We may love our pets to no end, but most of us agree that the hair and dander they leave behind have no place in the home. Unfortunately, it rarely goes away without a fight. Pet hair can fill a room fast, especially during the seasonal shedding period, requiring an equally efficient vacuum to refresh the space. If your machine is ready for an upgrade to manage the mess, check out these reviews of the seven best vacuum cleaners to restore the look and smell of your home with minimal effort.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 7 Best Vacuums for Dog Hair

1. Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum – Best Overall

If you can forgive the missing lift-away or self-propulsion features, the Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum delivers all the performance you want at a high-value price point, making it an easy favorite for the best overall vacuum for dog hair. It won’t slide under every piece of furniture in the house, but the 12-foot reach of the detachable hose still makes it easy to vacuum hair and dander no matter where they land. Shark’s quality shines in its dependable suction that won’t quit whether you’re vacuuming the floor or using one of the two wand attachments. On carpet and hardwood, the rugged PowerFins continuously lift dug-in hair and dirt, and the self-cleaning brush stops hair from tangling and slowing the performance. The build inside the machine is equally exceptional. The HEPA filter works within a sealed system that prevents allergens and microbes from escaping into the air. At the same time, Shark adds an odor-neutralizer system with Ocean Breeze-scented cartridges to issue a delightful aroma back into the room. Capping it all is the massive dust cup, with a capacity almost three times larger than the average bagless vac for extended cleaning jobs.

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2. Bissell CleanView Swivel Upright Bagless Vacuum– Best Value

The Bissell CleanView Swivel Upright Bagless Vacuum is a thoughtful design at an affordable price, delivering the value you would expect from one of the most dog-friendly companies around and earning our pick for the best vacuum for dog hair for the money. The quality and pet-focused features are all there, as Bissell provides an edge-to-edge cleaning head, swivel steering, and powerful suction to make room cleaning quick and convenient. A few upgraded features are left out, such as a HEPA filter, a large dirt tank, and adjustable floor settings. The brush roller doesn’t turn off, but you can adjust the vacuum between five height settings to modify the suction and ease cleaning on different surfaces. You still get the expected attachments, including a Pet TurboEraser tool, and though the filter doesn’t have the best filtration, the ease of washing it in the sink is welcome. It hits all the right notes without adding costly bells and whistles, and it’s a practical option for many pet parents.

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3. Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum – Premium Choice

Shark’s heavy-duty suction accompanies all the versatility the brand has to offer with the Bissell CleanView Swivel Upright Bagless Vacuum. The powered lift-away feature lets you snag dog hair from under even the lowest-lying sofas, beds, and cocktail tables. The swivel steering and LED headlights allow you to easily navigate tight corners, furniture legs, and dark nooks whether the canister is attached or not. The ultra-powerful suction can easily lift stubborn hair and dirt from any carpet or flooring. Meanwhile, the self-cleaning brush roll keeps hair from wrapping, keeping you from constantly stopping and unclogging the head. Handy attachments make it easy to snag hair off furniture, upholstery, and stairs, though the short hose forces you to carry the canister wherever you go. The HEPA filter in the Stratos works alongside a built-in odor neutralizer that uses replaceable canisters. The system traps 99.9% of fine dust, allergens, and dander while preventing foul pet smells from flowing back into the room as you clean. Though it’s relatively pricey, the Stratos doesn’t leave anything out, and its 5-year warranty guarantees you’ll get every penny’s worth during its lifetime.

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4. Kenmore Lightweight Bagged Canister Vacuum

The Kenmore Lightweight Bagged Canister Vacuum is ideal for owners who like the versatility of efficient vacuuming wherever their dog’s hair falls. Allergy sufferers enjoy the AllergenSeal™ system that filters 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns, leading into a sealed bag for hassle-free, dust-free disposal. The 2.2-quart bag capacity allows for longer cleaning sessions, while the telescoping wand reaches up to 9.5 feet, perfect for cleaning high-up areas, underneath furniture, or car interiors. The Kenmore’s 19.5-pound total weight can be cumbersome, but the hands-free features give you a much-needed break when making adjustments. The 26-foot cord retracts quickly into the body for fast storage, and four adjustable height settings change with the press of a pedal. You can transition seamlessly from carpet to hardwood to furniture, with a dual motor design delivering extra dirt and hair-lifting power.

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5. Hoover WindTunnel 3 High-Performance Pet Upright Vacuum

The Hoover WindTunnel 3 offers the essential features and forceful suction dog owners need to remove hair without the lofty price of some of the best-rated models. Cleaning is quick and efficient, with the QuickPass brush roll, edge-to-edge suction, and three-channel vacuum power promising fewer passes for fast yet complete cleaning. As it works, dirt and debris pass through an activated charcoal HEPA filter that removes fine particulates and odors to leave fresher air behind. With the canister comes a pivoting dusting tool, pet tool, and crevice tool to use with the extendable wand, a convenient feature when you have to reach extra far or high to clean a surface. Overall, the biggest issues are general quality and durability. The performance is excellent for the price, but relatively flimsy features and awkward attachments can cause frustrating adjustments and loss of suction in some setups. Though the motor has a 5-year warranty, there are plenty of plastic components that could fail in the meantime.

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6. BLACK+DECKER AdvancedClean+ Cordless Pet Vacuum

BLACK+DECKER’s AdvancedClean+ Cordless Pet Vacuum beats the competition by providing just a little extra in nearly every category, and it’s an all-around excellent choice if you like the simple storage and flexible convenience of a hand vac. The unit has washable filters and swappable attachments, including an anti-tangle motorized pet brush to dislodge stuck-on fur and dirt and an extra-long crevice tool to get those out-of-reach areas. Details like the lightweight build, durable battery, and easy-to-empty dustbin allow for extra cleaning time without you or the machine fatiguing. With the added Powerboost button, you can also crank up the suction for extra-tough dirt and hair, saving you from compromising between power or lasting performance.

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7. Dyson V15

The Dyson V15 is the most expensive of the Dyson stick vac lines, but dog owners don’t regret spending a little extra for the critical features that make the vacuum not only effective but also fun to use. The adaptive cordless vac eliminates errors and guesswork, detecting the floor type and dust volume and intelligently changing suction for optimal performance. The powerful suction pairs with a long-lasting battery to let you clean a whole home on one charge. The V15’s powerful suction ensures you don’t miss any pet hair or dust on any surface, and the built-in displays will prove it. Alongside an LCD display that keeps you updated on cleaning performance, a laser on the head illuminates the finest particles that anyone would miss otherwise. Finishing the design are its advanced HEPA filter and anti-tangle heads that ensure it traps every possible pet contaminant large or small.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Vacuum for Dog Hair

There’s no universal “best vacuum cleaner,” as we all have different home layouts, dogs with different hair types, and different places to clean up after our pets. While the product might vary, the criteria for choosing the best option don’t change much. The following are some of the essential aspects to consider when looking for a dog hair-friendly vacuum cleaner:

Capacity

Pet hair can fill up a dustbin quickly and often slow performance as it does so. Look for vacuums that give you more capacity to reduce the amount of emptying needed as you clean the house.

Attachments

Many pet hair vacuum cleaners include a pet multi-tool and crevice tool, and some have additional upholstery or hardwood tools. Consider the surfaces that see the most hair and which attachments will work best on them.

Head Width

Vacuum cleaner heads vary in width from one model to the next. Depending on your vacuuming needs, a smaller or wider head may be more practical. Wider heads cut a larger swath with each pass, often shortening the time it takes to vacuum an area. On the other hand, narrower heads are more maneuverable, especially through tight gaps around furniture.

Filters

HEPA filters are ideal if you have pets. Capturing over 99% of particles down to 0.3 microns, they effectively remove microbes, dander, and dust pets shed throughout the day, keeping the air cleaner and better smelling.

Roller Brushes

A quality roller brush is crucial for getting dug-in dirt and dog hair out of carpeting. Look at your flooring surfaces, and choose a vacuum with hard flooring options if you have wood in your home, as the bristled beater bar can damage it over time. Some brands, such as Shark, also integrate anti-tangle technology into their rollers, maintaining performance as you vacuum and preventing undue wear. Anti-tangle brushes have varying degrees of dependability, so check reviews if you find one advertising the feature to gauge the user experience.

Run Time

For cordless and handheld vacuums, a longer battery life is always a plus. While you check out each product’s expected running time, research how long it takes to charge. Since many hand vacuums have built-in batteries, you can’t keep a charged backup on hand to quickly swap out, so a shorter charge time is often ideal if you get lots of use from your hand vac on cleaning days.

What Kind of Vacuum Should I Get?

Canister vacuums and uprights are the primary vacuum choices for most homeowners, particularly those with pets. While hand vacs are a convenient backup for minor cleanups on furniture or in the car, they’ll never provide the full-house cleaning power of a canister or upright model. So, which one is the better choice? It depends on your situation, but the following are the essential advantages of each that are worth considering.

Canister Vacuums

Upright Vacuums

Conclusion

There’s no denying Shark’s enduring performance or Bissell’s pet-friendliness, which explains why these two are the top brands for anyone managing a house full of dog hair. The Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum wins in price, performance, and features. It’s a high-value model that dependably sucks up and locks in pet hair, dirt, and dander for a comprehensively clean home. If you want to give your home the next-level refresh you and your family deserve, you’ll have no issue finding a vacuum for dog hair to fit your needs in these reviews of the top models.

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Featured Image Credit: Den Rozhnovsky, Shutterstock