How we test vacuums - hoovering up all the dirt and details

How we test vacuum cleaners at woman&home is no secret. If you’ve read our buying guide or any of our reviews, you’ll have had some insight into the unglamorous, but nonetheless important, ways in which we test and review vacuums for you.

Just like you, when we're looking for the best vacuum cleaners on the market, we do a lot of research. The news, reviews, and buying guides that appear on the site are just the tip of the iceberg for all the work that goes on under the surface. We’ve got months, if not years, of experience using all these vacuums (and more) in our homes.

As with all products, how we test is a carefully considered process. Our team of experts use each vacuum in our daily life, covering all the usual tasks that yours will do. However, once we unleash a vacuum in the test kitchen, that's where we really push the limits. I've been known to shred hair extensions, drop whole bags of flour, and tip cereal all over the test centre and then I'll grab the vacuums to see which holds up when you really need it. If you're interested to hear some more, here's everything you need to know.

Research

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You don’t get to see much of the research that we do, aside from when that research ends up in a review. Rest assured, that’s one of the key components of my job. I spent my days chasing the latest releases, secrets behind classics, and looking for vacuum cleaner hacks. I regularly speak to industry experts to find out what’s coming up and what they’re working to bring to you and your home. It can be hard to keep things secret, but I always make sure that you’re the first to know when any big news launches.

In amongst my research, I create a list of vacuums that I think you’d like to know about. Then, I sense check the list, deep dive into any special features on offer from the vacuum, and then call it in for testing. Now, we can get to the fun part.

Unboxing

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This is the first section of all my reviews and lots of people ask me why I bother including a section that’s really all about packaging and accessories. There are two really important reasons. First, I think you can tell a lot about a brand from how they parcel up your vacuum. The best brands try to be sustainable and as helpful as possible – this might mean throwing in little extras, useful tips and tricks in the packaging, or just making sure that the box is robust and smart.

I stress the sustainability because lots of brands have proven that you can package a vacuum using just cardboard and paper. If it’s doable, I think all brands should be committed to making the change.

The other reason I talk about unboxing is more practical. You’ll want to know what’s arriving at your door, so you can prepare yourself. If the package is bulky and heavy, make sure you’ve had a good breakfast that morning to get it up the stairs (or keep someone strong around on the day of delivery). If you need to buy any filters or extras before you can use the vacuum, now is also a great time to have a heads up. I like to be helpful.

Who would it suit?

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You’ll also see this section pop up early in the review. I circle back to who the vacuum suits when I’m drawing my conclusions as to whether you should buy the vacuum, but I think it’s helpful to have it high up in the review for your sake. I’ll spell out the size of house, type of issues the vacuum can handle (or not), as well as any extras that cater to specific needs. Here’s where you can quickly work out whether it’s worth staying for the rest of the review or whether you should be looking at a slightly different vacuum.

What is it like to use?

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This is the bit that I get excited to tell you about. You can read all the special features online, but knowing what a person’s real life experience with the vacuum is can be really helpful. I have a series of formal tests that I take every vacuum through and then I’ll also keep the vacuum in my house for longer, so I can see what it’s like on a day-to-day basis.

Test 1: flour and sugar

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The first test that I put all the vacuums through is sucking up flour and sugar. We all have spills of flour and sugar from time to time, but the flour particles can be more representative of dust and lighter particles that would settle on your carpet over time, so it’s a really useful test for the (much) finer details.

I sprinkle 100g of flour and sugar onto one square meter of carpet, linoleum, and hard floor and then measure how many passes I need to do over the section to clear it if every granule. I watch for any flying pieces of sugar and flour on the rest of the floor and will always use a light or laser sensor if there’s one on ten floorhead. These are one of my favourite innovations in the vacuum industry to date.

Test 2: cereals

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To reflect on the ongoing battle between my breakfasts and me, I scatter a handful of breakfast cereals onto another 1-meter square floor. These little pieces of arsenal are good for not only representing breakfast cereals but also larger bits and pieces, such as kibble if you have pets, that might find themselves scattered on your floor. I’ll measure the same results again: looking at how much of the cereal is picked up, how much is pushed around, and I’ll make a note of whether I need to adjust the suction or floor head to be able to scoop these up.

Test 3: hair

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Lots of vacuums claim to have anti-hair-wrap technology, but if you have long hair or pets, you’ll know that this isn’t always effective. To sort genuine promises from gimmicks, I snip up hair extensions onto the floor and then run over them. I’ll look for all the stands to be picked up by the vacuum, but, more importantly, I’ll look inside the floor head here. In an ideal world, the rollers will be clean and free to spin, but lots will have hair wrapped around them.

I’ll check whether the rollers can be removed and how I can clear the hair out of the vacuum. It’s not a pleasant job, but if a brand has done their design work, it should be easy for you.

Cleaning, charge, and maintenance

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Emptying and cleaning the vacuums vary as much as the models themselves. You can get bagged and bagless models as well as emptying and charging stations. I’ll talk about the capacity that each vacuum, drum, or emptying dock has. Then, if you need to clean filters or switch out anything else, I’ll let you know about those features here too.

Whilst vacuums will vary in how long they take to charge and how much charge they use, I’ll give you an idea of that here. It’s handy to know whether your vacuum needs to go straight back to the dock or whether you have a little more time to play with.

How does it compare?

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Given that I’m the person who tests all the vacuums, I have a big bank of memories (and notes) of what they’re all like to use. I naturally end up comparing the performance, feel, and extras offered by each vacuum — and I think that’s information you’ll want to hear.

This is the part where I do the ‘shopping around’ for you, so you don’t get shopping fatigue. I pick a vacuum that’s a little more expensive and a little cheaper and I’ll make some comparisons so that you can see where you could upgrade or if there any any features that you’re willing to skip to save money. In this section, I’ll always prioritise getting value, which normally means forgoing the sparkling brand names and looking at the real-life experiences that I’ve had with the vacuums.

Should you buy it?

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In this section, I bring together all the experience and research that I’ve done on the vacuum. I’ll come to conclusions on who it suits, as well as any other options you should consider. By this point, I like to think that you’ve had enough detail that it will feel like you’ve tested the vacuum yourself. However, if you’re unsure or interested in any special features, please don’t hesitate to email me. I’m a sucker for vacuum chat.