What is the best vacuum for hardwood floors and carpets?

The current vacuum cleaner landscape has yielded many models that can deal with clearing debris on linoleum floors and dense shag carpeting, not to mention almost everything in between. But, cleaning performance isn’t the sole criterion for a decent multi-surface vacuum. To cope with a variety of different surface types, having an adjustable floor and power setting is helpful, not to mention a reconfigurable design for cleaning large areas and tight spaces like the inside of a car.

We examined over 130 vacuum cleaners, and our suggestions for the best vacuums for diverse surfaces are shown below. These picks are chosen not only for their effectiveness on various surfaces, but also for their design and pricing. Other purchase suggestions may be found on our lists of the best hardwood vacuums, best vacuums for high-pile carpet, and best vacuums for stairs.

 

1. Best Multi-Surface Vacuum

   Vacuum Type
   Canister

   Bagless
   No

   Cordless
   No

   Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
   Yes

   Wet Compatible
   No

   The SEBO Airbelt D4 is the best vacuum for hardwood and carpet that we’ve tested. With a simple straight-suction floorhead and a strong 1250 W motor, this high-end canister vacuum can quickly clean trash on bare floors and low and high-pile carpet. If you want to clean a lot of shag-pile carpeting, it’s advised that you invest in SEBO’s ET-1 or broader ET-2 powerhead, which is one of the most efficient carpet cleaning attachments on the market. The handle-mounted rocker switch gives you a precise level of control over the vacuum’s suction output, enabling you to adapt to different surface types on the fly. Recurrent expenditures are cheap, particularly for a bagged vacuum, since it employs high-capacity dirtbags and filters that last for years before having to be replaced. The build quality is excellent, and the canister body is protected by a cushion to keep it from scratching your walls.

   While its four caster-mounted wheels make it somewhat maneuverable for a vacuum of this weight and size, you might want to consider the Miele Complete C3 if you need something a little smaller, lighter, and easier to use in cluttered environments. The Miele, on the other hand, has a shorter range and greater ownership expenses because to its smaller dirtbags and less lasting filters. Conversely, if you want to go completely cordless, the Dyson V15 Detect is one of the most powerful cordless vacuums we’ve tested and delivers a correspondingly strong cleaning performance. It is, however, prone to become caught on thicker rugs and carpets.

   See our review

2. Best Upper Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum

   Vacuum Type
   Stick/Handheld

   Bagless
   Yes

   Cordless
   Yes

   Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
   Yes

   Wet Compatible
   No

   The Samsung Jet 90 Complete is the finest vacuum cleaner for carpet and hardwood we’ve tested in the upper mid-range price range. This cordless stick vacuum comes with two floorheads: one with a soft roller for better dirt collection on hard floors and one with bristles for better surface agitation on carpets. When used with the proper floorhead, it operates well on bare floors and is quite effective on carpets. It’s also compatible with a specialized mopping floorhead, which employs a pair of spinning pads to brush away dried-on stains, unlike most other cordless stick vacuums. Nevertheless, its multi-surface floorhead lacks an on/off button and no height adjustment to prevent it from being caught on thick carpets. When combined with its somewhat less powerful suction motor, its deep-cleaning ability falls short of high-end corded counterparts like the SEBO Airbelt D4.

   Battery life is excellent for a cordless vacuum, with over an hour of running in its most energy-efficient mode. If you value deep cleaning performance, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is worth considering. The two vacuums aren’t exactly direct competitors, with the Dyson being a much heavier and bulkier corded bagless upright that’s better suited for longer cleaning sessions. Having said that, it performs well on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet.

   See our review

3. Best Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum

   Vacuum Type
   Upright/Handheld

   Bagless
   Yes

   Cordless
   Yes

   Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
   Yes

   Wet Compatible
   No

   The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is the best vacuum for hardwood and carpet we’ve tested in the mid-price category. Its cordless upright isn’t as agile as a stick vacuum like the Samsung Jet 90 Complete, and its floorhead is much less sophisticated than the ET-1 powerhead on the more powerful SEBO Airbelt D4, with no automated brushroll cutoff or height adjustment. Nonetheless, it is less expensive than either vacuum and still performs well on bare floors. It also removes a significant amount of dirt from low and high-pile carpets, albeit the absence of a height adjustment means it might get clogged on shag-pile carpeting. Its cordless design makes it easier to clean far-away areas than the SEBO, even considering the latter’s nearly 50-feet operating range, and has a higher-capacity dustbin than the Samsung, which won’t need emptying as often.

   When used as an upright vacuum at its usual power level, it can run for roughly 30 to 40 minutes, which is adequate for a cordless vacuum but not very outstanding. If you don’t want to worry about running out of charge and want a comparably-priced corded vacuum, the Miele Classic C1 is a great choice. It has little in common with the Shark, being a bagged canister vacuum, but it offers strong performance and feels better built. Nonetheless, if you want a C1 with a turbo brush or a powerhead, you’ll have to pay a premium, and the base Pure Suction model lacks an electrosocket, which would enable it to take powered floorheads.

   See our review

4. Best Budget Multi-Surface Vacuum

   Vacuum Type
   Stick/Handheld

   Bagless
   Yes

   Cordless
   Yes

   Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
   Yes

   Wet Compatible
   No

   Choose the Wyze Cordless Vacuum if you want to save money on a multi-surface vacuum. This stick vacuum is less sturdily built than the pricier Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away and has the common downside of lacking any floorhead height adjustment settings. This means it may get trapped on rug tassels and dense shag-pile carpets, but it still clears away a lot of material on a variety of surfaces. Its lightweight design makes it simple to remove from a closet and maneuver in crowded areas. The integrated HEPA filter is unusual for a vacuum at this price range and aids in the trapping of tiny allergens such as dust or pet dander. It can operate for around an hour in its most energy-efficient mode, although that soon decreases when more powerful settings are used.

   Looking for a low-cost corded vacuum? The Eureka Mighty Mite is an excellent pick. It’s not a direct rival to the Wyze since it’s a bagged canister vacuum with a limited range, but it’s better suited for extended cleaning sessions because you won’t have to worry about running out of energy. Although its pure suction floorhead lacks a brushroll to give some surface agitation on carpets, it nevertheless performs effectively on bare floors as well as low and high-pile rugs.

   See our review

Recent Updates

1. Jan 20, 2023:
   Ensured that the primary options are the best solution for the user’s requirements. Added Samsung Jet 75 to Notable Mentions and removed less relevant Notable Mentions.
2. Nov 21, 2022:
   Verified that all main picks are still available and represent the best fit for user needs. Picks for Noteworthy Mentions that were less important were removed.
3. Sep 22, 2022:
   Ignorant product category selections were removed. Added Samsung Jet 90 Complete as the new ‘Best Upper Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum’ pick and added Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away as the new ‘Best Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum’ pick. Wyze Cordless Vacuum was included as the ‘Best Affordable Multi-Surface Vacuum’. Noteworthy Mentions were removed that were no longer relevant, and Shark APEX UpLight and Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV were added.
4. Jun 23, 2022:
   SEBO Airbelt D4 has been reclassified as the ‘Best Multi-Surface Canister Vacuum’ selection. Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine and Samsung Jet 70 Pet have been removed from the major recommendations. The iRobot Roomba S9 has been replaced as the ‘Best Multi-Surface Robot Vacuum’ by the Roborock S7. Airsign HEPA Vacuum has been added to the list of Noteworthy Mentions. Removed Dyson Ball Animal 2, Shark APEX UpLight, and Wyze Cordless Vacuum from Notable Mentions.
5. Apr 21, 2022:
   As a ‘Cheaper Option,’ the Wyze Cordless Vacuum was replaced by the Samsung Jet 70 Pet. Added SEBO Airbelt D4 to recommendations as new ‘Alternative With Lower Recurring Costs’ pick. Noteworthy Mentions now include the Wyze Cordless Vacuum and the Samsung Jet 90 Complete.

All Reviews

Our recommendations are based on what we think are currently the best vacuums for multiple surfaces. We base our findings not just on overall performance, but also on availability, pricing, and reader comments.

If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of our vacuum reviews, with considerations made for high performances across different surface types. Take caution not to become too engrossed in the details. While there’s no single best vacuum for multiple surfaces, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.

Related Questions

• Can you use carpet cleaning vacuum on hardwood floors?

  Can you Clean Your Carpets + Hard Surface Floors with One Machine? You certainly can!

• What vacuum will not scratch hardwood floors?

  1. BEST OVERALL: Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum.
  2. Bissell Featherweight Stick Bagless Vacuum is the best bang for your buck.
  3. Bissell Symphony Vac and Steam 2 in 1 is the best wet/dry vacuum.
  4. Miele Complete C2 Hard Floor Canister Vacuum Cleaner is the best canister vacuum cleaner.
  5. Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is the best cordless vacuum cleaner.

• What is the number 1 vacuum cleaner?

  The Dyson V15 Detect is the greatest vacuum cleaner we’ve tested. This high-end stick vacuum is very powerful, with trash collecting capability comparable to many corded versions. It does, however, have the virtue of being quite simple to deploy and move.

• Is it better to sweep or vacuum hardwood floors?

  Is It Necessary to Vacuum a Hardwood Floor? Several varieties of hardwood flooring are prone to scratching. There are floors that are made from more “hard” wood and those might be able to handle a vacuum, but we don’t think it’s worth the risk. As a result, we normally suggest sweeping hardwood floors.