Kinds of stick vacuum
- Cordless stick: the motor, battery and bin are grouped up by your hand, and a wand carries the floor head. Most become a handheld for stairs, shelves and car interiors.
- Stick with a self-emptying dock: the charging base sucks the vacuum's bin into a larger container, so you handle the dust far less often.
- Wet and dry stick: vacuums as usual, then swaps to a wet roller that rinses sealed floors from a clean-water tank and stores the dirty water apart.
- Slim and light: stripped-back sticks for quick tidies and tight corners rather than cleaning the whole house.
- Corded stick: the same slim shape on a mains lead, so there's no battery to run flat during a long session.
Which stick suits you?
| Type | Suits | Worth checking |
| Cordless stick | Daily cleaning in most homes. | Run time on normal power and whether the battery comes out. |
| Self-emptying | People who vacuum every day or dislike emptying bins. | The floor space the dock needs and whether it uses bags. |
| Wet and dry | Homes that are mostly tile, laminate or sealed wood. | Tank sizes and how the roller is cleaned afterwards. |
| Slim and light | Flats and quick top-ups between bigger cleans. | Bin size, as smaller machines fill up sooner. |
| Corded stick | Longer sessions without watching a battery gauge. | Cable length and where it stores. |
Making the choice
Battery and run time
The headline run time is normally measured on the lowest setting. Boost burns through the battery much faster, so bear that in mind if you have thick carpet. A battery that clicks out lets you charge a spare, and some sticks come with two.
Carpet or hard floor?
Carpet needs a motorised brush bar to dig dirt out of the pile. On hard floors a soft roller picks up fine dust without scattering it. Many sticks have one head for both, and some detect the floor or the amount of dust and adjust the suction on their own.
Weight and reach
All the weight sits in your hand, so a lighter stick is kinder on stairs and when you're reaching for cobwebs. A wand that bends lets you get under beds and sofas without bending yourself. Compare the weight on the product page with the vacuum you have now.
Emptying the dust
Most sticks are bagless, with a bin you tip into the dustbin. A few seal the dust into a bag or pod, which is tidier to throw away and better if you have allergies. If you vacuum every day, a self-emptying dock earns its floor space.
Pet hair
Pet editions add tools for sofas and stair carpet. Look for a brush bar that stops hair winding round it and a filter you can wash, as fur fills a small bin quickly.
Washing as well as vacuuming
If most of your floors are hard, a wet and dry stick can retire the mop and bucket. If you only wash floors now and then, a separate machine from steam cleaners and mops may suit you better.
Before you order
- Pick the charging spot. A dock may screw to the wall or sit on the floor, and either kind needs a socket close by.
- Size the run time to your home. A daily tidy of a flat needs far less battery than cleaning a large house in one go.
- Look at what's in the box. Different versions of the same vacuum come with different tools, docks and spare batteries.
- Consider a main vacuum too. For thick carpet throughout, a mains upright or cylinder still holds more and runs for longer.
- Spares. Filters, bags and pods are in floorcare accessories, and the rest of the range is under floorcare.
The brands we sell
Our cordless vacuums come from Shark, Dyson, Dreame, Miele, Numatic, Samsung, Vax and SEBO. The brand filter beside the products lets you compare them directly.
Buying a cordless vacuum from KDH Electrical
The manufacturer's UK guarantee comes with every stick vacuum. Go over £600 and we deliver free, generally within 3–7 working days.
If a UK retailer lists the same vacuum for less, our price match is there to help. Ring 01622 541312 with any questions, or call before making the trip to our showroom in Rochester so you know what's on display.