CYLINDER AND UPRIGHT VACUUMS

While cordless vacs have surged in popularity, sometimes only a classic will do. So which of the nine upright and seven cylinder models we tested came out on top? BEST CYLINDER VACUUM Sebo Airbelt E3 Premium epower 92655GB £379.99; sebo.co.uk 91/100

This powerful vac gobbled up nearly all dust on both long- and short-pile carpet, and lifted everything on laminate. Given its large capacity, it wasn’t too heavy either. RUNNER-UP CYLINDER VACUUM Shark Dynamic Technology with Anti-hair Wrap & Duoclean CZ500UKT £279.99; sharkclean.co.uk 90/100

While good on carpet, this shone on hard floor, picking up 98% of dust. Its controls and LCD screen were clear, but its shape made it tricky to carry. BEST UPRIGHT VACUUM Shark Anti-hair Wrap with Powered Lift Away PZ1000UK £279.99; sharkclean.co.uk 92/100

This upright picked up over 90% of dust from every surface we tested. It felt lightweight to use and detaching the body was especially helpful when tackling stairs. The canister emptied easily, too. RUNNER-UP UPRIGHT VACUUM Sebo Felix Pet epower 90810GB £384.90; sebo.co.uk 91/100

Impressing on pet hair, one swift sweep was enough for this vac to lift all fur. It picked up most dust on all floor types and tackled the edges of rooms well. Plus it was a doddle to manoeuvre and lift.

✶ HOW WE TESTED We used each vacuum to clean laminate, floorboards and carpet, assessing pick-up power by measuring how much dust was collected after a number of sweeps. We did the same with ground-in pet hair sourced from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. We also tried vacuuming corners, stairs and under furniture. Lastly, we considered the design, ease of use and instructions.