The 12 Best Pet Hair Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

We tested 37 pet hair vacuums, and the Samsung Jet 75 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner was our favorite

Madison Yauger is commerce writer at PEOPLE.

Melanie Rud is a freelance beauty writer, editor, and expert living in Chicago.

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People / Rachel Marek

We love our pets, and we’d do anything for them, but constantly cleaning up pet hair and spilled kibble is a pain. (Even dog-loving celebs like Chris Evans and Kaley Cuoco likely have the same issue.) A quality pet hair vacuum can go a long way toward keeping your home (at least somewhat) clean.

"A pet hair vacuum will do the job of a regular vacuum just fine, but it's not necessarily true the other way around," owner of Superb Maids Elena Ledoux tells PEOPLE. We tested 37 different pet hair vacuums in real-life scenarios, noting exactly how much hair they picked up off of all types of flooring and upholstery. We also ranked the vacuums on how easy they were to maneuver, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, set-up, and value.

After testing these vacuums in the lab and at home for six months, here are the best pet hair vacuums that PEOPLE tested.

Amazon

Has three modes to preserve battery life and it's easy to switch between them

Works on multiple floor surfaces

Swiftly navigates corners and is easy to maneuver around dog toys

Quiet enough you can have a conversation over it

Has a 5-layer HEPA filter

Battery didn't last super long when using the max mode

One of the most expensive options on our list

Doesn't come with an app

When testing this pet hair vacuum, our team determined that the Samsung Jet 75 is the ultimate rival to pet hair. We found it easy to unpack and assemble, and appreciated the three power modes — "min, mid, and max" (a.k.a. low, medium, high). The vacuum worked effectively on hardwood floors, carpets, and even stairs, getting up most of the test debris (cheerios, coffee grounds, and, of course, pet hair).

We noticed that some hair got caught in the vacuum roller, and there's no special tool to remove it, so our team had to cut it away after use. We also wish the battery lasted a little longer and could be charged when separated from the cordless vacuum, but the effectiveness of this model makes those inconveniences secondary.

This sleek vacuum takes corners like a nascar driver, catching dust bunnies and other hard-to-reach debris along the way. It's quite lightweight at just five pounds and can maneuver around objects and low furniture with ease. It makes a decent amount of noise when set on the high mode, but that's standard for most vacuums. After testing, we had no trouble cleaning the tank which is washable (as is the HEPA filter). Overall, we think this is an ideal pet hair vacuum because it's easy to use and gets hair up from all floor types.

How it's held up: After three months of testing at home, we love how easy it was to set up, and how much pet hair and dust it picked up (thoroughly outdoing our old vacuum). It even picked up fur off the couch; it's super easy to switch between the three modes, and it tackles every surface with ease, including carpet, tile, and hardwood. We thought all three attachments worked really well and were actually helpful. Plus it's also not super loud; you can have a conversation over it.

Price at time of publish: $382

People / Henry Wortock

Walmart

Easy assembly with pictures to guide you through the process

Low noise level even when operating on higher modes

Lightweight and very easy to push around

Simple to maneuver, even up and down stairs and under low furniture

One of the lowest-priced vacuums on our list

The tank holds less debris than larger models

This cordless vacuum checked all of our boxes while coming in under budget. It proved easy to set up with helpful pictures to guide the user through assembly. The pet hair vacuum remained fairly quiet even when in higher modes — we think it sounds similar to a hair dryer rather than a standard vacuum. Its lightweight shape makes it easy to maneuver around and fit into tight corners and under low furniture.

We found this Moosoo vacuum to be equally effective on hardwood floors and carpets, and were surprised when vacuuming stairs that we didn't even have to use the attachments (the suction got all the debris). The vacuum grabbed all the pet hair without issue, and considering how small it is, we were really impressed. We did empty the vacuum once during testing, since it has a small chamber, but this isn't a huge inconvenience. Overall, we loved the weight and design of this model, its effectiveness and maneuverability, and the low price.

Price at time of publish: $125.99

People / Dera Burreson

Dyson

Extremely lightweight and cordless, so it's easy to maneuver around your home

Comes with five different attachments for a versatile cleaning experience

‘Boost’ feature that grabs even the most stubborn pet hair and debris

It's the most expensive vacuum on our list, but Dyson lovers will tell you it's worth it

No mop attachment, but the laser attachment with the cloth leaves the floors looking clean and shiny

No paired app to control the vacuum from your phone

While this pet hair vacuum isn't cheap, our testing showed that the high price tag really is justified, making this an ideal option for anyone who is vacuuming pet hair frequently (we see you Golden Retriever owners). And for context, consider that the median price of the vacuums we tested was around $200.

When you consider the various attachments and heads, and the functions they can execute, the cordless vacuum makes the $550 price tag that much more understandable. We loved how user-friendly this Dyson was, and how effectively it cleaned up pet hair. We might even enjoy vacuuming if this was our go-to device.

This vacuum is lightweight and easy to lift, with a head that swivels to target multiple angles. While it did struggle to pick up kibble bits on a tile floor, the built-in ‘Boost’ function made sure no kibble pieces (or hairs) were left behind.

How it's held up: After three months of testing this vacuum twice a week at home, we believe its value justifies the cost. We love how simple it was to assemble, and how many types of flooring and furniture it cleans with ease. We tested the vacuum across several households, and it proved extremely effective. Even with real dogs that shed a lot and kids that run around (read: ground up goldfish snacks in the carpet), this vacuum picked up everything every time with ease.

Price at time of publish: $449.99–$549.99

People / Rachel Marek

Amazon

Lightweight and portable for cleaning around furniture and in the car

Excelled at picking up hair from carpet and upholstery

Very quiet, stayed below 66 decibels even on the highest setting

Small canister may require more frequent emptying

For couches, cars, or just a quickie touch-up, this handheld vacuum easily earned our vote. It was especially effective at pet hair removal, and great for getting kibble off of hard floors (though slightly less so on carpet). With the vacuum ringing in under $100, we deemed it to be a good value considering its effectiveness. Plus, this pet hair vacuum is so quiet; it never got above 66 decibels, even on the highest setting. Our team thought it was especially convenient for cleaning couches at waist level, and also liked how quick and easy it was to put together. Not to mention that it weighs less than three pounds.

How it's held up: After six months, this vacuum continues to pick up pet hair with ease and the battery life continues to surprise us with its longevity. We love being able to run it over the couch to get a layer of debris off before guests arrive, and it's so lightweight we can use it in one hand while carrying a baby in the other.

Price at time of publish: $99.99

People / Rachel Marek

Walmart

Lightweight feel and easy to empty after use

Easy assembly with clear directions

Low noise level (unless on the high power mode)

Collected about a third of the debris in one minute and grabbed the rest right after

Has trouble with corners, especially around baseboards

Doesn't come with any attachments

If you need a lightweight vacuum that sucks up pet hair with ease, this Hoover vacuum is going to be your new best friend. It has clear directions that make for a simple setup. This cordless vacuum also comes with a charging station that recharges the battery in about four hours.

We appreciated that the noise level on the low setting wasn't too loud — the high power mode proved slightly louder. In terms of effectiveness, the vacuum got about a third of the debris up in one minute, and the rest followed shortly. While this vacuum doesn't thrive with corners and edges of baseboards, it still gets a large percentage of pet hair and dirt off the floor. It proved versatile on all floor types, easy to empty after use, and long-lasting with battery time.

How it's held up: We’ve used this vacuum for over six months, and it's still working as well as it did in our lab. It's super quiet compared to our previous vacuums and simple to switch modes between cleaning the carpet and hardwood floors. The suction is effective on both surfaces. We definitely wish it had attachments, but it worked well nonetheless. We also love that it shuts off when the debris bin is full so you know when to empty it out.

Price at time of publish: $183–$209.99

People / Rachel Marek

Shark

Set up is quick and easy, and took us under two minutes

Easy to maneuver across hardwoods and soft pile carpet

Never got above 75 decibels even when on the high mode

Mode and power buttons are all on the vacuum handle for easy access

Less effective on medium-high pile carpets

Attachment storage isn't in a convenient place

Sometimes it's warranted to be skeptical of canister vacuums because the design can be tricky to use for some folks. That said, we were impressed with how intuitive this Shark one is, lauding it for how smoothly it moves with you as you vacuum. Setting this pet hair vacuum up took less than two minutes, and it also nabbed a perfect score for ease of cleaning. It performed beautifully on hardwood and shorter pile carpet, but keep in mind that it may leave behind a bit of dog kibble residue, especially on longer pile carpet. But it grabbed every last bit of pet hair, and never got over 75 decibels, even on the highest setting — so you can have it going while the television is on, and it shouldn't bother anyone.

How it's held up: Six months into testing this vacuum at home, we still love how easy it is to navigate between the floors and carpet. It makes it super convenient that the modes and power button are on the handle, and after vacuuming, it's simple to empty and clean. We do wish the attachment storage was more convenient, but overall this is a super effective vacuum that picks up pet hair with ease.

Price at time of publish: $399.99

People / Rachel Marek

Amazon

Lightweight to hold and carry around

Extremely easy to put together

Pet hair doesn't get caught in the brush roll

Versatile attachments that lift pet hair off furniture in one or two passes

Didn't completely remove kibble on carpet

There's only one suction setting

Somewhat cumbersome to empty after use

This tiny-but-mighty handheld model performed extremely well when it came to removing hair. As far as kibble goes, it worked better on a hard floor; multiple passes were needed to get pieces out from between the carpet fibers. While there is only one setting, we found the pet hair vacuum to be strong enough to get the job done, though lamented that it was a bit cumbersome to empty and required some manual dislodging of pet hair from deep in the chamber. Still, there was no hair wrapped around the brush roll, and the addition of several attachments makes it a versatile choice to use in many different settings.

How it's held up: Six months into home-testing, we are so appreciative of the upholstery attachment — it grabs pet hair better than most other vacuums. This handheld vacuum with its attachment is highly effective at picking up our cat's hair, especially on materials like velvet. It deep cleans, is lightweight, and has a long-lasting battery.

Price at time of publish: $99.99

People / Rachel Marek

Target

Removed almost all of the kibble and hair after just one pass

Generous cord length and on-board attachment storage for easy access

Set-up can take longer (almost 10 minutes), though it is still easy to do

Separate unit can feel cumbersome to carry around, if you’re not used to this type of vacuum

Of the 37 vacuums tested, this was the only one that pulled in perfect scores in every category, from effectiveness to noise level to portability. This canister vacuum performed especially well on carpet, grabbing all of the pet hair in a single or at most two passes, even when on the lowest suction setting. Plus, it was easy to empty and change the bags, and none of said hair got stuck in the brushes or around the wheels.

Despite the fact that it is a corded, canister-style vacuum, we were still impressed with its lightweight feel, and how easy it was to maneuver and tote around. We also have to call out the generous cord length that could easily cover an average-sized room without the need to change outlets. Multiple attachments — all of which are housed on board — were another added benefit. And while it's definitely on the pricier side, we believe the price tag is completely warranted.

How it's held up: This Kenmore canister vacuum has consistently performed well over the six months we’ve tested it at home. We loved how accessible the attachments were and how flexible the main handle is (can practically lay it flat to go under furniture). The separate canister unit can feel cumbersome to carry around if you’re not used to it, but we got the hang of it over time.

Price at time of publish: $319–$328.99

People / Rachel Marek

Amazon

Effective for pet hair removal from all floor types and materials

Easy to maneuver around furniture and corners, despite its size

A bit more challenging to clean; we had to cut some of the hair out of the roller

The pet hair can get stuck on the canister and the filter must be removed to get rid of it

This Innova upright vacuum pulled in perfect scores when it came to effectiveness and maneuverability. It picked up almost all kibble and hair when used on the quiet setting (which came in at 67 decibels, the average vacuum being at around 70), and got absolutely everything during the second pass, which was performed on the high mode setting.

It performed equally well on hardwood and carpet — our team liked that the buttons for switching between the two were conveniently located on the handle. The upright vacuum even sucked up all the pet hair on upholstery. And despite the fact that it is a corded model (a bit larger and heavier), it still was easy to handle and maneuver. If we have to pick a drawback, it would just be that some hair got stuck in the canister, making it challenging to clean. But that's part of the cleaning process and for a vacuum this effective, we aren't deterred.

How it's held up: After six months of testing at home, this vacuum is still exceeding our expectations. We did notice our dog's long hair gets stuck in the roller sometimes and we have to cut it out, but it works so well to suction up pet hair from hardwoods and carpets that we don't mind. The detachable suction hoses also work well on couches and furniture. It's fairly lightweight and is easy to maneuver around your furniture.

Price at time of publish: $147

People / Rachel Marek

Amazon

Easy to clean filter; it's washable

Lightweight and can maneuver around the car seats

Long hose with steady suction that got all the pet hair up

Slightly loud, but you can still hold a conversation over it

Bringing your pet with you on roadtrips can be fun, but you’ll need something to clean all the fur off the back seat. This cordless vacuum is lightweight and can maneuver around the car seats and pockets with ease. During testing, the suction remained steady throughout the entire test, so you can get all the pet hair off your seats in several passes without needing to recharge.

This Black + Decker vacuum also has a long hose to reach various nooks and crannies, and a large canister to hold debris. The canister has a door that's easy to open when you’re ready to clean it out, and there's a washable filter in there, too. While the vacuum was slightly loud, our team was still able to hold a conversation over it. We believe this is an ideal car vacuum so your pet can tag along for all future road trip adventures.

Price at time of publish: $124.99

People / Dera Burreson

Amazon

Arrives fully assembled so there's no setup apart from connecting the app

Easy to maneuver and works on all floor types

Quieter than a standard vacuum

Didn't pick up the kibble very well and does a more general cleaning rather than targeting a specific area

Cleaning out the vacuum proved a little tricky, especially getting all the debris out of the rollers

If you want the flexibility to vacuum when you’re not home, then a robot vacuum is the way to go. The iRobot vacuum comes fully assembled, so there's very little setup, apart from getting the charging station running and syncing the vacuum with the app. This Roomba works well on all floors types, but especially hard surfaces. It does a general clean rather than targeting a specific area, so if you need to clean a particular spot it might not be as effective as an upright or stick vacuum.

Robot vacuums are quieter than regular vacuums, and can be controlled in an app which helps when you want to schedule the cleaning session. When it came to emptying the vacuum, we found it a little challenging to get all the debris out, but there was a lot of pet hair in the rollers, so it definitely picked it up. The Roomba doesn't come with any attachments, but considering the price of most robot vacuums, we think this is a great value for the cost. Generally though, a standing vacuum will pick up more pet fur than a robot vacuum.

Price at time of publish: $274.99

People / Rachel Marek

Tineco

Picked up every piece of kibble and pet hair during our lab tests (when in high mode)

Maneuvered well around obstacles, including toys, clothes, and furniture

Could push it around with one hand and hold a baby in the other

The automatic mode is quiet enough not wake a sleeping baby in the next room over

It takes about an hour to charge this vacuum, and the charge didn't hold as long as we’d like

During our lab tests, we were impressed with this Tineco cordless vacuum's ability to pick up every piece of kibble and strand of pet hair. It maneuvered around the obstacles and transferred between carpet and hard floors with ease. There's also a mechanism that lets you clean the filter without touching all the fur, and most of it fell out on its own; we only had to pull some of it out. It was super lightweight and we could maneuver it with one hand. The attachments were also easy to assemble and use.

We also put this pet hair vacuum to the test in the real world, and it continued to exceed our expectations. While it has many moving parts, the function of each is easy to understand. Assembly was simple apart from some light features that were a bit tricky to sort out without some quality time with the manual. We like the paired app, which gives you more insights into the battery and other metrics of the vacuum. This lightweight vacuum picks up pet hair from all floors types well and has a brush for upholstered surfaces. The max mode works the best, but all modes were fairly effective. The benefit of the automatic mode is how quiet it is — it didn't even wake a sleeping baby in the next room over. The various attachments, including the LED light brush, expedite the cleaning process and provide versatility to this device.

How it's held up: During our testing period at home, we found this vacuum extremely comfortable to hold and maneuver (even with a baby in one arm). It does take an hour or so for the cordless vacuum to charge, and it doesn't hold the charge for too long. We loved how well it maneuvered around furniture, kids’ toys, and other obstacles in a small apartment. There's a push button to empty the dust bin, which makes it easy to clean. And we love the HEPA filter, especially with kids in the home and concerns about air quality.

Price at time of publish: $349.99

People / Rachel Marek

You always want to look for powerful suction in a vacuum, but it's particularly important for a model designed to suck up pet hair. "Strong suction ensures the flying fur tumbleweed on your floors actually gets sucked in instead of blown around," says Melissa Homer, cleaning expert and Chief Cleaning Officer at MaidPro.

Besides picking up pet hair, strong suction is necessary for helping remove pet dander from your space. Look for models with multiple suction levels, or better yet, a "max mode" that will send your vacuum into overdrive while it sucks up every last strand of fur and speck of dander. Our best overall pick, the Samsung Jet 75 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, has a max mode that's highly effective at grabbing debris.

Make sure your vacuum of choice includes a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. This is an excellent filtration option for any household, but especially for those with pets or allergy sufferers. "HEPA filtration does a great job at filtering the air of small particles, including some allergens, which can reduce a patient's symptoms when they suffer from pollen and animal dander," says Dr. Jeanne Lomas, director of allergy services for WellNow Allergy.

If you have animals in your home, you also have animal dander floating around. "Pet dander is the root cause of allergies, not the [pet] hair. It consists of microscopic flecks of skin that may be too small to detect when cleaning, but will be picked up and trapped in a vacuum that is equipped with a good filtration system," says Bill Lin, a test engineer with Etekcity. Several of our top picks—the Kenmore Pet-Friendly Pop-N-Go Canister Vacuum, the Innova Upright Vacuum, and the Tineco Pure One S11 Tango Smart Stick/Handheld Vacuum — include HEPA filtration.

Attachments can be great for reaching small, narrow spots. And they’re particularly ideal for vacuuming upholstery, notes Ledoux, who suggests using small brush attachments for this purpose. They’ll also help agitate and lift up pet hair that may otherwise get stuck on couches, beds, or curtains, adds Michael Barnett, cleaning product manager at Black +Decker.

Most vacuums come with a crevice tool and upholstery brush, but some pet-specific models take it even further, like the Shark Ultracyclone Pet Pro Plus Handheld Vacuum. This vacuum comes with a "pet power brush" that is designed to grip pet hair and suck it up in one pass. American Maid Service's Liz Trotter agrees, adding that pet hair vacuums have a "roller bar that has different bristles and a different kind of suction than that of regular vacuums."

We put more than 100 vacuums to the test in the lab and at home. We started by assembling each model and timing how long the set-up took. Then we used the vacuum to pick up dog kibble, both on a medium pile rug and a LVT floor, noting how effectively it worked on each. Measured amounts of dog hair were sprinkled onto both flooring surfaces, as well as upholstery; after vacuuming, the sucked up hair was again weighed to see exactly how much was picked up. We also noted how easy the vacuum was to empty and clean and how portable and maneuverable it was. Finally, the noise output of each vacuum was measured using a decibel meter. We also continued testing these vacuums in our homes for the last six months and added further insights on how they held up over time.

People / Henry Wortock

The main difference is the design. Ideally, you’ll want to look for a vacuum with a special, tangle-free beater bar, as stuck hair will ultimately impede the suction and the efficacy, notes Barnett.

However, if the hair does get stuck, Homer suggests using either a safety letter opener or a seam ripper. "Both will allow you to slide under and slice away wound up hair without damaging the beater bar brush," she explains. Once the hair is shorter, it's easy to pull out.

When you’re vacuuming pet hair, repetition is key — so a vacuum that allows for that will be the most effective. For carpet, you should go over the area twice, once horizontally and once vertically: "This will get the embedded pet hair out from the carpet fibers," notes Becky Rapinchuk, cleaning expert and owner of Clean Mama. That's why standing vacuums are generally better to clean pet hair than robot vacuums because you can control how many times it goes over the pet hair. You can also buy vacuums with attachments to get in between tight spaces, as well as a small brush attachment to effectively vacuum upholstery, Rapinchuk notes.

Considering that pet owners likely vacuum more often than non-pet owners — as a general rule of thumb, most pet owners need a weekly vacuuming to keep up with hair and tracked-in dirt, says Homer — you might have to replace your vacuum sooner than you think. While the standard timeframe is eight years before necessary replacement, pet owners should consider replacing their vacuum after five or so years. So if you just started counting on your fingers how many years your vacuum has lived in that hall closet, it's likely time to buy a new one.

Melanie Rud is a freelance beauty writer, editor, and expert living in Chicago. Madison Yauger is a senior commerce writer for PEOPLE who has tested hundreds of lifestyle products across all categories. For this story, they spoke to a wealth of cleaning experts, including owner of Superb Maids Elena Ledoux, owner of Clean Mama Becky Rapinchuk, American Maid Service's Liz Trotter, and chief cleaning officer at MaidPro Melissa Homer. They also chatted about allergies with the director of allergy services for WellNow Allergy, Dr. Jeanne Lomas, Michael Barnett, cleaning product manager at Black +Decker, and Etekcity test engineer Bill Lin about vacuum filtration. They also used insights from our lab tests and at-home tests to determine the best pet hair vacuums of 2023.

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How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $382 Type: Running Time: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: Price at time of publish: $125.99 Type: Running time: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $449.99–$549.99 Type: Running Time: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $99.99 Type: Running Time: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $183–$209.99 Type: Running Time: Weight: LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Mode: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $399.99 Type: Length of Cord: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $99.99 Type: Running Time: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $319–$328.99 Type: Length of Cord: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $147 Type: Length of Cord: Weight LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Modes: HEPA Filter: Price at time of publish: $124.99 Type: Running Time: Weight: LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Mode: HEPA Filter: Price at time of publish: $274.99 Type: Running Time: Weight: LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Mode: HEPA Filter: How it's held up: Price at time of publish: $349.99 Type: Running Time: Weight: LED Lights: Detachable Brushes: High-Powered Mode: HEPA Filter: ,

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