We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Home Reviews Floor Care Reviews The 7 Best Cordless Vacuums for Pet Hair of 2024, Tested and Reviewed We evaluated them based on value, effectiveness, maneuverability, and more. By Alida Nugent Alida Nugent Alida Nugent is a commerce writer with over 10 years of media experience, with six of those spent creating unique shopping content. She has also written 2 books. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 30, 2024 In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line Our Testing Process What to Know About Cordless Vacuums Your Questions, Answered Who We Are What Is BHG Recommends? Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock If you have pets in your house, you also have pet hair—and while some of it can be seen on your floors or couches, most of it gets pushed deep into your rug or under your furniture. In order to remove as much as possible during your daily or weekly cleaning routine, you’ll need the right vacuum for the job. If you’re currently using any old vacuum to rid your house of pet hair, you’re probably not doing it very well. The best cordless vacuums for pet hair are specially designed to handle the task. Unlike other types of dirt and debris, pet hair can pile up while remaining somewhat invisible, embedding into carpets and couches. Becky Rapinchuk from Clean Mama explains what to look for in a vacuum for pet hair: “You'll want one with a good brush and one that's easy to clean and empty.” Of course, you’ll get the most build-up in places like your dog’s bed, so you’ll need an option that has the right attachments, too. We’ve tested over 300 hundred vacuums in just about every category. To determine the best cordless vacuums for pet hair, we evaluated the models based on value, effectiveness, maneuverability, ease of emptying, portability, noise level, and ease of setup. Key Terms to Know HEPA Filter: High-efficiency particulate air filter. These filters are able to capture over 99% of particles that are 0.3 microns in size. Not all vacuums have them, but they're especially useful for households where someone has allergies since they are more effective at capturing allergens (such as pet hair and dander).Brush roll: A motorized brush that helps pick up hair and dust. Especially useful for cleaning high-pile carpets and rugs. Some vacuums give you the option to turn this feature off and only use suction. What We Tested Effectiveness: To test the performance of the vacuums, we used them to suck up various types of debris (from pieces of kibble and popcorn kernals to hair and dust) on different floor types such as carpet, tile and hardwood.Maneuverability: For this score, we evaluated how well the vacuums transitioned between floor types, moved around furniture, and were carried up and down stairs.Ease of Emptying: We emptied the dust cups for the vacuums as needed throughout testing.Portability: Taking into account the overall weight, battery life, attachment storage, and more, we rated the vacuums' portability on a scale of 1 (least portable) to 5 (most portable).Noise Level: We took decibel readings for the various vacuum settings and made anecdotal observations about the noise level as we used the vacuums. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum at Amazon ($230) Jump to Review Best Budget: Black+Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum for Pets at Amazon ($73) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Vacuum at Amazon ($537) Jump to Review Best Handheld: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum at Amazon ($64) Jump to Review Best Battery Life: Innova Cordless Stick Multi-Surface Vacuum at Amazon ($166) Jump to Review Best for Hard Floors: Dyson Omni-Glide Cordless Vacuum at Amazon ($253) Jump to Review Best Multipurpose: Tineco Pure One S15 Pro at Amazon ($400) Jump to Review Best Overall Levoit VortexIQ 40 Cordless Stick Vacuum Amazon View On Amazon $230 View On Target $320 View On Wayfair $300 Our Ratings Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Noise Level 5/5 Setup 5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It This vacuum sucked up hair on all floor types in well under a minute during testing, and the suction power didn’t diminish even as the dust cup filled. Keep in Mind The battery life—31 minutes on low, eight minutes on high—is on the shorter side. The Levoit Vortex 1Q 40 earned the top spot as the best cordless vacuum for pet hair due to its incredible performance and user-friendly design. It’s a relatively simple vacuum, with a few features like auto-adjust mode that tweaks the suction depending on how much debris is detected and an LED light to help you see into dark corners or underneath furniture. But it doesn’t have many flashy features that might otherwise drive up the price, making it pretty affordable. However, don’t let the simplicity dissuade you. The vacuum earned perfect 5/5 ratings during testing for effectiveness, maneuverability, and value. Pet owners, take note—the vacuum sucked up hair in well under a minute on hard floors and carpet. Even with the dust cup full of hair, the suction power never diminished. When used as a handheld model to clean upholstery, the vacuum performed better than corded models we’ve used. While some vacuums bounce the crumbs around on the cushions, this one scooped all the debris in one swipe. We found the vacuum head effective enough on its own for most tasks, though it does include a few accessories like a crevice tool. It was seriously so powerful that we needed to lower the setting on the high pile carpet because the higher level of suction slowed us down. This is hardly a downside—it simply means the vacuum packs a punch no matter the mode, which is great because the battery life (just under eight minutes on high, 31 minutes on low) leaves something to be desired. Still, we found the shorter battery life a small tradeoff for such an effective and useful vacuum. Noise-wise, it was on the quiet side; we didn’t think it would interrupt conversation or television viewing while running. At 6.66 pounds, it’s not the absolute lightest option, but is still manageable for moving between floors. How it Performed After Three Months The Levoit continued to outperform expectations at home, sucking up dog hair, kibble, dust, fireplace ash, and more in record time. In a home with mostly hardwood flooring, we've been pleased to note that it that it leaves no scratches behind. It's also very lightweight, which makes it easy to tote up and down stairs. Product Details: Type: Stick | Noise Level: 69 to 78 Decibels| Weight: 6.66 Pounds | Battery Run Time: Up to 31 minutes | Attachments: Telescoping crevice tool, 2-in-1 dust brush, charging dock Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Best Budget Black+Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum for Pets Amazon View On Amazon $73 View On Wayfair $100 View On Lowe's $99 Our Ratings Effectiveness 4/5 Maneuverability 4/5 Noise Level 5/5 Setup 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Why You Should Get It It gets deep into couch upholstery and pet beds to eradicate embedded hair from fabric. Keep in Mind There’s only one attachment—we would have liked to see at least one more to make it easier to clean under couches and in tight corners. This is one of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair if your biggest issue is keeping upholstery clean. The Black+Decker vacuum will deep clean everything from curtains to dog beds to couches. While it does work after a few passes on larger debris like kibble, it’s most effective on hair and fur. The motorized, anti-tangle rubber bristles pull up the hair without it getting stuck, and the power boost mode (one of two modes) makes quick work of particularly gnarly messes. There’s only one attachment, an extra-long crevice tool. Though we found it worked well on all surfaces we applied it to and especially liked it for cleaning couch upholstery, we do wish it included at least one other attachment for jobs like cleaning underneath the couch or in tight corners. The vacuum may not come with techy features, but it has great add-ons nonetheless; in addition to the crevice tool, there’s an extra-large dustbin that holds 750 milliliters and a washable filter that we found easy to remove. The dustbin needs to be emptied fairly frequently, and, because it's handheld, you’ll need to get down on your hands and knees to clean floors. But it’s a fantastic, affordable option that helps you maintain your furniture and keep it looking clean. How it Performed After Six Months We found ourselves reaching for the Black+Decker consistently to spot clean small messes between bigger vacuum cleans. It's so easy to pick up and move around, and the fact that the accessories are stored directly on the vacuum body makes it even more portable. Plus battery life is fantastic, even with the motorized tool. Product Details: Type: Handheld | Noise Level: 62 to 68 decibels | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Battery Run Time: 20+ minutes | Attachments: Extra-long crevice tool Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Best Splurge Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Vacuum Dyson View On Amazon $537 View On Walmart $439 View On Costco.com Our Ratings Setup 4.3/5 Effectiveness 4.8/5 Noise Level 4.5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Why You Should Get It The vacuum and its unique attachments, such as a conical brush, works especially well for picking up hair on carpets and upholstery. Keep in Mind It took us a few passes to pick up kibble on tile flooring. We found the Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal so easy and functional it almost got us excited about vacuuming. If that’s not enough to convince you it’s one of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair, allow us to highlight some standout features. It comes with so many helpful attachments, like a hair screw tool, a conical brush that quickly sucks up all the excess hair, a dusting head, and an ultra-precise crevice tool to get between couch cushions or stairs. A lever allows you to remove dust and debris from the filter (mostly) hands-free, although you might have to reach in and grab leftover detritus, and the filter removes dust particles as small as .3 microns. Three suction modes are meant to switch between hardwood and carpet easily, and the powerful motor won’t lose suction as the battery goes down. Additionally, we found it easy to maneuver around at all sorts of odd angles, and even easier to switch out attachments. It worked great on carpet and upholstery to get out pet hair, but it took us a few passes to get all the kibble. How it Performed After Six Months This is the best stick vacuum we've ever used (and an improvement over previous Dyson models). It's an especially great choice for pet hair because of the anti-tangle tool that works to prevent hair from getting caught around the brush roll. It's easy to empty, so we find ourselves reaching for it when we previously might have grabbed a broom. Product Details: Type: Stick | Noise Level: 75 to 81 decibels | Weight: 5.86 pounds | Battery Run Time: Up to 60 minutes | Attachments: Cleaning head, hair screw tool, crevice tool, combination tool, mini soft dusting brush Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Best Handheld Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum Amazon View On Amazon $64 View On Target $80 View On Walmart $80 Our Ratings Effectiveness 4.5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Noise Level 1/5 Setup 5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It It works well on a variety of surfaces such as tile, high-pile rugs, and hardwood floors. Keep in Mind This is one of the loudest vacuums on our list. We appreciated the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser's ability to work on various surfaces and types of pet messes. During our tests, it removed all traces of hair from high-pile rugs, tile, and hardwood floors. It also worked well on upholstery, but we found it challenging to move “against the grain” of the fabric’s texture, and picking up all the hair took a few passes. The affordable model impressed us for a variety of other reasons. It comes equipped with a crevice tool, a motorized brush, and an upholstery tool, and it’s easy to operate with just an on/off button and a button to empty out the tank. You will need to remove the filter in order to empty the dustbin, which requires two hands. However, we rated it highly for overall ease of use. The vacuum’s simplicity, 3-pound weight, and comfortable handle are all additional reasons we consider it one of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair. Though it only has one power mode, we certainly found it effective enough, and it gives the user up to 17 minutes of cleaning time before needing a recharge. The main downside is that it’s super loud—one of the loudest on our list. How it Performed After Six Months The Bissell works great for cleaning couch cushions and the cat tree that gathers lots of pet hair and dander. We continued to have zero complaints as we used it. The motorized brush and crevice tool were especially useful for helping us spot clean. Product Details: Type: Handheld | Noise Level: 91 decibels| Weight: 3 pounds | Battery Run Time: Up to 17 minutes | Attachments: Motorized brush, crevice tool, upholstery tool Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Garden / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek Better Homes & Gardens / Tamara Staples Best Battery Life Innova Cordless Stick Multi-Surface Vacuum Walmart View On Amazon $166 View On Walmart $229 Our Ratings Ease of Setup 5/5 Effectiveness 4.8/5 Maneuverability 4.8/5 Noise Level 3/5 Value 3/5 Why You Should Get It We found that it cleaned up around 95% of debris on various surfaces in under a minute. Keep in Mind It could be a little uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time. This vacuum by Innova has two modes for hard floors and carpets, and it works great on both, removing dust, debris, and hair without any strands or fibers getting caught in the roller. It picked up about 95% of all debris during our tests in under one minute. It’s great for stairs and shelves, working with ease around corners and chair legs or tables—the included crevice tool is a must-have, as some of the debris would get pushed against the wall when we used it to clean medium- or high-pile carpet. The 1-liter dust cup is quick to empty by punching a button, and there’s an LED screen with touch controls. The vacuum can lie completely flat in order to go underneath couches or other pieces of furniture. Additionally, the vacuum easily converts to a handheld for work on curtains or couches. It also runs for quite a long time (up to an hour), so you’ll be able to clean the whole house with one charge, and we didn’t notice it losing suction power as the battery drained. That said, it’s on the heavier side at over 8 pounds, and we found it uncomfortable to hold for long periods. Product Details: Type: Stick | Noise Level: 92.2 decibels| Weight: 8.14 pounds | Battery Run Time: Up to 23.5 minutes on high, up to 60 minutes on low | Attachments: Motorized anti-tangle pet hair attachment, crevice tool, dust/upholstery brush Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best for Hard Floors Dyson Omni-Glide Cordless Vacuum Dyson View On Amazon $253 View On Target $300 View On Walmart $195 Our Ratings Ease of Setup 4.5/5 Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Noise Level 4/5 Value 2/5 Why You Should Get It A swiveling feature allows for superior maneuverability, especially around corners and at odd angles. Keep in Mind Removing the dust cup isn’t very intuitive—we needed to consult the manual. If your home mostly consists of hard floors, consider this the best vacuum for pet hair you’ll find. The main head on the Dyson Omni-Glide has brush bars covered in nylon to easily pick up larger pieces of debris like kibble, while the carbon fiber filaments are made to pick up hair and dust particles. The vacuum is meant to function equally well moving forward or backward for superior maneuverability. It also features four 360-degree casters and an articulating neck that allow it to move around corners and odd angles and lie flat. We found the swiveling feature made it especially easy to maneuver. A powerful motor creates strong suction on hard floors, which we noticed worked as well when tackling small messes as it did on hair. The vacuum also notably features LED lights that provide visibility in dark corners and other areas where debris might hide. There are some quirks to consider, particularly around the dust cup: removing the canister was not so intuitive (we had to refer to the manual to figure it out), and the dust cup filled up relatively quickly, although we found that it still performed well once it hit the max fill line. Due to these details, combined with a shorter battery life of up to 21 minutes on low, lead us to believe the vacuum is best for smaller spaces. How it Performed After Three Months We found that the Dyson Omni-Glide lives up to its name—it really does glide! It's amazing on wood floors, seamlessly picking up dog and cat hair, kids' craft supplies, and tracked-in dirt. On the few occasions we forgot to collect larger debris before vacuuming, it sucked them up with no problem. Product Details: Type: Stick | Noise Level: 80 to 86 Decibels | Weight: 2.52 pounds | Battery Run Time: Up to 21 minutes on low | Attachments: Cleaner head, light pipe crevice tool, mini motorized tool, combination crevice tool Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best Multipurpose Tineco Pure One S15 Pro Tineco View On Amazon $400 View On Tineco.com Our Ratings Effectiveness 4.5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Noise Level 4/5 Setup 4/5 Value 4/5 Why You Should Get It This lightweight option quickly converts to a handheld, allowing you to easily clean upholstery without breaking your stride. Keep in Mind The vacuum is most effective on its highest setting, which will cut into its battery life. The Tineco Pure One S15 is our multipurpose pick for the best cordless vacuum for pet hair for a few reasons: its easy maneuverability, effectiveness at handling messes on different surfaces, and powerful filter. We were especially impressed with how lightweight and portable it was, and its ability to efficiently transition from hard flooring to carpet. The filter opens and closes with a magnet and is constructed so hair won’t get easily tangled. The lever made for a mostly hands-free experience when we tested it, too. Besides its ability to thoroughly remove hair from couches and rugs with only a few passes, there are some smart features that make the stick vacuum worth the price. Our favorite is the ability to quickly convert it into a handheld model in order to properly clean upholstery. There are V-shaped bristles on the main brush head to help to avoid tangles, and an LED light allows the user to easily see into small crevices and tight corners to ensure an area is thoroughly clean. A powerful 5-stage filter removes allergens and separates air and dust to prevent the loss of suction power as the vacuum fills up. An LED screen allows you to switch easily between the three modes (max, auto, and manual), increase or decrease suction with a touch bar, and utilize voice commands once you connect to WiFi. As with most WiFi-enabled vacuums, it also connects to an app with the ability to track cleaning progress and connect to product support. Worth considering: we found the vacuum most effective on its highest setting, which did cut into battery life. How it Performed After Six Months All components of the vacuum continued to work as they should over the course of six months at-home testing. The battery life and suction are great, and it charges quickly. We used it less often on carpet once we incorporated an upright vacuum into our routine, but we love it for hard floors and quick cleans. Product Details: Type: Stick | Noise Level: 75 to 80 Decibels| Weight: 6.80 Pounds | Battery Run Time: Up to 40 minutes | Attachments: Brush head with LED light, mini power brush, 2-in-1 dusting tool, crevice brush Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson The Bottom Line The Levoit VortexIQ 40 is our pick for the best cordless vacuum for pet hair because it’s lightweight and powerful, with incredible suction. If you’re looking for a handheld option to tackle upholstery and dog beds, the Black+Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum for Pets is also a great pick. Our Testing Process We put each of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair through the same series of tests, beginning with timing how long it took to assemble from opening the box to completion. Using a decibel meter, we measured how loud the vacuum was on both the highest and lowest settings. For models meant for soft and hard flooring, we crumbled dog kibble on carpeted and non-carpeted areas to assess how well it functioned on larger debris and noted how easily the vacuum transitioned between the two. To test the cleaning capabilities on hair, we timed how long it took to suck up four ounces of (synthetic) hair, how much was in the dustbin by the end, and how well it worked on both hard and soft surfaces. We completed the same test on upholstery. Battery life was also recorded, and we took note of whether suction decreased as the charge dwindled. Finally, we assessed all added features including attachments, modes, lights, and filters. Afterward, we recorded how easy it was to clean. Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson What to Know About Cordless Vacuums Before Shopping Type There are several types of cordless vacuums that can be used to clean pet hair. Many of the options on our list of best cordless vacuums for pet hair are stick vacuums, which tend to be lightweight and multifunctional. Handheld vacuums are ideal for cleaning upholstery or curtains, as opposed to vacuuming the entire floor. If you’re considering an all-purpose vacuum that will work on floors as well as on upholstery, you might want a stick vacuum that converts to a handheld vacuum with the push of a button. While handheld vacuums tend to be much less expensive, they’ll also have fewer features than pricier, multi-use models. Decibels Especially if you live with others or like to vacuum at night, noise level might be a concern. Sixty to 70 decibels is about the level of a normal conversation, according to a chart by Yale University. Most of the vacuums on this list fell into the 70 to 90-decibel range, with the highest being a little over 92. This is a few decibels higher than your headphones on half-volume, and a few decibels lower than the sound of an approaching subway train. While that’s certainly not whisper-quiet, keep in mind that sound won’t matter too much unless you’re using your vacuum for an extended period of time. Weight Consider your own abilities when picking a vacuum by weight; if you have limited mobility or lots of stairs in your home, you may want to go for a lighter stick option or a handheld option (although handheld options will require you to bend down). Most cordless vacuums weigh only a few pounds (often less than 5 pounds), and the heaviest vacuum on our list is a little over 8 pounds. Battery Run Time Battery life is an important consideration for a cordless vacuum since it will dictate how long you can go between charges. If you spot clean frequently rather than doing a big vacuum every couple of weeks, a few minutes here and there will be all you need. However, if you’re more likely to do one deep clean every so often, you’ll need to look more closely at how long it can run on a single charge. While some vacuums can run for 45 minutes to an hour, keep in mind that that typically means on the lowest setting. When running continuously on high, some vacuums may last less than ten minutes. Vacuums take a few hours to charge once the battery has drained, so the easiest way to deal with this is to keep your vacuum charged when not in use. Attachments “Attachments are great for getting in tight spaces and other areas where pet hair might hide,” says Rapinchuk. We expect most of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair to include at least a crevice tool and possibly a roller brush—two attachments we found especially useful during our tests. Some models also come with upholstery brushes, which work great on couches. Extension hoses for stairs or 2-in-1 brushes that dust while you clean are other great features that you may see. Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Your Questions, Answered What is the best cordless vacuum for pet hair? During testing, we found the Tineco Pure One S15 Pro to be the best cordless vacuum for pet hair. It’s a lighter stick option at 6.80 pounds, with a long battery life of up to 40 minutes. It also converts to a handheld vacuum and is efficient on all surfaces, including hardwood, rug, and tile. Extra touches like an LED screen with a touch bar that allows you to customize suction power and a lighted base that illuminates hidden dust make this a worthwhile option. What is the best handheld vacuum for pet hair? The Black+Decker Furbuster Handheld Vacuum for Pets and the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Handheld Vacuum are two of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair. Both are extremely affordable compared to pricier stick vacuums, weigh around three pounds, and come with useful crevice tools. Handheld vacuums are most useful for quick spot cleans, or for getting the pet hair out of upholstery on couches, chairs, or pet beds. Do you need a special vacuum for pet hair? In a word, yes. “Look for one that specifically says it works with pets and pet hair,” Rapinchuk recommends. Pet hair is different from human hair—it amasses quickly, sheds more often, and can be so fine that it’s hard to see it piling up—plus many people are allergic to it. The best cordless vacuums for pet hair have specific tools and features that help them get all that tough-to-spot hair. You’ll want a model that can tackle both fine hairs and larger clumps equally. Who We Are Alida Nugent is a commerce writer with over 6 years of experience testing and reviewing products–and has also implemented tests on cordless, robot, and stick vacuums in the past. She also spoke with Becky Rapinchuk for Clean Mama, as well as did significant research to write up this article. What Is BHG Recommends? Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products and we let you know that we got it for free to remain as transparent as possible about our picks. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit