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Dust collector
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Product reviews
Our experts thoroughly test every barrel and upright vacuum cleaner from brands including Dyson, Electrolux, Hoover, Miele and Vax to find out which models:
- are best at removing dirt and pet hair from carpet
- are best at getting into corners and edges
- are the easiest to use
- are the quietest
- have the best range of extra features.
We’ve also partnered with Shop Ethical on this update to show the ratings the Ethical Consumer Group gives to each company.
If you’re looking for smaller capacity vacuums, check out our stick vacuum reviews or robot vacuum reviews.
Shopping links on the CHOICE website
CHOICE is an independent, nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping consumers. Clicking a link will take you to a retailer’s website to shop. While we make money if you buy through some retailer links, this doesn’t influence any of our rankings. 100% of the money we make goes straight back into our nonprofit mission. We’re currently testing this service and will consider providing more shopping links in the future. Tell us what you think.
We also include previously tested models that are now discontinued. To view them, select the ‘Discontinued’ filter on the left-hand side under ‘Related products’.
Our tests show that upright and barrel vacuum cleaners generally have more consistent performance across the board, as the technology is older and has been around longer than that of stick vacuums or robot vacuum cleaners. It’s also true that you don’t need to pay top dollar to get one of the best vacuums, but you may find yourself paying more if you want a model with added accessories. It’s a case of deciding what you really need in a vacuum.
If you don’t know where to start, check out our vacuum cleaner buying guide.