The Best Pet Vacuum - 2021
We looked at the top 14 Pet Vacuums and dug through the reviews from 65 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Pet Vacuums.
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Our Picks For The Top Pet Vacuums
- The Best Pet Vacuum
- 1. TruePet Canister Upright Vacuum
- 2. Eureka PowerSpeed Bagless Pet Vacuum
- 3. VacLife Corded Stick Pet Vacuum
- 4. Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum
- 5. RoboVac 11S Slim Robotic Vacuum
- 6. Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum
- 7. Animal Upright Vacuum
- 8. Airspeed Upright Vacuum
- 9. Elite Pet Friendly Upright Vacuum
- 10. WindTunnel 3 Pro Pet Vacuum
- 11. React Professional Pet Plus Upright Vacuum
- 12. Pet & Allergy Bagged Vacuum
- 13. Powerlifter Pet Vacuum
- 14. Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum
Powerful Pet VacuumWhether you have carpet, hardwood or tile flooring, this powerful pet vacuum will keep your home clean and free of animal hair.
Extra-Large Dust CupThis pet vacuum is lightweight and portable, coming in at just 10 pounds.
Washable HEPA FilterAlthough this pet vacuum is compact, it still provides powerful suction to successfully clean up all of your pet's messes.
Easy to UseIf you're looking for a pet vacuum that can handle difficult spaces, like closets and steps, this cordless vacuum is it.
Why we recommend these pet vacuums?
Products Considered
Products Analyzed
Expert Reviews Included
User Opinions Analyzed
Our experts reviewed the top 14 Pet Vacuums and also dug through the reviews from 65 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Pet Vacuums.
DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.
The Best Overall
TruePet Canister Upright Vacuum
Our Take
With several useful accessories at a great price point, this model is definitely the one to beat, coming in as the top overall recommended choice and the best value. This canister/upright hybrid has the suction power to extract animal hair from carpeting. It also has the versatility to handle hardwood and tile flooring.
What other experts liked
What other experts didn't like
The Best Bang For Your Buck
Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum
Our Take
This handheld pet vacuum is surprisingly powerful for its size. It also provides pet owners with the ability to reach remote areas and heavy traffic zones, such as staircases.
What other experts liked
What other experts didn't like
Our Pet Vacuum Findings
TruePet Canister Upright Vacuum
What We Liked: With several useful accessories at a great price point, this model is definitely the one to beat, coming in as the top overall recommended choice and the best value. This canister/upright hybrid has the suction power to extract animal hair from carpeting. It also has the versatility to handle hardwood and tile flooring.
Eureka PowerSpeed Bagless Pet Vacuum
What We Liked: Since this pet vacuum is equipped with five height adjustments, you won’t have any trouble using it on a variety of surfaces. Stored onboard the vacuum are a pet turbo tool, a crevice tool, a dusting brush and an upholstery tool. The unit is also cost effective as you won’t need to purchase bags and you can wash and reuse the filters.
VacLife Corded Stick Pet Vacuum
What We Liked: This pet vacuum’s 16-foot cord allows you to cover a large area without having to move to another outlet. The built-in HEPA filter is able to capture 99.99% of your home’s microscopic dust, making the area a healthy place for your pet to play. The vacuum is also equipped with two cleaning modes and three cleaning tools.
Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum
What We Liked: This handheld pet vacuum is surprisingly powerful for its size. It also provides pet owners with the ability to reach remote areas and heavy traffic zones, such as staircases.
RoboVac 11S Slim Robotic Vacuum
What We Liked: This low-profile robot vacuum is ideal for removing loose pet hair, flea dirt and dander from hardwood and other solid flooring. While not strictly a pet vacuum, it has the agitation power to extract pet hair from low-pile carpeting.
Our Expert Consultant
Animal trainer
Stephanie Mantilla is a positive reinforcement-based animal trainer who has worked with a variety of animals, from lizards all the way up to cheetahs and lions. She now runs the pet blog Curiosity Trained, writing about training and enrichment for your dog and cat. She holds a behavioral husbandry professional development certificate from the
After spending 12 years training exotic animals as a zookeeper, she now helps pet owners create fulfilling lives for their pets. No matter the animal, they all require similar things to make their lives enriched and prevent behavioral issues. Stephanie’s mission is to help pet owners make the lives of their pets the best that they can be.
Our Pet Vacuum Buying Guide
Traditional vacuum cleaners have always been called into service to remove pet hair, flea dust and dander, but the results haven’t always been pretty. Pet hair can quickly become tangled in the vacuum’s beater brush, and the collection bag cannot always contain all of the pet hair the vacuum cleaner picks up.
This is why several vacuum cleaner manufacturers developed models that address the specific needs of pet owners. A pet or animal vacuum cleaner looks and acts like a standard vacuum, but also includes specialized accessories, such as a turbo brush or grooming tool. A pet vacuum also has a more powerful motor to generate stronger suction. Pet hair is notoriously difficult to extract from carpeting, so most pet vacuums use more intense “wind tunnel” or cyclonic technology.
If you’ve got a pet, especially one that sheds a lot, a pet vacuum should be on your wish list, says our resident pet expert Stephanie Mantilla, a positive reinforcement animal trainer who runs the blog Curiosity Trained.
“If you have pets that shed a lot, you’re going to want canister vacuums that are easy to empty,” she says. “Having a large canister allows you to vacuum longer without needing to constantly empty the vacuum. Going bagless saves you from blowing through multiple bags each time you clean. A high shedding dog, such as a Siberian husky, can easily fill up multiple vacuum bags a week.”
Pet vacuums come in a wide variety of designs, although canister and upright styles seem to be the most popular, followed by handheld mini-vacs. A hybrid upright canister vacuum, like the Shark TruePet, provides the additional suction power pet owners need, along with a beater brush with noticeably stiffer bristles. Although the heavier weight of the Shark TruePet may be a factor for some, it performs equally well on all common floor surfaces.
In terms of sheer suction power, a pet vacuum with cyclonic action is hard to beat. They provide the right balance of power and maneuverability that many pet owners seek. One potential drawback with cyclonic pet vacuum cleaners, however, is their bagless design. Pet hair and dander can be blown back into the room once the bagless canister is opened for disposal. Pet owners with allergy issues may want to consider a model that includes a secured bag and a HEPA filter.
“HEPA filters in your vacuum are a must if you have pets,” says Mantilla. “These filters will remove the dander and other allergens your pets track in. Many people who are allergic to pets are actually allergic specifically to their dander. By vacuuming with a model containing a HEPA filter, you’re preventing a buildup of a main allergen in your home.”
Many robotic vacuums can handle a moderate amount of pet hair, flea dust and dander, but they often lack the suction power of canister vacuums. Pet owners with robotic vacuum cleaners should be prepared to clean out the unit’s collection tray more often and spend time removing any hairs that collect on the agitator brushes. Clogs and tangles can lead to poor performance.
One element that separates a pet or animal vacuum from its traditional counterpart is the beater brush. Because pet hair can become hopelessly entangled on a standard beater brush, manufacturers have created special agitators with stiffer and deeper bristles. The surface of a pet vacuum beater brush is also smoother, making it easier to rinse clean between uses.
You’ll also want to consider the vacuum’s accessories before you buy, says Mantilla.
“Many pet upright vacuums have attachments that are especially good for removing pet hair from upholstery,” she says. “They have stronger suction and are designed so that pet hair doesn’t get caught up in the rotating gears as easily.”
If large canister or upright vacuums are too bulky for the job, many pet owners also keep a handheld vacuum on hand for spot cleaning. Miniature models like the cordless Bissell Pet Hair Eraser can reach remote areas and crevices that tend to collect pet hair. Unlike a standard handheld vacuum cleaner, a pet mini-vac may also include a powered agitator to remove more hair from carpeting, along with an improved filtration system.
DWYM Fun Fact
The designation “pet vacuum” refers more to a vacuum cleaner’s attachments and accessories than the vacuum cleaner itself. Placed side by side, pet vacuum cleaners and traditional vacuum cleaners are virtually identical. A pet vacuum is more likely to include powered attachments or an easy-to-clean beater brush.
For pet owners with carpeted floors, a vacuuming accessory called a carpet rake can be especially helpful with removing embedded pet hair before vacuuming. A carpet rake can reach deep into carpet fibers, allowing pet owners to create easily manageable piles of hair. Consider it a comb for your carpets!
The Pet Vacuum Tips and Advice
- When choosing an ideal indoor pet, one important consideration is the animal’s typical shedding pattern. Owners who bring a high shedding animal into the home should be prepared to vacuum almost daily. Low shedding breeds are best for homes with extensive carpeting.
- Even if the vacuum cleaner is not designated as a “pet vacuum,” it should have a HEPA filter to trap all of the flea dirt, dander and hairs a pet can generate throughout the day.
- Most cordless vacuum cleaners lack the suction power to be effective as pet vacuums, but they are suitable for spot cleaning “accidents” and litter spills.
- Some consumers may want to consider investing in a pet vacuum even if they do not own pets. These models are often more powerful than standard vacuum cleaners and include accessories not often included with traditional models.
- Bagless pet vacuum cleaners may be easier on the environment, but models with bags do a better job containing pet hair and dander. Most cyclonic vacuums are bagless by design, but many canister and upright vacuums still use disposable bags.
- Pet owners are not limited to specialized pet vacuum cleaners but should be prepared to spend more time removing hair and other pet-related debris from standard models. Clogs lead to reduced suction power, and beater brushes mired with pet hair can burn out the belts and motor.
- HEPA filters need to be replaced on a regular schedule in order to retain their efficiency. Pet owners with allergy issues may want to use protective gloves and a dust mask when performing this important task.
About The Author
Alicia Bodine is a New Jersey-based writer specializing in gardening. She enjoys spending time learning about the latest gadgets that make designing, planting and maintaining a garden a breeze. With more than 15 years of experience, her work has appeared on leading home improvement publications.