Best vacuum cleaners in 2024 UK - 14 tried and tested top-rated vacuums

Find the best vacuum cleaner for your home with our top 14 picks in 2024 from Shark, Dyson and more

Three of the best vacuum cleaners on Ideal Home style background
(Image credit: Future/Shark/Vax)

Deciding on the best vacuum cleaner for your home can be a big job. That's where this list can come in pretty handy, with our ranking of the top 14 vacuums on the market, after reviewing and rating a huge line-up of options.

Every model that you can browse below has been tested extensively by a member of the Ideal Home team either at our test facility or at home, to replicate the environment that they'll be up against once you purchase them. 

The result? Everything you need to know is contained in this handy guide, with premium and budget-friendly brands sitting side by side – we're talking Shark, Dyson, Miele and Vax just to name a few.

There are quite a few considerations that we've packed into this guide to make your life easier. For homes with a number of floors or a lot of pet hair to pick up, we've got top-rated corded vacuums, and the best cordless vacuum cleaners are also at hand for those in flats or smaller homes.

Keep reading to find out which vacuums we rated as worthy of a place in your home as we looked out for powerful suction, ease of use and value for money. 

Quick list

Best vacuum overall

Dyson vacuum cleanerproduct badge

(Image credit: Dyson )
The best Dyson money can buy

Specifications

RRP: £849.99
Cordless: Yes
Dust tank capacity : 0.77 litres
Weight : 3.5kg

Reasons to buy

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Two floorheads for great cleaning
+
Laser heads help with pick-up 
+
Incredibly powerful 
+
Sleek and easy to use 

Reasons to avoid

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Really expensive - even for a Dyson 
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You'll have to empty the dust tank a lot

But it if: you want the unbeatable experience and power of a Dyson (and you aren't on a budget).  

Dyson has done it again with the Gen5detect™ Absolute, creating a vacuum that's as good at cleaning up as it looks. With two floorheads (one for carpet, one for hard floor) you feel like you have more options for deep cleaning with this vacuum. The catch? The price is astronomical, which makes it hard to recommend for everyone.

With this Dyson, you're shelling out for innovation, with the hard floor head boasting lasers that illuminate dirt and dust that you'd never usually see - a cleaning enthusiast's dream. The anti-tangle feature on the Digital MotorbarTM (the head for carpet cleaning) works as well as offerings from Shark and revealed a huge amount of sunken-in dirt during our at-home tests. The three modes are absolutely perfect for toggling between everyday and deep cleaning too.

Features we loved

It really is the fine details that make a vacuum better to use, which is why you can't overlook the magic of a Dyson bin mechanism. Point the dust bin, pull the trigger and everything will actually come out the first time without a fuss - something that pretty much no other vacuum brand has achieved. 

The LCD control panel is very good to use too - with indicators showing exactly how many microscopic dust particles you've eradicated from your home. Is it absolutely necessary to have scientific proof of how clean your house is? No, but it adds to the experience that you're paying almost £900 for. This is truly a star buy, but we wish that we could have more of the Dyson sparkle on a