You'll find everything you need to know about cylinder vacuum cleaners below. But not all cylinders are born equal - in our tests, cylinder vacuum cleaners have been awarded some of the highest, and lowest, scores that we've ever seen.
You won't be able to tell in the shop which cylinder vacuum cleaner sucks up dust and which simply roll over it. So before you buy make sure you head to our vacuum cleaner reviews.
1
Cylinder vacuum cleaner size and storage
Think about where you'll be storing your vacuum cleaner, as this will often dictate the size of vacuum cleaner you go for.
Cylinder vacuum cleaners may appear to be more compact than upright vacuum cleaners, but unwieldy hose sections can be difficult to store neatly. Look for a cylinder vacuum that comes with a side clip to attach the nozzle to the body and keep the hose upright.
2
Using your vacuum cleaner
Consider how and where you'll be using your vacuum cleaner. Cylinder vacuum cleaners are usually lighter than uprights, so are easier to get up and down stairs. They're also good at tackling hard-to-reach areas such as under furniture, and for getting into corners.
3
Weight and reach of your vacuum cleaner
Cylinder vacuum cleaners are, on the whole, lighter than their upright counterparts. This can make them a good option if you'll be using your vacuum cleaner both upstairs and downstairs.
10.1mThe average reach of a cylinder vacuum cleaner
Our tests have found that a vacuum cleaner's reach can range in length from six to 15 metres - a big difference when tackling a large room. Cylinder vacuum cleaners have an average reach of 10 metres, which is pretty decent and bigger than the average reach of upright vacs - 8.6m. Look for a vacuum cleaner with a long power cord so you don't have to keep stopping to plug it in elsewhere around your home.
4
Type of flooring
We test vacuum cleaners on carpet, laminate and wooden floors to see how well they cope at cleaning different floor surfaces. And we frequently see that vacuum cleaners prefer one type of floor over another - something you won't be able to tell in the shops.
Our reviews reveal just how well suited a vac is to cleaning the floors in your home. But if you're looking for an all-floor pro, have a look at our Best Buy vacuum cleaners- these models tend to be the most versatile vacuum cleaners on the market.
5
Filters
Many of the latest vacuum cleaners are fitted with Hepa (high-efficiency particulate air) or S-class filters, which are designed to prevent allergens escaping and to pick up extra dirt that would otherwise remain on the floor.
But simply having a filter doesn't guarantee the performance of the vacuum cleaner. During our tests, Which? uses specialist machinery to test how much dust and fine particles each model retains.
6
Picking up pet hair with your vacuum
Cylinder vacs are generally not as good at picking up pet hair as uprights, which use motorised brush bars. Some cylinders come with a full-size turbo brush that's 'recommended for pet hair' but this doesn't always guarantee good pet-hair pick-up.
Our tests show that some cylinders do just as good a job with their carpet nozzle as with a turbo brush - but whenever a vacuum is supplied with more than one floorhead we test them and all, so we can tell you which is best for each job.
If you've got pets, we recommend choosing a cylinder that scores at least four stars in our tests for picking up pet hair.
Vacuum cleaner wattage
Good vacuum cleaner performance is about design and suction, and not a high-wattage motor.
Find out more about wattage and energy labels in our guide to choosing your vacuum cleaner.
8
Noisy vacuum cleaners
Cylinder vacuum cleaners are usually quieter than upright models - but some models are significantly louder than others. We've registered readings of 90dB during our vacuum cleaner tests - that's equivalent to a symphony orchestra during loud passages. Our vacuum cleaner reviews give a star rating for each vacuum cleaner model, according to how much noise it makes, so you don't get a nasty surprise the first time you use your new machine.
9
The cost of cylinder vacuums
Cylinder vacuums cost around £170 on average, although you can sometimes get a Best Buy cylinder vacuum cleaner for around £100. When you are considering spending this type of money it is worth reading our vacuum cleaner reviews to make sure that you get a model that will do the job for you.
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