Vacuum may significantly simplify your life, but you can’t use any hoover on the hardwood. In order to recommend the most suitable model for your home, we tested dozens of highly regarded models and spoke with experts. The best vacuum for hardwood floors won’t scratch or cause damage.
Our Top Picks of Best Vacuum Cleaner For Wood Floors
According to Paul Henthorn, proprietor of Slaughterbeck Floors in Campbell, California, “The vacuum should have soft rubber wheels so scratching or marring does not occur when moving and manipulating the vacuum across the wood floors.” Soft brush attachments should be used instead of power brushes on canister vacuums. Why are power brushes bad? Paul said they might be able to take the wood fibers and polish off the floors’ grain. On this kind of floor, beater bars may also be excessively harsh. The best hardwood vacuums for delicately cleaning up messes in your house are listed below.
You can scroll down to see our top picks.
Eureka Lightweight cordless vacuum

For a hardwood floor vacuum, the Eureka Lightweight Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a convenient and efficient option, especially if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on your newest cleaning equipment. Because of its incredibly easy assembly and clear design, our tester gave it five stars.
Additionally, it received a 5-star rating for maneuverability, demonstrating that it lives up to its name by being light and easy to handle at just 7.15 pounds. This item would be simple to carry up and down stairs, according to our tester. This battery-powered device comfortably made it through the 17-minute testing period and, after everything was said and done, still had half of its power left. The vacuum cleaner performed admirably on both hardwood floors and upholstery, but it was less effective on the carpet and left some hair behind after several runs.
A button enables you to detach the complete dust bin for straightforward emptying over your garbage can when it comes to getting rid of accumulated dust and debris. Although the vacuum could be quieter, it is not as noisy as some of the other choices we examined that are a real annoannoyan
Overall, the mobility and simplicity of usage of this Eureka vacuum impressed us. You should take a close look at it if the majority of the surfaces you vacuum involve hard flooring and upholstery and if you want to save money.
What we like:
- Lightweight and maneuverable
- A long battery life
- Excellent durability on both hard surfaces and upholstered
What we dislike:
- Not as effective on carpet
- It might be quieter
Hoover Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Our top selection for an upright vacuum is the Hoover Complete Performance Bagged Upright Vacuum Cleaner. Its efficient operation in our lab and strong construction are noteworthy qualities. This Hoover model performed admirably in our test, cleaning up dirt and hair in only two passes on the carpet, furniture, and hard floors alike. The vacuum also has a 25-foot power cable and a 15-inch cleaning path, so you probably won’t need to switch outlets to clean full rooms.
Notably, the model is bagged rather than bagless. The bagged design is advantageous for folks with allergies who don’t want to be exposed to what they just suctioned up, even though it isn’t as seamless as a bagless one. But this design might not be for you if you don’t like the thought of buying extra bags. While this vacuum is effective and durable, another potential drawback is that it has a slightly hefty design that demands extra effort on stairs.
There isn’t a separate tool for stairs, despite the fact that it comes with useful accessories like an extension hose, pet hair brush, and crevice tool. We are happy to suggest it for your hardwood floors despite the significant suction power it shown in The Lab.
What we like:
- Robust suction capacity
- Cleaning path of 15 inches
- Includes a pet hair brush
What we dislike:
- Bulky style
- Strong for stairs
Shark Corded Canister Pet Vacuum

The Shark Canister Pet Bagless Corded Vacuum was a hit with our tester, despite the fact that canister vacuums may occasionally be difficult to manage. While you clean carpet and hard surfaces, the 9-pound canister glides behind you with ease. This vacuum’s effectiveness on hard flooring astounds our tester, easily picking up big clumps of hair and pet food. Although it performed well on low-pile carpets as well, this vacuum had trouble picking up larger particles of pet food on a high-pile carpet.
When switching between different types of flooring, our tester saw that this vacuum transported hair on the floor head to the carpet, which made a bigger mess. The multi-flex wand and lightweight design of this vacuum allow you to clean under bigger pieces of furniture, which is a huge plus. Simply push a couple of buttons to empty the canister, and then replace it when it’s clean. Along with the vacuum’s powerful suction, this model also features an anti-allergen seal that traps dust, dander, and allergens as small as 0.3 microns and LED lights on the floor head that illuminate concealed dust and debris. Finally, you can rely on this Shark canister vacuum if pet hair and dander are an issue.
What we like:
- Easily manipulated
- Flex-multiple wand
- Portable canister
What we dislike:
- Unsuitable for high-pile carpet
- Little dustbin
Mieli Compact C1 Turbo Team Bag Canister Vacuum

We were blown away by the Compact C1 Turbo Team Canister Vacuum’s incredibly silent operation, strong suction, and nimble wand. On all surfaces, our testing crew simply needed to make one or two passes to remove debris. With this bagged canister vacuum, replacement vacuum bags are a given, but it helps to know that the filter bag capacity is an astonishing 3.7 quarts. Additionally, there is no possibility of leaking dirt or dust when emptying the canister, which is good news for allergy sufferers.
Canister vacuums are known for being quiet because of their construction, but this Miele model will astound you with its “ridiculously silent” operation, according to our tester. As you vacuum with the wand and floor head attachment, keep in mind that the approximately 15-pound canister rolls along after you. It might be difficult to lug the canister up and down stairs because it was much heavier than we anticipated during assembly.
However, it was exceedingly simple to get under furniture and into small areas. Overall, this Miele vacuum is a great option for making sure that your hardwood floors are thoroughly cleaned throughout.
What we like:
- Incredibly silent
- Simple to maneuver in small spaces.
- The vacuum bag has a large capacity.
- Powerful suction.
What we dislike:
- New bags are necessary
- Unsuitable for a home with pets
Ultra-lightweight cordless stick vacuum, Shark IZ462H Vertex

We were impressed by the Shark IZ462H Vertex DuoClean’s performance on hardwood floors, as well as on all other types of surfaces. Our test subject gushed about how powerful, lightweight, and silent this vacuum is. This Shark vacuum received a 5-star review for its outstanding performance because it did not spread particles on hard floors as some other vacuums do. A powerful LED light on the floor head makes it easy to see dirt and crumbs, and it flashes to let you know when the rechargeable battery needs to be recharged. But it’s impressive that this cordless vacuum can run for up to 60 minutes on a single charge.
The front roller’s fibers are long enough and incredibly soft to successfully pick up trash along the vacuum’s 10.6-inch wide cleaning path. Any residual debris is made its way into the suction route by a second roller with flexible, rubbery fins. This model received a 5-star evaluation for maneuverability since it remained simple to use and move around, even while reaching below the couch or coffee table in The Lab. Our tester observed that it guides you through a surface and finally calls for the user to push and draw the vacuum with little effort.
What we like:
- Long-lasting battery
- Half-folds for simple storage
- Basically, the vacuum moves.
What we dislike:
- Top-heavy style
- The trash can might be bigger
Conclusion:
The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum is our best overall pick for a hardwood floor vacuum. We recommend this model for its long battery life and compact storage options. If you want to spend less, the Eureka Lightweight Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a great option, as well. It’s very lightweight and has a long-lasting battery, so you can tackle your hard floor cleaning tasks with ease.
FAQs
Can hardwood floors be cleaned with a robotic vacuum?
One of the least time-consuming methods to maintain a clean home is to use a robotic vacuum, such as our “best robot” pick, the eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C MAX. You can rely on your robotic vacuum to clean hardwood and tile surfaces just as successfully as it cleans carpeted areas as long as it can modify its height and suction settings (Some models can do this automatically, while others may require you to alter the settings remotely or via an app).
How frequently should a hardwood floor be vacuumed?
How much foot activity your property receives each day will determine how frequently you should vacuum a hardwood floor. Your vacuuming routine may also be affected by your pets, kids, and the weather. You may not need to vacuum as frequently if you have a no-shoes-in-the-house rule because you are bringing in less outside dirt. To keep the floor clear of significant clumps of dirt and dust, you may want to use your vacuum at least once a week, if not more, if you don’t remove your shoes when you enter your home.
Are hardwood floors scratched by vacuums?
You run the risk of accidentally scratching softer hardwood flooring, vinyl, or laminate if you use a hefty vacuum with hard plastic wheels. Unless you’re using a vacuum with hefty bristles and clumsy wheels, sealed and finished hardwood floors shouldn’t be harmed during vacuuming.
Being gentle when using appliances is always advised because it helps the vacuum operate better over time and reduces the risk of damaging the floor surface you’re cleaning. Stick vacuums, in our experience, are also gentler than upright vacuums. So, if you’re concerned about any floor damage, think about this lighter-weight type of vacuum. The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum, our “best overall” option, has a lightweight design in addition to having strong suction.
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