When you’re looking for the best vacuum for hardwood floors, you want a model that provides powerful suction without causing damage. Key features include a soft brush roll or a dedicated hardwood floor attachment to effectively pick up fine dust and larger debris. Adjustable suction settings, a swivel head for maneuverability, and a lightweight design make cleaning easier and more efficient.
We evaluated over 30 vacuum cleaners, certifying six as top performers. We scrutinized 146,886 reviews, filtering out untrustworthy experts and low-quality reviews. Our process uses our data-driven True Score to certify and verify products, ensuring only the best vacuums make our buying guide. The winning vacuums demonstrated exceptional testing performance on hardwood floors.
Dyson V15 Detect – Best for Hardwood Floors
The Dyson V15 Detect offers outstanding cleaning power, especially on hardwood floors, where it cleans up 98.59% of debris. It also performs admirably on carpets (91.77%) and excels in pet hair removal (100%). With a lightweight design of 6.7 lbs, a HEPA filter, and a slightly smaller bin capacity of 0.2 gal, this vacuum is great for maneuverability and allergy prevention, though it operates at a relatively loud 72.54 dB.
Samsung Bespoke Jet – Best for Apartments
The Samsung Bespoke Jet is a quiet (70.525 dB) and lightweight (6 lbs) vacuum cleaner that excels in cleaning hardwood floors, removing 97.71% of debris. It also performs very well with pet hair (99.5%) and carpets (91.7%). This vacuum is ideal for those who prioritize noise level and portability, though it has a smaller bin and is not as powerful as some other models for carpet cleaning.
Shark Stratos Cordless – Best for Allergies
The Shark Stratos Cordless is exceptional for bare floor cleaning, removing 98.825% of debris, and it performs perfectly for pet hair removal (100%). However, it is heavier (8.9 lbs) and louder (76.65 dB) than some competitors. Its smaller bin capacity (0.18 gal) requires frequent emptying, but it’s an excellent mid-range option for homes with pets and hard floors.
Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away – Best Cordless
The Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away stands out for its excellent bare floor cleaning (98.565%) and pet hair performance (100%). It has a larger bin capacity (0.34 gal) and is the heaviest on the list at 12.4 lbs. It operates at 77 dB, which can be loud for some. Despite its weight and noise, this is an excellent vacuum offering great value for pet owners and those with larger homes.
Shark Stratos Ultralight – Best for Long Hair
The Shark Stratos Ultralight is a budget-friendly option with impressive bare floor cleaning (97.5%) and pet hair removal (99.33%). Weighing 8.6 lbs, it’s not the lightest option but is still manageable. It has a standard bin capacity of 0.2 gal and operates at 76.8 dB. While it performs less effectively on carpets (82.25%), it offers great value for hardwood floors and homes with pets.
Shark Vertex Pro – Best Cordless For Hardwood
The Shark Vertex Pro is a solid choice for bare floor cleaning (98.5%) and pet hair removal (99.66%). It is louder than others (82.35 dB) and has a decent bin capacity (0.25 gal). Weighing 8.82 lbs, it’s lightweight and maneuverable, though its carpet cleaning ability (82.61%) is not as strong. This vacuum is a great mid-range option, particularly for homes with pets and hardwood floors.
How We Rank Vacuums and What is the Gadget Review True Score
Gadget Review is known for its True Score, the web’s most accurate product quality rating. The True Score blends expert reviews and human assessed Trust Ratings with customer feedback, underpinned by a sophisticated AI tool. This tool utilizes advanced machine learning algorithms and Bayesian models to analyze and synthesize data, ensuring accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive scoring. You can read more about it here.
