We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›
Sabine Heinlein is a writer covering vacuums. Keeping her multi-pet home clean is one of her more acceptable obsessions. tile edge trim
Any vacuum can suck dust, hair, and crumbs off your hardwood, tile, or vinyl floors—but some models do it better than others. To avoid scattering debris or possibly damaging delicate flooring, look for a vacuum that either lets you switch off the spinning brush roll or has a special cleaner head with soft bristles.
After testing dozens of vacuums, we have three models to recommend that gently and effectively clean hardwood floors.
This bagged canister model is powerful, durable, and versatile. With the click of a switch, its universal cleaner head protects delicate hardwood floors.
This proven bagged model has great cleaning power, with a parquet brush that excels on bare floors and a turbo brush that works well on most low-pile carpets.
This nimble, high-tech model is light, powerful, and easy to maneuver. Its microfiber cleaner head is specifically designed to snag dust and fur from bare floors, but its dustbin is minuscule.
Although hardwood floors are the easiest thing to vacuum, strong suction is still key to cleaning them quickly and thoroughly.
A vacuum for hardwood floors comes with a fluffy brush roll or a parquet cleaner head with soft bristles.
We considered how easily and smoothly each vacuum’s wheels moved across hardwood floors.
We preferred models that come with a decent warranty and that can be repaired or offer replacement parts.
This bagged canister model is powerful, durable, and versatile. With the click of a switch, its universal cleaner head protects delicate hardwood floors.
The suction-only Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction features a switch on its brush roll that lets you adjust it depending on whether you’re on bare floors or rugs. Its soft brush-roll bristles protect hardwood floors, and its strong suction dislodges deep-seated dirt from rugs. (This model doesn’t work well on thick rugs, however.)
The Classic C1 Pure Suction is the lowest-priced Miele canister model you can buy. It has decent filtration (it uses the same dust-trapping bags as our upgrade pick), and, while a bit louder than the C3 Calima, the C1 still runs quieter than most other vacuums we tried.
The Classic C1 Pure Suction has a one-year warranty (though Miele canister vacuums are known to last for a decade or more, if maintained adequately).
This proven bagged model has great cleaning power, with a parquet brush that excels on bare floors and a turbo brush that works well on most low-pile carpets.
If you have mainly bare floors and just a few area rugs and you want a durable, nimble canister vacuum with excellent cleaning power—and a proven track record—the Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine is a great choice.
We loved using this model’s light and agile parquet brush on hard floors, finding it nicer to maneuver and gentler on sensitive surfaces than any cleaner head we tested. Its turbo brush, however, is inconvenient because it is prone to choking on certain types of fluffy carpets, which makes it virtually impossible to push.
The C3 Calima ingeniously stores its three useful attachments inside the canister. It also features superior HEPA filtration, but its filters and bags are a bit pricey.
This model has a three-year warranty, but Miele vacuums are known to last for a decade or more, if maintained properly.
This nimble, high-tech model is light, powerful, and easy to maneuver. Its microfiber cleaner head is specifically designed to snag dust and fur from bare floors, but its dustbin is minuscule.
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is equipped with a microfiber brush roll called the Laser Slim Fluffy that grabs dust and detritus, moving it to the vacuum intake and protecting wood floors from scratches. (The Fluffy also has a laser headlight that illuminates dust in dim corners.) But this model’s tiny dustbin requires frequent emptying.
The V12 Detect Slim’s separate Motorbar cleaner head has bristles and hair-removal vanes that work well on carpets and rugs. (Though it doesn’t have the cleaning or battery power to tackle deep-seated dirt.) Both cleaner heads are low-riding and swivel 180 degrees, so you can maneuver around table legs or under furniture easily.
This model has several high-tech features that make it almost fun to use, including a sensor that automatically adjusts suction and an LCD screen with a battery countdown and particle counter.
The V12 Detect Slim has a two-year warranty.
Staff writer Sabine Heinlein has been a journalist for more than two decades. She obsesses over keeping her hardwood floors scratch-free and shiny and how to remove cat and rabbit fur from her couch and heirloom rugs. She has written guides to upright and canister, handheld, and cordless stick vacuums, among others.
Any decent vacuum can keep hardwood floors tidy. Strong suction and airflow are a huge help in picking up debris on the first try, particularly the very small or large stuff.
Beyond that, you need a vacuum that won’t force you to use a carpet-cleaning brush every time you clean. A spinning brush roll with stiff bristles is great for rugs because it agitates carpet fibers, digging up hair and dust. But on bare floors, a spinning brush roll may scatter certain debris before the vacuum can suck it up, and the fast-moving bristles can scratch softer types of stone, tile, or wood flooring.
Many vacuums have an on/off switch for their brush rolls, so you can shut down the brush roll when you’re cleaning bare floors and turn it back on if you transition to a rug. Some models have cleaning heads with no brush rolls at all. Instead, they feature a universal cleaner head with a switch that releases soft bristles (like our pick). Others come with a plush brush roll that gives you the option to switch between different heads for different surfaces or a parquet cleaner head that’s purpose-built for cleaning bare floors.
Read more about what makes a powerful, versatile vacuum in our guide to upright and canister vacuums.
This bagged canister model is powerful, durable, and versatile. With the click of a switch, its universal cleaner head protects delicate hardwood floors.
The Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction is exceptionally effective and comfortable to use on bare floors, though it doesn’t work well on thick rugs. This model is the most basic, lowest-priced vacuum in Miele’s extensive lineup of canister vacuums. Here’s why we like it for hardwood:
Its cleaner head is adaptable. The Classic C1 has a universal floorhead, which features rubberized wheels and bristles that you can extend or retract with a switch, so it’s excellent on bare floors, allowing you to avoid any unnecessary damage to your flooring. (It’s solid on flat-weave or low-pile rugs too.) The floorhead does a superb job of digging dust and pet hair out of cracks and grout lines.
It’s easy to handle. Because it doesn’t have a spinning brush roll, it’s lightweight, low-profile, and easy to maneuver under furniture and into corners.
It has decent filtration. This model uses the same dust-trapping bags as our upgrade pick, the Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine. In most homes (those 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 it’s time to swap). A box of four filter bags costs about $25.
The Classic C1 has Miele’s proprietary AirClean exhaust filter, which, according to Miele, traps 99.99% of particles of 0.3 microns or larger in size. In comparison, according to the company, Miele’s HEPA filter traps 99.999% of particles with a size of 0.3 microns or larger.
It’s quiet. The Classic C1 uses the same 1,200-watt motor as higher-end Miele models (including our upgrade pick). While the Classic C1 is a tad noisier, Miele canister vacuums are generally quieter than your average upright. The Classic C1 measured between 57 and 69 decibels (depending on the power setting), compared with 76 and 79 decibels on Shark and Hoover uprights, respectively. This model’s canister also rolls very quietly and smoothly on all flooring.
Its warranty is disappointing—but the vacuum is repairable. This model has an unremarkable one-year warranty. (Our upgrade pick, the Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine, is covered for three years.) But most repair specialists are familiar with—and think highly of—Miele. The company has a decent service network, and you should be able to find a repair place should your vacuum need fixing.
Read more about the Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction—and why we think Miele vacuums are often worth the investment—in our guide to upright and canister vacuums.
This proven bagged model has great cleaning power, with a parquet brush that excels on bare floors and a turbo brush that works well on most low-pile carpets.
If you have mainly wood floors with just a few rugs and you want a powerful vacuum cleaner made by a company with an excellent reputation, the Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine is a great choice.
It’s an excellent vacuum, especially on hardwood floors. The C3 Calima is a powerful cleaner, particularly when it comes to fine dust, fur, and sand on hard floors. It particularly shines on delicate wood flooring: Its swiveling, low-riding, and soft-bristled parquet brush was nicer to maneuver and gentler on sensitive surfaces than any cleaner head we evaluated. In our test, it cleaned baking soda alongside baseboards more smoothly than any other brush we tried.
But it isn’t as great on rugs. This model’s non-electric TurboTeQ cleaner head worked relatively well on our writer’s heirloom rugs, but it balked at our fluffy, low-pile test carpet, making it hard to push. (A good number of Amazon reviewers also complain that it can be onerous to maneuver on carpets.)
It’s convenient, comfortable, and easy to maintain. While we prefer controls on the handle (like on the SEBO Airbelt K3, our favorite canister vacuum), Miele’s foot-control pedals are the next best thing. Located on top of the canister, its pedals control suction power, turn the machine on and off, and rewind the cord.
Miele vacuums aren’t known for clogging often (which can happen to any type of vacuum), but if they do they come apart at all the major joints. Unfortunately, you do need a screwdriver to open its TurboTeQ brush head.
It has nice tools that are smartly stowed. The C3 Calima’s three useful tools—crevice, upholstery, and a dust brush that swivels 360 degrees—are conveniently stored on board the canister.
It has excellent filtration. The C3 Calima’s filters include its bag, its motor intake filter, and a HEPA exhaust filter. The bags are self-sealing, too: When you swap out the old one, its rubber flap closes, so dust and allergens don’t escape. (Multiple Amazon reviewers write that they’ve seen noticeable improvements for allergy sufferers after they started using a Miele.)
But its warranty is skimpy. While Miele products are known for their durability and repairability, Miele has scaled back its warranty to three years for its Complete series (and one year for its Classic series).
Read more about the Miele Complete C3 Calima PowerLine in our guide to upright and canister vacuums.
This nimble, high-tech model is light, powerful, and easy to maneuver. Its microfiber cleaner head is specifically designed to snag dust and fur from bare floors, but its dustbin is minuscule.
If you’re seeking a cordless vacuum that performs solidly on bare floors, we recommend the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, which comes with a cleaner head that is specifically designed for delicate hard flooring.
It cleans well. The V12 Detect Slim offers powerful suction and airflow, and it excels at picking up dust and debris on both bare floors and rugs. During testing, the V12 didn’t discriminate, hungrily gobbling up baking soda, hay, cat litter, and Cheerios on hardwood floors.
It has two gentle and efficient cleaner heads. Made of soft microfiber fabric, the V12’s Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head is made for bare floors and features a laser light that spotlights dust and fur in dim corners. It is gentle on delicate parquet but doesn’t work on rugs and carpets. The separate Motorbar cleaner head, on the other hand, agitates dirt embedded in carpets before it’s ferreted up the tube and into the dustbin.
In our testing, we found that the Fluffy head picked up larger debris that the Motorbar head tended to snowplow. Both V12 Detect Slim cleaner heads are low-riding and swivel 180 degrees, so you can reach into tight corners, around table legs, and under furniture.
It’s comfortable to use. Whereas previous Dyson models featured an uncomfortable trigger-style switch that you had to squeeze to operate the machine, the V12 Detect Slim has an on/off button. Among the stick vacuums we tested, we found this lightweight model the easiest to maneuver.
It is versatile and has cool features. The V12 easily converts into a handheld vacuum and comes with helpful attachments for tasks around the home and in the car. Its crevice tool lets you get into pesky cracks, its combination tool allows for quick switching between a wide nozzle and a brush, and its mini motorized brush tool is one of the best we tested for removing pet hair from upholstery.
The V12 Detect Slim’s LCD screen shows animated maintenance reminders, troubleshooting tips, and, most important, a battery-life countdown. Its chief gimmick is its particle counter—supposedly to help you feel confident that you’ve deep-cleaned your flooring. We don’t know how accurate or useful the particle counter is, but it can be a fun motivator.
But it has a tiny dustbin. Its roughly 12-ounce dustbin is very small. In our tests, we had to empty it at least three times when cleaning a 650-square-foot space with pets. (Our guide to the best vacuums for people with pets offers recommendations on that front.)
And it has a few other limitations. Cordless vacuums tend to have less suction than plug-ins, and their battery power limits users to 25 to 45 minutes of use.
Read more about the Dyson V12 Detect Slim in our guide to cordless stick vacuums.
For a lazy, midweek cleanup of hardwood floors, a robot vacuum can come in handy. The Roborock Q5 and Roborock Q5+—our top picks for best robot vacuums—excel at preventing dust and hair buildup. The app, which can be voice-controlled via Alexa, Siri, and Google Home, lets you save multiple maps of your home, target specific rooms, and schedule cleaning sessions. (The Roborock Q5+ even comes with a dock that automatically empties its dustbin into a bag.)
The Eufy RoboVac 11S Max (our budget pick) is a basic but capable cleaner that glides easily under furniture and runs almost silently. While it can’t be controlled via an app, its included remote control lets you direct the robot to spots it may have missed and schedule cleaning sessions.
These robots can keep bare floors tidy, if you’re patient and don’t mind following up by cleaning hard-to-reach corners and alongside baseboards with a handheld, cordless, or plug-in vacuum.
To help us settle on the models that clean hardwood floors especially well, we looked at all of the vacuums we recommend and focused on the following attributes:
Cleaning performance: We measured airflow and suction and how much baking soda, cereal, birdseed, glitter, and hair each vac pulled from bare floors.
Cleaner head design: We looked at each machine’s brush roll and cleaner head design to make sure it is efficient and gentle enough for hardwood floors.
Comfort, versatility, and ease of use: We considered how easily and smoothly each vacuum’s wheels moved across hardwood floors, and, if applicable, whether its attachments fit their purpose. We favored vacuums that weren’t too noisy and were comfortable to handle.
Warranty and repairs: We looked for vacuums that come with a decent warranty and that can be repaired and/or offer replacement parts (such as batteries, brush rolls, and hoses, if relevant).
Liam McCabe wrote previous versions of this guide, which was first published in 2018. This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Courtney Schley.
If it is real hardwood that’s sealed with an oil-based sealer, scratches are rare. But if you have just spent thousands of dollars on nice parquet flooring, you don’t want to take the chance. A brush roll with abrasive bristles, hard plastic wheels, and/or a casing that sits too close to the floor can cause damage.
Bare floors get just as dusty as rugs do, but it’s more obvious on hard flooring. Here’s a great video from Veritasium on what dust is made out of—it tends to be a lot of dead skin and, ironically, carpet fibers.
Sabine Heinlein is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The Guardian, Psychology Today, and other publications. She is the author of Among Murderers: Life After Prison. When she is not following her dream of an immaculate home and a flood-proof basement, she is taking care of her menagerie and creating magical animal quilts.
For a dependable, versatile, and affordable cleaner, we prefer a bagless upright, but we have recommendations for other types of vacuums as well.
To clean carpets and rugs well, you need a vacuum that is equipped for the task. The SEBO Felix Premium and SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium are excellent choices.
Keeping your hardwood floors looking great requires only a small amount of effort.
Miele canister vacuums have a track record of lasting decades, cleaning exceptionally well, and being enjoyable to use.
aluminium edge trim Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).