There's no shortage of vacuum cleaners that offer exceptional cleaning performance on laminate floors. Unlike low-pile rugs or shag carpeting, this surface doesn't hold onto dirt and debris, making it easier for vacuums to clean messes. That said, the best vacuums for this use offer more than just fantastic suction performance but also good maneuverability, an easy-to-maintain design, or even low recurring costs.
We've tested over 95 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best laminate floor vacuums. These are selected based not only on their performance but also on their feature set, design, and price. For more buying recommendations, see our lists of the best vacuums for tile floors, the best hardwood vacuums, the best cordless vacuums for hardwood floors, and the best multi-surface vacuums.
Alternatively, if you have a basement or living room that's feeling a little too humid, you can see our recommendations for the best dehumidifiers and the best dehumidifiers for basements.
The best vacuum for laminate floors we've tested is the Dyson V15 Detect. This cordless stick vacuum comes with two floorheads, one with a bristled brushroll for better performance on carpets and the other with a fluffy brushroll for improved debris pickup on bare floors, as well as a laser light to help identify fine debris. With its fluffy floorhead, this vacuum delivers remarkable performance on flat surfaces like laminate flooring. In addition, it has a particle detection system that can provide a rough estimate of allergen quantities in your home. There's also an automatic power adjustment system that automatically increases its suction power on carpeted floors.
The battery performance is decent; you can expect an hour of continuous use in its energy-efficient 'Eco' mode. However, the runtime drops drastically in its high-power 'Boost' mode. Unfortunately, the vacuum feels somewhat cheap and plasticky, which is disappointing for something in this price range. While it's far from a heavyweight, you can get a vacuum with a similar range of features in an even smaller and lighter package with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. Just know it has a less powerful motor than the V15 and a much smaller dustbin, so you'll need to empty it frequently.
If you're looking for something more affordable than the Dyson V15 Detect, the Shark Stratos Cordless is a good choice. While it's heavier and bulkier than the Dyson, it comes with an impressively broad range of features for the price. Like the Dyson vacuum, it has an automatic suction power adjustment feature, with its Clean Sense IQ system increasing its suction power when passing over an area with a large amount of debris. Its twin roller floorhead and relatively potent suction motor also allow it to easily clear away debris on hard surfaces like laminate floors.
This vacuum can run for up to an hour on a single charge, which is fairly good for a cordless vacuum, though it does take quite a while to recharge. The LED at the back of its body shows the remaining battery life. The Shark is on the heavier and bulkier side for a cordless stick model, but its flexible wand makes it much easier to clean under most tables and chairs since you won't have to crouch very deeply when cleaning these areas.
Check out the Tineco PURE ONE S11 if you want a more affordable vacuum to handle debris on laminate surfaces. Compared to the Shark Stratos Cordless, it feels less sturdy and has a lower-capacity battery, resulting in a shorter max runtime of about 40 minutes. That said, it'll still do a fantastic job of handling everything from pet hair to small and large debris on hard surfaces like laminate or vinyl flooring. Like all of our picks so far, it comes equipped with an automatic power adjustment feature; the vacuum will increase its suction power when passing over an area with a large concentration of debris.
Unlike the Stratos, the Tineco has a single roller floorhead with conventional bristles. Thankfully, those bristles are soft, so they won't scratch up more delicate surfaces. Better yet, the brushroll is completely removable, which makes it much easier to clear away any tangled hair compared to the Stratos' non-removable roller.
The Wyze Cordless Vacuum is a solid option for those seeking a cordless model while really balancing price to performance. Stepping down from the Tineco PURE ONE S11, we finally lose the automatic power adjustment feature; another compromise comes with emptying the dustbin, as it tends to release fine grit. Nevertheless, the Wyze delivers fairly strong performance for a cordless model in this price range, easily clearing debris on hard surfaces like laminate flooring. The bristles on its floorhead aren't too stiff either, so you don't have to worry about scratching up your laminate flooring.
It includes a HEPA filter, another rare addition for a vacuum at this price point, and does a good job of sealing in allergens. It can run for up to an hour in its most power-efficient mode, so you can clean large quantities of lightweight debris without running out of power. The battery pack is also fully removable and replaceable, so you can swap in a new one if your current pack's performance degrades over time. This vacuum's lightweight design makes it a cinch to pick up and carry from room to room.
The best vacuum cleaner for laminate floors at a budget-friendly price point that we've tested is the Eureka Mighty Mite. Despite its highly affordable price, this no-frills bagged canister vacuum has a powerful 12-amp motor. Its straight suction floorhead has bristles you can retract, enabling you to clean low-pile rugs. That being said, the head does sit very close to the ground, so it does tend to push around bulkier debris; you'll have a better experience if you lift the vacuum onto this kind of material. Its simple design makes it easy to maintain, and the vacuum's lightweight plastic construction makes maneuvering it in tight spaces a breeze.
However, this vacuum doesn't have a telescopic wand. Instead, it uses a pair of tubes that can fall apart easily if you don't push them together very tightly. Some versions of the Mighty Mite lack the requisite mounting points for an aftermarket HEPA filter, which is disappointing if you want to upgrade its filtration performance. It also has a very short power cord, so cleaning hard-to-reach areas can be a hassle compared to a cordless model like the Wyze Cordless Vacuum.
If you want to stick with a corded model but aren't shopping on a tight budget, then the best vacuum cleaner for laminate floors we've tested is the SEBO Airbelt D4. This high-end canister model provides impressive debris pickup performance on flat surfaces like laminate flooring when it's fitted with its parquet tool, which features removable front bristles so that it can pass over larger debris without plowing it forward. Its 1250W motor is very potent for a household vacuum, allowing it to easily draw up debris from cracks and crevices or suck up heavier material. Beyond that, the D4 is an incredibly robust machine, with a canister body made of dense, high-grade plastic and a heavy-duty stainless steel telescopic wand. It's also incredibly easy to maintain, with its dirtbag and filters being readily accessible and simple to swap out.
Unfortunately, there is a price to pay for this tank-like build quality: tank-like weight and size. This is one of the heavier, bulkier canister vacuums we've tested, and while its four caster-mounted wheels make it surprisingly easy to maneuver in cluttered areas, you might feel its weight if you're dragging it around for hours at a time or repeatedly carrying it up and down long flights of stairs.
The best hybrid mop/vacuum for laminate floors we've tested is the BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam. Compared to a similarly priced conventional vacuum like the Shark Stratos Cordless, it's a little down in power and lags behind in raw debris pickup as a result. However, it's meant to fulfill a different purpose, being a corded hybrid mop/vacuum with detergent-dispersal and steaming functions that allow it to saturate and scrub away dried-on stains with a fluffy brushroll. It can also handle liquid spills, making it ideal for dealing with kitchen-related mishaps. The build quality is decent, though its plastic body can creak and flex when passing over obstacles.
Unfortunately, this is a fairly bulky, heavy appliance, and maneuvering in cluttered areas can be a hassle. Alternatively, you can go for the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max if you're looking for a cordless equivalent and don't want to worry about staying close to a power outlet. It lacks the HydroSteam's steam-dispersal feature and has a less powerful suction motor, resulting in inferior debris pickup performance.
The Miele Classic C1 is a mid-range cordless vacuum that's lighter and more portable than the SEBO Airbelt D4, but it also doesn't perform quite as well and feels more cheaply-constructed.
See our reviewThe Miele Complete C3 is a high-end canister vacuum that's a little lighter and more maneuverable than the SEBO Airbelt D4. That said, its parquet cleaner floorhead doesn't deal with larger debris as effectively as that of the SEBO.
See our reviewReplaced Miele Complete C3 Calima with SEBO Airbelt D4 as 'Best Corded Laminate Floor Vacuum' pick due to greater overall availability and to better align with other recommendation articles.
We've verified that all our recommendations are available and represent the best choices. We've also made edits throughout for clarity.
Aug 02, 2024 : Replaced the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max with the BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam as the 'Best Hybrid Laminate Floor Vacuum' pick due to its superior stain-clearing performance. Removed less relevant Notable Mentions picks.
Jan 31, 2024 : Minor in-text adjustments to further clarify product details.
Dec 01, 2023 : Replaced Shark Cordless Pro with Tineco PURE ONE S11 as the 'Best Mid-Range Laminate Floor Vacuum' due to current product pricing.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are currently the best vacuums for laminate floors. We don't just base our results on overall performance, but also on factors like availability, price, and reader feedback.
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of all our vacuum reviews for laminate surfaces, ranked by their performance on bare floors. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no vacuum is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
What do you think of our picks? Let us know below.
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Could you add “HDR brightness” as an option for custom ratings? There is no easy way right now to search by the HDR capabilities of a laptop like this (which gets very tricky on the PC side of things given all the various options).
Hi g982365,
It’s definitely something we can consider in future laptop methodology changes. To help us understand the right angle for this. What do you do in HDR when using a laptop? For example, is it for gaming or to be able to see the screen well when you are in a very bright environment.
Thanks for reaching out and I’ll be awaiting your response.
Could you add “HDR brightness” as an option for custom ratings? There is no easy way right now to search by the HDR capabilities of a laptop like this (which gets very tricky on the PC side of things given all the various options).
This product has been merged with Apple 2024 MacBook Pro Laptop with M4 Pro, 14‑core. Follow the discussion here.
Hi, We’ve purchased a MacBook Pro 14 with the nano-texture display and will update the review soon to add more details about it (likely before the holidays). As for other laptops with 1000 nit displays, there have been a few, notably from HP, which has offered 1000-nit displays on some models (see HP Envy x360 13 (2020)). High display brightness kills the battery, which is likely the reason most manufacturers limit it. The reason Apple can do it is probably because Apple silicon is efficient enough that they can afford to take a hit in battery life from the high brightness. As for HDR, that’s another can of worms. Windows HDR has been historically bad. It has gotten better over the years, but color management is still a little funky at times. You can force Windows into HDR on HDR-capable displays, but again, the results will vary.
Per your observation, “You can force Windows into HDR on HDR-capable displays, but again, the results will vary”: could you make this part of your test and offer that observation in your writeup?
Ideally, perhaps you could do a simple battery runtime test of ‘forced HDR mode’? Perhaps mention how Browser and Office productivity programs look?
I would really like to know which laptops and monitors have the best outdoor/near-window usage. With a switch, I could choose to take the hit to battery life.
Based on your observations, which laptops do the best at forced HDR? Does the Razer Blade 18 (2024) work well in this scenario? I haven’t bought an upgrade (yet) from my 2023 as this is not clear to me.
Good to hear you will be testing the nano-texture display on the Macbook Pro 14. Now if only Apple would make an 18", I’d be done with Windows laptops for good….unless Razer made a 20" 4k 16:9 1000 nit 120+hz laptop with a number pad…now that’s a CAD/content creator/gaming machine! (but wimpy product manager are so unwilling to do anything to stand out)
Update: Added link in the Screen Specs section to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2024) review for more information regarding the nano-texture display.
When will you follow this up with the nano-texture antiglare? In my opinion, a 1000 nit antiglare display is the biggest update in laptops in a decade or more (I’m writing this in the Arizona shade peering intently at my dim antiglare 500 nit dispay on a 2023 Razerblade 18). True outdoor use has been restricted to ruggedized laptops, and it’s a welcome change to get this capability in a portable machine. Fetch hither the nano-texture! On another point, why are Windows based laptops with Mini-LEDs and bright HDR modes incapable of 1000 nit brightness in SDR mode, but they will do so in HDR mode?
Seems silly that the 2024 year model laptops with MiniLEDs can display cat videos on Youtube in HDR mode, but productivity software like office suites and CAD sessions are stuck at 500 nit. Is there a switch to force HDR mode? I think you need to add scoring for ‘Outdoor/Bright area use’ and make a separate category of laptops. Right now it would be a category of 1 (the Apple Macbook Pro 2024 with nano-texture).
Hi,
We’ve purchased a MacBook Pro 14 with the nano-texture display and will update the review soon to add more details about it (likely before the holidays). As for other laptops with 1000 nit displays, there have been a few, notably from HP, which has offered 1000-nit displays on some models (see HP Envy x360 13 (2020)). High display brightness kills the battery, which is likely the reason most manufacturers limit it. The reason Apple can do it is probably because Apple silicon is efficient enough that they can afford to take a hit in battery life from the high brightness. As for HDR, that’s another can of worms. Windows HDR has been historically bad. It has gotten better over the years, but color management is still a little funky at times. You can force Windows into HDR on HDR-capable displays, but again, the results will vary.
Hi, Unfortunately, we have the model with a standard glossy display. The nano-texture display is considered a custom build, so it would have delayed the shipping by at least a few weeks, pushing into next year.
When will you follow this up with the nano-texture antiglare?
In my opinion, a 1000 nit antiglare display is the biggest update in laptops in a decade or more (I’m writing this in the Arizona shade peering intently at my dim antiglare 500 nit dispay on a 2023 Razerblade 18).
True outdoor use has been restricted to ruggedized laptops, and it’s a welcome change to get this capability in a portable machine. Fetch hither the nano-texture!
On another point, why are Windows based laptops with Mini-LEDs and bright HDR modes incapable of 1000 nit brightness in SDR mode, but they will do so in HDR mode?
Seems silly that the 2024 year model laptops with MiniLEDs can display cat videos on Youtube in HDR mode, but productivity software like office suites and CAD sessions are stuck at 500 nit.
Is there a switch to force HDR mode?
I think you need to add scoring for ‘Outdoor/Bright area use’ and make a separate category of laptops. Right now it would be a category of 1 (the Apple Macbook Pro 2024 with nano-texture).
This product has been merged with Apple 2024 MacBook Pro Laptop with M4 Pro, 14‑core. Follow the discussion here.