Cordless vs Corded Vacuum Cleaners: Which Is Best for Your Home?

Many of today’s vacuum cleaners are, dare we say it, rather cool. With funky designs, powerful suction and loads of clever settings, they’re a lot more appealing than hoovers of old. 

 

But before you start looking at individual devices, we’d recommend stepping back and thinking about your requirements first. Create a short list of the things that you actually want the device to do - there’s no point in getting a vacuum cleaner that looks fancy, but is too big, small or otherwise unsuited to your home. 

 

Here are some things to think about:

• The size of your property: Someone living in, say, a two bed flat won’t usually need something as powerful as someone living in a four-bed semi.

• Number of stairways: Some types of vacuum cleaner are better suited to hoovering stairs than others. You also need to factor in the weight of carrying it up and down multiple flights. 

• The main surface you’ll clean: Is your property mostly carpeted, or hard floor? Do you have lots of rugs? While most vacuum cleaners today can handle most floor types, some are better than others on certain surfaces. 

• Cleaning needs outside the home: Will you want to sometimes hoover the car, the garage, a garden office or some other space? This will also affect the choice you make.

• Pets: If you live with dogs and cats that shed their fur, you'll almost certainly want a specialist vacuum cleaner that’s designed to suck up their fluff. 

• Kids: Children and teenagers will spread crumbs, mud and other debris around the home. More powerful hoovers are better suited to this. 

• Time spent hoovering: This is mainly linked to the size of your home - more space equals more time hoovering. Basically, the longer you spend on each session, the more likely you’ll want a corded cleaner that won’t run out of battery.

• How regularly you expect to use it: People use their vacuums very differently. One 2016 survey found that 16% of people hoover daily, 34% a few times a week, 31% do it weekly and 11% fortnightly. Again, some vacuum cleaners are more suited to quick daily runarounds, while others are better for bigger cleaning sessions once a week.

• Non-floor cleaning: Do you also want your vacuum cleaner to suck up detritus from sofas, mattresses, curtains, keyboards, the tops of cupboards and everywhere else? Some hoovers have special settings or attachments for these kinds of jobs.

• Storage availability: Do you have a cupboard you can conveniently store a hoover, or would a wall mounted option be better? 

• Allergies: Does dust and fluff set your allergies off? Some vacuum cleaners are better suited to people with these kinds of allergies.

• Health: Some people may struggle with lugging a heavy device upstairs, or even with cleaning at all. There are different options suited to these scenarios. 

There are now five types of vacuum cleaner available. That can seem like a lot, but each one suits certain needs very well - which is why we always recommend thinking about your requirements first. 

 

Have a read through our guide to buying a vacuum cleaner to learn about your options. You’ll quickly get an idea which is most suited to you. 

Cylinder Vacuum Advantages?

Cylinder hoovers might not look as ‘space age’ as other kinds of hoover, but don’t let that put you off. They have some great advantages:

• Stairs: The flexible hose means they’re very good at reaching multiple steps in one go

• Bigger distances: Since they usually have longer cords, they can hoover up much larger spaces or multiple rooms

• Longer cleaning: The cord means battery power isn't a concern, while the size of the bag means you won’t have to empty it out as often

• Allergies: Unlike bagless hoovers, cylinder hoovers keep all the dust inside a bag - which means much less gets thrown back into the air when you empty it out

• More affordable: Cylinder hoovers typically cost less than newer generation types of hoovers

• Bags more space: The removable bags in these vacuum cleaners tend to have a much greater capacity than bagless models

 

What are their limitations?

 

There are some situations where a cylinder hoover isn’t such a good choice:

• Weight: They tend to be quite heavy (some models weight up to 8kg), so carrying them up multiple flights of stairs can be a problem 

• Awkward storage: The lengthy hose and chunky base can make them difficult to store

• Buying replacement bags: You’ll have to remember to keep buying replacement bags, which is an added cost and annoying if you run out when you want to clean

• Limited settings: You don’t usually get more sophisticated settings or an easy way to switch between hard floor and carpet

 

Upright vacuum advantages?

 

Upright vacuum cleaners are a very strong all rounder. Here’s why:

• Lots of cleaning: Thanks to their lengthy cords and reasonably large dust bin, they’re suited to long cleaning sessions in larger spaces. 

• Often very powerful: Since they plug directly into the mains, they tend to have a bit more oomph. They’re generally the best for deep cleaning carpets and rugs and pulling up pet fluff and so on. 

• Extra settings and attachments: These hoovers tend to come with quite an array of attachments that you can clip onto the extendable hose. This makes them a good choice if you want to do things like dust bookshelves or clean down the back of the sofa. 

 

What are their limitations?

 

While they‘re strong all-rounders they might not always be the best choice. Here’s why:

• Storage issues: While more manageable than cylinder hoovers, they are still quite bulky. You’ll want a suitable sized cupboard

• Weight: Like cylinder hoovers, they tend to weigh a fair bit - expect around 5-6kg

• Tight spots: The floorheads on upright hoovers are larger than other kinds, which means they aren’t so good for getting into tight spots. It’s not a big deal since you can just use the detachable wand, but that does mean stopping and starting.

What are the advantages of cordless vacuum cleaners?

 

Cordless vacuum cleaners are the most popular kind of hoover around today. Here’s why:

• Light and nimble: They typically weigh 2-3kg, meaning most people find them easy to use

• Easy to store: When hooked onto a wall bracket, they don’t take up much space at all in the home

• Great for stairs: They’re arguably the best vacuum cleaner for stairs, since you can easily move up and down without worrying about a cord 

• Great for quick cleaning: Since you can just lift it out the bracket, they can be very convenient for quick, frequent cleans - rather than unspooling a cord and plugging in

• External cleaning: Since they don’t need to be plugged in at the mains, they’re a good option for cleaning the car, garden office or other external spaces.

 

What are their limitations?

 

Cordless hoovers are great, but they do have certain drawbacks too:

• Battery power: While some of today’s cordless hoovers usually have enough juice to hoover for up to 50 minutes when new, the battery power will eventually get worse the longer you have it for

• Not as effective on tough dirt: While manufacturers are constantly improving their power and functionality, they tend not to be as capable as corded models when it comes to dealing with tough dirt (such as cleaning carpets with deep pile)

• Smaller bin: The dust bin tends to get full up quite quickly - you’ll need to empty it after every use

What are the advantages of handheld vacuum cleaners?

 

They’re more of a niche kind of hoover for specific needs. They’re ideal for:

• Special jobs: Things like hoovering car interiors as well as delicate cleaning off the ground

• Lightweight: They’re designed to be handheld, so won’t weigh much

 

What are their limitations?

 

All the same issues as cordless stick cleaners, plus:

• Extra small bin: They won’t suck up much

• Not suitable for the floor: It goes without saying really, but they’re not a good option for cleaning floors since you’d do your back in if you tried

What are the advantages of robotic vacuum cleaners?

 

A robotic vacuum cleaner can be very appealing for a number of reasons:

• Less cleaning: Not a fan of daily cleaning but want a tidy home? A robotic hoover will handle it for you

• Large homes: Many can roam around reasonably large spaces

• Connected: They come with smart apps so you can check in on them with your phone and schedule cleans

 

What are their limitations?

 

Choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner does have some drawbacks:

• Can’t go up stairs: If you have stairs, you’ll need a separate hoover for them. 

• Less suitable with pets and kids: It’s not a toy, but some members of your household might treat it as one anyway.

• Can get confused: Furniture, rugs, cables and other obstacles can confuse these devices or they may get trapped under them.