For the main cleaning of a large home, start by comparing cylinder vacuums: Que Choisir considers them suitable for larger areas. A bagged model means less contact with dust when you empty it, but you’ll need compatible bags. A bagless model avoids that ongoing cost, but you’ll need to empty the dust container and maintain it. A cordless stick vacuum is also worth considering if its run time in the mode you’ll actually use, along with its accessories, is enough for your whole cleaning session, including floors and upholstery.
The size of your home matters, but so do the surfaces you need to clean and how you prefer to maintain your vacuum.
If you need to clean hard floors, parquet, rugs or fitted carpets in one session, compare performance on each surface and check that the supplied floorhead is suitable. The operating radius also matters if you have several rooms.
Sofas, bedding, corners and high surfaces need different tools from a floorhead. Check which accessories are included with the version you’re considering.
A bag means buying consumables, a dust container needs emptying, and a cordless stick vacuum needs to last for your cleaning session in the mode you choose. Think about which maintenance or day-to-day use requirement you’re happiest with.
First, choose the type of vacuum that suits the way you clean. Then check its performance on your floors and exactly which accessories are included.
Consider it: for regular cleaning across a large area if you want to minimise contact with dust during maintenance, as noted by Que Choisir.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to plug it in and replace the bags. Check their reference and availability.
Consider it: if you want to clean several rooms without buying bags.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to empty the dust container and maintain the filters and floorheads. Going bagless doesn’t mean you can skip these tasks.
Consider it: if freedom of movement and access to upholstery or high areas matter to you.
Check: the run time with the floorhead and mode you plan to use on your floors, as well as how many batteries are included.
| What to consider | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Performance on different floors | Look for comparable tests on your flooring: tiles, parquet, rugs or fitted carpet. Check the supplied floorhead; the motor’s wattage alone isn’t enough to judge suction performance. Que Choisir’s testing method assesses these surfaces separately. | I have different types of flooring and want to choose based on what I actually clean, not a single power figure. |
| Reach and manoeuvrability | For a cylinder vacuum, compare the operating radius, the weight you’ll need to move and access to plug sockets. For a stick vacuum, check the run time in the mode you’ll use, with the floorhead you’ll use. | I want to clean several rooms without too many interruptions, while still being able to move the vacuum easily. |
| Floors, furniture and upholstery | Check which accessories are included with the version on sale: a floorhead suited to your floors, a crevice tool, a furniture tool and, if needed, a mini tool for upholstery. Check compatibility before buying any accessories separately. | Cleaning the sofa and bedding is part of my session, not just the floors. |
| Maintenance | Check the capacity of the bag or dust container, the reference of compatible bags, and how to maintain the filters and floorheads. According to Que Choisir, bagged models expose users to less dust when emptying them. | I’d rather decide now whether I prefer replacing a bag or regularly emptying a dust container. |
| Filtration | Compare the filter type on the exact model and its cleaning or replacement instructions. A filtration feature alone is no proof of a medical benefit. | I want to maintain the filter according to its instructions, without mistaking a technical specification for a health claim. |
Electrical power alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean a rug or parquet floor. Que Choisir assesses performance separately across several types of flooring.
Look for tests on your floors and check the supplied floorhead. Don’t compare figures based on different measurement methods as if they were like for like.
A floorhead won’t necessarily replace a tool for sofas, bedding or hard-to-reach corners. The accessories supplied vary by model reference.
Check what’s included with the version on sale and make sure any accessories you plan to add are compatible.
Rowenta claims up to 2 h 40 for the X-Force Flex 15.60 RH99F3WO when used as a handheld vacuum in Eco mode with two batteries. This figure doesn’t represent an intensive floor-cleaning session with a different floorhead.
Check the run time for the way you plan to use it and how many batteries come with the version you’ve chosen.
You still need to empty the dust container and maintain the filters and floorheads. A filtration claim on a product page doesn’t prove a medical benefit either.
Compare the maintenance required for each model and follow the filter instructions.
These models showcase different configurations; their features don’t apply to every vacuum from the same brand.
The Pure D8 PD82-ALRG is an example of a bagged cylinder vacuum for cleaning several rooms and floor types.
The RO6179EA (bagged), RO7936EA (bagless) and RH99F3WO (cordless) let you compare three ways to clean a large home.
The Serie 6 ProAnimal BGS41PET1 is an example of a bagless cylinder vacuum to compare if you’d prefer to empty a dust container.
These bagged and bagless cylinder vacuums represent the two corded options discussed above. Compare their accessories and maintenance requirements based on the floors and upholstery in your home.
Image unavailable
This bagged cylinder vacuum is worth considering for the main cleaning of several rooms. Check which floorheads and upholstery accessories are included for your floors and fabrics, and find out the reference of compatible bags.
Image unavailable
This bagless cylinder vacuum is a good option if you’d rather empty a dust container than replace bags. For a large home, compare its operating radius and dust container capacity, then check which accessories are supplied for your furniture and floors.
Image unavailable
Another bagged cylinder vacuum to consider for cleaning several rooms. If the sofa or bedding matters as much as the floors, check which upholstery accessories are included with this model and whether compatible bags are available.
Check that the version on sale includes a floorhead suited to each of your floors, a crevice tool for corners and a tool for furniture or upholstery. For example, Rowenta France lists a mini turbo brush for the RO6179EA, and a mini electric brush and an upholstery tool for the RH99F3WO. Don’t assume these accessories come with other models.
No. It can reduce the need to switch plug sockets, but it doesn’t tell you about suction performance or manoeuvrability. Also compare the floorheads, bag or dust container capacity, and performance on your floors. Que Choisir’s testing method assesses tiles, parquet, rugs and fitted carpet separately.
No. HEPA describes a feature of the filter, not a medical benefit for the user. Check the filter on the exact model and its maintenance instructions. Don’t assume the product specifications mean it protects against allergies.
Yes, as an additional point of comparison. France’s Ministry for Ecological Transition says that vacuums are among the product categories covered by the index, which is scored out of 10 and indicates how easy or difficult a product is to repair. Also check that compatible parts and consumables are available for the specific model you’re considering.