Best vacuum cleaner 2026 UK: 8 top models tested by Mumsnet

Reviewed by Mumsnet home editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our in-depth Dyson V15 Detect review.

Our top cordless pick - and overall the best vacuum cleaner we've tested at Mumsnet - the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute impressed me immensely. It's not Dyson's most up-to-date cordless vacuum - the latest model, the V16 Piston Animal, will set you back a whopping £750. While the V16 offers some smart upgrades, the V15 ultimately came out on top in our testing thanks to its outstanding suction power, strong performance across carpets and hard floors, ease of use and overall value for money - proving that newer doesn’t always mean better.

I found the V15 extremely powerful, performing brilliantly on both carpets and hard floors, and it effectively dealt with pet hair from my two dogs and two cats. It also converts into a handheld vacuum that's easy to use on the stairs - unlike bulkier vacuums such as our best budget pick, the Henry HVR160.

The Dyson V15 comes with three additional tools and a myriad of useful features that make life that little bit easier. These include a torque cleaner head that automatically adjusts the suction power to the task at hand, a drop-in docking station that can be wall mounted, and a 'point-and-shoot' bin emptying system that pushes out every last bit of dust, dirt and debris.

Unlike the other cordless vacuum cleaners on this page, the V15 also displays remaining charge in actual minutes, taking all the guesswork out of vacuuming so you can make sure you have enough time to whizz round the whole house. Runtime can vary between five minutes to one hour depending on whether you opt for the super-suction 'turbo' or the energy-saving 'eco' mode, but I managed around 30 minutes on the ‘auto’ setting.

Although it's a lightweight vacuum, it is heavier than some other stick models, and the power button also has to be held down continuously while vacuuming, which could prove problematic for those with joint conditions such as arthritis. But overall, the Dyson V15 Detect works beautifully and really is the best cordless vacuum cleaner for suction.

Reviewed by Mumsnet floor care editor Natasha Gregson: Read our in-depth Henry Hoover review.

If your budget doesn't stretch to the Dyson V15 above, the Henry HVR160 offers excellent cleaning performance for a fraction of the price. Featuring impressive suction (if anything, a little too powerful - I even saw it pull up some loose bathroom grouting), it performs brilliantly on carpets and hair, making it one of the top vacuum cleaners to choose for any proud pet owner. 

More compact than some of the older Henrys we've seen, the HVR160 moves from room to room on four wheels and has a generous 10-metre-long cable. It also has a whopping six-litre dust bag, so you can go weeks without needing to replace it. When it does eventually need emptying, dirt and dust is contained in the HepaFlo bag itself, which means no mess and no fuss, minimising the chance of reactions for allergy sufferers.

The main downsides are that it's quite cumbersome to lug about, especially on the stairs, and the main body can get stuck round corners and doorways. I did notice a few performance issues on hard floors - the brush can sometimes push larger debris, like cornflakes, forward rather than picking it up, so you’ll need to switch to the combi tool for bigger spills.

Overall though, we really rate this as a decent cylinder vacuum. Mumsnetters also rave about how long their Henrys have lasted, with NewPanDrawer reporting: "We've had a Henry for years. Very powerful, just about indestructible, and it's often what builders and professional cleaners use." So, when you factor in cost per year, you really are getting unbeatable value for money.

Reviewed by Mumsnet home editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our in-depth Shark Stratos XL 2.6 Litre Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner review.

As the owner of four adorable yet fluffy pets, I know just how quickly fur can build up on carpets, sofas and stairs - and how important it is to have a vacuum cleaner that can actually keep up. The Shark Stratos XL exceeded my expectations, beating many other powerful models to win our coveted best vacuum for pet hair award.

Tested during early summer (aka moulting season!), the Stratos was certainly put through its paces, but it handled carpets, rugs, hard floors and even my 'dust-grabbing' door mat with ease. The suction is seriously impressive - perhaps a little too much! While it cleaned my thick-pile rug effectively with a single sweep, it was too powerful for thinner rugs and tassels, accidentally sucking them up as it cleaned.

Although it’s a bulky unit, the flexible hose and well-designed attachments made it surprisingly practical for cleaning my whole house. It was particularly effective on stairs, corners and underneath furniture - and the fact that you don’t need to haul the entire machine upstairs is ideal.

That carpet performance is one reason the Stratos earns our best upright vacuum cleaner award. AO floorcare expert Katie Lilywhite says upright models are “great for tackling carpets”, and the Stratos is particularly well suited to carpeted homes with persistent pet hair. Its weight and powerful suction make it less practical for quick clean-ups or delicate rugs.

Reviewed by Mumsnet editor Jenny Wonnacott: Read our in-depth Miele Guard M1 Cylinder Vacuum review.

As someone who tried two versions of the much-loved (and sadly now discontinued) Miele C3 Cat & Dog - a long-standing Mumsnet user favourite and our previous best cylinder vacuum award winner - I was keen to see whether the Guard M1 could replace it. Thankfully, it really does. It has the same sturdy, no-nonsense feel, along with improved dustbag sealing and the reassurance of being tested to the equivalent of 20 years’ use. That already puts it a step above most rivals.

AO floorcare expert Katie Lilywhite says cylinder vacuums work particularly well on hard floors and are a versatile choice. That matched my experience with the M1: its 890W motor and well-designed floor heads delivered brilliant suction across carpets and hard floors. It’s heavier than the cordless Dyson V15, as you’d expect from a cylinder vacuum, but its 4.5-litre bag means far fewer trips to empty it.

The Turbobrush is also fantastic and excels at lifting pet hair. Be warned, though: it tangles easily, so you’ll need to cut out the hair between uses.

With an RRP of around £359, it’s pricier than the Henry HVR160 but still far below Dyson territory. Given the suction power, longevity and overall build quality, I think it offers excellent value for money. If you loved the C3 or simply want a powerful, long-lasting cylinder vacuum, the M1 is a worthy successor.

Reviewed by Mumsnet floor care editor Natasha Gregson: Read our in-depth Gtech AirRAM 3 Cordless Vacuum review.

Mumsnetters rave about the Gtech AirRAM MK2, so I was keen to try out the all-new and improved AirRAM 3 model, and it did not disappoint. Unlike our best upright pick, the Shark Stratos XL, it's cordless and lightweight, weighing just under 4kg (for reference, the Stratos weighs more than double at 8.1kg). This makes it great for quick clean ups and moving about the house - though bear in mind you will have to empty the dust bin more frequently.

The suction is excellent, scoring 10/10 in our tests, and it guzzled up everything from corn flakes to hair strands no problem. It even occasionally sucked up things it shouldn't have done - like a stray sock - but luckily this is something Gtech has thought of, and it comes with a helpful blockage detection feature that stops the vacuum immediately. The edge cleaning is also great, rivalling our top pick, the Dyson V15.

I was impressed with the battery life too. It offers up to 30 minutes of runtime, which might sound less than some competitors at first glance, but considering it has a single suction setting that rivals the V15’s turbo mode, it’s more than decent.

My biggest gripe is the lack of attachments - there's nothing included to clean your sofas or hard-to-reach corners, and I struggled to do a thorough clean without reaching for a separate handheld. Considering the price, this was disappointing in terms of value for money, but its powerful suction, ease of use, battery life and high-tech design still make it a five-star vacuum.

Reviewed by Mumsnet floor care writer Laura Cooke: Read our full Henry Quick review.

Mumsnetter favourite Henry didn't just wow us at MNHQ with the classic HVR160 model - the brand has also joined the ranks of the best cordless vacuum cleaners, with impressive results.

The relatively new Henry Quick, complete with Henry’s trademark cheery smile emblazoned on the handle, is a powerful cordless vacuum that’s easy to assemble, use and empty. Although it’s marketed as lightweight, I found it a little on the heavy side when used as a handheld. Despite this, it offered good manoeuvrability as a stick vacuum, even on the stairs.

In terms of suction, it performed brilliantly, picking up most things I threw at it during testing - including porridge oats, cat hair, and dried mud. The only time it struggled was with Cheerios on a laminate floor, as the brush head broke them into smaller pieces and scattered them around. When I switched to the combi tool, it sucked them up with no problem, so as long as you choose the right tool for the job, it’s a great cleaner.

One small grumble is that, unlike some cordless vacuums on this list, you do have to switch modes between hard floor and carpets. One advantage over other those models, however, is its larger capacity (1L) compared with the Dyson V15 (0.76L) or Gtech AirRAM 3 (0.8L).

The scent pods are also a nice touch, especially if you’re battling pet pongs, though you will need to factor in the cost of replacements. For dust-free emptying, I think it's worth it though.

Reviewed by Mumsnet editor Jenny Wonnacott: Read our in-depth Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua 2-in-1 Vacuum & Mop review.

The Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua has been a game-changer in my cleaning routine. It’s incredibly versatile, working as a vacuum, mop and handheld device all in one, and I was impressed by how seamlessly it handles all three tasks (sometimes simultaneously!). Mopping, in particular, felt so much easier, and I loved how it took the hassle out of what used to be a time-consuming chore.

I found the three suction modes - eco, auto, and turbo - really useful, though it did take me a little while to figure them out. Turbo mode gave the best results for quick vacuuming but drained the battery faster, so I stuck to auto mode most of the time. The battery life (up to 40 minutes in eco mode) was plenty for tackling my ground floor in one go, though it needed a recharge if I wanted to clean the whole house.

Whether I needed a quick clean-up after my kids, a speedy mop around or even a portable vacuum while we were on holiday, the Unlimited 7 Aqua proved to be a great wet and dry vacuum for family life. It’s lightweight, easy to use and is a well-thought-out solution for day-to-day cleaning.

The biggest downsides were the slow charge time, small capacity (0.3L) and premium £500 RRP, although it's often available for considerably less. That said, it does come with a 10-year motor guarantee, and it's still far cheaper than the wet-dry version of our best vacuum pick, the Dyson V15s Submarine.

Reviewed by Mumsnet tester Alison: Read our in-depth Eufy Clean X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop review.

Mumsnetters love the eufy X10 Pro Omni, and after testing it, we can see why. It was easy to set up and arrived pre-charged, so our tester could put it to work straight away. The app took a little getting used to, but once paired it provided full control over schedules, cleaning zones and maintenance alerts.

AO floorcare expert Katie Lilywhite says robot vacuums suit people looking for a more hands-off approach, which neatly sums up the X10 Pro Omni. Over several weeks of daily use, it vacuumed and mopped effectively, emptied its own bin, refilled its water tank and washed its mop heads, taking much of the work off our tester’s hands.

Its AI navigation dodged shoes with ease, although tasselled rugs remained its downfall and occasionally needed untangling. Carpet performance was excellent: it picked up pet hair and everyday dirt without trouble, including underneath furniture. It also left hard floors clean and dry within minutes, although tougher stains will still require a floor mop or a vacuum mop such as the Bosch Unlimited 7 above.

If you’ve got the money to spare, we think it’s an excellent buy and one of the best robot vacuum cleaners available. It’s undeniably expensive, but for keeping on top of everyday vacuuming and mopping with very little intervention, it delivers.