Modern vacuums offer various functions, and many are equipped to handle the challenge of pet hair on both soft and hard surfaces. Whether your pet is a heavy shedder or not, stray fur can be an annoyance and may trigger allergies. To help you find a vacuum that tackles pet hair effectively, we explored the top-rated models available on Amazon.
Keep reading for our top picks, a comprehensive buyer’s guide, and answers to frequently asked questions.
In This Guide: Top 5 | Buyer’s Guide | FAQs | Why Trust This Old House
Compare the Best Vacuums for Pet Hair
| Product | Design | Dustbin Size | Weight | Cord Length | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miele Bagged Canister VacuumCheck Price | Cannister | 4.2 liters | 16 pounds | 18 feet | 1 year |
Eureka Bagless Upright Vacuum CleanerCheck Price | Upright | 2.6 liters | 10 pounds | 25 feet | 1 year |
Greenote Cordless Vacuum CleanerCheck Price | Stick | 0.6 liters | 2.6 pounds | Cordless | 2 year |
Hoover Upright Vacuum CleanerCheck Price | Upright | 1.42 liters | 18 pounds | 40 feet | 5 years |
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld VacuumCheck Price | Handheld | 0.8 liters | 5 pounds | 16 feet | 1 year |
Top 5 Vacuums for Pet Hair
- Best Canister Vacuum: Miele Bagged Canister Vacuum
- Best Portable Upright Vacuum: Eureka Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
- Best Stick Vacuum: Greenote Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Best Reach: Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner
- Best Handheld Vacuum: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
Best Canister Vacuum
Miele Bagged Canister Vacuum
For those who own several cats or dogs, this heavy-duty vacuum can keep up with all of their hair. It offers six power levels and five pile settings to reach between carpet fibers. It also features an AirClean filter that removes 99.9% of allergy-inducing, airborne particles.
Pros and Cons of Miele Bagged Canister Vacuum
- Has a head with five height adjustments for low- and medium-pile carpets
- Can roll or carry the lightweight canister
- Has six power settings that you can cycle through with the built-in dial
- Not meant for high-pile carpets
- Costs more than other types of vacuums
Key Features
What People Are Saying About The Miele Bagged Canister Vacuum
Happy customers liked that this vacuum was powerful, lightweight, and sturdy. Some users were disappointed that it didn’t come with a spinning cleaning brush attachment, though.
Best Portable Upright Vacuum
Eureka Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
If your pet makes a habit of shedding on your furniture, this vacuum can help. It has the powerful suction of an upright vacuum but the lightweight build of a portable vacuum. Your purchase includes a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool.
Pros and Cons of Eureka Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
- Has a wide 12.6-inch floor head
- Has a dial to select the pile height of your carpet
- Has an easy-empty flip-bottom dustbin
- Has a 25-foot power cord, which is fairly short for an upright vacuum
- Has a short one-year warranty
Key Features
What People Are Saying About The Eureka Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Customers liked that this vacuum comes with a number of attachments for cleaning a variety of surfaces. However, some users indicated that the motor was noticeably loud and the filter clogged easily.
Best Stick Vacuum
Greenote Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
This stick-style vacuum cleaner for pet hair won’t let furniture get in the way of cleaning thanks to its lightweight and maneuverable design. Conveniently, the vacuum is also cordless with a 35-minute run time on its standard power setting.
Pros and Cons of Greenote Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Has an easy-empty dustbin
- Weighs less than 3 pounds
- Suitable for low-pile carpet, cement, tile, and wooden floor surfaces
- Customers had mixed reviews on the vacuum’s effectiveness in picking up pet hair
- The high power setting has a limited runtime of only 18 minutes
Key Features
What People Are Saying About The Greenote Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Users who rated this cordless pet vacuum positively liked that it was affordable, had LED lights on the front, and was both lightweight and easy to handle. On the other hand, some users experienced long waiting times and issues with the manufacturer’s customer service team, and others complained about the limited battery capacity.
Best Reach
Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner
This vacuum comes with a turbo tool, crevice tool, and dusting brush to find and pick up even the most stubborn animal hair. Its cord measures 40 feet long, and its dustbin holds 1.42 liters, so you can spend less time pausing to move the cord or empty the chamber.
Pros and Cons of Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner
- Uses odor-absorbing filters
- Uses three channels of suction for sufficient airflow
- Comes with an attachment that extends your reach by 15 feet
- Weighs nearly 20 pounds
- Doesn’t offer swivel steering
Key Features
What People Are Saying About The Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Customers who left positive reviews for this vacuum said that it effectively picked up large amounts of hair from several surfaces around their home, making it a solid value for the price. Negative reviews, however, claimed that the vacuum’s heavy, bulky build made it awkward to maneuver.
Best Handheld Vacuum
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
This vacuum has a curved handle and a five-pound frame to make running it along your stairs, furniture, and other surfaces easy. Though it has a handheld design, it uses a 16-foot cord instead of a rechargeable battery, giving it more power to suck up thick pet fur, cat litter, and other messes.
Pros and Cons of Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
- Uses a multi-layer filtration system to eliminate allergens
- Weighs 5 pounds for easy handling
- Nubby rubber attachment lifts pet hair from carpet and upholstery
- Has a short 16-foot power cord
- Holds less than a liter of debris in its dustbin
Key Features
What People Are Saying About The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
Many customers found that this vacuum was highly effective at removing pet hair from their vehicles. They also praised its durable build. Conversely, some users said that it didn’t work on certain types of materials. Others didn’t like how many times they had to run it over a spot to get it to pick up debris.
Buyer’s Guide
There are some key features that you should look for when determining the best pet hair vacuums. Read our guide below to learn more about them.
Vacuum Type
Pet vacuums typically fall into one of the following categories.
Upright
Upright vacuums stand up straight when they’re in storage and tilt back when they’re in use. This type of vacuum is likely what comes to mind when you think of a vacuum. It’s a solid all-purpose model that can pick up debris from most surfaces using a brush roll and is an excellent choice for pet hair removal.
Canister
Canister vacuums have a long hose that attaches to a large canister, hence the name. They typically have a larger dust capacity, higher price tag, and stronger motor than upright vacuums. However, even with their bulky build, you can carry or roll them around your home.
Handheld
Handheld vacuums are lightweight and portable to get between couch cushions and in other hard-to-reach areas. Some models use a rechargeable battery instead of a power cord for increased mobility, although those models may have less suction power and shorter battery life.
Robotic
Robot vacuums do the work for you, automatically cleaning your floors once you set them to begin. The best robot vacuums use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology to connect to a mobile app in case you want to set them up when you’re in another room or out of the house. Though convenient, these vacuums have their downsides. They cost a lot and have a small dustbin.
Cord Length
If you have a large room or few electrical outlets, consider a vacuum with a longer cord. The longer your cord is, the less often you have to pause your cleaning session to unplug and replug the cord. Though cordless stick vacuums exist, they’re not as effective at picking up thick or long pet hair and will have a limited run time.
Dustbin
The dustbin in a pet vacuum usually holds a few liters of debris. Like a longer cord, a larger dustbin limits how many times you have to pause, allowing for quicker cleanup. However, there’s a trade-off because a vacuum cleaner with a larger dustbin is typically heavier.
Attachments
Pet hair can get everywhere, as it floats in the air and lands on windowsills, tables, and other surfaces. To tackle pet hair wherever it settles, most vacuums come with a few attachments. Extension wands and crevice tools are among the most common, but some brands offer attachments specific to stairs, upholstery, deep cleaning, spot removal, and more.
Lights
Some pet hair vacuums include front-facing LED lights to illuminate the area immediately in front of the vacuum. This makes it easier to identify clumps of hair, crumbs, and dirt in dark areas.
Tips for Cleaning Pet Hair Out of Carpets
Vacuuming your flooring and furniture may sound simple, but technique matters if you want to clean as thoroughly and efficiently as possible. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your pet hair vacuum:
Identify the spots where your pet’s hair collects. Places with a high static charge are where dog and cat hair tends to collect the most. The less airflow there is in a certain area, the more pet hair there will be. Look around laundry baskets, floor lamps, baseboards, door jambs, and pet beds. You will also likely find pet hair underneath your bed and living room furniture.
Use a variety of attachments. Many vacuums come with multiple attachments to help you suck up hair in tight or hard-to-reach places. The most common attachments include:
- Stair: This attachment is a smaller version of a regular vacuum head that’s sized to fit the width of stairs. Stair attachments are also useful for cleaning pet hair on curtains, furniture, and rugs.
- Scrubbing: Designed to clump pet hair into a ball, scrubbing attachments have hard bristles.
- Brush: Brushes have softer bristles than scrubbers. They’re intended to clean baseboards and other hard, delicate surfaces without scratching them.
- Crevice: These attachments are ideal for accessing corners and other narrow areas, such as door jams and hinges.
Focus on the areas where your pet spends the most time. You can’t necessarily remove 100% of the pet hair from your home, but you can remove the vast majority of it fairly quickly if you hit the main areas where your pet lounges.
Perform light vacuuming three or four times per week. This is especially important during the transitional months of the year when your pet is shedding excess hair. We also recommend doing a more thorough vacuuming about once a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a standard vacuum and a pet vacuum?
While standard vacuums can pick up pet hair, pet vacuums are specifically designed to eliminate pet hair and odor. They typically have a filtration system, multiple attachments, and strong suction.
Do I need a pet vacuum if my pet doesn’t shed a lot?
While having a pet vacuum is especially helpful to owners of heavily shedding animals, their strong suction rate and filtering elements make them effective for general cleanup, too. Even the tiniest amount of shedding can float in the air, stick to surfaces, create allergic reactions, and worsen the air quality.
How often should pet owners vacuum?
Pet owners should clean their floors more often than those without pets. Once or twice a week is a good rule of thumb. However, if your pet is a heavy shedder, consider vacuuming every other day.
Why Trust The This Old House Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.