The 11 Best Vacuums for Pet Hair, Tested and Reviewed

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

Best Overall Vacuum for Pet Hair

Dyson Outsize Plus Vacuum

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Nancy Snyder, senior shopping editor, tested the Dyson Outsize Plus vacuum and awarded it top billing for its versatility, cordless deep cleaning and plethora of handy hair removal accessories. She particularly liked that it cleared wrapped pet hair from the brush as it ran.

“It’s bad enough that my pit bull mix, Ernie, sheds a lot, but his fur actually weaves deep into carpet and upholstery as if it were part of the fabric,” says Snyder. “Most vacuums and pet hair removers simply don’t discern between the two—until the Dyson Outsize Plus. There are pet hair vacuums and then there are pet hair vacuums.”

From hardwood to area rugs, she tested the unit on multiple surfaces—and even tested it on a “clean” carpet sample—and the vacuum’s power amazed her with the amount of hair sucked into the bin. The Dyson comes with multiple attachments—even some she didn’t know she needed—making it extremely versatile for multiple surfaces and uses.

“My favorite attachment was the hair screw tool, which strongly gripped the furriest of surfaces, such as my dog’s bed or dog car hammock, to completely rid it of stubborn fur,” says Snyder.

Caroline Lubinsky/Family Handyman Caroline Lubinsky/Family Handyman

Best Budget Vacuum for Pet Hair

Eureka PowerSpeed Turbo Spotlight

$90.23 at Amazon

After testing the Eureka PowerSpeed Turbo Spotlight, senior shopping editor, Caroline Lubinsky, was impressed by its power at an inexpensive price. It helps manage her lab/pit mix, Kobe’s, shedding.

“If we don’t vacuum multiple times per week, the off-white living room rug turns into a dishwater gray speckled with Kobe hairs,” says Lubinsky. “I was impressed by the PowerSpeed’s ability to pick up embedded pet hair (I didn’t even need to use a carpet rake to agitate!).”

Once collected into the 2.6-liter dust pan, press a button to empty the canister into your trash. With light-emitting diode (LED) headlights to scope out any errant fuzz, the vacuum comes with a crevice tool, a turbo pet brush and an upholstery tool to address multiple surfaces. It cleans everything from couch cushions to dog beds. At only 10.2 pounds, you can easily carry it all over the house for thorough cleanings.

Reina Galhea/Family Handyman Reina Galhea/Family Handyman

Best Vacuum for Pet Hair on Amazon

Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum

$159.99 at Amazon

Reina Galhea, deputy shopping editor, tested the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind pet vacuum to tackle pet hair embedded in carpets, on hardwood and woven into furniture upholstery. She’s had it for over 18 months now, and loves one feature in particular.

“It features a simple fix for a universal problem with vacuums—having to wrap the power cord,” says Reina. “No matter how many times I use it (and I’ve used it about once a week for a year and a half now), I never get tired of pressing the rewind button and watching the cord suck back into the vacuum base. The 30 seconds it saves me is almost as gratifying as how powerful of a cleaning tool this vacuum is.”

Three extra attachments—plus the hose end angle—offer ideal cleaning options for a variety of surfaces. “The TurboEraser, a spinning hose attachment that functions like a handheld vacuum, is my go-to for cleaning the couch and the cat tree. This vacuum maneuvers around corners with a simple turn of my wrist, meaning I don’t have to rearrange the furniture just to get the carpets clean.”

Mary Henn/Family Handyman Mary Henn/Family Handyman

Best Self-Cleaning Vacuum for Pet Hair

Tineco Pure One Station

$699 at Amazon

Shopping editor, Mary Henn, became a fan of the Tineco Pure One Station for one big reason: Every vacuum sucks up fur and dirt, but then you have to clean them—but this product makes cleaning easy!

“As someone with long, thick hair and a large German shepherd, I’m perpetually cleaning hair and fur from my floors and furniture,” Henn writes in her Tineco Pure One Station review. “I’m also constantly tangling (and sometimes breaking beyond use) vacuum cleaners. So, when I finally got my hands on the new Tineco Pure One Station with ZeroTangle and FurFree technology, I was stoked to say the least.”

This smart vacuum has a cleaning hub with a cordless stick vacuum and docking station. The hub self cleans, charges and stores the vacuum. Designed to work on all floor types, it even auto-detects the amount of suction needed based on the mess at hand. Accessories, like a handheld small brush for furniture, make cleaning nooks and crannies convenient. It even comes with a FurFree kit for pet grooming, so you can brush your dog and suck up shedded fur at the same time. Always ask the pet first, though, as many dogs and cats dive under beds to hide when the vacuum monster comes out.

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Reina Glenn For Family Handyman, Anne Fritz/Family Handyman Reina Glenn For Family Handyman, Anne Fritz/Family Handyman

Best Stick Vacuum for Pet Hair

Black+Decker Powerseries Extreme Cordless Stick Vacuum

199.9925% OFF$149 at Amazon

Anne Fritz, deputy editor, tested the Black+Decker Powerseries stick vacuum and loves its maneuverability. In particular, the fact that it’s lightweight and cordless really appeals to her.

“With two elementary school-age kids and one medium-size rescue dog in the house, I’m sweeping and vacuuming on a daily basis,” says Anne. “I have a robot vacuum that I run regularly in my bedroom, but I find it cumbersome to lug up and down the stairs so it can access all areas of my house. Besides, I typically find a few errant Legos or hair ties on the bottom floor of my house—not ideal for a robot vac to suck up.”

The floor light spotlights any crumbs or hair so you can easily target and suck up the mess. Once charged, it runs for up to 55 minutes. While highly effective on hardwood (even sucking up debris in crevices), it left about 20% fur behind on carpet or upholstery. So you might need some tips for removing pet hair from the couch.

“After a few years of consistently using this vacuum, I’m happy to report it has held up really well! (I can’t speak as highly about the Lego situation.),” Fritz says.

Dawn Yanek/Family Handyman Dawn Yanek/Family Handyman

Best Vacuum Mop for Pet Hair

Bissell CrossWave X7 Pet Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum

$479.99 at Amazon

Dawn Yanek, senior editor, has a common floor-cleaning issue: multiple surfaces, each with individual cleaning challenges. She also has stairs, and both low-pile and high-pile carpets, so she keeps several products in her arsenal for cleaning up pet stains on carpet.

“I am always vacuuming and mopping my hardwood and tile floors, and honestly, who has time to do both of those things every day? Not me, which is why I was thrilled that the Bissell CrossWave X7 wet/dry vacuum lived up to its hype,” Yanek says.

It has three settings: hard floors, area rugs and turbo pet. This Bissell also comes with two containers of cleaning solution. A button switches on the vacuum, and a trigger activates the operation. It easily switches back and forth between the two while the LED lights spot any hair or grunge that needs addressing.

“I also have a lot of long hair that tends to get everywhere, and I was worried that it would get tangled in the plush roller brush. But nope—the suction funneled it right into the tank without a problem. Plus, this genius vacuum mop somehow made my old area rugs look brand new in 60 seconds flat. After a few years of testing, I’m happy to report this trusty little vacuum mop is still hands-down the best cleaning product I own.”

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

Best Vacuum for Pet Hair for Apartments

Fabuletta 6-in-1 Cordless Lightweight Vacuum for Pet Hair

$127.57 at Amazon

For people with limited space (or sharing walls with the next-door apartment), a compact,  lightweight and quiet vacuum is a must. Nancy Snyder, senior shopping editor, found the perfect mix of cleaning strength, size and quiet with the Fabuletta vacuum.

“I have a pit bull mix that sheds all over my hardwood floors,” says Snyder. “I wanted a lightweight vacuum that was quick and easy to use on the regular, but didn’t take up too much space in the closet. As a dog mom, I also wanted something that wasn’t too loud (let’s be honest, keeping the dog from attacking the vacuum is sometimes half the battle of cleaning). An added bonus? It features a re-usable [high-efficiency particulate air] HEPA filter to clean and purify the air of pet dander while you vacuum.”

Snyder says the budget-friendly Fabuletta six-in-one cordless vacuum checks all of the boxes. It packs a powerful sucking-punch despite being fairly quiet and lightweight. The base employs LED lights to spotlight corners that collect debris, and it even works well to spiff up the dog’s bed. With a rechargeable battery, optional wall mount and two attachments that dust and clean out crevices, this unit takes the headache out of de-furring your apartment.

Reina Galhea/Family Handyman Reina Galhea/Family Handyman

Best Vacuum for Pet Hair for Furniture

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser

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Reina Galhea, deputy shopping editor, shares her home (and heart) with a ginger tabby cat, Big Red, whose orange fur shows up equally well on light and dark clothes and furniture. So she eagerly tested the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser.

“Though the upholstery attachment didn’t seem to improve the vacuum’s function during my testing, the motorized brush was a wonder for removing fur from my couch, velvet office chair and cat bed (all of the fur baby’s highly-trafficked areas),” Galhea says.

She gave the crevice tool a workout by testing it on Big Red’s cat tree. “I’m pleased to report it sucked up all the hair, claws fragments, stray litter and shredded rope from the tree itself, where Big Red gives himself a daily manicure.”

While it doesn’t have the power of a full-size vacuum, you can’t beat this handheld device for quick spot cleaning, especially of furniture. Galhea goes more in depth on this unit in her full review of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser.

Amy Shojai For Family Handyman Amy Shojai For Family Handyman

Best Vacuum for Pet Hair for Stairs

Black+Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum

$97.21 at Amazon

Last summer, I (Amy Shojai) swapped my wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood and added oriental rugs. I also have slate floors in the kitchen and bathrooms. I have a black dog, a silver shaded tabby cat and a white kitten with tabby markings, so fuzz finds its way into every nook and cranny of my home. My pet hair vacuum does a great job on all those surfaces, but I left the off-white carpet on my stairs and it’s nearly impossible to clean—even with vacuum attachments. Fur collects on both the horizontal steps and vertical facings.

The Furbuster handheld vacuum comes in the perfect size. It’s light enough to maneuver easily, and cleans vertical, horizontal and corner surfaces where fur collects. I didn’t realize so much fur had accumulated until I tested this product. The dustbin sucks up and contains the debris, and the clear container lets you see when to empty it into your trash. I’m not a fan of how loud it is, and just as some dogs fear the noise of fireworks, the sound can cause some pets to hide.

My upright vacuum only reaches halfway up the stairs before the electrical cord or attachment hose stops it. The Furbuster’s cordless design means it goes everywhere, even in the car, to clean up fur from the upholstery (although I have a car seat cover that keeps things clean). Once charged, the Furbuster goes everywhere: on my stairs, on the furniture or the bedspread where my pets sleep beside me (yes, I’m that kind of pet parent!). Hard-to-reach areas, like under tables or deep furniture pockets, are a breeze to clean up, thanks to this best vacuum for pet hair.

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Marisa Hillman For Family Handyman Marisa Hillman For Family Handyman

Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair

Shark IQ Robot Vacuum

599.997% OFF$559 at Amazon

For those who hate the chore of weekly (or more often) vacuuming to stay ahead of drifts of pet hair, let a robot vacuum do it for you. That’s what shopping writer, Marisa Hillman, did.

“With the Shark IQ robot vacuum, I don’t have to think about vacuuming for up to 45 days,” says Hillman. “That’s because once the vacuum mapped my home, I scheduled whole-home cleanings (or specific rooms when things needed to be cleaned ASAP) using the SharkClean app. It also works with voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. When the robot gets full, it takes itself back to its self-emptying base. Once it empties itself, it resumes cleaning wherever it left off.”

That sounds like magic, but after using the system daily for nearly three years, the magic continues. With four children and an always-shedding lab, Hillman says the Shark vacuum runs nearly all the time. With powerful suction and a flawless transition from hardwood to carpet, you can set it and forget it. Even if your dog digs up the flower garden and tracks in mud, the Shark has you covered. A self-cleaning brush roll prevents hair from wrapping around and stalling the cleaning.

Leslie Glenn For Family Handyman Leslie Glenn For Family Handyman

Best Stationary Vacuum for Pet Hair

EyeVac Home Touchless Vacuum

$149 at Amazon

With the EyeVac Home, there’s no need to lug around a vacuum—simply sweep the mess over to this touchless, stationary vacuum and it takes care of the rest. Originally designed for salon owners, the EyeVac Home is now growing in popularity among pet owners who want to stay on top of continuously shedding hair blanketing their floors.

Who better to test the EyeVac Home than pet owner and hair stylist, Leslie Glenn? Her private salon receives a lot of traffic from clients looking for a cut, as well as from her furry pup companions that work alongside her. Glenn put this stationary vacuum to the test with a variety of hair lengths and textures, and was wowed at how effortlessly it continuously tackled all the hair, fur and debris she sent it’s way (no dustpan required).

“When it activates, it nabs the pile almost instantly,” says Glenn. “I was concerned that long hair would get tangled in it the way it does in the rollers of my upright vacuum, but it sucked up all lengths of hair, and dirt and pet fur, without issue.”

When the canister bin is full (don’t worry, the indicator light will tell you), simply empty it out and put it back in (no bags required). “This thing holds a lot!” raves Glenn. “I was expecting to have to empty it every week, but it ended up being every couple of weeks. That’s a huge pro for a stationary vacuum, which will likely sit in a place where there’s constant mess to suck up.”

What to Look for When Buying the Best Vacuum for Pet Hair

Dog and cat fur come in many lengths and shed in different ways: in clumps all at once in the spring and fall, or single hairs all the time. All pets shed, although some dog breeds shed less than others. Fur clings to many surface types, so the best vacuum for pet hair should work well for the type of pet hair challenge and decor that you have.

Two top concerns for pet owners are suction power and filtration. Different surfaces require various levels of suction to perform well—hard surfaces need less while carpets and some upholstery require more suction power. Filter systems catch fine hairs and dust. Some high-level vacuum filters claim to address pet dander, however, once in the environment, cat dander (dried skin secretions, saliva and urine) mostly floats around in the environment for years—even long after pets have left the premises. But keeping the vacuum filter clean ensures the shed hair and other debris get properly eliminated.

You may need to invest in new filters to keep your appliance working well. Similarly, vacuum mops that use liquids to clean require an ongoing investment to replace these, and sometimes may be specific to the make and model of the vacuum mop.

For detail work, look for vacuums with specialized attachments for specific cleaning. Brush bars help “comb” and agitate the fabric surface so suction pulls in the debris. Decide if you’d prefer to invest in a single product that does nearly everything, or purchase multiple less expensive products to customize what your home needs. If you have stairs, look for lighter models for ease of moving, and select cordless models to avoid that electric cord tether that gets in the way of cleaning.

Why You Should Trust Us

As a certified animal behavior consultant for cats and dogs and an award-winning author of 35+ pet care titles, I have shared expert pet care and behavior information for over 30 years with pet parents. I’ve also consulted with the pet products industry and written thousands of articles for them helping to edutain cat and dog lovers how best to care for their furry wonders. I’ve also lived with a variety of pets, from double-coated German shepherds that shed drifts of fur to short-haired dogs and cats with fine, hard-to-remove shedded hair. My current pets, all with short fur, still offer challenges to control the fuzz.

15 Pet Vacuums Rigorously Tested

You’ll find dozens of vacuums that advertise their ability to relieve pet owners’ big hairy messes. To sift through the throng and find the best vacuums for pet hair, our expert editors tried the top models in our own homes on real pet (and kid) messes. Each reviewer considered features, such as suction, maneuverability, cord length and weight, as well as special features, such as lights and detangling technology. Some reviewers initially tested their products over a year ago and revisited the topic to see how they stood the test of time. We also looked at other expert recommendations to take into consideration what pet owners shared about these products. We ultimately tested 15 and narrowed those down to these 11 best vacuums for pet hair, in a wide range of price points and situations.

FAQ

What is the best vacuum for dog hair on hardwood floors?

Lightweight vacuums like stick vacuums or vacuum/mop combinations work very well on hardwood or hard floor surfaces, as they don’t need as much suction. You also won’t risk skid marks or scuffs that may happen with heavy vacuums rolling on hardwood floors.

Is there a vacuum that hair doesn’t wrap around?

The Dyson Outsize Plus and the Tineco Pure One Station offer a no-tangle technology that reduces and often eliminates the problem of long hair wrapping around the vacuum brush.