If you mainly need to clean rugs or carpets where pet hair and fibres build up, compare cylinder vacuum cleaners fitted with a suitable brush. A test by UFC-Que Choisir shows that, on the same model, fibre pick-up can differ significantly between a standard brush and a turbo brush. A stick vacuum is more suitable for quick clean-ups if its battery life at your chosen setting is long enough. According to UFC-Que Choisir, a robot vacuum is better suited to maintaining floors between thorough cleans, with results that vary depending on the floor covering and a dust bin that needs regular emptying.
If fibres are caught in textile floor coverings and you need your vacuum to do the main cleaning, consider a cylinder model with a suitable head. A test of a Rowenta model by UFC-Que Choisir shows why it’s important to compare results using the brush you’ll actually use.
A cordless stick vacuum can be handy for picking up visible pet hair every day, and for cleaning stairs or seats if the necessary accessories are included. Check its battery life at the setting you plan to use: UFC-Que Choisir describes this type of vacuum mainly as a supplementary appliance.
A robot vacuum can clean regularly, but you’ll still need to check how well it performs on your rugs. UFC-Que Choisir notes that performance varies between floor types and that the dust container needs emptying very regularly.
Start with the hardest floor covering to clean in your home, then consider the brush, how long each cleaning session takes and the maintenance each appliance requires.
Worth considering: if you have a lot of rugs and carpets and vacuum several rooms in one go.
The trade-off: the cord and size mean more moving around; a bagged model also needs replacement bags.
Worth considering: if you often need to pick up visible pet hair and want to move easily from floors to stairs.
The trade-off: battery life depends on the setting; UFC-Que Choisir considers stick vacuums better suited to supplementary cleaning.
Worth considering: if you want to schedule cleans between thorough cleaning sessions.
The trade-off: according to UFC-Que Choisir, results vary by floor type and the dust container needs regular emptying.
| Consideration | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fibres on different floors | Compare fibre pick-up tests on your floor coverings, not just dust pick-up results. Check which brush was used: on a tested Rowenta cylinder vacuum, UFC-Que Choisir found very different results on rugs with the standard brush and turbo brush. | My rugs trap pet hair, or I move between parquet and carpet: I need results that reflect how the vacuum performs on each of these floors. |
| Brushes and accessories | Check which head is supplied for rugs, whether you can access the roller to remove hair and whether a mini motorised brush for upholstery is included. If you’re buying an accessory separately, make sure it’s compatible with your exact vacuum model. | Hair gets tangled around the brush, and I also want to clean cushions or stairs without assuming an accessory will fit every model. |
| Battery life and manoeuvrability | For a stick vacuum, check the battery life with the setting and brush you’ll use. UFC-Que Choisir gives an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power for stick vacuums, which may not match the maximum time advertised. | I want to grab the vacuum quickly each day, but I also need to know whether one charge will be enough when I clean every room. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check the capacity of the bag or dust container, how often you’re likely to need to empty it, and how easy it is to access the filters and rollers. UFC-Que Choisir notes that a robot vacuum’s dust container needs emptying very regularly. | If pet hair quickly fills the container, I’d rather know what maintenance is involved before choosing between a bag, dust container or emptying station. |
| Parts and repairs | Check the availability of batteries, filters, brushes and accessories for your chosen model. In France, the repairability index for vacuum cleaners provides information on factors including how easy they are to dismantle, documentation and spare parts, according to the ministry responsible for ecological transition. | I plan to keep my vacuum and want to be able to replace parts that wear out, rather than rely on an accessory that’s hard to find. |
This figure alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up fibres from a rug. In its test of the Rowenta RO8366EA, UFC-Que Choisir found that results on rugs and carpets vary considerably depending on whether you use the turbo brush or the standard brush.
Compare tests carried out on the types of floor you have, and check which heads are included with the version on sale.
The advertised battery life may refer to a lower power setting. UFC-Que Choisir gives an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power for stick vacuums.
Compare the battery life at the setting you plan to use with the area you need to clean, and check whether the model has a removable battery.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, robot vacuum performance varies depending on the floor, while their dust containers need emptying very regularly.
Check how the model performs on rugs and carpets before relying on it for anything more than supplementing your main vacuum.
Also allow time to empty the container and clean the brushes. If the robot has a station, check which consumables it needs.
Pet hair and human hair can build up in the dust container or around the brush. A bagged model also requires you to replace the bags.
Before buying, check how to access the rollers and filters, and make sure bags, batteries and parts for your exact model are available.
The equipment mentioned below relates to specific models: a product range name doesn’t guarantee the same accessories or results on every floor covering.
The brand offers stick and robot vacuums for these uses. Rowenta lists an all-floor brush, a hard-floor brush and a mini motorised brush among the accessories for the X-Force Flex 13.60 Kit complet animal.
The BGB41PET1 ProAnimal is a bagged cylinder vacuum that Bosch lists with an AirTurbo Pro turbo brush, a 4,0 l bag and an 11 m operating radius.
Dyson describes the V16 Piston Animal as having conical rollers designed to direct pet hair and long hair into the dust container.
These cordless stick vacuums are designed for frequent clean-ups of pet hair and human hair. If your priority is the main clean on rugs or carpets, compare them with a cylinder vacuum fitted with a suitable brush. A robot vacuum, meanwhile, is for supplementary cleaning.
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The flexible hose and pet brush listed in the product details may appeal to households that need to clean both floors and hard-to-reach areas. The advertised 55 kPa isn’t enough to judge how well it picks up dirt from rugs: check results for your floors and battery life with the brush you’ll use.
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This stick vacuum is designed for frequent cleaning in homes where pet hair builds up. If you also plan to clean stairs or upholstery, check which accessories are included with the version you choose. Also check the battery life at your intended setting and whether you’re happy with how often you’ll need to empty it.
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Its product description highlights an anti-tangle brush for cleaning when hair and pet hair tend to wrap around the roller. The advertised battery life of up to 65 minutes applies to standard mode. When choosing, check the battery life with the brush and setting you’ll use, as well as how it performs on your floor coverings.
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The emptying station may suit you if you want to reduce how often you manually empty the stick vacuum’s dust container, but it needs space and maintenance of its own. The advertised battery life of up to 45 minutes applies to Eco mode: check the battery life at your usual setting and what consumables the station needs.
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This stick vacuum is worth considering for cleaning hard floors and rugs if hair tangling around the roller is also a concern. The advertised 55 000 Pa doesn’t, on its own, tell you how well it picks up fibres. Check results on your floor coverings, which setting the advertised battery life applies to, and whether it includes the upholstery accessories you need.
No. The motor’s wattage isn’t enough to predict how well a vacuum picks up fibres. Compare tests carried out on the floor covering in question and with the supplied head: a test by UFC-Que Choisir of a Rowenta cylinder vacuum found a marked difference between the standard brush and turbo brush on rugs and carpets.
It’s an option worth comparing for your main clean, particularly if it comes with a brush suited to rugs. UFC-Que Choisir says bagged cylinder vacuums generally perform better than bagless models, although that doesn’t guarantee the results of every model. You’ll also need to replace the bags.
Only if it performs well on your floors and its dust container and battery life at your chosen setting suit your full cleaning sessions. UFC-Que Choisir considers stick vacuums better suited to supplementary cleaning and gives an average battery life of around ten minutes at full power.
Not necessarily. According to UFC-Que Choisir, robot vacuum performance varies depending on the floor type. Check how your chosen model performs on rugs and carpets, and bear in mind that its dust container needs regular emptying. It can help with extra cleans between thorough cleaning sessions.
Yes, if the accessory is explicitly compatible with your exact appliance model, its connection and, where relevant, its power supply. First check which accessories are already included. UFC-Que Choisir’s test of the Rowenta RO8366EA shows why it’s worth checking which brush is used to pick up fibres from carpets, but it doesn’t guarantee the same results with another model.