To tackle crumbs and dust as soon as they appear in a small home, choose a stick vacuum if you want to clean quickly by hand, or a robot if you can clear the floors and leave an accessible space for its base so it can run on a schedule. Check the stick vacuum’s usable battery life, as well as the robot’s navigation and maintenance needs: neither type guarantees a deep clean on its own. If deep cleaning is your priority, especially on rugs and carpets, keep a cylinder vacuum on your shortlist too.
If you want to quickly pick up crumbs, hair or dust, an appliance that’s easy to grab and put away matters more than one designed for a long cleaning session. Que Choisir describes cordless stick vacuums as lightweight and handy for quick clean-ups, while recommending that you check battery life and performance for each model.
If you’d rather schedule cleaning sessions, a robot is worth considering if you can prepare its route and make room for its base. Floor type, obstacles, navigation and maintenance all matter, as Que Choisir points out.
If rugs, carpets or hard-to-reach areas also need a deeper clean, don’t confuse this with everyday pick-ups. Que Choisir considers cylinder vacuums a benchmark for removing dust; compare their performance on your flooring with the space you can spare for one.
In a small home, start with the task you want to handle yourself or get done straight away, then check how the appliance performs on your floors and what maintenance it requires.
Worth considering: for picking up small messes yourself as soon as they appear, with an appliance that’s easy to put away.
Bear in mind: battery life depends on the mode you use, and performance needs comparing across your floor coverings.
Worth considering: for scheduled cleaning if you can keep its route clear and leave a permanent space for the base.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to prepare the floor and maintain the robot, and its performance may vary between surfaces.
Worth considering: if you want an option for deeper cleaning, especially if rugs and carpets are a factor in your decision.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to get it out and put it away for each clean, rather than relying on an automated routine.
| What matters | What to check before buying | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quick clean-ups and storage | Space needed to store the appliance, access to a socket or charging point, and how easy it is to reach the dust container. | When crumbs appear, I want to get the appliance out and put it away without cluttering the room. Around 31% of consumers prioritise quick manual clean-ups. |
| Scheduled cleaning | How it handles obstacles and no-go areas, how it navigates your floors, and whether you have a permanent space for the base. | I’d rather regular cleaning happen without having to get a vacuum out myself, as long as I can prepare the floor. Around 31% of consumers put automated scheduling first. |
| Cleaning performance on different floors | Tests on the floor coverings in your home, especially rugs, carpets, edges and corners; and the stick vacuum’s battery life in the mode you’ll use. | If my rugs or hard-to-reach areas need a deeper clean, the appliance type alone isn’t enough to guide my choice. Around 23% of consumers prioritise performance that suits their floors. |
| Maintenance and support | Part numbers for compatible filters, brushes and batteries; for a connected robot, app compatibility and updates. | I want to be able to maintain the appliance and find the right parts for my model as I use it. Around 15% of consumers put ongoing support at the top of their list. |
The quoted battery life often refers to a low-power setting. In 2025, Que Choisir reported that average battery life fell to around ten minutes at maximum power for the stick vacuums it tested; this average doesn’t predict how long any one model will last.
Compare battery life in the mode you’d use on your floors, and check the charging time if your cleaning sessions might run longer.
Door thresholds, cables, rugs and narrow passages can all affect how a robot works in your home. Que Choisir also assesses performance on different floor coverings, along edges and in corners, rather than assuming that the advertised navigation guarantees full coverage.
Identify obstacles and a stable place for the base, then look for tests on surfaces similar to yours.
A mop attachment doesn’t prove how well a robot vacuums or mops. Que Choisir assesses these results separately when testing robot mops, and warns against using them on wooden floors, particularly solid wood.
Assess vacuuming and mopping separately, and follow your flooring manufacturer’s instructions before using a wet-cleaning function.
You’ll need the exact model reference to find the right battery, filters, brushes and repair information. For a connected robot, the app is also part of how you use it; a brand’s parts catalogue won’t necessarily cover every variant.
Check which parts are compatible with your chosen model and, where relevant, the app’s terms of use and update policy.
Also factor in cleaning the brushes and filters, and dealing with the tanks or the base’s dust bag, if your model has one.
A brand with stick, robot and cylinder vacuums. Worth considering if access to product information and spare parts is part of your decision.
A cordless stick vacuum brand worth considering if you want to look up support and parts for a specific range.
A robot vacuum brand worth considering if room-by-room scheduling, mapping or no-go zones are important to your routine.
A brand worth considering for connected robots and maintenance parts for specific models.
These appliances cover manual pick-ups with a cordless or corded stick vacuum, as well as automated cleaning with a robot. Choose based on the space available, your floor coverings and the tasks you want to handle yourself.
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Worth considering for picking up everyday messes by hand without having to manage a cable. The product title lists an anti-tangle brush and up to 55 minutes of use; that figure applies to hard-floor mode, not every mode. For rugs, compare suction performance and battery life in the mode you intend to use.
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Worth considering for automated cleaning if you can prepare its route and make room for the base station. The product title mentions laser navigation, obstacle recognition and an all-in-one station. Check how it performs on your floors and at your thresholds, as well as what maintenance the station requires.
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Worth considering if an automated base station suits your home. The model is listed with a mopping function and a base that empties the dust container and maintains the mop pads. Make room for the base and check the guidance for your floor coverings before using the mopping function.
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Worth considering if you want scheduled cleaning and a self-emptying base. The product title lists LiDAR navigation, app control and an anti-tangle system. Confirm that the specific model has the features you need, then compare its performance on your floors and the maintenance required for its base.
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Worth considering for manual clean-ups near a socket, without relying on a rechargeable battery. The product title lists a 4.5 m cable, a 0.5 L dust container and handheld use. Check that the cable reaches the areas you want to clean, and compare performance on your floor coverings rather than judging effectiveness by motor power alone.
Not necessarily. A robot can clean regularly along a suitable route, but its performance varies depending on the floors and the areas it needs to reach. Que Choisir tests rugs, edges and corners, among other things. If these areas need a deeper clean in your home, compare stick and cylinder vacuums too.
Check the battery life in the mode you’ll actually use on your floors, rather than relying on the maximum figure quoted. That often refers to a low-power setting; in 2025, Que Choisir reported an average of around ten minutes at maximum power for the stick vacuums it tested, though this doesn’t determine the battery life of every model.
No. Even if a station takes care of certain tasks, you’ll still need to check the brushes, filters and other parts specified by the manufacturer. Depending on its features, you may also need to manage its dust bag, tanks or mop pads, so check what’s required for the model you’re considering.
If the French repairability index applies to the vacuum, check the displayed score, then look for parts compatible with its full model reference. Information from the French Ministry for Ecological Transition describes the index as a guide to help you choose, not a guarantee that every battery, filter or brush will be available for your model.
Before choosing a mopping function for solid wood flooring, check the instructions from both the flooring manufacturer and the robot manufacturer. Que Choisir specifically warns against using robot mops on solid wood floors, so the presence of a mop pad alone doesn’t confirm that it’s suitable.