Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Shop what we use in our homes every day.
If you take cleaning as seriously as we do, then you know a good vacuum is worth every penny. But finding the right one for your home can get complicated. Our editors have tried them all, and we're here to let you know which are actually effective for everyday messes. These are the vacuums we personally recommend for hardwood floors, ranging from trusted Dysons to robot vacuums.
From excess pet (and human) hair to microscopic dust, our tried and true vacuums inhale debris with ease, but it doesn’t stop there. Some of our favorites feature mopping capabilities to handle both wet and dry messes. Others have helpful features like self-cleaning and self-emptying, or a bendable wand that can reach underneath furniture without straining your back. No matter which vacuum you choose, we can personally guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
Some vacuums will scratch or scuff hardwood flooring, so it's best to look for one with soft bristles, a fluffy brush roll, or a microfiber cleaning head. The vacuum should also feature rubber or rubber-coated wheels that glide smoothly across the floor; hard plastic wheels can potentially leave marks on the floor. To make cleaning as easy as possible, look for a vacuum that's lightweight and easy to maneuver around curves, corners, and furniture.
This Shark vacuum has powerful suction with two brush rolls, and it can achieve a close clean at corners. It features a bendable wand that allows you to easily get underneath furniture. But its standout feature is its self-emptying docking station that can store up to 45 days' worth of debris.
Editor Review: "The suction on this vacuum is really powerful. So powerful, in fact, that it's pulled me along as I've been vacuuming the rug in my living room to the point where I've had to consistently keep it on ECO mode for fear of it knocking into and scuffing my coffee table. The different attachments are great as well, specifically the duster crevice tool, which we've used to clean out an excess of lint from our dryer's lint catcher. It does a wonderful job on hardwood and carpet to pick up hair, crumbs, scraps of paper, and (unfortunately) the spare cat toy or two," says assistant editor Meghan Shouse in her in-depth review.
| HEPA Filter | Yes |
|---|---|
| Attachments | 3 |
| Run Time | Up to 70 minutes |
| Weight | 8 lbs |
The Gen5Detect Absolute Vacuum is one of Dyson's most powerful vacuums. It's made for those who hate dust, with a laser light that illuminates particles on the floor as you clean. It has technology that will automatically adjust the suction power according to the floor type and dust volume, ensuring more power is directed to dirtier spaces. With a 70-minute run time, it's able to tackle larger spaces when fully charged.
Editor Review: "Its suction is noticeable from the start, picking up fine dust particles and heavy crumbs with equal ease. While many stick vacuums struggle on slick or uneven surfaces like tile, I've found that my Dyson had no trouble effectively cleaning these floor types. The green laser on its Fluffy Optic cleaner head is supremely helpful at identifying dirty corners in my home. The green laser illuminates particles on my floor and makes it so easy to identify areas I've already cleaned—or where I might need to make a second pass," says commerce editor Samantha Jones in her review.
| HEPA Filter | Yes |
|---|---|
| Attachments | 5 |
| Run Time | Up to 70 minutes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs |
Weighing around 7 pounds, this cordless vacuum is perfect for swift movement throughout your home, from hard flooring to dusting curtains and ceiling corners. It has an LED display screen that lets you know the battery level and when to clean the brush roller, filter, and dust sensor, so you can maintain the vacuum in optimal condition. It also notifies you when dust is detected and cleaned, which comes in handy on light-toned fabrics or flooring.
Editor Review: "The Tineco Pure ONE S11 vacuum was actually at the top of my Christmas list last year. I was ready for a cordless vacuum to handle all the weird nooks and crannies of my apartment. With light-colored hardwood floors, debris gathers quickly, and it’s pretty visible. This vacuum makes short work of it. It’s easy to handle, has an LED light that identifies hidden dust, and a monitor that lets me know where the dirtiest areas of my apartment are," says associate shopping editor Janae McKenzie.
| HEPA Filter | Yes |
|---|---|
| Attachments | 4 |
| Run Time | 40 minutes |
| Weight | 7.1 lbs |
Keep your hardwood flooring clean at all times and outsource the hard work to Roborock's Saros 10R Robot Vacuum and Mop. It's thin enough to clean underneath furniture, but also has sensors that can detect cables and navigate through obstacles up to 4 centimeters high. Plus, it cleans and maintains itself with the docking station.
Editor Review: "I have a dog, Willow, who sheds blonde fur everywhere, and I couldn't keep up with the daily vacuuming of her fluff balls, so I decided to get a robo vac and it was life changing," Senior Commerce Editor Marina Liao says. "The brand came recommended to me by several friends, and I opted for this model because it has both wet and dry cleaning options, it self-empties into a dust bin, it pairs with an app so you can start cleanings remotely, and it is whisper quiet. I love to run it when I'm about to go to the gym, and it just goes and does its thing, switching from wet mop to dry cleaning when it goes from my hardwood onto my rugs. I'm amazed at how 'smart' the sensors are and it's ability to navigate around all my furniture. I haven't had to change the dust bin yet, even months after using it, so it definitely holds a ton of debris. Best of all, Willow doesn't run to hide from the robo vac like she does when I take out the Dyson because the Roborock is SO quiet."
| HEPA Filter | Yes |
|---|---|
| Attachments | Mopping pads |
| Run Time | 180 minutes |
| Weight | 25.5 pounds (but doesn't require lifting) |
Dyson's best-selling V8 cordless vacuum is an entry-level option that lasts for years. It has a 40-minute runtime with two cleaning modes, one for everyday cleaning and a max mode for intensive spot cleaning. It can easily turn into a handheld vacuum and tackle whole-home cleaning with its four attachments.
Editor Review: "I have had the V8 for four years, and I still love it. It really does pick up every little thing on my floors—especially hair. I don't know how, but even after I do a thorough clean, there are still hairs all over the place, and zooming over them with the V8 (whether on the stick or with an attachment) gets them all up instantly. I will say, it runs out of battery after about 15 minutes of use (but that could be because it's a bit older), but it charges fast. Luckily, I live in a one-bedroom, so it doesn't take long to go over the floors. It also takes months for the dust canister to fill up. Emptying it is kind of gross, but you don't have to touch anything to get it done. Just lightly pull on the red tab, and the 'trap door' opens, releasing all of the dirt and grime," says associate shopping editor Jessica Cherner.
| HEPA Filter | Yes |
|---|---|
| Attachments | 4 |
| Run Time | 40 minutes |
| Weight | 5.9 lbs |
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is very similar to the Gen5Detect with one major upgrade: It comes with a wet/dry mop attachment. The Submarine head makes this a comprehensive cleaning machine that can vacuum and mop with its motorized wet roller. As it cleans your hard flooring, it collects the dirty water and debris in a separate compartment. It's also compatible with gentle, common floor detergents, so you don't have to buy an additional specialized solution.
Editor Review: "I use my V15s Detect Submarine nearly every day to keep my home clean. The mop head, along with some Fabuloso, thoroughly cleans stuck-on gunk in the kitchen and makes my bathroom flooring look pristine in just a few minutes. The roller picks up everything from crumbs to hair without getting tangled. It's very easy to clean as well, and just requires a quick rinse in the sink. I ditched all my other floor cleaning devices and products, because this handles it all. Just like the Gen5Detect, it also comes with the fluffy optic motor head that lets me see and suck up all the tiny dust particles. I love using the hair screw tool to maintain my beige couches and the crevice tool to handle those tight corners and spaces," says commerce editor Anvita Reddy.
| HEPA Filter | Yes |
|---|---|
| Attachments | 6 |
| Run Time | 70 minutes |
| Weight | 9 lbs |
How "Swedish Death Cleaning" Can Eliminate Clutter for Good
7 Editor-Backed Air Purifiers for Allergy Season
Designers Agree: Every Home Needs a "Li-bar-y"
5 Non-Tacky Ways to Style Your Books
