The best easy-to-use vacuum cleaners we tested

Vacuuming isn’t exactly the most enjoyable job, so if you’re going to do it, you might as well make it as easy as possible, right?

Whether you have mobility issues, hate lugging a heavy vacuum up the stairs, or want to start your five-year-old on the vacuuming, we’ve got you covered. These five vacuums were among the easiest to use in our latest vacuum review.

How we test

We thoroughly test vacuums in our NATA-accredited labs, assessing them for cleaning performance, pet hair removal and ease of use. 

To calculate the ease of use score, our expert testers assess each vacuum for:

• how easy it is to manoeuvre the cleaner
• how easy it is to move the cleaning head on the carpet and under low furniture
• how easy it is to empty and change the dirt receptacle (the bag or bin)
• operation of the controls
• how easy the supplied accessories are to use and store
• weight
• reach from power point.

Still curious? Here’s exactly how we test vacuum cleaners at CHOICE. 

The catch

Ease of use makes up 30% of the overall score for our bagged and bagless vacuum test. The rest of the score relates to cleaning performance. 

So while some models in our review might rank well for ease of use, they may score less favourably for actual cleaning, which means that CHOICE experts were unable to recommend them.

This is why it’s vital to do your research before buying a product to understand how products perform based on the factors that are most important to you.

A vacuum that’s easy to use is probably not much good to you if it doesn’t do the job you need to do, so we’ve selected the models below that stood out as good performers on both fronts. 

The easiest to use vacuums from our tests

To help you find the vacuum that’s easiest to use, we’ve compiled the best performing vacuums that our experts found easy to use in our tests. 

Consider becoming a CHOICE member to discover which vacuum cleaners our experts rated as the easiest to use based on how easy they are to manoeuvre, operate and empty.

You’ll also get access to our full vacuum cleaner results, and reviews from more than 200 other product categories. 

---

Alice

I'm a content creator and marketer here at CHOICE – which basically just means that I write stuff. CHOICE's testing is so comprehensive that we publish vast amounts of data on all the products we test. We know that not everyone likes to wade through numbers to find the best product, so my job is to take the data and translate it into something more easily digestible for readers who are time-poor or just want to know the best products to buy – and which to avoid. I also get to dream up fun ways of taste-testing products, like the Tim Tam challenge and the Democracy Sausage taste test. I write about all kinds of things, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, so each day is different and I'm lucky that I get to learn about all the different things CHOICE does to help consumers. LinkedIn

I'm a content creator and marketer here at CHOICE – which basically just means that I write stuff. CHOICE's testing is so comprehensive that we publish vast amounts of data on all the products we test. We know that not everyone likes to wade through numbers to find the best product, so my job is to take the data and translate it into something more easily digestible for readers who are time-poor or just want to know the best products to buy – and which to avoid. I also get to dream up fun ways of taste-testing products, like the Tim Tam challenge and the Democracy Sausage taste test. I write about all kinds of things, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, so each day is different and I'm lucky that I get to learn about all the different things CHOICE does to help consumers. LinkedIn

Related

We reveal the affordable aces, mid-priced marvels and pricey performers to help you buy the best for your budget. 

The best stick vacuums at every price 

If you want clean floors and carpets, steer clear of these suckers, even if you find them for a steal. 

Stick vacuum cleaners to avoid buying

Need some help around the house? Don't count on these poorly performing robot vacs, and check our reviews before you buy. 

Robot vacuum cleaners to avoid buying

Tips to help you find the right stick vac. Plus, the top scorers for carpet and hard floors.

The best stick vacuums for carpet and hard floors