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Vacuum cleaner recommendations - urgent 😄

(95 Posts)
Grammaretto Tue 02-Jun-26 11:29:06

Dear helpful grans, my not very trusty Dyson stick cleaner has broken. It's quite old now and I think the cost of repair would not be worth it.

I no longer have a second back up and need another urgently as my house is on the market and I have 3 viewings this week.

I've been trawling online but everything good quality seems very expensive. One Miele is over £600!

I live on 3 floors so would prefer not too heavy which probably rules out a Henry .

I see it's possible to buy reconditioned VCs. Has anyone tried these?

If I move to a bungalow I guess a heavier model would be fine
It's such a pest happening today!

Gran22boys Wed 03-Jun-26 17:42:40

My friend swears by Electrolux. Very reasonably priced. I’m about to buy one. Thumbs down here for GTech. Mine is absolutely useless. Wish I hadn’t bought it. I have to go over and over something before it picks up.

Nannabumble70 Wed 03-Jun-26 17:44:39

GTech one up and one downstairs and a handheld for stairs. Lightweight easy battery cleaners.

MaggsMcG Wed 03-Jun-26 17:46:40

I've got a GTech its cordless and lightweight but it does need emptying more often. It still does a good job.

Tenko Wed 03-Jun-26 17:58:36

I’ve got a gtech airam cordless hoover . It’s brilliant. Lightweight and deals with dog hair and a variety of surfaces . I’ve got a fairly big house and the battery does the whole house . The downside is the dust box needs emptying after each use as it’s not very big and the filter needs a good bash to get the remaining dust .
I’ve had 2 cordless Dysons and one upright one and they can’t cope with pet hair , even the pet one .

Soozikinzi Wed 03-Jun-26 18:21:34

Ivd had dyson which I gave away shark cordless which i use in the car and miele which was good but my favourite is henry . Its so easy wheels around behind me . I realise youve got stairs byt they are the best .

icanhandthemback Wed 03-Jun-26 18:41:45

Shark would be my recommendation but not a cordless.

sandelf Wed 03-Jun-26 19:43:54

We've just bought a Halo set (comes with wide hard floor, wide carpet, narrow carpet, brush, crevice etc tools). Easy to use, has bags (no dust in face!). Very happy so far but do check for 'deals' as prices vary.

Vintagegirl Wed 03-Jun-26 20:51:20

Following recommendation read here, I got a Gtech from Oxfam who had bought stock from Argos closing down in this country. The battery failed in matter of months and a new one costs nearly as much as what I paid for vacuum given cost of postage. I think batteries cannot go in ordinary post but have to be couriered due the risk being put on passenger planes. So it sits in a corner. I liked it for upstairs and was amazed at how much it collected.

Vintagegirl Wed 03-Jun-26 20:52:52

So I went back to a simple Miele that I used to have. It is not cordless. Elderly Nilfisk is downstairs workhorse with great motor, the like of which are no longer made.

Grammaretto Wed 03-Jun-26 23:14:47

Yes I wonder about the longevity of the battery machines. Vintagegirl

I was too busy today to do anything about a new vacuum so I have kept the borrowed Henry for a few days.
It's great. Heavy but great.

I had trouble with my battery lawn mower too and eventually got my electrician to fix it as mower repair people didn't know how.

Thanks to everyone who has suggested vacuums. I feel much better informed now.

Bukkie Thu 04-Jun-26 00:08:50

Nothing comes close to a Henry, they are in a different league to any other vacuum. My Henry however is old and I don't think the new ones are as powerful.

givemeaminute Thu 04-Jun-26 00:52:48

Neumatic the Henry vacuum company currently have a birthday sale on, and do a stick version

Happypie Thu 04-Jun-26 04:29:53

Shark definitely.

NotSpaghetti Thu 04-Jun-26 06:14:33

Henry (Numatic) have an Anniversary sale on at the moment Grammaretto and also offer a "try it for 30 days" deal where you can return it if it doesn't suit.

www.myhenry.com/machines

hereshoping Thu 04-Jun-26 07:45:57

I've just ordered a bagged Halo, well recommended by Which.
Loved my bagged Gtech but found the tools very difficult to change and plastic tools broke easily.
Hopefully I'll have better luck with Halo which is much lighter.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 08:04:47

I think I'd like a stick Henry.
I had my other henry for around 35 years, no problems, no repairs, not one ounce of trouble.
It was just so darn heavy!!

Chocolatenoodle8 Thu 04-Jun-26 13:21:03

Love Miele vacuum cleaners. I’ve had one upstairs and another one downstairs for decades. I replace them every ten years and donate them to charity

Menopauselbitch Thu 04-Jun-26 17:16:26

I would only ever buy a Sebo or a Miele.

Basgetti Sun 07-Jun-26 12:46:43

For anyone with pets, would also thoroughly recommend a carpet rake. Thought we kept a clean house with our 3 cats. Bought one recently, horrified at the amount of hair it raked up first time! Use it before vacuuming now to extend life of vacuum. Strangely therapeutic, too 😁

M0nica Mon 08-Jun-26 08:32:06

Yesterday, I bought myself a good old fashioned corded cylinder vacuum cleaner. I have experimented with stick battery operated cleaners and find them unwieldy and difficult to use and flimsy with bits falling off or breaking, whether I had a cheap one or a more expensive one.

MissAdventure Mon 08-Jun-26 10:31:30

Most if the reviews I read (A lot!) said that cordless vacuums didn't pick up as well as the corded ones.
I've never had a cordless one, so I wouldn't know.

Silvershadow Mon 08-Jun-26 10:47:23

We have a Henry for corners, ceilings and heavy duty work. For every day I’ve got a rechargeable Dyson. It works ok although I get fed up with having to recharge it after three rooms. We used to have a Sebo with bags and tools. It was quite heavy so we let it go on Freecycle but if I’m being honest I preferred it.

I’m mulling over getting a Bosch for downstairs and using the Dyson upstairs.

MissAdventure Mon 08-Jun-26 11:00:52

I had my henry for years, but i just found it so heavy, and bulky to store.

Lovetopaint037 Mon 08-Jun-26 11:17:49

butterandjam

blue14

Look at Sebo.
They are upright vacuum cleaners.
John Lewis stock them.
They have excellent reviews and the one I have is about 12 years old and still going strong and cleaning well with no issues
A bonus is that they have all the additional tools stored on them.
The only downside is that it is rather heavy.

My Sebo upright is 24 yrs old and still perfect function on smooth floors or carpet, can't recommend it highly enough. I think I've replaced the filter and brushes once, spares easily available.

Another vote for Sebo. I have two now. The oldest is easily as old as butterandjam’s and probably older. One is permanently upstairs and the newest (about5 years old) downstairs. Bag changes are completely dust free as a cap is issued which fits over top for the transfer to the dustbin.

Silvershadow Mon 08-Jun-26 11:25:19

I loved my Sebo but just found it too heavy.