Top-Performing Hardwood Vacuums in 2025: Suitable for Hard Floors with a Balance between Softness and Efficiency
For those seeking the best vacuum cleaner for hardwood floors, look no further! At our platform, we've rigorously tested a multitude of vacuums every year, and we've narrowed down our top recommendations specifically designed for wooden floors.
Invest in a model that features a dedicated second floorhead for hard floors. These models boast a roller covered with soft cloth, allowing it to get close to the floor to remove dirt and buff the surface without risking scratches. As opposed to focusing on suction power for general use, prioritize a lightweight build for vacuums intended for hardwood floors, as the debris will sit on top of the surface and can be easily tackled. (For more details on cleaning your hardwood floors, read our informative guide.)
Currently, the Dreame R20 takes the crown as the best vacuum for hardwood floors. This versatile vacuum offers an impressive combination of power, affordability, and a lightweight, agile build, incorporating the all-important specialized second floorhead for hardwood floors. If your budget allows, give the Dyson V15 Detect a thought – it's equipped with a laser light that highlights dirt on hardwood floors, ensuring you don't miss a single speck.
Need more options? Explore our comprehensive guide featuring recommendations tailored to a variety of requirements and price points. Keep scrolling to discover our top recommendations for hardwood floors.
The quick list
Best overall
The R20 stands out as an outstanding all-rounder: light, effective, and cost-friendly. But what truly makes it a great choice for hardwood floors is the extra soft floorhead.
Premium pick
The V15 also includes a soft head for hard floors, but with a kick – a laser light to illuminate hidden dirt. Its premium components and quality features justify its elevated price tag.
Low effort
Dreaming of less effort when it comes to cleaning? This vacuum's self-emptying dock will save you plenty of time, despite lacking a specialized hard floor head. It's still a capable cleaner, particularly for corner areas.
1. Dreame R20
Fur guzzler
If you're a pet owner, the Samsung Jet 85 is up to the task, offering comfort, ease of use, and exceptional pet hair removal. Although it struggles on carpet, it shines on hardwood floors.
Cordless stick
Compact
Sporting many of the same hardwood floor-friendly features as the V15 (#2), this Dyson stick vac is more streamlined and lightweight, making it perfect for small homes.
6 lbs / 2.7 kg
Blow the budget
For those who want to splurge, the Gen5 offers the highest specs of any Dyson, featuring an improved laser design that's even better at uncovering dust on hardwood floors.
0.6L
The best vacuum for hardwood floors in 2025 – as recommended by experts
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90 mins
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The best vacuum for hardwood floors overall
- Dreame R20
Our experts' verdict:Specifications:
2. Dyson V15 Detect
- More reasons to buy: Gentle cleaning, lightweight, effective, affordable
- More reasons to avoid:
The Dreame R20 earns the top spot as our recommendation for the best vacuum for hardwood floors. This model is an all-round marvel, but what sets it apart on hardwood floors is its dedicated cleaner head for such surfaces. The 'Soft Roller Brush' is wrapped in plush cleaning cloth, allowing it to get close to the hardwood surface, leaving it dust-free without the risk of scratches. It even gently buffs the surface.
Cordless stick
The R20 comes with a general-purpose cleaner head that is suitable for any floor type, including hardwood. It's equipped with bright blue LEDs that project onto the floor to illuminate dingy corners, although they're not as effective as Dyson's vibrant green lasers in locating hidden dust.
Elsewhere, this vacuum aces our criteria for an impressive clean – it delivers ample suction, automatic suction adjustment based on dirt levels, and an innovative carbon fiber wand that can bend forward by 90 degrees to clean under furniture. It's an investment that offers the greatest value due to its mid-range pricing, lightweight nature, and smart features.
6.8 lbs / 3.1 kg
If you have a bigger budget, consider one of Dyson's flagship models (#2 and #6) for their laser headlights and premium components. But for most users, the R20 will surpass expectations.
Read more: Dreame R20 cordless vacuum review
0.8L
Read more: Dreame R20 cordless vacuum review
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60 mins
The best premium vacuum for hardwood floors
- Dyson V15 Detect
Our experts' verdict:Specifications:
- More reasons to buy: Advanced features, excellent cleaning, laser illumination
- More reasons to avoid: High price, trigger operation
3. Shark Detect Pro Cordless
If you're willing to dig deeper, the Dyson V15 Detect is the best premium vacuum for hardwood floors. Like the R20, it offers a specialized floorhead for hardwood floors – the soft roller ensures maximum grip on the floor surface. In addition, this model sports a built-in laser that enhances its ability to locate hidden dust on hardwood floors.
The V15's advanced features include automated suction adjustment based on floor type and dirt levels, real-time particle detection, and an informative color screen. Although it lacks the R20's (#1) forward-bending wand, it remains highly maneuverable. Our only real complaint lies with its trigger operation, which, by design, can fatigue your fingers during extended cleaning sessions.
Cordless stick
Although not the newest model, the V15 Detect excels as the best Dyson vacuum overall, offering a balanced combination of advanced features and competitive pricing. If you fancy a spot of mopping along with vacuuming, opt for the V15s Detect Submarine version, which comes with a removable mopping floorhead.
Read our full Dyson V15 Detect vacuum review
6 lbs / 2.76 kg
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The best auto-empty vacuum for hardwood floors
0.4L (vac) + 1.3L / 2L in base
- Shark Detect Pro Cordless Auto-Empty System
Our experts' verdict:Specifications:
40 mins (US), 60 mins (UK)
- More reasons to buy: Effortless emptying, lightweight, maneuverable
- More reasons to avoid: Sparse accessories, smaller dust cup
For homes featuring larger spaces or dealing with significant amounts of dust, the Shark Detect Pro Cordless Auto-Empty System deserves a closer look. This nimble, cordless vacuum comes with a base that serves as both a charger and an auto-empty station, minimizing effort and reducing mess when emptying the dustbin.
Although it lacks a distinct head for hardwood floors, the general-purpose cleaner head still offers a respectable performance on hardwood surfaces. The power levels are plenty potent enough for hardwood floors and provide the advantage of a lightweight design. In fact, we rank it as the best Shark vacuum if lightweight cleaning is a priority.
While many vacuums here boast automatic suction adjustment, the Shark Detect Pro goes the extra mile by introducing 'EdgeDetect' technology, which boosts power at the edges of the cleaning path. The LED headlights (albeit not as bright as the Dyson models' lasers) and the versatility to bend the wand for cleaning under furniture further bolster its appeal.
4. Samsung Jet 85
In conclusion, the Detect Pro offers decent cleaning on hardwood floors and the convenience of a spillproof, auto-empty system – an attractive option for busy households.
Read our full Shark Detect Pro Cordless vacuum cleaner review
Cordless stick
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The best vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair
9lbs / 4.1kg
- Samsung Jet 85
Our experts' verdict:Specifications:
0.8L
- More reasons to buy: Outstanding pet hair removal, ergonomic design, easy maneuverability
- More reasons to avoid: Not so great on carpet
If you own pets and are questioning how best to accommodate their shedding, turn to the Samsung Jet 85 – it excels in picking up pet hair from hardwood floors, leaving them spotless. Comfortable to hold and easy to navigate, this powerhouse ascends to the top of our list for pet owners seeking to minimize their clean-up efforts.
44 mins
Although it's not so effective on carpet, the Jet 85 delivers superior cleaning performance on hardwood floors. Its slightly generous dust bin is a plus for those dealing with larger volumes of fur.
Read our full Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner review
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The best vacuum for small homes with hardwood floors
5. Dyson V12 Detect Slim
- Dyson V12 Detect Slim
Our experts' verdict:Specifications:
Cordless stick
- More reasons to buy: Compact design, high-tech features, lightweight, convenient one-press button
- More reasons to avoid: Small dust bin, trigger operation
For those living in smaller homes with a preference for a more compact vacuum, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is an ideal choice. Although it's smaller and lighter than Dyson's flagship models, it boasts an almost identical range of advanced features, including a dedicated soft brush for hardwood floors, bright laser illumination, and real-time cleaning reports. The one-press button ensures easy operation, as opposed to the trigger-based V15.
5.2 lbs / 2.4 kg
While the V12 Detect Slim's dust bin is rather small (0.4L), it should be sufficient for most small homes. On the downside, its trigger operation can be tiresome during extended cleaning sessions, necessitating two hands for all-out cleaning action.
Read our full Dyson V12 Detect Slim review
0.4L
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The best ultra-premium vacuum for hardwood floors
60mins
- Dyson Gen5detect
Our experts' verdict:Specifications:
- More reasons to buy: State-of-the-art tech, powerful suction, enhanced laser design
- More reasons to avoid: Expensive, heavier design
If you're willing to splurge, the Gen5detect offers the crème de la crème of Dyson vacuums, renowned for its cutting-edge technology, enhanced laser design, and improved particle detection. As the latest in Dyson's line of premium vacuums, it eclipses the V15 Detect in both performance and technology, while adhering to the same design ethos.
6. Dyson Gen5detect
The main upgrades include a new motor, delivering increased power, and a modified laser on the Fluffy Optic cleaner floorhead, providing superior illumination of dust on hardwood floors – especially important for perfectionists. Despite the added power and technology, it's still an excellent choice for small homes, as it has the same dust cup capacity as the V15 (0.8L).
Read our full Dyson Gen5detect review
Cordless stick
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The best vacuum for hardwood floors: specs compared
7.7 lbs / 3.5kg
| Model | Type | Vac weight | Bin size | Max runtime || -----------------|-----------|------------|-----------|--------------|| Dreame R20 | Cordless stick | 6 lbs / 2.7 kg | 0.6L | 90 mins || Dyson V15 Detect | Cordless stick | 6.8 lbs / 3.1 kg | 0.8L | 60 mins || Shark Detect Pro Cordless | Cordless stick | 6 lbs / 2.76 kg | 0.4L (vac) + 1.3L / 2L in base | 40 mins (US), 60 mins (UK) || Samsung Jet 85 | Cordless stick | 9 lbs / 4.1 kg | 0.8L | 44 mins || Dyson V12 Detect Slim | Cordless stick | 5.2 lbs / 2.4 kg | 0.4L | 60 mins || Dyson Gen5detect | Cordless stick | 7.7 lbs / 3.5 kg | 0.8L | 70 mins |
How to choose the best vacuum for hardwood floors
0.8L
Selecting the right vacuum for your hardwood floors requires careful consideration of a few key factors. Firstly, determine the type of hardwood floor you have. Solid wood flooring that is uncoated or unsealed requires a gentle touch, so opt for lightweight stick vacuums with soft brushrolls. In contrast, sealed or coated hardwood flooring can tolerate the use of larger upright models, offering increased suction power and a larger bin capacity.
Secondly, factor in the amount of carpet or rugs in your home. It's likely that some of your floors will still feature carpet or rugs, so you'll require a vacuum capable of cleaning all surface types. Most vacuums come with adjustable floor settings, while some even incorporate automatic detection of floor types.
70 mins
Lastly, take note of each vacuum's performance when cleaning edges and under furniture. On hardwood floors, the dirt and dust tend to gather around the edges and under furniture, so choose a model that can negotiate these obstacles effectively.
Here are the sentences that contain the given words, ['lifestyle', 'home-and-garden'] and follow from the text:
- For busy households, the Shark Detect Pro Cordless Auto-Empty System offers an efficient lifestyle, minimizing effort and reducing mess when emptying the dustbin.
- If you're dreaming of less effort when it comes to cleaning your hardwood floors and home-and-garden, this vacuum's self-emptying dock will save you plenty of time.
