The 5 best cordless vacuums for carpets in the UK (2024)

Vacuum cleaners are essential household appliances - no doubt.

Unfortunately, they often have difficulty cleaning carpets. You've probably noticed that even fluff and hair often stick to the carpet and are difficult to remove.

It's the same with bacteria, except they are usually even deeper in the carpet fibres.

This means that a vacuum cleaner has to get down deep to vacuum them up properly.

If you have allergies, you're probably well aware of the issues hidden allegens in carpets can cause.

However, if you don't suffer from allergies, you may not have thought about the problem yet.

Many people still think that any old hoover can adequately clean carpets. Unfortunately, this is not true.

Weak, inefficient vacuum cleaners are not suitable for carpet cleaning as they can't carry out a deep clean.

Dust and dirt particles can get left behind and create an environment for germs and bacteria to flourish.

For our review, we paid particular attention to the best cordless hoovers you can use to get your carpets clean.

Not every cordless hoover is well suited to cleaning carpets - just as not every corded or cylinder vacuum cleaner is up to the task.

If you want to buy a cordless vacuum cleaner that deep-cleans your carpets, you should pay attention to the following criteria:

Cleaning performance on carpets

This is, of course, the first thing to look for if you're looking for the best cordless vacuum for carpets.

Cleaning performance is not easy to measure, but it depends on the interaction of different, comprehensible variables. And at Smart Home Fox, we test precisely that.

Our test looks like this, for example:

Suction power

The first thing many people look at here is the wattage, but it's not the whole story. We've already seen form some of our tests that some devices with low wattages outperformed those with high wattages.

Ultimately, the decisive factor is the suction power that reaches the floor head. However, it is also important that the suction isn't so strong that it tears out fibres and loops.

Design

The right design is also important for hoovers. They should be rapidly deployable and easy to store. Upright vacuums are ideal for cleaning large areas of the carpet.

In addition, it's important for most people that the device is flexible and that they have a wide range of motion.

Cordless hoovers beat corded and cylinder hoovers in terms of flexibility and ease of use. Thanks to their cordless design, you can clean everywhere, regardless of whether there is a power socket nearby or not.

Shark's Flexology Technology is worth mentioning here. The Flexology Technology makes it possible for the upright hoover to reach and be stored almost anywhere in the house.

Especially interesting are the cordless hoovers that you can use both as a floor hoover and as a hand hoover (so-called 2-in-1 hoovers).

One combination, for example, is perfect for sucking up cobwebs from the ceiling.

This expands the range of applications immensely. Furniture, upholstery, mattresses or your car - you can clean everything with the 2-in-1 vacuum cleaners.

Another nice feature:

You don't have to constantly drag the cable and hoover cylinder behind you.

No more tangled cables! 🤩

Another advantage: The lack of a cylinder also means that cordless vacs save space, as they can be hung up on a wall mount.

Battery life

This is a crucial parameter for a cordless hoover for carpets. If the battery is empty, you simply can't use it. How long can you clean before you need a charger?

Dyson and Tineco come out on top in many tests, with a runtime of around 50 and 80 minutes, respectively.

If you only have a small flat, a shorter battery life should still be enough. If you have to clean a whole house or a large apartment, you're unlikely to want to stop in the middle and recharge the battery.

It's also important to know how long it takes to fully recharge the battery so that your vacuum is ready to use again as soon as possible.

Good cordless hoovers now also have a replaceable battery.

Volume

This is a factor that is often overlooked.

It may not be that important for many, but if you live in a rented flat, you may be more concerned about your hoover not making unnecessary noise.

Parents of small children will also be pleased with low-noise appliances, because they typically only have time for vacuuming when their children are already in bed. So it's good if the vacuum cleaner is quiet, so it doesn't wake the little ones up again.

In our tests, we subject each appliance to a volume test and rank them on the Smart Home Fox volume scale.

We have not yet been able to find a quiet device in our tests, but we have seen that some vacuums are quieter than others.

In this context, it is much more important that the devices do not develop any unpleasant noises, such as high-pitched whistling sounds.

An effective filter

Even though we are talking about a hoover, these devices can actually suck up much more than just dust.

Pet hair, coarse dirt, sand, or allergens are all removed.

It’s also important that the vacuum cleaner keeps all these particles inside and does not release them back into the surrounding air.

So you should pay attention to which filter has been installed.

HEPA filters are considered exceptionally efficient, as their unique structure allows them to securely retain even the smallest particles and allergens.

These filters are also recommended for hoovers used by people with allergies.

Vorwerk offers an alternative.

Do you prefer a bagged or bagless hoover for carpets?

Whether a bagless vacuum cleaner or one with a bag is better is not easy to say because both options have pros and cons.

Hoovers with paper bags are often less recommended because they lose suction power as the bag fills up. Cloth bags are a better alternative. However, the dust bags must, of course, be changed regularly, and as a result, there are always ongoing costs for them.

A hoover without a bag is cheaper. One drawback, however, is that you have to empty and clean the dust container again and again. This may become a problem for you, especially if you suffer from allergies.

Accessories

As already mentioned, the right attachment is crucial for high suction efficiency. A crevice tool gets in to all the right corners. The Dyson dusting brush is another great accessory to clean delicate objects and surfaces.

You should clarify in advance which floorhead or brush attachment you absolutely need and which one is not suitable for your carpet and, if necessary, get advice on this.

In addition to the combination brush, you should also buy a suitable motorised brush, especially for heavily used carpets.

This also features a motorised rotating brush. The brush combs through the carpet and loosens the dirt so that the dirt can suck it up more effectively afterwards.

Nowadays, it's hard to imagine life without them: robot vacuums. They do the work for us and keep our house spotless while we are at work or out enjoying our free time.

This makes them a valuable addition to any household. But how do the robots cope with carpets?

Again and again, we hear complaints about robotic vacuum cleaners not being able to clean carpets properly. Some fail at a carpet height of more than 1.5 centimetres, as they can't get over the edge. Some don't even try, as their sensors recognise carpet edges as obstacles that have to be avoided.

The solution: a crevice tool is great for reaching all corners of your carpet and tight spaces.

Another problem with robots is that the suction power is often too low to clean carpets sufficiently.

In many cases, the suction power of robot vacuum cleaners falls short, as they only have a small body, move by themselves, and the motors cannot consume too much power because they are battery-powered.

However, you don't have to forego this independent household help if you have carpets at home because there are already models that can also perform well on textile flooring.

There are even brands, such as Roborock, iRobot or Ecovacs, that recognise carpets and automatically switch to boost mode. Then the suction power increases, and crumbs and dust are removed even from the deepest layers. We have thoroughly tested robot vacuums for carpets and found quite convincing models.

The best robot vacuums for carpets should offer:

• The suction power of at least 1500 Pa, 2000 Pa or more is even better
• Plastic bristles or rubber blades are best for vacuuming carpets. A combination of both is ideal.
• If you are a pet owner, you should make sure that the brushes of the robot vacuum cleaner can be removed. This makes it easier to remove pet hair, which often gets wrapped around the brushes. The Shark Anti Hair Wrap is another great tool.
• The dust box should not be too small because the robot will probably vacuum frequently when you are not at home. Meaning, you won't notice when the box is full, and the device can no longer provide enough power. Robot vacuum cleaners with a self-emptying base performed well in our tests in this case.
• Every robot vacuum cleaner should be able to cross doorsteps or carpet edges. If such obstacles are higher than 2 cm, a virtual boundary function is also an advantage. This allows you to define different cleaning zones. You can let the robot vacuum only the carpet at first and then move it to other areas of your home.
• HEPA filters and long battery life are also important for a robot vacuum cleaner before returning to the charging station.

A good hoover is the absolute basic when it comes to carpet cleaning. However, there are also a few unique home remedies that can quickly get rid of stubborn dirt.

Mineral water as an emergency remedy

Stains can quickly occur on carpets. Unfortunately, many people's minds go straight to professional cleaning.

But that doesn't always have to be the case.

No matter what kind of stain it is, if you act quickly and dab the spot with mineral water right away, you can most likely prevent the worst.

Baking soda as an all-rounder

Baking soda can be used almost anywhere in the household.

Did you know that it's also great for cleaning carpets?

You have to sprinkle baking soda on the dirty spot and add hot (but not boiling!) water. This opens the pores of the fibres. Leave it on for a few hours and then dab it off with a cloth. In most cases, the problem should be solved.

Cleaning with detergent

If you want to clean a large area of your carpet and make it smell fresh again, you should get some washing powder. Spread the powder over the entire surface of the carpet and work it into the fibres with a brush. Leave it to work for a while, and then vacuum it off thoroughly. You will have a clean and nice-smelling carpet again in no time.

Salt for stubborn stains

Shaving foam instead of carpet foam

Many people clean their carpets regularly with carpet foam to give them a new shine. But it's not necessary to buy a new product - if you have a colourless shaving foam free from methanol at home, it will do just as well. Simply apply it to dirty areas and gently massage it in with a brush.

Scrubbing brush or rubber brush for tackling animal hair

Vinegar solution for better colour

Over the years, the colours of a carpet can fade. However, if you treat it with a vinegar solution, you can restore the natural colour and get unpleasant odours out of the fibres.

Carpet protection spray

No household has ever succeeded in altogether avoiding stains on the carpet. You can spray your carpet with regular carpet protection spray to prevent damage. However, you should first try the spray on a small, inconspicuous carpet area to avoid nasty surprises afterwards.