01.Introduction
Test results for 16 cheap vacuum cleaners from $49 to $329
When purchasing a vacuum cleaner, finding the balance between good cleaning performance and staying within your budget can be a challenge. Past CHOICE testing has shown that pet hair makes big demands on vacuum cleaners without a motorised head, while cheaper models usually don’t have the extra features and cleaning tools that make general cleaning easier.
Some people are happy to spend a significant amount of money on a new vacuum cleaner, while others want a model that performs well but within a specific price range. Up to a point, you get what you pay for — but this test reveals some good, affordable choices and one model in particular that would hold its own against vacuums costing twice as much.
See our latest reviews of mid-priced and expensive vacuum cleaners.
For more information on Vacuum cleaners, see Laundry and cleaning.
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Our testing
Through our rigorous testing we reveal:
- How well they remove sand from the carpet, corners and edges.
- How easy they are to use.
- How loud they are during operation.
- Whether a low-priced vacuum performs as well as a more expensive one.
- How well they clean up pet hair.
- Which models won’t scratch up your hardwood floors.
Models tested
- Abode STX006E-140
- Electrolux Supercyclone ZSC6930
- Electrolux Energica ZS204A
- Homemaker VC45J-8AB
- Hoover Freespace Evo TFV2015
- Hoover Super Hero HB2030B
- Kambrook Captiv G3 Pet KBV480
- Miele S2111
- Nilfisk Action Plus 44000171
- Nilfisk Meteor 12404911
- Piranha Phantom 2400W
- # Russell Hobbs HEPA Cyclonic RHF202P
- Vax Power Plus 3 Pet VPP1600P
- Vax Power 5 Pet VPUP2000P
- Volta Ultima U5011F
- Volta Contour U4210F
# Discontinued, but may be available in some stores.
Dirt removal from carpet Our tester, Peter Horvath, pre-loads the vacuum cleaners with artificial household dust, embeds sand evenly into a section of carpet and vacuums it to a set pattern and speed. The sand collected is then weighed and recorded as a percentage of the sand applied; this is done twice for each model and the results averaged. He rates all models based on the dirt pick-up performance from carpet using the standard cleaning head. CHOICE doesn't test on hard floors any longer as we found that all vacuums pick up from 99 - 100% of dirt on hard floors.
Ease of use is based on how easy it is to manoeuvre the cleaner and move the cleaning head on the carpet and under low furniture; how difficult it is to empty and change the dirt receptacle; the operation of the controls; and how easy the supplied accessories are to use and store.
Cleaning corners and edges Sand is spread into a right-angled corner and vacuumed to see how close to the corner each cleaner is able to pick up dirt using the standard cleaning head.
Pet hair removal Peter embeds cat hair into the carpet and vacuums it to a set pattern and speed in exactly the same way as the dirt pick-up test. He rates the results based on how much cat hair is left behind after the test. Where supplied, Peter uses a turbo brush or power head; otherwise, he uses the standard cleaning head.
Scratch test For uprights, the cleaning head is set to the hard floor setting to stop the brush from rotating; for barrels, Peter uses the hard floor tool or standard cleaning head set to hard floor. He then runs the head back and forth over a lacquered fibre board 50 times and checks for scratch marks. No model on test left scratch marks; this is typical for most vacuums these days so this result isn’t part of the overall score.
Noise is measured at the user’s position at maximum power setting. Some models emit a high-pitched whistle that can be irritating, even though they may not be louder than others.
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6 Jul 2010
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You can’t go past a vacuum cleaner that is light, quiet, easy to manoeuvre, has a long cord and has a neat compact design for easy storage.
21 May 2012
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Our latest test of mid-price vacuums finds that performance need not cost you extra, even when you have pets in the house.
24 Nov 2011
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CHOICE reveals which expensive vacuum cleaners earn their keep, and whether it's necessary to spend up to $1000 on a model.
1 Feb 2009
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Handheld vacuum cleaners have come a long way since CHOICE last tested them in 2000.
