Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum at Best Buy
"This upright vacuum works perfectly for carpets and hard floors-and automatically adjusts when you switch for faster cleaning."
Best Canister: Miele Compact C2 Electro+ at Bed Bath & Beyond
"Pet hair knows no bounds, so you'll appreciate the versatility of a canister model for cleaning hardwood floors and carpets."
Best for Carpet: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum at Kohl's
"This vacuum comes with a tool that uses rubber fingers to lift fur from delicate surfaces and a tool to get fur out of upholstery."
Best Robot: iRobot Roomba i7 at Bed Bath & Beyond
"You can purchase a base with dirt disposal capabilities, so you only need to dispose of fur and dust every few weeks."
Best Cordless: Shark Navigator Freestyle Cordless Vacuum at Overstock
"For quick jobs, like cleaning up a few tufts of fur or some stray kitty litter, this cordless vacuum does the trick."
Best for Quick Clean-ups: Shark Rocket Pet Pro at Bed Bath & Beyond
"A rubber roller and HEPA filter make this stick vacuum uniquely qualified to tackle pet hair on your floors, furniture, and car."
Best Budget: Eureka PowerSpeed Pet Turbo Vacuum Cleaner at Amazon
"This affordable bagless vacuum features an impressively large dirt cup and five height adjustments to get your carpets fur-free."
Best Overall: Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum
Courtesy of Amazon ExcellentBuy on Best Buy Buy on Bed Bath & Beyond Dyson Ball Animal 2 ReviewWith a name like 'Animal,' it should come as no surprise that the Dyson Animal is a top vacuum for pet hair. This beast of a vacuum delivers superior suction, pet-specific cleaning tools, HEPA filtration, and a self-adjusting cleaner head to conquer pet hair on everything from bare floors to plush carpets. It's a pricey vacuum but has a long list of positive reviews from pet parents that have been satisfied with this vacuum's performance and durability.
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is designed to maneuver smoothly, thanks to the swiveling ball mechanism, 35-foot power cord, and self-adjusting cleaner head. Transition from cleaning bare floors to vacuuming carpet without needing to manually adjust any settings. However, this model does fail to impress some users with its ergonomics. At 17.5 pounds, it's not a particularly lightweight vacuum cleaner. Locking the handle of the vacuum into an upright position sometimes requires a bit of trial and error. Additionally, tucking the accessory hose back into the handle after using one of the 6 included tools can be tricky-requiring the hose to be positioned just right to slide back into place.
Even still, the real test of any vacuum cleaner for pet hair is whether or not it delivers sufficient suction to remove fur from your home's flooring, upholstery, and more. In this regard, thousands of users are convinced that the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is a best buy for a durable, powerful vacuum cleaner.
"We were continually impressed at how much pet hair it managed to remove from various surfaces-even seemingly clean carpets yielded huge amounts of debris!"-Camryn Rabideau, Product Tester
The 8 Best Carpet Cleaner Solutions for Pets in 2020Best Canister: Miele Compact C2 Electro+
Miele
ExcellentBuy on Bed Bath & Beyond Buy on Best Buy Miele Compact C2 Electro + PowerLine Vacuum ReviewCanister vacuums are an ideal choice if you have both bare floors and carpeting or want to ensure that you can easily transition between floor-level and above-floor cleaning tasks. Pet hair knows no bounds, so you'll appreciate the versatility of this type vacuum for pet hair.
The C2 Electro+ model from Miele includes a motor-driven floorhead that is adjustable to five different heights for deep cleaning even plush carpet. The extra power from the electrobrush floorhead and the durable 6-speed motor of this vacuum result in a thorough clean according to users. Like other Miele vacuums, this model requires the use of replaceable vacuum bags. While some people complain about frequently needing to change bags, others point out this keeps odor down. Additionally, the bags keep dander and fur sealed during disposal, unlike bagless models of vacuum cleaners for pets.
The 8 Best Cat Brushes of 2020Best for Carpet: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum
Kohl's
Buy on Kohls.com Buy on ChewyThe challenge of carpet is that it does a great job of holding onto pet hair, dander, dirt, and more. Debris and allergens can easily settle down in between the carpet fibers and without enough suction from a vacuum cleaner, it will be hard to extract them. This is a special challenge for pet parents and requires investing in a vacuum for pet hair that is designed for carpet-like the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. This upright vacuum cleaner is a popular pick for anyone that has wall-to-wall carpeting or an abundance of area rugs that need a good cleaning.
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser delivers 8.5 amps of power and features a unique suction channel that ensures a strong force is exerted from edge-to-edge of the brush roll. Speaking of the brush roll, pet owners (or anyone with long hair) appreciates that the oversized roller prevents hair from becoming tangled around the brush roll. The dirt cup is also designed for effective pet hair management; it features a unique mechanism to spool hair and ensure that it drops in a neat, tidy clump after your vacuum session. This model is a bagless vacuum cleaner, so you won't need to buy replacement bags, but there is a washable filter inside the unit.
As a pet hair vacuum, the Bissell also includes several pet-specific cleaning tools for carpet, upholstered surfaces, and more. The Pet TurboEraser tool is a motorized brush that provides focused suction on furniture, while the 2-in-1 Pet Brush uses rubber fingers to lift fur and dust from even more delicate surfaces.
Best Robot: iRobot Roomba i7
Yonomi
Buy on Bed Bath & BeyondIf you feel like cleaning up after your furry friend is a never-ending chore, it's time to enlist the help of a robot vacuum for pet hair. The Roomba i7 offers stronger suction compared to competitors (and previous generations of Roomba vacs), along with advanced mapping and navigational abilities. The technology of the Roomba i7 enables it to learn 'Keep Out Zones' that come in handy for pet owners-such as your pet's food and water bowls.
Users with heavy shedding pets appreciate that the Roomba i7 includes dual rubber rollers that eliminate the possibility of tangled hair that throttles roller function. Occasionally, hair may get caught along the side of the rubber rollers and need to be removed, but this is a quick and simple job, according to reviewers. Whether you have hardwood, tile, or carpeted floors, this robot vacuum can adjust the roller height to maintain suction and effectively remove pet hair, dander, dirt, and more. One common complaint is that on deep pile carpet, the Roomba sometimes leaves behind clumps of hair that need to be manually picked up. Most people don't experience this dilemma, but it's something to know if you have especially plush carpeting.
The other advantage of the Roomba i7 as a vacuum for pet hair is the fact that you can also purchase a base with dirt disposal capabilities. This is something to consider if you have heavy shedding pets and find that you need to empty your Roomba more frequently than you would like. The option to have the Roomba i7 self-empty into the cleaning base buys you several weeks (up to a month) of hands-off cleaning.
The 7 Best Pet Hair Removers of 2020Continue to 5 of 7 below.Best Cordless: Shark Navigator Freestyle Cordless Vacuum
Dillards
Buy on OverstockA cordless vacuum is one of the most convenient ways to clean your house. Just pick up the vacuum and you're ready for a quick cleaning session whenever the fur starts flying or you find stray kitty litter or kibble. The Shark Navigator Freestyle is an efficient and easy-to-use cordless vacuum for pet hair. It features an adjustable vacuum head to accommodate both carpeting and bare floors and pivots to a nearly flat position to reach deep under tables, couches, and chairs and suction up dust bunnies and clumps of fur.
Even households with multiple pets find that the Shark Navigator Freestyle is up for the challenge of daily suction duty. However, the brush roll is not tangle-free and some reviewers find that they need to cut away pet hair, human hair, string, etc. every few weeks to maintain normal operation. This isn't uncommon for vacuums but is a bit of an annoyance on a vacuum cleaner for pet hair. But if you don't want to lug a full-sized vacuum out for quick jobs, this model is a good option for tidying up.
The 8 Best Pooper Scoopers of 2020Best for Quick Clean-ups: Shark Rocket Pet Pro
Kohl's
Buy on Bed Bath & BeyondWhen you have pets in the house, be prepared for a quick clean-up at all times. The Shark Rocket Pet Pro is a top pick for a pet vacuum that can clean up messes in a hurry whether they're on the floor, above the floor (think furniture, window treatments, stairs), or in the car. Aside from functioning in an upright position for zooming over bare and carpeted floors in search of crunchy dog food or little bits of litter, the top of the vacuum detaches for a useful handheld vac that can tackle pet hair in your car, on your couch, and more.
Like many of the best vacuums for pet hair, the Shark Rocket Pet Pro has a rubber brush roll that minimizes the chances of hair becoming tangled. In the event that you do need to give the brush roll some extra attention, users appreciate that you access this part with just simple fasteners rather than screws that require tools and tedious. Reviewers say that this feature makes the Rocket easier to maintain. To keep pet dander and other allergens under control, this model includes two pre-motor filters, along with a post-motor HEPA filter.
A favorite feature of this model compared to other stick vacuums for pet hair is the fact that you don't have to continuously hold the trigger button for the vacuum to operate. The one oddity about the Shark Rocket Pet Pro is that it doesn't stand upright on its own when fully assembled. You'll either need to prop it against another object to support the top-heavy part of this stick vacuum, or just remove the top of the vacuum (the handheld portion) and set it on a shelf or on the floor next to the body of the vacuum.
Best Budget: Eureka PowerSpeed Pet Turbo Vacuum Cleaner
Amazon
Buy on AmazonThe Eureka PowerSpeed Upright Vacuum Cleaner delivers plenty of power to capture pet hair, dander, and dirt from your home. This bagless vacuum is easy to maintain with washable filters and doesn't require the purchase of replacement bags. It includes a Pet Turbo brush attachment for eliminating fur from your furniture or other places above the floor. As a budget vacuum cleaner for pet hair, it's hard to beat the easy use and affordable price tag.
Reviewers are very satisfied with the suction of this vacuum, along with its quick and easy assembly. The dirt cup is large enough to hold a surprising (and maybe disturbing) amount of hair and dirt and empties easily into the trash. With five height adjustments for the head of the vacuum, you can raise or lower the brush roll for use on hard surface floors or plush carpeting. The biggest complaints on this vacuum include the relatively short power cord (25 feet) and the seemingly short reach of the hose when using attachments. Even still, pet owners say that for the suction power of this budget vacuum, those are minor annoyances.
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What to Look for in a Vacuum for Pet Hair
Air Filtering Abilities
Even if no one in your home is allergic to pets, you may want to keep an eye out for vacuums with air filters that keep allergens locked into the bag or canister. Top of the line models may have HEPA filters, which are helpful if members of your family, extended family, or friends have allergies to pet dander.
Easy to Clean Brushes
Just like human hair, pet hair can tangle around a vacuum's beater brush and make it less effective at picking up dirt. Some vacuums are made with bars that are designed to keep hair from getting tangled, others have special attachments to vacuum areas with lots of fur, and some just have brushes that are easy to remove and clean when fur does get tangled.