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3 Best Vacuums For Hard Floors: A Comprehensive Review [VIDEO]

3 Best Vacuums For Hard Floors: A Comprehensive Review [VIDEO]

There are hundreds of vacuums available on the market today. Each vacuum is built to tackle unique surface cleaning challenges. The best vacuum for hard floors is different from the best option for carpeted floors.

What is the best vacuum for hard floors?

In a previous article, we outlined 7 factors you should consider when searching for a commercial vacuum to clean your hard floors. Each of these factors will play a role in the success of your vacuuming procedures on hard floors.

Using those factors, we have compiled a list of the 3 best commercial vacuums for hard floors.

Traditionally, hard floors were dust mopped or swept with a broom, but as equipment evolves and facility cleanliness becomes a higher focus given the Pandemic, vacuums provide more efficient, healthier, and effective cleaning.

There are five primary types of vacuums, and we recommend the use of backpack or canister vacuums for hard floors.

Backpack vacuums are lightweight, more versatile, and more productive than other types of vacuums like uprights or canisters.

Our list includes a variety of models, including two different backpack models, and one canister vacuum.

Below we breakdown the 3 best commercial vacuums of 2022 to help you pick the best one for your cleaning needs:

  1. ProTeam® Gofree Flex Pro II Backpack Vacuum
  2. ProTeam® Supercoach Pro 6 Backpack Vacuum
  3. Nilfisk VP600 Canister Vacuum

1. ProTeam® Gofree Flex Pro II

What makes the ProTeam® Gofree Flex Pro II one of the best commercial vacuums for hard floors?

This backpack vacuum offers exceptional maneuverability and efficiency. The ProTeam® Gofree Flex Pro II is cordless, vacuuming 30% faster than the corded Supercoach Pro 6 backpack model below, and 5 times faster than any upright vacuum, helping to save your staff time and save you labor costs.ProTeam GoFree Flex Pro II Cordless Backpack Vacuum

This battery powered backpack also has the unique ability to be paired with either a 6 amp hour or 12 amp hour lithium ion battery.

When equipped with a 12 Ah lithium ion battery, this machine offers a continuous run time of approximately 101 minutes on low and approximately 73 minutes on high.

With the 6 amp hour battery, the GoFree Flex Pro II offers about 50 minutes of continuous run time on low, and provides about 35 minutes on high.

This is also a very quiet machine, operating at a maximum dBA of 65.9, allowing for daytime cleaning without disturbing occupants.

Vacuum Size & Maneuverability

This backpack vacuum goes where the user goes, allowing the user to move more naturally, freely, and quickly.

The user doesn’t have to worry about managing cords or bumping into furniture and fixtures as they would with an upright or canister vacuum.

Brush Type

The most common size cleaning tool for this machine is 14 inches.

With the standard commercial backpack vacuum and 14-inch orifice carpet/hard floor attachment tool, you can experience up to a 230% increase in productivity over a 12-inch upright vacuum or canister model.

Availability of Specialized Attachments

This battery-powered backpack can be paired with several different cleaning tool kits.

The most popular kit comes with the 14″ Xover® multi-surface floor tool, telescoping wand, 5″ upholstery tool, 3″ dust brush and 17″ crevice tool.

Each tool can be used to help staff work more easily and quickly in different cleaning applications, ultimately boosting worker productivity.

Filtration System

HEPA Filter

The ProTeam® Gofree Flex Pro II is equipped with a ProLevel Filtration system.

It features 4 levels of filtration, including HEPA media, to contain soils and particulates, reducing pathogens, allergens, and asthma triggers in the air.

Further improving indoor air quality, this machine utilizes a brushless motor. Brushless motors remove carbon brushes which reduces maintenance needs, increases motor life, and eliminates carbon dust.

2. ProTeam® Supercoach Pro 6 Backpack Vacuum

ProTeam Super Coach Pro 6qt Backpack VacuumWhat makes the ProTeam® Supercoach Pro 6 Backpack Vac one of the best commercial vacuums for hard floors?

This backpack vac is cord-electric, providing continuous cleaning time as long as it is within reach of an outlet, unlike its cordless counterpart above which is limited to its battery life.

Vacuum Size & Maneuverability

Similar to other backpack vacuums, the operator doesn’t have to worry about bumping into objects or damaging low furniture and fixtures. The machine is lightweight and carried on the back of the user.

With a cord-electric machine, the user will have to manage the cord to reduce the risk of trip and falls.

Brush Type

The standard hard floor tool for this machine is 14 inches.

Availability of Specialized Attachments

ProTeam Super Coach Pro 10 10 qt. Backpack Vacuum with Xover Multi-Surface Two-Piece Wand Tool Kit

The ProTeam® Supercoach Pro 6 can be paired with numerous specialized attachments for enhanced cleaning productivity. It can be paired with a felt bottom tool for increased floor protection and to limit scratches.

Filtration System

This commercial vacuum comes standard with four level HEPA media filtration which traps 99.63% of all airborne particles larger than .3-.5 microns.

HEPA filters contain and do not recirculate small particles such as dust and dander that can cause health issues to your occupants.

This system effectively captures and contains particles, reducing the pathogens and contaminants that are normally returned to the air, so you can provide your occupants with better indoor air quality (IAQ).

3. Nilfisk VP600 Canister Vacuum

What makes the VP600 Canister Vacuum one of the best commercial vacuums for hard floors?VP600 with combi nozzle wht Rt

The VP600 is an extremely quiet, and efficient vacuum. Unlike other canisters, it can be used for day-time cleaning with its max dBA of 54. It also offers a unique dual-speed function for optimized power consumption and cleaning performance.

Vacuum Size & Maneuverability

Some canister vacuums create a lot of drag, making it difficult for the operator to move given the increased resistance for the operator.

The Nilfisk VP600 has two fully directional caster wheels to eliminate drag. The wheels allow the user to easily maneuver the vacuum on a variety of surfaces.

Brush Type

VP600_HEPA filter

The hard floor nozzle attachment for this machine is 14 inches, similar to the cleaning path for the two vacuums above.

Availability of Specialized Attachments

The VP600 comes with several attachments including a telescoping wand that allows staff to pick up debris and dirt without bending over for improved ergonomics.

Filtration System

This machine comes standard with 3 levels of filtration for increased particulate removal from the floor and air.

Similar to the other vacuums on this list, it has a certified HEPA filter.


Final Thoughts

Hard floors require additional attention when vacuuming to ensure that all dust, pathogens, and dirt particles are removed creating a healthier, safer building.

Regardless of the type of hard flooring you currently have, carefully selecting a vacuum based on our recommended features will help ensure you are providing your staff with a machine that will allow them to vacuum most efficiently and effectively.

We recommend the use of backpack vacuums on hard floors. They are the most efficient and will allow your janitorial staff to enjoy a range of benefits including increased range of motion, improved safety, reduced fatigue, and improved ergonomics that ultimately allows them to complete more work in less time.

Our top-rated backpack vacuums include the ProTeam® Gofree Flex Pro II Backpack Vacuum and ProTeam® Supercoach Pro 6 Backpack Vacuum.

If you are looking for cord-free maneuverability, the GoFree Flex Pro II will allow your staff to work beyond the length of a power cord. Working without cord restrictions means your staff can quickly and easily go wherever they need to go to get the job done. It also allows staff to work more safely in certain areas, like stairs or landings.

For facilities who are more interested in extended run times, the corded ProTeam® Supercoach Pro 6 Backpack Vacuum will be the better option.

Backpack vacuums might not be for all facilities, and that’s okay. The Nilfisk VP600 canister model cleans hard floors as well.

The canister efficiently removes particles from floors at a low noise level, allowing for daytime cleaning.

All of the vacuums on this list offer a good combination of static lift and air flow, as well as, enhanced filtration systems to limit the number of particles that can escape the vacuum.

Unlike with dust mopping, which can force particles and pathogens into the air, these vacuums pick up and contain most contaminants and germs.

Imperial Dade locations have a variety of commercial vacuums that can increase your cleaning staff’s productivity and make cleaning procedures safer.

If you’re located in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, or Canada, contact a specialist for help identifying the best vacuum for your unique business needs.

Visit our equipment page to learn more about our equipment offering, request pricing info, demo some of our best hard floor vacuums, and more.

Everything you need to know about commercial vacuums including types, sizes, specs, & more!

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