The best vacuum for pet hair – more than a few good choices to suit every budget.

If you own any type of pet that moults or sheds it fur, such as a dog or cat; you may well have found yourself wondering ‘what is the best vacuum for pet hair?’

We all love our pets but they do have a tendency to shed hair across every room they use in the house. Shedding is just a fact of life, but you can make things easier for yourself in terms of clearing it up.

  • In general the better the suction, the better performing pet hair vacuum. Power is especially important on carpets.
  • The vacuum that is best suited to you will depend on the number or animals in your home and thus the amount of hair lying around. For quick, convenient pet hair removal consider a hand-held vacuum. For something more heavy duty consider a top of the range upright.
  • Keep the needs of your pet in mind. If they hate loud vacuum cleaners then consider something more quiet.
  • Look for vacuum cleaners that don’t clog easily and if you have hardwood floors, extra attention will need to be replaced on an appliance that actually sucks up the hair as opposed to blowing it around and damaging your floors at the same time.

Dyson DC25 Animal

dyson dc25 animal

Dyson DC25 Animal

  • Although pricey, this is the best pet hair vacuum that money can buy. Countless pet owners swear by it and rely on it every day!
  • Powerful suction and a high degree of maneuverability.
  • Relatively light and agile for the size, weighing in at just 16 pounds.
  • Low profile enables you to clean underneath obstructions or any areas where pet hair accumulates, without having to resort to using the attachments (although they are very good and you’ll no doubt find an excuse to use them!).
  • Enjoy all the benefits of a bagless system, no more messy bags to replace or have to buy all the time.

  • Dust bin is smaller than on comparable models, you may have to empty it several times especially if you do a lot of vacuuming in one go.
  • Non-retractable cord, which you really would expect on a Dyson vacuum cleaner of this caliber.

Bissell PowerEdge 81L2T pet vacuum

Bissell PowerEdge Pet Hard Floor Vacuum, 81L2T

Bissell PowerEdge Pet Hard Floor Vacuum, 81L2T

  • Excellent alternative to the more expensive Dyson models, about 10% of the price of the DC25 to be exact!
  • Recommended by a veterinary technician from a small animal clinic. You can’t get a better endorsement than that!
  • High amount of suction power considering its relatively small size.
  • Has rubber bristles instead of the traditional kind. Quickly and easily removes pet hair from hard floors.
  • Easy to empty and it won’t make a mess.

  • Quite loud - however many people are willing to put up with the noise to get the job done!
  • The V-shaped design of the vacuum head may be inadequate for small areas because it shape makes it awkward to maneuver.

Bissell Hand-Held Pet Eraser Vacuum, 33A1

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum, Corded, 33A1

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum, Corded, 33A1

  • Unbelievably good suction from something so small you can hold it in your hand. This hand-held vacuum cleaner weighs less than 4 pounds!
  • Perfect for ridding your lounge and furniture from pet hair. In fact, it is great for anywhere that you can’t get to in your upright vacuum!
  • Extremely cheap, you are not going to believe just how little money you would have to part with to get this great Eureka vacuum cleaner.
  • Washable HEPA filter and filter screen.

  • This is not really a bad point, but it isn’t designed for heavy duty pet hair removal. It is more suited to people who have 1 or 2 pets that leave noticeable amounts of pet hair in the home.
  • Some people have expressed concerns with the direction that the exhaust air emits. It is emitted from one side and can blow hair around the place before you get to sucking it up. Not a major issue though and easily worked around.

Hoover Platinum Linx Cordless Hand Vac

Hoover Platinum LINX Pet Cordless Hand Vacuum, BH50030

Hoover Platinum LINX Pet Cordless Hand Vacuum, BH50030

  • Excellent suction power from an 18-volt battery operated vacuum cleaner.
  • This Hoover vacuum cleaner actually employs a motorized suction brushand doesn’t just rely on air being sucked in to remove the hair.
  • The Platinum Linx is also very easy to clean and empty - unlike a lot other bagless vacuum cleaners where it is clear that not much thought has gone into the process of designing a simple and clean method of emptying.
  • Relatively quiet to some other hand-held vacuum cleaners which can noisy little contraptions.
  • Ability to use a deluxe dusting brush on delicate surfaces.

  • Price is a bit higher than what you would pay normally for a hand-held, but it is definitely a case of getting what you pay for.
  • Some people don’t like having to remove the battery from the vacuum to charge it, citing that they would prefer the vacuum to sit in a dedicated charing stand. Other people love the fact that you have to remove it. A matter of personal preference.

Miele S7260 Cat And Dog

Miele S7260 Cat and Dog

Miele S7260 Cat and Dog

  • If you love Miele and you love upright vacuum cleaners, then you will love the Miele S7260 which comes in an attractive white finish.
  • Extremely well built with a range of useful attachments which are easy to reach and attach.
  • Specially designed and manufactured cord which resists tangling.
  • Although the S7260 is rather heavy, the superior design makes it highly maneuverable and easy to swivel.
  • Of course, this Miele vacuum cleaner is great at removing pet hair from carpets and hard floors.

  • Expensive – expect to pay around $600 or more.
  • Cord is non-retractable, which is a feature you would think is a given on such a pricey model.

Eureka Pet Lover Mighty Mite 3684F

Eureka Pet Lover Mighty Mite,3684F

Eureka Pet Lover Mighty Mite,3684F

  • The best vacuum for pet hair for more budget conscious people. This is a simple but highly effective canister vacuum for under $100.
  • Great suctionlight and with a decent vacuum hose for extra reach
  • Works equally well on a variety of surfaces, be it carpets, floors or furnishings.
  • The main unit will get rid of most of the pet hair in your home, but you can also use the pet hair furniture attachment to get the job 100% done.
  • Good quality HEPA filter.

  • The vacuum may be too loud for some.
  • The hose can be tangled and cut off suction in some awkward cleaning situations like stairs.

How do you choose the best vacuum for pet hair?

Thankfully, there a now a number of brands, who provide vacuum cleaners, which are powerful enough to do an effective job. They have been designed with suction power in mind and are powerful enough to suck up ingrained pet hair from the toughest surfaces.

There is a good range available from popular vacuum makers such as; Bissell, Eureka and Hoover, with most offering the choice of handheld or larger upright vacuum cleaners.

The handheld models may be the best vacuum for pet hair if you need to use it on a regular basis, with the upright model providing a more thorough clean once or twice a week. It all really depends on your personal cleaning routine.

Learn from the experiences and mistakes of other people

When you are considering which you are considering which model is the best vacuum for pet hair it is well worth looking at some consumer reviews.dyson dc25 animal

You may also have friends and family who have pets, in which case it may be better to ask them. You should be sure to find reviews that have actually been written by pet owners, as opposed to standard vacuum reviews.

Pet owners will have similar needs to your own, so you will be able to get a good idea as to how effective each model will be at removing your dog or cat hair. Keep your eye out for newer updated model vacuum cleaner reviews which have been recommended, as they may have improved features and functionality.

Newer vacuums also tend to be more lightweight, which should make the job of cleaning the pet hair easier.

Maintenance, longevity and upkeep

A final, often missed out consideration should be the cost of repair and replacement parts.

If you are using the vacuum to clean up fur it is likely that it will be subjected to heavy use; in terms of volume of pet hair and the frequency with which the vacuum is used. Obviously you will also have to empty the bin more often and clean the filters more often as a result.

Always try to get a vacuum with an extended warranty and have a look at the small print to establish what the warranty actually covers. Finding the best vacuum for pet hair should be relatively easy if you carry out a small amount of initial research.

As with most products it is usually best to buy based on recommendation.

Bookmark and Share

Filed under: Best Vacuum For Pet Hair

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!