Shopping Guides 5 Vacuum Cleaners

Date Published:

13/06/2008

Here we look at our top five vacuum cleaners...

Stowaway Animal DC20 by Dyson at John Lewis £299

What's so great about it?
You know how so many homes have a dark cupboard that no-one dares to open because as soon as they do, a massive octopus-like tangle of vacuum cleaner will come spilling out? Well this little number is designed to make that all a hilarious memory, as all the nozzles, wands, hoses etc coil neatly around the body for stress-free storage. It has a turbo head with beater bar (which can be switched off to protect your vintage rugs) plus a cute-as-a-button mini turbo head for stairs/cars/doll's houses. The Dr Doolittles amongst you will appreciate the HEPA filter and pet-hair pick-up action, while Dyson's Root Cyclone technology means the vacuum maintains suction, even when full to bursting with dog hair.
The science: H34.8cm x W28.3cm x D43cm; bagless; 2ltr capacity; 1400W; 8.6kg.
In other words: Nicely neat but a bit of a pain in the pocket.

Power of Red All in One by Electrolux £130

What's so great about it?
Aaah Rover/Kitty, how we love them, but frankly we love our homes more, so we don't want them messing the place up. This red-hot vacuum takes care of the whiffs AND the pet hairs, leaving your home only enhanced by animals. The filter uses baking soda to neutralise odours, the 'Power Paw' - basically a mini cleaning head - deals with pet hair and small crannies. We're also loving the nifty duster attachment, which gently whisks dust from your most delicate baubles and trinkets and sucks it into the vacuum, and the super-long stretchy hose, for cleaning the stairs without giving yourself a hernia.
The science: H109.9cm x W33cm x D30.5cm; 2.4ltr capacity; 2000W; 9.7kg.
In other words: Anything that tackles not one but two of our housework chores is good by us, especially when it's cheap as chips to boot.

Felix Fun by Sebo £230

What's so great about it?
OK so it looks a little crazy, but this vacuum is much more than a kooky accessory to your 1970s fantasies. From a brand that makes top-notch commercial cleaners, it's actually highly sensible - it folds flat to the floor for cleaning under furniture, is really lightweight, offers S-class filtration and the telescopic handle can be height adjusted so your other half has no excuses for not chipping in with the housework. And just to prove that it hasn't lost touch with its fun side, this vacuum has a party trick - unclip the bag bit from the floor-head bit and - taa daaaa - it's a portable mini-vac!
The science: H104cm x W31cm x D38cm; bagged; 3.5ltr capacity; 1300W; 6.8kg.
In other words: Ideal for anyone who demands high performance and wears sunglasses while vacuuming.

SC9540 by Samsung £200

What's so great about it?
Anyone who likes to vacuum early on a Saturday morning to get the kids out of bed need not read any further - at just 73dB it would barely disturb them if you hoovered their pillow. Suction is variable - you can alter power on the unit, or there's a clever gizmo in the handle that allows you to ramp up the suction as needed without having to stoop down. It also has a HEPA filter and silver nano technology that kills off any nasty germs in the dust container. Available in black and wine, this vacuum features a blue LED display, so should you suddenly need to know what level of suction you are using, you can tell at a glance. Well thank heavens for that.
The science: H28.9cm x W27cm x D44cm; bagless; 1.5ltr capacity; 1800W; 6.9kg.
In other words: Removes allergens, kills bacteria and saves your poor back - if only the NHS was this good.

S5280 Allervac Sensor 5000 by Miele £199

What's so great about it?
Delicate types will love the caring nature of this vacuum - not only does it offer a HEPA filter, but there's a little green light that tells you when the flooring is hygienically clean and you can go and do something less boring instead. It has an impressive collection of floorheads and accessories (Kim and Aggie would love the mattress nozzle, for cleaning up the pints of skin and hair we probably all shed each week), plus when you lay the nozzle down on the floor/fall asleep with the tedium of vacuuming, it switches itself off.
The science: H22.5cm x W27.5cm x D49cm; 4.5ltr capacity; 2200W; 7.9kg.
In other words: A pleasing blend of hippy values and ruthless efficiency.