Best vacuum for pet hair buying guide – top models in 2016
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- How big is the home or space you`ll be vacuuming?
- Will you vacuum carpet? hard floors? curtains and upholstery? your car?
- Do you have a preference for an upright, canister or handheld?
- Does it come with attachments & accessories?
- Would you prefer a bagged or bagless model?
- Corded or cordless?
- What can you realistically afford to spend?
- Spending more now saves money in the long run
- What is an upright vacuum cleaner? the looks and features
- Our top pick of uprights
- The most popular upright on the market
- Best value upright - perfect blend of price and features
- What defines handheld vacuum cleaners? the looks and features
- our top pick of handhelds
- The most popular handheld
- Greatest value handheld - great performance, great price!
© / MagMac83
Dogs and cats are the most wonderful companions and never fail to bring us owners joy.
However much we love them though, it’s a fact of being a pet owner that cleaning up their hair – whether its trodden into the carpet, embedded in your furniture or stuck to your hardwood floors – takes up valuable time and energy.
If you want to keep a clean house then regular vacuuming is an absolute must when you have pets. And your greatest weapon is undoubtedly the best specialist pet vacuum you can afford, to do all the heavy-lifting of hair removal for you.
And that’s why we’ve built this guide to finding the best vacuum for pet hair.
Say goodbye to the days of pushing your ailing model over the same spot again and again by treating yourself and investing in a high-quality pet hair vacuum.
This buying guide will take you through everything you should consider when searching out the right vacuum for your needs, while giving you an in-depth look at our favorite models available on the market right now.
Specializing in buying tips and advice for upright, handheld and canister vacuums specially made for homes with pets. Our hope is to guide you toward making the best buying decision you can.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks in Each Category
- Best at any price: Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Plus Allergy
- Best for the money: Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum
- Best handheld model: Hoover Air Cordless Handheld Vacuum
- Best canister model: Electrolux UltraFlex Canister Vacuum
Contents & Quick Navigation
- 1 The Difference Between A Vacuum For Pet Hair and a Standard One
- 2 What to Look for in The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair
- 2.1 How Big is The Home or Space You`ll Be Vacuuming?
- 2.2 Will You Vacuum Carpet? Hard floors? Curtains and Upholstery? Your Car?
- 2.3 Do You Have a Preference For an Upright, Canister or Handheld?
- 2.4 Does it Come With Attachments & Accessories?
- 2.5 Would You Prefer A Bagged Or Bagless Model?
- 2.6 Corded or Cordless?
- 2.7 What Can You Realistically Afford to Spend?
- 2.8 Spending More Now Saves Money in The Long Run
The Difference Between A Vacuum For Pet Hair and a Standard One
Regardless of how well yours works on cleaning the rest of your home, a standard vacuum is simply no match for hairs interwoven into carpet and upholstery fibers.
This is because the majority of standard vacuums are fitted with a two-part brush and hose mechanism – this works great on the usual dust and debris found in the home as the brush agitates and stirs up the dirt before it is sucked up by the hose.
When it comes to dog hair, however, most traditional vacuum systems simply do not work.
As the brush attempts to stir up and lift hair it actually manages to drive it further into the carpet or simply tangle it around the brush head itself where it becomes very hard work to untangle and remove.
Specialized pet vacuums will instead have silicon brushes as opposed to soft-hair brushes, specialist attachments and scientifically modified designs that ensure hair is sucked up into the bag or dirt cup and does not tangle around the beater bar and brush.
Furthermore, they tend to have a more powerful suction and enhanced filtration systems to remove dander from the expelled air, alongside a host of other features to take the hard work out of cleaning up after your pets.
What to Look for in The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair
Buying a vacuum suited to your wants and needs requires careful consideration – this should not be an impulse purchase!
As it is a relatively `big spend item` that you`ll be using weekly for many years, you’ll want to ensure the one you buy truly suits you and your home as well as your budget and cleaning requirements.
Before you buy, it’s worth asking yourself the following questions...
How Big is The Home or Space You`ll Be Vacuuming?
It`s important to buy a vacuum that`s big enough to effectively clean your living space, maybe being mindful of required storage space if you only have a small home.
If you have a big house, for example, you`ll need a big vacuum that can cover a lot of ground quickly with a large dirt capacity to reduce the cleaning time and require less emptying of the bag or dirt cup. An upright model should be your first choice.
If you`re in a smaller space, like a flat or an apartment, you won`t want to waste valuable storage space on a vacuum that`s too big to easily push around your smaller floors.
Generally, apartments will be suited to smaller models with a minimal dirt capacity as there is less to clean – something like a small canister version or even a handheld model may suit.
Often, handhelds come with a handy wall attachment for when it`s not in use which is helpful if you’re dealing with minimal storage.
Will You Vacuum Carpet? Hard floors? Curtains and Upholstery? Your Car?
The different types of flooring and surfaces in your home are an important consideration that could shape your buying decision as different vacuums are suited to different surfaces.
If your whole house is carpeted or, conversely, has all-over hardwood floors, then your decision is simple – just buy one which is specialized in that particular medium.
However, most houses have a combination of surfaces – we’re talking carpets, rugs, hardwood floors, tiles and even linoleum flooring. If this is the case in your home, you’ll have to focus your efforts on finding a good all-rounder that can tackle a variety of floor surfaces equally well.
It’s also worth bearing in mind any ‘extras’ you want to clean – upholstered sofas and curtains, for instance, or even a car.
The top models come complete with a variety of attachments and accessories to help you tackle these smaller, specialist areas although some people choose to buy a handheld specifically for these smaller tasks.
Do You Have a Preference For an Upright, Canister or Handheld?
Many people say the best vacuums for pet hair are uprights. Many years ago, this may have been true. But canisters and handhelds have improved to the point where they almost match the performance of uprights, so size and shape is no longer a primary concern.
A general rule of thumb is uprights are better suited to larger homes while canister and handheld vacs are more appropriate for a smaller space.
Although, of course, the ultimate decider is your own preference.
Upright vacuums cover more space in less time, hence them being suited to larger spaces.
Also, if you suffer from back problems, an upright will allow you to maintain a good posture while you clean. You’ll be less likely to stoop and hunch your shoulders as an upright is pushed in front of you, rather than being pulled behind as you would a canister.
Furthermore, uprights are generally the most powerful option to dislodge deeply ingrained dirt from your carpets – something particularly important to consider when it comes to removing your dogs sheddings.
Canister vacuums, on the other hand, are the right choice if you’d prefer a lighter model that is both easy to store and to manoeuvre into hard-to-reach places like staircases and even curtains, cars and furniture.
If you’re worried that a canister vac won`t have enough capacity for your space, fear not! There are many options offering small, medium and large capacities. It’s a good compromise between the power of an upright and the convenience of a handheld.
Handheld vacuums are the perfect choice for those with limited space or if you’re looking for something size-appropriate to clean smaller crevices, furniture, curtains or your car.
Unfortunately dog hair doesn`t settle only on floors and a handheld is the most portable and convenient model for cleaning just about anywhere and everywhere.
Does it Come With Attachments & Accessories?
© / Garry518
Attachments and accessories are sometimes an afterthought but they’re an incredibly useful part of the cleaning process.
As well as providing better performance on different surfaces and hard to reach crevices, some are even specially designed to tackle pet hair.
Look out for the following handy attachments:
Would You Prefer A Bagged Or Bagless Model?
Left image © / AndreyPopov, Right photo courtesy of Dyson
Nowadays, bagless versions are more popular than ones with bags as they’re easier to empty and there’s no need to worry about having replacement bags on hand.
Bagless models also tend to be transparent, allowing you to see just how much dirt you’ve collected – a surprisingly pleasing sight!
Traditionally, bagged models were preferred as they laid claim to emitting cleaner air than bagless models but today’s HEPA filters are sophisticated enough for this to no longer be a concern.
People who do still prefer one with a bag like the fact that sucked up dirt and debris is contained and disposed of in a secure bag with no chance of you inhaling any dust during emptying – this could be a point to consider if you have any dust allergies.
Additionally, transparent bagless vacuums require more cleaning as the canister will get visibly dirtier when there’s no bag to contain the dirt.
Corded or Cordless?
Again, corded Vs Cordless mostly comes down to your own personal preference.
Corded models tend to have the advantage of greater suction power as there’s no battery inside leaving more room for the motor. A motor that`s usually more powerful as it`s connected directly to the mains.
As such, they’re generally preferred by people with a larger home or with a significant dog hair problem that needs a powerful suction.
Cordless models are preferred by people who value portability and convenience. There’s no need to unplug and re-plug as you clean around your house and cleaning the car is no problem at all.
They also tend to be smaller than corded models so are definitely a good option for those with limited space.
The drawbacks of a cordless vacuum are you have to ensure it has enough charge to finish the job before you start, which may be a little inconvenient for tidying up impromptu messes.
Also, as cordless vacuums have to house a battery, they can be heavier than corded models – definitely check each models weight if you have any problems carrying heavier objects.
What Can You Realistically Afford to Spend?
© / mcarrel
Last but by no means least is how much you want to spend on your purchase. Prices between different models vary wildly but it’s generally always a significant purchase for the average household.
We’ve all fallen foul of inadvertent overspending from time to time so it’s good to have a spending strategy before you even start looking at your options.
After all, if you look at a $300 item for long enough, the numbers soon start swimming and suddenly the $350 version doesn’t seem like much of a stretch! Of course, then the $400 version draws closer too…
You should set a ceiling of your uppermost budget before you start looking, promise to stick to it and you’ll find the buying process much more straightforward.
However, having said that...
Spending More Now Saves Money in The Long Run
You should view buying a vacuum as an investment, rather than a short-term solution.
There are plenty of low-cost, low-quality models on the shelves but you’ll inevitably have to keep replacing them and they simply won`t do a good job removing pet hair.
A good vacuum, on the other hand, will save you time and money in the long-term. It will last many more years than cheaper models and take less time to clean your home.
This doesn`t mean that you should simply go out and splurge on the most expensive model – it`s always worth doing research as high prices don`t always correlate to high quality.
Other Features to Consider
We`ve covered above the main features and accessories you should be looking for, but there`s a few further things to consider if you`re hoping to get one that perfectly fits your needs:
TOP TIP: Read the Customer Reviews on Amazon
© / Pornthep
When you`ve found a vacuum you like, head over to Amazon and check the vast number of customer reviews left for the item.
These are reviews from real people who have used the vacuum on-going in their daily lives and give very honest opinions, both good and bad about the product.
So after picking one from the list below, make sure to head over to Amazon - even if you aren`t buying from there - and read the feedback thousands of current owners have to say.
It`s the most comprehensive collection of genuine feedback on products there is!
Best Upright Vacuum For Pet Hair
Probably the most popular style of all, upright vacs are a great multi-purpose cleaner and are well designed for deep penetration and removal of dirt and dog hair.
Let`s look at our top 3 picks in the following categories:
Low Cost - Great Performance
PRICE$$16.5" x 12.5" x 34.2"Weight: 18 lbs.
Cap: 1 Gallon
Bagless: Yes
Cord: 27ft.
Warranty:2 year limited
Our Top Choice - Money No Object
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Plus
PRICE$$$$$43.3" x 17.2" x 13.4"Weight: 19.2 lbs.
Cap: 0.57 Gallon
Bagless: Yes
Cord: 35ft.
Warranty:5 Year
Best-Selling upright across the web
PRICE$$$Cap: 1.1 Gallon
Bagless: Yes
Cord: 30ft.
Warranty:1 year limited
What is an Upright Vacuum Cleaner? The Looks and Features
Uprights are probably what first comes to mind when you think of a vacuum cleaner.
Everything is contained in a single, wheeled unit that can be maneuvered and propelled across open floor areas. Features include:
Uprights are generally suited most for use on carpets, although our favorites are all versatile enough to tackle hardwood floors expertly too.
Our Top Pick of Uprights
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Plus Allergy
Manufactured by Dyson, the Cinetic Big Ball Plus Allergy has got it all – incredibly powerful suction, unparalleled ability to pick up pet hair, and it`s easy to maneuver.
It’s very versatile across all floor types – whether carpet or hardwood floors – and promises no loss of suction, even when the bagless dust cup is almost full.
As well as a host of specialist features, it’s comes equipped with a variety of attachments to clean smaller, more delicate areas, including a carbon fiber soft dusting brush that`s very thin to get into the smallest of places to pick up elusive debris.
Top features:
Bad points:
Official Dyson Video Overview
The Most Popular Upright on The Market
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum
It’s easy to see why the Shark Navigator is by far the most popular upright for pet hair – it boasts great suction power and effective cleaning technology while also being great value for money.
Although it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that the Dyson enjoys, it does come equipped with plenty of attachments and is versatile enough to be used on all surfaces.
It’s also very lightweight and easily transportable despite it’s large, bagless capacity.
Bad points
Best Value Upright - Perfect Blend Of Price and Features
Hoover WindTunnel 3 Pro Pet
This Hoover WindTunnel 3 is a great buy for households who want the features and performance of a high quality bagless model but are limited by a smaller budget.
The suction technology is advanced and efficient, rivaling that of much pricier models, while the attachments included are specifically designed to clean up after your shedding pet.
Countless small features work together to ensure you won’t regret this bargain buy and you can be assured of quality from Hoover- probably the most famous vacuum brand on the planet.
Bad Points
Best Handheld Vacuum For Pet Hair
A handheld is the ideal choice for smaller spaces, cars and furniture, as they need little storage space, are truly mobile and the absolute easiest to maneuver.
There are plenty of models on the market which vary in quality so look out for features that promise to tackle pet hair while enjoying powerful suction and sustainable power (if cordless).
Let`s look at our top 3 picks in the following categories:
Low Cost - Great Performance
Shark Pet Perfect II Hand Vac
PRICE$$9.1" x 18.1" x 7.6"Weight: 4.92lbs.
Bagless: Yes
Cordless: 6hr charge - 15 mins running time
WARRANTY 1 year limited
Our Top Choice - Money No Object
PRICE$$Bagless: Yes
Cordless: 9hr charge - 15 mins running time
WARRANTY:2 year product warranty
Best-Selling handheld across the web
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld
PRICE$10" x 5" x 8"Weight: 5lbs.
Bagless: Yes
Cord: 16ft. (powerful, despite size!)
WARRANTY 1 year limited
What Defines Handheld Vacuum Cleaners? The Looks and Features
Convenience is everything with handheld vacs and as such, they’re small, lightweight and usually cordless.
Because of their smaller size, they’re well suited for smaller clean-ups and above-ground messes.
Features vary from model to model but handhelds are generally bagless and come with lots of attachments to help you better extract hair and other dirt.
Our Top Pick of Handhelds
Hoover Air Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Considerably cheaper than a Dyson Handheld yet with comparable performance on pet hair and general dirt, along with loads of great reviews, our top spot for a handheld easily goes to this Hoover Air Handheld Vacuum.
Sustained power is guaranteed with the `fade-free` lithium-ion battery technology while the accompanying upholstery tool is great on pesky embedded hairs – and it’s made by one of the most reputable vacuum brands on the planet, Hoover.
Bad points
The Most Popular Handheld
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
Specifically designed to tackle pet hair, this Bissell has truly excellent suction and, having a mains power cord, has unrivalled power for a handheld.
Not to mention there’s no need to ensure it’s charged before using and it will not run out of juice mid-cleaning!
It’s added features – such as a filtration system and different attachments – belie its reasonable price tag.
Bad points
Greatest Value Handheld - Great Performance, Great Price!
Shark Pet Perfect II Hand Vac
The Shark Cordless Pet Perfect II is a great model to opt for if you’re looking for a good value tool with considerable suction power, particularly in comparison to similarly priced models.
It`s effective at removing hairs from all surfaces and it boasts a lightweight and convenient structure to easily nip around your upholstery and hard-to-reach areas.
Bad points
Best Canister Vacuum for Pet Hair
A Canister vacuum cleaner is the perfect choice for someone looking to compromise between an upright and a handheld.
Iif you find an upright too big but a handheld not substantial enough to do serious cleaning, then a canister vac is the ‘Goldilocks choice’ being ‘just right’ in between.
As well as being light and agile, they are a terrific bet for working on hardwood floors.
Let`s look at our top 3 picks in the following categories:
Low Cost - Great Performance
PRICE$16.2" x 11" x 11.8"Weight: 11.2lbs.
Cap: 0.52 Gallon
Bagless: Yes
Cord 15ft.
WARRANTY1 year limited
Our Top Choice - Money No Object
Electrolux Ultra-Flex Canister Vacuum
PRICE$$$$13" x 11.5" x 20"Weight: 11.6lbs.
Cap: 1.4 Gallon
Bagless: Yes
Cord: 21ft.
WARRANTY5 year limited
Best-Selling Canister Vac Across the Web
Eureka Mighty Mite Pet Lover Canister Vacuum
PRICE$$Cap: 0.75 Gallon
Bagless: No
Cord: 20ft.
WARRANTY1 year limited
What is a Canister Vacuum Cleaner? The Looks and Features
As opposed to an upright, canister vacuums are split into two main units – a long hose and the canister itself, which will contain the motor and a bag or dust cup.
Capacity sizes vary so you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to picking the right model for your home and its cleaning needs.
As well as hardwood floors, because of the long, lightweight and flexible hose, canisters are well suited to cleaning vertical surfaces too, such as curtains and stairs – the perfect compromise between an upright and a handheld!
Don’t worry if you have carpets too, however, as our favorites all perform well on different surfaces.
Our Top Pick of Canister Vacs
Electrolux UltraFlex Canister Vacuum
It was a toss-up for the top spot between this Electrolux UltraFlex and the Dyson Animal – but we couldn’t ignore a few too many complaints toward the Dyson that hair easily accumulates round the head and the entry point is very small, occasionally getting blocked.
So it’s the Electrolux that gets our vote!
This canister model is an incredible all-rounder, versatile on all floor types and varying degrees of delicate surface.
Importantly, it’s uncompromising on pet hair with a strong suction and sophisticated filtration, and as an added bonus, is super easy to maneuver around furniture and stairs.
Bad points
Best-Selling, Most Popular Canister Vac
Eureka Mighty Mite Pet Lover
This Eureka Mighty Mite Pet Lover is a great compromise between value and great features.
It’s well designed for allergy sufferers and has a powerful, adjustable suction so is sure to put paid to any hairs clogging up your upholstery and carpets.
It also comes with a variety of attachments to help you get the deepest and most effective clean possible.
The Eureka is also incredibly lightweight for such an effective performance – some users even like to carry it instead of wheeling it around like a normal Canister!
Bad points
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