Best Multi Surface Vacuum Cleaners [According to 2023 Tests]

Published by Ahmad Jamal on July 5, 2023 | Last updated on July 27, 2023

I’ve never been to a house made of the same flooring type or even the same type of carpets, it’s always a different set or combination, depending on the room, family’s daily tasks… etc.

I believe that variety is the secret behind different types of joy that fill the house, starting from the first stone or piece of wood you build inside that house.

Therefore, to meet such variety with a special kind of care and cleaning, you should either obtain a number of vacuums specializing in each floor or carpet type you have or get one of the best multi surface vacuum cleaners.

Why? First, it’s a shorter step to move on to, and second, the best multi surface vacuum should provide a collective & perfect performance across different flooring and carpet types.

The variety of surface types inside a house could include low pile carpets, high-pile carpets, shag carpets, hardwood flooring, tile flooring, vinyl flooring, … etc.

I’ve prepared a full detailed article for the best vacuum for shag carpets, the best vacuum for vinyl floors, in addition to the best vacuums for tile floors.

So, if your house consists mainly of those 3 flooring types, make sure to check them out before moving through this article.

In this article, you’ll have a deeper look at the best multi surface vacuum cleaners in 2023, so if you’re looking to upgrade your old vacuum, or just opting for one of the best, the experts on CleanersAdvisor will be there to provide the help you need.

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Our Testing on the Best Multi Surface Vacuum

During our extensive testing to choose the best multi surface vacuum, our CleanersAdvisor team obtained and evaluated various models to determine their versatility, performance, and overall effectiveness.

We conducted tests on different surfaces such as carpets, rugs, tiles, and hard floors, and assessed many factors like versatility, suction power, maneuverability, brush roll, performance, cleaning efficiency, and filtration system.

To shorten the list for you, we’ve identified the 4 best models that are not only the best in removing debris and dirt from various surfaces but also offer features like enhanced filtration systems to trap allergens and odors.

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What Is a Multi Surface Vacuum?

As I said in the introduction, nearly all the houses are built and designed with different flooring types, and different carpet types, therefore, we call that a multi surface house.

To efficiently save time and effort while vacuuming the multi surface house, you’ll need a very special multi surface vacuum.

Best Multi Surface Vacuum Cleaners should be able to work effectively on most parts of surfaces, including hard floors, carpets, blinds, windows, couches, and rugs.

The more types of surfaces the vacuum cover, the better of course.

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What to Look for in the Best Multi Surface Vacuum Cleaners?

I believe that when you’re convinced with the vacuum you’re obtaining, that’s halfway done through making the vacuuming chores more and more likely, instead of treating it like a mandatory task.

To make that happen, you’ll have to consider the main features that you should look for while seeking the best multi surface vacuums, and those tested features include:

• Proven Evidence that it works on multiple surfaces
• Able to clean large areas
• Able to work on all types of debris and dirt
• Adjustable floor settings
• Adjustable power settings
• Versatility in attachments
• Long-life for cordless vacuums and long power cords for corded vacuums
• Maneuverability

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Best Multi Surface Vacuum Cleaners

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1. Shark AZ1002 Apex Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum Review

Technical Specs

Wattage: 1350 Watts

Package Dimensions: 12″L x 11.5″W x 46.25″H

Recommended Surface: Carpet, Floor

Noise Level: 80 dB

Capacity: 5 Quarts

Weight: 16 Pounds

The first vacuum on our list of best multi surface vacuum cleaners is the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum, it offers a huge deal of variety & versatility in treating houses of multi surfaces.
It enjoys a decently economical price as well, earning it the spot of #1 on the list of best multi surface vacuums.

Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum Benefits and Drawbacks

Tested on Multiple Surfaces

Not only does the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum offer great performance on paper, but it has also delivered the same performance on carpets and nearly all types of flooring.

User Reviews pointed out that the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum managed to vacuum all types of debris, ranging from small particles to children playground dirt.

Too Quiet

You never want to let your family know you’re in an all-out war when you turn on the vacuum.

That’s why the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum is one of the quietest vacuums that I’ve ever got to test, it’s in a whole new level compared to other vacuums.

2-in-1 Vacuum

The Shark Apex Lift-Away is an Upright Vacuum, which is known for its compact design and powerful performance.

Despite that, it can also be converted into a canister with a single button press, providing you with the easier maneuverability you may need moving from a surface to another.

HEPA Filter: Check

If your house is made from multiple flooring and carpet types, it means you are putting time and effort into making it beautiful.

The washable HEPA Filter inside the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum provides you with the cleaner allergens-free air needed to complement that.

Pet Hair Friendly

There’s no worse nightmare than pet hair being stuck inside the carpet, while your vacuum only provides high performance on hard floors.

Luckily, the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum is equipped with a brush roll that works magic on pet hair, that’s designed to eliminate any possibility of hair tangling.

Manufacturing problems

Surfing through the negative user reviews on the Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum, I stumbled upon a handful of 1-star reviews reporting broken or unsuitable attachments coming with the vacuum.

How to avoid that? Check for all the parts upon the arrival of the vacuum, connect them together, and make sure everything fits perfectly, before even turning the vacuum on.

What Our Testers Say About Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum

“The Shark Apex Lift-Away Upright Vacuum is at the top of our list of best multi surface vacuums, due to the powerful performance, versatility, easy maneuverability created by its 2-in-1 feature, alongside its side benefits like the HEPA filter and Pet Hair-friendly brush.”

Our Testers Ratings

Cleaning Power: 5/5

Filtration System: 4.5/5

Noise Level: 4/5

Versatility: 4.5/5

Maneuverability: 4.5/5

Price: 5/5

More Options: 5/5

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2. Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine Review

Technical Specs

Wattage: 1200 Watts

Package Dimensions: 20″L x 12″W x 12″H

Recommended Surface: Carpet, Floor

Noise Level: 72 dB

Capacity: 4.5 Liters

Weight: 16 Pounds

The Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine is the best vacuum for laminate floors, it’s also the best vacuum for shag carpets.
This means that it provides the best performance on both types of flooring, which is how versatile you want your multi surface vacuum to be.

Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine Benefits and Drawbacks

7-level suction power

Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine features the ability to choose from 7 suction power levels, so you can adjust the suction power you need depending on the type of floor you’re vacuuming.

This means that you can lower the power for sensitive carpets, then increase it upon vacuuming another surface.

High-Quality Build

The High-Quality build the Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine enjoys provides an element of long-living to the vacuum itself.

Moreover, The Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine also has an auto-cable button to wind it back, in addition to an LED light button on the handle to help you have a closer look at darker areas of the room.

Multiple Types of Debris? No Problem

Different surfaces mean different types of debris, but for Miele Complete C3, it’s not a problem at all.

It has proved perfect on children’s dirt, small and large debris, and even pet hair.

Decently Weight

You need a good amount of maneuverability while moving from a surface to another, but if the vacuum is too heavy, that would be much harder.

However, the Miele Complete C3 is neither heavy nor lightweight, which provides a decent level of maneuverability around the house.

Short Hose

Unfortunately, the Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine has a short hose which will require more movement of the canister itself, while moving around your multi surface house.

What Our Testers Say About Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine

“The Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine is a high-quality, powerful, easy to use, and maneuver vacuum, which ticks a handful of the most important features you need to top the list of the best vacuums for Multi Surface Vacuums.”

Our Testers Ratings

Cleaning Power: 4.5/5

Filtration System: 4.5/5

Noise Level: 4.5/5

Versatility: 4.5/5

Maneuverability: 4.5/5

Price: 3.5/5

More Options: 4.5/5

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3. Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Review

Technical Specs

Wattage: 700 Watts

Package Dimensions: 10.5″L x 12″W x 46″H

Recommended Surface: Carpet, Floor

Noise Level: 80 dB

Capacity: 0.22 Gallons

Weight: 11 Pounds

If you regularly face as much wet mess as you face the dry mess, you should consider obtaining the best wet dry multi surface vacuum, the Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro.

It provides an effective performance on nearly all types of debris, wet and dry, in addition to providing professional pet hair vacuuming.

Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Benefits and Drawbacks

Dry & Wet Vacuum

With the Dry & Wet feature, your BISSELL Crosswave can clean and polish your floor, making them look stylish, modern, and shiny, still able to provide the same performance on the carpets.

Even temporary storage of the debris will be in a healthier way, instead of a single bag of dirt.

Multi-Surface Pet Brush Roll

This is a huge plus, as pet hair can be challenging for many moms and dads to vacuum efficiently.

With the Multi-Surface Pet Brush Roll, you’ll be able to maneuver easily from a surface to another, in addition to treating pet hair effectively.

Efficient Cleaning

Amazon ratings for the BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro provide the brand the right to brag about its cleaning capabilities.

So many positive ratings earned the BISSELL Crosswave a 4.5-star rating, while those positive ratings included many praises of how efficient its cleaning is.

More Noise

Negative reviews, however, indicated that the BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro produces more noise than its wet/dry competitors.

This would irritate anyone looking for a peaceful vacuuming of their house, and those who are sick of the helicopter-like noise of regular vacuums.

What Our Testers Say About Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro

“Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro is the best wet dry multi surface vacuum, earning its spot through the great maneuverability it provides from a surface to another, while enjoying the high ratings from thousands of users.”

Our Testers Ratings

Cleaning Power: 4/5

Filtration System: 3.5/5

Noise Level: 4/5

Versatility: 4/5

Maneuverability: 4/5

Price: 3.5/5

More Options: 4/5

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4. iRobot Roomba 694 Review

Technical Specs

Package Dimensions: 13.4″L x 13.4″W x 3.54″H

Recommended Surface: Carpet, Floor

Battery Runtime: 90 Minutes

Noise Level: 70 dB

Weight: 6.77 Pounds

iRobot Roomba 694 is a smart, convenient, high-tech robot vacuum, that works perfectly on different types of vacuums. Its advanced cleaning technologies, in addition to the smart sensors, earned it the #1 spot as the best multi surface robot vacuum.

iRobot Roomba 694 Benefits and Drawbacks

Smart App

Robot vacuums are worth nearly nothing without a smart system, to connect the vacuum with other smart systems.

This applies –in spades- to the Roomba 694, as it offers a huge list of benefits throughout its iRobot Home App. Moreover, Roomba 694 can still receive orders via Google Assistant and Alexa.

Smart Technology for Multi Surfaces

Roomba 694 uses dual multi surface brushes in addition to its unique edge sweeping brush, to vacuum debris from carpets and different floor types.

The smart technology helps the vacuum work better on corners and hard edges, providing picture-perfect vacuuming.

Intelligent Sensors

There are two types of sensors that help the Roomba 694 provide the performance we continue to commend.

The first set of sensors helps the vacuum detect the type of flooring, and adjust the power automatically for it, whether it’s a low-pile carpet or a hard floor.

The second set of sensors are cliff detecting sensors, they detect the positioning of different obstacles, and help from falling down a high place like the stairs.

It misses some spots

Robot vacuums are usually expensive, and with the economical price the Roomba 694 provides, it’s just a regular thing to see it miss some spots here or there.

But don’t worry, it’s not that big of a deal when a small piece of dirt is left here or there.

What Our Testers Say About iRobot Roomba 694

“iRobot Roomba 694 is an economical robot vacuum that features a lot of smart technologies and sensors, helping it reach the #1 spot as the best multi surface robot vacuum. If Roomba may seem expensive for you, check the best Roomba alternatives for a cheaper version of this magnificent robot vacuum.”

Our Testers Ratings

Cleaning Power: 5/5

Filtration System: 5/5

Noise Level: 5/5

Versatility: 4.5/5

Maneuverability: 4.5/5

Price: 5/5

More Options: 5/5

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Side Note

I haven’t added any handheld vacuums to this tested list of best multi surface vacuums, and you may be wondering why.

It’s natural for anyone who vacuums some huge spaces and a number of rooms, to do it with the least effort possible.

However, this doesn’t coup with the main concept of handheld vacuums, as they require a lot of movement and effort to do just a small space here or there, let alone those larger spaces.

Despite that, if you’re still in need to vacuum a specific spot, you can have the convertible Cordless Dyson V15 Detect, as it can be turned into a handheld vacuum easily.

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Best Multi Surface Vacuum Models Compared

Vacuums/ Our Testers Rating In Each Category	Suction Power	Versatility	Maneuverability	Noise Level
1. Shark Apex Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum (AZ1002)	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5
2. Miele Complete C3 Alize PowerLine	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5
3. Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5
4. iRobot Roomba 694	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5

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Best Multi Surface Vacuum Cleaners FAQ

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To Wrap Up

Here’s a tested list of the 4 best multi surface vacuum cleaners, I’ve gathered them from different brands, with different types, and different performances.

This should suit the different needs you may have while looking for the best multi surface vacuum for your house.

Feel free to add any vacuum you may have wanted to read a review for in the comment section below.