13 best cordless vacuums for hard floors

The VAX Blade 4 is controlled by VAX Core Technology, which is continually working to maximise cleaning efficiency and performance. This means it maintains its high pick-up performance even when the bin is full or the battery is running low. If you've got a particularly stubborn mess to suction up, you can put the vacuum into boost mode, which gives you three times as much power at the touch of a button. To help you in those hard-to-see areas, it comes with an LED light so you know exactly where needs cleaning. 

This vacuum cleaner was tried and tested by Maria Martin, Digital Group Editor for Yours and Motherandbaby.com. Convenience and flexibility were her two buzzwords to describe the Vax Blade 4 Cordless Vacuum. Weighing just 3.1kg, she felt that it is so much more lightweight than any other vacuum she has used meaning there's no more lugging a heavy hoover up the stairs. “The textile tool was a godsend at getting the fine hairs of our black and white cat off the sofa. Meanwhile, the tough dirt tool was ideal for seeing off an irritating trail of ground-in mud that my other half had stamped into the hallway straight from a muddy walk. And the crevice tool - a fairly standard addition - really got into those corners and allowed me to finally be rid of some tiny flecks of wallpaper I'd had lurking in the edge of the carpet since I decorated but had never been truly able to suck up and vanish with a vacuum,” she added. 

It also comes with a stretch hose, an extendable tool that allows you to get to those really difficult places including blasting off the cobwebs from the ceiling. It wracks up an impressive 45 minutes making it ideal for the regular once-over hoovering of most houses. However, she found that it was missing the anti-hair wrap technology and seemingly an entire wig's worth of my hair was wrapped around the bristles although this is an issue that can be easily sorted. Putting the bits together and removing the bin also takes a while to get used to, she has noticed. 

If this is an option you are seriously considering, there is a full review of the The VAX Blade 4 Cordless Vacuum which you can refer to for further information.

The Russell Hobbs Cordless Upright Stick Vacuum Cleaner was tested and reviewed by Ruby Barry, Commercial Content Writer at Bauer Media. She said: “I have recently moved into a small room and was dreading the task of finding a vacuum that I could somehow store in my room (a room with no cupboards) without it taking up too much space and being an eyesore. I lucked out with the Russell Hobbs RHSV2211 Upright Vacuum."

"As a very affordable choice, it didn't make too much of a dent in my pocket and surpassed all my expectations by outperforming many of the more expensive machines I have used in the past. On full setting, it sweeps up dust particles like sugar in 3 sweeps from carpets and 2 from tiled floors while bigger crumbs and hair took just 1 sweep. However I could not test it out on a deep pile rug. The brush is the brush is easy to detach and clean.”

“It folds at the middle of the stick, making it compact, and can be used as a floor vacuum, or a handheld one, with a handy crevice tool that fits on for tight corners. It is also nice and light to use and manoeuvre easily. The buttons are simple and intuitive and there is a flashing light displaying battery life."

"The most important aspect I wanted out of this vacuum was a strong suction for hair. New hairs, and old hairs that had hung around from previous low-effort vacuums, were all sucked up. It's easy to empty, and the HEPA filter can be washed and reused (it recommends you do this once a month). Overall, I am super happy with my Russell Hobbs vacuum and am wowed by its performance and ergonomic build.”

The Dyson V15s Detect Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a powerful device with strong suction and anti-hair wrap technology to make cleaning effortless and efficient. This vacuum cleaner was tested and reviewed by Samantha Ball, Senior Writer for Mother & Baby at Bauer and she said, “As a busy household of four, with the addition of two dogs and two cats, we’re often hoovering up multiple times a day to keep a clean household. I’ve gone through a lot of hoovers over the years and never seemed to find one that did everything I needed it to do, lived up to expectations or even lasted longer than a few months. However, when I tested the Dyson V15s Detect Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner I was more than impressed.” 

“I loved how sleek the design looked and how easy it was to put together. Each feature is cleverly thought out too, from the different suction strengths that can be controlled from the top of the hoover, to the fact you can’t pull the trigger to hoover without the battery pack being installed and it’s quite easy to slot the battery pack on and off the hoover.” 

“The Dyson V15 is really easy to use in terms of its lightness and manoeuvrability and it can also be adjusted to a handheld hoover. It’s also easy to empty, and you don’t actually have to touch any of the dust, as a pull-down function empties it for you.” 

“In just one sweep, I found that completely cleaned up dust and bigger dust particles on my LVT hardwood floor, bathroom tiles, and even the thick pile carpets in the bedroom. I loved that the hoover screen talked you through the different locations to check for a blockage if it happened.” 

“One extremely minor inconvenience is that the hoover cannot freestand, so you do have to prop it up when not in use. You also have to keep a finger on the trigger for the hoover to work. But the trigger isn’t stiff, so this isn’t a big problem, and it also helps preserve the battery life of the hoover.” 

“Overall, I’m extremely impressed with the performance of the Dyson V15 and think it’s the perfect hoover for any household. The battery life is great considering its power and strength, and it doesn’t take long to charge either. Even though it is expensive, I would highly recommend the Dyson V15 as it is a real investment piece that is going to make a huge difference in keeping a tidy house.”

The Tineco Floor ONE STRETCH S6 Cordless Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner is the perfect cleaning device if you have hard wood or tiled floors because it is a powerful vacuum cleaner that also functions as a wet mop, leaving your floors sparkling after every clean. This was tested and reviewed by Akhila Thomas, Digital Writer for Yours.co.uk and she said: “This is a really handy vacuum to have as you get your floors vacuumed and mopped in one go. Small dust particles like crumbs, sugar and hair get cleaned in 1 sweep with its powerful suction and even older, dried stains can be removed with 2 or 3 sweeps.”

“You can lay the vacuum flat against the ground at 180 degrees to get under sofas, low tables or beds and the head swivels easily so you don’t have to exert too much pressure to direct it. The best part is that one you click it down at an angle to hoover, the vacuum moves forward on its own, so it will save you the effort of pushing it. You only need to direct it where you want to clean.”

“Equipped with three modes – max, suction and auto, the vacuum runs for 40 minutes and charges up quickly on its dock which is quite compact and does not take up much space. You also need to fill the head which comes with a water compartment for it to function. However, if you are using any other cleaning liquid, it has to be the Tineco cleaning solution.”

“The vacuum also comes with a Flash Dry Self Cleaning system which cleans and dries the brush to prevent any odours. Overall, given the multipurpose versatility of the device, the hoover is worthy of its higher price point and I am very happy with how easy and efficient it has made cleaning for me.”

The Ultenic’s U16 Flex Cordless Vacuum Cleaner was tested by Carly Duffy and she said, “There are so many reasons why this one may be up there as one of the best hoovers I have used. It is incredibly easy to put it together and take apart if I need to and it’s so light and easy to move as well. The stick is bendable so you can reach under beds and sofas without bending yourself. I can take the whole thing upstairs without even the slightest strain which has been perfect when I’m trying to whiz around my house while my dogs are running underneath my feet trying to avoid the hoover.”

“Light particles on both my carpets and my wooden floors were instantly picked up in 1 or 2 sweeps, which was the same for even bigger particles too. I was instantly impressed that I didn’t have to battle against any hair on the floor either, as it seemed to get sucked up pretty instantly. The only time I had put some extra effort was to pick up some cotton which had fallen on the floor and got stuck in the fibres. But going over it slowly, the hoover still got it in one sweep.”

“The device came with three of my favourite stand-out features. Firstly, there’s a green LED light, so I can see literally everything that needs picking up. Secondly, the hoover tells you how much percentage it has left and you can see it dropping down as you’re going, so there is never a risk of getting into the swing of it and your hoover dying midway through the house. It does mention a 60 minute run-time, but I don’t think it ran for that long. My third favourite thing (though this does drain the run-time) is the turbo button. For the particularly rough areas (perhaps a carpet with a lot caught in its fibres) it was so useful to be able to put it on ultra-speed and get every last speckle of dirt out. It dropped the run-time down, but I did a 35-minute hoover and I ended on 14% battery life, while using Turbo about 20% of the time, so I was happy with that.”

“There is also an option for Eco use, so if you do find you’re nearing a dead battery, it’s worth switching to that for the final leg. Nothing gets tangled and it’s easy to clean the filter and its additional features certainly makes it good value for money.”

The Dyson Omni-glide was created specifically for the hard floors in your home. It has two soft rollers, which spin in opposite directions to pick up large and fine debris and quite literally, glides effortlessly around obstacles and in tight spaces. The Dyson Omni-glide was tested and reviewed by Maria Martin, Digital Group Editor for Yours and Motherandbaby.com. 

She said, “The omnidirectional head fits around table and chair legs, gliding in front, back, and side-to-side directions to scoop up every inch of dust, cat hair, cereal (and other food my toddler seems to drop on the floor countless times a day) with ease.”

“It works brilliantly on hard wood floors, but once popped onto the carpet, the rollers refuse to turn. So, there’s no using it on carpets, even if you forced it to. By the click of a switch, the top part (handle, bin and motor) all detach with ease. There are then 4 tools: A light pipe crevice tool with LED lights, a mini motorised tool to tackle hair and ground-in dirt, a worktop tool and a combination tool.”

“You can remove the battery from the machine, allowing for extra batteries, which could help with the 20-minute run time permitted. It comes with a straight, slim bin that has a smooth ejection of your rubbish – straight into the bin and with minimal dust flying back at you. However, battery life lasts for 20 minutes for standard use and 4 minutes on max power. So, a little more juice there would be nice.”

If this is an option you are seriously considering, there is a full Dyson Omni-Glide review which you can refer to for further information.

The Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua Vacuum combines a vacuum cleaner and a mop in one to more efficient cleaning. This was tested and reviewed by Sherida Ball who said, “The hoover picks up fine dirt very easily on hardwood and tiled floors, and you only have to go over it twice to get everything up. On normal carpets, it takes a little longer - about four attempts. However, a big problem was that deep pile carpets took a lot longer - about 10 sweeps to get the dirt up.”

“One thing I found was that hair does get tangled round the brushes, but it is easy to remove, so this wasn’t a huge issue. Another thing I found was that the battery life is exactly as it says in the booklet, with it lasting longer on eco mode, but on booster mode it did go flat really quickly, so you can’t do a big clean on this setting. I found that on eco mode you can hoover a three-bedroom house with a bit of battery still left.”

“The cleaning mode is good, it cleans hard floors without using too much water, so it doesn’t leave the floors wet like after mopping up, and it dries fairly quickly. I really liked that that pads could come off and be washed in the washing machine.”

“The hoover is a good weight and was easy to carry up and down our narrow stairs, and I also liked that the nozzle attachment was flexible for getting around different niggly pieces of furniture. I did find that the smaller nozzle doesn’t stay on very well, as it doesn’t have a clip lock fitting, however I didn’t really use this smaller nozzle when cleaning anyway.”

Overall, this is a good vacuum cleaner for a house that does not get very messy and also one that does not have a lot of hair that needs to be cleaned up.

The Bosch BCS612GB Unlimited 6 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner comes with the latest brushless motor technology making the motor powerful, reliable and emission-free. Combined with the AllFloor Power Brush, this guarantees effective cleaning on all kinds of floors from hardwood to laminate and carpet. It comes with a flexible crevice nozzle and a 2-in-1 furniture and upholstery brush to help you make light work for dust and dirt. 

Most reviewers online agreed that this vacuum was of high quality, weighed less than similar models and came with a battery that lasts longer. One suggestion most users had was that a brush accessory would be a nice addition, and a motorised brush switch would be useful. However, most customers agreed that it is definitely worth the price.

There are not many options for fantastic lightweight vacuuming at the press of a button that'll compare to this Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner. With an enormous 0.7L detachable tank, alongside a great selection of cleaning tools, including a motorised pet tool and a multi-surface tool for the smallest spaces, say goodbye to even the most persistent dust in your home. 

Many customers shared that this is one of the best hoovers they have used and that it is very easy to put together. The anti-hair wrap is efficient and  the battery is powerful enough to hoover a three-bedroom house and still have some charge left after. It is a free-standing hoover so no wall mount is required, and several users felt that the car kit was a nice touch too.

With Shark's DuoClean technology, you can move from room to room, cleaning carpets and hard floors without stopping to switch heads. The Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner has a soft brush roll that makes direct contact with hard floor surfaces, pulling in dirt and fine dust, while the bristle bar cleans deep into carpets to pull up embedded pet hair and other debris.

Customers shared that it has very powerful suction, good capacity and charges quite quickly. However, some reviewers shared that the vacuum is a bit on the heavier side. So if this is a dealbreaker for you, then it would be worth looking at some of the other lightweight options we have listed.

With a longer running time than some other vacuum models on this list, the Bosch Series 6 Athlet ProHygiene Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a slim and manoeuvrable vacuum that boasts a 60-minute run time. It would be suited to a home with more hard floors than carpets as the nozzle brush roll is designed to powerfully pick up dirt, even in the crevices between tiles and floorboards. 

Customers have shared that they are really pleased with this hoover as it picks up every little bit of dust, hair and crumbs. It comes with triple filtration to keep your home cleaner and safer. Most users agree that it comes with a long run-time and that it is worth the price.

We love that this Gtech AirRam vaccum automatically adjusts from carpets to hard floors with ease. It even has a patented airlock system which picks up larger objects and not just fine dust and dirt particles. It has an ergonomic handle that makes it easy to manoeuvre and use. There is also a battery indicator that helps you know the level of charge left so you can plan your cleaning ahead and not run out of charge halfway. 

One of the reviewers online shared that they use it on the artificial grass outside and that they find it quite efficient and effortless to use. However, some of the customers felt that it has a shorter runtime compared to similar hoovers within the same price range.

The HOOVER H-Free 100 Pets comes equipped with tools to collect pet hair and even longer hair as it is specifically designed to clean hair without hassle. It works conveniently on carpets as well as other surfaces, including laminate and tile. You can store it in a cupboard or on a wall for easy access. The tank has a large capacity, so you won’t have to empty it very frequently. 

Customers have shared that it is quite light and easy to store. There’s a switch to hold the button in so your hand doesn’t ache while keeping it on and moving it around. Most users also mentioned that it only takes a short time to charge and that it offers good value for money.