If you’re looking for the best coffee machine, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve been reviewing top pod, bean-to-cup, and filter coffee machines to make rich espressos or rounds of strong americanos. While it is possible to buy a coffee machine for under £100, it is often worth spending a little more to get something that will hit all of those coffee cravings, just how you like it. Lovers of flat white or cappuccinos will want a coffee machine that comes with a milk wand or some form of milk dispensation, which is often a feature of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines. Others will just want a coffee machine that makes fuss-free drinks with the press of a button. The best pod coffee machines are ideal for this, and there are many options with a range of pod flavours and brands.

If you want an affordable coffee machine, you can choose a pod or ground coffee machine. These save you the effort of buying a machine with a coffee grinder mechanism, which cuts down on cost up-front. However, if you want a coffee machine for a super fresh brew, a bean-to-cup offers some distinct advantages.

We have tested each and every one of the best coffee machines on the market, from top brands like Lavazza, Melitta, Smeg, Breville, Sage, and illy, so whether you want a mighty machine to replace your local coffee shop, or a budget-friendly filter coffee machine that keeps your caffeine levels high, we’ve got an option for you.

How we selected the best coffee machines

Image credit: David Giles

The coffee machines featured in this guide have all been tested as you would use them at home. We’ve considered the type of coffee machine – pod coffee machine, bean-to-cup coffee machine, filter coffee machines and espresso coffee machines – to cater for the varying household demands. With this comes the job of deciphering usability, maintenance, the amount of space the machine takes up, upfront costs and running costs. It’s (not) been a hard job! We like coffee as much as you probably do, maybe even a shot more.

Keep scrolling to see which of the best coffee machines in the UK made our shortlist. The handy pricing widget underneath the products will ALWAYS display the best price, too, so you don’t need to go elsewhere to track down a good deal either.

Best coffee machine 2021

1. BREVILLE VCF125 Mini Barista Coffee Machine

The best coffee machine for every coffee imaginable

Best for: all coffees
Type of coffee: ground
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: up to 2
What we like:

• Makes a lovely coffee
• Easy to set-up and maintain
• Compact so doesn’t take up too much space

What we don’t like:

• No adjustable mug height
• Stainless steel easier marks

This coffee machine will help you to hone in on those barista skills which you thought you never had. It is a little faff to set up each time you want a coffee BUT it the end result is so worth it. You’ll need to add fresh water to the 2 litre reservoir tank, heat your mug with the steam wand (if you desire), froth your milk in the jug, fill up the one or two shot espresso discs and hit the button. It’ll make an americano, latte, flat white, or cappuccino but you may have to perfect those swirls on the top with the milk jug and frother.

A point worth mentioning is that try not to fill up the shots with coffee. There will be a resistance when you go to secure the handle, and will be tempted to force it. Don’t do this. Just tip some of the coffee grounds back into the bag.

Cleaning and maintenance is easy but will need regular attention to keep it look in tip-top condition. The stainless steel shell will need a buff-up every other day, and the drop tray emptied as and when too.

Ideal Home rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

2. Cuisinart Veloce

The best coffee machine for bean-to-cup functions

Best for: lovers of frothy coffee
Type of coffee: bean
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: up to 2
What we like:

• Can make milky and long coffees automatically
• Simple digital instructions
• Cleaning is easy

What we don’t like:

• You need to clean the milk frother after each use

The Cuisinart Veloce packs in a lot of value for the price, which, admittedly, is one of the highest in our guide. The digital display shows a menu of numerous coffee options, from espresso shots to cappuccinos. You can adjust the size of your drink in millilitres, the proportion of milk to coffee and the level of froth you would like if you do opt for a milky coffee. The milk dispenser is also removable, so you can keep it in the fridge between uses.

We enjoyed being able to save custom drink preferences, which made coffee rounds seriously straightforward. The machine runs a self-cleaning cycle after every drink, which only lasts a few seconds. After making a milky drink you need to add the tube to a glass of water, where it will clean itself out after each use. This is a bit of a faff if you drink a lot of latte, but we just kept a glass of water handy in preparation.

Cleaning is made easy by the on-screen instructions which guide you through the whole process. The digital display may be less charming than some of the other best bean-to-cup coffee machines on the market, but it really does make life a whole lot easier.

Ideal Home rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Cuisinart Veloce coffee machine review

3. Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine

Best coffee machine for quirky style

Best for: value and retro style
Type of coffee: grounds
Pressure: 13 bar
No. of cups: 2
What we like:

• So many colours
• Milk dispenser
• Reasonable price

What we don’t like:

• Removable tray feels flimsy

The Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine is a retro-style coffee machine with all the modern touches you need to make your coffee shop favourites. The milk frother is very easy to use, and there are two sizes of beverage in three drink types.

You need to add and tamp your own grounds to use the Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine, and we found that it can get a little messy to work this way. The pressure gauge will help you to tell if your machine is ready to go, and it also makes sure you’re getting the most of out of your beans.

The tamp drips slightly once your coffee is done pouring. We suggest putting a cup underneath it to prevent it from splashing into the plastic base.

Ideal Home rating 4 out of 5 stars

Read our full Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine review

4. Lavazza A Modo Mio Idola

Best pod coffee machine

Best for: space saving
Type of coffee: pod
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: 1
What we like:

• Easy to use
• Stylish design
• Four brew sizes

What we don’t like:

• On the expensive side

Small kitchen? Short on space? This pod coffee machine from Lavazza will fit in nicely. Despite its small size, it will make a statement not only on how it looks but also because it’ll make a punchy coffee. The entire range of Lavazza A Modo Mio pods are compatible with the Lavazza A Modo Mio Idola which means that you can opt for a selection of espressos whenever you want them. The good thing here is that the pods are made with an innovative, compostable biopolymer, which means that they’ll naturally biodegrade.

Keeping the machine clean is pretty straightforward. You’ll just need to run a cycle WITHOUT a pod inserted to flush out the system. It would also be worth just wiping it down with a damp cloth to remove any finger marks or coffee spills.

Ideal Home rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Lavazza A Modo Mio Idola review

5. Gastroback Design Espresso Barista Pro

The best coffee machine for barista-style coffee

Best for: being a home barista
Type of coffee: bean-to-cup
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: up to 2
What we like:

• Reasonably priced for a bean-to-cup
• Simple and sleek controls
• Makes countless coffee types

What we don’t like:

• No indicator when it runs out of water

Gastroback is a relative newcomer in the world of coffee machines, but it really impressed us in testing. The grind is fully adjustable depending on the type of coffee you want to make, and you can make soft steamed milk for a latte or a sturdy foam for some cappuccino using the attached milk wand.

While it’s 15 bar (when many of the similar models on the market are 19) the Gastroback Design Espresso Barista Pro does make very delicious coffee. It does either single or double shots, so it is not best suited to making long coffees, but if you enjoy getting creative with your drinks, it makes a wonderful machine to hone those barista skills.

The sleek stainless steel design has a black touch display panel, and it also has buttons to run some hot water to top up espressos. It is very easy to clean, but we did think that for the price it could use an alert to show you when the water level is low.

Ideal Home rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

6. Illy Iperespresso Y3.3

Best compact pod machine

Best for: quality coffee
Type of coffee: pod
Pressure: n/a
No. of cups: 1
What we like:

• Super compact design
• High-quality coffee
• Great range of colours

What we don’t like:

• Basic functions

The illy Iperespresso Y3.3 comes courtesy of some serious espresso masters. We found that the pods with this machine yielded a rich brew, whether we opted for long americanos or short espressos. There is a fold-out shelf to brew espressos, and simply place your mug under the dispenser for anything taller. Of course, you do lose the option of making lattes or flat whites when you’re working with such a compact machine, but what it does it does very well.

We’re partial to the blue, but there’s also a striking red or subtle white option, so matching the Iperespresso to your kitchen will not be a problem. Cleaning is easy too, thanks to automatic descaling, but we did note that the drip tray cannot be removed, which means it’s a little fiddly to clean on the regular.

Compact kitchens will benefit from the Y3.3’s narrow dimensions. It’s only 10cm wide, which is seriously teeny, but the cord is one metre in length meaning it can be placed just about anywhere on your countertops.

Ideal Home rating 4 out of 5 stars

7. Smeg DCF02

Best filter coffee machine

Best for: making a really good filter coffee
Type of coffee: ground
Pressure: n/a
No. of cups: up to 10
What we like:

• Excellent filter
• Feels really sturdy
• Available in six (lovely) colours
What we don’t like:

• Bulky ‘small’ design
• A little tricky to fill up the water tank

We fell in love with this filter coffee machine from Smeg the moment we saw it. It’s a very neat, simple design which is available in a suite of colours so it can be bought to match your kitchen decor. On the subject of design, however, it is a little bulky and can take up a fair amount of space in a small kitchen. It’s also a little tricky to fill up the water tank but there are ways round that, such as pulling the coffee machine away from the wall and from underneath the wall units. Not ideal but it solves for the problem – for us it did, anyway.

It uses filter coffee to make a quick and easy fresh brew for up to ten. If there’s less than ten of you then you can simply use less water, or just more coffee. A keep warm plate will unsurprisingly keep the coffee warm for you, too, but not for much longer than a couple of hours. Oh and another thing to note is to NOT turn off the machine at the plug after each use because all settings will be cleared. It’ll mean that you’ll need to run through the set-up process again, and no one has time for that.

Ideal Home rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

8. Lavazza Voicy

The best smart coffee machine

Image credit: Lavazza

Best for: smart design
Type of coffee: pod
Pressure: 19 bar
No. of cups: 1
What we like:

• The in-built Alexa speaker
• Compatible app to customise your brew
• Easy to clean

What we don’t like:

• You’re limited by only two buttons

It’s not cheap, but the Lavazza Voicy is the best smart coffee machine we’ve reviewed. It has an Alexa smart speaker front and centre, which will make you a fresh brew if you simply command it to make you a coffee. You can also ask for a hot coffee, which will boost the temperature, and a long coffee, which will deliver a lungo instead of a cappuccino.

The Lavazza app can be used to customise your coffee, with several profiles to adjust the number of ounces that go into your favourite beverage. That means you won’t be limited by the two buttons on top of the coffee machine, and if you don’t drink much espresso, you can change the preset for both buttons to something more your liking.

If you pair your Lavazza Voicy with your Amazon account you can use it in the place of a regular smart speaker. This is ideal for playing your favourite podcast while you do the washing up, or checking the time when you are in a rush.

Ideal Home rating 5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Lavazza Voicy review

9. Sage Barista Express

Best bean to cup coffee machine

Best for: home baristas
Type of coffee: beans
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: 10
What we like:

• A fully customisable brew
• Looks the part
• Pressure gauge allows you to optimise for different bean types

What we don’t like:

• It could be overwhelming for some

We love that the Sage by Heston Blumenthal Barista Express coffee machine can grind your beans, brew them, and even steam the milk for lattes and cappuccinos. Everything from the grind coarseness to the volume can be adjusted manually for that shot of espresso, just how you like it, and the pressure gauge shows you the optimum levels to aim for when brewing.

The Sage by Heston Blumenthal Barista Express isn’t a cheap option, but compared to some of the other options on the market it’s a good middle ground between value and quality. Cleaning is easy enough and needs to be done every month or so using the included insert for the portafilter and tablets. A word of warning though, be sure to empty the tray before it gets too full or it will get messy!

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

10. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

Best pod coffee machine for strong espresso

Best for: strong coffee
Type of coffee: pod
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: 1
What we like:

• Quality design
• Aromatic coffee
• Reasonable price

What we don’t like:

• No size presets

If you value a good quality espresso, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie is a top choice. It comes in a range of dashing shades and sits pretty on any kitchen counter. The pods are recyclable, albeit through Lavazza’s slightly complicated scheme, and the machine is very easy to use. You simply pull up the lever, insert your pod, and push it back down to start the brewing process.

You press to start brewing, and then press again to stop the process. This has pros and cons, because while it’s nice to see a coffee machine that offers a fully adjustable length of coffee, you do need to stand by while it brews.

Ideal Home rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie review

11. Melitta Barista TS Smart coffee machine

Best smart coffee machine

Best for: smart features
Type of coffee: beans
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: 10
What we like:

• We LOVE the smart features
• Fully automatic
• Smartphone controls

What we don’t like:

• A little hefty for small kitchens

This coffee machine does it all. It’s a super smart choice in more ways than one; from the grinding of the beans to the frothing of the milk, which can all be controlled on your smartphone. Yep we know. Impressive stuff.

Making an espressos or cappuccino is spot on, as you’d hope – but there are actually 21 coffee recipes you can create. The onboard milk frother is super easy to use and effective, too, plus it self-cleans, which is ALWAYS a win for us. And – if you’re into grinding your own coffee beans – then you’ll be happy to know that the integrated grinder is quiet when operating; that said, there’s the option, as with most models of this type, to use pre-ground coffee, too.

Usability-wise, we’re overwhelmed (in a good way) by the smartness. You just need to download the app, which allows you to control the coffee machine from your smartphone. Your favourite coffee choices can be saved so you’ll always get the cup you want, and there are some useful tips on getting the best from your coffee machine, too. More on those coffee choices: this machine has the My Coffee Memory function which has the ability to save the coffee preferences of up to eight people, and four pre-programmed classic specialities: espresso, cafe creme, cappuccino and latte macchiato. It’ll even just give you hot water, too, should anyone dare to ask for tea instead.

Ideal Home rating 5 out of 5 stars

12. Morphy Richards Verve Pour Over Coffee Machine

Best filter coffee machine for value

Best for: value
Type of coffee: ground
Pressure: n/a
No. of cups: up to 12
What we like:

• Makes a good coffee on a budget
• Easy to set up

What we don’t like:

• Hot plate doesn’t stay on for long
• Clock is difficult to read in low light

A filter coffee machine offers excellent value for money; the coffee grounds can be bought from the supermarket and the machine itself can be picked up for circa £50. And this coffee machine from Morphy Richards is no exception.

We love how full-flavoured the coffee is. This is all down to the pour over shower head and cupcake filters which evenly disperses water over the coffee grounds to release all those lovely rich flavours and aromas. It’s also super easy to use with a coffee strength selector and programmable timer. This means that you’ll also have total control over exactly how you want your coffee. Have guests coming over post-lockdown? You can pop a brew on for 12 with this coffee machine. Anything less and you’ve over calculated how much coffee you’ll need then you’re going to have to drink-up (or pour it away) if you want a warm coffee because the hotplate won’t keep it long for much longer than 20 minutes.

13. Nescafe Dolce Gusto Genio Plus

Best coffee machine for cold brews

Best for: cold brews
Type of coffee: pod
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: 1
What we like:

• Easy to set up and use
• Suitable for use with cups and mugs

What we don’t like:

• Pods are not recyclable in household waste

If you like to use a pod coffee machine, and like cold drinks then, this coffee machine from Nespresso ticks all the right boxes. It’s so versatile. As with many pod coffee machines you have access to a pantry-full of variety of drinks, too. During testing it was all these things which really impressed us, along with just how compact it is which was a relief for our reviewer who has very limited workspace.

To prepare for its first use, just a couple of system rinse-throughs were required. And then to make a drink it was just a case of opting for a pod, filling the 0.8 litre water tank and selecting the correct setting. It’s worth looking at the instructions on the pod packets so you get the correct temperature settings and strength, as they all differ slightly. For example, if you’re expecting a milkshake but end up with a hot chocolate although it’s not exactly the end of the world but it may just be something which you simple do not fancy at that time.

There’s not too much cleaning and maintenance required on this coffee machine, although you may want to wipe it down every other day or so. After a couple of heavy months you’ll noticed that the automatic descaling alert will light up on the hood. Some descaling solution will need to be bought for £5.80 (for 2 bottles) at Dolce Gusto and instructions will need to be followed, but that’s all there is to it. Just a couple of things to note about the pods, however: they are NOT recyclable with your household waste and just be careful handling them after making a hot drink because they can be very warm.

Ideal Home rating 4 out of 5 stars

14. Sage The Barista Pro SES878BSS coffee machine

Best high-end bean to cup

Best for: making a coffee from scratch
Type of coffee: beans
Pressure: 15 bar
No. of cups: 10
What we like:

• Super quick to heat up
• Easy to use
• Impressive steam wand

What we don’t like:

• If stainless steel is not for you, look elsewhere

As you can probably tell, we are BIG fans of coffee so we’re easily impressed when we find a machine which can grind, brew and make a delicious brew. This is a pretty expensive coffee machine – we give you that – but if you are a regular punter down at the local coffee house then you’ll soon earn your money back with one of these. You’ll also have coffee on tap which is a welcomed relief with all that working from home and homeschooling the majority of us have been doing for the past year-or-so.

The burr grinder will work its magic on coffee beans of your choice which can be adjusted, if needed. It’ll heat up in about three seconds so you won’t be waiting long for your next caffeine-fix. And that steam wand is simply FAB which will see you flex those evolving barista skills. Just one thing to note: the stainless steel version of this coffee machine will mark easily, although (technically) it’s brushed.

How we test the best coffee machines

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it, right? We like to get hands-on experience with as many products as we can before featuring in our buyer’s guide, and if we get to drink the rewards – even better! We understand that there’s A LOT of choice out there when finding the best coffee machine and, really, the only way to find out which one will be the most suitable for your lifestyle is to test one out for size. This is not always possible though, we get that, so luckily that’s where we can help…

What is the best coffee machine?

To recap, our favourite coffee machine for 2021 is the Breville barista mini coffee machine. It’s relatively inexpensive and gives you the opportunity to practice making all sorts of coffees. Our reviewer even made a few hot chocolates with the steam wand. The machine doesn’t take up too much space on the kitchen side, either, plus it’s easy to keep clean so long as you keep on top of it.

The post Best coffee machine 2021: reviews of the top machines for your daily brew appeared first on Ideal Home.

Shopping alert! The stunning pink Aldi velvet chair is back and it’s available in grey and blue too!

The Ideal Home team know only too well how coveted these scalloped occasional chairs are right now. Velvet chairs are the accessory to add a touch of luxe to any living room ideas.

The stylish new chairs are currently available to pre-order exclusively online. We haven’t been this excited about an Aldi Specialbuy since the Aldi window mirror. The race is on now to all bag one of these velvet armchairs!

Image credit: Aldi

Pink, blue or grey? Decisions, decisions.

This Kirkton House velvet cocktail chair is the perfect addition to a living room or starting point for pink bedroom ideas. This latest design features stylish brass legs and a more smoothed out shell design than previous versions of the chair.

Pink Shell Accent Chair, £109.99, Aldi
The velvet upholstered chair is a touch of glamour for any space. It features a lovely shell design and sturdy gold legs. It is also available in grey and navy.

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The popular scalloped armchairs are available in lovely blush pink, navy and grey. It emulates a touch of the 1920s glamour thanks to the plush velvet upholstery and the curved scalloped design.

Measuring approximately 75 cm in height and 78 in width, perfectly sizeable for all spaces. If you’re brainstorming small living room ideas this chair will definitely make a splash. 

Last year’s Aldi velvet chair

Last year Aldi offered the stylish chair with wooden legs in March and glitzy metallic legs in September. As you can see below the chair is a dead-ringer for the iconic Oliver Bonas scalloped chair.

The original version did come in with a slightly lower price tag of just £79.99, however, this year’s version is still a steal in comparison.

The Oliver Bonas version (left) is well-known by interiors fans, often popping up on influencers Instagram feeds. With its scalloped design, featured on the seat and back, its lush shade of pink velvet and the gold-tipped feet – it’s easy to see why it is so admired.

It has been on my personal wish list for an age, but with a higher price point, it’s a dream buy, more than a realistic one.

Remember, shoppers will have to be quick as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!

The post Aldi’s velvet scalloped chair is back – better than ever in pink and grey! appeared first on Ideal Home.

Picking up the best toaster for your home is something you only do every decade or so, so it’s an investment that’s worth taking seriously. We’ve been reviewing the best toasters for bagel, bread, baguettes, and much more to bring you our complete top ten, and many of the toasters in our guide come with two-slice and four-slice dimensions. While they have a very simple job, the best toasters can vary dramatically when it comes to performance. And while every toaster in our guide is great to look at, they come with different settings to defrost, reheat, and even toast bagels.

We inspected the toast from each and every toaster in this guide on both sides for consistency and evenness of toasting, and made sure to test each of them for at least a week’s worth of breakfasts. Where they come with matching kettles we often tested these too, which is why you can often pair one of our best toaster guides with something from our best kettle roundup.

How much should I spend on the best toaster?

Image credit: David Brittain

You can pay as little as £15 for a toaster in the supermarket, but top brands like Smeg and Dualit will set you back as much as £250 for a stylish statement option. We found plenty of great toasters for well under £50, but as a general rule the more you pay the more features you’re likely to get as standard. Other extras can include a wider range of colours and a more sturdy-feeling metal exterior.

Best toaster 2021

1. De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster

Best toaster overall 

Slices: 2 and 4 both available
Colours: Green, black, white
Features: Fluted exterior, toasting dial, defrost, reheat, cancel
Reasons to buy: Beautiful design, even toasting, high rise slots
Reasons to avoid: No variable temperature across slots

Quality toasting is important, but the best toaster will sit on your kitchen counters for years to come. Our top pick is the De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster. It has wide slots, levers with added lift, and the most beautiful and high-quality design which looks a treat when sat next to the matching kettle on your counters. We also think the De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster is reasonably priced for how luxe it feels to use. While it does cost more than the Morphy Richards Verve, which is our second choice, its design is noticeably more sturdy and the toast comes out with far fewer lines on the bread.

What we did miss was the ability to set each side of the toaster to different brownness settings, which is something De’Longhi has features on other toaster and is perfect for picky families in a hurry. We did enjoy the dial which sets the duration of toasting time with the De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster. It tactile and gradual, meaning you won’t have to compromise if your ideal slice is between 3 and 4.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars

2. Morphy Richards Verve Toaster

Best toaster overall 

Image credit: Morphy Richards

Slices: 4
Colours: Black, white, cream
Features: Lift-to-look, defrost, reheat, control dial
Reasons to buy: You can lift to peek at your toast as it cooks, love the look, great price point
Reasons to avoid: Plastic-y design

The Morphy Richards Verve Toaster is budget-friendly and offers a range of great features. We love the levers, which allow you to lift and look as your bread toasts, and the slider dial means you can adjust your level of toasting completely. We tested the four-slice, but there is also a two-slice with the same sleek finish. The Morphy Richards Verve Toaster comes in cream, black and white. It’s not the best range of colours but if you have a neutral kitchen it will slot in perfectly. We tried out the matching kettle too and had few complaints, so if you’re after a matching pair this could be the best toaster for you.

The slots of the Morphy Richards Verve Toaster are relatively wide, and your toast will pop up once done so you can leave it to brown while you prepare your morning cuppa. While there’s no bagel or crumpet function, this option does come with reheat and frozen settings. Simply press these buttons after pushing the lever down to activate, and to end the cycle, just press the illuminated button for your toast to pop up.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

3. Bosch ComfortLine Compact Toaster

Best 2-slice toaster for small kitchens

Slices: 2
Colours: White
Features: Defrost, stop, crisper rack
Reasons to buy: Warming rack, lift-to-look, automatic centering
Reasons to avoid: It’s not a looker

Modern and neat, this toaster is never going to set your heart on fire like the KitchenAid or the Dualit, but it has an sleek exterior and solid build at a reasonable price. It has six browning settings but, as with all the others we tested, we set it to half-way first to see what that produced. And the results were pleasingly consistent.

The two slots are wide and the automatic centering feature means that the all items we toasted – bread, bagels and crumpets – came out with evenly browned exteriors. As with most others toasters we looked at, it has a high-lift function making things easy to remove without getting burnt.

There’s no setting for just browning the cut side of a bagel but as we don’t object to ours gently toasted on both sides, rather than the more traditional one side, that didn’t pose a problem.

On the opposite end to the push-down toaster lever, there’s a switch that controls an integrated rack that pops up that, when the dial is set to two, works as warmer and crisper. This was great for warming and crisping a roll to have with our lunchtime soup.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4. The Funky Appliance Company Funky Toaster

Best four-slice toaster

Slices: 4
Colours: Cream, chrome, rose gold
Features: Defrost, reheat, cancel
Reasons to buy: Even toasting, quirky look, there is a great kettle to pair it with
Reasons to avoid: The colour selection could be better

The Funky Toaster lives up to its name. The controls are appealing, with defrost and cancel buttons front and centre, which make a satisfying click when pressed. The quality of the toasting was seriously impressive. One of the most even in our lineup, with no visible difference between the two sides of bread.

You can buy this toaster in three colours, but we tried it (and loved it) in cream. You can control the dial on both sides of the toaster, so if the Morphy Richards Verve Toaster’s lack of variable settings is off-putting, this one will suit your family’s various toast preferences.

We also really enjoyed the Funky Kettle that pairs with this toaster. It’s reminiscent of the Smeg kettle, but cheaper.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

5. Cuisinart Style Collection 4 Slot Toaster

Best toaster for bagels

Slices: 4
Colours: Rose, pistachio, silver, frosted pearl
Features: Bagel, defrost, reheat, cancel
Reasons to buy: Bagel setting, gorgeous colour options, extensive range of settings
Reasons to avoid: Very noisy when it pops

The Cuisinart Style Collection 4 Slot Toaster is the perfect choice for bagel lovers. It’s a more common feature in American toasters to have a bagel setting, which will toast the inside of the bagel while leaving the outside nice and chewy, but because Cuisinart is an American classic brand, we got to experience the joys of a bagel setting for ourselves. One thing to note is that you should place the bagel with the outside facing in if you want the inside to be toasted on the bagel setting.

Available in some really lovely colours, including rose, pistachio, frosted pearl, and silver, we really enjoyed that you can pair this toaster with either an upright or a pyramid kettle. The two sides can be operated independently, with different timer settings and the ability to defrost one side, and toast a bagel in others. The cancel setting will push your bread up with quite a loud mechanical noise, and we were underwhelmed by the lift of the levers, which didn’t go very high. That said, if you’re a bagel lover, look no further.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

6. Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot 2-Slice Toaster

Best looking two-slice toaster

Slices: 2
Colours: Polka dot
Features: Defrost, reheat, cancel
Reasons to buy: Love the look, simple controls, very wide slots
Reasons to avoid: No lift-to-look

We’re a little (ok, a lot) obsessed with the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot 2-Slice Toaster. Its patterned exterior is sure to add a sunny start to your day, and there are matching kettles, mugs and even plates available for those who want to add another element of coordination. The retro-style design is carried through to the rather simple controls, which include a 1-5 dial as well as an eject, frozen and reheat setting. When you push down the lever there’s no lift-to-look, but we did think the Russell Hobbs toasted evenly and were very happy with how it performed in testing.

These slots are extra extra wide, so those who like a wedge of toast in the mornings won’t be disappointed. The dimensions of this toaster are H22 x W17 x D27cm, which is on the larger side for a two-slice toaster. There’s also a four-slice model available for those who want a toaster for the whole family.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

7. Dualit New-Gen four-slice toaster

Best for quality and durability

Slices: 4
Colours: Silver
Features: Bagel, one slice at a time, keep warm, defrost
Reasons to buy: Toasts fast, you can toast one slice at a time
Reasons to avoid: No automatic pop-up

Hand-built in the UK since 1945, we love the fact that each toaster still bears the name of the person that assembled it – have a look on the bottom if you don’t believe us. The price reflects the fact that its makers believe it’s a toaster that will last a lifetime.

While it’s claimed the unique patented ProHeat elements are virtually indestructible, if anything should go wrong, parts are super easy to replace or repair. OK, so does have fewer bells and whistles than other machines, instead priding itself on ease of use, quality build and durability.

There’s no automatic pop-up, although it does have lovely wide slots, you just lower your toast in manually using the lever at the front then turn the browning control to the desired setting and it starts to count down. Check toast is done by raising the lever to expose the toast without stopping the browning process, then lowering it back down if it’s not done enough or turning the dial to zero if it’s ready. There are settings for toasting one, two, three or four slices at a time, and defrost and keep warm functions. It browned faster and more evenly than most other models on test, producing perfectly browned bread in a little over a minute and a half. Most others took more than two minutes and while 30 seconds might not seem much, if you’re rushing to get the kids to school, that could make all the difference.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

8. Salter COMBO-7313 Pyramid Kettle and 2-Slice Toaster

Best toaster and kettle set

Slices: 2
Colours: Rose gold & grey
Features: Defrost, reheat, cancel
Reasons to buy: A great set, reasonably priced, lovely rose gold accents
Reasons to avoid: Large slices stick out the top of the toaster

Looking for a toaster and kettle combo that you can rely on? We can vouch for this one from Salter. For a start, it’s a good value pick. The toaster is a two-slice model with a defrost setting, as well as a reheat and cancel button. We found that it toasted very evenly between the two slices, and because it’s so compact, it slots into just about any kitchen corner.

The kettle is that classic pyramid shape we love. It clicks on with a blue light and automatically shuts off when it’s finished boiling. We like that it’s not too loud, and the line along the back makes it easy to judge whether you need a refill.

Our one reservation with this toaster is that large slices stick out from the top of the toaster, so the entire slice wasn’t toasted. If you have a penchant for rose gold and want a great toaster and kettle set, this is a great choice.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

9. Breville Impressions 4-Slice Toaster

Best four-slice toaster

Slices: 4
Colours: Red, cream black
Features: Keep warm, defrost, reheat, control dial
Reasons to buy: Great value, crumb tray, consistent toasting
Reasons to avoid: Large footprint

This machine’s certainly got the looks and although it has a fairly big footprint it is comparatively light. It still feels well built, though, despite the plastic outer casing, as the chrome accents give it a bit of shine and pizzaz. It’s a great price, too – in fact, it’s a 10^th of the price of the most expensive four-slice model we tested.

Easy to unpack, the instructions are clear and simple to follow. That said, there’s not much to get confused about here, as the fascia controls are really intuitive. We loved the fact that the four slots had two different control settings, perfect for juggling the needs of picky family members with varying tastes.

It has a satisfying and audible noise as the toast pops up, too, meaning you’ll probably never need to use the keep warm function. There are the usual stop and defrost buttons, too plus an easy to access crumb tray.

Although it wasn’t the fastest toaster in our test, the results were pretty consistent, although if you’re doing big quantities, swiping the lever a touch to the left after the first batch will prevent further slices overdoing a tad as it warms up to its task. The extra high lift feature meant we didn’t have to dig smaller items such as crumpets out of the slot, either.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

10. Smeg TSF01 2 Slice Toaster

Best retro-looking toaster

Slices: 2
Colours: Silver, pink, white, blue, and more…
Features: Wide slots, self-centering, defrost, reheat
Reasons to buy: Love the look, can take large slices, generous pop-up
Reasons to avoid: Tray is tricky to access

With an exterior that’s pure 1950s Americana – the shape’s not unlike that of a classic 1950s Airstream motorhome – we thought it might be all about the looks with this machine. Luckily, that’s not so.

Although it’s not huge, it does everything you need it to, and it does it all well. There are six browning functions; we opted for mid-way but noticed that once the toaster was warmed up, we could dial it down a bit.

It also has a defrost button so there aren’t any ‘Oh no, I forgot to take the bread out of the freezer’ moments, while the one side toasting function is good for bagels and the reheat perfect for those of us that sometimes get distracted and leave the toast to cool.

The two wide toasting slots were more than big enough to cope with doorstop slices carved from a whole farmhouse loaf, as well as standard supermarket medium pre-cut bread. The self-centering racks keep the bread neatly in place and there’s a generous pop-up so you don’t end up burning your fingers trying to remove small items.

The removable crumb tray comes out from the side, which might be an issue if you’re short on space but it had a satisfying pop-out function.

Ideal Home’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Should I buy a two-slice or four-slice toaster?

Image credit: Dualit/Anna Starmer

If there’s just one or two of you and you’re not a fan of fancy loaves then we’d say a simple two-slot model with just a couple of functions will probably suffice. Two slot models are also better if you’re a bit tight on space as it’s a product that usually has a permanent, easy-to-access home on your worktop.

Want to elevate your breakfast game? Take a look at the best bread makers

For couples and families, a four-slot or four-slice model is a better option – ensuring preparing toast for your brood at breakfast-time or simply serving up eggs on toast for two is an altogether speedier affair. If you’re fixated on a particular look, don’t despair, many brands produce two- and four-slot toaster models that look the same.

Why do I need a toaster?

Simply put, it’s a kitchen staple that has been saving us time since it was invented in the early 20^th Century. Unless you prefer to constantly check your bread under the grill to see if it’s ready, a toaster really is the easiest and most efficient way to make perfect toasted bread, bagels, and crumpets.

More than 100 years after the first, basic model was patented, our kitchens really wouldn’t feel complete without one. There are hundreds of different models on the market, from simple two-slot bread toasters to all-singing, all-dancing four-slot machines, so we’ve checked some of the best two- and four-slice models to help you decide which one’s for you.

Buying a toaster – what key features should I look for?

Image credit: Lizzie Orme

What can it toast?

First and foremost, of course, a toaster needs to, well, toast. Bread obviously, but also thicker items such as crumpets and English muffins, and some even have warming features for rolls and croissants. If you like your bread thick sliced, or hand-cut then, look for one that has slots made to accommodate any size, with mechanisms that hold bread central, whatever it’s width. A four-slice model with a single slot is a good for toasting pitta or artisan breads.

See also: the best saucepan sets

A bagel-toasting programme will brown the bread just on the cut side but if you like yours crispy front and back then it’s an extra you might not need or use.

Can it defrost bread and keep my toast warm?

As well as a decent variable control to give you your chosen perfect shade of brown, you should also look for defrost and keep warm functions.

Look at build quality and maintenance

Look at the quality of the build as well as the design. After all, it’s probably something that will be used every day so you’re going to want it to last and perform well for years. Easy to remove crumb trays are also important, as is a surface that’s clean with just a quick wipe.

A high ‘pop-up’, which ensures you don’t get your fingers burnt when removing smaller slices of toast or crumpets from the machine is also a good idea, particularly if you have children.

The post Best toaster 2021 – for bread, bagels, baguettes, and more appeared first on Ideal Home.

On the hunt for the best cordless vacuum cleaners? We’ve tried 12 of the top stick vacuums on the market from Beko, Dyson, Shark, Bosch, Halo, Miele, and Vax, to bring you our complete roundup. While they all look the part, not every cordless vacuum is up to the task of keeping your floors spotless. That said, we would happily replace even the best vacuum cleaners with a corded model when they’re as powerful and easy to use as the models in this guide. And they’re increasingly rivalling corded alternatives in terms of power and long-lasting battery life, too.

Many of the best cordless vacuum cleaners in our guide come in at under £200, which is about as little as you can expect to pay and still get a decent vacuum for your money. Splash out a little more though, and you can get models with pet attachments, smart LCD controls, extended battery lives, and impressive power. All of the cordless vacuums in our guide are ideal for nipping around the house when you’re in a hurry, and can be lifted up the stairs with no need to unplug and re-plug once you get to the next floor. While most of the best cordless vacuum cleaners in our guide come with bagless designs, we’ve also included some bagged options for those who are sensitive to dust or who simply don’t want to deal with the dirt when emptying the vacuum.

What is the best cordless vacuum?

With a great balance between value and high performance, the Shark IZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is our top pick of the best cordless vacuums. We have voted the Dyson V11 Absolute as the best cordless vacuum cleaner in 2021 if money is no object. The Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 is our favourite budget vacuum cleaner.

Best cordless vacuum cleaners 2021

1. Shark IZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

Best cordless vacuum overall

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.7 litres
Weight: 4.58 kg
Reasons to buy:
• Double up on batteries
• Shift from carpet to hard floors with ease
• Power designed for deep-cleaning
Reasons to avoid:
• It won’t stand upright

The Shark IZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is a new drop from Shark, and it really blew us away when we put it to the test. First off, the PowerFins function means that rubber fins reach deep into carpets to pick up dust, crumbs, and scary amounts of deep-rooted pet hair with each and every pass. This is particularly good on carpet, but if you want to toggle to use on hard floors, you can use the smart display panel to switch over to a different floor type. That requires no switching out attachments, and there’s no need to even bend over.

We loved how easy it is to store this vacuum. It has a hinge in the middle which, with the press of a button, bends the stick forward to fold it in on itself securely. It will stand unsupported when packed away, but you can’t leave it standing up unsupported when you’re midway through using.

The control panel at the top of the Shark IZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner shows power levels and allows you to switch from Eco mode to regular and max power. It’s advertised to have 60 minutes of battery life, but that’s on Eco mode. On the regular setting we found that it lasted just over half an hour, which was still plenty impressive.

2. Vax ONEPWR Blade 4

Best cordless vacuum on a budget

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.6L
Weight: 3.1kg
Reasons to buy:
• Comfortable to use
• Impressive on high and low power modes
• Removable battery for east charging
Reasons to avoid:
• Small bin capacity

This stick-style cordless vacuum cleaner has a slight design difference to most of the vacuums in our guide: the cyclone cylinder sits sideways. But the thing that really stands out is its comfy grip. It’s perfectly shaped and has a soft touch. It feels nice enough in the hand that its 3.1kg weight doesn’t feel too heavy.

Buttons are under your thumb and responsive. One turns it on and off, another cycles between the two power settings (it remembers which one you were on last time) and the third turns on the floorhead’s powered brush and headlights.

It boasts triple filtration and runtime is quoted as 45 minutes but it will be much less on high power, using the floorhead. Its vacuuming was impressive on both power settings.

Tools are impressive too. It comes with a crevice nozzle and dusting brush, both of which are well designed. But at the time of writing it also came with a free Cordless ProKit 2 accessory pack.

This gives you an extendible, flexible crevice nozzle for tricky gaps, an upholstery tool, a stiff brush for tough dirt and a stretch hose so you can use the tools without the weight of the cleaner in your hand. The toolkit comes with a fabric storage bag too, but it would have been great if this could clip to the Vax.

The battery comes off and docks in a charger. And the Vax comes with a wall mount, so you can hang it up when not in use. Meanwhile, the 0.6-litre capacity dust canister isn’t large but it comes off easily and then is straightforward to empty.

We were really impressed with the Vax’s comfort, array of tools and cleaning performance for a mid-priced machine.

Ideal Home’s rating 5 out of 5 stars

3. Dyson V11 Absolute

Best cordless vacuum for power

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.7ltrs
Weight: 2.97kg
Reasons to buy:
• Impressive runtime
• Very powerful
• Easy to empty
Reasons to avoid:
• A bit hefty

The Dyson V11 Absolute promises twice the suction (at the cleaner head) of any cordless vacuum cleaner. But it also costs twice as much as competitors. So is it worth the money?

We found that the 60-minute battery life holds true as advertised. Not only did it pick up the dirt we could see, it managed to catch a lot of invisible dust from carpets and even hard floors. We love the look, which is as high-quality as you would expect from an expensive Dyson vac. It doesn’t take the number one spot because it’s undeniably expensive compared to some other five-star options.

Attachments include a fluffy hard floor roller and four smaller accessories. The fluffy roller did well on wooden floors, but what we loved was the high torque floorhead which cuts back on power when working on hard floors and automatically increases it on carpets. You can monitor this with the bright display, which also shows how many minutes are left in your current mode. Not quite done? Just switch to a lower setting to make the most of your vacuum life.

Capacity is higher than ever and it’s easy to empty. But the run time and power controls are the stars of the show. If money’s no object, buy the V11: you won’t be disappointed.

Ideal Home’s rating 5 out of 5 stars

4. Roidmi RS60

Best cordless vacuum cleaner and mop combo

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.55 litres
Weight: 6.6kg
Reasons to buy:
• Quiet use
• Smart LCD display
• Mop attachment
Reasons to avoid:
• Heavy and not the cheapest

A mop and cordless vacuum rolled into one, the Roidmi RS60 has a high-quality, weighty feel that isn’t burdensome, but does feel like it’s designed to last. Other attachments include a mattress cleaner, soft roller, and crevice tool. There’s even a pet brush, which is designed to literally suck up the hair from your pet as you brush it. A smart idea, if you can get your cat or dog to cooperate.

It has a medium-sized dustbin of 0.55 litres, which does require regular emptying, but is easy to eject once you’ve removed the stick attachment. One of the most impressive things was the battery life, which lasted over an hour in testing, making it more than adequate for large homes.

The LCD display shows which of the three power modes you’ve opted for, and when you’re done cleaning, it even displays the amount of calories burned. The on button is lower down than the button that you use to switch modes, which we did find a little fiddly, but it’s useful if you switch between different power modes on a regular basis. While it’s not cheap, it’s a quality pick.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Roidmi RS60 review

5. Dyson V11 Outsize

Best cordless vacuum cleaner for large homes

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 1.7ltrs
Weight: 3.5kg
Reasons to buy:
• Powerful suction
• Easy to manoever
• Large dust tank and floorhead
Reasons to avoid:
• Not great on rugs

The Dyson V11 Outsize has re-engineered the Absolute to include a 150% larger bin, 25% bigger cleaner head, with up to 60 minutes of runtime. It also offers 20% more suction compared to the V10, which was a popular model just a couple of years ago.

Our reviewer was impressed from the start since the vac arrived in packaging made from recyclable cardboard, and how easy it was to assemble. It also already arrives with 20% of it’s 60-minute battery life so if you just can’t wait to take the V11 Outsize for a walk around the home, then this allows you to do just that. We found that this battery life – when fully charged – was more than suffice for whipping around a 2-bed terraced home. You also have the ability to adjust the cleaning modes which can make a difference to the battery life, and noise level.

It performed exceptionally well on large rugs and hard flooring (with the soft roller head attached). The suction is really good and the larger floorhead helps to cover more ground, quickly. Turning to a smaller rug with a 60cm dia, however, the cordless vac either wanted to move it around or just grind to a halt.

Using with the attachments such as the mini motorized tool and combination tool were useful around the home, across all levels, but there are 11 tools in total to opt for to give you yet more freedom to clean. There is no way to store these attachments on board the stick vacuum cleaner, however, so finding some suitable cupboard space for this would be useful. And lifting up the vac to use as a handheld is slightly heavier than previous models because of the enlarged dust tank although it’s not too uncomfortable.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars

6. Bissell ICON 25V

Best designed cordless vacuum cleaner

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.4ltrs
Weight: 3.2kg
Reasons to buy:
• Impressive design details
• Versatile attachments
• Easy to mount on the dock
Reasons to avoid:
• Tricky to empty the bin

The Bissell ICON 25V really impressed us. It performs really well and the design includes impressive attention to detail.

Bright headlights on the floorhead illuminate cleaning. Run time is up to 50 minutes but it will be much less on high power. There are three power levels and the medium one is fine most of the time, but the vac doesn’t remember your last setting, it always starts at top whack, which reduces battery life.

The floorhead claims to beat the problem of hair tangles and we certainly didn’t manage to get it badly tangled. It’s also smaller than the Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ251UKT floorhead. The 0.4 litre bin isn’t the easiest to empty but it’s ok.

Weighing in at 3.2kg, the design is a top-heavy stick that converts to handheld. It comes with just one tool, a crevice nozzle that converts to a brush. That’s great: you only really need those two tools. Though ironically the designers have given you space to store multiple tools at the charging dock.

We were even bowled over by tiny design details. For example, built into the inside of the dock is a little spirit level, to make it very easy to mount the dock level. Another one: the tip of the crevice tool lights up when it’s in use. We could go on. It’s a mid-priced cleaner but the performance and design combine to impress.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

7. Miele Triflex HX1 Cat&Dog

Best cordless vacuum cleaner for pet hair

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.5ltrs
Weight: 3.6kg
Reasons to buy:
• Sleek and modern design
• Very versatile
• Easy to convert
Reasons to avoid:
• Not the best battery life

Miele’s first cordless claims to be powerful enough to be your only vacuum cleaner. It’s also supremely convertible: you can rearrange the pieces to convert from an upright cleaner (bottom-heavy, perfect when you’re just vacuuming floors, stands up by itself) to a stick cleaner (top-heavy, very manoeuvrable) to a handheld.

It comes with three tools: crevice nozzle, dusting brush, flat upholstery tool. We weren’t convinced that you need the pet turbo brush unless your furniture is plagued with pet hair. But a second battery might be worthwhile.

The Miele Triflex HX1 Cat&Dog is easy to use, well designed and impressively powerful on floors and more. It really offers the cleaning power you’d expect from a corded cleaner. But the ‘up to 60 minutes’ run time is 34 minutes if you’re using the floorhead (which you probably are) and just 17 minutes at top power. Fortunately the lower power setting is good enough and 34 minutes is long enough for a couple of rooms.

You wouldn’t be able to vacuum a whole house thoroughly on one charge. You’d need a second battery or to clean little and often. Its 0.5-litre capacity is on the small side too. You’ll need to empty the dirt canister regularly, but this is easy and isn’t messy.

The Miele Triflex HX1 gives Dysons a run for their money. We missed the Dyson V11 Absolute’s charging dock and fluffy hard floor roller, but the Miele’s convertibility and sheer cleaning power won us over. If you don’t mind the price, the HX1 is a great buy. If you want the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair, we’ve also got another dedicated guide.

Ideal Home’s rating 4 out of 5 stars

8. Dyson Micro 1.5kg

Best cordless vacuum cleaner for small homes

Image credit: Dyson

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.1Ltr
Weight: 1.5kg
Reasons to buy:
• Lightweight
• Glides across hard floors
• Impressive power
Reasons to avoid:
• Not for carpets

The Dyson Micro 1.5kg is part of a new fleet of cordless vacuum cleaners from Dyson. It’s the lightest and smallest cordless vacuum in this guide, and with an entry-level price when compared to other Dyson models. The vacuum is very powerful, and we were impressed with the way hair didn’t get stuck around the roller brush.

Attachments include a soft roller cleaner head, mini motorised tool, and combination tool. While there is no roller for carpets, the mini motorised tool worked well on rugs and car upholstery in testing. We found that the battery life was just shy of half an hour, which is a way off Dyson’s 50 minute promise, but because the vacuum glides so effortlessly across floors, it made quick work of kitchen floors and hallway dirt and dust.

While it’s probably not a top pick for large homes thanks to the small size of the dustbin, the Dyson Micro is well suited to flats and would also be a great pick for those who have an upright or canister vacuums for their heavy duty cleans, but want something for those midweek sweeps that can sit pretty when not in use.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Read our full Dyson Micro 1.5kg review

10. Vax Blade 32V

Best cordless vacuum cleaner for affordable power

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.6Ltrs
Weight: 3kg
Reasons to buy:
• Great for quick cleans and small homes
• Reminds us of the Dyson, at a much lower price
• The trigger doesn’t need to be held down
Reasons to avoid:
• No charging wall bracket included

The Vax Blade 32V’s cyclonic stick design is reminiscent of Dyson handhelds, but the chamber is horizontal. Tip it to one side and press a button to empty. Twist the other side to remove the washable filter.

Handling is similar to the Dyson V11 Absolute in terms of size, feel and excellent manoeuvrability. But it comes with just one big brush head and two detail tools (a brush and a crevice tool). Fewer tools then, less to store, but we miss the Dyson V11 Absolute’s soft head for hard floors.

The trigger is under your thumb and you just press it once, you don’t have to hold it down. Lights indicate charge and there are two extra buttons: one turns boost mode off (the default is on, which increases suction but halves battery life), the other makes the brush bar spin (the default is off).

Cleaning is impressive. It could replace the main vacuum cleaner in a small home and is superb for stairs and quick clean-ups.

Again it’s too top-heavy to stand up on its own. It comes with a very simple wall bracket that doesn’t include the charger – you’ll have to plug it in each time.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

10. Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

Best cordless vacuum for battery life

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.8Ltrs
Weight: 2.9kg
Reasons to buy:
• Decent tool selection
• Pivots to reach under furniture
• One of the most powerful vacuums we’ve tested
Reasons to avoid:
• Switching out brush rolls is fiddly

The Beko Powerclean has a similar design to some of the best Shark vacuum cleaners, featuring an elbow feature that can bend down to reach under furniture without making you reach so far. It’s immensely powerful, too. There are three strength modes, but we found that we hardly needed to use the stronger settings because the lower mode was more than capable of tackling most messes.

With the Beko Powerclean, you get a good range of attachments, including the crevice tool, carpet and hard floor brushes, mini motorised brush head, flexible extension, and dusting tool. Switching out the tools is easy enough, but you need to twist a little screw attachment to remove the brush rolls and switch between hard floor and carpet. This takes a minute or so, but we also experienced that both carpet and hard floor attachments were versatile enough to do a good sweep of the entire home without switching.

The vacuum has a stand included, with a groove to hold the vacuum handle and charge it when not in use. Charging takes three hours, and the battery life is about 45 minutes. Controls work with a thumb trigger, and above this are the plus and minus buttons you’ll need to adjust strength.

From the LED headlights to the incredibly strong suction the Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner seriously wowed us. Unfortunately, it can be tricky to find it in stock. 

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review

11. Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ251UKT

Best workhorse cordless vacuum

Bagged or bagless? Bagless
Dust tank capacity: 0.4Ltrs
Weight: 4.1kg
Reasons to buy:
• Great for tangle-free cleaning
• Easy storage
• Plenty of attachments
Reasons to avoid:
• Lacking in maneuverability

The Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ251UKT is big and heavy (4.1kg) enough that you might forget it’s cordless. So although it’s a top-heavy stick design, you won’t be waving it around. But you’ll also forget because the cleaning power is impressive. Its multi-stage powered floorhead whips up dust and hairs brilliantly and boasts ok headlights.

Battery life is up to 40 minutes and we tested the pet version that comes with two batteries, so you can double it. It also comes with a host of accessories, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing: where are you supposed to store them? There’s a crevice nozzle, brush, upholstery tool, an adjustable thin wand that’s good for getting behind radiators and under furniture, and because it’s the pet model a small motorised turbo brush too.

The bulky floorhead does a great job of cleaning: the combination of powered brushes seems to lift everything. They’re also designed not to get tangled with long hairs and our test bore this out. There are two power settings under your thumb, one for hard floors and one for carpets. But you can also pull a trigger with your index finger for a temporary power boost.

Just as impressive was storage: push a button halfway down the tube and the whole vac folds in half so you can stow it away in a cupboard.

It makes a good handheld vac too, and the dust canister is easy to empty once you remove the tube to convert it. But with the tube, we found the machine too heavy for it to feel easy in the hand for cobwebs.

In all, with two batteries and powerful cleaning, it makes a good replacement for a corded upright cleaner. You don’t have to plug it in but it’s not really lighter or more manoeuvrable than a corded model.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

12. Halo Capsule Vacuum

Best lightweight cordless vacuum cleaner

Bagged or bagless? Bagged
Dust tank capacity: 1.6Ltrs
Weight: 2.6kg
Reasons to buy:
• Very lightweight
• Generous tank size
• Ideal dustbin for those who want a bagged vacuum
Reasons to avoid:
• Fiddly to control

This new contender has an unusual design, with a lightweight (2.6kg) carbon fibre body and curvaceous styling. The handle is unusually positioned at the top too.

It’s a stick-style cleaner with a powered floorhead (no headlights) and two tools: a crevice nozzle and a dusting brush. They push on to the cleaner with the tube for cobwebs and awkward corners, or straight onto the body for use as a handheld vac.

It’s a bagged cleaner with a decent capacity of 1.6 litres. It comes with 53 compostable paper bags, enough to last years. The run time is up to 60 minutes, but will be much less on high power, using the floorhead.

The controls are good. A power button under your thumb turns it on and it always starts at the middle one of the three power settings. You press the other yellow button to cycle between them. This works well as you rarely need the top setting and the low setting is a bit weedy.

The thin blue button in between turns the powered brushes of the floorhead on. Every time you turn the vac on, you have to push this again. That’s a bit annoying.

Also annoying is the way the floorhead easily clicks to lock at 90 degrees… this top-heavy cleaner can’t stand up by itself, so what’s the point? It’s annoying when it happens mid-cleaning.

But the floorhead cleans well, with and without the brushes spinning. And we love the fact that the Halo Capsule is lightweight. Even the charger is petite. It leaves us wishing that the tube was in two pieces, so that the whole cleaner could pack down into a small kitchen cupboard: that would be novel.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Everything you need to know about buying a cordless cleaner

What are the different types of cordless vacuum?

• Stick vacuum cleaners are handhelds that you add a wand to, to extend the reach – then add a brush head to clean floors or a smaller tool for cobwebs and other hard-to-reach spots. They’re fast, manoeuvrable and good for getting under furniture. But the weight is all in your hand, which can be tiring after a while. They often can’t stand up by themselves if you want to pause to move something.
• 2-in-1 upright vacuum cleaners look more like traditional upright vacuum cleaners. The weight is fairly low down, but the middle section pops out and doubles as a handheld cleaner for small stuff. Often the upright’s handle also pops off and doubles as a wand, giving the handheld extra reach for high-up stuff like cobwebs.

How much should I spend on a cordless vacuum?

Image credit: Vax

Budget around £150 for a good-quality cordless with decent cleaning power. But you can spend more than three times as much on premium models. More money can buy you powerful suction, longer battery life or better tools.

Some of the best cordless vacuums we tested came in at the £250 mark. If you can afford it though, it’s worth spending the extra money. More power and longer battery lives will pay off in the long-run, and the convenience of a cordless vacuum won’t be outweighed by limited power.

What other key questions do I need to ask about cordless vacuums?

Bagged vs bagless? 

It’s a tricky choice. On the one hand, bagless vacuums reduce the environmental impact and the expense of buying vacuum bags, only to throw them away. However, removing dirt from a bagless vacuum isn’t without its challenges. Hair can get wrapped around the filter and you’ll likely let off a bit of a dust cloud. Of course, brands like Dyson are constantly developing solutions to this. The new Dyson range has ejector technology that makes emptying the dustbin completely hands-free. For this tech though, you will have to pay.

Charging your cordless vacuum

It can take anywhere from three to six hours to charge a cordless vacuum in-between uses. If you plan on using it as your main vacuum cleaner, you need to opt for one with the battery life to make it through your home before you have to recharge, or you’ll have to go back later for different rooms.

Some cordless vacuums come with replaceable batteries, meaning you can switch out for a new, fully-charged battery if the one you’re using dies. We did text every vacuum in this guide for battery life, the most successful being the Dyson V11 Absolute with a mighty 60 minutes.

The post Best cordless vacuum cleaners 2021 – reviews of the top 12 stick vacuums appeared first on Ideal Home.