As much as we all love our pets, their hair can be a real problem around the house. From making a mess to carrying dead skin, that can be the cause of allergies, pet hair needs to be removed thoroughly. Not all vacuum cleaners are built equally, but here we have the best vacuums for pet hair – those we’ve tested and found capable of removing fur properly.
To test, we use cat hair, as it’s far thinner than dog and human hair, so it can get caught in the carpet and furniture fibres more easily. All of the vacuum cleaners we’ve listed here passed this test with flying colours.
We don’t just focus on this, though. A vacuum cleaner should be able to remove all types of dirt, so we’ve also only listed cleaners that performed well in our regular tests, too.
To hit various prices, we’ve listed vacuum cleaners at a wide range of prices, including both corded and cordless models.
Best vacuums for pet hair at a glance
How we test
Every vacuum cleaner that we test goes through exactly the same tests. We use both real-world tests and technical measurements to tell the good from the bad. First, we measure suction power in Air Watts (AW), which is a combination of suction and airflow. This lets us compare the raw power of each cleaner.
Actual performance depends on a lot of factors including the quality of the accessories and the ability of a vacuum to agitate dirt. For that reason, we take before and after pictures of dust collection on carpet, hard floors and with pet hair.
We don’t weigh the before and after results, as this test is notoriously difficult to do properly, as vacuum cleaners will pick up fibres from the floor that will add to the weight collected. And, without a super-sensitive set of scales it’s impossible to measure fine differences between machines.
If you want to learn more, please visit our detailed page about how we test vacuum cleaners.
Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum IZ420UKT
Best overall vacuum for pet hair
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Automatically adjusts power
- Powerful new floor head
If you’re looking for a lightweight and versatile cordless vacuum with powerful suction, a decent battery life and a host of extra tools then look no further than the Shark IZ420UKT.
Weighing just over 4kg, the Shark IZ420UKT is easy to manoeuvre and thanks to its easily foldable body, it can reach under furniture with minimal hassle.
Don’t let its lightness fool you as it may be small but it’s equally mighty and boasts impressive raw power that could easily handle our test cleaning modes, including picking up sprinkled flour, dropped rice grains and even pet hair combed into carpets.
With its CleanSense mode selected, the Shark automatically adjusts its cleaning power according to the level of mess which means the vacuum will only ever use as much power as it needs to reserve its battery life.
As with most Shark vacuums, the IZ420UKT comes equipped with extra attachments and tools, including an anti-allergen dusting brush and a mini motorised tool for upholstery and pet beds. Its DuoClean floor head features both a hard floor roller and carpet brush and was designed for better collection of debris whilst preventing hair from getting wrapped around inside.
We found the Shark also has a decent runtime, with a single battery lasting for around 27 minutes. As Shark conveniently includes two battery units, you can replace a depleted battery quickly, offering you a total run-time of just under an hour.
Not only does the Shark IZ420UKT boast a long battery life and a huge amount of raw power that effortlessly cleans all surface types, but its pet-specific features make this particularly worth buying.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full Review: Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum IZ420UKT
Shark Stratos Pet Pro Anti Hair Wrap Plus Anti-Odour Upright Vacuum NZ860UKT
Best upright vacuum for pet hair
Pros
- Flexible cleaning
- Powerful
- Anti-Odour pods make your home smell fresh
Cons
- Can be fiddly to empty bin
We concluded that the Shark Stratos NZ860UKT is one of the best overall upright vacuum cleaners that you can buy right now.
Not only does it boast impressively raw power but its DuoClean floor head with Anti Hair Wrap Plus makes light work of picking up pet hair and preventing tangles in the brush. In fact we found that the Shark NZ860UKT effortlessly vacuumed up all the mess we put it up against during our tests, from sprinkled flour to cat hair which was combed into carpets.
You’ll also find Shark’s Anti-Odour pod included, which seamlessly slots into the floor head and guards against odours that are commonly caused by pet hair and dust.
As the NZ860UKT weighs 6.7kg, it isn’t the lightest of vacuums but thanks to Shark’s Lift-Away mode the vacuum can be made easier to manoeuvre. Lift-Away allows the central cylinder to easily lift off the body and be carried around, making it lighter for cleaning under furniture and carrying up and down stairs.
You’ll also find the same useful tools that most Shark vacuum cleaners come with, including a crevice tool and a dedicated mini pet tool. Another impressive feature that shouldn’t be overlooked is that this vacuum comes with on-board storage, which means tools are always at hand when necessary.
Using the Shark NZ860UKT is easy too, with controls at the top of the handle that include an on/off button and a slider to select the desired mode.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full Review: Shark Stratos Pet Pro Anti Hair Wrap Plus Anti-Odour Upright Vacuum NZ860UKT
Dyson Gen5detect
Most powerful cordless vacuum for pet hair
Pros
- Super powerful suction
- Clever integrated crevice tool
- Automatic power adjustment takes guess work out of cleaning
Cons
- Expensive
- Can’t use crevice tool at the end of the wand
Boasting a powerful motor, impressive battery life and a handy integrated 2-in-1 crevice tool, Dyson’s Gen5detect is a cordless vacuum that we found to be just as powerful as a wire-powered model.
Courtesy of a large LCD screen, the battery life and time remaining is clearly displayed while you clean. The screen also displays the live particle count, so you can even see how much dust is being collected in real-time.
Included with the Gen5detect are two floor heads and multiple extra attachments that will easily see you through your entire home. The fluffy optic floor head, which is designed for hard floors, is particularly impressive as it uses a green laser which highlights dirt on the floor and makes it easy to spot any missed patches.
Also included is a two-in-one dusting and crevice tool (which is integrated inside the main wand), a combination tool for detailing and even a hair screw tool for cleaning upholstery and pet beds.
Not only is the Gen5detect easy to use, but we concluded that dust and dirt collection was one of the best we had ever seen on a cordless vacuum. There are multiple modes to choose from depending on the floor type or level of mess, however we’d recommend sticking with auto mode as it takes the guesswork out of deciding which mode to use.
Otherwise there’s boost mode, which is a good option for powering through tougher messes, and eco mode which is ideal for when you need slightly less power, for example when vacuuming lightweight rugs.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full review: Dyson Gen5detect
Hoover HL4 Pet
Best value vacuum for pet hair
Pros
- Good value
- High suction power
- Easy to move around
For a reliable and efficient vacuum cleaner that doesn’t break the bank, the Hoover HL4 Pet is a worthy option. Hoover has taken the main technology of its bigger and more expensive HL5 vacuum and put it into the slightly smaller, lighter and cheaper HL4 Pet.
With an anti-twist floor head, which features bristles arranged in a V-shape to prevent hair from wrapping around and becoming tangled, the HL4 Pet is perfect for pet owners.
To test its anti-twist floor head, we dropped strands of longer hair and combed pet hair into our test carpet. Upon use, we found the vacuum cleaner picked up all the hair with no hassle and didn’t get tangled in the brush once the clean was finished.
Unlike other vacuums on this list, it’s worth noting that this doesn’t come with multiple extra attachments and tools. Instead you’ll find an included pet tool, for pet beds and upholstery, and a crevice tool for cleaning in those harder to reach areas. The hose can also be removed for up to two metres of cleaning range.
The HL4 Pet also has a few extra features that make using the vacuum easier, such as LED headlights in the floor head to illuminate dark or hard to see areas, and a removable cylinder that makes the vacuum less cumbersome to carry around the house.
If you’re looking for a powerful vacuum that’s good value for money yet can easily cope with pet hair and other tough vacuuming jobs then the Hoover HL4 Pet is a great appliance to consider.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full review: Hoover HL4 Pet
Eufy Clean X8 Pro
Best robot vacuum for pet hair
Pros
- Powerful suction
- Available with and without self-empty
- Excellent edge cleaning
Have you considered investing in a robot vacuum but aren’t sure whether it would be powerful enough to efficiently pick pet hair up? The Eufy Clean X8 Pro was built with this in mind. Designed for pet owners, the X8 Pro features powerful twin-turbine technology, a detangling brush and is accompanied by a helpful and feature-packed app.
The X8 Pro is available as a standalone model or with a self-emptying station for an additional £150/$150. As the robot itself only has a 335ml bin and the self-emptying station can hold up to 2.5l of dust before needing to be replaced, we’d recommend the self-emptying station model.
On the robot itself, you’ll find both a single side-sweeper brush and a dual floor brush, which work simultaneously on carpets and hard floors. We found the side-sweeper brush particularly useful when cleaning against walls and corners, which are notoriously difficult spots to clean.
There’s also a useful comb inside which prevents collected hair from becoming tangled around the brush head.
The X8 Pro also has a simple mopping function, which is activated by attaching the mopping bracket and 270ml water tank to the robot. The mopping system only uses surface pressure, rather than a sonic scrubber found on some robot vacuum cleaners, and it’s worth pointing out that it doesn’t have an automatic lift to avoid wetting your carpets.
The X8 Pro is also easy to use thanks to the accompanying Eufy Clean app. With this app you can map your house out, set dedicated rooms and no-go zones and even schedule the vacuum to clean while you’re away. The app also allows you to spot clean, and even lets you run an extra brush clean to detangle any remaining hair.
For effortless vacuuming and even a decent enough mop feature, the Eufy X8 Pro is a great choice for busy pet owners.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full review: Eufy Clean X8 Pro
Bosch Unlimited 7 ProAnimal
Best mid-range vacuum for pet hair
Pros
- Huge range of accessories
- Clever filter cleaning
- Powerful cleaning
Cons
- Average suction power
- Can’t fold in half for storage
If you need a vacuum cleaner that’s both powerful enough to make light work of cleaning up pet hair across all household surfaces but is considerably cheaper than a premium option then the Bosch Unlimited 7 ProAnimal is a great choice.
We found the Bosch Unlimited 7 ProAnimal has enough suction power for everyday household tasks, which is made even easier with the included tools and accessories, although we did conclude that it doesn’t have quite the same reach as more powerful models. As it’s a mid-range option, this perhaps isn’t too surprising but still worth keeping in mind.
Even so, the Bosch Unlimited 7 ProAnimal is able to clean up notoriously difficult pet hair combed into carpet, and even long strands of human hair, without issue.
Bosch includes a selection of tools and accessories to assist in a whole house clean. The main tool, and probably the one you’ll use the most, is the ProAnimal floor head which is fitted with Bosch’s anti-tangle technology, designed to pick up hair without it getting caught in the brush, resulting in fewer troublesome blockages.
Also provided is a mini motorised tool for stairs and upholstery (which is especially useful for removing hair from pet beds), a long and flexible crevice tool to help you reach tricky areas, and even a keyboard and drawer nozzle which is made up of multiple tubes for removing dust from tricky areas.
With an impressive battery life of over 30-minutes on its lowest power mode and nearly 17-minutes on automatic mode, the Bosch Unlimited 7 ProAnimal should last long enough to comfortably clean your entire home. The vacuum is also compatible with the Power For All 18V battery range which means you can swap out batteries with other compatible devices for uninterrupted use.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full reviewer: Bosch Unlimited 7 ProAnimal
FAQs
A motorised floor brush is an essential, as it agitates and loosens pet hair in carpets. For sofas and soft furnishings, look for a vacuum cleaner with a mini motorised tool.
Suction power is important in so much as it helps a vacuum cleaner remove dirt, but a motorised brush is more important. Vacuum cleaner that operate on suction alone are not very effective at removing pet hair.
Yes. Most people are allergic to a pet’s saliva or dead skin cells, which attach themselves to the pet hair. Removing the hair, removes the allergens also.
Either will do the job: corded cleaners have the advantage that they can keep running and are slightly more powerful; cordless models are more convenient, particularly if you want to clean other areas, such as your car.
