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Vacuum cleaners: Best Buys 
Best Buy vacuum cleaners will pick up dirt others leave behind. Here are the models that stand out.
Choosing a great vacuum
Finding a vacuum that’s both light and powerful isn't easy. From uprights to cylinders, bagged, bagless and hand helds, there are more vacuum cleaners than you can poke an adjustable attachment at. And choosing an expensive model won’t necessarily guarantee you a great product. It's easy to spend more than £200 and still end up with a fairly poor vacuum cleaner.
Best Buy vacuum cleaners are built to last
At Which? our experts test hundreds of vacuum cleaners to find out which ones are 'Best Buys' and which ones are best avoided. Even if a vacuum cleaner performs well under lab conditions, it won't be named a Which? Best Buy unless we're sure it’s built to last. Every year we survey 35,000 people to find out which brands are most reliable so you get the peace of mind that you're not going to regret your choice three months down the line.
Along with helping you choose the right vacuum cleaner, by joining Which? you’ll get full access to all our reviews and expert opinion on thousands of products, from laptops to child car seats, taking the risk out of any purchasing decision.
Take a trial to Which? and get full access to all our reviews.
Vacuum cleaner reviews you can trust
At Which? our team of experienced experts certainly put the most popular vacuum cleaners through their paces, subjecting them to a rigorous test program. We've reviewed dozens of models from 20 of the top brands, including Miele, Dyson, Hoover and Vax. And we've covered every variation of cylinder, upright, bagged and bagless. Some of the results have even surprised us!
Many of our tests simulate the real-life issues that you'd never be able to test in a shop. For example, we test each model on various floor surfaces to see how good it is at picking up ingrained pet hair, cleaning into corners and holding onto the very fine dust it picks up. And to make sure it doesn't make the cleaning process any more unpleasant, we check to see how loud it is.
What makes a Which? Best Buy?
With a Which? Best Buy vacuum cleaner you can be sure to have great cleaning results every time. Out of the 108 vacuum cleaners tested, we've only awarded 26 of them the coveted Which? Best Buy status. Our tests have also uncovered some exceptionally poor performers that we've named Don't Buys to ensure you don't make a choice you'll regret.
Which? Best Buys aren't about the most expensive, feature-packed products. It's easy to spend more than £200 and still end up with a fairly poor vacuum cleaner. By testing each vacuum cleaner on the same criteria in a controlled environment we can identify the Best Buy bargains to be had among cheaper models.
More ways to save money
Joining Which? gives you access to all of our reviews and Best Buy recommendations, covering thousands of products. And if you're still baffled, you can always pick up the phone and call our helpline team for more personal advice.
Best of all, you can sample the benefits of Which? during a trial. Our advice will soon clear up which vacuum cleaner is the best one for you.
Sign up for a trial membership to Which?.
- Reviews of 105 vacuum cleaners: cylinder, handheld and upright.
- 27 Best Buy vacuum cleaners for easier cleaning.
- Reviews of vacuum cleaners from 22 companies.
