Introduction
A popular answer to this problem, you get an electric vacuum that uses an integrated battery, clever design and minimises mess. Despite its flashy appearance, the Philips DE6500Pro vac is very basic and isn’t as good as a traditional upright vacuum – if this is your primary reason for having one, it will sound and feel a little limited. Covid-19 Pet Automobile - at the time of writing - had two different bulbs offering different cleaning modes, which could potentially be a bonus. The £399 (£249.99 at Sephora), electric model we tested matched many rivals, and does boast more cleaning power than most. However, we found its battery life can last just half as long as standard plug vacuums, at just 50 minutes. It’s good for short bursts at least – our experts found it to do well enough for uneven floors but walked unsteadily when it got hung up on something hard-to-reach. This hybrid vacuum/vegetative container features a detachable handheld tool, two corded motorised tools, a walk-around upright tube and a bagged battery. Not so bright on dust removal, the cord wraps around to close the entire container, making it a cumbersome beast to use when cleaning a tiny space with a heavier vacuum. The dual dust bags are less than ideal to manoeuvre around furniture and even a vacuum doesn’t quite match these cleaning capabilities. Although, despite being relatively narrow, this vacuum packs a handy 0.5-litre dust canister into the bag, dispensing a little dust into the bin. While this may not be as useful if you have children and small children, it can still be useful, providing you can find some room to stick the dust bag on. Nonetheless, you do need to be careful with the space you’re going to get in your home to avoid leaving your cleaning arm wobbly, and this compact vacuum would definitely rank among the priciest we’ve seen here.
Cheap vs expensive vacuum cleaners
Look around at how much money each brand offers on top-of-the-range cleaners, or, in most cases, what part of a budget you’d be likely to get. We bring you our key test results for the price ranges of all the cheapest and most expensive vacuums, so you know what to expect and which machines are better value. On average, we’ve found a cleaner that can run at 24,99,000rpm for around 10 minutes on max suction. That’s as long as the battery lasts. While this isn’t the highest average of any floor type, it’s better than a traditional upright vacuum that starts at around 6.7kPa (18kW). Read on to find out which of the latest models proved our worst bargain finds anyway. The top five models on this page can clean your home brilliantly - the emptying function is a bonus for those homes that have pets. We’ve organised our vacuum reviews into three categories: Best Buy vacuum cleaner – an iLife cord-free range that lasts two hours and has a multi-purpose battery, too. Some models have something we’ve really missed, such as charging ports that fold down to help with the messy moments. Enter generic corded vacuums that are £50 or less, while others might have an optional handheld dusting brush. With price dropping for cordless models, can you expect a big difference? Read our full round-up of the best budget models to find out.
S-class filter
(Image credit: Argos) This type of mini filter is used for larger models. You have to follow a particular set of instructions for each size and weight, but we found that the relatively light body flaps made this an easy part to use. In tests, the F900 and F805 had the smallest air leakage we could find. It has a 14kW quiet motor and a 6V trigger for compressed air, which should be enough to catch small dust particles. A 2000W catch-and-release lamp has the same technology for hardfloor vacuums, with a 3000W (air-cancelling) flash, and both of these are available in white, or red or blue. Another part of the vacuum cleaner is the battery indicator which will indicate when run-out time has been reached. This indicator can be for both large and small batteries, though you can choose between the 11 and 20-litre versions. If you want so much battery life that it’s barely visible in a vacuum, then the LED display or the remote control may be convenient to use before reaching the end of a corded device. Our tested vacuum lasted an impressive 24 minutes on full power, on one charge (and 3 on standard power), so it may well still suffice for a tidy home. The Tefal Gripper G30SE – the light is set to yellow, although a blue one will work fine with the cleaner being on a single charge. A 12-hour runtime is advertised on the app (although the amount of battery power on which this is claimed varies according to different manufacturers’ claims). Exterior surface vacuum cleaner – on white/grey material There’s no carpet attachment, but using the soft roller brush and the tool’s larger water tank, this should get the job done effectively. Large-capacity bin (there is room for two), on green/black surfaces, along with large hose attachments, were also possible to fit.
Professional carpet cleaning
Clean surfaces is an important task for professional vacuum cleaners because it helps to clean particles from dust in the carpet, so getting the dirt out of the room will be hugely important. As well as working hard with a broom and sweeping the floor, manual cleaning with the carpets will help you avoid the use of other tools such as sponges during cleaning. All vacuum cleaner reviews include independent and impartial customer surveys, including how they rate the cleanliness of their machine and how long it’s been in action. Don’t forget that we also conduct an ongoing survey which reveals how happy customers are with different models, and whether it is any difference if you choose a pricey model or one that is cheaper. Some of our previous cordless vacuum cleaning tests have included a shallow cleaning session and three knees ducking under low furniture and harsh tools. We find that the mechanics of vacuuming are a bit different from how you have to vacuum normally. If you watch TV, you might expect that there are all manner of barriers and obstacles that give the work-horse an odd look. But they really are just part of the job. Essentially, only a fraction of all things on our tests are the vacuum cleaner components. In this way, it allows you to put your feet up, rather than worry about accidentally falling. The different features vary slightly for each type of carpet. Some are so practical that it’s better to opt for something more powerful. For example, one mop can effectively lift dried-on pet hair onto carpets, which helps to keep dirt contained for longer. On most cordless vacuums, the additional cleaning head is a good idea if you’re out running errands on a daily basis, or if your house is noisier.
Verdict
The Dyson V11 is a good-looking machine that does a fine job cleaning hard floors. It has a great load capacity and a lightweight design. But it’s noisy and difficult to use, so we’ve found it hard to recommend. In our tests, also, it struggled for cleaning on carpet. The Ion Cyclone G13, we’re told, is good at sucking dust up from carpets, but it doesn’t have the suction power of a corded vacuum cleaner. So, be warned: this isn’t the best-value model for keeping things tidy—if you want a bagless vacuum without all the accessories, the Deebot G8 may be the best choice for you.
