Buy the best vacuum cleaner for your home with our reviews of the top ten hoovers on the market right now. We’ve tried and tested every last one of the best vacuum cleaners in our guide, and there are smart options for tackling pet hair, carpet, car interiors, and hard floors with our handy buying guide.

In our best vacuum cleaner guide we’ve included some of the best cordless vacuum cleaners, as well as canister and upright vacuums from top brands like Shark, Dyson, Miele, Henry, and Vax. Everyone’s need will be different: some will be looking for a vacuum to stay on top of constant pet hair, whereas others may just want a budget-friendly vacuum cleaner to keep dust and dirt at bay in a smaller home. No matter the type of vacuum you’re looking for, our best vacuum cleaner guide will have something for you, guaranteed.

A vacuum cleaner can be a real investment, with recent launches from Dyson and Shark costing upwards of £400, but it is also possible to get a great vacuum cleaner for under £200 if you’re willing to forego some of the high-tech extras such as pet tools and smart touchscreen displays.

Our top 10 are complete with hands-on reviews, as well as thoughts on the pros and cons depending on your home and needs. For the best vaccum cleaner reviews, just keep reading.

What is the best vacuum cleaner?

Our top pick is the Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner, which has the power of a corded vacuum but with the freedom of cordless control.

We also like the Miele Blizzard CX1. This canister vacuum may not have some of the more modern features you’ll see from more expensive options in our guide, but it’s a workhorse that will make quick work of pet hair and all floor types. The filter is also self-cleaning, which is a real treat.

Best vacuum cleaners 2021

1. Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Best vacuum cleaner overall

Cordless? Yes
Dust tank capacity: 0.6 litres
Weight: 6.2 kg
Reasons to buy:

• Immense power
• Great on pet hair
• The power of a corded vacuum
• LCD display makes switching modes easy

Reasons to avoid: 

• Battery life is good, but not amazing

The Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is one of the best Shark vacuums on the market. It performed consistently across carpet, parquet, hardwood and tiles, and PowerFins lifted huge amount of deep-rooted pet hair from around the dog’s bed leaving a brand-new carpet look. It made the vacuuming process straightforward, requiring only one pass on all floor types, although we found that it ran out of battery on the normal cleaning mode after 31 minutes.

Powered LiftAway means you can transform this cordless vacuum by lifting it away from the stick to carry the canister up stairs and out to car interiors. This is great for getting up the stairs, although getting the vacuum assembled once more will take getting used to. The vacuum converts into a handheld which works very well on stairs and upholstery. We really enjoyed the motorized pet tool, which was very effective at picking up pet hair and restoring carpet pile.

The LCD display allows you to switch between the carpet brush and hard floor brush with the touch of a button thanks to Shark’s DuoClean, which is a real time-saver for homes with a mix of floor types.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

Read our full Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review

2. Miele Blizzard CX1

Best canister vacuum cleaner

Cordless? No
Dust tank capacity: 2 litres
Weight: 8.71 kg
Reasons to buy:

• Outstanding turbo brush performance
• Comfortable to use
• Easy to empty the canister

Reasons to avoid: 

• It’s pretty pricey for a canister vacuum

Miele’s first bagless cleaner is available in multiple flavours. These range from a £249 Parquet model designed for hard floors to a £410 Comfort PowerLine with wireless controls on the handle for maximum convenience. We tested the Cat & Dog model, which sits near the top of the range and boasts a turbo brush floor head for whipping up pet (and human) hair, as well as a regular carpet floor head and another for hard floors. It is certainly one of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair on the market.

The tube is long but telescopic, making this a good cleaner for tall and short people alike. We loved it for straightforward cleaning power. Its suction is outstanding thanks to a powerful, fast (more than 100km/h) cyclone. The single cyclone design also makes for low noise and controllable power. The cylinder moves smoothly on its castors and perches acceptably on a stair.

The handle is comfortable in the hand and the floor head pleasantly manoeuvrable. The hose is extra-long, giving you 10m overall reach from the power socket. Tools (crevice and upholstery nozzles) are stored on board, easy to get to, and the handle has a built-in dusting brush that slides into place when you need it. We were wowed by the cleaning results from the Cat & Dog turbo brush; it left floors spotless. And the canister was easy and fairly dust-free to empty.

Cleaning pauses for a few seconds from time to time: frustrating till you realise this is because the machine cleans its own filter. There’s also a lifetime HEPA filter to catch the smallest particles. Vacuumed bacteria, allergens and mould spores remaining safely within the filter for the vacuum cleaner’s lifetime of the Blizzard CX1. As a result, this vacuum cleaner has British Allergy Foundation approval.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

3. Vax ONEPWR Blade 4

Best vacuum cleaner for most budgets

Cordless? Yes
Dust tank capacity: 0.6 litres
Weight: 3.1 kg
Reasons to buy:

• An amazing value cordless vacuum
• Easy to reach underneath sofas and furniture
• Great battery life

Reasons to avoid: 

• Not all tools come included

The Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 is a winner when it comes to value. We were impressed by its performance on carpet and hardwood floors alike, and even when it came to picking up pet hair it did a sterling job. The design makes it easy to clean underneath furniture and around corners, and the floorhead rotation means there’s minimal wrist work to pick up dirt and dust.

Lightweight and well-balanced, we were impressed by the battery life, which can also be increased by simply buying a backup battery for larger homes. This is also great because it means the lifespan of your vacuum isn’t limited by an in-built battery. Simply dispose of the battery if you think it’s dying faster than you’d like after using it for a year or so, and buy a replacement online.

Attachments include a crevice tool and dusting brush, but you can pay extra for the ProKit 2 toolkit, which is useful for smaller tasks such as upholstery and textile.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4. Dyson Ball Animal 2

Best upright vacuum

Cordless? No
Dust tank capacity: 1.8 litres
Weight: 1.8 kg
Reasons to buy:

• High power and long cord
• Reaches into every corner of the room
• Comes with a range of tools

Reasons to avoid: 

• A hefty option

Owners of large homes will love the Dyson Ball Animal 2. It’s got a cable length of over 10 metres and a bagless design for easy emptying. The canister has a push mechanism that makes it easy to eject dirt and dust.

In testing we liked how well the Dyson Ball Animal 2 reached even the edges of walls and the corners of a room. It is a bit hefty when compared to a cordless vacuum, but plenty powerful enough to compensate for this.

The vacuum comes with a stair tool, combination tool, carbon fibre turbine tool and on-board storage to make it easy to switch between different cleaning modes. Noise wasn’t too bad given the powerful operation and the ball makes it easy to swerve around the room as needed.

5. Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

Best vacuum cleaner overall

Cordless? Yes
Dust tank capacity: 0.8 litres
Weight: 2.9 kg
Reasons to buy:

• It seriously wowed us in testing with power and attachments
• Decent battery life
• Easy trigger controls
• Elbow hinge reaches under furniture easily

Reasons to avoid: 

• The dustbin is a little small for some homes

The Beko Powerclean is easy to use and comes with a range of attachments that will adapt to any home. There are two brushrolls that can be switched out for hard floors and carpets, as well as a crevice tool, mini brush head and dusting attachment.

We loved how powerful this vacuum is. It has three speeds, but we found that we never needed to use the maximum strength, even on seriously dusty room and grubby carpets. The battery life is 45 minutes, which held true in testing but does get shorter depending on the strength you choose. The Beko Powerclean is intuitive to use, with a trigger control that sits right under your thumb for easy starts and finishes.

Your vacuum path is illuminated by LED lights, and the vacuum even hinges with an elbow attachment that folds down to reach underneath sofas and beds with less bending work for you. This is like Shark’s Flexology function, which we’re big fans of. The price is incredibly reasonable for this Dyson-rival, and we also liked the stand that came included, which made storage straightforward thanks to the on-board tool storage. Our one gripe? That 0.8 litre dustbin fills up fast.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

Read our full Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review

6. Dyson Big Ball Animal 2

Best vacuum cleaner for pet hair

Cordless? No
Dust tank capacity: 1.5 litres
Weight: 5 kg
Reasons to buy: 

• Capable on pet hair and hardwood, with hassle-free operation
• Very easy to empty
• More manoeverable than most canisters

Reasons to avoid: 

• If your home is pet-free you may get away with something less hefty

Dyson’s clever take on the canister vacuum is a crowd-pleaser. Its party trick is that it sits atop a large ball, for manoeuvrability. It’s bagless and the design is colourful. Although the design is visually complex, the ball steers simply.

Its cleaning prowess was impressive. You can hear the power as you navigate hardwood and carpet. But some of Dyson’s vacuum cleaner design touches impressed. Simple things make all the difference. For example, once you’ve got the hang of it, the wand and hose pop out of the handle easily and are ready to go. Pneumatic suction automatically swaps over from the floor to the hose. The hose is stretchy, and tools easily attach to switch as you go.

Emptying was easy: press the red button at the top of the dirt canister to pop it off the cleaner body, then hold it over a bin and press it firmly to open the bottom. This is good because the button is at the top of the tall canister, so you can lower it well into a wheelie bin: you’re further away from the dust.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

7. Dyson V11 Outsize

Best vacuum cleaner for functionality

Cordless? Yes
Dust tank capacity: 1.7 litres
Weight: 3.5 kg
Reasons to buy:

• Easy emptying mechanism
• All three modes are very powerful
• Two rollers for different floor types

Reasons to avoid:

• It’s an expensive option

The Dyson V11 Outsize wowed us in testing, and it was only that steep price point that held it back from a five star rating. The packaging was entirely plastic-free, which was a big thumbs-up for our appliances editor, and it arrived with 20% battery already loaded up. Perfect for having a quick spin before setting it up to charge. The run time is up to 60 minutes, which is pretty impressive for a cordless vacuum.

There are three modes to choose from: Eco, Auto, and Boost, and each one results in a different noise level and suction, although all three settings held up very well in testing.

The soft roller head did a wonderful job on hardwood floors, and it comes included in the Dyson V11 Outsize. The vacuum also comes with a charging dock, and will take 4.5 hours from empty to fully charge.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

8. Numatic Henry PET200

Best budget vacuum cleaner

Cordless? No
Dust tank capacity: 9 litres
Weight: 8.5 kg
Reasons to buy:

• Generous 9-litre capacity
• Classic design that we all know and love
• Simple but effective

Reasons to avoid:

• Pet hair turbo brush could be larger

Henry and its (his?) siblings have a reputation for being workhorses: the cleaner’s cleaner of choice, designed and made here in the UK. We put the Harry vacuum cleaner (sometimes known as the Henry Pet) through its paces. Harry boasts a large 9-litre capacity, the same as the Henry HVR200, and it has similar features. It’s a bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner with a 10m cable, giving it an overall reach of 13m from the power socket. Its floor head is straightforward, with a lever that you press to go from hard floor to carpet, or vice versa.

Build is simple, solid and bombproof: the cord winds up manually, the top clips on solidly, the wand is in two pieces but not telescopic. This vacuum cleaner feels semi-industrial. There is very little to go wrong. Harry also has extra features designed for pet owners. The HairoBrush is a small turbo brush designed to whip up pet hair. And the cleaner’s large fabric filter has a built-in MicroFresh activated charcoal layer designed to tackle pet odours.

Air is pulled through the HepaFlo bag, which captures even fine particles of dust, then cleaned with the activated charcoal filter for good measure. Harry comes with three other tools: crevice tool, soft dusting brush and upholstery nozzle with slide-on brush. If you clip them together, you can just about carry them all on board thanks to two slots on the back, next to the wheels.

But the only way to store the HairoBrush when you’re on the move is in the slot where you’d naturally dock the floorhead and wand. A second slot would have been good, so you could stow them at the same time. Also, the Harry vacuum cleaner is too big to sit on a stair. Cleaning power is impressive, however. The floor head was simple but very effective, and Harry the vacuum moved fairly well behind us.

Our only criticism with this vacuum cleaner is that, as pet-owners, we’d have preferred a full-sized turbo brush. The HairoBrush is very effective at picking up hair but it seems too small to use as a floor head.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

9. SEBO Automatic X7

Best upright vacuum cleaner for a professional clean

Cordless? No
Dust tank capacity: 5.3 litres
Weight: 7.4 kg
Reasons to buy:

• Superb cleaning performance on floors
• Bagged for dust-free emptying
• Lengthy power cable

Reasons to avoid:

• Lacks manoeuvrability

The automatic in the name of this upright vacuum cleaner comes from the built-in computer that measures brush action and automatically adjusts the cleaning head height. Move from hard floor to rug and back again and the bottom of the X7 moves up and down for improved performance. We tested the Pet ePower model, which features a smaller stair and upholstery turbo brush for pet hair and an activated charcoal filter to remove odours.

It’s a bagged vacuum cleaner with S-class filtration, which filters out tiny particles from the air it puts out, much like a HEPA filter. A button on the handle powers it up, but to tilt the handle back and start moving, you need to press the red brake with your foot. A light on the front of the floor head illuminates cleaning.

The machine tilts back completely flat to go under furniture. If you click the body up into resting position, to pause or to reach for the wand, the SEBO’s brush automatically lifts to protect the flooring. Annoyingly the brush keeps spinning and floor suction continues, which feels like a waste of energy. But we loved that the wand was ready to use immediately, with no fiddling around.

Crevice tool and upholstery tool are on board, ready to use too. But there’s no storage for the smaller powered turbo brush, dusting brush or the extra-long extension hose for stair cleaning. The extension hose daisy chains onto the built-in hose for a reach of more than 4m. It could stretch further but there’s a risk of the cleaner toppling over. The power cable is 10m.

Emptying this vacuum cleaner is easy thanks to the bags. And a clever cover on the side of the floorhead pops off so you can slide out the brush roller for easy cleaning. Handling is unusual: the SEBO vacuum cleaner feels solid and weighty in the hand. It wants to clean floors. A lot. It feels like a professional cleaner you’d get in a hotel. But it lacks the nippy manoeuvrability of more modern designs. Build quality is impressive though. The SEBO vacuum cleaner feels as though it could last decades.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

10. iRobot Roomba 980

Best robot vacuum

Cordless? Yes
Dust tank capacity: 0.6 litres
Weight: 4kg
Reasons to buy:

• The joy of a robot vacuum, with plenty of smart features
• A good price for a robot vac

Reasons to avoid:

• Docking system can only be plugged in on one side

Our top robot vacuum pick is the iRobot ROOMBA980. It’s immensely capable of picking up dirt and dust that you didn’t even know was lingering in your home, and it does all that (and more) with the press of a button. You can pair this vacuum with your smartphone and let it go, or monitor its progress as it maps its way around your home.

The battery life is 120 minutes, and you can schedule cleaning for when you’re out of the house so you always have a sleek space to return to.

How to buy the best vacuum cleaners

Our video below will help you make sense of the options available. Alternatively, read through the buying advice after it to find out everything you need to know about which type of vacuum cleaner you want, how much you need to budget and what features to look out for.

How much should I spend on a vacuum cleaner?

Budget around £150 for a vacuum cleaner with decent cleaning power. But you can spend twice that or more that on premium models. More money can buy you more powerful cleaning and better tools for stuff like pet hair.

Which type of vacuum cleaner is right for me?

Upright vacuum cleaners are very ergonomic to push around, so they’re ideal for cleaning large floor areas in open-plan kitchens. Their powerful, rotating brushbars are great for picking up hair from pets and humans in thick living room carpets. But they are tall and bulky to store and not so good for cleaning stairs.

Cylinder vacuum cleaners are usually smaller and lighter, so they pack away better. The power cable is stored away neatly inside and hopefully there’s onboard storage for tools. But they might not have a motorised brush head and capacity may be smaller.

Want something super simple? See our best robot vacuum roundup for hands-free cleaning

What features should I look for in the best vacuum cleaner?

Image credit: Vax

1. Vacuum cleaner filters – what do I look for?

When buying a vacuum cleaner look for HEPA or S-class filters if you have allergies, as these are designed to retain tiny particles like pollen and dust mite faeces. Sealed HEPA filters are most effective as all air goes through the filter, while washable filters will save you money on replacements.

2. Bagged versus bagless vacuum cleaners – which is better?

Vacuum cleaner bags cost money but a well-designed bag keeps dust contained. Bagless saves money on consumables, but emptying the dust container can be a pain and not good if the person who does the vacuuming has dust allergies. Cyclonic bagless designs promise suction that’s consistent even when the container is nearly full, because the dirt is flung to the sides while the air passes through the middle.

3. Are there special vacuum cleaners for pet hair?

Most vacuum cleaners have motorised turbo brushes that pick up pet hair effectively. Special pet models are optimised for this and often also have a mini turbo brush for cleaning furniture and the car.

4. How important is vacuum cleaner hose and cable length?

A long vacuum cleaner hose is important if you have stairs. The length of the two together dictates reach: a long reach means you rarely need to unplug and move to a new socket.

5. What vacuum cleaner tools do I need?

A vacuum cleaner crevice tool and a brush for upholstery/dusting are handy as a bare minimum but our pet peeve is vacuum cleaners that don’t incorporate tool storage. The tools need to be on hand or they’re of no use.

6. Can you explain a vacuum cleaner’s EU label?

The European Union has set a limit on vacuum cleaner power, so new models are more eco-friendly than ever. The compulsory label will give you ratings not just for energy efficiency but also cleaning performance on hard floors and carpets, how much dust is emitted and noise levels.

The post Best vacuum cleaners 2021: from Dyson, Shark, Miele, and more appeared first on Ideal Home.

The rocketing price of gas has left many concerned about the cost of heating their homes this winter. Average annual energy bills look set to increase again in April, by around £421, when the price cap will be reviewed by energy regulator Ofgem.

This follows an increase of 12% in October. With temperatures falling, many of us have already turned out heating on, but the unprecedented prices are a real worry for millions.

Although it’s a hugely uncertain time, there are some energy-saving tips for the home that can all contribute to keeping bills down – including investing in £3 draught-excluding tape.

Image credit: Alamy

The cheapest self-adhesive draught-excluding tape on Amazon can cost around £3 per roll. The budget DIY product could save you £215 on fuel after five years, according to Norton Finance.

It goes without saying that if you spend a little more money on higher quality tape, you’re likely to get better results. However, this budget option from Amazon, at £3.15, has a 4-star rating and could reduce your bills over time.

Sticking a strip to the edges of your door frame where the door touches the frame will create a seal, keeping the room warmer when the door is closed. Draught excluder tape can also help to block out cold air from gaps around windows and chimneys.

Image credit: The Radiator Company

When applying the strips, make sure you don’t stretch the self-adhesive foam, as this might prevent them from working efficiently. This budget-friendly method, along with tasks like bleeding radiators and turning off radiators in empty rooms, will all make a difference.

Although economic forecasters predict an energy bills increase of 33% in April, the cap will stop prices rising further through the colder months.

Last night, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng tweeted: ‘Protecting consumers from rising global gas prices is my top priority. The Energy Price Cap is holding back a wave of instant bill increases. It will remain in place, and at the same level, this winter.’

Image credit: David Parmiter

Last month, a series energy companies collapsed due to the rising cost of wholesale gas, leaving Brits wondering what to do if your energy supplier goes bust. There are still warnings that millions will be unable to heat their homes this winter.

As around 40% of electricity in the UK is generated by gas, the energy bills increase affects the price of electricity to rise too – making energy-saving measures more important than ever.

The post Energy bills are expected to rise by £400, but this £3 hack could cut them by £200 appeared first on Ideal Home.

Love Halloween? Us, too. It’s becoming bigger every year, when it comes to celebrations, dressing up and decorating our homes. Whether you’re hosting a party or simply decorating to welcome trick-or-treaters these fiendishly good Halloween decorating ideas will help you do it in style.

From seasonal wreaths and autumnal tablescape ideas for a subtle nod to decorating, to making spooky balloon arches and painting pumpkins for an on-trend scene for Instagram – we have it all.

Take a look at these great Halloween decorating ideas to get into the spooky spirit…

Halloween decorating ideas to delight

1. Create a balloon arch

Image credit: Ginger Ray/Very

Make your Halloween party go with a bang (although not literally we hope) by creating a spooky balloon arch. Arrange a combination of black, white and silver balloons above a table laden with treats. Use a black marker to draw ghostly faces on the white balloons. Cut bats, spiders and webs from black paper and arrange among your display.

Want to learn more about making a DIY balloon arch? We show you how to create a balloon arch in simple easy steps.

2. Display an autumnal wreath

Image credit: Hobbycraft

Celebrate the season by adorning your door with a sophisticated autumnal wreath. Dress a grapevine wreath blank with leaves, berries and pinecones in warming red and orange tones. Attach mini velvet pumpkins for softness.

Use florist’s wire or a glue gun to make sure components are securely attached. If you’re worried about exposing your wreath to the elements, display inside on an internal door or as part of a table arrangement.

3. Make a spooky picture gallery

Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore

Make your own Halloween silhouette framed pictures. Cut creepy images and phrases from black paper and mount on a white background. If drawing out your shapes before cutting, don’t forget to draw them back-to-front on the reverse of the paper. Pop your pictures in black frames and display on the wall or on a mantelpiece.

4. Welcome Trick or Treaters

Image credit: Hobbycraft/Cricut

Welcome visitors with a cute custom Halloween doormat. You can make your own using a Cricut cutting machine and vinyl to create a stencil. Secure in place with masking tape and use black acrylic paint and a stencil brush to fill in your design. Leave to dry for 24 hours, then seal with spray varnish. View the full how-to at Hobbycraft.

5. Shine terrifying tea lights

Image credit: Future PLC

If you can’t handle the mess of carving pumpkins, try placing flickering tea light candles in empty clip-top jars. Give them a Halloween twist by using PVA to glue orange tissue paper on the inside of the jars. Add creepy shapes like bats and spiders in black paper to create spooky silhouettes.

Place anywhere around the house, inside or out, to encourage a little All Hallow’s Eve atmosphere. If you have children or pets, consider using LED candles to avoid accidents.

6. Style an autumnal tablescape

Image credit: Sophie Allport

Creating breathtaking tablescapes for all occasions is a massive trend, so why should Halloween be any different? Carve out pumpkins and gourds and fill with bouquets of dried flowers in autumnal shades. Mount on log slices to elevate and arrange on a table runner among candles.

Place mini gourds in mugs as part of place settings. Why not write your guests’ names in gold pen on each pumpkin for them to take home?

7. Hang bewitching bunting

Image credit: Future PLC

Who doesn’t love a bit of bunting? It’s easy to whip up and can come out year after year. Cut triangles from black and white card. Use half an apple and orange paint to print pumpkin shapes in the centre of each flag. Once dry, paint on stalks in green paint.

Cut eyes and a mouth from black paper and stick to the pumpkin faces. To hang your bunting, attach string or twine to the tops of the flags using craft tape.

8. Style a seasonal focal point

Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young

Pile a colourful clutch of pumpkins, squash and gourds into a table for understated style; against a white tablecloth, the burnt amber hues will shine. Fun decorations and tasty treats such as these sweet candies will keep trick-or-treaters happy.

9. Paint a pumpkin

Image credit: Future plc/ Graeme Ainscough

Not a fan of carving? Painted pumpkins are just as effective, especially when contrasted with worn wooden knick-knacks on a reclaimed dresser. Simply paint on your funny or scary face, then mix and match with different shapes and sizes of pumpkins for an attractive seasonal display.

Add a warm, autumnal touch with strings of berries along the top, intertwined with twinkling fairy lights.

10. Create creepy curb appeal

Image credit: Future PLC/ Brent Darby

This country cottage manages a friendly ‘haunted house’ feel with weathered outdoor furniture, blacked out windows and pumpkins aplenty. Fill woven planters with seasonal foliage and dress your door with an autumnal wreath fashioned from fallen leaves.

11. Light up the night

Image credit: Sainsbury’s Home

Carved Jack-O’-Lantern pumpkins are a Halloween classic, but why not opt for glitter, or plastic designs that have safety lights? Display them at the front door or along the stairs for an atmospheric twist on the traditional doorstep decoration.

12. Make up your mantelpiece

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

Give an uninteresting mantel a freakishly good update for Halloween by crafting your own scary decorations. White, black and orange are the perfect colours for Halloween decorating.

Make these adorable characters from leftover yarn. To make the pumpkins, use a pom pom maker to make an orange pom pom. Cut a pipecleaner into three pieces and bend one end of a piece around the middle, then curl the other end around a pencil to bend into shape. Tie fishing wire around the end to hang.

To make the ghost tassels, cut a 10x12cm piece of cardboard. Cut a small piece of wool and place it along the length of cardboard. Wind the rest of the wool around the width of the carboard 25 times and tie the short piece tightly around one end. Snip the yarn at one end to release the tassel. Tie another length of wool round the neck of the tassel and knot to secure, then hang with fishing wire. Add googly eyes if you wish!

13. Lay a spooky table

Nothing creates a creepy atmosphere quite like painted pumpkins, creepy candies and flickering candlelight, so display all of this on dinner table to create a spooktacular showcase to your ghoulish guests. A pumpkin centrepiece on a cake stand lends itself to the occasion beautifully.

What are you favourite Halloween decorating tips? We would love to hear them.

The post Halloween decorating ideas that won’t scare away the neighbours! appeared first on Ideal Home.

The Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a mighty vacuum cleaner that’s hands-down one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners I’ve ever tried. Shark claims that it’s as powerful as a corded vacuum, and I couldn’t agree more. I put this cordless vacuum to the test for a few weeks on carpets and hard floors, and took into account its battery life and smart features.

A part of Shark’s latest lineup of vacuum cleaners, this is also one of the more expensive options on the market. It has PowerFins, Powered Lift-Away, Anti Hair-Wrap, and a tool for pet hair, so while it is a premium option it is packed with great features. Many of the best Shark vacuums will also offer many of these perks, but PowerFins is a new feature that made a profound difference when it came to deep cleaning the carpets.

Ideal Home rated: 5 out of 5 stars

Reasons to buy:

• Excellent on pet hair
• Lift-away is great for stairs
• Easily toggles between hard floors and carpet
• LED display
• Very powerful
• Steers without hassle

Reasons to avoid: 

• Battery life is good, but not as good as Shark claims

Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

• Maximum power: 450 W
• Dimensions: ‎25 x 26 x 108 cm
• Weight: 6.2 Kilograms
• Dustbin capacity: 0.6 litres
• Attachments: Dusting Brush, Wide Upholstery Tool, 20cm Crevice Tool, Anti Hair Wrap Pet Tool
• Battery life: 60 minutes (on a non-motorised tool on eco mode)
• Speeds: 3

Getting set up with the Shark ICZ300UKT

The first thing that won me over with the Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner was how it was packaged, which was entirely in cardboard. That made me feel a lot better about taking the packaging out to recycle it, as opposed to binning a lot of single-use plastic.

Assembling it was easy to manage, and there is a chunky instruction book included with the Shark ICZ300UKT to help you get to grips with all the attachments. As a powered lift-away model you can easily remove the main unit from the wand to carry it up the stairs or out to the car for portable cleaning.

Other features to note are the DuoClean, which allows you to toggle between a brushroll for hard floors and a roller for carpets. The carpet roll features PowerFins, which is a rubberised fin that sits between brushes to prevent hair from building up on the roller, and to dig deep into carpet fibres to pick up deeply-rooted pet hair.

While I reviewed the Shark ICZ300UKT, which has the pet attachment, you can also buy the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins & Powered Lift-Away ICZ300UK for the same features but with no additional pet attachment. Everything else is still the same, so if you don’t have pets it may be worth opting for the ICZ300UK instead of the ICZ300UKT.

Using the Shark ICZ300UKT on hard floors

I tried the Shark ICZ300UKT on my hard floors first, using the LED controls to switch the DuoClean brush into the hard floor setting. I used the Eco setting first, which is very powerful for the lower end of the power on offer with the vacuum, and then put it onto the mid-power mode. The display also shows the battery power level, which is very useful for knowing when to switch battery or put the battery onto charge.

The Shark ICZ300UKT made quick work of cleaning the tiles in my kitchen, and while the brush head is quite large, it puts the roller brush out in front so it is able to reach into the underside of cupboards or along skirting boards.

When it comes to reaching underneath the sofa, the Shark ICZ300UKT isn’t the most flexible thanks to the powerful LiftAway design at the front of the machine. It will struggle to reach under things and unlike other models I’ve tested such as the Beko PowerClean it doesn’t have a hinge at the front of the vacuum to drop down and reach under and around obstacles easier.

You can then lift away the main unit to empty the bin, which is attached to the battery holder and the filter, too. Using an easy switch at the bottom of the vacuum I was able to easily shake out the dust from my kitchen floor.

Testing the Shark ICZ300UKT on carpet

I must confess, I didn’t realise my carpets were in such a bad state until I reviewed this vacuum cleaner. I took to my office where my dog likes to nap while I’m working, meaning there is a lot of fur that I’ve allowed to build up for the purpose of testing. The perfect test for a powerful cordless vacuum! The dog is a black labrador who loves to nap on our cream carpets, so removing her hair from the floor is a full-time job that I sometimes struggle to stay on top of.

The Shark ICZ300UKT left an embarrassingly visible line of clean carpet after just one pass, so after a few minutes of cleaning, I was very impressed to find the 0.6 litre dustbin completely full of fur. This wasn’t even using the TruePet attachment, either, and clearly, the PowerFins design is excellent in reaching into the fibres of carpet to pull our deep-rooted pet hair.

Another thing to know about the Shark ICZ300UKT is that it has lights on the brush head, which illuminates the path ahead while cleaning. This was a big perk when cleaning under the desk, which is quite dark even with the lights on. I was able to peer and make sure that there was no area I had missed.

One issue I encountered was how quickly the bin filled, exceeding the Max Fill line after doing just one (admittedly very neglected) carpet. This is one drawback if you’re looking for the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair, but for how deep it reached into my carpet, I’m willing to overlook the smaller bin size. After all, it’s still a cordless model.

Battery life

The Shark ICZ300UKT claims to have a 60-minute battery life, but this is only when used in ECO mode and on a non-motorised tool. I put it to the test on the medium power level on the carpet mode to see how long it would last when cleaning a more demanding space.

While it was far off from the 60-minute claim, the Shark ICZ300UKT still lasted an impressive 31 minutes when cleaning the carpets. That gave me enough time to clean most of my house thanks to the powerful design which required only one pass on most floors.

Other attachments

With the Shark ICZ300UKT you’ll also get a removable battery which lifts out of the unit and slots into an external charging base. This is very satisfying to use and it simply clicks into place on the main body of the vacuum

There is a dusting brush, a wide upholstery brush to work on sofas and on the interior of cars, a 20cm crevice tool to clean hard-to-reach areas, and with the Shark ICZ300UKT you get an anti hair wrap pet tool. Like I said, you don’t get this when you buy the Shark ICZ300UK, which is otherwise the same.

Should you buy the Shark ICZ300UKT?

I give this vacuum cleaner an easy five stars thanks to its impressive power levels and smart features. It stands upright when you lock it into place thanks to the low-lying centre of weight on the vacuum, which makes it easy to store, and it also has a decent battery life, especially when used on the Eco mode.

One of the best things about the Shark ICZ300UKT is how powerful it is on carpets. Using the LED panel to switch from hard floors to carpets couldn’t be easier, especially when compared to other vacuums from Dyson which require you to remove one brush head and add another. This and its amazing results on hard floors and carpets is why it is one of the best vacuum cleaners I have tried.

That said, it is an expensive choice, so if you live in a home with only one type of floor you may not need to invest in something with DuoClean or the power to clean different two types of floor.

About this review, and the reviewer

Millie Fender is small appliances editor at Ideal Home. She reviews everything from coffee machines to robot vacuums from her own home, meaning these tests have been carried out in the same conditions that you’ll be using the vacuum cleaner.

The Shark ICZ300UKT was kindly sent to Millie by Shark, and she tested for two weeks before writing this review. This gave her the chance to test all of its functions and check for any troubleshooting.

The post Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review appeared first on Ideal Home.