'It's not designed to put the cause of women back by 50 years,' says Anthea Turner of her recent TV series, Perfect Housewife. 'It's about allowing people to lead organised, efficient lives.' The BBC3 series was an instructive foray into a world where everything is cleaned, dusted and vacuumed to within an inch of its life. It saw Anthea, now a self-styled 'domestic goddess', re-educating the nation's homemakers in 'the lost art of keeping the perfect pad'. 'There are some things that women are better at. We had two househusbands on, and they were crap,' says Anthea, adding that she probably wouldn't cut it as, say, a mechanic. This line of thought must have struck a chord with the nation's couch potatoes: another series - along with a book, Christmas and celebrity specials - has just been commissioned. So who better to test out vacuum cleaners for The Observer? Anthea personally test-drove five makes, comparing them for ease of use, reliability and value for money. Aside from keeping her £5m Surrey mansion spick and span, Anthea runs Imagine Furnishings, which provides complete home furnishing packs - vacuum cleaners included - for buy-to-let landlords.

The former TV 'golden girl' says that most households should invest in both an upright and a cylinder model, the latter primarily for cleaning the stairs. She also advises consumers to test out a machine before they buy: 'You need to know what it's like to pick up and handle.'hoover vacuum cleaner cuts out Dyson 'The ball' DC15 all floors - £319Dyson's patented design allows you to steer around furniture with a simple turn of the wrist. vacuum cleaner with over 200 air wattsThis upright cleaner spins air at high speed - collecting dirt in a bin, not a bag - without clogging or losing suction. vacuum cleaner tidyFeatures include a washable filter, debris channel for bigger particles, and an extension tube.

However, a recent Which? report scored Dyson uprights low on reliability. The 1,200-watt machine weighs 8.5kg. Looks like the Early Learning Centre on wheels. It picks up dirt well, is quiet and has a long lead, but is heavy and cumbersome while still feeling quite fragile. Just because some bloke designed this, doesn't make it good. Sebo Upright X4 Extra - £249 An on-board computer is at the heart of this vacuum cleaner, ensuring that its brush is always at the optimum position. Back and front handles make the machine easy to carry; it folds to clean under low tables; and the 10-metre cable gives it a wide range. Features include a crevice tool, dusting brush, and an auto-off function when jammed, blocked, or if the bag is full. The 1,300-watt machine weighs 7.4kg. Not pretty - but does the job. Suction power is good, it's easy to change the bag and the tools are in the right place. It's not, however, so good on the stairs. The (second-to-none) cleaners at Dubai's famous seven-star Burj al Arab hotel use Sebo machines.

Hoover Cylinder TW1750 Sprint - £49.95 Compact and lightweight, this Hoover has a convenient permanent bag. Suitable for both carpeting and hard flooring, it includes a variable power control and a soft bumper that helps protect furniture. Tools include a built-in crevice tool, extension tube, and upholstery and dusting brush. The cable length is 4.6 metres, wattage is 1,700W and it all weighs in at 4.2kg. Bloody useless - a pile of poo. It may be light and pick up well, but the attachment storage is in the wrong place - it gets in the way. The short hose and lead make it good for a short person or Hobbit, but that's about it. Domestic Roomba 2 - £149 A robot that automatically vacuums your house without you lifting a finger! It can handle most types of mess and debris around the edges of a room. A 'spot clean' setting tackles one-off spills. Suitable for wood, carpet or vinyl flooring, sensors negotiate any obstacles - and the stairs. It's bagless (with a removable bin and filters) and the battery life is two hours.

The 16-watt machine weighs 2.8kg. A bit of a gimmick. If you live a minimal life without bits of Lego on the floor, it's a good idea. But you can't beat a real human being, with a beady pair of eyes and a hose, doing the cleaning. Takes a bit of putting together, too. Miele Cylinder TT5000 Cat & Dog - £179 Perfect for those with four-legged friends, this powerful vacuum cleaner has a charcoal filter to take away nasty smells, and two turbo brushes to remove pet hair easily. And if Fido is asleep, there's even a silent setting, thanks to a quiet motor and special insulation. A recent report by Which? found that 'Miele machines are constructed superbly, with good brushes and filtration'. The 2,200-watt machine weighs 7.7kg. Top of the range - and worth every penny. Light, the right height, and able to hold a surprising amount of dust before you need to change the bag. Head and shoulders over the others because of the suction power and all the attachments, and a godsend if you've got pets.

Top tips from John LewisUprights are good over large, clear areas; cylinder cleaners - with the suction head separate from the main unit - are better for stairs and corners, but are less compact to store. Bagless vacuum cleaners tend to be more expensive but can save money in the long run. They can be messy to empty - so not great for asthmatics. The bigger your house, the bigger the vacuum cleaner you should buy - in terms of both bulk and capacity. Those with allergies should consider a cleaner with a Hepa (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to prevent dust and allergens escaping back into the room. Some cleaners have self-sealing bags. Choose a vacuum cleaner to match your floor covering. For carpets, a brush bar is best. For hard floors, you'll need an upright that allows you to switch off the brush or a suction-only cylinder model. Some cleaners have special attachments and filters for pet hair. Upright cleaners, with motorised brushes, tend to be more effective, although 'turbo-brush' attachments are available for cylinder models.