Vax Dual Power Pet Advance (model CDCW-DPXA / ECR2V1P)

If you want a real upright rather than a spot cleaner but do not want to spend £200-plus, this is the pick. Dual rotating power brushes get deep into the pile, and the kit includes a pre-treatment wand and pet solution plus pre-treatment bottles, so you can attack lingering odours and embedded dirt before the main wash - features usually reserved for pricier machines. An 800W motor, a bagless 2.7L clean / 1.5L dirty tank arrangement, a 2.4m stretch hose and a wash tool round it out, with a runtime of around 30 minutes. The compromises are real: there is no warm-water temperature maintenance, the tanks are smaller, and it is a lighter-built machine, so heavy shedders and homes with badly set-in stains will outgrow it. For serious pet-hair handling, the anti-tangle Shark CarpetXpert HairPro Pet (EX300UK) sits above it at a higher price, and for set-in stains the warm-water Bissell Pet Pro is the step up. Price is indicative at around £94.99 (RRP £109.00).