For regular cleaning of carpets and hard floors, choose a cylinder vacuum if deep cleans and capacity matter more to you than compact storage. UFC-Que Choisir considers it better suited to this task than a stick vacuum. A cordless stick vacuum makes quick clean-ups easier, provided its brush and battery life in the mode you use are right for your carpets. A robot can take care of some cleaning on uncluttered floors, but shouldn’t automatically be considered a substitute for your main vacuum.
If you clean carpets, rugs and hard floors in the same session, a cylinder vacuum is worth considering for its capacity and corded operation. UFC-Que Choisir describes it as suitable for deep cleaning, but the supplied floor head also needs to work well on your flooring.
If you want to grab your vacuum quickly, move between rooms and put it away easily, a cordless stick vacuum could be a good fit. Be sure to check its ready-to-use weight, brush and battery life in the mode you’ll need, particularly on carpets.
A robot can handle regular cleaning on uncluttered floors. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that results vary by surface, so you should also look at navigation, edge cleaning and how to maintain the dustbin or docking station.
First, decide what you need your vacuum to do: deep cleans, quick pick-ups or automated maintenance as a supplement. Then compare models on the flooring in your home, rather than focusing on the type of vacuum alone.
Best for: deep cleans across several floor types, especially if you’d like to empty it less often.
Bear in mind: its size, cord and the cost of compatible bags.
Worth considering: if you want a mains-powered vacuum without the need to buy bags.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty the bin directly. Overall, UFC-Que Choisir considers bagless cylinder vacuums less effective at suction than bagged models.
Best for: frequent clean-ups when it matters that your vacuum is easy to grab, move around and put away.
Bear in mind: check that the run time and bin capacity suit the length of your cleaning sessions.
Worth considering: to automate some regular cleaning on uncluttered floors.
Bear in mind: results vary by floor type, and the robot needs setting up and maintaining.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-surface cleaning | Look for test results that specify the carpets and hard floors tested, and check the included floor head and its settings. | When I need to deep-clean carpets and hard floors in the same session, I want to know what the vacuum can pick up from each surface. Around 36% of consumers would prioritise this kind of deep clean. |
| Ease of use | Compare the ready-to-use weight and storage, and, for a stick vacuum, battery life in the mode you’ll use. | For frequent, short clean-ups, I’d rather be able to pick up and move my vacuum without any preparation, even if I have to keep an eye on the charge. Around 29% of consumers would make ease of use their priority. |
| Dust and maintenance | Check the capacity, how to empty the bag or bin, and access to the filters. Make sure compatible consumables are available. | If the bin fills up quickly during a clean, I want to empty it less often and find dust and filter maintenance straightforward. Around 21% of consumers would put maintenance first. |
| Automation | For a robot vacuum, look at test results for your floors, edges and corners, as well as the tasks involved in maintaining the bin or docking station. | When my floors are fairly clear, I’d like to delegate some regular cleaning without relying on the robot to do everything. Around 14% of consumers would prioritise this kind of supplementary automation. |
These figures on their own don’t tell you how well a vacuum cleans your carpets or how long it will run at the setting you need. UFC-Que Choisir explains that a stick vacuum’s maximum battery life is measured at low power, and that the floor head also affects cleaning performance.
Compare test results on your flooring, check which brush is actually included, and look at the stated battery life for each mode.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, emptying the bin exposes you to dust more directly than disposing of a bag. Filters and brushes also need maintaining.
Check the model’s instructions for how to empty and clean it, and find out which filters are compatible.
Robot vacuums still need maintenance. Unless it has an emptying station, you may need to empty the bin regularly. Edges, corners and some floor types may also need a follow-up clean.
Look for test results covering these areas, and check the navigation settings, app compatibility and the maintenance required for the bin or docking station.
ADEME states that corded, cordless and robot vacuum cleaners are among the appliances covered by France’s repairability index. The score indicates how repairable a product is, not how well it cleans.
Check the index for the models you’re considering, then separately confirm that the bags, filters, batteries or brushes they need are available.
The range includes bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, cordless stick vacuums and robot vacuums, giving you several types to compare from one brand.
Miele’s French range includes bagged and bagless vacuums, as well as cordless models. Compare them based on your preferred dust collection method and vacuum type.
Dyson cordless stick vacuums are worth considering if you prefer to clean little and often and want to compare their configurations for carpets and hard floors.
Bosch’s cordless stick vacuum range is worth a look if ready-to-use weight and the option to change the battery are important to you.
Roborock is one of the brands to consider if you’re looking for a robot vacuum to automate some of your floor cleaning.
These models are designed for frequent cleaning of carpets and hard floors: a bagged cylinder vacuum, a corded stick vacuum and cordless stick vacuums. Unlike a cordless stick vacuum, a corded stick vacuum runs from the mains. Compare each model based on the length of your cleaning sessions, how it handles dust and the brush supplied.
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Worth considering for regular cleaning of carpets and hard floors if you prefer a bagged cylinder vacuum. The product details list a 3.5 L bag, a 12 m operating radius and Dust Magnet Silent, parquet and turbo brushes. Check test results for your carpets, as well as which bags are compatible.
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Worth considering if you want the convenience of a stick vacuum without needing to recharge it, and have a plug socket nearby. The product details list a 7 m cord, a 1.8 L bin and a motorised floor brush. The cord limits how far you can move between sockets, so look for comparable test results on your carpets and hard floors.
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Worth considering for frequent cleaning of carpets and hard floors if separate modes and easy storage matter to you. The product details list a 0.7 L bin, a detachable battery and up to 55 minutes of battery life in bare-floor mode. Check the run time in carpet mode separately, and consider how often you’d be happy to empty the bin.
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Worth comparing if you switch between hard floors and carpets and want to know the stated run time at each power level. The product details list a removable battery, a 0.5 L bin, 15 minutes in high mode and 40 minutes in low mode. Check that the mode you need for your carpets will last for your planned cleaning session.
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Worth considering if you want to be able to stand your vacuum upright during cleaning and would prefer a larger bin than those on the other stick vacuums featured here. The product details list a 1.8 L bin, carpet and hard-floor modes, and up to 45 minutes of battery life, without specifying the mode. Check the run time in carpet mode and the ready-to-use weight before choosing.
No. The right choice also depends on how long and how often you clean. UFC-Que Choisir recommends cylinder vacuums for deep cleans and stick vacuums for quick pick-ups. To compare specific models, check test results for carpets, the supplied brush and, for stick vacuums, the battery life in the mode you need.
It refers to the maximum run time in favourable conditions, which may not be how long it lasts on carpets at your preferred setting. UFC-Que Choisir says this figure is measured at minimum power and gives an average of around ten minutes at full power. Compare the run times for each mode on the model you’re considering.
Don’t assume it can without checking results for the robot and the floors in your home. UFC-Que Choisir reports that performance varies and assesses carpets, hard floors, edges and corners. These results, along with navigation and maintenance, are key to judging what it can take care of in your home.
In France, it helps you assess how easy the vacuum cleaners covered by the scheme are to repair; it isn’t a rating of suction performance. ADEME lists corded, cordless and robot models among the appliances covered, while the ministry responsible for ecological transition states that the score is out of 10. Also check the consumables and parts specific to the model you’re considering.