to use, and look for cleaning results on your floor types rather than relying on power figures alone.
UFC-Que Choisir reports that performance varies by floor type; its testing also looks at edges and corners. Even an autonomous robot needs the rooms to be prepared and the appliance to be maintained.
Check how it performs on your rugs and hard floors, how it handles thresholds and how much room its docking station needs before you rely on it for everyday cleaning.
An appliance that suits your floors also needs to be easy to maintain, with consumables and parts that match its exact model number.
Before you buy, find out the reference numbers for the bags, filters, rollers or batteries you’ll need, and check they’re available for your chosen model.
Motor power alone doesn’t tell you how well an appliance will work on wood floors, rugs, carpets and upholstery. The floorhead and accessories matter too, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
Check what’s in the box: a brush for hard floors, one suited to rugs and carpets, and attachments for upholstery or awkward corners, depending on your home.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a bagged canister vacuum for your main clean. Rowenta lets you search for accessories and parts by model number.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a cordless stick vacuum for quick clean-ups across different floor types.
A brand to consider if you’d like to automate regular cleaning and compare the features of robot vacuums and their docking stations.
These corded and cordless models give you options to consider for your main clean or quick top-ups. To compare them, start with the surfaces you need to clean, the space you have available and the accessories you need.
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Worth considering if you want to clean regularly without relying on a battery. As it’s corded, you’ll need to think about plug sockets and how easy it is to move around. If you plan to use it on rugs and carpets, check the cleaning results that matter to you.
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A bagged canister vacuum is worth considering if you’re looking for a main appliance and would rather replace a bag than empty an open dust container. Make room to store it, and check which brushes are included and which bags fit the EB61C4OG.
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Worth considering if you want an appliance that’s easy to get out and put away for quick clean-ups. The product name mentions an anti-tangle brush; before choosing it for rugs or carpets, check the battery life with the brush and mode you plan to use.
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This style could suit you if you want to put your stick vacuum away between regular clean-ups. The stated battery life is up to 65 minutes, but it doesn’t say how long it lasts on carpets. Check battery life in the mode you’ll need for your floors.
Replacing the bag means less direct contact with dust than emptying an open dust container. When choosing your main vacuum, also check the filter, compatible bags and accessories suited to your floors. UFC-Que Choisir assesses cleaning performance separately for bagged and bagless canister vacuums.
Not necessarily: according to UFC-Que Choisir, maximum battery life often refers to use at a low power setting. If you plan to clean rugs or carpets, look for battery life with the powered brush and the mode you’ll need.
A robot can take care of routine cleaning on accessible floors, but it won’t automatically replace an appliance designed for a thorough clean. UFC-Que Choisir finds that results vary by floor type and tests edges and corners separately. Check how it performs on your floors, especially if you also need to clean rugs or upholstery.
Not with every model: according to Roborock support, the Qrevo MaxV can carry out full or spot cleans and return to its docking station without Wi-Fi. If you want to use a robot without an internet connection, check its documentation to see which features are available and which require the app.