Life

These Hardwood Vacs Keep Floors Clean Without Scratching Them

by Lisa Fogarty

You may be able to get away with not vacuuming your rug or carpet for a few days (cough, weeks?), but there's one type of floor that shows no mercy when it comes to dust and debris. The best vacuums for hardwood floors are the vacuum cleaners we depend on to return our hardwood floors to a state of polished elegance (or, at the very least, to keep them from looking like an army of cookie-eating children march up and down them at all hours of the day).

Whether you prefer upright, canister, stick, bagless, handheld vacuums, or vacuums with changeable bags, there's a model out there that's perfect for your hardwood floors. With that said, Consumer Reports has made a point of highlighting canister vacuums as most effective overall for this floor type because they're less likely to spread dust and debris around before suctioning it up — something worth keeping in mind before you make that purchase.

Many of these vacuums have an on/off brush switch or rotating brushes that better protect finished hardwood and capture dust and debris. You'll find options for every budget — from one luxury brand stick vacuum with the softest brush imaginable to an affordable robot vacuum that will let you put your feet up and relax while it does all the work for you.

Preserve your hardwood floors for years to come and make them look incredible today with one of these vacuum cleaners.

1

A Lightweight Canister Vacuum With Soft Wheels & Brush Bristles That Are Safe On Hardwood

Bissell 1161 Hard Floor Expert Deluxe Canister Vacuum, $123, Amazon

This canister vacuum features non-marking rubber wheels with felt treads and a brush with soft bristles — neither of which will scrape up hardwood floors. It's powerful, but also lightweight enough to carry up and down stairs. The Easy Empty dirt tank opens for simple cleaning and fingertip control puts you in control of the suctioning power when you use this vacuum to clean delicate drapes or upholstery.

2

A Top-Rated Upright Vacuum That Adjusts To Five Heights

Kenmore Elite 31150 Pet Friendly Upright Vacuum, $239, Amazon

Consumer Reports calls his model the best upright vacuum for hardwood floors. It boasts strong airflow through its hose and does an excellent job at retaining any dust and dirt it collects. Its five-position height adjustment makes it a versatile choice for a variety of floor types and an anti-allergy HEPA filtration system and plenty of accessories (including a pet handi-mate tool) are pretty impressive cherries on top.

3

3 A Cordless Stick Vacuum That Addresses All Kinds Of Messes

Black + Decker 2-In-1 Stick Vacuum, $130, Amazon

Yet another non-traditional vacuum that made it onto Consumer Report's best list for hardwood floors, this two-in-one stick vacuum is strong enough to collect dirt on one pass over floors. It's cordless, which gives you freedom of movement, and it multitasks as a handheld vacuum, thanks to a cool attachment.

4

A Luxury Stick Vacuum With A Delicate Touch

Dyson V8 Absolute Cord-Free Vacuum, $441, Amazon

You'll spend a lot on this cord-free stick vacuum, but you'll get plenty back in return, including a super delicate touch that will keep your hardwood floors in amazing shape, thanks to its soft roller cleaner head. Whereas other soft vacuums may leave a lot to be desired when it comes to power, this one gets floors spotless every time. According to Consumer Reports, which ranks this model as one of the best for hardwood floors, its incredibly quiet to operate and its battery power lasts a long time.

5

A Super Affordable Canister Vacuum

Bissell Zing Rewind Bagless Canister Vacuum, $65, Amazon

An affordable canister vacuum with thousands of great reviews, this bagless model has a 15-foot power cord and transitions from cleaning carpets to hardwood with a flip of a switch. It also has washable dirt cup filters and comes with a combination crevice tool/dusting brush.

6

A Handheld Vacuum Designed To Attract & Lift Up Pet Hair

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum, $40, Amazon

This handheld vacuum attracts pet hair from hardwood floors (and upholstery) with an upholstery tool that features fur-attracting felt. This cordless device comes with a crevice tool for hard-to-reach spots and its dirt bin is simple to empty and cleaning.

7

A Robot Vacuum With An Anti-Allergy HEPA Filter

PureClean Automatic Robot Vacuum Cleaner, $130, Amazon

This wireless robot vacuum picks up dirt, dust, and stubborn pet hair from hardwood floor, tile, and short carpet and has a low enough profile to get under couches and beds with ease. It can detect gaps and won't fall down your stairs, has a HEPA filter to trap allergens and dust mites, and boasts dual rotating brushes, one of which rotates to catch debris on hardwood floors. Unlike many of its peers, this robot vacuum is relatively affordable, yet enjoys hundreds of glowing reviews.

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