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Best vacuums for pet hair in 2023

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Andrea Smith/CNN Underscored

Cats and dogs bring joy, comfort and companionship to your household. But they also bring hair — lots of hair, on your clothing, on your furniture and all over the floor. As with children and mess, controlling cat and dog hair in the house is a running battle, one you signed up for when you brought those bundles of chaos into your house.

A vacuum cleaner is a crucial tool against pet hair, dander and dust, especially for people with allergies, and many models now include specially designed floor heads and accessories for cleaning up after pets. We’ve found the best vacuums for pet hair among the seven cordless stick vacuums, 10 robot vacuums, six uprights and nine canister vacuums we’ve tested.

iLife V3S Pro

The best robot vacuum for pet hair

iLife V3S Pro Robot Vacuum

Amazon

The budget-priced iLife V3S Pro uses a suction tube like a traditional vacuum cleaner rather than the roller brushes employed by other robot vacuums, and does a better job picking up pet hair without clogging.

$160 $107 at Amazon

iRobot Roomba j7+

The best robot vacuum that can allegedly avoid dog poop

The Roomba j7+.

iRobot

The iRobot j7+ is the best robot vacuum you can buy right now, with simpler mapping, more cleaning power and smarter features (like dog poop avoidance) than anything else we tested.

$800 $600 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Dyson V11 Animal

Best cordless stick vacuum for pet hair and deep carpet

Dyson V11 Animal Cord-Free Vacuum

Dyson

With impressive power and the ability to tackle cleaning tasks on surfaces ranging from high-pile carpet to hard floors, the Dyson V11 Animal is the most capable cordless stick vacuum we tested.

$649 $599 at Amazon

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright Vacuum

Best upright vacuum for pet hair

BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright Vacuum

BISSELL

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright Vacuum's standout feature is the Pet Turboeraser tool, which has a spinning brush head with bristles that easily pull dog and cat hair off upholstery and stairs, making it the best upright vacuum for pet owners.

$370 at Amazon

Kenmore BC4026 Pet-Friendly Pop-N-Go

Best canister vacuum for pet hair and thick carpet

Kenmore Pop-N-Go canister vacuum cleaner

Kenmore

The Kenmore BC4026 canister vacuum is great for large homes, deep-pile carpet and folks with allergies. It's bulky and inelegant, but its powered floorhead outperforms vacuums twice its price, the motorized pet hair mini brush keeps upholstery looking fresh and its dust bags and exhaust filter are HEPA-compliant.

$320 at Target

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser

Best handheld vacuum for pet hair

Walmart

With a motorized brush that picks up more pet hair than any other handheld vacuum we tested, the powerful Bissell Pet Hair Eraser lets you take care of pet messes on floors, upholstery, in the care, or anywhere it might accumulate.

$93 $69 at Walmart

Andrea Smith/CNN Underscored

Key Specs

Of the 10 robot vacuums we tested, the iLife V3S Pro was the best at removing pet hair without clogging, thanks to its lack of roller brushes. At around $160, it costs hundreds less than most robot vacuums.

The iLife V3S Pro does a great job removing pet hair and cat litter from hardwood floor and low carpet. It uses bump-and-run navigation, rather than mapping, and it can’t avoid cords or poop like the Roomba j7+ can, but it’ll clean your whole space eventually. It can’t empty itself, unlike more expensive robots, and it doesn’t have a bin fill indicator. But if you make it a habit to empty the dust bin every day, it’ll drastically cut down on pet hair in your space for very little effort on your part.

iRobot Roomba j7+

Andrea Smith/CNN

Key Specs

If you have money to spare and want a robot vacuum that’s smarter than you are, consider the iRobot Roomba j7+. Unlike the iLife V3S Pro, it’s not bump-and-run: It maps your house, including no-go zones, and it has built-in object detection that helps it avoid power cords, headphones and — most importantly — pet waste, so you can hopefully avoid pooptastrophe.

The j7+ is self-emptying, unlike the iLife V3S Pro, which needs to be emptied after each run, and its rubber multi-surface brushes were second only to the V3S Pro, which has no brushes at all, in avoiding pet hair tangles. The Dirt Detect feature lets it focus on specific messes, like a cat litter spill, and go back over the area until it’s clean.

The Roomba j7+ is the best robot vacuum you can buy, but it’s expensive, and in our testing its self-empty cycle briefly made a noise like a jet engine. If you have the money, though, and especially if you have pets prone to pooping inside, it’s a compelling upgrade over the iLife V3S Pro.

The Dyson V11 Animal

Lindsay Boyers/CNN Underscored

Key Specs

The Dyson V11 Animal is the best cordless stick vacuum for pet hair, and the best stick vacuum of the seven we tested.  If you live in an apartment or smaller home, it might even be the only vacuum you need. Its swiveling floor head makes fast work of pet hair and dust even in high-pile carpets, and in handheld mode, the crevice tool and mini motorized brush tool are fantastic for cleaning upholstered furniture, cat towers and pet beds. It’s lightweight, maneuverable and cordless, so getting the vacuum out isn’t a hassle like it can be for upright and canister vacuums.

The V11 Animal’s biggest weakness is battery life. At its automatic and Boost settings, it gets 30 to 45 minutes of runtime, which might not be enough. Unlike other stick vacuums with swappable batteries, the Dyson’s rechargeable battery is built in, so once it’s out of juice, you have to wait for it to recharge. The Dyson also uses a trigger-style power switch, which you have to hold down the entire time you’re vacuuming — it’s fine for smaller tasks, but you might find it taxing if you’re cleaning an entire apartment.

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright Pet Vacuum

Lindsay Boyers/CNN Underscored

Key Specs

If you have a home too large to vacuum in a single charge of a stick vacuum, especially one with lots of carpet, you should consider a corded upright vacuum. While larger, heavier and less maneuverable than cordless stick vacuums, they have higher suction, and won’t run out of charge.

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright is the best upright vacuum for pet hair, thanks to its Pet Turboeraser mini brush tool, which does a better job removing pet hair from stairs and upholstery than the five other uprights we tested (though it’s powered by suction, rather than motorized, so it won’t be as effective as a motorized pet hair tool like the one on the Kenmore BC4026 canister vacuum, below).

The Pet Hair Eraser’s lift-off feature means the canister, hose, wand and motor detach from the floor head, so you can easily use it to vacuum upholstery, drapes, fixtures and other things above floor level. At 18 pounds, the vacuum isn’t the lightest of the six upright vacuums we tested, and it’s not the best on hard floors, but it’s the best upright option for people with pets. However, people with dust or dander sensitivities should consider a bagged canister vacuum rather than a bagless upright like the Bissell.

The Kenmore 600-Series BC4026 Pet Friendly Pop-N-Go canister vacuum

Nathan Edwards/CNN Underscored

Key Specs

For folks with pets, carpets and dust or dander sensitivities, a canister vacuum can offer even more powerful suction, deeper carpet cleaning and better air filtration than an upright. The Kenmore BC4026 Pet-Friendly Pop-N-Go isn’t particularly maneuverable, even by canister vacuum standards, but its electric floor sweeper brush pulls an unbelievable amount of dust and pet hair from the thickest of carpets. Like the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright, it has a mini turbo brush (here called a Pet Powermate) that makes quick work of cat hair on cat trees, microfiber upholstery and pet beds. Unlike the Bissell, Kenmore’s version is motorized, so you can change the suction level without changing the brush speed, which really helps get pet hair off of upholstery without inhaling the fabric.

Both the dust bag and exhaust filter of the BC4026 are HEPA-compliant, and offer much better air filtration and dust containment than a bagless vacuum, as well as three times the dust capacity of the Dyson V11 Animal stick vacuum or Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright. But that’s at the cost of portability and maneuverability; at 22 pounds, the Kenmore is 4 pounds more than the Bissell upright, and neither its floor head nor canister are as nimble. But for sheer power, you can’t beat a canister vac, and the Kenmore is far more affordable than the much more maneuverable Miele Complete C3 Kona.

Bissel Pet Hair Eraser

Alex Rennie/CNN Underscored

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is the best handheld vacuum for pet hair — it has a motorized brush that lets it pick up pet hair from upholstery, floors, in the car and everywhere else we found the stuff (which, as you know if you’re a cat or dog parent, is pretty much everyplace). Even though the Pet Hair Eraser is on the larger side (thanks to its sizable canister) at 17 inches long and weighs around 3 pounds, it’s still well balanced and comfortable to use.

The motorized pet hair brush attaches securely and let us get at dog hair embedded deep in carpeting, rugs, and couches, and even in our test vehicle’s carpeting. The 23.6 ounce canister—the largest of all the handheld vacuums we tested—sucked up a large amount of hair before needing to be emptied, and along with the 17-minute runtime let us work until the job was truly complete, and the long crevice tool and flat upholstery brush let us get into nooks and crannies where the motorized main brush couldn’t go.

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is versatile enough that you could use it as your only handheld vacuum. whether you’re looking for something to use around the house or to keep your car clean, though it’s extra power and capacity makes it a bit bulkier and a bit more cumbersome to handle than some of its competitors. You might look elsewhere if you are looking to pick up after kids, as the nozzle was too narrow to suck up Cheerios. It also doesn’t have a charging base, but comes with a wall-wart power supply cable — a less convenient setup than our other favorite handheld vacuums.

Our test supervisor assess how the robots stack up

Andrea Smith/CNN Underscored

The bristles on a vacuum’s brush head are designed to agitate carpet and to lift dust, debris and hair from the floor. As anyone who’s used a hairbrush knows, though, over time hairs get caught in the bristles. If you have pets that shed a lot, the hair can accumulate so fast on the brush that it clogs the vacuum, lowering suction or preventing the brush from turning at all. That’s why many companies sell vacuums optimized for pet hair, with brushes designed not to clog on hair, along with powered mini brush head attachments to get pet hair off of upholstery and stairs.

Pet-specific vacuums often include HEPA filters, aimed at controlling dust, dander and pet-related allergens in general. If you’re concerned about such issues, you may want to seek out a bagged vacuum rather than a bagless model; the bag provides an extra filtration stage and also lets you avoid dust spillage when emptying.

If you have a houseful of cats and dogs, a canister vacuum or upright vacuum will give you the power and tools to deal with animal hair, dander and dust on any surface. These corded units have more-powerful motors and stronger suction and pet-friendly models offer powered brushes designed to make short work of hair without clogging. While they may be a little more ungainly than cordless sticks, they won’t run out of power midway through your weekly cleaning.

An apartment or small house can likely get by with a cordless stick vacuum, especially if you have mostly bare floors. If you have a large house or lots of carpet, an upright or canister vacuum is a better choice; they can provide more suction than cordless stick vacuum, and won’t run out of batteries in the middle of a job. Many of these also double as handheld vacuums, which are great for keeping upholstery hair-free or for tackling small pet-associated messes.

A robot vacuum probably shouldn’t be your only vacuum if you’re trying to clean up after pets, but it’s a great complement to a cordless stick, upright or canister vacuum. Running a robot vacuum daily can keep the day-to-day buildup of fuzz to a manageable minimum so your weekly chores are less of a chore. The small roller brushes on most robot vacuums can clog quickly with pet hair, however, so you’ll want to pay attention to regular maintenance. Our current favorite in the category, the iLife V3S Pro, avoids this nagging issue by not using a roller brush at all.

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

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The 6 Best Vacuums For Pet Hair - Winter 2023: Reviews

  1. Table of Contents
  2. Intro
  3. Best Vacuum
    1. Best Upper Mid-Range
      1. Best Mid-Range
        1. Best Budget
          1. Best Upright
            1. Best Canister
              1. Notable Mentions
              2. Recent Updates
              3. All Reviews
              4. Discussions

              Updated Jan 16, 2023 at 03:49 pm

              By Evan Jakab

              If you're a pet owner, there's no doubt you've had to deal with the hassle that comes with shedding. We all love our furry friends, but there's no denying pet hair is a nuisance. It has a nasty tendency of getting everywhere, so a vacuum that can clear this type of debris across a wide range of surfaces is crucial. Good maneuverability and portability are plus points, as they let you clean pet hair from underneath and around couches, tables, and other types of furniture.

              We've tested over 130 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best vacuums for pet hair. These recommendations are based not only on their pet-hair cleaning performance on different types of surfaces but also on their design and price. For more buying recommendations, look at our list of the best robot vacuums for pet hair, the best handheld vacuums for pet hair, the best apartment vacuums, and the best vacuums for high-pile carpet.


              1. Best Vacuum For Pet Hair

                Dyson V15 Detect

                SEE PRICE

                Amazon. de

                Unavailable

                Missing Store

                Pets

                8.0

                Vacuum Type

                Stick/Handheld

                Bagless

                Yes

                Cordless

                Yes

                Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

                Yes

                Wet Compatible

                No

                See all our test results

                The Dyson V15 Detect is the best vacuum for pet hair we've tested. This high-end cordless stick vacuum has no problem dealing with pet hair on a wide variety of surface types, whether you're using the multi-surface floorhead or the soft-roller floorhead with an integrated laser light to help you see fine debris. Its built-in dirt sensor also gives you a rough estimate of allergen levels inside your home, and its washable HEPA filter is effective in sealing in fine particles. Meanwhile, its surface detection system lets it automatically ramp up its suction power on carpets. While this vacuum can run for more than 70 minutes in its most energy-efficient configuration, that does drop quite a bit when used in its 'Boost' setting.

                Worried about running out of charge midway through a cleaning session? Check out the Samsung Bespoke Jet, which has a charging rack that can top up its two included batteries at once, so you can swap in a fully-charged pack when you run out, effectively doubling its runtime. The freestanding charging rack also works as a self-emptying base station, as it can suck debris from the Samsung vacuum's dustbin into an internal dirtbag, minimizing maintenance requirements. That said, it's less maneuverable than the Dyson.

                See our review

              2. Best Upper Mid-Range Vacuum For Pet Hair

                Dyson V12 Detect Slim

                SEE PRICE

                Amazon. de

                Unavailable

                Missing Store

                Pets

                8.0

                Vacuum Type

                Stick/Handheld

                Bagless

                Yes

                Cordless

                Yes

                Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

                Yes

                Wet Compatible

                No

                See all our test results

                If you don't mind giving losing out slightly in terms of battery life and suction power compared to the Dyson V15 Detects in exchange for a cheaper price tag, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a good choice. It uses the same particle sensor and improves upon the V15's automatic power adjustment capability by not only adjusting suction power to match the surface it's on but also the concentration of debris on the ground. It easily clears away pet hair across a wide range of surface types when used with either its multi-surface floorhead or its secondary floorhead with a soft brushroll, intended for use on hard floors. The brushrolls for both floorheads, as well as its miniature turbo brush attachment, are easily removable, making it a cinch to clear away any tangled hair.

                Its smaller dustbin has about a third the capacity of the V15 but is also endemic to its smaller, lighter motor unit, which makes it easier to pick up and carry and maneuver in cluttered areas whether used in its stick or handheld configuration. Unfortunately, like the V15, build quality isn't especially impressive, with an easily-dented metal wand and floorhead wheels that can get clogged up with small debris.

                See our review

              3. Best Mid-Range Vacuum For Pet Hair

                Tineco PURE ONE S11

                SEE PRICE

                Amazon. de

                Unavailable

                Missing Store

                Pets

                7.8

                Vacuum Type

                Stick/Handheld

                Bagless

                Yes

                Cordless

                Yes

                Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

                Yes

                Wet Compatible

                No

                See all our test results

                The best vacuum for cat hair in the mid-range price bracket that we've tested is the Tineco PURE ONE S11. This cordless stick vacuum can tackle pet hair on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet at a much lower price point than either the Dyson V12 Detect Slim or Dyson V15 Detect. Its built-in iLoop dirt sensor lets it increase its suction power when running over an area with a high concentration of debris. Unfortunately, the flip side of that lower price point is its less robust build quality and shorter battery life than the Dyson, which tops out at a maximum of a little over 40 minutes. You can also pair the vacuum with your smartphone via the Tineco Life to keep tabs on the maintenance status of its filters.

                This vacuum isn't the most maneuverable stick vacuum out there, with a tangle-prone floorhead that doesn't articulate very smoothly. If that's a concern, the Dyson V8 is worth considering, as it's easier to maneuver in tight spots. However, it lacks the Tineco vacuum's self-adjusting power function and has a smaller dustbin.

                See our review

              4. Best Budget Vacuum For Pet Hair

                Wyze Cordless Vacuum

                SEARCH

                Amazon. de

                Unavailable

                Missing Store

                Pets

                7.2

                Vacuum Type

                Stick/Handheld

                Bagless

                Yes

                Cordless

                Yes

                Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

                Yes

                Wet Compatible

                No

                See all our test results

                If you're shopping at the more affordable end of the market, the Wyze Cordless Vacuum is one of the best vacuums for dog hair we've tested. Unlike the Tineco PURE ONE S11, it can't automatically adjust its suction power, and it doesn't come bundled with a miniature turbo brush attachment for dealing with pet hair on furniture, though you can buy one from the manufacturer. That said, it's notably cheaper and just as effective for dealing with pet hair on bare floors and carpets. Its brushroll's widely-spaced bristles tend to collect pet hair, though it's easy to clean. Unusually for a vacuum in this price range, it's also equipped with a HEPA filter and is very effective when sealing in fine allergens like pet dander.

                This vacuum is also very lightweight, even by the standards of other stick models, making it a breeze to maneuver in tight spots. Unfortunately, it doesn't feel especially robust, with parts of its mainly plastic construction feeling quite fragile, especially its dustbin and the top plate of its floorhead. If you want something even cheaper and don't mind a loss in suction performance, the JASHEN V16 is worth a look. However, it has a shorter battery life and struggles with bulky debris, which easily clogs the entry to its dirt compartment.

                See our review

              5. Best Upright Vacuum For Pet Hair

                Dyson Ball Animal 3

                SEARCH

                Amazon.de

                Unavailable

                Missing Store

                Pets

                8.4

                Vacuum Type

                Upright

                Bagless

                Yes

                Cordless

                No

                Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

                Yes

                Wet Compatible

                Mopping Only

                See all our test results

                If you prefer the all-in-one design of an upright vacuum, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is among the best vacuums for dog hair we've tested. This bagless upright is far more of a hassle to deploy than a comparably-priced cordless model like the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, but it's worth a look if you prioritize performance above all else. It easily clears away pet hair on a range of floor types, and its floorhead offers three levels of surface adjustment and a set of built-in vanes to prevent hair from getting tangled in the mechanism. It's also allergen-sealed and has an onboard HEPA filter to limit the spread of fine allergens like pet dander as you clean. Unfortunately, you still might want to watch out for the plume of dust that can get kicked up when emptying its dustbin.

                Prefer the cleaner means of debris disposal that come with a bagged vacuum? Check out the Kenmore Intuition Bagged, which is easier and more hygienic to maintain than the Dyson, but it also has a far more tangle-prone floorhead that doesn't do quite as well with pet hair on bare floors.

                See our review

              6. Best Canister Vacuum For Pet Hair

                Miele Complete C3

                SEARCH

                Amazon. de

                Unavailable

                Missing Store

                Pets

                8.2

                Vacuum Type

                Canister

                Bagless

                No

                Cordless

                No

                Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)

                Yes

                Wet Compatible

                No

                See all our test results

                If you want a canister model, the Miele Complete C3 is among the best vacuums for pet hair and hardwood floors we've tested. It doesn't have the go-anywhere range of a comparably-priced cordless model like the Dyson V15 Detect, and you'll have to pay a premium to get a C3 model with a powerhead that's as effective on carpets as that of the Dyson Ball Animal 3. Still, it's worth a look if you want a corded vacuum for longer cleaning sessions and prefer the more maneuverable design of a canister vacuum versus a bulkier upright. It's remarkably effective in dealing with pet hair and has a highly-effective filtration system, even if you don't spring for a pricier variant with a HEPA-rated filter. Build quality is fantastic, and the vacuum has a seven-level power adjustment feature, so you can quickly adapt to a range of surface types.

                If you're looking for a mid-priced alternative to the C3, the Miele Classic C1 is a great option that delivers similar overall performance; however, it doesn't have the C3's onboard tool storage compartment and feels less robust. You'll have to pay a premium for a C1 variant with an electrosocket for using powered floorheads, unlike the C3, in which all models have an electrosocket.

                See our review

              Notable Mentions

              • BISSELL CleanView Swivel: The BISSELL CleanView Swivel is a budget-friendly bagless upright that does a fantastic job cleaning pet hair on several surfaces. However, it's bulky and doesn't have a HEPA filter, unlike the Dyson Ball Animal 3. See our review
              • SEBO Airbelt D4: The SEBO Airbelt D4 is a wonderful alternative to the Miele Complete C3 that uses bigger dirtbags and longer-lasting filters, resulting in lower recurring costs. However, it's bulkier and heavier than the Miele. See our review
              • Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away: The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is a cordless upright vacuum that represents a good alternative to the Dyson Ball Animal 3 if you want the go-anywhere range of a cordless mode. However, it has a somewhat short battery life when used as an upright and lacks any floorhead height adjustment, meaning it can get tangled on rugs. See our review
              • Airsign HEPA Vacuum: The Airsign HEPA Vacuum is a mid-range canister vacuum that represents a good alternative to the Miele Complete C3 thanks to its similar overall performance and slightly more compact size. However, it has a shorter range and isn't as well-built. See our review
              • Eureka Mighty Mite: The Eureka Mighty Mite is a great option if you're on a tight budget, thanks to its back-to-basic design and superb pet hair cleaning performance make it a solid option. However, it feels far less well-built than pricier canister vacuums like the Miele Complete C3 and is pretty minimalistic in terms of quality-of-life features. See our review
              • Samsung Jet 90 Complete: The Samsung Jet 90 Complete is a cordless stick vacuum that's among the best vacuums for pet hair and hardwood floors we've tested, as it does a fantastic job of handling pet hair on a wide variety of surfaces. However, it lacks the Dyson V15 Detect's automatic power adjustment feature and dirt sensor. See our review

              Recent Updates

              1. Jan 16, 2023: Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best option for user needs.

              2. Dec 23, 2022: Removed 'Best Lower Mid-Range Vacuum For Pet Hair', replaced JASHEN V16 with Wyze Cordless Vacuum as 'Best Budget Vacuum For Pet Hair'.

              3. Nov 25, 2022: Replaced Samsung Jet 90 Complete with Dyson V12 Detect Slim as 'Best Upper Mid-Range Vacuum For Pet Hair' due to current product pricing. Added Samsung Jet 90 Complete to Notable Mentions.

              4. Nov 04, 2022: Added Samsung Jet 60 Pet to as new 'Best Lower Mid-Range Vacuum For Pet Hair'.

                Learn more