Small but powerful: Anne Shooter tries out the Dyson CityWhen I told people I was testing vacuum cleaners, everyone had a view – and a vehement one at that. In one corner, were those who swore allegiance to the smiley-faced Henry. In the opposite corner, were the supporters of the bagless, brightly-coloured, hi-tech Dyson. Then there were those who backed outsiders - Hoovers and Sebos. So, which of brand them really cleans up in the battle of the vacuums?HOOVER FREEJET 3 IN 1 4/5£99, Amazon.co.uk, Comet and other electrical retailersThis is not as powerful as some vacuum cleaners  - but are pretty efficient given it is not plugged into the mains. It charges rapidly on a little stand and then gives you 20 minutes of cleaning, with no tiresome cord to stop you whizzing round at high speed. is incredibly lights (just 2.8kg), very easy to manoeuvre and has a detachable handheld unit for cleaning upholstery.  £99.95, John Lewis and electrical retailersThis

claims to pick up 20pc more than other upright cleaners while using 30pc less energy  - and its motor is only 800W compared with theIt certainly did the job when I tested it on hair, crumbs and glitter – and the price is great. Despite its right-on credentials it is a bit plasticky, clunky and ungainly. I found it heavy and noisy compared with others – and I needed a screwdriver to assemble it. energy-saving Electrolux Envirovac, the Miele Cat and Dog Upright which isn't just for pet owners and the cordless Hoover Freejet MIELE CAT AND DOG S7260 UPRIGHT CLEANER 4/5You don’t need a pet to own one of these – kids or any other reason for mess will justify buying it. is a very powerful machine. It has an 1800W motor and you can reallyIt sucked up everything in its path. suction levels for different surfaces, which you choose using a dial on the front, and attachments for cleaning curtains, sofas and window is that it is big, so you have to use an attachment to go under pieces

of furniture, where other cleaners would fit. it has some clever wheel elevation system that means it glides around as if on ice, making using it a real pleasure. Plus it has won a Which? Dyson City: Worth the expensive price tag £249.99, John Lewis, amazon.co.uk and other electrical retailersJames Dyson says in his autobiography that his one wish is that 'one day, Dyson will replace "Hoover" and become a noun, a verb...long after I am forgotten'. I have to admit I was not a Dyson fan, finding them clunky and heavy and not as family friendly as my Henry. Then I tried the Dyson City. It was designed to appeal to the Japanese, who generally have small homes, and it is tiny, it can fit on a piece of A4 paper. I have handbags bigger than this. And it weighs less than some laptops at just over 7lb. But it has no less suction than an ordinary Dyson – which means it sucks hard - there are no bags to worry about, and it is energy efficient. Yes, it is expensive, but it looks cool, it can live in the cupboard under your sink and it removes glitter from carpet.

What more do you want? IRobot Roomba: Switch it on and leave it to clean iROBOT ROOMBA VACUUM CLEANER 3/5This magical little device could not be easier to set up and use  - basically you press a button and leave it to sweep your rooms while you go and do something else. best and cheapest upright vacuum cleanerIt can tell when a room is clean and then go back to its charging base. best vacuum upright vacuum cleanerYou can set up a virtual wall to keep it out of certain areas or stop it falling downstairs. replace cooling fan on hp laptopI was impressed – though I think it would work better in a minimalist, modern apartment rather than in my cluttered house with lots furniture and toys scattered everywhere Anyway, it’s a very cool thing to show your friends after a dinner party. best way to clean cellular blinds

The Samsung Navibot is a similar device with a few more bells and whistles and will be available soon at £399. It has a mapping system so it takes photos of the room and uses them to create an electronic path. air duct cleaning valueBut after 20 minutes in my living room the pile of crumbs I had left to test it remained untouched.best vacuum cleaner caravanSEBO CYLINDER AIRBELT K1 KOMFORT 4/5I discovered that the Sebo is smart, quiet, efficient and well made – so it's no surprise that's German. The BMW of vacuums, it manouevres well, is light, has great suction and is particularly good at cleaning stairs. It has a five-year guarantee. The only thing I don’t like is that I found it irritating to change its bags. From left: The smart Sebo K1, the incredibly powerful Bissel Opticlean and the ever reliable HenryThis machine is very small, light and neat with a usefully long cord.

It is also incredibly powerful for a machine of its size, with a 2000W motor. It sucked up crumbs, glitter and hair easily and made my sofas look really clean. There is variable suction for hard floors and upholstery, and an easy to empty dirt container – so no irritating bags. And it's great value. My only complaint – and it lost a point for this – it has a really annoying high pitched background squeal as well as the normal motor noise, which could drive you crazy. HENRY HVR200 BAGGED CYLINDER VACUUM CLEANER 5/5 £99.97, Tesco and electrical retailersHenry is compact and light and rolls behind you while you hold out the tube as it is cleans everything in its path. It is no surprise that builders use it – I’ve even used it to clean debris from the patio. The 8m cord is fantastic too, meaning you don’t have to stop too often to keep plugging it in at different plug points – and it rewinds by itself really fast. I’m not a big fan of bags usually, but Henry’s other good points make up for it.