Pet Vacuum Cleaners – Making the Best Purchase Possible

For the pet owner, pet hair can become a serious nuisance due to the difficulty faced in cleaning it. Although there are many vacuum cleaners for pet hair on the market those claims to get the job done, not all of them are as effective.

We put together this resource to help you pick the best vacuum for pet hair based on expert advice and customer recommendations.

A quality pet vacuum cleaner should be able to pull cat and dog hair off bare floors as well as carpets, cushions, rugs and sofas. We also discuss the factors you should look for when purchasing a vacuum for pet fur.

Pet vacuum cleaners

The Best Pet Hair Vacuum Cleaner Features

After you have decided to purchase a new vacuum cleaner, it is so important that you also take into consideration the qualities it must possess. Instead of thinking you can get away with purchasing just any model for pet hairs, you need to consider what are the most important feature is to ensure the vacuum is powerful and durable.

  • Durability: A durable vacuum provides the best value for money because you will use it for years before you need to buy a new one.
  • Filtration: With powerful filtration, even the finest particles get pulled in by the vacuum. A HEPA filter approved vacuum will be much better.
  • Washable Filter: Filters can get clogged with dust and hair over time. If they are not washable, they will need to be replaced which adds to the cost of ownership.
  • Noise Level: Some vacuums for pet hair are too noisy due to their low quality build. Vacuuming can become a pain using such machines.
  • Power Cord: To avoid switching from one wall power outlet to another, make sure your vacuum has a lengthy power cord with auto rewind feature.
  • Hose Length: It offers more flexibility in cleaning and better reaches for handling awkward spots, cracks, crevices, drapes, curtains, ceilings, etc.
  • Height Adjustment: If you opt for an upright vacuum for pet hair, check whether the height of the vacuum is adjustable.
  • Dust Bin: If you pick a bagless vacuum, you need to have one with a bigger dust bin capacity. A dirt/cup full indicator will be added advantage.
  • Storage: A quality vacuum for pet hair should be easy to store and take less storage space.
  • Attachments: These interchangeable parts extend the reach and functionality of a vacuum and make it suitable for doing specific cleaning tasks.
  • Maneuverability: A flexible and maneuverable vacuum can move around obstacles and furniture easily. It can also clean difficult areas more efficiently.

The Top 3 Pet Hair Vacuum Cleaners

A lot of people opt for a vacuum that picks up pet hair efficiently because they are tired of hair building up on their floors. With so many different vacuums designed to cater to this need, it can be a bit difficult finding one that is within your budget and performs as you like.

This article will not going into the details on the best pet hair vacuum as we will write another article to cover this topic. The following are our top picks.

1. Best Upright Vacuum for Pet - Dyson Ball Animal 2

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum series is a family of uprights vacs that engineered for homes with pets. It uses Radial Root Cyclone technology that can capture more micro dust. The Dyson Ball technology – let you glide any obstacles easily as the ball rotates in all directions for maximum maneuverability.

The Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuum is a bagless, expensive vacuum model that earns high marks on all types of floor tests – carpets, hardwood, tile, vinyl including pet hairs. So, Dyson backs up the price with quality, performance and durability.

The machine comes with washable lifetime filter and one-push emptying the dust bin. It comes with a number of other useful features, like an extendable hose for above-floors cleaning and an instant-release wand attachment.

In addition to the extension wand, the Animal 2 vacuum comes with an array of other useful attachments, including a stair tool, a combination tool, and a Tangle-free turbine tool can effectively remove pet hair from carpet or upholstery.

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright vacuum is also a certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly machine endorsed by Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America.

 Pros:

Its performance is very strong and the majority of owners are quite happy with their purchase – especially reviewers with pets. Dyson also include a Tangle-free turbine tool specifically designed for pet hair.

Dyson’s Radial Root Cyclone technology seems to be the driving strength behind the powerful suction this model produces. Strong suction is an important factor in any vacuum -without a brush roll, hard floor models must rely on suction alone to dislodge fine particles from the nooks and crannies in floorboards.

The Ball Animal 2 model is also a great choice if you have a mix of all floor types in your home, since it comes with Dyson Ball technology. The 31-ft power cord can let you clean bigger rooms without having to switch the socket.

For pet owners with allergies, the HEPA filtered bags are also a great feature to rid your home of allergens. This Dyson lightweight model of 17.5 lbs is a certified Asthma & Allergy friendly.

 Cons:

One of the big downsides of the Dyson Animal 2 vacuum is that it’s a bagless machine but at least it’s certified allergy. The bagged vacuums are a better choice for homeowners with allergies, because the dust, dander, and other allergens aren’t agitated as they would be in a bagless model.

Some owners also mentioned that the extension wand is not easy to put in and pull it out but this is a minor issue. You can get it solved after some time.

 Wrap up:

The Dyson Animal 2 upright vac is our favorite upright vacuum for pet hair on all surfaces. It has all the features that make a great vacuum like powerful suction, ball technology, washable filter and Tangle-free Turbine tool for pet hairs – all offered at an affordable price.

Though it’s advertised as an animal vacuum, the Animal 2 earns some of the highest scores in consumer reviews for pet hair. With a strong set of useful features, and great performance & durability, the Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuum earns its spot among the best selling upright vacuums today.

 

2. Best Canister Vacuum for Pet - Kenmore Elite 81714 Pet Friendly

The Kenmore bagged canister vacuum are designed to clean your entire home, including kitchen and garage with several accessories and it earns some of the highest ratings on both hard floors and pet hair, and it also excels at carpet cleaning.

Among the useful features included with this vacuum is Kenmore’s “Ultra Plush Nozzle”- a powered nozzle that automatically responds to carpet thickness. Also, the motorized pet hair rotating brush (Pet PowerMate) can effectively lifts up the stubborn pet hair, dirt and dander.

The dual motor system ensures the powerful suction and deep cleaning. The variable suction control on handle can ease your control while cleaning different types of floors. The HEPA filters can captures 99.97% of debris that is especially useful for allergies or asthma sufferers.

The exclusive Stair Grip feature let you rest the machine without worry. There are 4 attachments that can be neatly stored inside the vacuum included, the crevice tool, Elite dusting brush, floor brush and PetPower Mate Brush (used for removing pet hair from upholstery).

Finally, the Elite 81714 vacuum features a telescoping wand, and the power cord is 26 feets long (retractable). The vacuum weight of 22 lbs is not too heavy for average person.

 Pros:

The Kenmore Elite lives up to its title on bare floors and low pile carpet, often beating out vacuums twice the price in critic’s tests. It earns slightly lower than average marks on the highest of high pile, but still performs well enough on all floor types to be considered a uniquely versatile model.

In addition, the dual motor provides superior performance due to the strong suction produced by this vacuum, which users can adjust via a thumb control on the handle. Despite the powerful suction, however, the cleaner is a relatively quiet while in operation.

The Elite 81714 does similarly well with pet hair. In addition to its ability to effectively remove hair from hardwood and carpet with the floor attachments, the Pet PowerMate Brush delivers great results on upholstery.

Pet owners who suffer from allergies with also appreciate the air quality exhausted by the Elite. Its airflow is great, due to the high-quality HEPA filter used by the vacuum. There’s also a useful indicator light on the vacuum that lets you know when the bag is full, or when a clog is reducing the vacuum’s suction.

 Cons:

One of the most common difficulties may or not be relevant to your household. The strong suction made it difficult for a handful of reviewers to push the head of the vacuum over plush and high pile carpet – even on the lowest power setting. A quick fix suggested by some reviewers: extend the wand to its full length to further reduce suction.

Also, the bagged vacuums will eventually require replacement bags. Bagged models add an extra step to your cleaning routine that bagless models don’t but bagged cleaner is better especially for allergy sufferers.

 Wrap up:

The Kenmore Elite 81714 is one of the highest rated canister vacs for tackling pet hair and carpeted or hard floors.

In addition, unlike most other vacuums, the Elite doesn’t force users to choose between good performance on hardwood or good performance on carpet—the Elite delivers solid results on all floor types.

There’s also an array of top-of-the-line attachments included alongside the Elite, like the Pet PowerMate for upholstery and the Ultra Plush Nozzle for floors.

It’s a complete package that perfectly suits pet owners with carpeted floors, which is why it’s our top pick among canister vacuums!

 

3. Best Stick Vacuum for Pet - Bissell PowerEdge, 81L2A

Not everyone has the budget for a new full-sized vacuum. If you’re looking for an inexpensive option, the current best-selling hardwood vacuum on Amazon is the Bissell PowerEdge.

The PowerEdge is a corded stick vacuum that’s billed as both a pet hair and hard floor vacuum, and it’s easily distinguished from other models by its unique V-shaped base.

According to Bissell, the unorthodox floor head shape pushes large particles to the center of the head, and fine dust to the edges while vacuuming.

It’s a lightweight, maneuverable model that is easy to navigate around the home. The PowerEdge weighs a scant 7 pounds and turns on a swivelling head. The V-shape of the base is designed to reach tight spots and corners, such as furniture legs and baseboards.

The Bissell PowerEdge is a bagless model, featuring an easy-to-empty dust cup. The cord for this vacuum is 20 feet long.

 Pros:

The performance-to-price ratio for this vacuum was a pleasant surprise to most reviewers – despite its dirt cheap price, the PowerEdge does an excellent job at picking up pet hair, as well as large and small particles from hardwood floors. As one buyer raved:

The PowerEdge is so effective at picking up large debris, in fact, that it eliminates the need for a dustpan and broom. Getting rid of the extra step of sweeping is a big bonus – particularly for many pet owners, since kitty litter and dog food were easily swallowed up by the PowerEdge.

Pet hair is also effectively removed by the vacuum. The rubber wipers on the head of the vacuum help catch more hair than suction alone, and prevent the tangles that occur in vacuum heads with bristles.

Finally, the slim, lightweight body and swivelling V-shaped head make the chore vacuuming a breeze. The PowerEdge is easy to store, carry, and navigate around the home, and it can easily access areas under and around furniture that prove challenging to full-sized vacuums.

 Cons:

As you might expect in this price range, the components of the PowerEdge are mostly plastic. In order to make this model last through a year of regular use, the filter needs to be emptied on a regular basis.

Like most stick vacuums, the PowerEdge isn’t designed for covering the breadth of your floor plan (with the exception of small apartments). The low-capacity dust cup needs frequent emptying, and the relatively short cord of the machine will require users to switch outlets.

Instead, the PowerEdge makes a great supplementary vacuum for those who already have a main vacuum they like.

 Wrap up:

The inexpensive Bissell PowerEdge is a strong choice if you’re shopping on a budget—the hard floor performance of this vacuum exceeds expectations in the PowerEdge’s price bracket.

Beyond the low cost, there’s a lot to love about the PowerEdge. The unique head shape navigates easily around tight corners, effectively picking up both large and small debris. It’s lightweight, maneuverable, and stands to make pet owners’ lives a lot easier!

 

Pet Hairs and Vacuum Cleaner

If you are sick of spending a lot of time vacuuming and still finding some dog hairs exist over the house, then most likely your vacuum cleaner is struggling to cope with your pet.

Unless the cleaning machine is made specifically for pets, the hair you are sucking up will have an impact on the effectiveness and lifespan of the machine. The key problems with pet vacuum cleaners are detailed below.

  • Pet Hair Impacts the Vacuum Suction

The biggest impact that pet hair has on a vacuum is the suction power. By getting clogged in hoses, pipes and brushes, in a short amount of time it can significantly reduce the effectiveness of a cleaner.

The end result is that you have to work a lot harder for a poor result. In other words pet hair is still in your house.

 

  • Pet Hair Impacts on the Ability for the Motor to Function

The other impact of pet hair is how it affects the vacuum motor. Regardless of what type of cleaner you have – with the exception of some of the top pet hair cleaners – some pet hair will get through to the motor.

While the vacuum cleaner can use different type of filters, it doesn’t take much for pet hair – in particular fine cat hair – to penetrate the filter and make its way to the motor.

The vac motor, similar to a car motor, requires an air filter to operate effectively. As soon as dirt, dust or pet hair passes the filtering system, the motor becomes compromised. Over time this will led to the motor over heating or not operating properly.

The end result is that you have spent a lot of money on a vacuum cleaner that you will now need to replace because of the damage the pet hair has caused.

 

  • Vacuum Cleaners Need to be Made Specifically for Pet Hair

Even if you regularly clean and maintain a normal vacuum cleaner, chances are it still won’t improve the suction or motor lifespan significantly. The best thing to do? Spend some extra money up front and choose a vacuum cleaner that is made specifically to suck up pet hair.

Your house will look great, there won’t be an odor when vacuuming, and more important your vacuum cleaner will last for a lot longer. You will feel a lot less stressed as well!

How to choose a pet hair vacuum

Selecting a Reliable Pet Vacuum Cleaner - What to Look for?

Think a normal vacuum cleaner can suck up pet hair without a problem? Think again! While vacuum cleaners are of course designed to suck all of the dirt, dust and crumbs out of your carpet, when it comes to typical cat and dog hair, over time they struggle.

If you have pets and are looking for a new vacuum cleaner but want to ensure it will keep your house clean and neat then read on. Below you will find tips on what to look for in a pet vacuum cleaner.

 

  1. Vacuum Type and Brand

I know many will look for pet hair handheld vacuum as it’s cheap and portable. Of course it’s very ideal for dog or cat hair cleaning. Currently, the upright vacuums are very popular for pet hair removal especially on the carpeted floors.

There are many popular vacuum brands for pet hair cleaning including Shark, Dyson, Hoover and more. Of course every brand produces many models and not all the models are suitable for removing pet hair.

 

  1. It’s All About Suction

When it comes to pet hair cleaner the suction is the key. If you don’t have a powerful pet cleaner it’s difficult to suck up the dog hair. What’s more the fuller a vacuum cleaner system gets, and the more clogged it becomes, the less suction you will have.

If you are looking for effective pet hairs cleaner, choose the vacuum brands with powerful suction technology such as Shark, Dyson or Hoover.

 

  1. Pet Vacuum Brushes are Important Too

Also as important as the suction is the type of the brush – or vacuum powerhead – on the machine.

Many vacuum models made for pets have specific brushes, and electronic brushes, that can effectively pick up all of the hair. Some also equipped with several accessories to help you pick up dog hairs.

 

  1. Bagless is a Better Option?

In short, bagless vacuum cleaners have better suction and fewer issues when it comes to cleaning the pet hair. Bags don’t catch all of the dust or hair, which is renowned for going through bags and into filters and motors. This has the potential to wreck your cleaning machine over the long term.

Nowadays, the bagless cleaners come with easy push a button to release or empty the dust bin. Eliminate of having to buy the bags is another advantages of bagless vacuums. However, for allergy or asthma sufferers the bagged vacuum is a better option.

 

  1. HEPA and Washable Filters

When it comes to vacuum for pet hair, washable filters are much better. Several of the major models include these like the Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright vacuum.

Being able to wash and dry a filter ensures that you can reuse the filter after clean out. This keeps the system operating at full capacity, more efficient and save cost too.

If you really like a model but it doesn’t come with washable filter, you should at least aim to get a HEPA filter to better clean the cat & dog hairs.

 

  1. Interchangeable Heads and Connections

Pet hair can get anywhere and any type of floors! Getting a cleaner that comes with various accessories like head and brush options will ensure you can reach pet hair in all those hard to reach places. The end result is a fully cleaned and hair free house.

 

7.      Looking into Customer Reviews

The easiest way to narrow down all of the different vacuum cleaners on the market is through checking out the different reviews that have been left by customers. A lot of people make the mistake of heading to a local vacuum store without any extensive research.

In order to determine if a particular vacuum is a good fit, you can look online at retailers such as www.amazon.com to see how the model stacks up against others within the same price range. Doing your research before buying will ensure that you end up with a vacuum you are satisfied with.

Also, you can do the price comparison easily through online portals and read the reviews from real customer that purchase and use the product.

 

8.      Keeping Your Needs in Mind

While you definitely need to keep an eye out for a vacuum which is designed to pick up pet hair with ease, the models can still vary greatly based on what it is designed for. If you need something that can easily remove hair that has been imbedded into carpet, you will want to look out for a vacuum that does great on carpet.

Likewise, you need to seek out a vacuum designed for bare floors if you do not have any carpet in your home. Catering the features available to your needs will help ensure you are completely satisfied with the purchase that you do end up making.

Purchasing a brand new vacuum for your home is a great way to ensure you are keeping the floors clean and the air pure to breathe. Instead of just choosing a model at random, you should take the time to see what options are available within your budget and fitting to your needs.

If you own pets and are tired of cleaning up hair that has built up in your floor, you should invest in a vacuum that is designed for this specific purpose. Doing your research on the different models that are available through reading customer reviews will help you pinpoint exactly what vacuum cleaner would be the best fit for your home.

Conclusion

Doing a bit of research on the different models available will help point you in the right direction of what the best vacuum for pet hair is.

While there are other criteria vacuum cleaners should have to remove pet hair effectively, the above are the most important. In simple terms they ensure that both your room will be fully clean and that the vacuum cleaner won’t over heat and burn out. So consider these when buying your next vacuum cleaner.