Ideal for small spaces, a compact cylinder vacuum is great to help with the weekly clean. Bagless cleaners don't lose suction because the dirt collects in a detachable canister that can be emptied as and when required - gone are the days when you have to change bags in a plume of dust mid-way through. Bagless vacuums tend to be just as powerful as standard models and are well worth considering.
Vax Mach Zen Pet C91-MZ-P
A sturdy little thing, the Mach Zen Pet is an excellent multi-cyclonic cylinder that I can truly say is the most powerful vacuum cleaner I’ve used for a long time. Previously, the only way to guarantee lifting the dust of my wooden floors was to mop, but at last, I have a vacuum with real suction and an anti-bacterial filtration that lifts the lot - perfect as I have allergies. I also had a malting lambs-wool rug which emits fluff balls throughout the whole of the house - but not any more thanks to the TurboBrush which grooms and cleans a treat. My house is full of clutter, but this isn’t an obstacle when cleaning with the Mach Zen Pet; its robust plastic wheels happily travel behind me despite being dragged and bumped at all angles and the 2-in-1 upholstery and brush tool works a treat on my wooden furniture as well as heavily embellished (dust gathering) wall hangings. It’s small and light, and will sit tidily in any cupboard, but if you’re short on space, it looks rather cute as well so won’t be an eyesore if it lives in the hall. Overall - it’s worth every penny, plus you also get a 6 year guarantee - so at around £149.99 that’s less than 48p a week for a spick-and-span, clean and allergy-free home!
Available to buy from Vax.co.uk
Dyson DC26 Wood + Wool
This is a mini vacuum cleaner, which fits on an A4 sheet of paper - apparently! It's impressively versatile and can be used on any floor type - carpet, wood, tiles etc. We like that it comes with four different heads and a washable filter so you never need worry about replacements. Not the cheapest model coming in at £250 and it doesn't have a very large bin capacity (0.68 litres) but since it's bagless, at least that's one cost avoided every time in needs emptying. Its 5m cord length, relatively light weight (5.2kg) and itsy bitsy size give this machine impressive manoeuvrability in tight spaces.
Available to buy at Dyson - approximately £250.
Dirt Devil High Power 2000W Vacuum Cleaner DCC017
This stylish, glossy red cleaning devil offers 2000 watts of very powerful suction and a long 5m mains cord that gives you great scope of movement without having to unplug. It comes with a vast array of attachments (with a handy mesh storage bag) for things like pet hair, curtains and awkward corners and crevices.
