5 Of The Best Vacuum Cleaners For Pet Owners
If you have a dog, cat, or any furry pet, for that matter, dealing with pet hair is inevitable. It gets into your furniture, bedding, floor, carpet, and even your car. The best way to get rid of pet hair is to invest in a quality vacuum cleaner. Before you buy one, though, there are a few factors to consider. While you can get vacuums specifically made to tackle pet hair, even a regular vacuum will do the job, provided it has strong suction, good filtration, and the right attachments.
If you have a pet with long hair, look for a vacuum with a motorized brush roll attachment to pick up embedded pet hair, preferably one that is tangle-free or self-cleaning. A HEPA filter is an added bonus, thanks to its ability to trap allergens like pet dander and dust.
You'll also need to decide what type of vacuum cleaner you want. Cordless vacuums are the most convenient, given that you can use them anywhere in your home without worrying about tripping over cables. Many cordless vacuums are as powerful as their corded counterparts, but the battery life is limited. As a result, a corded vacuum might make more sense if you have a big home. You might also want to consider a mini vacuum for quick cleanups or a robot vacuum for daily maintenance of your floors and carpets.
Dyson V15 Detect
When it comes to cordless stick vacuums, you can't go wrong with Dyson, and the V15 Detect is a great option for tackling pet hair. The vacuum has a run time of up to 60 minutes, which can vary depending on your usage. It comes with two cleaner heads: The Fluffy Optic cleaner head has an angled light that makes it easy to see dust and hair on hard floors. The Digital Motorbar cleaner head can clean carpets and hard floors, automatically adapting to different floor types. It also has an anti-tangle brush roll that can clear hair from the brush bar while cleaning.
The V15 Detect also comes with a crevice tool, a combination tool, and a motorized hair screw tool with a conical brush to pick up pet hair from furniture. It has powerful suction and whole-machine filtration, and if you opt for the V15 Detect Absolute, you'll also get HEPA filtration.
The Dyson V15 Detect can easily convert into a handheld vacuum, which can be used for spot-cleaning furniture, stairs, and car upholstery. The one downside to this vacuum is that you need to keep your finger pressed on the trigger while cleaning, which can cause hand strain. The V15 Detect is expensive for a vacuum cleaner at $749, but it's currently available for under $600 on Amazon.
Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra
If you're looking for a powerful corded vacuum, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is a great option for pet owners. The ball design allows the vacuum to be easily maneuvered around furniture and obstacles, and the bagless bin means you can empty it directly into your trash can. The Ball Animal 3 Extra comes with Dyson's Motorbar cleaning head that automatically detangles long hair while cleaning. You also get a motorized tangle-free turbine tool to remove pet hair from upholstery and a combination tool, stair tool, and instant-release wand.
This Dyson vacuum even includes a pet grooming tool that can remove loose hair, dead skin, and allergens from your pet's coat, provided they don't get spooked by the noise. While the corded design might put off some buyers, the Ball Animal 3 Extra comes with a 35-foot cord, and a hose that stretches up to 15 feet.
The vacuum cleaner features a sealed bin design to prevent dust and allergens from escaping, while the washable filter traps particles as small as 0.3 microns. The Ball Animal 3 works on hard floors and carpets, and features three cleaning modes. At its asking price of $499, it's more affordable than Dyson's cordless vacuum cleaners.
Kenmore 600 Series Pet Friendly Bagged Canister Vacuum
If your pet is a heavy shedder, you'll need a vacuum that can deep clean your carpets and upholstery. The Kenmore 600 Series Pet Friendly bagged canister vacuum is bulky but offers powerful suction, sucking up embedded hair, dander, and allergens. It's also ideal if you want to avoid breathing in pet hair and dust, that's inevitable when emptying a bagless vacuum.
The Kenmore vacuum weighs about 22 pounds, making it easy to maneuver despite its canister design. It comes with a motorized pet tool that can be used to clean carpets, furniture, and stairs. A crevice tool, dusting brush, and bare floor tool are also included.
The Kenmore vacuum cleaner features a HEPA-certified filter and dust bags, while the bin is tightly sealed, capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns in size. The vacuum features a long 28-foot cord that can automatically retract at the press of a button. The telescopic wand can extend a further 10 feet, making it easy to access hard-to-reach areas. While the Kenmore vacuum is among the more powerful vacuums on this list, it's best suited to carpeted floors since the hard floor attachment doesn't have a brush roll to pick up pet hair. It's quite affordable despite its capabilities, currently retailing for $349 on Amazon.
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum
While many cordless vacuums can detach into handheld vacuums, if you have a corded vacuum, you might want to invest in a hand vacuum for quick cleanups. The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser hand vacuum is an efficient option for furniture, carpets, pet beds, and your car. The hand vacuum has a motorized brush to get rid of embedded pet hair and dirt. It also includes an upholstery brush that can remove pet hair from furniture and a crevice tool for harder-to-reach places.
It features a 14.4V lithium-ion battery that provides a runtime of 17 minutes. The vacuum features three-stage filtration, and you can buy filter replacements from Bissell. The bin has a 0.7-liter capacity and can be emptied directly into your trash can. The Bissell vacuum has powerful suction for a handheld vacuum, and the 3-pound weight makes it portable and easy to handle. It's also very affordable at just $79.
iRobot Roomba J7+
A robot vacuum can't clean your furniture and stairs, but using it daily can keep your floors and carpets free of pet hair. The iRobot Roomba J7+ is great if you have pets, thanks to its object detection and object avoidance abilities. The vacuum can detect solid pet waste (basically pet poop), with iRobot even offering a one-year guarantee on its abilities.
When the Roomba J7+ first detects obstacles like cables, shoes, or pet waste, it will send you a photo captured via its built-in camera so you can tell it to avoid that area or clean around it. It has edge sweeping brushes and dual multi-surface rubber brushes that avoid getting tangled in pet hair. The self-emptying vacuum automatically navigates back to its base and empties the bin when it's full. As a result, you only need to change the bin bag once every 60 days. The J7+ can also go to the charging station when the battery is low.
You can set up personalized cleaning schedules for the Roomba J7+ or ask it to spot-clean a specific area of your home. It can offer personalized cleaning suggestions, including additional cleaning cycles during pet shedding or allergy season. The iRobot Roomba J7+ doesn't come cheap at its asking price of $649, but if you don't want to spend that much, the Roomba J7 is a great alternative. It's pretty much on par with the J7+, minus the self-emptying abilities.