Best Cordless Vacuums For Pet Hair 2024 - Forbes Vetted

If you have pets, you probably find their hair everywhere—on the floors, furniture, your clothes and sometimes even in your food (unpleasant, but true). To combat the pet hair invasion in your home, regular vacuuming is crucial, and the best cordless vacuums for pet hair provide a convenient solution, sparing you the hassle of lugging out your full-size vacuum cleaner. They're a fantastic cleaning tool for quick touch-ups, and many of today's top models are specifically designed with pet owners in mind. Our top choice is the Dyson V15 Detect, a stylish and lightweight option equipped with three cleaning modes and capable of capturing 99.99% of particles, including allergens and pet dander.

The best cordless vacuums for pet hair provide a convenient solution, sparing you the hassle of ... [+] lugging out your full-size vacuum cleaner.

What makes vacuums for pet hair different from regular models? Here are some key features to consider. “When picking out a vacuum for pet hair, look for models with strong suction power, HEPA filters to trap allergens and a design that makes it easy to empty the dustbin,” advises Will Cotter, COO of cleaning service FreshSpace. Choosing a cordless vacuum with an anti-tangle brush roll is also beneficial—especially if your pets have long hair—as it prevents fur from wrapping around the vacuum's components.

If you’re ready for a cleaner, hair-free home, here are the best cordless vacuums for pet hair you can buy right now.

Amazon

Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.8 x 49.6 inches | Weight: 6.9 pounds | Dustbin capacity: 0.2 gallons | Runtime: 60 minutes

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When it comes to cordless vacuums, Dyson stands out as one of the top options, and the brand’s V15 Cordless Vacuum is the best vacuum for pet hair we’ve tested—even outperforming some corded models. This stick vacuum features an ergonomic design that’s comfortable to maneuver, with up to an hour of cleaning time on lower suction settings. It also offers three cleaning modes and whole-machine filtration that traps 99.99% of particles, including allergens and pet dander.

Despite being cordless, this vacuum boasts impressive suction power, effectively picking up pet hair, dirt and debris on both carpet and hard floors. Its anti-tangle brush roll prevents hair from winding around the components, and the soft cleaner head includes a built-in laser that illuminates hair and dust, helping you achieve a more thorough clean with fewer passes.

Walmart.com

Dimensions: Not listed | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Dustbin capacity: 1.2 liters | Runtime: 35 minutes

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If you’re looking for a budget-friendly tool for everyday pet hair cleanup, the Prettycare Cordless Stick Vacuum is an excellent choice. This affordable cordless vacuum offers two suction levels, and its main stick attachment is height-adjustable between 32 and 41 inches, allowing you to customize it for comfortable use. At just over 3 pounds, it’s lightweight and easy for anyone to handle.

The battery provides up to 35 minutes of runtime on the low setting or 20 minutes on high. Along with its main floor head, it includes a crevice tool and dusting brush. However, it doesn’t feature an anti-tangle design, so if your pets have long hair, it may require more frequent maintenance.

Amazon

Dimensions: 12.6 x 11.02 x 50.39 inches | Weight: 7.98 pounds | Dustbin capacity: 0.5 gallons | Runtime: 120 minutes

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The Dyson Outsize+ is the brand’s largest cordless vacuum, and its extra-large design is powerful enough to serve as your main vacuum. This high-end model features a 25% wider cleaner head and a 150% larger dustbin than the V15, along with two batteries that provide up to 120 minutes of cleaning time—ideal for even the largest homes.

The Outsize+ includes an anti-tangle brush head to prevent hair from wrapping around it, and its soft cleaner head has Dyson’s dirt-detection laser for a deeper clean. It also comes with a motorized tool for removing pet hair from furniture and automatically adjusts suction based on floor type to maximize runtime.

Amazon

Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.6 x 15.8 inches | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Dustbin capacity: 0.18 gallons | Runtime: Not listed

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As its name suggests, the Black + Decker Furbuster is designed specifically to tackle pet hair around your home. This compact, lightweight handheld vacuum includes a motorized pet brush with anti-tangle rubber bristles, perfect for cleaning furniture, car upholstery and carpeted stairs without hair wrapping. It also features an extra-long crevice tool, ideal for reaching tight spaces, like between couch cushions or under car seats.

The Furbuster’s dustbin is larger than average for a handheld, and its 20-volt battery provides 145% longer runtime than other models from the brand. However, due to its small size, it’s better suited for spot cleaning rather than large areas of carpeting or hard floors.

Amazon

Dimensions: 11.14 x 11 x 45 inches | Weight: 6.8 pounds | Dustbin capacity: 0.47 liters | Runtime: 40 minutes

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The Tineco Pure One S15 Pet is a powerful option for tackling pet hair throughout your home. This cordless stick vacuum features a no-tangle brush roll and automatically adjusts suction power based on floor type and dirt levels, helping to maximize battery life and extend cleaning time per charge.

Designed with pet owners in mind, this vacuum includes a HEPA filter to trap allergens and a powered mini brush for cleaning furniture and upholstery. It also has a freestanding base that doesn’t require wall mounting—perfect for renters—and you can purchase additional batteries to further extend its runtime if needed.

Amazon

Dimensions: 13.78 x 10.24 x 51.18 inches | Weight: 8.9 pounds | Dustbin Capacity: 0.72 quarts | Runtime: 60 minutes

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If your home has mostly hardwood floors, the Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum is a great choice, featuring a special soft roller head that excels at picking up fine particles, leaving floors polished and spotless. This vacuum runs up to 60 minutes on a single charge, and its advanced sensors detect dirt, automatically boosting suction for a deeper clean.

The Stratos also includes a self-cleaning brush roll to reduce hair wrapping and a HEPA filter to capture fine particles. Plus, its MultiFLEX design lets you bend the wand, making it easy to clean under furniture.

At Forbes Vetted, we’ve done extensive research and testing to help you find the best tools to keep your home clean, especially if you have pets.

To find the best cordless vacuums for cleaning up pet hair, we looked for several key factors, as recommended by our experts.

Here are a few key factors to keep in mind as you shop for a cordless vacuum for pet hair.

There are two main styles of cordless vacuums that can be used to clean up pet hair: stick and handheld. Cordless stick vacuums are more lightweight and compact than full-size models, making them easy to maneuver around your floors for quick clean-ups. Most of these models have motorized brush heads, as well, providing a deeper clean on carpeting.

Handheld models, on the other hand, are ideal for quickly cleaning up furniture or other small areas. “Handheld vacuums are a fantastic choice for cleaning pet hair,” says Ryan Knoll, owner of Tidy Casa. “Their lightweight design allows quick clean-ups, especially on upholstery, stairs, and car interiors where larger vacuums might struggle.” Just keep in mind that handheld models typically have smaller dustbins and shorter battery life.

Long pet hair can quickly become tangled around a vacuum’s brushroll, impeding its ability to pick up debris from your floors. If this happens, you’ll often need to cut off the hair using scissors, which can be a time-consuming task.

For this reason, the best cordless vacuums for pet hair have anti-tangle brushrolls to prevent hair from getting wrapped up on the attachment. Brands like Dyson, Shark and Tineco include this feature on their pet-focused models, and it goes a long way toward minimizing maintenance.

Pets often bring dander and allergens into your home, and both our experts recommend selecting a vacuum with a good filtration system to prevent these particles from escaping back into the area after they’re sucked up. If possible, it’s best to look for a model with a HEPA filter, such as the Tineco Pure One S15 Pet, as this means the filter is able to capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.

What Is The Best Cordless Vacuum For Picking Up Pet Hair?

Our team has tested a wide range of vacuums, and we recommend the Dyson V15 as the best cordless model for pet hair. The V15 is powerful enough to pull hair out of carpeting, and its soft brushroll features a dirt-detecting laser that lights up hard floors, making it easy to spot dust and hair. And don’t worry—hair won’t get wrapped around the brushrolls thanks to the brand’s anti-tangle technology. The vacuum has a battery life of up to 60 minutes on its low setting, but there are three suction strengths to choose from, depending on the task at hand. Overall, it’s a top choice for tackling pet hair all around your home.

What Is the Best Cordless Vacuum For Thick Pet Hair?

If your pet tends to shed fur excessively, consider investing in a heavy-duty cordless vacuum like the Dyson Outisze+ Cordless Vacuum. It features a 25% wider cleaner head and a 150% larger dustbin than most cordless vacuums, along with two batteries that provide up to 120 minutes of cleaning time—ideal for even the largest homes. It also includes an anti-tangle brush head to prevent hair from wrapping around it, and its soft cleaner head has Dyson’s dirt-detection laser for a deeper clean. Plus, it includes a motorized tool for removing pet hair from furniture and automatically adjusts suction based on floor type to maximize runtime.

What Is The Best Way To Clean A Pet Hair Vacuum?

To keep your vacuum in top shape, it’s important to empty the dustbin as soon as it reaches the “max fill” line. “Make sure to regularly empty the dustbin, and take care of the filter—give it a wash or replace it when needed,” recommends Cotter. You may want to wipe lingering dirt out of the dustbin occasionally, as well.

It’s also important to check the brushroll for hair that may have gotten wrapped around it. Most pet vacuums are designed to prevent this from happening, but the occasional strand may end up tangled on the wheels or other components. If this does happen, carefully cut the hair away using scissors, making sure not to damage the housing or bristles.