Bagless models also tend to be messier as the dust can spill when you empty them, so if you or a family member suffer from asthma or allergies, a bagged design may be best. You will need to keep some empty bags in a cupboard though, so you don’t run out mid-clean.

Like uprights and cylinders, most come with attachments including crevice and upholstery tools. Many even have motorised brushes to lift pet hair effectively. Connect your vacuum to your phone to monitor its usage, battery life and even surprising statistics such as how many calories you burn in use. Before vacuum cleaners were invented, sweeping dust out of stair corners was a major headache. Stair corner dust guards were created in the 1890s to help simplify sweeping. According to The Victorian Emporium, a renovation company specializing in period homes, stair rods were used to help secure runner carpets to wooden staircases. This unique feature was originally about both form and function. But these days, stair rods are more of an aesthetic item, since carpet is generally installed by stapling it to the surface below. It’s best for both you and your runner that your carpet is properly installed! You'd be forgiven for finding the assortment of extra tools and accessories a little mystifying. Here’s an explanation of each one, so you know if you’ll really need it.

There's no denying the beauty of historic architecture.

Cylinder vacuums are typically lighter and more portable than uprights, as the main body sits on the floor behind you for you to pull as you vacuum. They can be bagged or bagless, depending on your preference, and often come with a good selection of tools. They’ve been around for many years thanks to their lightweight and convenient design, and are ideal for those who struggle with heavier vacuums. iRobot’s Roomba vacuums are iconic, so it’s hardly surprising its top-scoring models dominated our testing. This is the predecessor to the Combo J7+, meaning it shares many features, only without the added mop capabilities, so while it’s still a hefty investment, it’s slightly more affordable. Handheld According to The Victorian Emporium, a renovation company specializing in period homes, stair rods were used to help secure runner carpets to wooden staircases. This is useful if you need more power for deep pile carpets. It’s also good to have if you’re conscious of energy usage. You can learn a lot about history by looking around an older house. Charming features like phone niches reveal a lot about the people and technology of bygone days. If you’ve ever inspected an older staircase, you may have noticed details like brass corner protectors or metal stair rods. Read on to take a closer look at these features, discover their purpose and find staircase ideas for your next DIY project. Dust Corners

On top of this, we run an interior car cleaning test to see how well each vacuum gets in between the crevices. We try it out on a set of stairs, too, to monitor how easily it manoeuvres. Before vacuum cleaners were invented, sweeping dust out of stair corners was a major headache. Stair corner dust guards were created in the 1890s to help simplify sweeping. That’s not their only use, though—stair guards also add some charm to wooden staircases. Try adding them to awkward corners in your home, like the corners between a wall and fireplace molding. The benefit of this system is that you don't need to touch the dust and dirt to remove it from the canister, which can be the case with a bagless vacuum cleaner. We analyse every element of a vacuum, from how it lifts dust from different floor surfaces to how easy it is to use, as well as its overall design. That's why the Good Housekeeping Institute made it their mission to find the top vacuums on the market. In fact, we’ve tried and tested over 100 models to find the best money can buy.That’s not their only use, though — stair guards also add some charm to wooden staircases. Try adding them to awkward corners in your home, like those between a wall and fireplace molding. As a general rule, look for at least 20 minutes of battery life (this will give you ample time to get around a car) and a dust capacity of at least 0.3 litres if you don’t want to empty it often. It’s also worth noting that many cordless upright vacuums can also function as handhelds, so you may already have one in the home. As its name suggests, the crevice tool is designed to get into tight gaps that other attachments would struggle with. With its long, slender shape, it's ideal for cleaning right into corners, along the edge of the flooring, around radiators and even between sofa cushions. What’s more, everyone's cleaning needs vary, and whether you’re dealing with carpets, hard floors, stairs, pet hair (or all of the above!), there’s a lot to consider when shopping for your next cleaning companion. This isn’t exactly groundbreaking but can be a very useful feature to have on a cordless appliance. Some vacuums, including the Dyson V15 Detect, will handily count down your remaining battery time in minutes and seconds.