Best Stick Vacuums For Pet Hair 2023
Cats and dogs add a lot to our lives—unconditional love, companionship and pet hair for days. That's why it's essential to have cleaning tools that are specially designed to tackle all the Fluffy and Fido can dish out. The best stick vacuums for pet hair make it easy to cruise around your floors, sucking up fur in the process, so you can focus on more enjoyable aspects of pet ownership, like cuddling your furry best friend. Our top choice is the Dyson V15 Detect for its impressive power, generous run time and wide range of attachments. (Read our in-depth review of the Dyson V15 Detect for more details.)
The Dyson V15 has an impressive 60-minute battery life gives you plenty of time to cruise around ... [+] your floors as needed, while an LCD screen provides on-screen updates about what you’re sucking up, as well as how much run time you have left.
Why choose a stick vacuum? "The portable, lightweight design of a stick vacuum makes it easier to pick up pet hair from hard-to-reach areas of the home," explains Katie Dills, senior vice president of The Cleaning Authority. "With various attachments, you can also clean pet hair off items like sofa pillows and cushions more easily." Stick vacuums are also just easy to use, points out cleaning expert Donna Dougherty of Go Green Cleaning Experts, LLC. "Stick vacuums are often cordless, making them more convenient to use and allowing you to clean up pet hair quickly and easily," she says.
When shopping for a stick vacuum for pet hair, it's important to consider elements like suction power, bin size, weight and run time, as well as what type of flooring you plan to use your appliance on. With those elements in mind, these are the best stick vacuums for pet hair to suck up fur balls and more. (While you’re at it, consider our list of the best dog crates.)
Amazon
Bin size: 0.2 gallons | Battery life: 60 minutes | Weight: 6.8 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: Hair screw tool; crevice tool; combination tool and more | Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.8 x 49.6 inches
Dyson's V15 Detect is packed with features to make cleaning with a pet a breeze. The vacuum automatically adjusts its suction power using a specialized sensor and Dyson DLS technology, so you don't need to flip through modes while you work. The impressive 60-minute battery life gives you plenty of time to cruise around your floors as needed, while an LCD screen provides on-screen updates about what you’re sucking up, as well as how much run time you have left. This device offers six attachments, including a hair screw tool to lift up fur from upholstery and stubborn dirt brush for whatever your pet has tracked in. A generous 0.2 gallon dust bin can handle a solid amount of pet hair before it needs to be emptied.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.5 liters | Battery life: 40 minutes | Weight: 6.8 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: 2-in-1 dusting tool and crevice brush | Dimensions: 11 x 11 x 45 inches
Tineco's Pure One S15 is lightweight and features a powerful HEPA filter that sucks in pet hair and retains it, ensure you’ll not just pushing it around your floors while you clean. The vacuum boasts a specialized brush roll to pull up hair without tangles, so you don't have wrestle with the head later. The Pure One S15 has "cyclone" technology that separates air and debris to avoid clogging your filter, maximizing suction potential in the process. The brand's iLoop smart sensor detects how much hair and other gunk is on your floors, adjusting the suction power in the process. LED lights help you to more clearly see pet hair in your path, while an LED screen allows for easy switching between max, auto and manual modes. A one-touch trigger pushes pet hair and other debris out of your dustbin during emptying, preventing build-up in the process.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.5 liters | Battery life: 48 minutes | Weight: 7.5 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: Pet power tool; crevice tool | Dimensions: 10.4 x 5.6 x 42.7 inches
Dog hair has a funny way of getting embedded in everything. The Electrolux Ergorapido Stick is specially designed to help hunt it down and remove fur from your floors and upholstery. Enjoy 180-degree maneuvering to get into corners and around furniture, along with LED lights to spot hair in your path. The special motorized pet nozzle focuses on lifting up and trapping pet hair embedded in your upholstery. There's even a detachable handset for when you want to quickly suck up a stray fur ball. With a run time of up to 48 minutes, this vacuum can cover plenty of flooring in one session.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.33 liters | Battery life: NA | Weight: 8 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: Pet power brush; crevice tool; upholstery tool | Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.8 x 45.5 inches
Cat hair can be a little tricky to manage: It tends to be fluffier than dog hair and will often blow around more easily. The Shark HZ602 has special "powerfins" to help it stay connected with the ground, sucking up cat and other pet from carpets and floors in the process. The brush roll has anti-wrap technology to prevent clogs, while LED headlights allow you to see hair that may be wafting around. The vacuum is low profile, making it easy to get in and under tight spots like under your couch, and swivel steers allows for seamless cruising around objects. A special pet power brush allows for simple cleanup of your upholstery and stairs.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.7 liters | Battery life: NA | Weight: 5.8 pounds | HEPA Filter: No | Attachments included: Crevice tool | Dimensions: 8.3 x 9.5 x 44.3 inches
The Bissell Featherweight Stick doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, but not everyone with pets needs or wants those. It works as three devices in one—a stick vacuum, handheld vacuum and stair cleaner to help meet and take out pet hair wherever it lands. A crevice tool makes it easy to get in between sofa cushions and into corners. This vacuum has a generous 0.7 liter dust cup that can hold plenty of pet hair, and works well on hard floors and carpet alike. Since it's corded, it has practically limitless run time and is a little lighter than its cordless counterparts, making it a good option for users with dexterity issues.
Amazon
Bin size: 1 liter | Battery life: 40 minutes | Weight: 5 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: Dust brush; crevice tool | Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 34 inches
Kenmore's DS4065 is just shy of 5 pounds, making it feel practically weightless as you get to work. The vacuum offers up to 40 minutes of run time with two speeds to customize your cleaning. The 1 liter dust cup is generous, particularly for a vacuum of this weight, allowing you to cover more ground without needing to stop to dump it. Given its light weight, the vacuum can easily be lifted to run on your couch and stairs. The vacuum converts to an even lighter handheld for spot cleanings. An LED status meter keeps you posted on your battery life and mode.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.35 liters | Battery life: 30 minutes | Weight: 10.5 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: NA | Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.5 x 25 inches
It's a reality of pet ownership: They’re going to make messes. The Bissell CrossWave X7 Cordless Pet Pro features a wet and dry vacuum in a cordless model, which is a rarity. This mopping vacuum has two water tanks to ensure you’re not cleaning with dirty water and can be used with the brand's PET cleaning solution to sanitize your floors as you clean. While technically non-pet owners can use the vacuum, it was designed with furry friends in mind. Suck up hair and then mop up mud and other dirt your fur baby tracked up. The vacuum also has a self-cleaning mode to remove pet hair and other gunk from your machine after you use it.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.2 gallons | Battery life: 40 minutes | Weight: 5.26 pounds | HEPA Filter: No | Attachments included: Crevice tool; dusting brush | Dimensions: 6.3 x 9.8 x 43.3 inches
Stick vacuums require a certain level of technology that make it nearly impossible to get a cordless version for dirt cheap. But the Eureka RapidClean Pro Lightweight is just $119, making it an affordable option for pet owners. The vacuum weighs just over 5 pounds and is cordless, so you can zip around your floors without being tied down. The vacuum has a low-profile head that lays flat, allowing you to get under couches and end tables with no issue. LED lights help you to see hair in your path. The vacuum converts into a handheld when the need strikes and has a crevice tool and dusting brush for targeted cleaning.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.2 gallons | Battery life: 60 minutes | Weight: 6.7 pounds | HEPA Filter: Yes | Attachments included: Mini-motorized tool; crevice tool; stubborn dirt brush and more | Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.8 x 49.7 inches
Carpets typically require more out of your stick vacuum and that can drain the battery fast. The Dyson V11 Animal is up for the task. It offers impressively strong suction, along with Dyson's most powerful cleaner head ever. It features stiff nylon bristles that get deep into carpet to grab dirt and other gunk your pet has squashed in there. It also uses anti-static carbon fiber filaments to grab dust from hard floors. This vacuum can run for 60 minutes, giving you plenty of time to clean your place, while the machine automatically adjusts its suction and power to clean different floor types. Enjoy four attachments, including a mini motorized tool to get pet hair out of upholstery. It also converts to a handheld to clean your car.
Amazon
Bin size: 0.4 liters | Battery life: 50 minutes | Weight: 8 pounds | HEPA Filter: No | Attachments included: Crevice tool; motorized TurboBrush tool; dusting brush | Dimensions: 7.8 x 11 x 44.3 inches
While Bissell's ICONpet Turbo vacuum can handle any kind of flooring, it really shines on hardwood. This vacuum has a light on its head to illuminate hair in your path, and it's incredibly portable. A tangle-free brush roll prevents hair wrap, so you won't have to wrestle with your vacuum during cleanings. Flip between floor, handheld and high-reach modes for all-over cleanings. A nice feature: The vacuum has a special parking brake that locks the wheels in place so it doesn't slide down when you lean it against a wall on hard floors.
To choose the best stick vacuums for pet hair, we consulted with two cleaning experts for their input on important features to look for in these devices. We then tracked down the most popular models on the market and narrowed the field based on elements like suction power, bin size, battery life and weight. Reviews from real owners were factored in as well to get a well-rounded sense of how these vacuums perform across a range of homes and flooring types.
There are a few important elements to look for when shopping for a stick vacuum for pet hair. Keep these in mind.
Not all stick vacuums are cordless, but many are. With that, it's important to determine the right battery life for your home. If you have a lot of flooring to cover, you’ll want something with a longer battery life—around an hour or so. If your home is smaller, you can get away with a vacuum that has a shorter battery life (which may also be cheaper than longer-lasting counterparts). Stick vacuums can't run forever, but many will run in the 30 to 60-minute range before needing a recharge, depending on what level of suction you use.
All that pet hair you suck up has to go somewhere. Your stick vacuum's dust bin will harbor the hair until you can dump it out. "Depending on the size of your home and the amount of pet hair that your home collects, look for a powerful model with an adequately sized dustbin," Dills advises. If you have a particularly furry pet, it's worth considering a vacuum with a larger dust bin, like the Dyson V11 Animal—it's half a gallon large. But if your pet is small or a minimal shedder, you may not need an oversized dust bin.
Stick vacuums can generally handle hard floors with no issues, but some are better than others when it comes to tackling carpet and other flooring. In general, the more carpet you plan to vacuum, the stronger the suction you’ll need. Some vacuums, like our top choice, the Dyson V15 Detect, have specialized heads that you can swap out to use on different flooring types. Ultimately, "make sure to also look for a vacuum that includes the features you value the most," Dills advises.
Stick vacuums tend to follow a standard design: They have a dust cup that's usually up top, along with controls in the same area. However, there is some variety from vacuum to vacuum. Some have trigger power buttons; Others use a switch. Certain stick vacuums also show features like your vacuum's battery life and which mode you’re on. Several stick vacuums have attachments that can help with things like upholstery, crevices and quick spot-cleaning off the ground. Thinking in advance about what design elements you need (and don't) can go a long way to ensuring you get the right vacuum for you without overpaying for features you’ll never take advantage of.
Suction power is crucial for vacuums. "When shopping for a stick vacuum for pet hair, you should look for a model with strong suction power," Dougherty says. After all, pet hair can get embedded into crevices, upholstery and carpets, requiring a high level of suction to fish it back out. Just keep in mind that running your vacuum at the highest level of suction will cause the battery to run out faster. Typically, it's best to flip your vacuum to the highest level of suction when tackling particularly messy or furry spots, rather than running it on high the entire time you clean.
Pet hair can be particularly pesky to try to suck up, but there are plenty of vacuums that are tough on fur. Our top choice is the Dyson V15 Detect. It offers an impressive level of suction Dyson vacuums are known for, along with a specialized sensor that automatically adjusts modes for you. A 60-minute battery life ensures you’ll have plenty of juice to work through your cleaning tasks (although an LCD screen keeps you posted on how much you have left). It also features six attachments, so you can tackle pet hair from your upholstery, in crevices and more.
Stick vacuums are generally designed to not clog with hair. Many have brush rolls that are resistant to hair wrap, along with filters that help capture and retain hair once it's been sucked up, preventing clogs in the process. Emptying your dust bin regularly (and well) should help prevent clogs. However, if you’re particularly concerned about your pet's hair clogging your vacuum, consider the Dyson V11 Animal. It has a large dust cup to capture plenty of pet hair, along with advanced filtration that captures small particles and allows for powerful suction to continue, no matter what you suck up.
It depends on what you’re after. "Stick vacuums are generally less powerful than regular vacuums and some models are battery dependent," Dills says. "They also come with smaller dustbins that need to be emptied regularly." That said, stick vacuums offer a level of convenience you won't get with uprights and canisters. These vacuums are often cordless, allowing you to quickly pull them up, suck up messes and put them away. They’re also lightweight—a helpful element in people with dexterity issues. Many stick vacuums feature ample attachments to give you options, and some even convert into handhelds for above-ground cleanings.
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