Which vacuum cleaner brand is the most reliable?

We investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular vacuum cleaner brands including Dyson, Shark and Vax.

In our unique appliance survey, we ask more than 4,000 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their vacuum and whether they’ve experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money.

Decided on a brand? See the best vacuum cleaners to make sure you get a top-scoring model

Which vacuum cleaner brands develop the fewest faults?

Before you buy your next vacuum cleaner, consider whether the brand has a track record of making long-lasting machines that you can rely on.

According to our research, vacuum cleaner brands differ widely when it comes to the chance of developing faults – and it might surprise you to see where popular brands, such as Hoover and Vax, are placed in our table.

Only logged-in Which? members can view which brands members are most satisfied with in the table below. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Looking for another brand? Read all our vacuum cleaner reviews to find the right model for your home 

Which vacuum cleaner brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which vacuum cleaner brands owners feel happy with, and which they’d recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand’s Customer Score, and are based on vacuum cleaners bought in the past seven years.

The three most common vacuum cleaner faults

Good maintenance habits – such as regularly emptying the dust container or dust bag, and removing hair and debris from the brush bar – can help you avoid the three most common vacuum cleaner faults.

1. No suction or deteriorating suction (22% of all faults)

A complete loss of, or noticeably deteriorated, suction could be a result of reduction in motor performance, blocked airways or filters within the vacuum cleaner, or a clogged brush bar. 

To find out how to restore suction, watch our video on how to fix a vacuum cleaner that's lost suction.

2. Blocked filters (11%)

You can prevent filters from getting blocked by washing them regularly. Most manufacturers advise rinsing your filter in cold water once a month and allowing it to dry for up to 48 hours on a windowsill.

Washing your filter with warm water, or not letting it dry properly, could damage the filtration system, allowing fine dust particles to escape while you clean.

3. Brush not working properly or at all (9%)

Assuming the brush bar is clear of hair and debris, which could cause it to clog, the most likely cause of this fault is a broken vacuum cleaner belt. 

These elastic belts are cheap to buy and relatively easy to fit yourself, in most cases.

Get more maintenance advice in our guide to common vacuum cleaner problems and how to fix them.

If you need professional help, search Which? Trusted Traders to find an approved local trader:

Can a broken vacuum cleaner be repaired?

In our survey, some 20% of owners who had a problem with their vacuum cleaner were able to repair it or ask someone they know to fix the issue.

Some 26% simply carried on using the vacuum cleaner despite the fault – a possible option if the problem is more of a minor irritation than a major malfunction.

The vacuum cleaner was fixed under the manufacturer guarantee for 13% of respondents, while 7% did the same but outside the warranty. 

And finally, 8% went to an independent repairer to fix the vacuum and get it up and running. So, you do have options if your vacuum develops a problem, rather than just having to buy a new one. 

If your vacuum has definitely reached the end of its days, find out How to recycle electrical items

Which vacuum cleaner brands offer the best guarantees?

Most vacuum cleaner brands offer product guarantees of one or two years as standard, but there are a handful of brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Vax – gives a six-year guarantee on its corded vacuum cleaners.
• Shark – two-year guarantee can be extended to five years on many models with registration.
• Hoover – offers a generous five-year guarantee on numerous Hoover vacuums.
• Sebo – An initial one-year guarantee as standard on its corded vacuum cleaners, plus four years if registered on the Sebo website.
• Russell Hobbs – offers a three-year warranty on vacuum cleaners.

Faulty product? How to get a refund, repair or replacement

How we calculate the best and worst vacuum cleaner brands

Every year, we ask real consumers to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year, 10,249 Which? Connect Panel members and members of the public told us about more than 33,000 individual products, from vacuum cleaners to washing machines and fridge freezers.

Using the data from our annual survey, we've calculated each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating.

Our surveys, combined with extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best vacuum cleaner to buy.

For more on what it takes to be a Best Buy, read How we test vacuum cleaners