Best vacuum cleaner 2020: vacuums for your home

Unbeatable suction

This cylinder model from Dyson is a firm favourite with anyone who wants a quick but highly effective clean. The pneumatic cleaner head automatically adjusts to different floor types for the most efficient clean we have seen. The vacuum is preset to easy mode with a max mode for extra stubborn dirt, but our reviewer found the easy mode was more than enough – in fact, the suction was so good that it did take a little bit more of a push over carpets. However it brought carpets up looking good as new, so you can't complain too much about a bit of additional effort.

Great range of attachments

Stairs and furniture are easily cleaned with the right attachments. Rotating heads pick all manner of fluff and debris from surfaces and it has a turbine head for finer dust which is great for hard floors. The generous hose makes it easy to reach every nook and cranny.

Manoeuvrability

Dyson's signature ball makes this vac very easy to move. Although it is not the lightest, the compact design means it can be carried with ease – even up and down stairs which can be tough with a cylinder vacuum. 

Real Homes rating 5 out of 5 stars

• Buy the Dyson Big Ball Animal 2

This cordless vacuum gets our vote for the best cordless vacuum, so we've awarded it with our big yellow Real Homes Love badge.

It has almost three times more suction power than any of their other cordless vacuums – it lifted everything it was faced with, even mud, when our reviewer put it to the test! 

Supreme clean

Ideal for those with pets or anyone who regularly finds hair scattered around the house, it has a special head designed to pick up every bit of dirt including leaves, bits of small paper and big crumbs. This model also have DustTracker LEDs so you can easily see what else needs a clean.

Quick and easy vacuuming

The floorhead of the Blade 4 easily rotates which means that  getting it exactly where you want it to go to is never a struggle. It's also low enough to glide under furniture, and light enough to carry up and down the stairs. The handheld doesn't drop is power, nor is it heavy either: it weighs just 2kg.

Cordless pro

It does the job and more, and only needs three hours to charge, after which it will run for 45 minutes. As with slightly older Vax models, additional batteries can be bought which is great if you need a longer run-time. In our opinion, this is the best cordless vacuum cleaner you can buy right now. 

Real Homes rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

• Buy the Vax ONEPWR Blade 4

This is our favourite Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner, and it scored five stars in our vacuum cleaner review, but it has narrowly missed out on our top spot for the best cordless vacuum cleaner because of that steep price tag.

It has twice the suction of the others, easily power around the whole home on a full charge and, with a long running time, won't need recharging until you've finished the job.

Supreme clean

As well as high suction, the filter captures allergens with ease offering as thorough a clean as much larger vacuums. It has a good range of attachments and is well designed for the car or spot cleaning – thanks to its ability to transform into a handheld, compact vacuum – so you could happily have it as the only vac for a small household, or a portable back-up in larger homes. It will hit the floor running for up to 60 minutes, so as long as you have time to charge it (4.5 hours a pop), and its nifty LCD screen will let you know just how much running time you have left so you're not left out on a limb.

Lightweight

Whether you have a lot of stairs or mobility issues, this vacuum is suitably lightweight. Despite it being lightweight, the power, battery and dust capacity have not been compromised. The style also means it will clean all those high up corners and crevices with little fuss.

Max power

It is great in standard mode, but you will need to switch it to max power for tougher jobs. This gives it super suction but does result in a couple of drawbacks. Firstly, it cleans so well you find yourself emptying the bin and cleaning the filter very regularly. Secondly, max power does decrease the battery life so you can only use it in short bursts. This isn't a problem if you keep on top of grime every couple of days, but if you are more of a fortnightly/monthly deep clean kind of person, you probably shouldn't get a cordless.