Vacuum cleaners are a household essential everyone needs, no matter how big or small your home is, whether you are renting a room, or have an eight-bedroom mansion.
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Vacuum cleaners come in all shapes and sizes, from handheld to larger designs, gadgets with additional attachments, creations, which can reach into those hard-to-reach corners, as well as bagless and cordless designs.
It's safe to say there is a lot of choice, but we aim to take the pressure off your vacuum cleaner shopping spree.
From the numerous types of vacuums, the best brands to buy, and the best vacuum cleaners with top-rated reviews, we have curated the ultimate guide to help you; from upright vacuums, robotic designs, wet to dry creations, and big brands including Dyson and Shark to Henry Hoover, we have the 411 on it all.
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What types of vacuums are there?
There is a huge variety of vacuum cleaners to shop.
While some may prefer the classic upright designs, others may like all the hardwork of the chore done for them with a robot cleaner, which sucks up all the dust, dirt and grime, automatically.
As well as upright vacuums, there are the classic canister or cylinder vacuum cleaners, a handheld vacuum, stick vacuum cleaners, and of course, the former mentioned robot vacuums.
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Which vacuum should I buy?
There are a number of factors, which come in to play when shopping for the best vacuum cleaner for your needs. For example, the space of the area you need vacuuming; if it is mainly for the car, a handheld vacuum is your best bet, if you need one for the whole house a classic cylinder vacuum is the one to go for, as it is powerful enough to pick up all the dust and dirt.
While cylinder vacuums are said to be more powerful and have a larger capacity, upright vacuums are lightweight and still efficient.
Throw into the mix the bagged or bagless variations, and things get a little more confusing - but they don’t have to be. Ultimately, a bagged vacuum has an extra layer of filter, which is ideal for those who suffer from allergies, as it provides an extra layer of protection for them, especially when removing the bag.
The next decision is whether to opt for a corded or cordless vacuum, and while they both have major positives, a corded design is said to provide a more powerful suction, than a cordless design, which runs on a powered battery. However, a cordless design is easier to manoeuvre without being pulled back by the cord. Both can be used on hard floor and carpet.
What are the best vacuum brands?
There are a multitude of vacuum brands on the market, and whittling down the best can be tricky. The most popular, and top rated, brands, include...
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Bagged Vs bagless vacuum cleaners
Knowing whether to buy a bagged or bagless vacuum cleaner is quite simple.
The only difference is a bagged vacuum provides an extra layer of protection for the filtration system. This means all the dust, dirt and allergens are safely contained in a bag making it easier to remove the contents, mess-free, and safer, especially for those with allergies.
Some say a bagged vacuum is more powerful than a bagless, but the jury is out on that.
While a bagless vacuum is more eco-friendly, so it is time to weigh up your options.
Best reviewed bagged vacuum cleaners to buy
NUMATIC Henry HVR160 Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner, £119, Currys
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The Henry vacuum cleaner is arguably one of the most popular and iconic vacuum cleaners on the market, which has stood the test of time.
This bagged and corded design has ranked an average of 9.3 out of 10 stars from shoppers, which is more than impressive, with many customers praising it for its reliability and powerful suction.
Amazon Basics Powerful Bagged Vacuum Cleaner, £55.99, Amazon
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Amazon is the go-to for anything and everything, including vacuum cleaners.
For those looking for a vacuum cleaner with large capacity, a powerful suction, and affordable price tag, look no further.
Siemens vacuum, £116.74, Amazon
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With over 7,000 reviews on Amazon, this Siemens vacuum is not to be missed.
It can be used on hard floor and carpet, has a bag to make emptying the contents super efficient, while the corded design also makes this a powerful design.
Best reviewed bagless vacuum cleaners to buy
Vax ECB1SPV1 Platinum Power Max Carpet Cleaner, £199, John Lewis
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Vax’s Platinum Smartwash Carpet Cleaner is ideal for those looking for a bagless, corded vacuum cleaner, and an affordable one at that.
This model has garnered over 7000 glowing reviews on John Lewis, with some hailing it a “fantastic cleaner” and a “pleasure to use”.
This design is a carpet cleaner, which means it washes and rinses the carpet for a thorough clean killing up to 93% of 93% of bacteria and allergens. But fear not, this won’t leave your carpet sodden wet as it dries within an hour.
MIELE Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog PowerLine Cylinder Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, £359, Currys
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Miele is one of the leading home tech brands, and with over 1200 reviews, this cylinder bagless vacuum is one to have on your radar.
It weighs just over 8kg, but this means it is super powerful, and has a large capacity to hold dirt and dust.
SHARK DuoClean Lift-Away & Pet Tool NV702UKT Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, £189, Currys
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We have heard of the Anti Hair Wrap range, but Shark's DuoClean collection is also worth investing in.
This design picks up allergens and even the finest particles, includeing pet hair, and can hold up to 1.1 litres, which means less time wasted emptying the contents collecting, which is the worse part of cleaning.
Corded or cordless vacuum cleaners?
Similar to choosing a bagged or bagless design, knowing whether to buy a corded or cordless vacuum comes down to personal preference.
Some say a corded device is more powerful as the power is supplied from the mains, while a cordless design features a rechargeable battery.
A corded design can be restricting, and will need to be plugged into a mains at all times to run, which means it can’t be portable, while a cordless design you can take anywhere in the home, or in the car,
However, with a cordless design you may find your run time may be limited, and a recharge is needed mid-clean, depending on the creation, how long you have had the vacuum, and the length of use.
A corded vacuum is often easier to manoeuvre, and lightweight, which is ideal for those who have a small space to clean, or lots of stairs so not to carry the hefty cleaner all around the home.
Best reviewed cordless vacuum cleaners to buy
Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, £229, John Lewis
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The Dyson Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is another firm favourite with shoppers, which has racked up over 4000 reviews.
Not only is this design cordless, but also bagless. It is compact and lightweight, but also bends to get into the most tightest of spaces.
What’s more is it can be used on hard floor and carpet, and boasts a powerful suction to remove stubborn pet hairs, and allergens, with a run time of 40 minutes.
SHARK CH950UKT Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, £69.99, Currys
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Looking for something lightweight, compact, portable, affordable, and efficient? Shark has created the ideal handheld vacuum cleaner.
It is both a bagless and cordless design, which makes this all the more practical when you need to do a quick clean up.
EUFY RoboVac 15C Robot Vacuum Cleaner, £199, Currys
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Looking for the most convenient vacuum cleaner to do the hard work for you? A robot vacuum cleaner is essential.
It can be synced to an app on a smart device and programmed to clean to suit your needs. While there are many benefits to this design, one that is particularly impressive is it automatically docks when the battery is low, so it’s another weight off your mind.
SHARK Anti Hair Wrap with Pet Tool IZ201UKT Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, £259, Currys
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Shark's Anti Hair Wrap range is a huge hit, and we have already included the corded version, but for those looking for a cordless creation, Shark has you covered.
This top-rated cordless vacuum cleaner has over 10,000 reviews on Currys, with many shoppers praising this number for being lightweight, practical and efficient.
Bush Cordless Handstick Vacuum Cleaner, £85, Argos
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Bush's Cordless Vacuum Cleaner has over 2,000 reviews and is the lightweight, and affordable design for those investing in a new vacuum cleaner.
It also comes an Eco mode, which provides an extra few minutes of cleaning time.
Best reviewed corded vacuum cleaners to buy
SEBO X7 Excel Plus Vacuum Cleaner, £439.90, John Lewis
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The SEBO Vacuum Cleaner has been recognised as one of the top-rated corded vacuum cleaners with John Lewis shoppers.
For those looking to achieve a professional clean without calling in the experts this design delivers.
It features a computer control system, which tailors the height of the brush according to the floor type so not to ruin your carpet, while also picking up stubborn pet hair and dirt. Plus, it comes with a light so you can see what’s lurking in every crevice.
Shark Anti Hair Wrap Pet Corded Vacuum Cleaner, £199.99 (Was £349.99), Shark
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Shark's Anti Hair Wrap Vacuum Cleaner is arguably the most talked about vacuum cleaner out there, and it delivers.
This bagless corded creation can be used on hard floor, as well as carpet, and can be transformed into a handheld device, to be carried or stretched to reach cobwebs hidden in the corners of the ceiling at the touch of a button.
The best part - it's on sale.
Beko VCS5125AB Upright Vacuum Cleaner, £74, AO.com
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This vacuum cleaner is lightweight in comparison to some other upright designs, weighing 7kg, and while it is corded it is bagless, which makes emptying the dust away swift and easy. Plus, this buy is under £100, which we think is an absolute bargain.
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