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Best cordless vacuums for hardwood floors

Our top pick is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. On hard floors you want a soft roller that picks up fine dust without scattering it. We favor models owners say leave wood and tile spotless.

If you only read one thing

Our top pick for hardwood is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim: it suits you if you live in a smaller home or apartment with mostly hard floors. If you want the least hassle over the years, look at the Dyson V15 Detect.

Questions people actually ask

What is the best cordless vacuum for hardwood?

The Dyson V12 Detect Slim. It suits you if you live in a smaller home or apartment with mostly hard floors.

Based on: Highest score of the 7 cordless vacuums we rank for hardwood.

What is the most reliable cordless vacuum for hardwood?

The Dyson V15 Detect. It's the least likely to give you trouble.

Based on: Reliability 71; problems mentioned by 12% of owners.

Which cordless vacuum for hardwood are people happiest with?

The Dyson V15 Detect. People who live with it are the most satisfied.

Based on: Owners score 86, from ratings and comments.

How much should I spend on a cordless vacuum for hardwood?

The top-rated ones start around $249 and go up to about $900. The Dreame Z30 is the lowest-priced of the leaders.

Based on: US prices quoted in expert reviews and at Amazon.com for the six highest-scoring models.

What should I look for in a cordless vacuum for hardwood?

On hard floors you want a soft roller that picks up fine dust without scattering it. We favor models owners say leave wood and tile spotless.

Based on: What expert reviews and owners stress for this need.

The leaderboard

60% overall score · 40% fit for this need
  1. 01Dyson V12 Detect Slim

    Dyson V12 Detect Slim

    Light, easy, and great on hard floors, but the bin is tiny

    EXPOWNREL78
    57 for this need2 of 8 expert reviews recommend it for this
  2. 02Dyson V15 Detect

    Dyson V15 Detect

    A powerful, clever cordless vacuum that's pricey and tiring to hold

    EXPOWNREL83
    54 for this need1 of 10 expert reviews recommend it for this
  3. 03Shark Stratos Cordless

    Shark Stratos Cordless

    A strong, smart cleaner on any floor, but heavy with short battery

    EXPOWNREL69
    50 for this need1 of 7 expert reviews recommend it for this
  4. 04Dyson Gen5detect

    Dyson Gen5detect

    A superb, powerful cleaner, but it's heavy and very expensive

    EXPOWNREL76
    47 for this need1 of 12 expert reviews mention it as a strength
  5. 05Dyson V8

    Dyson V8

    A light, easy Dyson for smaller homes, with short battery life

    EXPOWNREL66
    43 for this need1 of 6 expert reviews mention it as a strength
  6. 06Dreame Z30

    Dreame Z30

    Strong, affordable Dyson alternative, with questions about battery life and durability

    EXPOWNREL68
    41 for this need
  7. 07Shark Wandvac System

    Shark Wandvac System

    Light, handy grab-and-go vacuum for quick messes, not whole-home cleaning

    EXPOWNREL64
    38 for this need

Fit = share of expert reviews that recommend it for this, plus what owners report on the related topics. How we score.