The best vacuum cleaners to buy in the UK

The sheer number of vacuum cleaners on the market nowadays seems endless, but somewhere in between cylinder, cordless and upright models, there’s the perfect match for you. So, to take the hassle out of finding the ideal fit for your cleaning needs, we’ve narrowed it down to just top-notch yet affordable vacuums that meet our demanding criteria.

After a deep clean for carpets and upholstery? Check out our round-up of the best carpet cleaners here. We've also done a round-up of the best car vacuum cleaners on the market.
And if you're in the market for other appliances, don't miss our other Buyer's Guides - you'll find round-ups of the best washing machines, best cookers, best freezers and so much more!

Best vacuum cleaners on sale in the UK

Henry HVR 160-11

At a glance

• £149
• Corded and bagged
• Comprehensive tool kit included
• Powerful and quiet 620w motor
• 2 year warranty

Surely the world's most recognisable vacuum cleaner, the Henry HVR 160-11 is a versatile and inexpensive hoover that is as effective as it is smiley. Being a canister-style vacuum, the Henry gets wheeled around on four wheels which we are thankful for as this isn't the lightest of machines.

It's a great domestic cleaner though and one that is well prepared for tackling everything from carpets to hard floors and car interiors. The 620w motor provides powerful suction in all situations without being too loud and its 6-litre capacity means you're not going to be changing bags that frequently. When it's time change the bag we can confirm it's a simple and clean process.

The generous 10-metre power cord is easily retrieved thanks to a smart integrated cable reel and we like the fact Henry can store a couple of tools on his tub. The stout Henry isn't great for cleaning stairs though, and if your mobility isn't the best we'd probably look elsewhere.

Given its price, the Henry HVR 160-11 is a brilliant choice for most of us.

Read our full review of the Henry HVR 160-11 vacuum cleaner.

Fancy another cleaner from the Henry range? Our guide to the best Henry vacuum cleaners should help.

Dyson V15 Detect

At a glance

• £499
• Cordless and bagless
• Laser dust detection
• Anti-tangle hair screw
• LCD screen display
• Lightweight with powerful suction
• 6 brush heads
• 2 year guarantee

The brand new Dyson V15 Detect quite literally shines a new light on household cleaning problems. The latest vacuum model from the eponymous brand has built-in laser detect technology which allows you to see dust particles invisible to the naked eye. In our test, we were equally alarmed(!) and impressed with how much dust showed up in the light, even after doing a first clean with our standard vacuum. The green laser in the V15 is integrated into the fluffy cleaner head, making it ideal for hardwood and laminate flooring.

Five additional heads are provided, including an anti-tangle brush head. This technology is another game-changer; hair is sucked up easily into the see-through dust canister without getting caught and tangled around the brush barrel. Tediously pulling hair out from your vacuum brush will be a thing of the past!

A new LCD screen at the top of the V15's dust barrel lets you see exactly what you’re sucking up, including food, pollen and dust mites. This screen doesn’t add much to the cleaning experience but might be of some interest to allergy sufferers who’d like to know how much dust and pollen they have in their home.

The V15 Detect uses the Dyson Hyperdymium motor which generates up to 240 air watts of suction. It offers three modes of suction power; Eco, Auto and Boost. The default auto mode provided approximately 45 minutes of solid cleaning time, which was more than enough for our tester’s four-room, carpeted flat. Boost mode, however, gave just 25 minutes of vacuuming time, but obviously increased the suction levels for an even deeper clean. Eco mode, on the other end of the scale, gave us nearly an hour longer cleaning time. A nice added feature is when you switch between these suction modes, the vacuum offers battery life estimates in minutes that change depending on which mode is being used. With all this suction power, the device is surprisingly quiet and generates a satisfying ‘boing effect’ sound (reminiscent of a lightsaber for any Star Wars fans out there) when you release the power trigger.

The V15 weighs just over 3kg, which isn’t bad for a cordless device, although it can make high-reaching cleaning a bit tough on the arms after a while. The handle itself is comfortable and the overall, streamlined design makes the vacuum easy to manoeuvre. Cleaning your car, stairs or seating is also on the cards thanks to the handheld cleaning head options, as well as stick cleaning. A wall mount comes included which makes storage in a cupboard or behind a door easy.

Dysons don’t come cheap, but if you’re looking for an investment, all-purpose vacuum for faff-free, regular and reliable deep cleaning, the V15 Detect is the one for you. We were mightily impressed.

Check out our round up of the best Dyson vacuums on the market for more options!

Halo Capsule Vacuum

• Buy now from Halo (£259.99)

At a glance

• Lightweight, just 2.6kg
• 3 brush heads
• As much suction as corded models
• Comes with compostable dust bags
• Free returns
• 2 year warranty

If you’re on the hunt for a no-fuss, lightweight, cordless vacuum, the Halo Capsule is well worth a gander. In our test, we found the device had as much suction power as our corded model, easily picking up dust, hairs and fluff from both our carpets and hardwood floors.

Weighing just 2.6kg, the device has an easily manoeuvrable brush head as well as two additional heads: a crevice tool and a brush tool, for up-close and precise cleaning. These heads are perfect for cleaning a range of areas and surfaces including sideboards, stairs and sofas.

With a three-hour charge, the Halo lasted two sessions of vacuuming in our tester’s five room, carpeted and hard wood floored flat, over two days.

It uses dust pouches, which are compostable and stop mucky and potentially harmful dust particles from being released into the air when you dispose of them.

Our verdict? A great lightweight vacuum cleaner, and its compact size makes it ideal if you are short on space. Free returns and a two-year warranty are also included.

Roidmi H10 cordless vacuum

At a glance

• £80
• Sleek Scandi design
• Cordless and bagless
• Stick and handheld cleaning options
• Powerful suction and easy to manoeuvre
• Lightweight and quiet
• 60 minutes run-time on standard power level
• 5 year digital motor warranty

Fully charged in just three hours, with a handy magnetic wall mount for storage and charging, the H10 cordless vacuum cleaner by award-winning brand ROIDMI is a quiet and powerful device. As ROIDMI’s most affordable model, the H10 comes with a stick attachment, powered floorhead brush roller and crevice tool, as well as a power adapter and cleaning brush.

Featuring three suction settings – Eco, Standard and Boost – the H10 offers 60 minutes vacuuming on standard power level and 10 minutes on boost. In our test, we were able to vacuum a small three-bed house on one full charge, alternating between standard and boost modes on particularly fluffy carpets. Suction power was excellent with the H10 easily picking up dust, dirt and hair. Its multiple air filtration technology is also designed to capture allergens. One pass was all that was needed to clean hard floors and low-pile carpets and a couple of passes on thicker carpets and rugs. Its lightweight (just 2.7kg), sleek design made it easy to manoeuvre around the room, including under the sofa and up the stairs.

With triple noise reduction technology, the H10 was also notably quieter than our older plug-in model (just 72dB on standard power). We found that emptying the H10’s 0.65L dust cup was easy, with just one press needed to empty the cup into the bin. Cleaning the filter and cyclone is recommended every three months and requires a wash under the tap and 24 hours to dry, but reassembly is simple and the manual is easy to follow.

Our verdict? The H10’s stylish and practical cordless design and handy wall mount make it a great choice for a quick, easy clean. This model would be ideal for a small house or apartment or as a second go-to vacuum for a bigger household looking for a lightweight quick-fix option to tackle dirt, dry spills or pet hair.

Dyson small ball allergy bagless upright vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• £199
• Includes mattress, crevice, upholstery, dusting and combination nozzles
• HEPA filtration to trap small particles
• 9.4m cord
• Easy to steer
• Lightweight
• 5 year warranty

Want to suck up even the dust you can’t see? The Radial Root Cyclone technology on this Dyson will see to that. Plus, it’s an incredibly quiet model, which pivots on a ball to make it easy to manoeuvre.

SEBO Felix Vogue ePower vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• Powerful brush motor
• Includes a floor head as well as crevice and upholstery nozzles
• Superb manoeuvrability
• Soft bumper to protect the head against knocking furniture
• Upright model

This light, powerful and easy-to-use model has met with rave reviews – and for good reason. It can clean all surfaces, from delicate carpets to hard flooring, and its L-shaped head is ideal for tricky spots.

Buy the Sebo Felix Vogue ePower vacuum cleaner from Amazon

Shark anti-hair wrap HZ500UK upright vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• £249
• Self-cleaning brushroll
• HEPA filtration to remove allergens
• Bagless model
• Easy to manoeuvre around awkward areas
• DuoClean function

For effortless cleaning, choose this Shark option. The easy-to-empty model has anti-hair wrap technology, so it’s ideal for those with pets. Plus, its DuoClean function interchanges seamlessly from being suitable for carpets to hard floors.

Buy the Shark HZ500UK vacuum cleaner now from AO.com

Related: Best shark vacuum to buy

Lupe Pure cordless vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• Cordless cleaner
• Large 1-litre bagless bin capacity
• HEPA filter, which captures 99.9% of fine dust and allergens
• 60 minutes of power from one charge
• High-power suction technology

This model is pricey, but we can assure you it’s well worth the investment. You don’t need multiple heads for this vacuum, as its high-power brush bar and counter rotating design is able to pick up the smallest particles.

Morphy Richards Supervac 731007 cordless vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• £94
• Cordless design
• Up to 40 minutes running time
• Upholstery tool
• Use it as an upright, handheld or lightweight stick
• Suitable for carpets and hard floors

This bargain-buy model has everything you need to make cleaning a breeze. It’s super easy to move around the house due to its cordless design, plus its special upholstery tool is fab your furnishings.

Bush cordless handstick vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• Multi-filtration system to pick up small particles
• Glides easily under furniture
• Can convert to a handheld vacuum
• Cordless design
• Upholstery nozzle

Bust dust and dander with this Bush vacuum. It’s suitable for all floor surfaces and has a bagless design, which makes it incredibly easy to empty without the need to replace the bag.

Buy the Bush Cordless Handstick vacuum cleaner from Argos

Amazon Basics Powerful Cylinder Bagless vacuum cleaner

At a glance

• Bagless
• Lightweight and easily portable
• Works well on carpet, hard floors and upholstery
• Energy efficient
• Cylinder model

Not only is this bagless vacuum cleaner energy efficient with an AAA rating, it’s also ideal for compact homes with its 1.5-litre capacity and lightweight design.