We recommend currently available stick vacs with a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 80%, and at least 70% for hard floors.

The CHOICE Expert Rating is made up of hard floor dirt pick-up (30%), ease of use (30%), pet hair removal (15%), thorough carpet clean (10%) and quick carpet clean (15%).

We test how effectively the stick vac picks up a variety of materials (cornflakes, potting mix and flour) from hard floor.

We measure how easy it is to manoeuvre the cleaner; empty and clean the dirt receptacle; operate the controls; and use and store the supplied accessories.

To test pet hair removal, we embed cat hair in the carpet and, as with the dirt pick-up test, vacuum it to a set pattern and speed. We rate the results based on how much cat hair is left behind after the test. Where supplied, the turbo brush or power head is used for this test; otherwise, we use the standard cleaning head. Pet hair for testing supplied by Woof Cat & Dog Grooming, Bondi, NSW.

We embed sand evenly into a section of carpet, then vacuum. The sand is weighed and recorded, which is done twice for each model with the results averaged. A thorough test is 10 passes.

We embed sand evenly into a section of carpet, then vacuum. The sand is weighed and recorded, which is done twice for each model with the results averaged. A quick test is 4 passes.

For those models that separate from the stick into a handheld vacuum, we disperse pebbles and sand throughout the front and rear floor of a car and evaluate how well they pick up these materials. This is not counted towards the final score, as not all vacs are 2-in-1 products.

Sand is spread into a right-angled corner and vacuumed to see how far into the corner each cleaner is able to pick up dirt, using the standard cleaning head.

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. For comparison, a typical conversation is carried out at about 60dB, while city traffic is measured at around 80dB.

How long the vacuum battery lasted in our tests. Measured under load (on carpet) with the brush head on, and at full power.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

We asked members in our 2020 reliability survey to rate their stick vacuum brands, and state whether they had run into any problems in the last 12 months. Not all brands have a reliability figure as we require a minimum of 50 responses per brand.

We asked members in our 2020 reliability survey to tell us what they thought of the stick vacuum brands they own, rating them from excellent to terrible. We use this information to give each brand an owner satisfaction rating. Not all brands have a satisfaction figure as we require a minimum of 50 responses per brand.

The model has a claimed origin somewhere on the model itself. This should be taken with a grain of salt, as it's rare that all the materials for a product come from the one country.

Recommended retail price at time of publication.

Models without speed settings can only turn on and off.

How long the battery will typically take to charge.

The capacity of the dust collector, measured in litres.

A lightweight stick vacuum is easy to move around.

Cordless stick vacs have rechargeable batteries – some are easily removable so you can swap them over with a fully-charged one to extend cleaning time without using a tool. Not all come with an additional battery.

An on/off button is simple and easy to use, whereas a trigger release means the user will need to hold the trigger down to keep the vacuum on.

This is a cleaning head with a soft cylindrical roller with no bristles - it may be combined in the same head as a bristle roller or separate. 

Whether there are storage slots on the vacuum for tools, and how many.

Some stick vacuums let you store some or all of the accessories on the charging dock, which can help prevent them going missing or sitting in a drawer unused.

This lets you adjust the wand to suit your height, so you can vacuum without bending your back too much.

HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air. Vacuums equipped with HEPA filtration trap the dirt you can't see, rather than sending allergens back into the air.