Buying guide
A VACUUM CAN BE AN EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT ONE THAT WILL LAST FOR MANY YEARS. CHECK OUT OUR TOP PICKS AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY
BEFORE YOU BUY
n If you have an open-plan space or your home is spread across multiple floors, a vacuum with a large capacity that plugs in at the wall is likely to be the most convenient. For those in smaller homes or flats, one of the best cordless vacuums is a game changer, as they can eradicate mess with no need for the fuss of plugging in a cable.
n If you need a larger, more powerful vacuum cleaner for a bigger space or a busy family home, then it’s likely you’ll be opting for a corded vacuum, as you won’t have to worry about losing charge.
n Cordless models are handheld appliances that you can use to get around your house with ease. They often have charging ports that you can attach to walls or in cupboards, and are often lighter and smaller, for convenience.
n There’s a distinction to be made between bagless vacs and those which have the traditional bag system. While bagless might be riskier with the mess, brands such as Dyson have engineered clever trigger systems so that you can aim for your bin better. Bagged systems are more expensive and arguably fussier.
n Many vacuums have extra features, such as additional brush, crevice and pet tools, as well as attachments to clean your car. Other models have varying power settings, so you can go turbo.
n Upright vacuum cleaners are very ergonomic to push around, so they’re ideal for cleaning large areas. Their powerful, rotating brush bars are great for picking up hair in thick carpets. But they are tall and bulky to store and not so good for cleaning stairs.
n Cylinder vacuum cleaners are usually smaller and lighter, so they pack away better. The power cable is stored away neatly inside and hopefully there’s onboard storage for tools. But they might not have a motorised brush head and capacity may be smaller.
1 BEST VACUUM OVERALL
SHARK ICZ300UKT ANTI-HAIR WRAP CORDLESS UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER
CORDLESS Yes DUST TANK CAPACITY 0.6ltr WEIGHT 6.2kg PRICE £430 This vacuum cleaner performed consistently across carpet, parquet, hardwood and tiles, and its PowerFins lifted a huge amount of deep-rooted pet hair from around our tester’s dog’s bed, leaving a brand-new carpet look. It made the vacuuming process straightforward, requiring only one pass on all floor types, although we found that it ran out of battery on the normal cleaning mode after 31 minutes. Powered LiftAway means you can transform this cordless vacuum by lifting it away from the stick to carry the canister up stairs and out to car interiors, while it converts into a handheld which
