Need to know
- Our CHOICE experts tested more than 40 barrel and upright vacuums from brands like Dyson, Hoover, Kmart Anko, Miele, Vax and more
- We score each vacuum on how easy they are to manoeuvre, operate and empty to calculate an ease of use score
- For CHOICE members, we reveal the four easiest to use vacuums from our tests
Vacuuming isn't exactly the most enjoyable job, so if you're going to do it, you might as well make it as easy as possible, right?
Whether you have mobility issues, hate lugging a heavy vacuum up the stairs or want to start your five-year-old on the vacuuming, we've got you covered: here are four of the easiest to use vacuums on the market.
We thoroughly test vacuums in our NATA-accredited labs, assessing them for cleaning performance, pet hair removal and ease of use. For ease of use, our expert testers score them based on how easy they are to manoeuvre, operate and empty, plus we report on weight, length of cord and accessories. Ease of use makes up 30% of the final score.
And you don't need to spend a fortune to get a vacuum cleaner that's both easy to use and performs well. One vacuum that scored well for ease of use and is recommended by our experts costs only $299, and of all the products our experts recommend, five cost less than $400.
"Paying more for a vacuum cleaner might give you more accessories or other features, but it doesn't guarantee better performance or an easier-to-use model," says CHOICE household product expert Chris Barnes.
"A famous brand isn't always a guarantee of good performance either."
Check our vacuum reviews before you buy to make sure you don't end up with a dud.
CHOICE tester Matthew puts each vacuum through its paces.
How we test
To calculate the ease of use score, our expert testers assess each vacuum for:
- how easy it is to manoeuvre the cleaner
- how easy it is to move the cleaning head on the carpet and under low furniture
- how difficult it is to empty and change the dirt receptacle (the bag or bin)
- operation of the controls
- how easy the supplied accessories are to use and store
- weight
- reach from power point.
Ease of use makes up 30% of the overall score.
Still curious? Here's exactly how we test vacuum cleaners at CHOICE.
The easiest to use vacuums from our tests
To help you find the vacuum that's easiest to use, we've compiled the best performing vacuums that our experts found easy to use in our tests.
Consider becoming a CHOICE member to access them and our full vacuum cleaner results, plus reviews from more than 200 other product categories.
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