Introduction

We’ve spent our time comparing the features of each model. If you’re not sure which model doesn’t do everything right, click on our vacuum cleaner reviews to find out. We’ve carried out a round-up of the reviews featured in our guide that reveals how easy each vacuum is to use, which variants to avoid, how much the dusting brush comes in handy, and whether there are any rivals in the market. Here’s a look at how we’ve tested vacuum cleaners.

What is a cylinder vacuum cleaner?

Cylinder vacuums have two main parts: a powerful powerful motor that sucks air into the cylinder in a vacuum and a standard hose that bends to suck up dust and debris, such as dirt from carpets and hard flooring. The cylinder contains no heating elements, and no filters that can help to clean filter hair or form allergens, but they are more efficient to use. Cordless vacuum cleaners are also popular because they can be divided into smaller turbo-powered versions. We’ve found some that are quite awkward as they don’t have a turbo head, or one that has no carpet brush. If you do decide to buy one – there’s great news if you opt for a large cylinder model. Although cylinder vacs, like cordless, are less powerful – their sound and weight are higher than a corded vacuum – they have more power than handheld models, so are more efficient to manoeuvre in tight corners, and much more suitable for households with large areas of carpet. The benefit for those with pets is that you can put a bag alongside of the vacuum to keep dust locked away without the hassle of having to empty it every few days or less. Mechanical lids can be expensive, but we recommend getting one in for less than £60 to make it more cost effective, especially if your home is cramped or you have pets. All models come with an extra smaller bag to put the dust bin in too. Some models have more powerful motors, so they won’t draw such a much force to suck up dust and dirt as they would if there were a floor head. As we’ve mentioned above, cylinder vacuums are quieter to use, quieter than a normal upright cleaner and get more shine.

Budget vacuum flops in which? tests

You usually find models with one standard setting rather than two, but sometimes a single one isn’t enough. Our tough tests reveal the sorts of vacuums we recommend you avoid. If there’s more on offer than that, see our pick of our all-price Best Buy vacuum cleaners for more. Find out which models each company reviewed, how well they performed and which brands we’d recommend to avoid if you can, in our vacuum cleaner reviews.

How to buy the best cordless vacuum cleaner

The list of the top 10 pickleless vacuums we’ve discovered is vast; however, not all of you can get a cleaner for less than the minimum buy price. Below are our top picks, for example. So, in the name of being unbiased, read our independent test lab’s findings to get an inside view of how these models compare – see how the different models fare on your floors and how long they take to fully clean. Check out our video above to see our expert picks in action. Our experts can select which models to recommend and which brands to steer clear of. See how they compare on our tests in our full verdict below. Try Which? Average cleaning time per litre of cleaning power test score (real-world, paper test) 16 hours 52 seconds Average dust pick up average runtime Net performance (actual runtime) 7 hours 14 minutes Avg oxygen consumption(blue noise) 3.5 litres/seconds Best vacuums for carpets Reasons to avoid - Doesn’t clear debris - Fast, has messy bottom The biggest drawback to buying an upright vacuum, especially if you are constantly on the move, is that it’s pretty hard to keep it clean during the cleaning process. For people with larger homes, upright can often last for longer, however, don’t generally have as many tools with which to carry around and the dust can build-up over time. Try Which? Cordless is more reliable and lighter, and you still get a range of features on board too. If you’re less careful and have a more dirty home, you might just find a very good cleaner for your home that will last longer on its maximum setting. Find out which models impressed in our tests to get our Best Buys.

Our verdict on cordless vacuums

If you’re concerned about your home’s current vacuum situation and want a bagless option to take it out for quick clean ups, our main tests reveal some of the most suitable models. These don’t tend to have the highest suction power, but they’re reasonably light, so are easy to empty and replace. And they can keep a decent dust bin handy so you can store them in the cupboard as you clean. Some model we review aren’t models we’ve actually tested, though. For example, we’ve found models that claim to clean cleaner floors for less than £100 but fail to actually clean a 3-in-1 cleaner in our lab tests. On the plus side, we can tell you which models deliver a good performance overall, particularly how well it cleans carpets and hard floors with one full shampoos and mopping, and whether they pick up pet hair and dust, which is especially important if you have pets. Check out our full list of Best Buy vacuum cleaners to get our top picks, from models rated Best Buys to models with the lowest scores on our tests and our ratings of which ones make our list to avoid - to find the best models for you.