Best Vacuum For Hardwood Floors – Cheaper Than You Think

Ihave done a pretty extensive search on the best vacuum for hardwood floors and it appears that from the hundreds of vacuum cleaners that claim hardwood floor capabilities, only a few can really claim to be any good.

You might be inclined to start your search at some of the more well-known and costly vacuum cleaner brands but some of them are so large and heavy that they put pressure on your hard floors and end up scratching them.

Some of the cheaper models may also have plastic wheels which tend to pick small dirt and sand particles over time which will scratch also.

Anyway, I have narrowed down a long list of contenders to the following vacuum cleaners. I hope you find something here that is suitable for your purposes!

Hoover Linx.

I should mention right from the outset that the Hoover Linx is a stick vacuum, and it is cordless. If you love your canister vacuums or otherwise then I urge you to keep going down the list.

Very affordably priced at around $140, the Linx is as attractive as it is effective at cleaning your hardwood flooring.

As I said, it is a cordless solution but it has an 18-volt Lithium-ion battery which does not fade with time. In other words, the battery will last for a certain period of time and then simply stop, rather than gradually decreasing output and making your life difficult.

Ideally it would be best suited to people in apartments or smallish houses – basically any place where the amount of vacuuming to be done in the house does not exceed the life of the battery (unless you have a back-up of course!).

Other great features include:

• Motorized power brush, which can be turned off.
• Edge-cleaning bristles – we all know how hard it can be to vacuum the edge of a hardwood floor with a traditional vacuum cleaner.
• 2 year warranty on both the vacuum and the battery/charger combo.
• Bagless system which is very easy to empty and handle, incorporating the proprietary Hoover WindTunnel technology with increases suction power.

Overall this is a great vacuum cleaner, touted by many as the best vacuum cleaner for hardwood floors. It will do soft areas of course but if you are after a quick and easy solution to keeping the hard surfaces clean then the Linx may be your best bet.

In theory the limited battery life would not be a problem if you did not have that much hardwood to vacuum. If you think you have maybe more than 20 or 30 minutes (max) worth of work, then look elsewhere or consider staggering your cleaning routine if you really want the Linx.

Whatever you end up doing, don’t buy the thing and then complain afterwards that the battery runs down on you all the time.  Like all purchasing decisions we must go into things with our eyes wide open.

Need more information? Read the Hoover Linx review here.

Miele Olympus S2120

If you have never heard of the Miele Olympus S2120 then you are in for a real treat. Miele are a German manufacturer who have a brilliant reputation for quality in the vacuum cleaner industry. You might also have a Miele fridge, dishwasher or oven in your home too. Their name is largely synonymous with excellence.

This is a canister vacuum cleaner for all you canister lovers but importantly, it does not suffer from the lack of maneuverability and agility that some of the short and stumpy competitors do.

Priced at around $300, this is the cheapest Miele vacuum cleaner that you can buy. However, I don’t want you to think that cheap equals poor quality, because it certainly doesn’t in this case.

What do you get for that extra amount of cash?

• High quality, reliably-made parts and components.
• 6-speed adjustable power control setting. Choose from between 200 watts and 1200 watts of power to vacuum your delicate and more robust surfaces respectively.
• Efficient HEPA filter, perfect for allergy-suffering families.
• Useful tools including upholstery nozzle, crevice brush and dusting brush.
• 7 year warranty on the motor and casing and a 1 year warranty on all non-wearing parts.

Aside from raw numbers though, this vacuum is just plainly and simply a pleasure to use. It is light, and quiet and sucks well.

Of course, the lightness of the Olympus S2120 means that it is a perfect vacuum cleaner for hardwood floors and the wheels won’t damage them either.

One of the things I also like is the fact that you can get down really low and vacuum under tables and other furniture, which is where a lot of the dirt and fluff seems to accumulate unfortunately.

The head will just swivel with your movement to allow perfect suction at extreme angles which aren’t possible with other vacuum cleaners.

Definitely consider the Olympus if you want to step up from a cheap $50 department store vacuum cleaner, I doubt you will know what hit you.

Need more info? Read the Miele Olympus S2120 review.

Electrolux EL6984A UltraSilencer

If you are looking for something a little off the beaten path as it were, then have a look at the Electrolux EL6984A. Priced between the Linx and Olympus at around $215, many people have reported their satisfaction at the performance of this canister vacuum cleaner on their hardwood flooring.

Furthermore, this is one of the few green vacuum cleaners on the market. Not green in color (although there is a little green on it), but environmentally green. In fact, around 55% of the vacuum itself is made from recycled plastic and 80% of the packaging is recycled too. Quite impressive really.

Like the Olympus, it has adjustable suction power but it is not as versatile as the Miele. Still, it is a nice feature to have in any capacity.

What else will you like about it?

• Supremely quiet operation (rated at under 60 decibels operation noise).
• Washable HEPA filter.
• Light and agile.
• Self-winding cord which is always a plus.
• Foot operated on/off button.

It should be noted that this vacuum cleaner uses bags, but they are very easy to empty and use in general, so don’t be put off.

It also has soft wheels with are kind to your hardwood floors and the versatility to be able to pick up any sort of household dirt really makes the EL6984A a sound option.

This is a great vacuum for the price because it has a lot of the features (and then some) that you would expect in a good canister vacuum cleaner.

A host of attachments are included, like a carpet and floor nozzle, crevice tool, telescopic tube for more out-of-the-way areas and a nozzle/brush combination tool for the car.

The fact that you are doing your bit for the environment is a nice touch too and even when the thing does eventually bite the dust, 90% of it will be recycled into something else.

Filed under: Hardwood floor vacuum cleaners

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