How we test hard floor cleaners

From how effectively they shift stains to how easy they are to use and maintain, we've tested a range of big-brand hard floor cleaners so you can be sure the one you're buying lives up to its claims.

Find out how our in-depth hard floor cleaner tests are conducted, and what makes up the final score for each model.

What are Which? Best Buy and Don't Buy hard floor cleaners?

Best Buy hard floor cleaners

Hard floor cleaners that score 70% or more are Best Buys and come with our firm overall recommendation.

Best Buy hard floor cleaners typically excel where it really matters. They're easy to use, effectively deal with light and tough stains and are not too difficult to clean and maintain after use.

See our Best Buy hard floor cleaners.

Don't Buy hard floor cleaners

Hard floor cleaners that score 45% or below are Don’t Buy models to avoid.

Don't Buy hard floor cleaners typically fall down in some crucial areas. They might be difficult to use, perform poorly during cleaning assessments and are awkward to clean and maintain.

See which Don't Buy hard floor cleaners you should avoid.

How the Which? score is calculated

The Which? overall score is a percentage. This score only takes into account the results of our tests, and ignores price completely. This means that all hard floor cleaners are tested on exactly the same scale, so you can compare any model at any price and know how it measures up against its rivals in key areas. 

All hard floor cleaners are tested in the same way, regardless of the manufacturers’ claims. 

Our key testing criteria

Each of the assessments goes part way to making up a total test score, which is the percentage figure we give each steam cleaner. Certain assessments are more important than others and so carry different weights:

• 67% Cleaning performance
• 33% Ease of use

Hard floor cleaning

Key question: How well will the hard floor cleaner clean my floors?

For our hard floor cleaning test, we use five different types of common stains: 

• dried coffee 
• mustard
• dried seedless raspberry jam
• dried muddy footprints
• soap stains

We apply the stains to hardwood and ceramic tile floors. To replicate tough stains, we let seedless raspberry jam and muddy footprints dry over night. Each cleaning test is repeated twice per model. In the case of significant differences between the first and second cleaning attempt, we will perform a third.

The test includes a visual assessment of the cleaning results by three different experts, first after one cleaning attempt and again after five. We continue with the clean until the surface is completely clear and count the number of cleaning attempts required to achieve a satisfactory result. A subjective rating is also given if a model fails to clean the surface even after several attempts.

The best hard floor cleaners manage to remove stubborn stains after just one attempt, but the worse leave marks behind even after as many as 20 cleaning attempts.

Ease of use

Key question: How easy is it to use the hard floor cleaner?

A great hard floor cleaner should make your life easier, not more difficult. This is why the experts in our lab assess how light or heavy each machine feels in use, and how easy it is to assemble and dismantle. 

They also assess the balance of the cleaner when carrying it, the position of and access to the on/off button, the visibility of the light indicators, cleaning indicators and how comfortable the handle is to grip.

Some hard floor cleaners are bulky, can't easily get into harder-to-reach spaces and are heavy, while others easily glide along hard floors and around furniture. This is where our maneuverability test comes in. We asses how easy each model is to push along hard floors, how easy each floorhead glides along, and how convenient it is to clean under low furniture.

We award a star rating to each vacuum for ease of use, based on these scenarios.

Ease of maintenance and cleaning after use

Key questions: How easy is it to maintain and clean the hard floor cleaner?

We understand you don't want to spend too long on tedious maintenance tasks after you're done using your hard floor cleaner.

We assess the ease of cleaning the floorhead and the limescale cleaning process. If the appliance also doubles as a steam cleaner, we also asses any burn risk during the cleaning process.

We also consider manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and assess the ease of emptying the water tank after use.

Pick the perfect hard floor with Which? reviews

We're constantly improving our hard floor cleaner tests to ensure only the very best models are Best Buys. 

Take a look at our pick of the best hard floor cleaners, or read all of our hard floor cleaner reviews.