In the game of vacuum cleaning, pet hair is the final boss. It gets caught in every tiny crevice, it clings to soft surfaces with limpet-like ferocity, and no sooner are you done clearing it, more has started to accumulate. If you live with four-legged friends and want a cleaner that can cope with the onslaught of hair, there are specific features that will help.
I asked four experts from the leading vacuum cleaner brands for their advice on what to look for – here are five essentials to look for, plus five more nice-to-haves if you really want to bring out the big guns.
Once you’re done reading this advice, head to our guide to the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair (or the best robot vacuums for pet hair, if you want something hands-off) for our top recommendations for specific models.
1. A floorhead with a roller (preferably detangling)
If you have pet hair and carpet, you need the right type of floorhead. “A floorhead with a beater bar or roller will ensure that dust and debris is lifted from deep within the carpet and provide a more thorough clean,” says Tom Akers, Product Training Manager at Miele GB. “It’s ideal for pet hair in a carpeted household.”
This is a floorhead that contains a rotating roller, usually with bristles designed to agitate the floor surface. The vast majority of vacuum cleaners come with this kind of floorhead, but you will occasionally also find suction-only heads designed for more delicate hard floors and rugs.
If you have a pet with long hair, look for an anti-hair wrap floorhead. “We recommend looking for a vacuum with de-tangling tech to prevent hair from wrapping around the brush bar,” suggests Dyson Engineer Amy Wright. Dyson’s Digital Motorbar cleaner head includes detangling vanes that are designed to immediately clear any hair from the roller as you clean.
Dyson’s floorhead is a great example, but many vacuum brands offer detangling features these days. It’s useful for homes with long-haired human inhabitants, too.
2. A large dustbin capacity
Field from Henry, and Wright from Dyson both flagged that if you have an extra-furry household, or live with multiple pets, you’ll want a vacuum with a larger dustbin. This just means you won’t end up constantly emptying it.
Most of today’s best cordless vacuums have bins have a capacity of 0.6 or 0.8 quarts / liters, but if you pick a large capacity model, you’ll have extra room to fill with hair. For example, the Gen5detect Outsize can hold 2 quarts / liters.
Alternatively, you might want to opt for a cylinder or upright vacuum, most of which have much larger dust cup capacities. The Henry Pet cylinder vacuum has a bin capacity of 9 quarts / liters.
Clearing pet hair from the floor surface is only part of the challenge – you’ll also find hair hidden in any nook and cranny, as well as on unholstered surfaces. As a result, you’ll also want to pay attention to the detail tools that come with your vacuum cleaner.
“Look out for accessories including dusting, crevice and upholstery tools,” says Teya Field, a Product Manager at Henry. “These can help with a range of tasks and clean surfaces such as blinds where pet hair can get hidden.”
Some brands offer a tool that’s specifically designed for tackling pet hair on surfaces – for example, Dreame’s Pet Shedding tool (included with the Dreame Z30). Dyson’s Hair screw tool, included with the best Dyson vacuums, is tapered to encourage hair to move down towards the narrow end where it can be whisked away into the bin.
“Dyson’s Hair Screw Tool spirals hair off and into the bin, making it ideal for removing hair from pet beds, car seats and stairs,” explains Wright. “Designed for human and pet hair, Dyson engineers delicately tweaked the precise angle of the bristles on the tool to ensure the release force did not tangle the hair, and tested the tool on multiple hair types.”
4. Powerful suction
If you’re dealing with any kind of soft surfaces or carpet, as well as a well-designed floorhead (#1), you’ll need enough suction power to pull hair up. Cordless vacuums pack a good amount of suction these days, but for outright power you can’t beat one of the best upright vacuums. These have the added benefit of large dust cups, but you will have to deal with the relative annoyance of a cord and more limited maneuverability overall.
5. A bag or easy empty mechanism
If you’re dealing with pet hair, you’re going to end up emptying your vacuum more frequently than usual, even if you opt for a model with a larger dust cup (#2). Look for a model with an effective emptying mechanism that won’t drive you crazy.
You might even want to consider a model with a bag. “Bagged vacuums are best suited to people dealing with lots of pet hair, as they trap the dust inside the bag and when emptying, prevent large dust clouds,” says Field.
Even the most well-designed emptying mechanisms tend to require a bit of manual intervention, and pet hair can be especially prone to clumping up and getting wedged between the filter cage and bin casing. A bag keeps everything neat.
Bags are more common in upright or cylinder vacuums, but there are some cordless vacuums that come with bags. Examples include the Henry Quick Pet and Halo Capsule X. If you’re on the fence, here’s more on the differences between bagged vs bagless vacuums.
Nice-to-have features…
I’ve gone through the top feature recommendations above, but if you want to go a step further, here were some further suggestions from the brand representatives I spoke to.
6. An auto-empty dock
They’re not yet super common, but a few brands have started offering cordless stick vacuums with auto-empty docks. Pop the vacuum on the dock and the contents of its onboard bin will immediately whoosh out, via a closed system, into a far larger bin (or bag) hidden in the base itself. This means you’ll need to empty it manually far less frequently.
Examples include the Shark Detect Pro Auto-Empty System, Shark PowerDetect Auto-Empty System and Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra. I was skeptical initially, but I’m now a full auto-empty vacuum convert – provided you have space for the base, they can be a big effort-saver for homes with lots or dirt or hair to clean up.
7. Scent pods
“If pet odor is an issue, then vacuums with scent pods help leave a clean, fresh smelling fragrance throughout the home after vacuuming,” flags Field. You’ll find a scented pod on the likes of the Henry Quick, and they’re also common on many of today’s best Shark vacuum cleaners.
8. A wet-and-dry vacuum
If you have a lot of hard, washable floors, then you might want to consider supplementing your regular vacuum with a wet-and-dry cleaner. These are perfect for all kinds of pet messes, and some can be used to clean carpet too.
“For deep cleaning, an all-in-one vacuum that can clean up after accident-prone pets and other spillages are great options too”, says Field, flagging the Henry George as a specific example.
Last week, I also wrote about how the Roborock F25 Ace Combo was proving a game-changer in a house filled with hairy pets, but there are plenty of options in this area. Head to our guide to the best wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners for our top recommendations.
To supplement your pet hair-friendly vacuum cleaner, Wright recommends “tackling the problem at its source” with a tool designed for grooming. “The Dyson Pet Grooming Tool removes loose hairs and dander directly into the bin, preventing it from spreading around the house,” she adds.
The Dyson Pet Grooming tool costs $69.99 / £35 when purchased direct from Dyson.
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