We use cookies to help improve our sites. If you continue, we'll assume that you're happy to accept our cookies. Find out more about cookies All Vacuum cleanersBest BuysDon't BuysAdvice Guides1 172 vacuum cleaner reviewsMost-recently testedHighest Which? scorePrice (low to high)Price (high to low)Most-recently launchedAEGUltraflexAUF8210Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Today's best price£169.99AEGUltraone AllfloorLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£140.00BoschGS-50 Power Animal 2Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Today's best price£299.98Dirt DevilDDU01-E01 PowerliteLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£50.00Dirt DevilDDU03-E01360° ReachLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£80.00DysonCinetic Cylinder Big Ball AnimalLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£250.00DysonDC39 MultifloorLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£200.00HooverHurricane VR81HL01001Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Today's best price£78.97HooverWhirlwind WR71WR02001Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Today's best price£69.00HooverEnigma TE70EN21001Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£95.00HooverEnigma PU71EN01001Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Today's best price£79.98HotpointEnergy Power 3SLM07Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£130.00NumaticHettyHET160-11Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Today's best price£101.99VaxDynamoPower PetU84-DY-PeLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£160.00ZanussiCompact Power ZAN3002ELLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£50.00ZanussiCyclone Classic ZAN1910UELLaunched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£70.00MieleCompact C2 XXLPowerLine SDRE1HS15Launched

: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£250.00HotpointEnergy Power 4SLM07Launched: -Tested: Nov 2016Typical price£130.00AEGAUC9230 UltraCaptic Deluxe Pet and HomeLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£295.53ArgosSimple Value 414/3248Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Typical price£50.00BoschIn'genius ProPerform BGL8AAAAGBLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£167.99DysonSmall Ball AnimalLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£259.99DysonBig Ball AnimalLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£399.95HooverPure Power PU71/PU01001Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£69.00HooverSpritz SE71 SZ08001Launchedbest way to clean metal awnings: -Tested: Jun 2016Typical price£55.00HooverVelocity VL81 VL01001Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£89.00HooverVortex WR71 VX04001Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Typical price£60.00MieleComplete C3 Total Solution PowerLine SGFE1Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£225.89OreckMagnesium LW150Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Typical price£250.00PhilipsPowerPro Ultimate FC9920Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£249.99PhilipsPowerPro Expert Animal FC9724Launched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£239.99SeboK1 Komfort Eco 91669GBLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£159.99SharkRocket NV480UKRLaunchedair duct cleaning consumer reports

: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£129.99SharkLift Away NV680UKLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£189.99ZanussiAirSpeed Lite ZAN2000ALaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£56.99ZanussiCyclon Clean All Floor ZAN7860UKELLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£89.99AEGAUC9220 UltraCaptic PetLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£282.54DysonSmall Ball MultifloorLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£257.99DysonBig Ball Total CleanLaunched: -Tested: Jun 2016Today's best price£299.99ZanussiZAN7880UKE Cyclon Clean PetLaunched: -Testedbest vacuum cleaner for golden retriever hair: Jun 2016Today's best price£95.99AEGUFPARKETTA UltraFlexLaunched: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£119.00AEGUSORIGDB+UltraSilencerLaunched: -Tested: Feb 2016Typical price£150.00BoschBGL4PETGB/01 GL-40 AnimalLaunched: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£149.00DysonDC28c multi floorLaunched: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£199.99HooverTurbo Power TP71 TP07001Launched: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£139.99MieleComplete C3 PowerLineSGDE1HS15Launched: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£147.99MieleCompact C2 Cat&Dog PowerLine SDBE1Launched: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£189.00MieleDynamic U1 PowerLineSHAM0HS08Launchedvacuum cleaner best upright

: -Tested: Feb 2016Today's best price£279.00You do not have the Flash or Quicktime plugin and your browser does not support HTML5 video.guide to buying the best vacuum cleaner If you’re after a new vacuum cleaner you might be surprised by just how much choice you have available. best vacuum cleaners for pet ownersIt’s important to get a vacuum that is suited to both you and your home, whether you’re a pet owner, have large carpeted areas, need to clean lots of stairs or suffer from allergies.recommended vacuum cleaner 2013 uk To help you pick your perfect vac, and to show you some quick, handy checks you can do in the shop, here’s the Which? guide to buying a vacuum cleaner. and you can also find out more if you watch the video above. Upright vacuums are often heavier, can hold more dust and typically have a smaller reach than cylinders, so you might end up swapping plug sockets more often.

Uprights also have a motorised brush bar, or electrobrush, in the floor head (the bit that makes contact with the floor that the dust is sucked up through) which works well to pick up hair - important for pet owners. Good at picking up pet hair Easier to store than cylinders (as there’s no tube to wrap round the vac) Can cover large areas of floor quickly Can often hold more dust than cylinders Heavier than cylinder vacs More difficult to use on stairs Cylinder vacuums are lighter and more compact than uprights – but you might be surprised to find out they typically have larger motors, making them less energy efficient. The design and weight of cylinders often makes them better suited to cleaning the stairs, getting into hard-to-reach places, and better at picking up the dust right next to the skirting board, reducing the need to use the small attachments. Cylinder vacs are sometimes supplied with full size turbo brushes (different to mini turbo tools, see below) to help clean carpets and pick up pet hair, which can add to the price.

tests show these turbo brushes are not always as effective as the standard floor head. Their tests always reveal which is better, so always check a Which? review to find out if it’s worth paying extra for turbo brushes. Lighter and more compact than upright vacuum cleaners Better for tackling stairs, upholstery, under furniture and hard-to-reach areas The hose section can be difficult to store tidily Generally not as good at picking up pet hair Can be more difficult to control and manoeuvre Tend to have larger motors than uprights, making them less efficient Once you’ve got an idea about upright and cylinder models, the next decision is to figure out if you want to go bagless or not. Bagless vacs trap everything inside a canister that you then empty into a bin when it gets full. The problem is that tipping loose dust into a bin be a messy job, which can be particularly irritating for those with acute dust allergies. Bagless vacs also tend to have smaller capacities – the average upright will hold over 4L of dust while a bagless will hold around 2.5L.

Bagged vacs are the more traditional option and are a little more hygienic. All the dust is trapped inside a bag which you then throw away. Some vacuums, like those made by Miele, have self-sealing bags, so no dust should escape when it’s time to remove the bag from the vac. However, the cost of replacing bags can be formidable, especially if they’re official manufacturer bags. Once you’ve got a better idea about the types of vacuum available, it’ll be worth having a look at the tools that come with them. Some vacs have some fairly unique nozzles and attachments but here are some of the most common and what they’re used for: have soft brushes and can be used to dust/clean any delicate furniture without scratching it. You can also use a furniture brush to clean keyboards. are used for vacuuming in tight spaces and in corners. have a strip of velvety material to help remove dust and fluff from upholstery. can combine two or all three of the above nozzles.

are a bit more specialised, and are often supplied with vacs marketed towards pet owners (like Miele’s ‘Cat & Dog’ vacuums or Dyson’s ‘Animal’ vacs). Mini turbo tools have a small rotating brush which is powered by the air drawn into the vac - they are used to remove hair from places you can't use the main floor head, like sofas or on upholstery. Some vacs allow you to store tools on the vac, which is convenient, while others do not. If you don’t fancy a walk to the cupboard every time you want to change an attachment, look for a vac that allows you to keep the main tools on board. If you're in the shop, here are a few quick checks you can do to find out if the vacuum you're considering is suitable to you. This will give you a real impression of how noisy it is and how easy the vac is to use and manoeuvre. If you find the vac sticks to the floor and you cannot adjust the floor head or suction to help this, it’s best to choose another vac. Vacs can weigh anywhere between 5 and 11kg.

So if you're going to be lugging a vac up and down the stairs, make sure you don't buy a model you’ll struggle to lift. If you're going to be vacuuming under furniture, try to lay the vac flat. Some models can’t get all the way down. Check the bag/canister and filters Find out how easy it is to replace the bag or empty the canister if it's a bagless vac. Then make sure you can get to the filters and remove them easily - they will need washing or replacing to keep your vacuum in working order. All new upright and cylinder vacuum cleaners will carry an energy label showing how efficient they are. They will give a rating of A-G based on energy efficiency and cleaning performance on carpets, hard floors and their dust emissions. Cordless vacuums are also known as stick vacuum cleaners and are becoming more popular. Cordless models run off a battery that will give you between 20 and 60 minutes of cleaning time depending on the model. When you’re done, the vacuum will need to be put back on charge.