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 ... [+]
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.)
- Best Stick Vacuums For Pet Hair Overall: Dyson V15 Detect
- Best Cordless Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Tineco Pure One S15
- Best Stick Vacuum For Dog Hair: Electrolux Ergorapido Stick
- Best Stick Vacuum For Cat Hair: Shark HZ602 Ultralight Pet Pro Corded Stick Vacuum
- Best Corded Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Bissell Featherweight Stick
- Best Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Kenmore DS4065 Cordless Stick Vacuum
- Best Wet Dry Cordless Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Bissell CrossWave X7 Cordless Pet Pro Multi-Surface Wet Dry Vacuum
- Best Value Cordless Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Eureka RapidClean Pro Lightweight
- Best Carpet Cordless Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Dyson V11 Animal
- Best Hardwood Cordless Stick Vacuum For Pet Hair: Bissell ICONpet Turbo Vacuum
How We Chose The Best Stick Vacuums For Pet Hair
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.
What To Look For In Stick Vacuums For Pet Hair
There are a few important elements to look for when shopping for a stick vacuum for pet hair. Keep these in mind.
Battery Life
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.
Dust Bin Capacity
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.
Floor Type Compatibility
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.
Design
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
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.
What Is The Toughest Vacuum For Pet Hair?
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.
What Is The Best Cordless Vacuum For Pet Hair That Doesn’t Clog?
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.
Are Stick Vacuums Better Than Other Styles Of Vacuums?
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.