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Best Cheap Vacuum For Hardwood Floors - Guide and Reviews
As one of the most desirable features of many modern homes, hardwood floors add a touch of class and old world style, and they don’t trap allergens and dirt like carpeted floors. However, despite the benefits of hardwood floors, you will want a vacuum cleaner to keep them looking tidy and dust free, as they do tend to show collected dirt and pet hair more visibly than carpeting. Choosing the right vacuum cleaner for your hardwood floor without breaking the bank can seem like a rather daunting chore. However, as a homeowner with a hardwood floor who keeps many fur-bearing pets, I have researched this topic at length and selected the top five best cheap vacuums for hardwood floors currently available. Let’s take a look at what to consider when finding the right vacuum cleaner for your home, and how to ensure that your vacuum has everything you need to keep your home looking its best without adding wear and tear or damaging the finish of your hardwood floors.
5 Best Cheap Vacuum For Hardwood Floors
Picture | Name | Price | Rating |
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Recommended 5 Best Cheap Vacuum for Hardwood Floors Reviews
The following products all made this list because of three important criteria:
- Hardwood compatibility
- Customer satisfaction
- Low cost
Take a look at these five vacuums that are easy on both hardwood floors and your budget.
Editor Rating:
Thanks to their years of experience in vacuum cleaner design and manufacture, Bissell is able to offer some powerful capabilities and features at very affordable prices. A pet vacuum of any kind typically carries a higher price tag, and I think this one is just perfect for small area cleanup of hardwood floors or on tile flooring. Here’s what makes this model unique in terms of pros and cons:
PROS
CONS
Editor Rating:
As one of the premier names in vacuum cleaner design and manufacture, Hoover products have quite the reputation to live up to thanks to their household name. Fortunately, the Linx Bagless Corded Cyclonic Stick Vacuum is a lightweight champion in its own right that is perfect for cleaning hardwood floors. Take a look at what makes this vacuum special:
PROS
CONS
Editor Rating:
The aptly named cannister vacuum from Bissell has one of the highest customer ratings of any vacuum in this guide, and it offers tremendous value for its cost. I am bit biased towards canister vacuums, but this model is really quite impressive for its size. Let’s take a look at what makes the 4122 stand out from the crowd.
PROS
CONS
Editor Rating:
If you want a powerful stick vacuum that doubles as dustbuster/canister vacuum, the VonHaus 600W 2-in-1 Corded Upright Stick/Handheld Vacuum is definitely the way to go. Take a look at what this lightweight powerhouse has to offer:
PROS
CONS
Editor Rating:
A long established household name in vacuum cleaners, Dirt Devil has designed the SD20505 to be an exceptionally powerful stick vacuum that is ideal for cleaning hard flooring and hardwood flooring alike. Take a look at what this mini-marvel has to offer:
PROS
CONS
My favorite vacuum out of this selection is definitely the Bissell Zing Canister Vacuum. It has terrific customer satisfaction ratings, it’s super lightweight and compact, and it has numerous convenience features that make operation and storage a breeze. If I were going to buy a new canister vacuum to clean my hardwood floors (I freely admit that I am biased as I own a canister vacuum), the Bissell Zing is my first choice due to its versatility and durability. Get one for yourself and experience the difference a good canister vacuum can make in maintaining and preserving your hardwood floors.
What To Look For In a Vacuum for Hardwood Floors
There are so many vacuum cleaner options out there today for consumers and professionals, and so every model often has so many different features and considerations to take into account that it can be positively overwhelming. You can read online professional and consumer reviews and still be no closer to a decision even after all that research. Fortunately, I’ve narrowed what to look for down to a handful of considerations. Take a look at these factors that directly affect protecting your hardwood floors and helping you maintain them for years to come.
Key Features To Consider
Make Sure There Are No Beater Brushes
Examine the head of the vacuum for any rotary brushes covered in thick bristles. Vacuums like this should be avoided because they are amazing at getting dirt out of carpeting and upholstery, but they are absolute murder on the finish of a good hardwood floor. At the same time, keep in mind that many vacuums also have a switch or lever you can adjust to disable beater brushes specifically for vacuuming hardwood flooring.
Rubber/Felt Stripe Padding
Since you will obviously be moving the head of the vacuum back and forth across the surface of your hardwood floors, it is essential to make sure that it has a rubber or felt stripe padding around the edges of the vacuum head itself. This will prevent the vacuum head from scratching up the flooring with its sharp edges, and keep your floor looking new no matter how often you vacuum.
Strong Suction Power
This is probably the most important factor to consider. Thanks to the porous nature of hardwood, tiny grains of dirt can become easily lodged in the surface of the wood, as well as in between the joints of the floor panels themselves. A vacuum that is took weak to suction those away from the floor is not going to function well on hardwood flooring at all, so make sure that the vacuum has powerful suction before making a final buying decision.
Lightweight and Compact Designs
Since you are cleaning a delicate wood surface, you want to make sure that your vacuum cleaner is not so heavy that even dragging a padded vacuum head and rubber wheels over the flooring can cause additional wear and tear. Obviously, this is less of a concern with modern vacuum cleaners with their ultra-lightweight materials, but it is still a factor worth considering when choosing a good vacuum cleaner for your hardwood floor.
How To Choose The Right Style Vacuum for Your Home
Vacuums come in all shapes and sizes, and there is one out there for you once you figure out exactly what it is you want, need, and what will work for you. Here are some important questions to ask yourself when deciding on a style of vacuum.
- Should you go bagless, or get a vacuum with a disposable bag?
- Is a canister vacuum with some extra horsepower better than a light stick vacuum for smaller rooms?
- Should you get a full size upright, or a handheld that’s easy to move room to room and between floors?
- Do you need a vacuum specifically designed for cleaning up after pets, or will a regular vacuum be fine?
- Do you want an automated/robotic vacuum?
- Is a backpack vacuum a good option for you? (They are much easier on the back and don’t require you to hunch over while cleaning)
No matter what you end up choosing for your home, just make sure the vacuum is hardwood friendly and lightweight so that it doesn’t damage the finish of your flooring. The key features definitely take precedence over style though, so no matter how much you love that shiny red Dirt Devil, if it’s not hardwood floor compatible, it’s not the right vacuum for your.
About the Author David Perez
I have a passion for clean floors and living areas, so it is no surprise that I know a lot about vacuum cleaners and how to clean different surfaces. Sharing this knowledge gives me a lot of pleasure which is why I started this blog and I hope everyone who needs help will find the help they are looking for here.