Any recommendations?

Black & Decker Pivot Dustbuster, has made cleaning up after kids much less of a chore.

Have a black and decker DustBuster its the one that does liquid too (not the fancy pivot above^). The front and back seem to like coming apart at will leaving the stuff you sucked up to spill back were you started. The dyson ones are really good but really expensive.

Used a 2 in 1 one on holiday recently – handheld when you need it, clips into a traditional upright (with rotating brushes) when you just want to whizz around a whole floor.

I think it was a Hoover and it worked very well.

Might have been one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008N92NB4/ref=asc_df_B008N92NB411591913?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B008N92NB4

Hmmm a little pricey that one. I was thinking around £60 max.

There are alternatives – seen them as cheap as £25. Just thought I would mention them as it had never crossed my mind that they were even available and the one I used was far better than our handheld ((Hoover/Bovis wet n dry). And that one cost me £55.

No problem, thanks for the suggestion though.

Are there any that have a decent run time and/or can also be mains connected when the internal battery runs out?

My dad got a Vax one from Amazon (c.£30), not very powerful, but nice and light. We bought a Dyson (c. £150), it weighs a ton, the battery life is cack (6mins), and the battery has only lasted 2 and a bit years (£50 to replace).

I’m seriously thinking that a brush and dust pan is the future.

Check out this week’s AutoExpress they have a hand held vacuum group test. I seem to remember that a Halfords hand held cyclone machine was the best under £60

Yeah it’s the battery life that has put me off several: I looked at a Vax on sale and it said 12 minutes battery life and 24 hour recharging – that’s just crazy talk.