Best Vacuum for Laminate Floors 2018 – Buyer’s Guide

Using laminate floors is becoming a popular choice among homeowners who want an economical flooring choice. However, despite their low cost, this type of floor requires extreme care when cleaning so as to prolong its lifespan.

You would always want this type of floor looking sparkling clean. For this purpose, you need a vacuum cleaner that works best with hard surfaces, just like hardwood floors. All that pet hair, fun time messes and kids’ dirt need the best vacuum cleaner for laminate floors to quickly get rid of.

Most of the vacuum cleaners available are designed to clean carpets and not hard surfaces. Therefore, making the wrong choice might be disastrous for your special floor. It could scratch it, do a lousy cleaning job or both. That is why you need one specifically designed for a laminate floor.

If your online searches for a laminate floor vacuum cleaner is not yielding any positive results, then you are in luck. We have scoured the market for the best products and rolled them into this review article. We have also included a detailed buying guide to make it easier for you to make the best choice.

6 Best Vacuums for Laminate Floors 2018

1. Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik – Best for Versatility

Features

• 25 Amp motor, 120 Volts
• 16-feet power cord
• Crevice tool
• Smooth rolling wheel
• Bagless design
• Rinseable filtration
• Weighs 4.5 pounds
• Multi-surface cleaning

The Dirt Devil is one of the best vacuum cleaners you can acquire to get rid of the stubborn dirt on your laminate floor. It is designed to work both on carpets as well as hard floors with the simple flip of its settings. If that’s not all, this product is also a 2-in-1 type. On one hand, it’s a stick vacuum cleaner, and on the other, it can lift to a hand-held cleaner.

The vacuum’s lightweight design allows you to easily lift from room to room. It is a great feature if you have lots of kid’s rooms to clean after their usual messes. A bagless stick vacuum means that you don’t have to spend a fortune on filter bags. Instead, it has a dirt cup which you can easily empty, together with a filter that can be rinsed.

Powered by a 1.25 Amp motor, the vacuum power generated is sufficient to suck most of the dirt that may be present on your laminate floor. You just have to plug it into a power outlet of 120 volts so that it can produce a constant suction power throughout the cleaning process. To facilitate the portability, this vacuum comes with a 16-foot-long power cord for more convenience.

Once you are through with the floors, you can detach the hand-held vacuum and use it for further cleaning. You can use it to clean pet hairs and crumbs on furniture, dirt on shelves, counters, drapes and upholstery. For tighter spaces, use the onboard crevice tool for a thorough cleaning job. It could be around corners, furniture or around delicate electronics.

2. HOOVER Linx Cordless Stick – Ideal for Multi floor Cleaning

Features

• Cordless operation
• Lithium-ion battery powered
• Battery power (fuel gauge) indicator
• Multi-floor cleaning
• Edge cleaning bristles
• Extreme recline handle
• WindTunnel Technology
• Wide cleaning path
• Bottom-release dirt cup

The Hoover Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum is a great choice for those looking for battery-powered options for cleaning purposes. It provides the convenience of a Fade-Free Lithium-Ion powered battery system. All you have to do is keep it charged and you continue to do your cleaning job. It’s a great alternative in houses where a power cord gets hindered by many obstacles.

An interchangeable battery allows you to use any of those on your other Hoover appliances. The battery powers the Brushroll cleaning technology together with the WindTunnel Technology for a comprehensive cleaning task.

It is a combination that removes deeply embedded and surface dirt from the laminate floor, hard floors, and carpets. Suction channels do all the lifting. When cleaning on laminate floors, remember to use the low brush setting. In this way, the rigorous action does not scratch your floor.

Another great feature is the extreme recline handle. The vacuum can be used at almost considerable angles. This makes it possible to clean under furniture without having to move them around too much. While cleaning on hard surfaces, turn on the edge cleaning bristles. These suck up dirt, pet hair, and dust hidden in hard to reach places.

To enable you to keep track of how much battery power you still have available, a fuel gauge is fitted onto this cleaner. With this feature, you wouldn’t be caught unawares if the power runs out while you are still dusting around. Multi-floor cleaning capability transitions your cleaning from carpet to hardwood and even to laminate floors with minimal fuss.

3. Bissell PowerEdge 81L2A – Boasts of Several Additional Features

Features

• 35 inches cleaning width
• 20 feet power cord
• V-shaped swivel head
• 6 amps motor
• Dirt cup
• Bagless
• Cyclonic technology
• Weighs 7.5 pounds
• Hard floor purpose

The Bissell PowerEdge offers a laminate floor homeowner a great cleaning tool for their delicate flooring. Design features meant to clean hardwood and laminate floors make it one of the standout vacuum cleaners currently available. It is a corded vacuum which comes with a 20 feet power cord.

You can plug it into any 120 volts power outlet in the house to power the 6 Amps suction motor. A unique v-shaped vacuum head with a cleaning path radius of 11.35 inches greatly reduces the number of passes you make when vacuuming. This shape works by directing large sized debris towards the center of the suction path.

The other ends suck in finer and the smaller sized debris. Resultantly, a more thorough cleaning job is done on the floor. The V-shaped head is fitted onto a swivel head. It, therefore, easily turns around obstacles such as furniture legs or around electronics. Even the places around low pile rugs get a thorough scrubbing in the process.

It is a design that eliminates the need for extra attachments or hoses to clean tight spaces. And since it is bagless, a whole lot of workload is taken from you. A cyclonic technology together with the innovative V-shaped suction mechanism makes this vacuum a great option for cleaning pet hair.

During shedding season, pet fur can be a pretty handful during cleaning. However, these techs combine to make the work much easier. Smooth rotating wheels aid in the movement from room to room.

4. Eureka Mighty Mite – Longest Cord Ideal for Cleaning a Larger Radius

Features

• Telescoping Wand
• HEPA filter
• Bagged
• 20 feet cord
• Crevice tool
• 20-amp motor
• Bare floor, stairs, carpets, and upholstery
• 1 dust bag
• Weighs 8.6 pounds

For those who are great admirers of bagged vacuum cleaners (there are still lots of you), the Eureka Might Canister vacuum is a great option. It provides you the classic portability and telescopic wand that’s attributed to bagged vacuum cleaners. The sleek telescopic wand provides excellent reachability under items where compact vacuums wouldn’t reach.

Fitted with a powerful 12 amperes motor, it delivers adequate suction power to carry out deep cleaning. The suction created drives the brush rolls which suck in dirt, dust, and debris from floor and rugs. Despite the powerful motor, this cleaner still weighs considerably low, about 9 pounds. Such a weight can be effortlessly carried from room to room whenever you need to.

An extension wand and a dusting attachment allow homeowners to clean upwards too. You are able to clean ceiling fans, crown molding or even cabinets with the wands. The added long reach makes it possible to remove dirt from every surface in the house. An additional PET power paw acts as a crevice tool for brushing off pet hair from furniture and upholstery.

This product comes with a high filtration dust bag which is great at eliminating pet odors from your house. The bag also captures pet dander which causes allergies. A HEPA filter inside the vacuum cleaner traps airborne pollutants, leaving your home fresh and clean. The 20 feet long power cord winds up nicely at the back of the vacuum after use hence preventing any tangles.

5. HOOVER UH70400 WindTunnel Air –Perfect for Removing Stubborn Dirt

Features

• Brushroll shut off
• Intuitive controls
• WindTunnel Tech
• 2-year warranty
• Bagless
• 30 feet power cord
• Quick-fit Hose
• Rinseable HEPA filter
• Deep-recline handle
• No scuff bumper nozzle
• Weighs 18 pounds
• 11 Amps motor

Those looking for a vacuum cleaner that cleans multiple types of floors might be interested in the HOOVER UH70400. It is among the cleaners we found to be highly regarded among numerous homeowners for cleaning of laminate floors. Weighing about 12 pounds, it provides the sort of maneuverability you might need upstairs and downstairs.

By utilizing a WindTunnel Technology, this product delivers sufficient suction lift. In turn, you are able to dust up both surface and deeply embedded dirt on the laminate floor. A Quick Fit hose mechanism releases its handle by the flip of a switch. You can use this hose to dust areas above floors. It allows for a more comprehensive cleaning job.

There is a 30 feet long power cord which you would use to connect the appliance to a power outlet. The length is long enough to allow you to vacuum a considerably large room. You can do this without having to re-plug in the vacuum after a certain cleaning radius. Another great feature is the inclusion of a carpet and hard floor setting. Simply select one which matches your flooring.

The brush roll can be shut off if you feel it could scratch or damage the delicate laminate floor. You can then turn it on when vacuuming around rugs. A bag less design ensures there are no messes that you would have to deal with thereafter. A push of a button empties the dirt cup provided. To clean under furniture, the recline handle turns all the way to the floor for a better accessibility.

6. Dyson V8 – Best Cordless Powerful Suction

Features

• Hygienic dirt ejector
• HEPA filtration system
• Direct drive head
• Cordless
• Non-motorized tool
• Soft-roller cleaning head
• Energy saving modes
• Hand-held vacuum conversion
• 2-tier radial cyclones
• Docking station after use
• Weighs 5.75 pounds

For those homeowners looking for a cordless, stick, and lightweight vacuuming experience then Dyson V8 is an amazing option to consider. It is probably one of the lightest vacuum cleaners currently available, yet still sucks a great deal of suction. A design versatility which makes it possible to use it as both a handheld and a standup vacuum is another great feature too.

No matter where the dust settles, you can be sure to suck them out with this lightweight vacuum cleaner. The HEPA-certified filter built into this product sucks up and retains as much dust as possible hence leaving your home dust-free. Cleaner air is then dispelled into your room. Once the 0.14 gallons dust bin is full, you can hygienically dispose of it without having to touch it.

For your carpets, additional brush bar power than the previous V6 version is created for an improved hair suction power. It is great at sucking up extra pet hair especially during the intense shedding seasons. This particular model is powered by a Dyson digital motor. This motor has been engineered to pick fine ground dirt form either a carpet or a hard floor.

Direct drive in the cleaner head is a design that enables the stiff nylon bristles to penetrate deeper into carpets. As a result, the deep-lying dirt in the rugs is driven out by the brushes. Otherwise, when cleaning a hardwood or laminate floor, you would want to turn off the brushes for a gentler cleaning action.

An instant release trigger allows you to only turn the cleaner on when working so as to save on battery power.

How to Choose the Best Vacuum for Laminate Floors

When scouring the market for the best vacuums for laminate floors, we used certain criteria to ensure that we ended up with only the best products. The same goes for you too when setting out to buy one for yourself. Here are among the tones of things you will need to keep at the back of your mind.

1. The Type of Vacuum Cleaner

This is probably the first consideration you will have to make. There exist several types of vacuums, with each being well suited to clean delicate laminate floors. Our top picks include some of these types. Here is a description of the types to expect.

2. Presence of Pets in Your House

We believe almost all of us love pets. They are absolutely adorable and can be one of man’s best friends at times. However, when you have one in your house with a laminate floor (or any flooring for that matter) they introduce another dynamic to your choice of vacuum cleaner.

Despite the love we have for them, the hair they leave behind can be a daunting task to clean later. Things might be worse for you if you own a double coated or a long-haired breed of dogs and probably cats. During shedding, be sure to find pet hair everywhere, even on your magnificent laminate floor.

To tackle this little bit of problem, you need a vacuum cleaner that can pick up intense pet hair. Picking them up shouldn’t be enough, it shouldn’t clog in the process, no matter how much hair it is.

The spaces between the bristles should not be too tight. Otherwise, the hair would get entangled on the bristles thereby clogging the brush.

3. Suction Power

Suction power refers to how much pull a vacuum cleaner generates to pick up dirt and dust off the floors. This power is generated by the motor and is generally dependent on how powerful the motor is. In addition to the motor, the design of the vacuum head also determines the suction efficiency.

The sealing action of the vacuum head on the floor determines to some extent how effective the appliance is. One that doe does not seal properly with the floor experiences a loss in suction power that you don’t need. However, the products in this review develop great suction while cleaning.

For a laminate floor, the suction does not have to be that great. Neither do you need the most powerful one out there? It is the sealing action that makes for an easier cleaning.

4. On/Off Switch for the Roller Brush

A beater brush is a necessity when vacuuming a carpet. However, for a laminate floor, you do not need it. Their main purpose is to rotate fast in order to pull out any dirt deeply embedded in the carpet fibers.

When you expose a laminate floor to this same action, it ends up in scratches or being gouged. In a worse case scenario, the flooring might even start to peel after repeated scrubbing action. In the event that you have a flooring combination of carpets and laminates, consider a vacuum cleaner with a retractable roller brush.

Some models have an alternative of switching the brush on and off as you vacuum on different floors. The last thing your laminate floor needs are imperfections.

5. Cordless Vs Corded

When buying any vacuum cleaner, it is always a straight choice between either a cordless or a corded vacuum. In terms of motor and suction power, the corded option provides you better performance than the cordless option.

However, the power cord restricts your cleaning radius since you will need to tether it to a power cord at all times. More high-end models come with longer power cords to increase your reach, which would still be limited. Alternatively, a longer cable would also mean more tangles to deal with.

Weight-wise, the corded vacuum cleaners tend to be the heavier ones making them less maneuverable. On the other hand, for those looking for an added amount of convenience, then the cordless ones would be your best option.

With these, the most concern is the run time since the battery would run out after a while. Newer lithium-ion batteries, however, guarantee increased run times which differ from model to model. In addition, getting them to full charge takes some time, about 3-4 hours.

Choosing between these two will need a careful examination of the logistics you have to deal with. Do you have lots of obstacles in the house? What’s the size of the area to be cleaned? Do you prefer raw power or conveniences? The answer to these questions gives you your best choice.

6. Bagless Vs Bagged

As we had earlier on mentioned, these two are some of the most confusing choices you’ll have to make. If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option, then the bagged types are the cheaper one. Nonetheless, you will have to factor in bag replacement costs.

A bagged vacuum cleaner would also make more sense for those who suffer from asthma and allergies. All the allergens and irritants are trapped inside a sealed bag instead of being belched out afterward. Although you would pay more for a bagless technology, there’s no running cost.

The transparent dust cups used make it easier to judge when it’s full for emptying. For the best cleaning results, empty the cup after each vacuuming. When it comes to choosing one for your laminate floor, there is no right or wrong choice. It all depends on which one you prefer.

7. Certified Filtration System

First of all, all vacuum cleaners have a filtration system built into them. They are used to prevent accumulated dust from recirculating back into the room. For the best results, look for a product with a HEPA certified filter so that you can trap as much dirt as possible.

Look for a filter that you can easily access and clean when you are done with the cleaning. Doing so more often prevents the dirt from going back into the air during your next use. In case you own a steam mob system, then cleaning the filter regularly is a must.

8. Capacity Vs Weight

The capacity of a vacuum cleaner is the amount of dirt it can hold at any one time. A vacuum cleaner with a larger capacity will require less emptying frequency. This translates to a faster cleaning process. Time is saved in the process.

Increased capacity means added weight, which brings into focus the portability of the vacuum cleaner. When settling on either, or performing a balancing act, consider the size of your house, or the scenario the vacuum cleaner will be used in.

For a small room, there is no point in having a large capacity vacuum cleaner. Otherwise for a huge cleaning space, increased capacity is ideal.  You wouldn’t have to empty it after about five minutes or so. A house with multiple floors requires a reduced weight for ease of transportation.

However, if you would be doing the cleaning on a one level floor, then weight wouldn’t be such a big factor. Regardless of the cleaning space, if there is too much dirt, dust and debris in the area, then you would need a powerful, larger capacity vacuum cleaner to get the job done faster.

9. Noise Produced and Warranty Length

In as much as we are a big fan of powerful vacuum cleaners, we are also wary of the too much noise some of them produce. We don’t want you to fetch ear muffs so as to shield your ears from any unnecessary noise as you go about your work.

Therefore, always look for vacuum cleaners putting out not more than 80 decibels. In fact, if you can find a 70 decibel one, the better. Or better still; look for one producing the least amount of noise that you can comfortably use. Fortunately, the ones in this review meet this criterion.

If you didn’t know already, a warranty is a great consideration when buying a cleaning vacuum. Whether it is a budget-friendly or a high-end model, due to the numerous moving parts, the likelihood of it falling apart is still very high.

In such moments, a warranty saves you money that you would have to spend replacing the broken parts. Look for the product with the longest warranty, alongside other desirable features. Long-term warranty providers do guarantee a better-quality product, alongside a better deal for you.

Conclusion

That has been the clean sweep of our buying guide for the best vacuum for laminate floors. These vacuum cleaners are great at prolonging the lifespan of your delicate floor while keeping your house clean, tidy, and allergen-free.

We hope you have found one product out of the six that interests you much. And if you feel we might have left a particular one out, kindly let us know. Of the six, the Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik Corded Bagless Stick Vacuum is our top pick. It is lightweight yet powerful, has smooth rolling wheels that do not scratch your flooring, and has a motor that develops a constant suction power for an even cleaning job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a laminated floor?

A: Laminated flooring refers to a synthetic solution for your housing needs. They consist of several layers of materials fused to one another through a process called lamination. The flooring is a cost-effective alternative to a hardwood floor.

Q: How long do these floors last

A: We would say it depends on how much care you give them. However, ordinarily, your laminate floor should last for more than 15 years before you think of having to replace them.

Q: Some vacuum wheels tend to scratch on floors when being pushed around. How do I prevent this?

A: The scratching on the laminate floor is prevented by buying a vacuum cleaner with rubberized or anti-scratch wheels. These prevent gouging and easy scratches on the floor. Additionally, avoid dragging the vacuum across the floor when cleaning.

Q: Between a Hardwood and Laminate flooring, which is the best?

A: The choice of these two boils down to your preference, and to some extent, your budget. While the laminate types are cheap and easy to install, they are not great for longevity and care. A hardwood floor is more expensive but lasts longer and does not require much attention as the laminate ones.

Q: Can I steam a Laminate floor?

A: No. that’s not such a great idea. Steamed vacuum cleaners might be great with other floors, but not a laminate one.

Q: I have lots of furniture, how do I minimize the scratches as I move them about during cleaning?

A: First of all, if you can, place padding under all the furniture in the house. If you can find some people to help you lift the furniture then you are good to go. This eliminates the need to drag them on the floor all by yourself. Alternatively, place a rug underneath them and use it to drag the furniture along.

Q: How do I deal with human hair alongside the pet hair?

A: As long as you have a vacuum cleaner that easily picks up pet air and does not clog, then human hair shouldn’t be a problem at all for this vacuum. If it doesn’t, then you might want to try out a more powerful model.

Q: Do I need separate vacuum models for my carpets and laminate floor?

A: That’s not always necessary. There are tones of vacuums out there that can handle both surfaces pretty well. You just have to ensure the brush roll can be retracted or switched off when working on the laminate floor.

Q: What is Wet/Technology and can I use it on my floor?

A: This is the ability to vacuum and mop your floor at the same time from a single tool. Yes, you can use it on a laminate floor so long as it is not a steamed vacuum. After mopping, the same tool can be used to dry out the floor.