Battery level indicator: Groundbreaking it's not, but this can be a handy feature for a cordless appliance. The Dyson V15 Detect impressively counts down your remaining battery time in minutes and seconds. The vacuum comes with 26 pods, which is sufficient to last roughly a year, and they’re made from 60% recycled material. Numatic also says it has put carbon offsetting measures in place to ensure its pods are climate-positive, reducing its carbon impact globally. However, the dirt-filled pods will go in your normal household waste and, ultimately, to landfill – so there is a moral conundrum of convenience versus clear eco-conscience to consider. Carbon offsetting is admirable, but not creating pollution in the first place is better. I adore the smooth springy action of this bin. Just press a button and the lid pops open. There is zero dust with this system because the entire bag – which is sealed with a one-way rubber gasket – simply falls out into the rubbish bin. I’d hazard a guess that it would take several single-room clean ups or one entire house-worth of vacuuming before the bag is full.

Henry Quick - Numatic International Henry Quick - Numatic International

Battery life: Or perhaps more accurately battery power determines roughly how much suction power a vacuum will have, as well as how long it will last on a single charge. The models on this list range in longevity from under ten minutes up to one hour, which is a pretty good cross-section of cordless vacuums more generally. In its defence, the HX2 is extremely powerful and definitely punches above its 322W rating. I’d say its suction power was equivalent to the Dyson Gen5 Detect at the top of this list.There are four models in the Bespoke Jet range, but the Pro Extra also comes with a mopping attachment. This uses a second floor head with two rotating pads and a water reservoir, which is more than capable of giving your floor a good wipe – perfect for households with messy eaters or muddy paws. It performed exceptionally well on hard floors and carpets alike, and it has a handy illuminated floor head and hardy brush mode that made light work of leeching dust and debris from my rugs. At 3.1kg, it’s a touch heavier than some of the other models on this list, but still plenty light enough to use for cleaning surfaces and corners as a handheld device. The Roidmi X30 VX looks good in silver and has all the features you’d expect in a luxury vacuum cleaner: an LED display, up to 80 minutes run time, a dark-detecting LED light and an easy-empty dust container. It also has a few features you won’t have come across before, including a 200rpm (revolutions per minute) steam mop head. As someone who lives in a tiny flat, the idea of having two otherwise bulky appliances in one is attractive.

NUMATIC Henry Quick HEN.100 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner - Currys

Factor in the anti-tangle floor head and sensible price, and you’ve got a real winner, particularly for anyone who’s cursed their previous cordless vacuum cleaner for not being able to stand by itself. Swap it out for the hard floor cleaning attachment and you get similarly impressive results for a longer run time. Actually the range of attachments was one of the things I like the most. Mine came with hard and soft motorised heads for carpet and hard floors, a Pet Pro motorised head with rubber bristles, which really worked, and various crevice and brush tools. It’s not the only balancing act it can perform. You can also remove the vacuum section from the top and hang it further down the extension wand, reducing its height significantly for storage purposes. It supports itself in this position, too. Both of Dyson’s best floor heads come included; the De-tangling Motorbar for all floor types, and the fluffy illuminated head that’s so good at cleaning hard floors. The vacuum also features a bright OLED screen for selecting settings, keeping an eye on battery life, while also providing data on exactly the number and type of particles it’s pulling off your floor. So, this vacuum cleaner’s full name is: ‘Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum (Single Battery)’. Slightly wordy, but don’t be put off. Shark is the favourite brand of celebrity cleanfluencer Mrs Hinch. So, if you want a home as clean as hers, it appears this Shark is the way to get it.Key specs – Dimensions (WDH): 250 x 252 x 1,234mm; Weight: 2.2kg; Bin capacity: 0.35l; Runtime: 60mins; Warranty: 2yr RTB The battery takes 150 minutes to recharge, which again is up there with the best. You can buy an extra battery if you want to double up on cleaning time, but considering we never ran out of juice, we don’t believe it’s necessary for any home with four-five bedrooms or less. Weight: Be wary of this, as anything over 3kg can feel heavy after prolonged use. Bottom-heavy designs that carry the weight in the floorhead will be easier on your arms. The second factor is weight, as some of the heavier cordless vacuum cleaners make hoovering your sitting room seem like an upper-body workout. Overall it’s quite pricey, but the RS70 makes a great choice for anyone living in a house with mostly hard flooring.

The Official UK Home of Henry Vacuum Cleaners

One of the biggest annoyances of cordless vacuums is that you have to find somewhere to lean them when you’re mid clean. The Hoover HF500 doesn’t have this problem. When it’s upright you can let it go and hey-presto, it waits there, ready to resume cleaning when you want to restart. It’s noticeably heavier than previous models. Though only 0.5kg heavier than the V15, that weight is all in the top which makes it cumbersome as a handheld - unfortunate given the upgrade Dyson has made on immersing the handheld inside the regular vacuum. The digital display is useful but not obvious. You need to refer to instructions to understand the messages. On the other hand, the app is extremely useful. It easily connects via Bluetooth and tells you battery level, standby time, how big an area you’ve cleaned and time spent cleaning.

How we tested

However, the biggest draw is convenience – a cordless vacuum cleaner allows you to clean little and often rather than doing one weekly deep clean, and to easily spot-clean dust or spillages without the faff of dust bags and cables. The battery life ranges from 14 minutes in high power with the brush on, to 70 minutes in low power with the brush off, which is about the best you can expect from a cordless vacuum of this size.