9 Best Vacuum Cleaners for Pet Hair
Updated: Feb. 08, 2023Want to effectively pick up what your furry friends are putting down? Here are some of the best vacuums for pet hair.
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According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, nearly 62 percent of households in the U.S. have at least one pet. And of those millions of animal lovers, many suffer from allergies caused by sensitivity to the proteins found in pet dander. The rest are tired of removing pet hair from furniture and clothing daily (guilty as charged).
Keeping up with the messes your cuddly beasts leave behind is an ongoing challenge that requires a vacuum that fits your pet-and-home-specific situation. A basset hound has unique odor issues that may require you to frequently clean upholstery, while a Persian cat sheds enough fur in one week to knit a sweater.
From bagless to stick-style to handheld to robot vacuums, check out our list of the best vacuums for pet hair.
Best Overall Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet Upright Vacuum
Save money and go green when you buy the Bissell Cleanview Swivel. The triple-action brush roll gets down deeply into carpets, while the scatter-free technology keeps flying debris in check.
The vacuum has a specialized tool for removing pet hair from corners (where fur likes to collect) and an easy-empty, one-liter dirt cup that’s mess-free. The bagless design makes this vacuum easy to clean.
Pros
- Affordable
- Lifts embedded pet hair
- Easy-empty tank
- Powerful suction
- Swivel steering
Cons
- Made of plastic components prone to flimsiness
Best Budget Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Bissell Power Force Felix Bagless Upright Vacuum
The new and improved version of the Bissell Power Force Felix has powerful suction for removing embedded pet hair and dirt from carpet, and it’s lightweight and easy to carry from room to room. Its washable filter helps trap fine dust particles, which can help reduce the effects of pet allergies for family and friends.
This vacuum comes with a dusting brush, extension wand and crevice tool for cleaning the nooks and crannies in your home. Five height adjustments allow the vacuum to reach nearly any surface—even the unexpected ones your cat seems to find.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Washable filter
- Lifts embedded pet hair
- Powerful suction
Cons
- Loud
Best Stick Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Dyson V8 Absolute Vacuum
Along with its impressive suction power and space-saving design, the Dyson V8 Absolute cordless stick vacuum wows with its hair-detangling technology. If you’re tired of grabbing gobs of pet hair out from under your vacuum, you’ll love this handy feature from Dyson.
As one satisfied reviewer on the Dyson website explained, “I own a dog who sheds pretty badly. And live in an apartment. This thing keeps both my hardwood floors and my carpeting clean and spotless.”
Pros
- Lightweight
- Cordless
- Fairly quiet
- Includes head for carpet and one for hard floors
Cons
- Short battery life
Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Black+Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum
Pet owners know molting hair and surprise messes come with the territory. That’s why we recommend the Black+Decker Handheld Vacuum—a compact and cordless handheld vacuum featuring motorized, anti-tangle rubber bristles to lift stubborn pet hair.
The battery indicator tells you how much power you have left, and the extra-long crevice tool extends your reach into places you didn’t know pet hair could go.
Pros
- Washable filter
- Good for stairs and furniture
- Lightweight
- Cordless
Cons
- No brush attachment
- Loud
Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop
Don’t want to deal with your pet’s never-ending shedding? There’s a simple solution: Program a robot vacuum, like the Roborock S7, to do it.
This robot vacuum doesn’t just pick up dirt and debris—it also mops using a sonic mopping system with multiple scrub settings, a removable mopping plate and a reusable microfiber pad. And it doesn’t just work on pile carpet; it’ll clean hardwood floors, ceramic tile and vinyl floor coverings. It’s even smart enough to raise up its mop to five milliliters when it detects carpet.
Pros
- Removable mopping plate lifts when carpet is detected
- Reusable microfiber pad
- Washable air filter
- Wi-Fi connection and app control
- Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, and Siri
Cons
- Expensive
Best Lightweight Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum
Everyday pet messes are no match for the power of Bissell’s Pet Hair Eraser. We love the tangle-free brush roll and a hands-free emptying system, which means touching clumps of hair and getting things caught in the brush roll is a thing of the past.
It’s also lightweight and easily maneuverable, perfect for tight corners and hard-to-reach spaces. Allergens and dust stand no chance with the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser–this vacuum seals dander and fur in the main system to help you breathe easier.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Hands-free emptying system
- Pet odor filter
- Sealed to trap dust and allergens
Cons
- Short cord
Best Canister Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Eureka Mighty Mite Corded Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Let’s face it; pet hair gets everywhere—into corners, under couches, on dog beds and even in cat trees. Tame unruly fluff with the affordable and practical Eureka Mighty Mite. The lightweight canister weighs around nine pounds, which makes it easy to carry up or down a flight of stairs. It also comes with a 20-foot cord, seven-foot hose, two extension wands, a bare floor nozzle, a combo and a crevice tool, plus a blower port to expel debris from the garage or workshop. That’s a lot of vacuum for the money.
Pros
- Great at removing pet hair from cars
- Reasonably priced
- Lightweight
- Strong suction
Cons
- Struggles with large debris and high-pile carpet
Best Lift-Away Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright Vacuum
The upright Shark Navigator is an outstanding vacuum for cleaning carpets and upholstery. It even cleans bare surfaces like laminate and stone. The Navigator’s swivel steering lets you maneuver around furniture and other objects with ease, and the HEPA filter traps up to 99 percent of dust and allergens.
With a push of a button, the canister lifts away to clean stairs, upholstery and furniture. The Navigator even comes with a crevice tool and dusting brush to clean tight and delicate surfaces like baseboards, fans, blinds and more.
Pros
- Center pod detaches to clean hard-to-reach places
- Anti-allergen seal
- Large-capacity dust cup
Cons
- Better at cleaning carpet than hard floors
Best Car Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Your dog loves going for rides in the car, but it’s a pain to clean up the interior afterward. When a lint roller just won’t cut it, there’s the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+. It’s super portable, ultra-lightweight, bagless and cordless.
Thanks to the detachable, self-cleaning Pet Power Brush, you can keep hair from wrapping around the vacuum’s brush roll. One thing is for sure: A car vacuum will keep your interior tidy even after transporting the fluffiest passenger.
Pros
- Strong suction power
- Small design makes it easy to use
- Long-lasting filter
- Large-capacity dust cup
Cons
- Wand extension could be longer
How We Found the Best Vacuum Cleaners for Pet Hair
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject-matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
What to Consider When Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Hair
Whether your four-legged family member is a dog, cat, rabbit or llama, choose a vacuum with a HEPA filter to reduce allergens and one with super sucking power. We recommend at least 100 air watts (AW) for uprights and 220 AW for canisters.
FAQ
Is it better to sweep or vacuum pet hair?
A well-designed vacuum with powerful suction is the best cleaning tool for picking up pet hair on carpeted and hard floors. On hard floors, a dry mop might do the trick. However, brooms tend to stir pet hair and dander into the air more than desired.
Can you vacuum dog hair off a couch?
One of the best ways to remove pet hair from furniture is with a handheld vacuum cleaner like the Black+Decker Cordless Pet Handheld Vacuum. Additionally, a brush head attachment on any vacuum helps remove hairs stuck in upholstery and the crevices of a sofa.
Is it better to vacuum fast or slow?
Vacuuming slowly allows your vacuum to suck up more dirt, dander and hair. The brushes and bristles on a standard vacuum machine need time to rotate and agitate the carpet to suck up everything that emerges. If you’re working on hard floors, you can vacuum a bit faster than you would on carpet.
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