The handle-mounted rocker switch gives you a precise level of control over the vacuum's suction output, enabling you to adapt to a multitude of different surface types on-the-fly. Plus, it's lightweight and rechargeable. Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available. The Classic C1 is covered by an impressive warranty. Weak vacuums can get bare floors tidy if youre patient enough to clean slowly and persistently. When the brush is powered down, the vacuum doesnt scatter debris across bare floors. Not only will good suction power pick up large debris, but it will also pick up pet hair and fine dirt or dust, and it will do a better job of nabbing particles lodged between the planks of wood. This high-end canister vacuum delivers exceptional performance on bare floors and does a very good job dealing with debris on low and high-pile carpet, even with a basic straight-suction floorhead. Heres what to look for when shopping for a hardwood floor vacuum: Attachments: Brush rollers are great for cleaning plush carpeting, but can cause fine scratches on wood flooring. The vacuum can raise its mop pads or increase its suction power mode when it's on carpet, depending on the mode that it's in. Only the first year of the warranty is comprehensive (the Compact C1, which is smaller in size and uses a smaller-capacity bag but costs more, gets two years), but it covers the body casing and motor for seven yearsone of the longest warranty periods in the industry. Cordless vacuums are ideal if you switch rooms frequently while vacuuming. They get just as dusty as rugs do, but its more obvious on bare floors. It picked up dry oats from all of our test floors and carpets with no problem and showed no signs of pushing debris forward instead of suctioning, which is a common complaint with other vacuum models. It has a couple of attachments, like a miniature turbo brush, a crevice tool, and a dedicated upholstery tool with a clip-on hard-bristle brush for dealing with stuck-on dirt and debris. Since this vacuum uses washable, reusable pre-motor and allergen-trapping HEPA filters, recurring costs are minimal. In addition to our in-Lab tests, we recruit our colleagues to try the vacuums for themselves and share their opinions. Miele canister vacuums are known to last for decades, run quieter than almost any other vacuum, and have great filtration. And surprise, surprise: Its not a well-built, durable product, either. This tool will clearly show you the differences, Use our data and table to find the best vacuum for your needs, Want to see us review a specific vacuum? You can turn on the brush roll (visible here through the window on the vacuums cleaning head) when you need to dig dirt out of carpets. The most common complaints are that it snowplows larger particles (think Froot Loops), pushing them around with the cleaning head rather than sucking them up, and that it has a tendency to tip over if you yank the hose too hard, due to the narrow cleaning head and top-heavy body. Weve tested dozens of cordless vacuums, and the Tineco Pure One S11 offers the best combo of comfort, cleaning power, and price. Learn more. But this Bissell snowplows big debris, cant suck the fine dust out from the cracks in your floorboards, and might take a few passes for the weak-ish suction to pick up heavier debris like breakfast cereal or even cat litter. Liam McCabe is a former senior staff writer for Wirecutter, and has covered the wild world of appliances since 2011. For safety, make sure your hardwood vacuum either has multiple brush rolls, attachments for carpet vs. hardwood or an option to turn the brush roll off. The Dyson V15 Detect is the best vacuum for hardwood and carpet with a cordless design that we've tested. Many vacuums have an on/off switch for their brush rolls, so you can just shut down the brush roller when youre cleaning bare floors and turn it back on if you transition to a rug. There is no one-size-fits-all vacuum for hardwood floors. Canister vacuums are extremely versatile and do a great job cleaning floors, stairs, furniture, lampshades and more. It has solid ratings on the websites of most retailers, and cleaning with it is definitely easier than using a broom. When we tested this Dyson stick vacuum at home, we were impressed with how well it worked on wood floors. Any of the options in our guide to the best robot vacuums can do a great job of keeping floors clean. BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max 2554 Test Results, BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max 2554 Review, Having trouble deciding between two vacuums? It delivers a superb overall performance on both low and high-pile carpets and rugs. The Omni-Glide didnt automatically pick up all of the crumbs and road grit it came across. Weight: 4.5 lbs. Battery Runtime: 20 mins. Dyson released the Omni-Glide, a new style of bare-floor vacuum, in the US in March 2021. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company. With the motorized Pet PowerMate attachment, you can go from floor clean-up to couch cleaning with just one appliance. You control how much water and cleaner are dispensed, which is especially important for wood floors that can be damaged with excessive water. A good hardwood vacuum will also have strong suction to do a better job getting into the crevices between the planks of wood. Dec 16, 2021: Some models have cleaning heads with no brush rolls at all, while a few others come with a specialty soft-fabric brush roll thats purpose-built for cleaning bare floorsneither of these types is great on rugs, though some models give you the option to switch between different heads for different surfaces. A spinning brush roll with stiff bristles is great for rugs because it agitates the carpet fibers, digging up the hair and dust so that the vacuum can suck the stuff up. But so far, it seems to fall short of being the elegant (if very expensive) solution to bare-floor cleaning that wed hoped it would be. We've tested over 115 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best vacuums for multiplesurfacesto buy. There's also a built-in dirt sensor that counts and measures the size of debris being sucked into the dustbin, which is a helpful feature if you suffer from allergies and want to know about the presence of fine allergens in your home. Every accessory you could ever wish for with your canister vacuum is included with the Pet Friendly Pop-N-Go Canister Vacuum from Kenmore. This compact vacuum does a fantastic job dealing with pet hair and solid debris on flat, even surfaces like countertops, shelves, or hardwood and tile floors. Certain features can make the job easier, though. The Boost CX1 is bagless, but with a Hygiene AirClean filter that keeps even the smallest particles in the canister. The Pop-N-Go is a bagged canister, meaning very little dust can escape the vacuum and wind up in the air of your home again. We love that this combo two-in-one vacuum has a removable canister and hose that make it convenient to vacuum hardwood floors, stairs, ceilings and other hard-to-reach places. That said, cleaning performance isn't the only factor in being considered a good multi-surface vacuum. The C1 is a bagged vacuum, but in most homes (without too many long-haired pets) the filter bags last for months and trap a huge amount of debris before needing replacement (an indicator on the canister tells you when); a box of four costs about $18 and should last a year. Youre usually better off spending more money on a better vacuum, but if you need a cheap backup stick vac, the Featherweight is okay. Apr 21, 2022: If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of our vacuum reviews, with considerations made for high performances across different surface types. Removed HoLife HM036E, Shark Navigator Lift-Away, and Neato Botvac D7 from Notable Mentions due to current availability. Our recommendations are based on what we think are currently the best vacuums for multiple surfaces. Of these, the Dyson V8 Fluffy is usually the most affordable option, though its not always widely available. Its powerful suction cleans both surfaces very well, and smart design features let you easily optimize its performance on each. The canister can be used with attachments, including a three-in-one nozzle, a crevice tool and an upholstery brush that all clip-on so you always know where they are. Removed Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine and Samsung Jet 70 Pet from main recommendations. Plus, you can keep track of just how much time you have left in the battery with an easy-to-read LCD screen that also calculates how much debris is picked up as you go. Weight: Be sure to check the weight of the vacuum and take into consideration how much weight youre willing to push around while vacuuming or carry around the house. Weve updated our recommendations to include the Dyson V8 Fluffy, a newer version of the cordless vacuum we previously recommended. Most important, as we write in that canister-vac guide, Every industry expert weve spoken to (even some from competing brands!) A vacuum with a soft-fabric brush roll is another effective way to clean bare floors. If you're looking for a robot vacuum that's effective in sucking up a wide range of solid debris on most floor types and is better suited to handling pet hair, the iRobot Roomba S9 is a great alternative. *At the time of publishing, the price was $350. Oct 19, 2021: Top Products Tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute, Wand attaches to canister for neat storage, Some reviewers had a hard time pushing it on carpet, Air-powered soft brush helps protect floors, Debris sensor automatically increases suction, Suctions dirty water and diluted cleaner from floor, Button controls how much water is dispensed, Hardwood floor brush roll needs to be purchased separately, Can remove canister and hose to vacuum hard-to-reach places, Automatically adjusts suction for floor type. The canister also rolls very quietly and smoothly on all flooring. Its lighter and easier to steer than most uprights at this price, and its low-profile cleaning head and lift-away canister can help it get into more hard-to-reach areas than usual. Moved Wyze Cordless Vacuum from Notable Mentions to new 'Cordless Alternative' pick. In our recent category test for combo vacuum mops, the Crosswave earned great scores in dry debris pickup tests of cereal, coffee grounds and baking powder. What about a super-cheap stick vacuum with no brush roll? This bagless upright vacuum performs exceptionally well on bare floors and does a good job dealing with debris on low and high-pile carpet. Our consumer product testers gave this stick vacuum an overall rating of 4.9 out of 5 with one tester simply saying, "Obsessed." The 5-foot-3-inch tester found that the handle was a little too thick for her self-described small hands. With the app you can set your robot to clean on a schedule of your choice, clean a specific room of your home or use a double pass feature for extra cleaning performance. While there's no single best vacuum for multiple surfaces, mostare goodenough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them. But maybe it could also just have a better handle. Most robovacs are great at cleaning bare floorstheyre arguably better than any human-powered vacuums because they persistently work longer hours without getting bored and find dust in hidden spaces that people usually ignore. Power cords got you wound up? Soft-fabric brush rolls (they look like theyre covered in velour) are another good way to clean bare floors. Beyond that, you need a vacuum that wont force you to use a carpet-cleaning brush all the time. These picks are selected not only based on their performance across a variety of surfaces but also their design and price. To learn more about the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352, check out our guide to the best upright and canister vacuums. Both of our testers found that the smooth plastic started to feel slippery after a few minutes of use, and the vacuum generally took more effort to steer than you might think based on Dysons promise that it floats across floors effortlessly. One of our testers is 6 feet 2 inches, and the Omni-Glide was borderline too short for him to grip comfortably. Subscribe now for unlimited access. In the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab we know what makes a vacuum cleaner a great one, having tested hundreds of vacuums and other major home appliances since our experts began evaluating consumer products in 1900. And, it leaves floors only slightly moist to the touch after cleaning. Recategorized Wyze Cordless Vacuum as 'Budget-Friendly Alternative' pick. As Executive Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home and Cleaning Lab, Carolyn Fort has tested and reviewed hundreds of vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, dishwashers, washing machines and other major home appliances for over 40 years. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Vacuums store-bought and tested, supported by you via. If its real hardwood, scratches are rare unless the vacuum itself is damaged. These features might include a small apron (or flap) on the sides or near the rear of the head, side-mounted bristles (or even tiny air intakes to corral bits from baseboards and corners), or gates at the front of the head to give passage to big debris (like Froot Loops cereal, for example). But because the V7 vacuums have been removed from Dysons lineup, weve since recommended the V8 instead. If youre using it only for short sessions, it may not be such a big deal. The rubber brush rolls are self-cleaning too, minimizing annoying hair tangles that compromise the cleaning power of lesser vacuums. Any decent vacuum can keep hardwood floors tidy. A robot vacuum will do the vacuuming for you with the push of a button. Theyre mostly found in cordless vacuums, which tend to have less suction than plug-ins, so the extra cleaning action really helps the performance. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. It also feels rather flimsy in places, which is disappointing for a vacuum at this price point. We arent really endorsing this vacuum, but if you want something for the occasional easy cleanup, this Bissell works fine. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. We don't just base our results on overall performancebut also factors like availability, price, and reader feedback. Its a suction-only vacuum, with no brush roll for cleaning rugs. And its not a matter of raw suction: We measured the Omni-Glides suction with a gauge, and its similar toand sometimes stronger thanthat of most other cordless vacuums at this price. And the shaft can lie nearly flat, so it can reach far under furniture very easily. Thanks to a universal floor head that only requires the flip of one switch, there's no need to change attachments when going from carpet to hardwood floors. Its bagless design and washable filters keep recurring costs to a minimum. It has a suction-only cleaning head (no brush roll) with soft bristles around the edges that let it glide smoothly across bare floors. With two soft, fluffy rollers, the Omni-glide picks up both large debris and fine particles with ease, all without scratching hardwood floors. In our ease of use tests, it maneuvered around small and big obstacles alike, going in any direction (even sideways) and it was the perfect size for stair treads, the edges of the room and around area rugs. Learn more about our The best multi-surface robot vacuum that we've tested is the Roborock S7. Several brands make these kinds of cleaning heads, but we have the most experience using Dysons, which weve found to be decent. It picked up dry oats from all of our test floors quickly, leaving very little, if any, behind after just a few passes. Its short vacuum hose makes it difficult to clean hard-to-reach areas, while its short power cord may require you to swap outlets when cleaning larger spaces. Substantial article restructuring to better align with user needs and expectations. But some vacuums do it a little better than others. Our favorite all-around vacuumfor any type of flooringis the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352, a reasonably priced and durable machine that has always performed very well in our cleaning tests on all surfaces, including bare floors. This high-end robot vacuum's headlining feature is its ultrasonic mopping capability, which uses vibrating mop pads to scrub away dried-on dirt and debris on hard floors. A suitable vacuum for hardwood (or any other) flooring: Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352. He has tested more than 100 models in that time, on all kinds of surfacesincluding plenty of wood, linoleum, laminate, and tile. It delivers exceptional performance on bare floors, where it cleans away pet hair and solid debris without difficulty. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away is an affordable, easy-to-use bagless upright vacuum that works very well on both bare floors and rugs. Miele also has a wider service network than any other premium vacuum brand, so youre more likely to find a place capable of patching up your vacuum if it needs a midlife tune-up. It has three powerful suction modes and a runtime of up to sixty minutes, perfect for cleaning your whole home in one short session. The lightweight plastic canister body and built-in carrying handle make it easy to pick up and carry to other rooms. Were going to pass the Omni-Glide around between a few more staff members to get their impressions. While the included brush roll isn't specifically for hardwood floors, it uses a soft brush roll with a few stiff bristles throughout to vacuum up dry and wet debris from hard floors and area rugs. Yes, please! Feb 14, 2022: (You should still double-check whether theres a qualified technician near you.). A bowl of cereal and milk was history in just one pass forward and back and with a 30-minute runtime, you can get through plenty of cleaning on just one charge. Read more about these in our guide to the best robot vacuums. Carolyn Fort, a consumer products expert, is the executive director of the Home Care & Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees all testing, research and editorial production involving cleaning appliances and products, like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, detergents and more. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). It also only provides roughly 10 minutes of runtime on a single charge, so you need to work quickly when cleaning up larger messes. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Added Miele Classic C1 and Wyze Cordless Vacuum to Notable Mentions. The vacuum itself feels well-built and is remarkably easy to maintain. Recurring costs are low, as it uses large-capacity dirtbags and filters that should last for years at a time. Replaced 'Upright Alternative' pick with 'More Portable Alternative' pick due to current availability. Heres a great video from Veritasium on what dust is made out ofit tends to be a lot of dead skin and, ironically, carpet fibers. It performs very similarly to the Whirlwind but has a bagged design that makes it easier to dispose of any debris, though this comes at the sacrifice of higher recurring costs. Our cleaning experts also answer commonly asked questions about getting dirt and dust off your hardwood floors. Hardwood floors make any space look a little nicer, but they do require some special care specific to hardwood to keep them looking new.