Many people prefer hardwood flooring in their home over carpets because they are much more aesthetically pleasing and can even increase the home’s property value. However, like with most things in life there is a trade-off – they are more prone to damage, particularly when cleaning.
Therefore, we have selected a number of vacuums that are specifically designed for hardwood floors that clean in an effective yet gentle manner. However, many of the selected vacuums also do a great job on carpets, so if you’re looking for a multipurpose model that excels at cleaning hardwood floors yet can still clean your home in its entirety then you’re in luck.
What to Look For When Choosing a Vacuum for Hardwood Floors ?
Soft Brushes
As mentioned, hardwood floors are delicate and damage easily; therefore, brushes that feature soft bristles are paramount in your search.
Battery-Powered Vs. Corded
The choice between battery-powered and corded models is entirely down to the individual. Battery-powered models tend to be easier to maneuver due to their lightweight design, but you need to keep in mind that they need to be recharged and depending on the size of your home, you may need to recharge the vacuum before the job is fully done.
Corded vacuums, on the other hand, have the benefit of not having to worry about the power running out when you’re halfway through cleaning. However, you are limited by the cord and will have to unplug and replug to vacuum your entire home.
Dirt Container
The size of a dirt container is important, particularly if your home is large, as you don’t want to have to empty the container before your home is fully vacuumed.
Cleaning Width
The cleaning width of a vac is often overlooked but is an important thing to consider. A model that comes with a larger nozzle is able to cover more surface area, thereby allowing you to clean your home in less time.
Noise Level
Everyone who has ever vacuumed or been in close proximity to somebody vacuuming knows just how loud the noise can be. The noise level, however, is more or less the same across the board for all vacuums, but cordless models tend to be a little bit quieter.
Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors
Miele Complete C3 Alize Canister
The Miele C3 is most definitely one of the quietest vacuums on the market, making it a great buy for anyone who wants to keep noise down to a minimum for whatever reason. However, while this is a plus it isn’t the main selling point of this model.
It is able to clean hardwood floors just as effectively as carpet, tile flooring and upholstery. It also features a self-adjusting floor brush that is able to sense the surface being cleaned and automatically change its suction power so to clean more effectively and gently depending on the surface. There is no doubting the vac’s cleaning capabilities either, as it uses a HEPA filter that is known to remove 99.9% of dust, dirt and other allergens.
The C3 features one of the best reaches we have seen at 33 ft., reducing the need to unplug and replug while you vacuum. The vac only weighs 12 lbs. and measures 19 x 10.5 x 8.5 inches, making it highly maneuverable too; particularly when you take into account the wheels feature shock absorbers to navigate over obstacles and uneven flooring with ease.
The canister’s capacity, however, is a little on the small side, but that tends to be the trade-off with lightweight and compact models.
The C3 Alize is backed by a generous 7-year motor and casing warranty, and 2-year parts and labor warranty.
Shark Navigator NV356E
The Shark Navigator NV356E is designed in a way so that it never loses suction power thanks to its advanced cylonic technology, ensuring that it works just as effectively on day 1 to the last.
It’s good to see that it uses a HEPA filter as it is proven to capture up to 99.9% of dirt and dust, particularly when used in combination with the vac’s Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology. Therefore, any dirt and dust captured is prevented from blowback and scattering. The HEPA filter is also reusable so there is no need to purchase replacements, which is always a plus.
The vac features swivel steering to ensure high maneuverability. The fact that the machine weighs a relatively light 14 lbs. is another aspect that adds to its maneuverability, although some people feel that this is too light because it means the machine is more prone to tipping over.
We love how the power cord measures 30 ft. as it reduces the likelihood of having to unplug and replug while vacuuming, as well as the 9.5-inch cleaning width because it means that more surface area is covered. The NV356E is backed by a 5-year warranty, which is the best you can find in this price range.
Shark Rotator NV501
The Shark Rotator NV501 never loses suction due to its advanced cylonic technology. It shares many of the same traits that have made the NV356E so popular but it’s ever so slightly heavier (15.8 lbs as opposed to 14 lbs.), quieter in operation, and covers a large cleaning path (11.5 inches compared to 9.5 inches).
The excellent 5-year warranty still remains, as does the lengthy 30 ft. power cord, and high maneuverability.
What it comes down to is whether you want to spend a little bit more for a quieter machine that covers more surface area.
Bissell 1161 Hard Floor Expert Deluxe
With Hard Floor Expert Deluxe attached to its name, you may think that the Bissell 1161 can only be used on hard flooring. However, don’t be fooled by its name as it can also be used on several surfaces, albeit not quite as effectively as on hard flooring.
Having been designed first and foremost with hard flooring in mind the vac manages to clean effectively yet gently so not to cause any damage. This is not only evident in the model’s soft bristle brush, but also thanks to its rubber wheels and felt treads.
The vac has a capacity of 0.26 gallons, which is good enough and also easy to empty without creating any mess, and a good cleaning width of 10 inches, covering more surface area than comparatively priced models. It also weighs just 9 lbs., making it easy to move around the home.
One aspect that we dislike, however, is how the power cord measures just 16.4 ft. which is almost half the length of the Shark models. We do like how the cord features an automatic rewind function, though, to stop tangling from occurring, and the number of attachments included – dusting tool, crevice tool, telescoping extension wand, and low carpet pile tool.
Hoover LiNX BH50010
The Hoover LiNX BH50010 is the only battery-powered model found on this last. This is because it’s challenging to find a vacuum that features a good runtime and lasts long enough to make it worthwhile to use without having to recharge. On a full charge, the vac lasts 30 minutes, which is good in itself but even better when you consider how inexpensive the model is. We also like how there is a battery indicator, informing you of how much battery power is left, and how it can be used on several surfaces.
Like many of Hoover’s vacuums the BH50010 features WindTunnel Technology to ensure that blowback and scatter is kept to a minimum, which is the last thing you want to see when done cleaning.
The BH50010 offers good maneuverability. Not only because it weighs just 7.3 pounds, but also because it is so compact at 11 x 8 x 42 inches and features a recline handle that is ideal when cleaning under furniture. The vac’s cleaning path width stands at 11 inches.