Best Vacuum Cleaners Under £100 – Are Budget Vacs Any Good?

The Numatic Henry Compact HVR160 is the smaller cousin of the famous Henry. It’s a work-horse of a vacuum with a 6 litre dust capacity, adjustable floorhead and a variety of tools – plus it’s available for a very reasonable price.

Before we go any further, the price of the Henry Compact varies between around £90 – £115, so it’s not always available for under £100. The performance is strong enough for us to recommend spending a bit more though, as it’s an excellent vacuum​

How does Henry Compact compare to the standard Henry and other vacuums though?​

Like the entire Henry Hoover range, the HVR160 is a bagged vacuum cleaner with a large capacity and a simple design.​ Numatic calls it the “frugal” member of the family, as it’s cheaper yet provides similar cleaning performance. The Henry Compact also has a 10 metre power cord and stainless steel extension tubes.

As you would expect, the Henry Compact is smaller than the standard Henry. The dust capacity has been reduced from nine to six litres, although this is still plenty for most people. Other than that, it has the same reliable and durable design we’ve all come to love.

Most importantly, it provides strong suction and excellent cleaning performance. If you need a vacuum for serious cleaning but are on a tight budget, it’s our top recommendation.​ The attachments also make it a versatile vacuum.

Even though we think this is the best cheap vacuum cleaner available at the moment, there are still a few ​downsides. The Henry Compact’s round design can be cumbersome to use on stairs – although this is an issue with all Numatic vacuums. It’s also not the best we’ve reviewed when it comes to picking up larger debris. Sadly, Numatic hasn’t included automatic cable rewind either.

Even so, if you’re looking for a reliable, powerful cylinder cleaner for under £100 then the Henry Compact HVR160 is probably the best option. It’s an effective and easy-to-use bagged model that provides excellent value for money – although don’t expect the advanced features found on pricier cylinder vacs.

If you’re not sure which Numatic to buy, read our comparison of the various models here and our full review of the Numatic HVR200-12 Henry here.

If you’re looking for a budget upright vacuum, the Vax U85-AS-Pme Air Reach is our top recommendation for under £100 (replacing the Zanussi ZAN2000A which is no longer in production).

Like the Henry Compact above, it’s not always available for under £100 as prices can vary. It’s usually close to this price though – and even if you pay a bit more it’s a brilliant vacuum for the money.

While it lacks advanced accessories, and has a relatively small 1.5L capacity, it makes up for this with excellent suction power for such a cheap model. This is due to the Multi-Cyclonic technology, efficient motor and capable floor head.

Other features include a huge 13-metre cable, stretch hose, several accessories, and an adjustable handle for greater comfort. It also only weighs 4.9kg, which puts it into our lightweight vacuum category.

​In terms of performance, the Vax is great for carpet and hard floor cleaning. It’s let down slightly by its power through the hose, but this is to be expected from a budget vac. It’s also not as effective on laminate or tiled floors, although it’s great with floorboards.

On the plus side, Vax has included a turbo pet tool with this model. ​This is useful for removing hair from upholstery, stairs or in cars.

Overall, the Vax U85-AS-Pme Air Stretch Max is one of the best upright vacuums under £100. If you’re looking for strong suction power and all-round performance you won’t be disappointed – even though it doesn’t have any advanced features. It’s also relatively lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

Want to learn more about this upright vacuum cleaner? Click here to read our full review.

If you need a handheld vacuum for under £100, then the Black+Decker PV1820LGB Compact Pivot is our top recommendation. It’s a powerful model with a number of interesting features – not least the pivot design – and is available for a very reasonable price.

During our tests, the PV1820LGB proved to be great for cleaning hard surfaces. Whether you need to pick up crumbs, loose dirt, or larger debris, it’s an excellent choice for tables and hard floors. It struggles a bit more on carpets and pet hair though, as it doesn’t have an agitating brush bar (check out the Shark CH950UKT as an alternative if you have pets).

We liked the pivoting design during our review. It’s a useful feature for cleaning below furniture or above cupboards, even if most of the time you’ll probably use the vacuum on a neutral pivot setting.

​Aside from its pivot design, the Black+Decker Lithium Compact Pivot is lightweight and easy to use. We found it can sometimes feel unbalanced and clunky due to the handle placement, but this is a minor issue as it’s not designed for long cleaning sessions (the battery life is only 10 minutes).

While no handheld can match the suction power of a cylinder or upright, the Black+Decker has more than enough “oomph” for spot cleaning. Its pivot design is great for accessing tricky areas, and the built-in tools make it a convenient handheld vacuum to use around the home.

If you’re looking for a cheap pet vacuum, the Vax Air Stretch Pet is a popular choice. It’s a cylinder model that’s designed to pick up more pet hair and dander than other budget models – so if your dog or cat won’t stop shedding, it’s a great option.

The most important feature is the pet turbo tool. This provides extra power when you need to get hair out of upholstery, other fabric and stairs. The vacuum also includes a HEPA filter to trap smaller particles and pet dander.

Other features of the Air Stretch Pet include a 6 metre power cord, hose that stretches to over 4 metres, and a 1.5 litre dust capacity. It’s also designed to cope with both hard floors and carpets, while the automatic cord rewind is a convenient feature.

There are a few drawbacks though. While it has surprisingly powerful suction for a budget vac – especially as it feels a little “plasticky” – it can’t rival the power of more expensive models. We also wish it had a longer cable, although the combination of 6 metre cord with a stretchable hose provides a decent cleaning radius.

The Vax Air Stretch Pet is a great choice if you’re looking for a budget vacuum that can handle pet hair – as long as you have realistic expectations. While it’s not the best pet vac on the market, which isn’t surprising considering the price, it can hold its own against models that are far more expensive.

The Bush V18P01BP25DC is a versatile cordless vacuum that’s available for a very reasonable price. It’s a 2-in-1 model, meaning it has both handheld and stick modes, so it can clean most places in the home. It also comes with features associated with higher priced vacuums, such as a boost mode and motorised floor tool.

While the Bush isn’t designed for heavy cleaning, it’s convenient for small clean ups and dry spills. It also provides up to 45 minute runtime on a single charge, is easy to manoeuvre, and has several accessories.

Is it worth buying compared to other cordless vacs though?​

​The stand-out feature of the Bush is its low price tag – not its cleaning performance. While it’s a capable vacuum for quick clean-ups, don’t expect it to remove dirt and dust buried deep in carpet fibres. It also has poor filtration, weak suction (unless you’re using boost mode) and struggles with larger debris.

On the other hand, it’s easy to store and doesn’t “feel” like a budget vacuum. It’s also less than a quarter of the price of the most expensive cordless vacs.

If you’re looking for a cheap cordless vacuum cleaner for under £100 that’s suitable for quick clean-ups, the Bush could be a good option. While it has ineffective filtration and relatively weak suction, this is to be expected from a budget cordless.

One of the most popular vacuums is also one that most people haven’t heard of: the VonHaus 800W 2-in-1. We’ve classed it as an “ultra-cheap” vacuum, as the RRP is under £50…and it’s often available for less than this. Despite the low price tag, the VonHaus is a capable choice if you need a simple cleaner for quick clean-up jobs.

What do you get for your money though?​

Firstly, the VonHaus is now a 800W cleaner, as the motor power has been reduced from 1000W to comply with EU regulations. It has two modes – handheld and upright – which makes it a versatile option. The dust capacity is small at 1.3 litres, but that’s to be expected from such a lightweight and cheap vacuum.

Other features include a HEPA filter, crevice tool and upholstery brush. The dust container is also easy to remove and empty.

Can it really clean though? This depends on your expectations. ​With an RRP of less than £50, it’s never going to compete with a full-size vacuum or even most cordless vacuums. This is a vacuum designed only for the simplest tasks, such as clearing crumbs or loose dirt.

Even so, if you’re looking for a lightweight vacuum that doesn’t cost much money, the VonHaus provides great value. It’s never going to match the suction power or dirt pickup of more expensive vacuums, but considering the price it does an acceptable job.

The Enigma TE70 is an understated bagged model from Hoover, but it provides great value for money. With its large capacity, great performance and useful tools, it’s a good option if you’re looking for a cheap cylinder vacuum.

What advantages does the Enigma have over other cylinders in this price range though?​

Firstly, it’s a relatively large vacuum with a 3.2 litre capacity, so you don’t need to constantly empty the dust container. It has a pet hair turbo tool and a setting for suction control, so it’s suitable for almost any task. The Enigma also boasts an A rating for energy efficiency.

Most importantly, the TE70 provides excellent cleaning performance – especially considering the low price.​ Many cheap vacuums struggle with pet hair, but the Enigma’s turbo tool makes quick work of both long and short hair. It’s also great on carpets and hard floors.

There aren’t many downsides to this model – although it’s not quite perfect. The cleaning radius isn’t the widest, so you’ll need to change sockets more often than other vacs. The Enigma is also a bagged vacuum which adds a small amount to the lifetime cost of the vacuum.

Despite these minor issues, if you’re looking for a powerful cylinder vacuum that can handle almost any cleaning job, then the Hoover Enigma TE70 is one of our top picks. 

Another excellent compact vacuum for less than £100 is the Hoover Whirlwind SE71WR02. It’s a bagless vacuum that’s designed to be small for easy storage, yet packs enough suction power to handle almost any cleaning job.

Considering the small construction, the Whirlwind SE71WR02 provides strong suction power. It’s convenient to move around the home, as it weighs just 4kg, and comes with a 2-in-1 dusting brush and crevice tool.

A downside is that it only has a 1.5 litre capacity. This is relatively small for a cylinder vacuum, so you’ll need to empty it on a regular basis – especially as it has such strong suction power. It’s also more effective on hard floors (A rating) than carpets (D rating), although it provides decent all-round performance.

Note: If you have a dog or cat, you can pay slightly more and buy a model that includes a Pet Turbo brush.

If you’re looking for a Hoover under £100, then the Whirlwind SE71WR02 is an excellent choice. It’s powerful, compact and easy to manoeuvre around the home. While it has an RRP of £120, it’s often available for much less than this, which is why we’ve listed it as one of the best vacuums under £100.