The 6 Best Vacuums For Hardwood Floors - Summer 2024 Reviews

The Dyson V15 Detect is the best vacuum for hardwood floors we've tested. This cordless stick vacuum can easily handle a wide variety of debris on bare surfaces like hardwood floors with no significant loss in suction performance as its dustbin fills up. It comes with two floorheads, one with a bristled brushroll for carpets and the other with a soft roller for improved debris pickup on flat surfaces and in cracks and crevices. Using the soft roller reduces the chances of scratching delicate wooden floors. The V15 also features a particle counter to give you a rough idea of allergen quantities inside your home, not to mention a surface detection system that allows it to automatically raise its suction power on carpet, which is great if you've got any rugs on your hardwood floor. Just note that this vacuum's strong suction force can cause it to get bogged down on thicker carpeting.

The Miele Complete C3 is a fantastic option if you prefer using a corded model. Being a bagged canister vacuum, it's completely different from the Dyson vacuum in terms of intended use and design. It doesn't have the grab-and-go convenience of the Dyson, which is great for short clean-ups, but you also won't have to worry about running out of charge part way through a cleaning session. It also feels better built and offers remarkable debris pickup thanks to its powerful suction motor. That said, the standard STB 285-3 head that comes with most C3 variants tends to push around larger debris.

The Shark Stratos Cordless is the best vacuum for hardwood floors at an upper mid-range price point we've tested. This cordless stick vacuum sits at the top of Shark's cordless stick vacuum lineup. Like the Dyson V15 Detect, it has an automatic power adjustment system, with this system only raising the vacuum's suction setting depending on the amount of debris being sucked up instead of responding to changes in surface type. Performance on bare floors is excellent, as the vacuum won't have any trouble dealing with a wide range of debris types. The Shark also features a removable cartridge in its floorhead, which masks unpleasant odors as you clean by emitting a detergent-like scent; this can be overwhelming if you use your vacuum to clean more than three or four times a week.

If you don't mind using a corded vacuum and don't need a go-anywhere range, the entry-level Pure Suction variant of the Miele Classic C1 is an excellent option. The two vacuums aren't competitors; the Miele is a bagged canister vacuum, so it's a little more cumbersome than the Shark for short cleanups. However, it's substantially better built, is easier to maintain, and is a better fit for cleaning bigger areas thanks to its unrestricted runtime.

If you want to spend less, the Tineco PURE ONE S11 is among the best cordless vacuums for hardwood floors we've tested. Like the Shark Stratos Cordless, this cordless stick vacuum has an onboard dirt sensor that lets it adjust its suction power automatically when passing over an area with a lot of debris. That said, it has a lower capacity battery than the Shark, resulting in a shorter maximum runtime of about 40 minutes. Its floorhead also has a single brushroll instead of the Stratos Cordless' more complex twin roller arrangement. Thankfully, this doesn't make much difference from a performance perspective on bare floors, where the Tineco delivers superb debris-pickup performance.

Also, unlike the Shark, you can easily remove the Tineco's brushroll from its floorhead. This might not seem like much, but this design choice makes a huge difference in everyday maintenance since it's much easier to clear away any tangled hair or stuck-on debris. Unfortunately, the Tineco does feel noticeably less robust than the Shark, with a body made of thinner-feeling plastic.

The Wyze Cordless Vacuum is the best cordless vacuum for hardwood floors in the lower mid-range price point we've tested. While it doesn't have an automatic power adjustment feature like the Tineco PURE ONE S11, it does a good job of handling fine debris on hard floors, though its brushroll can fling around larger material. It doesn't have a fluffy brushroll, but thankfully, the bristles on its roller aren't so stiff that they'd create micro scratches on hardwood floors. The Wyze's max battery life of about an hour is very good for a cordless model in this price range, especially compared to the more expensive Tineco. However, like most other cordless models, its runtime drops dramatically when running it continuously in its max-suction mode.

The Wyze also features a HEPA filter that does a decent job of sealing in fine allergens, but be careful when emptying its dustbin, as it can release a cloud of dust and debris. Also, the gasket that seals the gap between the dustbin door and the dustbin sits in place pretty loosely and can fall out of place if you shake the vacuum around while emptying it. Its overall build quality isn't great either, with the vacuum's body being made mainly from thin, easily scratchable plastic.

If you want to spend as little as possible on a new vacuum to clean hardwood floors, the Eureka Mighty Mite is a good choice. Its short power cord makes it trickier to clean far-away areas than a cordless model like the Wyze Cordless Vacuum. However, its powerful suction motor enables it to pick up a wide range of debris, as long as you lift up its head to clean larger debris, as it can push around bigger material like rice or whole pieces of cereal. The vacuum's compact size and lightweight construction make it easy to stow away or carry around.

However, this vacuum doesn't have a telescopic wand and instead uses a pair of tubes that can fall apart easily if you don't wedge them together tightly enough. Some versions of the Mighty Mite also don't have the requisite mounting clips that would allow you to attach high-efficiency aftermarket filters to improve the vacuum's allergen-sealing performance.

If you want an all-in-one appliance for vacuuming and mopping, the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is a solid choice. Right off the bat, know there are inherent compromises regarding a two-in-one machine like this. The BISSELL is bulky, and its suction power falls short of a comparably priced conventional cordless model like the Tineco PURE ONE S11. As a result, it's much less effective for dealing with heavier debris or messes embedded in rug or carpet fibers. However, this vacuum can easily handle most lightweight household debris on hardwood floors. As is to be expected for a two-in-one vacuum/mop, it's great for clearing away stains on hard floors, and it's also capable of sucking up liquid spills. However, a small amount of residual moisture might be left behind. It also feels decently well-built but has a few parts that need periodic washing. Thankfully, you can keep track of its maintenance schedule with the vacuum's smartphone companion app.

The appliance can run for about 40 minutes before needing a recharge, so if you need more time to clean your home, consider the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, which is effectively a corded version of this vacuum. It features a slightly more powerful suction motor, leading to improved suction and airflow performance, but its mopping function isn't any different.