For regular cleaning across several rooms and floor types, a cylinder vacuum is generally the best choice for a full cleaning session; a cordless stick vacuum is better suited to quick clean-ups. Choose between a bagged and bagless cylinder vacuum based on how you prefer to deal with dust and maintenance, then check the reach, included attachments and performance on your floors.
If your home has hard floors, parquet with gaps and rugs, look for results on each surface rather than relying on motor power alone. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol assesses these surfaces separately, as well as fibres in carpets.
For a full cleaning session, the operating radius, bag or bin capacity and ease of moving the vacuum all affect how often you’ll need to stop or handle it. Also consider its weight if you need to carry it between floors.
Choosing between a bag and a bin changes how you dispose of dust. Bags need replacing; bins need emptying, while filters and brush heads require suitable maintenance in either case.
For a larger home, first decide which vacuum will handle your full cleaning sessions, then check its reach and accessories against the floors in your home.
Consider it: if you want to clean several rooms with a mains-powered vacuum and collect dust in a bag.
Bear in mind: the cable, moving the cylinder around and the regular cost of replacement bags.
Consider it: if you want a mains-powered vacuum for longer sessions without buying bags.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty the bin and clean the filters, which means handling dust more often.
Consider it: as a handy extra for stairs and quick clean-ups.
Bear in mind: the battery limits how long you can use it. Check the run time at the power setting you’ll need before relying on it as your only vacuum.
| What matters | What to check | What consumers say |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning without interruptions | Compare the operating radius and bag or bin capacity; also consider the weight you’ll need to move around. | When I move from room to room, I want to avoid changing sockets and stopping to empty the vacuum. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this above all else. |
| A mix of floors and fabrics | Look for test results by floor type and check which brush heads and nozzles are included with the version you’re considering. | If I need to clean parquet, rugs and a sofa, I want to know how the vacuum performs on each. Versatility is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Dust and maintenance | Check how to empty it, how easy the filters are to reach and what the care instructions say. | I’d rather choose a way of disposing of dust that I can manage regularly, without neglecting the filters. This is the top concern for around 20% of consumers. |
| Quick clean-ups | If you’re choosing a second stick vacuum, check the run time at the power setting you’ll use and how much storage space it needs. | For stairs or a small area, I want to grab an easy-to-handle vacuum without setting up for a long cleaning session. Nearly 20% of consumers would prioritise this as an additional use. |
Wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much the vacuum head will pick up from parquet with gaps, rugs or fitted carpets. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol assesses different floor types separately.
Check the results for the exact model on the surfaces you clean, and make sure you know which floor head is included.
A cordless stick vacuum makes quick clean-ups easier, but its battery may not last for a full cleaning session. In its tests, UFC-Que Choisir reports an average run time of around ten minutes at full power; this average won’t predict the performance of every model or setting.
Before making it your main vacuum, compare its run time with how long you typically clean for, and look for results on your rugs or carpets, if applicable.
You’ll need to empty the bin and maintain the filters. Skipping these steps can also make the vacuum harder to use over time.
Check how to access the bin and filters, then compare this routine with replacing a bag.
A parquet brush or upholstery nozzle may be useful in your home, but not every version of the same vacuum will include one.
Read the accessory list for the exact model on sale and consider where you’ll store the attachments.
Rowenta’s bagless cylinder vacuums let you compare operating radius, bin capacity and overall size across different models.
The Complete C3 bagged range is worth considering if accessories and the controls on a mains-powered cylinder vacuum matter to you.
Philips offers both bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums, so you can compare the two ways of disposing of dust.
Bosch’s bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums offer models to consider if moving and storing your vacuum are important factors.
These two Electrolux models are bagged cylinder vacuums worth considering for cleaning several rooms. If your floors include rugs or delicate surfaces, compare the included accessories and performance on those surfaces before choosing between them.
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Worth considering if you want a bagged cylinder vacuum as your main cleaner for several rooms.
For this model, check the operating radius, which brush heads are actually included and how it performs on the floor types in your home.
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Worth considering for regular cleaning across several rooms if you prefer to collect dust in a bag.
The 550 W listed in its name isn’t enough to judge how it will perform on rugs: check the results by floor type and the accessories included with this version.
Yes, if you want a mains-powered vacuum for longer cleaning sessions and prefer to collect dust in a bag. Make sure its operating radius, weight and accessories suit the layout of your rooms and your floors, though; you’ll need to replace the bags.
Start with a floor head suited to your hard floors and rugs, then look for a soft brush if your parquet needs one, a crevice tool for gaps and an upholstery attachment for cushions or the sofa. Check what’s included with the exact model rather than assuming every accessory shown is supplied.
No: motor power alone isn’t enough to predict how well a vacuum will clean rugs. UFC-Que Choisir assesses performance on different floor types, among other things; look for results for the exact model on the surfaces that matter to you, and check which brush was used in the test.
If it still works, consider having it repaired, donating it or selling it on, as recommended by ADEME. Otherwise, find out about local collection options for electrical equipment, including at retailers or recycling centres.