I'm a cleaning expert - this is by far the best cordless vacuum for a spotless home

Choosing a cordless vacuum isn't easy, and there are a bewildering number of different machines on the market at different price points. Ideally, you keep the same vacuum cleaner for years, so it is important to choose the right one and make the difference between having a super clean home and one that never quite feels dust-free and grim-free.

But consumer cleaning expert Andy Shaw has done the hard work for you. He has tested 10 of the leading cordless vacuum cleaners on the UK market to take the guesswork out of it for you.

He said: "It isn't a decision that should be taken lightly. You're likely to keep a vacuum cleaner for years, relying heavily on its ability to suck up dust, crumbs, mud, pet hair and any other dry spillages or sheddings that end up on your floor. Choosing the right model can be the difference between an effective cleaner that's a delight to pull out of the cupboard and a dud that you dread having to unblock, detangle and clean after every use."

Mr Shaw at The Guardian took 10 of the leading cordless vacuum cleaners from a range of manufacturers and at various prices and inflicted the same cleaning tests on each one.

He added: "This takes all the guesswork out of picking your next cleaner: I can tell you exactly which ones picked up the most mess."

Shaw says he has been reviewing technology and home products for more than 30 years and in the past few years, has specialised in testing vacuum cleaners. "During that time, I've tested more vacuum cleaners of various shapes, sizes and types than I'd care to count, from handheld helpers to heavy-duty dirt-shifters" he adds.

"Most cordless vacuum cleaners are designed to work on carpet and hard floors, so I tested them all on both. To do this, I weighed out spillages of flour, recycled wood cat litter pellets and pet hair. Flour and cat litter are easy enough to come by, but my dog doesn't shed enough hair to test this many vacuums. So I'm also the proud owner of a box of sweepings from a friendly (but slightly bemused) local dog groomer."

He gave each vacuum cleaner a chance to pick up as much of the spillages as possible, with a single push-forward and pull-backwards motion, and weighed the collection bins before and after.

"Most vacuums will collect more if given more chances to go over a mess, particularly from a different angle, but I wanted relatively tough tests that would truly differentiate one vacuum from another, so I allowed only a single sweep.I also tested the batteries by seeing how long it took them to run down from a full charge - at full suction and in each one's most economical setting. I performed these tests with the floor head attached, where possible.

"Lastly, I tested the suction using a pressure gauge. While strong suction is useful, the cleaning tests were more important because other factors play a big part in the overall cleaning prowess. For example, a well-designed floor head can make a moderate sucker as good a cleaner as a more powerful model with an inferior brush or roller."

Shaw reckons the thing most people hate about vacuuming is the emptying. But with this winning machine, you will not end up covered in mess and dust because it empties itself. So which of the ten tested vacuums won?

Drum roll.... The Shark Power Detect Clean & Empty IP3251. Shaw was so impressed with its self emptying trick he awarded it top marks overall. The machine comes with a base station that operates as a stand and charging dock. When you rest the cordless vacuum cleaner on it, it springs into life, opening the base of the vacuum's collection bin and sucking its contents into a larger container, leaving the cordless stick empty and ready for next time. The secondary bin has a volume of two litres, so it can take a few empties of the 0.7-litre stick.

But he insists: "That would all be pointless if the device itself wasn't up to snuff, but it's an excellent cleaner. Its floor head has a fluffy roller for hard floors and a brush bar for carpet, and it works well on both surfaces, performing a literal clean sweep in my tests."

The Shark weighs 3.71kg and has a 43 minute battery life, ample time to work round an entire house. But if you want the best you will have to pay for it. It costs £549.99 from Shark or £547.53 on Amazon.

The Vax HomePro Pet-Design won the best value cordless according to Shaw's calulations, retailing at £320 at Argos or an amazing £236.88 on Amazon.

Shaw said: "It's comfortable to hold and use, and simple to operate, with just two large buttons - one to switch it on and the other to boost the power. Battery life is displayed by a light-up ring and lasted a decent 34 minutes in our rundown test.

"Emptying it is straightforward, too, with a button to open the collection bin, while a pump action lifts dirt off the filter, so you don't have to poke your hands in. It's one of the few cordless stick vacuums that can support itself when standing up, so there's no need to find somewhere to lie it down between cleaning jobs."