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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Recommend a vacuum cleaner please

63 replies

Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 10:04

I need a new vacuum cleaner as mine has given up the ghost. Have been reading online reviews, but there are so many conflicting views, can anyone advise me on a great vacuum they recommend?

We have a large house with hard flooring downstairs and carpet upstairs. No pets.

I've only ever had corded and bagged vacuums in the past, but find them heavy to carry around. Was thinking about getting a cordless, but not sure if they sacrifice power and suction for portability? Also worried that they might lose battery life after a while.

Have ruled out a robovac as we use the vacuum for the car as well as dusting etc.

Any advice on what you would recommend?

OP posts:
Original poster
Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 17:58

Bump

OP posts:
Original poster
Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 22:27

Have looked at Vax, Shark and Dyson cordless vacuums - have read a few reviews with people expressing disappointment with their Dysons, Shark seems to provoke either undying love or abject hatred with little middle ground, Vax seems decent enough...

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
MadameTuffington · 31/03/2021 22:29

Vax are bloody efficient - Which recommends them - go forth and get a Vax! xx

Kleptronic · 31/03/2021 22:31

I've had Dysons and now a Shark. The Shark's much better. It purely lifts cat and dog hair magnificently. The downside is the tiny tank, but I'd rather be emptying a successful session than going over the bloody rug 5 times.

Kleptronic · 31/03/2021 22:32

I've got a Vax carpet cleaner and it's not much cop, very very noisy and not too great at its job.

liverpool1981 · 31/03/2021 22:34

I have a shark and have had a Dyson a Henry and two Nilfisks and also a hoover which was complete and utter crap. The shark is the best imo.

longtimelurkerfirsttimeposter · 31/03/2021 22:38

I love vax in general. They are rated higher on suction than other popular trendy brands for a fraction of the price.
I have a corded and cordless, both very efficient and probably cost the same together as one shark/Dyson.
Cordless is handy for quick run around, car etc
Corded for heavier duty.
You can check out the vax store on eBay, they do refurbished cordless ones in excellent condition for cheap with a years guarantee if you wanted to try.

PicpoulDeMeNay · 31/03/2021 22:41

I have a Gtech air ram - an upright one and a hand held one. Both cordless, hold really good and long charge, easy to empty and clean. Wish I’d bought them years ago! Think gtech have a 30% off offer at the moment.

Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo · 31/03/2021 22:43

We have a Shark and love it compared to the Dyson we had before. The first time we used it, we used it after using the Dyson and it picked up loads! It’s a bit heavier but actually cleans. We empty after each use as it is so easy to.

Original poster
Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 22:45

Thanks for the replies!

Does the battery life on the cordless ones get shorter after time?

I am quite tempted to get two, one light cordless one for a quick daily run-around and then a heavier duty one for deeper cleans, but not sure I can justify the cost...

OP posts:
Original poster
Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 22:46

@PicpoulDeMeNay

I have a Gtech air ram - an upright one and a hand held one. Both cordless, hold really good and long charge, easy to empty and clean. Wish I’d bought them years ago! Think gtech have a 30% off offer at the moment.
Must go and have a look, haven't investigated Gtech yet!
OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 31/03/2021 22:48

Henry cordless. Light to carry around. No cord to trip over or tie you to a socket. Works just like corded Henry. I have a Miele, a shark, a stick cordless and a Henry cordless and I prefer Henry over all of them. I’m a cleaner and have used lots of hoovers. I take my Henry to work with me.

longtimelurkerfirsttimeposter · 31/03/2021 22:48

I haven't noticed the battery life on the Vax cordless being shorter.. I have had it about 6 months

RandomUsernameHere · 31/03/2021 22:49

Can't fault Dyson, I've got a v10 absolute and love it. Also got a corded Dyson which is really old, eventually I'll replace that with another cordless Dyson so I've got one for downstairs and one for upstairs. If your house is large I'd get two cordless.

samedaydifferent · 31/03/2021 22:49

Had two cordless sharks because I thought the original was faulty. They're really disappointing, need CONSTANT cleaning if you're picking up more than specks off dust off the floor and the suction is horrendous after a few months, finally gave up when I attempted to use it in the car and it looked exactly the same before and after. Suction was OK for a day or so after cleaning but then needed cleaning again if you wanted it took stay ok Hmm

Finally got a Bagless Miele (c3 I think) and it's my favourite thing. No more stopping because the vacuum accidentally sucked up something bigger than a 5p coin and I can actually vacuum my car as well.

UhtredRagnarson · 31/03/2021 22:50

Dysons are pure shite. Avoid.

RandomUsernameHere · 31/03/2021 22:52

@UhtredRagnarson

Dysons are pure shite. Avoid.
You hear this a lot on Mumsnet but I've never met a single person IRL that doesn't love them! Strange. One of my Dysons is over 10 years old and still works perfectly!
UhtredRagnarson · 31/03/2021 22:53

I’ve used loads of them and they have all clogged really easily meaning stopping every five minutes and having to keep a crochet hook in my pocket to unclog them.

RandomUsernameHere · 31/03/2021 22:55

Really interesting that people have such different experiences with them. Neither of mine has ever clogged in 10 years/3 years of regular use

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 31/03/2021 22:55

@UhtredRagnarson

Dysons are pure shite. Avoid.
The Dysons I have had have been brilliant, older models though so can't comment on the current ones but you can't really say they are all shite.

A friend let me borrow her Shark as she is evangelical about them. Cleaning power was great but I found it ridiculously heavy

UhtredRagnarson · 31/03/2021 22:57

you can't really say they are all shite.

I can and I will! Grin I wouldn’t have one even if it was free.

Original poster
Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 23:02

I really like the idea of a cordless stick vacuum that I can just grab and zip around with for 10 mins easily. Vacuuming is such a faff at the minute as my machine is bulky and heavy and it really puts me off doing it as often as I need to. However I don't want to sacrifice power and suction too much.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tiredandbored · 31/03/2021 23:05

@UhtredRagnarson

Henry cordless. Light to carry around. No cord to trip over or tie you to a socket. Works just like corded Henry. I have a Miele, a shark, a stick cordless and a Henry cordless and I prefer Henry over all of them. I’m a cleaner and have used lots of hoovers. I take my Henry to work with me.
Henry always gets a lot of love! I've never used one, but loads of online reviews rave about him!
OP posts:
RockingMyFiftiesNot · 31/03/2021 23:05

@UhtredRagnarson fair enough! Out of interest, what do you use? Genuine question, as we have a very old Dyson which is amazing but if as you say the rest of them are shite, I'd like to know what ito replace it with when the time comes. Just not a heavy shark please

mumof5cn · 31/03/2021 23:10

Henry always x