Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors ( Including Laminate) Uk REview Guide

The only occasions where you don’t need a vacuum cleaner for hard floors is if you don’t have any. If your house is fully carpeted, then this type of vacuum cleaner is not going to do you any good.

Other than that, there is no other reason why you shouldn’t go out and pick up one of these nifty vacuums.

You might be thinking why you need a hard floor vacuum cleaner, and what makes it different from a regular vacuum.

You can find out more about the latter in the next section, but here we are going to tell you why you need a hard floor vacuum cleaner, especially if you have hardwood flooring.

Having a vacuum cleaner that has been specially designed to deal with your hardwood floors can help to improve its overall condition and also increase the lifespan of your flooring.

It cleans them more effectively and efficiently, ensuring that your floors are not only kept in perfect condition, but also making sure that they are well looked after. 

A regular vacuum cleaner, or one that works primarily for carpets, can cause damage to your hardwood floors over time, causing wear and tear and negatively affecting its overall condition and potentially damaging the floor.

Regular vacuum cleaners often use a powered brush, and this is often too rough on hard floors, causing them to become scratched and worn.

You will also find that a regular vacuum cleaner does not clean hard floors as effectively or efficiently as a machine that has been designed especially for these conditions.

They require greater suction and power, particularly if there are gaps between the wood or even the tiles.

Hardwood floors actually tend to produce a lot less friction than carpeted floors, which can lead to the dirt and debris being pushed around instead of sucked up. As a result, you need more power and suction in order to clean the floors properly. 

Hardwood vacuum cleaners come in all shapes and sizes. You might find some for around £50, but the prices can go all the way up to over £400. It depends on the brand, but also the quality and design of the machine.

If you want something good and effective for your hardwood floors, you should be looking at spending between £200 and £250 on your vacuum cleaner.

While there are some models that are lower in price that can be just as good, you are safer sticking with this price bracket.

This is a slightly trickier question to answer, as you will find there are loads of different types of hardwood vacuum cleaner. Here are some of the main types that you might come across.

Handheld vacuum cleaners tend to be the cheapest on the market, and they are also some of the best for small messes and clean-ups.

Generally speaking, they aren’t the most powerful machines out there, but they will do a great job on what you need them to. Plus, many of them work very well on hardwood floors, helping you to avoid damage.

Upright vacuum cleaners are a very popular choice, and once again, there are many brands and models to choose from to help you tackle your hard floors.

These are often very compact and easy to store away, but they can be heavier than other types of vacuum cleaner. Some will have a lift-away feature where you can take the main body of the vacuum off for easier transportation as well as stair cleaning.

Cylinder vacuums are also a great one to choose. If you are wondering what they look like, think of a Numatic Henry or some of the smaller models of Dyson.

These tend to be closer to the ground, and are lighter in terms of weight because they wheel along behind you. There are plenty of these vacuum cleaners on the market that work very well on hardwood floors, as well as tile and laminate. 

One of the first things you will want to look at is the price range. Once you have determined how much you have to spend, you can start to filter the models available to you accordingly. Here’s how the pricing tends to go for hardwood vacuum cleaners:

Cheap: under £50

• In this price bracket, you are likely to find handheld vacuum cleaners and not much else. These are great for small messes and surfaces, but not so great for cleaning the whole house.

Budget: under £100

• You are likely to find a mixture of vacuum cleaners here. The higher end handheld models and the lower end cylinder and upright vacuums will be here. Although, you might find yourself a good quality bargain.

Mid-Range: under £250

• You may find some great quality cylinder vacuum cleaners from brands like Numatic here. These tend to be very good for cleaning without costing a fortune. There will also be uprights and a few handhelds in this price bracket.

High-End: over £250

• Big names like Dyson and Shark tend to be in this price range, and you can expect to find quite a few (corded and cordless) when searching for hardwood vacuum cleaners. There are also a number of great cylinder vacuums in this bracket from leading brands.

Power is essential for hard floors, and there is a very good reason for this. Hardwood floors tend to have gaps between the planks, and it is very easy for dust and debris to become trapped between them.

As a result, you need a machine with very powerful suction that can lift the grime from these tricky areas – especially as a brush roll is not going to be able to reach that far down to pull out the debris.

It also means that it will be better at picking up large debris. Of course, if you have hard floors with no gaps, the suction isn’t as important.

The weight is also a feature that you need to think about. How much weight are you able to handle? Do you want something that is easy to carry up the stairs? It is important to know what you want before you start looking at vacuum cleaners.

Handheld models are the lightest but the least effective, whereas cylinder vacuums are a relatively lightweight form that can act as a good middle ground.

Vacuum cleaners need to be stored away when they aren’t in use, even if it’s only to keep it out of your way. Take some time to consider how much storage space you have for a vacuum cleaner.

Do you have a tall and slim place for an upright model, or would a shorter and squatter cylinder vacuum be the better option? Look also for storage on the actual vacuum, things like a clip for the main floor head or the accessories.

Do you want a corded or a cordless model? Cordless models mean that there are no cables to trip over, and that you don’t have to keep jumping between sockets. However, they do run out of charge, and you might not have enough time to clean your home.

Corded models can offer more power and suction, but they can also be less convenient and trickier to store. They both have pros and cons, so it really comes down to your personal preferences.

Many standard vacuum cleaners come with powered brush bars for cleaning, but with a hard floor vacuum, this is something you do not want.

The brush bars are made to really dig into the carpet to remove dirt and grime, but this also means that it can scratch your hard floors, leaving them looking worn and damaged.

The rolling brush is gentle on your hard floors, and is also able to pick all the debris up without scattering it.

Most cylinder vacuums will have wheel padding, which ensures that your hard floors are not scratched or damaged by the vacuum running behind you. While this feature is most commonly found on cylinder vacuum cleaners, some upright models have it too.

You also need to think about whether it will be able to deal with all the pet hair in your home (if you have them), as well as if the filter is going to be good enough.

Some filters for pet vacuum cleaners will neutralise the odours or produce a fragrant scent to leave your home smelling fresh.

If you have asthma or allergies, you will also want to ensure that the filter captures the majority of dust and allergens without pushing it back into the air.

Attachments are a vacuum cleaner’s saving grace, and there are many models that will come with a variety of tools for you to use. However, there are three main ones that you should always keep an eye out for:

• Crevice tool (for the tight corners and skirting)
• Dusting brush (for surfaces and delicate areas)
• Upholstery tool (for furniture and the inside of your car)

Similarly, if you have pets, you will want to look out for a turbo tool (or something similarly named) that can really work your flooring with a little extra suction to ensure that all the fluff and dirt is removed effectively.

It’s no secret that there are some seriously loud vacuum cleaners on the market, but there are also models that are quite quiet in comparison.

Always take a look at the decibels to see how noisy the machine is going to be before you buy, especially if you want something a little quieter.

Some people prefer bagged vacuum cleaners, as the debris is tightly contained and it can be much easier for asthma and allergy sufferers to empty them. However, they can be quite expensive to replace, and some models have made them tricky to install.

Bagless vacuums are becoming the most popular choice as you can see when the canister is about to fill, but they also empty at the press of a button. They are a convenient choice for many.

The warranty is an important consideration to make. Most will last a minimum of one year, but you should check to see if they can be extended. It is also important to ensure that they cover parts and labour so that you are fully protected.