Homes with a mix of floors and fabrics
You’re looking for a main appliance for hard floors, carpets and fabrics around the home. Que Choisir recommends looking at the floorhead and accessories, rather than focusing on motor power alone.
Who are these formats for?
People who often clean in short bursts
You want to get your vacuum out and put it away quickly for quick clean-ups, stairs or furniture. A cordless stick vacuum could suit your routine, as long as its battery life in the mode you use is enough for each clean.
Homes looking to automate floor cleaning
You’re considering a robot vacuum for regular cleaning of accessible floors, while keeping another appliance for fabrics, furniture and stairs.
What matters for your cleaning routine?
Start by choosing the appliance that will handle your main cleaning. Then consider whether quick clean-ups or automated floor cleaning would make a second format worthwhile.
Bagged cylinder vacuum
Consider it: for your main cleaning across several surfaces, especially if you want to limit contact with dust when emptying.
Bear in mind: it has a cable, needs to be moved around and requires replacement bags.
Bagless cylinder vacuum
Consider it: as your main appliance if you’d rather not use bags and it comes with the right accessories for your surfaces.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty and clean the dust container regularly, and handle more dust than with a bagged model, according to Que Choisir.
Cordless stick vacuum
Consider it: for quick clean-ups, stairs or a small home where easy storage matters.
Bear in mind: how long you can use it depends on the mode selected and how well charged the battery is.
Robot vacuum
Consider it: for scheduled cleaning of accessible floors, alongside another appliance for fabrics.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to prepare the areas it cleans and maintain the dust container, brushes and, where applicable, the docking station.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| A mix of floors and fabrics | The brushes supplied for your floors, carpets and furniture, and test results for those surfaces. | I regularly clean several rooms and want one appliance to handle carpets and fabrics too; around 33% of consumers put this all-round cleaning first. |
| Ease of handling and battery life | How heavy it feels in your hand and, for a stick vacuum, its battery life in the mode you’ll actually use. | In a small home or for frequent quick clean-ups, I prefer an appliance that’s quick to get out and put away; around 27% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Emptying and maintenance | How easy it is to handle the bag or dust container, and the product codes for filters and other consumables. | I want to limit contact with dust when emptying the vacuum and be able to maintain it; around 20% of consumers prioritise this need. |
| Automated cleaning | Programmable areas, the space required and maintenance for the robot or its docking station. | If accessible floors need regular cleaning, I’d rather automate some of it, without expecting the robot to clean furniture; around 20% of consumers prioritise this. |
Mistakes to avoid before you buy
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Choosing based on watts or pascals alone
A power rating alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean your floors and carpets. Que Choisir particularly highlights the importance of the floorhead design.
Look for tests covering the surfaces you need to clean, and check which brushes come with the model you’re considering.
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Planning a long cleaning session without checking a stick vacuum’s battery life
The maximum battery life quoted may be for the lowest-power mode. It won’t tell you how long you can clean a carpet in the mode you need.
Check the battery life for each mode, charging time and whether the battery can be replaced.
A second battery, if the model supports one, is another item to store and maintain.
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Expecting a robot vacuum to clean your entire home
Que Choisir says robot vacuum performance varies depending on the type of floor. A robot can’t clean furniture, stairs and fabrics on its own.
Use it for regular cleaning in accessible areas and plan to use another appliance for surfaces it can’t reach.
The dust container, brushes, filters and any docking station also need regular maintenance.
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Forgetting about consumables and spare parts
If you use a vacuum regularly, you’ll need to be able to find the right parts for its model, particularly bags or filters when they need replacing.
Check their product codes before you buy, and look into the maintenance and repair options for the specific model.
Brands to know when comparing formats
These brands offer a range of different models. Choose one based on its accessories, maintenance requirements and how you plan to use it.
Rowenta
In France, Rowenta offers cordless stick vacuums, bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, and robot vacuums.
- The range includes several formats, making it possible to compare a main appliance with a handy extra.
- Check the accessories and repair options for the model you’re interested in rather than assuming they’re the same across the brand.
Dyson
Dyson offers cordless stick vacuums, including models and configurations designed for homes with pets.
- The brand features anti-tangle brush heads in its range for homes with pets.
- For longer cleaning sessions, compare the battery life in the mode you need and the accessories supplied with the specific model. Features highlighted by Dyson don’t replace testing it on your own surfaces.
Roborock
Roborock offers robot vacuums, some of which include mapping and app control.
- These features may be useful when choosing a robot to schedule cleaning of accessible floors.
- Check app compatibility, maintenance requirements and whether the model suits the layout of your home; a pascal rating alone won’t tell you how well it cleans.
Vacuum cleaners for three different needs
These products suit three different cleaning routines: a bagged cylinder vacuum for your main cleaning, a cordless stick vacuum for quick clean-ups and a robot for accessible floors as a handy extra.
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Electrolux 600 EB61C4OG, bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner
Consider it as your main appliance if you prefer a bagged model for cleaning a variety of surfaces.
Before you buy, check that it has the right brushes for your carpets and fabrics, and that compatible bags and filters are available.
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Monsga ME03, cordless stick vacuum cleaner with charging station
Worth considering for frequent quick clean-ups when a cordless design matters more than a long, uninterrupted cleaning session.
The product description lists 55 kPa, 550 W and 55 minutes of battery life. These figures alone don’t tell you how long it will last on carpets or how well it will clean. Check which accessories are included too.
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ECOVACS Deebot T30C OMNI Gen2, robot vacuum and mop with docking station
Consider it for regular cleaning of accessible floors, alongside another appliance for furniture, fabrics and stairs.
The product description lists 25 000 Pa and mop washing at 75 °C. These features don’t demonstrate how well it will clean every type of floor. Check how much space the docking station needs and what maintenance it requires.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cordless stick vacuum replace a cylinder vacuum throughout the home?
A cordless stick vacuum may be suitable if you have a small area to clean and tend to clean in short bursts, but it won’t necessarily replace a cylinder vacuum for longer sessions. Que Choisir sees it as more of a handy extra and considers a cylinder vacuum better suited to cleaning larger areas as your main appliance. Check the stick vacuum’s battery life in the mode you’ll need.
Should you choose a bagged cylinder vacuum if you dislike emptying it?
A bagged cylinder vacuum is worth considering if you want to limit contact with dust when emptying it. Que Choisir considers removing a bag more hygienic than emptying a dust container. Make sure it’s easy to find compatible bags for the model you choose.
What should you check to maintain a vacuum cleaner?
Check the product codes for bags, filters and brushes, and for a cordless model, the battery if it can be replaced. Read the maintenance instructions and check which parts can be replaced for that specific model, rather than assuming parts are interchangeable across the same brand.
What should you do with an old vacuum cleaner?
If it still works, consider repairing or reusing it first. If it’s reached the end of its life, ADEME recommends taking electrical equipment to a suitable collection point. Check what options are available near you.