Buying guide
How to buy a cordless vacuum without regretting it
Cordless vacuums are marketed on suction figures and sold on convenience. The specifications that predict whether you will still be happy in two years are weight, battery replaceability and filter maintenance — none of which appear on the front of the box.
What actually matters
Weight, held at arm's length
The single best predictor of how often the vacuum gets used. Lighter usually beats stronger for everyday cleaning.
Replacement battery availability and cost
Batteries degrade in three to five years. If a replacement is unavailable or costs half the machine, the vacuum is disposable.
Real run time with the floor head
Quoted run times use the lowest setting and no motorised head. Assume substantially less in practice.
Bin emptying design
A bin that empties without putting your hand near the dust matters daily, and matters a great deal with allergies.
Washable filters
Reduced suction is far more often a dirty filter than a dying motor. Washable filters keep running costs near zero.
Match the machine to your floors
Hard floors and low-pile rugs need far less power than thick carpet. If your home is mostly hard floor, buying the most powerful model available is spending money on capability you will not use — and carrying the extra weight every week.
Pets change this. Shedding hair on carpet is the one scenario where a stronger machine and a tangle-resistant head genuinely save time.
Sticks, uprights and the honest trade-off
A cordless stick is the machine you use for five minutes without thinking. A corded upright still cleans deeper on carpet for less money. Many households are best served by a good stick as the daily machine, and keeping an older corded vacuum for occasional deep cleans.
What the accessories are worth
Manufacturers sell many bundles of the same machine differing only by heads. A crevice tool and a small motorised head for stairs or upholstery are worth having; a dozen niche attachments are not.
Wall docks matter more than they sound. A vacuum with nowhere convenient to live gets used less.
Timing the purchase
Floor-care brands discount on a predictable seasonal cycle and refresh model lines annually with modest changes. Buying the outgoing model shortly after a new launch is usually the best value in the category.
Before buying, check the specific model — not the model family — for the current price context and the complaints owners report after a year of use.
Where to start
Lightweight mid-tier stick
Right for most flats and hard-floor homes. Enough suction, light enough to use weekly, cheaper to replace.
Flagship stick with a removable battery
Worth it for larger homes, carpet or pets — but only when the battery is user-replaceable.
Corded upright plus a cheap stick
The best cleaning per euro for large carpeted homes, at the cost of storage space.
Get a verdict on a specific model
Guides narrow the field; WorthCheck decides the purchase. Run the model you are considering for a price assessment, owner complaints and better alternatives.