High performance, low cost: The best vacuum cleaners under £100 in 2024

For us, the Bosch Serie 2 ProEco excels in both design and build, coming from the renowned German brand. Its efficient 600W motor and UltraAllergy filtration system are also a perfect match for anyone looking to make short work of their cleaning routine – all while cleansing the air for allergy sufferers.

We particularly like the large 3.5L dust bag. Yes, bagless vacuums are all the rage, but we love the huge capacity which means you'll spend less time emptying it. The only real downside for some is the weight, as it's slightly heavier than other options here. That said, its top-tier performance, great set of attachments and hygiene features make it a brilliant all-around choice for most households. With tons of power and versatility for carpets and hard floors, there's very little to fault – especially at this price.

Although the sub-£100 category might already seem to be budget enough, our pick for the most affordable vacuum is this Russell Hobbs COMPACT XS. Aside from the bagless design that clearly borrows its design cues from the more costly Dyson models out there, its 700W motor delivers excellent cleaning power.

We're particularly surprised to see a HEPA filter included, as this option for cleaner air doesn't always make it into budget models. The 1.5L capacity and compact form are ideal for hassle-free use and storage in small apartments or flat, too. It’s easy to empty and the whole unit is fairly lightweight at 3.6kg, so if you do need to drag this around or carry it upstairs, you absolutely can. All in all, we think it's perfect for quick but powerful cleaning and easy storage.

The Bush 2-in-1 cordless vacuum cleaner is a versatile machine at an affordable price. It has a handheld and stick function, so it can clean even the most hard-to-reach places in your home. We love the handy Eco mode, which gives you 45 minutes of extra time when your battery is running low – so you can be sure to finish the job you started. Being cordless, its 25.2V battery delivers good power for quick and effective cleaning. However, the small and light approach does naturally limit the size of the dust container. At 0.5L it is a little on the small side, even for a cordless vacuum, but we'd rather think of this as an agile powerhouse for short sessions than a serious upright for larger homes.

Lastly, there's a great assortment of accessories like the crevice and nozzle tool, so you can really get into those nooks and crannies. A real surprise, though, are the more advanced features that we only normally see on more costlier models, namely the boost mode and motorised floor tool for extra power when you need it.

This is a great little vacuum that is excellent value for money. The Vax Air Stretch pet vacuum features multi-cyclonic technology, ensuring no loss of suction – ideal for tackling pet hair. It's a cylinder model designed to collect more pet hair than other budget models – so if your furry friend is shedding everywhere, this would be a great budget option. Its lightweight, compact build makes it highly portable, too.

We appreciate that this vacuum also includes a HEPA filter (an essential feature for any pet vacuum) and a pet turbo tool provides extra power when you need to get the hair out of upholstery or furniture. Some users do think that it's noisier than others, though – but we would prefer it to be noisier if that means it's dealing with stubborn pet hair. It has a six-metre power cord, a hose that reaches four metres, and a 1.5-litre dust capacity.   Overall, it’s a top choice for pet owners needing reliable, versatile cleaning across both hard and carpeted floors and other textiles.

Ideal for countertops, small areas and cars, the BEL01096 from Beldray is lightweight but robust. The handheld vacuum boasts a 4-5 hour charge time and 15-25 minute running time and would be a good budget vacuum for the car as well as odd jobs around the house.  It’s cordless and lightweight at just 0.6 kg, making it easy to use in tight spaces like under seats or in between car cushions. The included crevice and brush tools will help you clean those hard-to-reach areas, too.

As you might expect for such a small unit, it only has a 100ml dust capacity, so it'll need frequent emptying. That aside, we were surprised to see that this has a HEPA filter to ensures clean air, making it a good option for allergy sufferers. If you already own a vacuum cleaner but want a second one for keeping your the car interior spotless, you can't go wrong.

In his review of the Beldray BEL01096 Airlite, our writer Ryan Gilmore mentioned that: "This extremely lightweight vacuum cleaner makes easy work of cleaning work surfaces, stairwells and cars and is great to have on hand for any accidents around the house. The 4-5 hour charge time will give you 15-25 minutes of operating time, which is ideal for those odd jobs. Inside, you'll find a HEPA filter which is great for allergy sufferers, and although the 100ml bin needs emptying fairly regularly, it's easily done. It's mighty powerful, despite being such a small machine."

Vax makes it back into our list with the Vax Air Stretch Upright Vacuum Cleaner. There as so many features that we love here, such as the super-powerful 820W motor and superior suction. Apart from being an excellent, practical upright with Multi-cyclonic bagless technology, the long hose helps clean stairs and other hard-to-reach areas. In fact, this is probably our favourite feature, as it'll help to tackle stairs and other high places with it's excellent 17m reach.

We think this vacuum is ideal for large spaces and multi-surface cleaning. Its versatile attachments will suit carpets, hard floors, upholstery and more. Considering the rest of the specification, we do wish it had a HEPA filter, but the impressive suction, robust Vax build and extended reach seal the deal for us.

The robot uprising is complete and they've been invading our homes for years now. The Lefant M210 robot vacuum is here to join their ranks and patrol your home for a totally hands-free cleaning solution. Its slim design is typical of most robot vacuums, with rounded contours that allow it to glide under furniture and into tight spaces.

One thing that amazed us is the 2000 Pa suction power – that's normally only seen in mains-powered upright and cylinder models – but don't expect too much from it as it can only collect 500ml of dust before you'll need to manually empty it. Got a sizable home? No problem, thanks to the impressive 120 minutes of runtime. Best of all, there are four cleaning modes and full app control, so you can tweak it to suit your needs. Like many of the best robots, it has an infrared sensor to detect obstacles and avoid collisions. Just set it up and let it do its thing. For us, this is the best choice for anyone wanting to put their feet up while the machine performs day-to-day cleaning.

Despite the low price tag, the VonHaus is a capable choice if you need a simple cleaner for quick jobs. This VonHaus cleaner is now an 800W cleaner, as the motor power has been reduced from 1000W to comply with EU regulations, but it's still able to deliver strong suction for longer as it's a mains-powered machine. It has two functions: handheld and upright and a dust capacity of 1.3 litres. It also includes other handy features, including a HEPA filter, crevice tool and upholstery brush. 

We love the lightweight and compact design which places the weight at the base of the stick making it easy to manoeuvre. That said, its dust capacity is limited compared to regular uprights; But, we think it’s perfect for quick clean-ups and smaller spaces where storage is an issue. Altogether, the VonHaus Stick is a solid choice for those seeking an easy-to-handle, affordable stick vacuum.

Although this Akitas 3-in-1 Cordless Vacuum is primarily a stick vacuum, it does a great job of combining it with the portability of a handheld. If you want to quickly switch from upright cleaning to tackle more compact spaces, just detach the stick and attach the tools directly to the business end and you're good to go.

We think this is an excellent all-rounder for small to medium-sized homes thanks to its lightweight design and the freedom of cordless. We do wish that the 35 minutes of battery life was a little longer, but if you treat this as a quick clean-up tool for day to day messes it'll help you keep on top of all your cleaning routine. Lastly, the filter is washable, so you can use this all around the home for all kinds of clean-ups and not have to worry about buying replacement filters.

We've all been there – someone's spilled their drink and it's everywhere. A cloth or mop will only spread it out, but the Kärcher WD 3 Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner can tackle it cleanly. As the name suggests, it's designed for heavy-duty wet and dry tasks, both indoor and out. From a well-respected brand like Kärcher, we think it's an essential addition to every home.

One feature we didn't expect to see is a blower function, which we think is excellent for tidying up lightweight debris like leaves or DIY refuse like pieces of wood or remnants of wallpaper. While it's a lot heavier than normal vacuums, we appreciate the large 17L capacity and 1000W motor as that means it'll handle larger messes in garages, workshops, or even the home. It's our top pick for a versatile, powerful cleaning machine capable of handling all types of dirt and debris, wet or dry.