If you share your home with a shedding dog or cat, you'll need one of the best vacuums for pet hair to help you stay on top of the build-up of fuzz. At TechRadar, we test dozens of vacuums every year, and all of the models in this list have had the stamp of approval from pet owners. I've also put a number of them through rigorous side-by-side testing to see how efficiently they can clear pet hair from mid-pile and deep-pile carpet, as well as from furniture (with thanks to a friendly local groomer for supplying the hair).
Pet hair is notoriously tricky to suck up, so all of these vacuums pack a punch in terms of power, as well as having floorheads and detail tools that are great at loosening hair so it can be cleaned away efficiently. The best vacuum for pet hair right now is the Shark PowerDetect Cordless (#1). This vacuum was part of a group test of some of the very best cordless vacuums on market and it came top in every single suction trial, including scoring full marks in all my pet hair challenges.
That won't be the best choice for everyone though, and in my roundup below I've also included a lightweight option that's great for stairs and upholstery, an ultra-sucky and large-capacity upright that I'd recommend to owners of multiple pets a handheld and even a robot option that can supplement a manual vacuum to help you stay on top of the cleaning requirements (I have a separate guide to the best robot vacuums for pet hair if that's what you're after.)
That's the super-short version; read on for a closer look at my pick of the best vacuums for pet hair...
I'm a Homes Editor at TechRadar, and have spent the past two years focusing on home appliances, and vacuum cleaners in particular. I've tried most of these vacuums myself, either in a testing studio using floor samples and pet hair from a groomer, or at clearing up at home after my very hairy black Cocker Spaniel.
The best vacuum for pet hair: tested by experts
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The best vacuum for pet hair overall
The best vacuum for pet hair right now is the Shark PowerDetect Cordless. In a group test of eight of the best cordless vacuums on the market, this model earned the highest scores in my pet hair tests. In fact, it scored a perfect five stars in all my individual cleaning tests.
I used the Shark PowerDetect Cordless in Auto mode (where it'll boost or lower suction depending on how much dirt it detects) on a hair-strewn mid-pile carpet. After a single forward pass, I couldn't see any hairs remaining. Repeating the test on deep-pile carpet yielded the same excellent results.
This vacuum comes with a mini motorized head for upholstery. I tested this on a velvet cushion that had been rubbed with pet hair, and again it cleared everything in a single pass. The Shark PowerDetect also excelled at removing fine debris (in this case, loose, dry tea) from mid-pile and deep-pile carpet — reassuring if you're looking for something to tackle dander as well as hair.
Another thing that makes the PowerDetect Cordless an especially strong recommendation for pet owners is that there's an optional auto-empty dock. This is a massive effort-saver if you're dealing with larger volumes of hair. Just pop the vacuum on its perch and the small onboard bin will empty into the much larger base (which is equipped with an anti-odor puck to neutralize any smells that might build up). Because it's a closed system, there are far fewer opportunities for particles to escape – good news for allergy-sufferers.
The wand can be released to bend forwards, enabling you to easily clear that build-up of fluff beneath the sofa or under the bed. And there are headlamps to illuminate fur on hard flooring that might otherwise be missed. These aren't nearly as bright as Dyson's equivalent, but are still fairly useful.
It's not perfect. It's bulky and heavy for a cordless stick vacuum, and as a result can feel a bit unwieldy – that's the price you pay for the powerful suction. I also couldn't find a way to change the suction mode at all (I'm sure there is more than one). Luckily, the Auto mode worked great for every cleaning task I wanted to tackle. These are minor complaints though – it's still hands-down my top recommendation for pet owners looking for a powerful but convenient hair-buster.
Read our full Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty review
The best premium vacuum for pet hair
If you have more cash to splash, the best premium cordless vacuum for pet hair is the Dyson V15 Detect. This is the model I use as my everyday vacuum at home, where it has no trouble clearing the copious amounts of fluff shed by my black Cocker Spaniel. Like the PowerDetect Cordless above, there's an Auto mode that adjusts suction based on dirt levels. This is the mode I use most often, and is perfect for clearing hair from mid-pile carpet. Because of how powerful the suction is, you might find you need to drop to Eco mode and/or open the air intake slider on the floorhead to tackle deep-pile carpet, but it's more than up to the job of clearing hair and dander there too.
Dyson's mini motorized Hair screw tool has a tapering roller to encourage hair to make its way off and into the bin rather than tangling up. Unless you have a very long-haired dog or cat, that likely won't be that relevant here, but it's an excellent tool nonetheless – it cleared pet hair from a velvet cushion with a single pass in Auto mode. There's also a separate head specifically for hard flooring, and it's equipped with a nice, bright laser that's very useful at illuminating fluff that might otherwise be missed.
I particularly like how user-friendly this vacuum is. There's an LCD screen that conveys useful information in a clear way, including spelling out exactly how long you have left on the clock in your current cleaning mode with your current tool, and flagging up any issues and showing you how to fix them. In Auto mode, this screen also report on the number and size of particles being picked up in real time, via a colorful graph. That's less essential, but still useful if you want to get meticulous about ensuring all dander and hair has been cleared – you'll see on screen when the levels of remaining dirt are low.
On the down-side, it's a little heavy for a cordless stick, and I don't love the fact Dyson hasn't included a switch to activate for continuous running, which means you need to keep the trigger compressed throughout your cleaning sessions. And of course, it's expensive to buy.
The V15 Detect sits below the Gen5detect in the Dyson lineup. The two models are very similar in design, but I tend to recommend the V15 over the Gen5 because it's lighter, cheaper, and in my side-by-side tests I found the real-life cleaning performance was about the same. The Gen5 does offer slightly longer battery, and turns on with a button rather than that pesky trigger, so it's still worth considering if you're in the market for a premium vacuum for pet hair. (Head to my guide to the best Dyson vacuums for an overview of the wider range.)
Read our full Dyson V15 Detect review
The best lightweight vacuum for pet hair
The best budget vacuum for pet hair is the Dreame R20, and this is also my top pick if you're looking for a great handheld vacuum for pet hair. While the suction performance isn't quite up there with the PowerDetect (#1) and V15 Detect (#2), it's very good for the price. In my tests the R20 had no trouble clearing pet hair from mid-pile carpet (it scored a 4/5) and did a respectable job of tackling hair on deep-pile carpet too (I scored it a 3/5 here). The mini motorized tool was extremely impressive, clearing hair from a velvet cushion at least as efficiently as the equivalent Dyson and Shark tools.
I should also mention that the full TechRadar review was conducted in a home that houses multiples cats and dogs, and my experienced tester was notably impressed with the volume of pet hair it picked up during day-to-day cleaning.
The benefit the Dreame R20 has over my #1 and #2 picks – aside from the more affordable price – is that it's far more lightweight, and has a compact design that makes it very comfortable to use in general, but especially in handheld mode. That, combined with the excellent mini tool, means this is the vacuum I'd pick if I had to deal with clearing pet hair from carpeted stairs or furniture.
I also love how user-friendly the operation is. This vacuum switches on and off using a trigger, but there's a button to press when you want continuous running. That setup makes it easy to use for both quick cleanups and longer sessions. On top of that, the battery life is excellent, and there's automatic suction adjustment based on dirt levels, meaning you won't have to mess around with switching modes mid-clean.
Read our full Dreame R20 vacuum review
The best vacuum for multiple pets or heavy shedding
Cordless stick vacuums are nimble and convenient, but for maximum suction, you can't beat a corded upright. If you can cope with the larger, heavier form factor, the best vacuum for pet hair is the Shark PowerDetect Upright Vacuum. On test, it proved an absolute powerhouse when it came to deep cleaning our reviewer's parents' neglected thick carpets. And while it wasn't reviewed in a home with pets, it had no issue picking up human hair from floors and furniture. You'll also benefit from the generous dust cup, which can hold much more hair and debris than any stick vacuum.
While I won't pretend it's as convenient as a cordless stick vac, Shark has gone out of its way to make this vacuum as versatile as possible. The dust cup can be removed and held in the hand, and the floorhead and detail tools used on the end of a flexible tube (with or without wand attached) for cleaning hair off stairs and furniture.
I often find that it's the cordless vacuums that tend to get the latest hi-tech features, while uprights are passed over – but that's not the case with this vacuum. The PowerDetect Upright boasts many of the same intelligent features you'll find on the best Shark vacuums, including automatic power adjustment based on floor type and dirt levels, and an EdgeDetect feature that ramps up suction on the relevant side of the floorhead when it approaches the edge of a room (where hair can collect).
In general, my testers have been very impressed with Shark's upright vacuums. We also rated the Shark Stratos Pet Pro Upright very highly – that model tends to be cheaper, although with fewer automation features. It's also worth considering the Dyson upright (#7). It's very heavy, but offers even more suction than this Shark model.
Read our full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review
The best wet-dry vacuum for pet hair
The Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua is a great choice for pet owners who want one machine to tackle serious pet hair as well as the muddy paw prints and spills that inevitably follow.
Our reviewer Derek Adams put the Z30 Pro Aqua through its paces, and its carpet performance really shone through. In his testing, it picked up almost everything in a single pass. More importantly for this guide, Adams found it “very adept at collecting huge amounts of Labrador hair” during his regular cleaning. If you've ever vacuumed up what looks like enough fur to knit another dog, only to find more waiting on the floor the next day, that's exactly the kind of performance we want from a pet-hair vacuum.
There's plenty of power behind that performance, too. The Z30 Pro Aqua delivers up to 310AW of suction, while its Auto mode adjusts power according to how much dirt it detects. Adams also found it well balanced and easy to manoeuvre, with an articulating tube that makes getting under sofas and beds considerably less of a workout. Its 0.6L dustbin is reasonably generous for a cordless stick vacuum, too.
The vacuum isn't quite as impressive on hard floors. Adams found its performance there more average, particularly when dealing with larger debris, so this isn't the model we'd pick if your home is predominantly hard-floored. For carpets, rugs and pet hair, however, it's a much more convincing performer.
The Aqua head earns its place here, particularly if your pets have a habit of turning a freshly cleaned floor into a crime scene. Adams found it impressively effective at cleaning up spilled milk and soggy cornflakes, while the thick, absorbent roller also handled everyday stains and floor marks well. The small water tanks mean it's not suited to mopping an entire home in one go, but for muddy paws, food spills and other pet-related mishaps, it's genuinely handy.
There is one small catch. The 400ml clean-water and 320ml dirty-water tanks are too small for extensive whole-home mopping, so you'll need to stop for refills on longer sessions. Think quick mop-ups and single-room cleans rather than washing every floor in the house.
Read our full Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua review
The best vacuum for long pet hair
The Shark PowerDetect Speed is a particularly good option if your home regularly disappears beneath a layer of long pet hair. Its floorhead picked up long pet hair in testing, with no sign of tangling. Add in the auto-empty dock and you've got a cordless vacuum that's especially convenient for keeping on top of everyday shedding.
Our reviewer Tim Gee found the PowerDetect Speed particularly capable across both carpets and hard floors. On maximum power, it picked up almost all of the fine dust and most larger debris in our tests, while edge cleaning was also very good. But it's the hair performance that earns its keep in this guide. Long and pet hair were picked up without tangling around the floorhead brush, so you shouldn't have to finish every vacuum session by reaching for the scissors to free a wad of fur from the roller.
Its PowerDetect system is another useful feature. The vacuum can detect the floor type, how much dirt it's picking up, how close it is to an edge and which direction it's moving, then adjust its cleaning accordingly. The dirt detection also gives you a visual indication of how much debris remains, which can help you spend more time on areas that actually need it.
The other big draw is the Clean & Empty dock. Once you've finished cleaning, returning the vacuum to its dock automatically transfers the dirt into a larger 2L bin. That means less contact with the dust and, importantly for pet owners, less chance of sending a cloud of hair and dander back into the room just after you've collected it.
The battery life isn't overhwhelmingly impressive. On maximum power, the PowerDetect Speed lasted just 10 minutes and 38 seconds in testing, while Auto mode often delivered less than half an hour. It also took more than five hours to recharge. That's not ideal if you're planning to use it as your only vacuum in a larger home, and its 3.2kg weight means it isn't the lightest cordless option either.
That said, for smaller homes, quick cleans or pet owners who want an easy way to stay on top of shedding, the PowerDetect Speed has a lot going for it.
Read our full Shark PowerDetect Speed review
The best handheld vacuum for pet hair
Most handheld vacuums offer relatively weak suction, small dust cups and short battery life — none of which are conducive to dealing with a buildup of pet hair. The Dyson Car+Boat is an exception to the rule, offering impressive suction, long runtimes and bin that's big enough to handle plenty of pet fuzz.
To remove any potential confusion about the name, this is not suitable for wet surfaces. Dyson is just suggesting it might be well suited to cleaning the dry parts of a boat.
I don't have boat, so I tested it out in my car, where it cleared dust, mud and hair efficiently. If I boosted it up into Max mode, it'd even pick up the little stones that had collected in my footwells. It comes bundled with three attachments, which help increase the overall versatility. The most useful one for pet owners will be the Mini motorized head that's perfect for cleaning larger, flat, upholstered surfaces like sofa cushions. There's also a Crevice tool that'll prove handy in pulling hair from awkward gaps, and a Combination brush/wide nozzle for anything the others can't handle.
Now, there's a reason the Car+Boat is so more effective than the vast majority of handheld vacuums: it's actually just a Dyson V8 vacuum, sold without its wand or floorhead. As a result it's more expensive than most 'true' handhelds, and it's also rather bulkier. (My guide to the best handheld vacuums has more compact, cheaper alternatives, if that's your priority.)
Of course, most cordless stick vacuums can be transformed into handhelds, by removing their main suction wand and swapping on a detail tool. If you might also want to use your handheld for cleaning floors occasionally, there's an argument for opting for a full stick vacuum instead. But otherwise, the Car+Boat is an excellent choice for handheld use.
Read our full Dyson Car+Boat review
The best robot vacuum for pet hair
If you have pets, you probably know that a floor can look clean while still hiding all sorts of unpleasant surprises. The Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal takes a more thorough approach. It uses UV light to find stains that aren't visible to the naked eye, then goes back over them.
Our reviewer Josephine Watson found the robot particularly good on hard floors during testing. She put it through the usual sort of punishment we use to assess robot vacuums, scattering oats, cornflour and brown rice across different surfaces. On hard floors, it picked up the debris impressively well. It was also very good at collecting larger debris from carpet.
Hair was another strong point. Watson found that the PowerDetect UV Reveal handled both human and pet hair without a problem. That's worth knowing if you share your home with a dog or cat, because a robot that can quietly keep on top of fur between proper cleans can be a lot more useful than one that looks impressive on a spec sheet.
Then there's the UV detection. Once the robot has completed a regular clean, it can spot stains that you can't see and return to those areas. Watson found this particularly effective for pet messes, although watching the UV light reveal just how much grime was sitting on apparently clean floors was a little uncomfortable. You may find yourself wondering whether you really needed to know.
The mopping is good, too, particularly on hard floors. The mop pad moves back and forth as the robot cleans, helping it work at stubborn marks rather than simply dragging a damp cloth across them. Watson was impressed by the results, including its ability to clean into corners.
It's also a good option for larger homes from a battery perspective. Watson's testing came close to Shark's three-hour claim, with a 45-minute clean using around 25% of the battery. The dock takes care of washing and drying the mop pad afterwards, which means there's less faffing around when the clean is finished.
But this isn't a perfect robot. The software doesn't live up to the hardware. It can only store one floor map, and Watson found occasions where the robot ignored requests to clean specific rooms.
So while the PowerDetect UV Reveal isn't the smartest robot vacuum we've tested, it is a very capable cleaner. If you have pets and care more about getting your floors thoroughly clean than having the slickest app experience, its UV detection and strong hair pickup make a convincing case.
Read our full Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal review
The best vacuum for pet hair: specs compared
Model |
Type |
Bagged? |
Weight |
Bin size |
Max runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shark PowerDetect Cordless |
Cordless stick |
No |
8lbs / 3.7kg |
0.7L (vac) + 2L (dock) |
70 mins |
Dyson V15 Detect |
Cordless stick |
No |
6.8 lbs / 3 kg |
0.8 L |
60 mins |
Dreame R20 |
Cordless stick |
No |
6 lbs / 2.7kg |
0.6L |
90 mins |
Shark PowerDetect Upright |
Corded upright |
No |
17.6 lbs / 8 kg |
1.3L |
Unlimited |
Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua |
Cordless vacuum / wet-dry |
No |
7.72 lbs / 3.5kg |
0.6L |
90 mins |
Shark PowerDetect Speed |
Cordless stick |
No |
7.1 lbs / 3.2kg |
0.47L (vac) + 2L (dock) |
54 mins |
Dyson Car+Boat |
Handheld |
No |
4.2 lbs / 1.9kg |
0.54L |
50 mins |
Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal |
Robot vacuum |
No |
26.9 lbs / 12.21kg (robot + dock) |
N/A |
3 hours |
The best vacuum for pet hair: FAQs
What's the best handheld vacuum for pet hair?
I'd recommend using a stick vacuum in 'handheld' mode, and my top pick is the Dreame R20 (#3). The R20 is an especially good choice because it's lightweight and easy to wield in handheld mode, plus the mini motorized detail tool is excellent at picking up hair.
'True' handheld vacuums tend to have short runtimes, small dust cups and weaker suction, none of which is conducive to dealing with pet hair (although if you're sure that's what you want, head to my ranking of the best handheld vacuums for my top recommendations).
Almost every stick vacuum on the market – including all the models listed here – can be turned into a handheld by removing the wand. Look for a model that's relatively lightweight, and has an appropriate detail tool for tackling pet hair. Most vacuums will come with a 'combi' tool, which is good for removing pet hair from furniture or awkward areas. If you want to cover larger areas, seek out a model with a mini motorized cleaner head attachment.
What's the best lightweight vacuum for pet hair?
The best lightweight vacuum for pet hair is the Dreame R20 (#3). It weighs 6 lbs / 2.7kg with the main floorhead and wand attached, and 3.8 lbs / 1.7kg with no wand or attachments, and delivers very strong cleaning power for that weight. It performed well in my pet hair cleaning tests.
However, be aware that generally, heavier vacuums deliver more power. My top two picks (the PowerDetect Cordless at #1 and Dyson V15 Detect at #2) are both on the heavier side for a cordless vacuum, and both clear pet hair more efficiently than the R20.
What's the best vacuum with HEPA filter for pet allergies?
It's a little complicated, but I think the best vacuum for pet allergies will be a bagged model like the Halo Capsule X. The bag means there will be far fewer chances for hair or dander to escape once it's been sucked up, and the bags hold a generous volume of debris before they need replacing. Unfortunately, that model is increasingly difficult to get hold of, although the new Halo Capsule XR sounds like an excellent upgrade.
A HEPA filter is worth looking for, but it's not the be-all-and-end-all for allergy sufferers. The filter will only capture the particles from the air that moves through it, so for one to work efficiently it needs to be combined with an airtight vacuum design, which is much harder to test for.
A further reason that I haven't included that information in this guide is because a number of these vacuums have different filter information and claims in different territories – if you suffer from allergies, it's best to take a look at the filter information in any product listing before you purchase.
What's the best bagless vacuum for pet allergies?
The best bagless vacuum for pet allergies is the Shark PowerDetect Cordless Clean & Empty (#1). This vacuum has powerful suction and is great at pulling up hair and finer particles from carpeted flooring and furniture. The 'Clean & Empty' bit refers to an auto-empty base – when you dock the vacuum, the contents of the smaller onboard bin will whoosh out, via a closed system, into a far bigger bin in the base. It's a neat solution that enables you to deal with large volumes of dust and hair without having to constantly empty a small onboard bin (risking particles escaping each time you do so).
What's the best vacuum for multiple pets or heavy shedders?
For multiple pets or heavy shedders, I'd recommend a corded upright like the Shark PowerDetect Upright (#4). As a rule of thumb, cordless stick vacuums are never quite as powerful as corded uprights, so while they're a little less convenient and maneuverable, they are the best choice for tackling large volumes of hair. You'll also benefit from a generously sized dust cup that can hold plenty of hair in one go. The Shark PowerDetect Upright is great at tackling hair and has a useful, modular design that means you can also use it to clear hair from stairs and furniture.
What's the best vacuum for pet hair on stairs?
The Dreame R20 is the best vacuum for tackling pet hair on stairs. It's nice and lightweight, partly thanks to the ultra-light carbon fiber wand. That makes it comfortable to lift and maneuver, even with the wand attached. If you'd prefer to use it in handheld mode, the squat design is easy to direct into corders. Finally, the mini motorized tool is excellent at pulling up hair from smaller areas.