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Reading up on Domino’s shopping guides is like having your own personal product concierge. We do the tedious part—deep-dive research, hands-on testing, and tapping experts for advice—so all you have to do is hit ‘add to cart.’ That’s why we call them Simply the Best.

Finding the right vacuum isn’t necessarily an easy task, and it’s a topic everyone seems to have opinions about. As we’ve learned from pros, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of machine. What works for you and your home likely won’t be the right fit for someone else. Do you have pets? A lot of carpet? A small apartment or a two-story bungalow? Whether you need something versatile or niche, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve been researching all sorts of products on the market, particularly those for specific spaces and lifestyles, including the best vacuums for tile floors. Below, we curated our list based on supreme (yet safe!) suction, so you can keep your porcelain, ceramic, vinyl, and stone scuff-free.

Type: Cordless stick | Weight: 4.18 pounds | HEPA filter: No | Power source: Battery 

Why we chose it: An ultra-lightweight multi-tasker that gets into even the tightest spaces.

Living in a small apartment with tile and hardwood floors, a dog, and very little storage space (i.e. a single closet for the whole unit) means that every appliance needs to pull its weight, and for the past year, Dyson’s Omni-glide Cordless Vacuum has done just that for our tester. 

The main cleaning head on this 4.18-pound device consists of two nylon-covered brush bars that capture large debris, as well as anti-static, carbon fiber filaments that catch the finer elements. Though most vacuums can only pick up dirt when pushed in one direction, the eponymous magic of this one is that it sucks up dirt when moved in all directions. It may not sound like much, but it’s a total game changer. Add on the 360-degree pivoting, which lets you get around even the sharpest corners, and its “lay flat” design that lets you get under low-clearance furniture (beds, couches, and dressers), as well as its bevy of attachments, and there’s basically nowhere this Dyson can’t clean. Seriously, we’re not usually ones to play favorites, but the “light pipe” crevice tool, which uses LEDs to illuminate even the narrowest of areas, is a standout.

Type: Dual-tank wet/dry vac | Weight: 11.02 pounds | HEPA filter: No | Power source: Corded electric  

Why we chose it: Your kitchen tile will shine—even during the dirtiest season of the year. 

The backyard in our tester’s Brooklyn rental is home to a lovely yet extremely messy mulberry tree that, for the entirety of June, drops thousands (but probably more!!) of juicy berries all over the place. No matter what she tries—outdoor-only sandals, wiping her dog’s paws as soon as she crosses the threshold— the squishy, grimy fruit ends up mashed into the kitchen’s linoleum tile, and with it, a lot of dirt.  

Enter: the Bissell CrossWave, a machine that vacuums and mops at the same time. It’s the only tool that’s been able to suk up dirt and debris off the floor while simultaneously washing up after the berries. Instead of sweeping, then vacuuming, and finally mopping, the Bissell is a one-and-done job.

Type: Extendable handheld | Weight: 1.2 pounds | HEPA filter: Yes | Power source: Rechargeable battery 

Why we chose it: This handheld isn’t all looks—it’s wildly powerful. 

Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of attempts at making utilitarian household items attractive. Rarely do these attempts actually improve upon both form and function. But the Bluefeel Montanc Rechargeable Mini Vacuum challenges that—not only is it one of the best compact vacuums we’ve used, it might flat-out be one of the best vacuums overall. 

This tiny powerhouse (it weighs about one pound!) has the highest ratio of suction-to-size available in a handheld. When set to the stronger of the two modes, it can pick up an iPad—no joke, we tried it. It comes with a standard cleaning head, which is great for general pick-up, as well as a crevice tool to help get into the narrowest of spaces, like the track of your closet or the gap between the stove and counter. (And while we know this is about vacuums for tile, we’d be remiss not to mention how it comes in handy for other specialized tasks, like cleaning your dryer’s lint trap, your computer keyboard, or the weird space between the seat and armrest in your car). All that, and it looks good, too. Finally, a vacuum you won’t mind leaving in plain sight.

Type: Cordless handheld | Weight: 2.8 pounds | HEPA filter: No | Power source: Rechargeable battery 

Why we chose it: Makes light work of your pet’s heavy shedding.   

Dog owners tend to spend an inordinate amount of time vacuuming. We also tend to spend a lot of time talking about vacuuming, and chatter at the local dog park has revealed the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+. What it lacks in looks it makes up for tackling pet hair like a total pro thanks to its motorized self-cleaning “Pet Power Brush” attachment. Somehow, this gadget manages to pick up stray strands without tangling around the brush. (Pro tip: It works just as well on human hair on, say, bathroom floors.) Other perks include its washable filter and an extra large dust bin, which you can empty without dirtying your hands at the press of a button. The usual crevice and scrub brush attachments are also included, the latter of which we found to be quite useful for ground-in dirt and grout lines. 

Type: Bagged canister vacuum | Weight: 14.8 pounds | HEPA filter: No | Power source: Corded electric 

Why we chose it: Best-in-class cleaning without worrying about a dying battery or the canister filling before you finish. 

When you need the reliability and power of a larger capacity, plug-in vacuum, the C1 Pure Suction Powerline Canister delivers (it’s also a favorite of writer and self-proclaimed cleaning obsessive Gregory Han). This machine features Miele’s famous three-tiered filtration system, which means the air that comes out of vacuum is cleaner than what went in. A 3.5-quart dust bag and a 29-foot operating radius means you’ll easily be able to go over your tiles (and more) in one fell swoop, and the sleek, 15-pound canister is actually quite compact and easy to maneuver. Bonus: The best canister vacuums work particularly well on tile (and hardwood, too!) because they’re usually better at actually up debris, rather than simply pushing it around, compared to  handhelds. 

This Miele features six different suction settings suitable for all types of hard surfaces (area rugs and carpets, too), and the three included attachments fit neatly atop the canister, so they’re always with you if you come across a tight spot or need to double-down on a stubborn patch of dirt. And if you didn’t know, the German brand has been around since 1899 and is known for their high-quality, long-lasting appliances. With regular care, their vacuums last an average of 20 years, making this vacuum a worthwhile investment. 

The products featured in this article have been tested by our editors, writers, and contributors, who come from homes with pets and children. We took a closer look at ease of use, power, battery life, style, and functionality, as well as brand reputation, to determine the best vacuums for tile floors. Given the fact that the best vacuums are those that you’ll actually use, convenience and effectiveness were our two top factors, followed by design.  

If being used only on tile, a vacuum without a beater brush will suffice (the beater brush is used to pull dirt up out of rug fibers). In fact, some tile isn’t as durable as others and a beater brush could actually damage the surface if left engaged during use. Brush attachments that are designed for pet hair, as is the case with the Shark featured here, usually don’t have a beater brush and will be fine for tiled surfaces.

Cordless and handheld vacuums often have smaller canisters that, depending on what you’re cleaning, will need to be emptied at the same time they’re ready to be recharged. The bigger the bin, the less often it needs to be emptied, which is especially convenient in large homes or those of us with pets that shed a lot.

The best attachments are those that are actually useful and won’t just sit in the closet, collecting the very dust you’re trying to rid your home of. That means you’ll want to have them handy, in view and in reach. Our Miele pick, for example, carries the small accessory brushes along for the ride so you don’t have to make a trip back to the closet. For the rest of our selections, we suggest setting up a charging or docking station that doubles as storage. 

How often you mop your tile floors is mostly a matter of personal preference, but consider this: mopping and vacuuming can often go hand in hand. Frequent vacuuming usually reduces how often you have to mop, and tackling the chore before wiping down this surface can help pick up as much loose debris as possible, making it more effective (especially when combined with one of the best tile floor cleaners). 

It depends. Steaming is a very effective way to clean only certain types of tile floors, but it can be very damaging to others. Laminate and vinyl adhesive should never be steam cleaned. On the other hand, ceramic, concrete, and porcelain can usually handle the hot moisture just fine, but always check with the manufacturer first (it might void the warranty) because even then, steam cleaning can be too harsh. Our take: don’t do it more than you have to, to protect the integrity of your tile floors.

In many cases, absolutely! All of these selections are effective on more than just tile floors (the Shark is especially great on upholstery, the Montanc in your car, and the Miele on virtually all surfaces). Take a peek at the instructions if you’re unsure, otherwise pay attention to accessories and suction settings. “Look for a vacuum cleaner that comes with a beater bar that can be turned off,” suggests Becky Rapinchuk, the creator behind Clean Mama. “The beater bar can scratch hard surface floors and when turned off will still suction up dirt and dust but won’t rotate and possibly scratch floors.”

The best vacuums for tile floors are equipped with all the extra tools and attachments to loosen dirt in-between grout lines, but won’t scratch or scuff the surface. All of our picks are relatively lightweight and easy to use and maneuver. 

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