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The 5 Best Multi-Surface Vacuums - Fall 2024

Updated Oct 08, 2024 at 01:53 pm
Best Multi-Surface Vacuums

The current vacuum cleaner landscape has yielded many models that can deal with clearing debris on linoleum floors and dense shag carpeting, not to mention almost everything in between. That said, cleaning performance isn't the only factor in being considered a good multi-surface vacuum. To cope with a variety of different surface types, having an adjustable floor and power setting is helpful, not to mention a reconfigurable design for cleaning large areas and tight spaces like the inside of a car.

We've tested over 160 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best vacuum cleaners for carpet and hardwood. These picks are selected based not only on their performance across a variety of surfaces but also on their design and price. For more buying recommendations, look at our list of the best hardwood vacuums, the best vacuums for high-pile carpet, and the best vacuums for stairs.


  1. Best Multi-Surface Vacuum

    The best vacuum for hardwood and carpet we've tested is the SEBO Airbelt D4 Premium. Available from the manufacturer's website or specialized vacuum retailers, this high-end canister vacuum has a powerful 1250W motor, allowing it to easily clear debris on bare floors as well as low- and high-pile carpets with a basic straight-suction floorhead. Opting for the pricier Premium variant gets you SEBO's ET-1 powerhead, one of the most effective attachments for cleaning carpets on the market. It boasts four levels of height adjustment, an automatic brushroll cutoff switch, and an indicator light to let you know when the bristles wear out or aren't making contact with the ground.

    The rocker switch on the vacuum handle gives you precise control over suction power, so you can adapt to different surface types on the fly. Recurring costs are low, especially for a bagged vacuum, as it uses high-capacity dirtbags and long-lasting filters. It feels remarkably well-built, with a cushion surrounding its canister body to prevent it from marking up your walls or furniture should you bump into something.

    While its four caster-mounted wheels make it somewhat maneuverable for a vacuum of this weight and size, consider the Miele Complete C3 if you need something smaller, lighter, and easier to use in cluttered environments. However, the Miele has a shorter range and incurs higher ownership costs due to its smaller dirtbags and shorter-lasting filters. Conversely, if you want to go completely cordless, the Dyson V15 Detect is one of the most powerful cordless vacuums we've tested. It delivers a correspondingly strong cleaning performance; however, it's prone to get stuck on thicker rugs and carpets since you can't change the height of its brushroll.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum

    If you're looking for a more inexpensive multi-surface vacuum, the Miele Classic C1 Cat&Dog PowerLine is the best vacuum for carpet and hardwood we've tested. Packed with tons of features, it's the top-tier variant of the C1 product lineup. It comes with Miele's height-adjustable SEB 228 powerhead, which is suitable for a wide variety of carpet types, and a lightweight straight suction parquet tool that's easy to maneuver on hard floors. Its 1200W suction motor yields fantastic debris-pickup performance on a wide range of surface types. There's a mini turbo brush attachment to deal with pet hair or other messes on fabric-lined furniture, not to mention a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery nozzle. This variant of the C1 comes with a post-motor filter containing active charcoal to trap unpleasant odors as you clean.

    It doesn't feel quite as robust compared to the pricier SEBO Airbelt D4 Premium. It also doesn't have handle-mounted power adjustment controls, and you'll need to bend over to twist its suction control dial. Its overall range is also roughly half that of the SEBO, so you'll need to swap outlets when cleaning faraway areas. It uses smaller dirtbags and less durable filters, so you'll be replacing worn components more often, driving up the cost of ownership.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum

    The best vacuum for hardwood and carpet we've tested in the mid-range price bracket is the Shark Stratos Cordless. This cordless stick vacuum has a more rudimentary powerhead than the Miele Classic C1 Cat&Dog PowerLine; there's no way of adjusting its height, and it lacks a brushroll off switch, so it isn't as well-suited to cleaning super-thick carpeting. However, it's cheaper than premium options like the Miele and still delivers fantastic performance on bare floors. It also clears away an impressive amount of debris on low and high-pile carpeting.

    Unlike the Miele, it can automatically increase the suction power on carpeted floors thanks to its Clean Sense IQ system. Its cordless design makes it easier to clean far-away areas than the Miele, especially considering the latter's short range. That said, its bagless design makes it less suitable for those who suffer from serious allergies, even considering its onboard HEPA filter; not only does the lack of a dirtbag eliminate an additional layer of filtration media, but shaking out a dustbin can release a plume of fine dust and debris.

    It can run for up to an hour in most energy-efficient configurations, but you can expect a much shorter runtime if your home has a lot of carpeted floors, as the vacuum will likely have to increase its suction power. If you want to avoid running out of charge and want a comparably priced corded vacuum, the entry-level Pure Suction variant of the Miele Classic C1 is a great choice. It has little in common with the Shark, being a bagged canister vacuum, but its performance is strong and feels much sturdier build-wise. That said, unlike the Shark, it doesn't have a power socket, so it's incompatible with powered floorheads for cleaning thick carpeting.

    See our review

  4. Best Lower Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum

    The Kenmore Intuition Bagged is the best lower mid-range multi-surface vacuum we've tested. This model offers a pretty wide set of features at a relatively affordable price. It performs well on various surfaces—not as well as the Shark Stratos Cordless above, but close—and it has a large 0.92-gallon dirtbag, so you don't need to replace it often. In addition to its HEPA-rated bag, it has a HEPA exhaust filter, resulting in great air filtration performance. You can also release its dirtbag from the compartment with the press of a single latch, so you don't need to dirty your hands or worry about generating a plume of dust when taking it out.

    Its 'Lift-Up' design lets you carry its canister body separately from the floorhead, making it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas. However, there's no surface height adjustment, so you might sometimes have trouble going over electrical cords or rugs. Recurring costs aren't too bad, as you only need to replace the dirtbag. As for the pre-motor and HEPA filters, they're washable and reusable, though you can get new ones if you notice a drop in performance. The power cord is 30 feet long, so you won't have to frequently swap outlets when cleaning larger areas.

    See our review

  5. Best Budget Multi-Surface Vacuum

    If you want to save money on a multi-surface vacuum, consider the Eureka Mighty Mite. This compact bagged canister vacuum isn't much to look at, with a practical design that looks more like a compact shop vac than something designed for home use. However, don't be fooled by its cheap, industrial looks, as it offers plenty of power for the price. It has a relatively potent 12-amp suction motor that yields strong overall debris-pickup performance on bare floors. While it doesn't come bundled with a powerhead or an air-driven turbo head for cleaning carpeted floors, you can retract the bristles on its straight-suction head to improve suction on low or even medium-pile carpeting.

    Unfortunately, its range is considerably shorter than that of more expensive canister vacuums, like the Miele Classic C1. It also feels cheaply built and rough in places, though it's still far from the flimsiest-feeling vacuum we've tested. Newer versions of the Mighty Mite also lack the requisite mounting clips to attach aftermarket HEPA filters, which is a nuisance if you're especially sensitive to allergens and want a cheap way of upgrading the vacuum's filtration performance.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Samsung Jet 90 Complete: The Samsung Jet 90 Complete is a cordless stick vacuum compatible with a unique Spinning Sweeper tool for mopping stains on hard floors. However, it lacks suction power and feels considerably less robust compared to a similarly priced corded alternative like the Miele Classic C1 Cat&Dog PowerLine. See our review
  • LG CordZero A9 Ultimate: The LG CordZero A9 Ultimate is a cordless stick vacuum that comes bundled with a wide variety of attachments and is fully compatible with a dedicated mopping floorhead. However, it has a smaller dustbin than the Shark Stratos Cordless and doesn't do quite as well on carpets. See our review
  • Miele Triflex HX1: The Miele Triflex HX1 is a cordless vacuum that delivers very good performance across all surface types, but it has a shorter battery life and a smaller dustbin than the Shark Stratos Cordless. See our review
  • Miele Triflex HX2 Pro/Cat & Dog:

    The Miele Triflex HX2 Pro/Cat & Dog is a newer and improved version of the Miele Triflex HX1. Compared to the similarly priced Dyson V15 Detect, it feels better built and offers a unique three-in-one design, but its dustbin is still considerably smaller than that of the Dyson. Like most cordless vacuums, it gets stuck on thick carpeting far more easily than a corded vacuum with a high-end powerhead, like the SEBO Airbelt D4 Premium.

    See our review
  • Shark Stratos Upright [AZ3000, AZ3002]: The Shark Stratos Upright is a bagless upright that performs similarly to the Shark Stratos Cordless on most surfaces. However, it's substantially bulkier and more of a hassle to maneuver. Still, it's worth a look if you want a corded alternative. See our review
  • Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away: The Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away is a bagless upright vacuum that delivers good overall debris-pickup performance on a variety of surface types. It's bulkier and less maneuverable than cordless alternatives like the Shark Stratos Cordless, and its floorhead isn't height-adjustable. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Oct 08, 2024: Verified that all picks are valid and available. No change in recommendations.

  2. Jun 21, 2024: Replaced the Wyze Cordless Vacuum with the Kenmore Intuition Bagged because the Kenmore has better debris pickup performance on bare floors and carpets.

  3. Mar 13, 2024: Added the Miele Triflex HX2 and Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away to the Notable Mentions.

  4. Jan 15, 2024: Removed Shark APEX UpLight from the Notable Mentions due to current availability.

  5. Nov 16, 2023: Replaced Shark Cordless Pro with Wyze Cordless Vacuum as 'Best Lower Mid-Range Multi-Surface Vacuum' pick due to current pricing.

All Reviews

Our recommendations are based on what we think are currently the best vacuums for multiple surfaces. We don't just base our results on overall performance but also factors like availability, price, and reader feedback.

If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of our vacuum reviews, with considerations made for high performances across different surface types. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While there's no single best vacuum for multiple surfaces, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.