For a thorough, regular clean across hard floors, carpets and upholstery, start by comparing test results for each surface and for fibres, rather than relying on power figures alone. According to Que Choisir’s guides, a canister vacuum is well suited to being your main appliance, while a cordless stick vacuum is best for quick cleans if its battery life and maintenance fit your routine. A robot can automate cleaning on clear floors, but you’ll need to check its performance on carpets and in corners for each model.
If pet hair clings to your carpets, sofa or bedding, look for tests on embedded fibres and check which brush comes with the vacuum for these surfaces. Que Choisir’s testing protocol assesses carpet fibres as a separate criterion.
If you have tiles, wooden floors and carpets, check the results for each floor type and make sure the vacuum has suitable heads. A demonstration on just one surface won’t tell you everything you need to know for your home.
A cordless stick vacuum can make it easier to tackle visible pet hair quickly. To see if it suits your routine, also check the battery life on the setting you’ll use, how often you’ll need to empty the bin and how to clean the roller.
First, choose the type of vacuum that suits the size of the job, then compare each model against the surfaces and fibres in your home.
Worth considering: for regular, thorough cleaning of floors and carpets, with a brush suited to the fabrics in your home.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to manage the cable and move the appliance around; bagged models also need replacement bags.
Worth considering: if you want to grab your vacuum quickly for frequent or targeted cleans.
Bear in mind: according to Que Choisir, the quoted battery life at low power doesn’t necessarily reflect how long it will run on a higher setting.
Worth considering: for automated, regular cleaning on clear floors.
Bear in mind: Que Choisir reports varying results across different floor types; you’ll also need to empty and maintain the robot.
| Criterion | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fibres in carpets | Look for a test on embedded fibres and check which brush was used. Que Choisir assesses this separately in its testing protocols for canister and stick vacuums. | Pet hair gets stuck in my carpet or rug, so I want to see results for that surface, not just the quoted power. |
| Floors and upholstery | Compare test results for tiles, wooden floors and carpets. Check which heads and accessories are included for furniture, cushions and crevices. | At home, I move from hard floors to carpets and then to the sofa, so I’m looking for accessories to suit these tasks. |
| Battery life and manoeuvrability | For a stick vacuum, check how long it runs on the setting you’ll need for carpets, how long it takes to recharge and how easy it is to handle. For a canister vacuum, check its reach. | I often do quick cleans, but I don’t want to stop halfway through a longer clean to recharge the vacuum. |
| Brush and bin | Check how to remove and clean the roller, as well as the capacity of the bin or bag and how to maintain the filters. | With long hair or pet fur, being able to clear the brush and empty the bin easily matters to me. |
| Long-term maintenance | Check which consumables are compatible, whether spare parts are available and the repairability rating for the model in question. For a cordless vacuum, look into the battery replacement terms. | I want to know what I’ll need to maintain or replace to keep using the vacuum. |
On their own, these figures don’t tell you how well a vacuum will clean a carpet full of fibres or the different floors in your home. Que Choisir tests these situations separately.
Compare results for each surface and check that the brush used in the test matches the one supplied with the model you’re buying.
According to Que Choisir, maximum battery life for stick vacuums is generally quoted at low power and drops on a higher setting.
Look for the tested runtime on the setting you’ll need, then check how long it takes to recharge or whether you can use an additional battery.
Owners of specific models have reported hair wrapping around the roller and bins filling up quickly on the Darty After-Sales Service Community. These comments are a reminder to check maintenance requirements, but don’t necessarily reflect the performance of an entire range.
Check whether the roller can be removed, whether a cleaning tool is included and how much the bin or bag holds.
Bags for bagged canister vacuums need replacing; filters, brushes and batteries can also affect the upkeep of a stick or robot vacuum.
Check the product codes for consumables, spare-part availability and the model’s repairability rating before you choose.
These ranges can help you find products to compare, but the contents of the box and test results vary from model to model.
The ProAnimal range is aimed at homes looking for accessories to tackle pet hair on floors and upholstery.
The Guard M1 Cat & Dog bagged canister vacuum is worth considering for carpets, rugs and upholstery.
Some Dyson cordless stick vacuums have heads and accessories designed for floors and for removing tangled hair or pet fur.
The brand offers vacuums in several formats, as well as accessories designed for pet hair.
This selection includes four cordless stick vacuums and one robot vacuum for cleaning hard floors or carpets where there’s pet hair. Compare their features and practical considerations, but don’t assume that quoted power figures predict how well they’ll pick up fibres.
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Worth considering for quick cleans across hard floors, carpets and narrow spaces. The product title mentions an anti-tangle brush, charging station, LED touchscreen, 550 W, 55 kPa and a quoted runtime of 55 minutes. Compare test results for fibres and check the battery life on the setting you’ll use; noise-level information for this model varies between sources.
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Worth considering if you want to automate floor cleaning. The product title mentions a mopping function, automatic emptying station, anti-tangle system, LiDAR navigation, app control and a quoted power of 8 000 Pa. Check results on carpets, fibres, edges and corners, and make sure the app is compatible if you plan to use it.
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Worth considering if pet hair on carpets and hard floors means you need to clean frequently. The product title mentions an anti-tangle brush, LCD screen, 65 kPa and a quoted runtime of 70 minutes. Check how long it runs on the setting you need for carpets, and look for a test of the specific model on fibres.
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Worth considering if you want to avoid emptying the bin by hand between regular cleans. The product title mentions a charging station with automatic emptying, an anti-tangle brush and a quoted 27 kPa. The stated runtime of up to 45 minutes applies to Eco mode: check how long it runs on the setting you’ll use on carpets, and wash and dry the filter fully in line with the instructions.
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Worth considering if you want to switch between carpets, hard floors and spot-cleaning upholstery. The product title mentions an anti-tangle brush, LED touchscreen, self-standing design, 60 000 Pa and a quoted runtime of up to 65 minutes. This runtime applies to standard mode: check how long it runs on the setting you’ll use on carpets and look for test results on fibres before choosing.
Look for a test that specifically measures how well a vacuum removes embedded fibres from a carpet, then check which brush comes with the model being sold. For its stick vacuum tests, Que Choisir’s protocol uses 1 g of fibres similar to pet hair, embedded in a standardised carpet using a 15 kg roller. A quoted power figure is no substitute for this result.
A stick vacuum may suit frequent cleans if its battery life on the setting you need, brush and bin work for your home. If you regularly clean large areas, carpets and upholstery, pay particular attention to these limitations: Que Choisir describes a stick vacuum as more of a supplementary appliance than a solution for deep cleaning.
It can help you compare how repairable the models in question are, but you should still check whether the spare parts you might need are available. Information from the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition includes vacuum cleaners among the product categories covered by this rating; also check which bags, filters, brushes or batteries are compatible with the model you choose.
Before buying, check whether the roller is easy to remove and clean, and whether a suitable tool is included. Reviews of some models on the Darty After-Sales Service Community describe clogged brushes and bins that fill up quickly. They show why it’s worth checking, but don’t predict how every vacuum will perform.