We’ve been fostering cats for a local charity for more than 10 years and, while it’s an incredibly rewarding thing to do, our poor ancient vacuum cleaner has really been put through its paces over the years. So, who better than me to test the latest pet vacuums to see which ones are the best for dealing with the seemingly constant moulting of the cats?
You might think that any vacuum will deal with pet hair efficiently but in fact, your pet’s hair is notoriously tricky to vacuum up, as Georgina Shepherd, cleaning expert at Housekeep, explains: “Pet hair isn't like normal dust or dirt. Individual hairs are very light, so they can become trapped in carpet fibres, upholstery and rugs rather than sitting on the surface. Long pet hair can wrap itself around carpet fibres and vacuum brush rolls, while shorter hairs can work their way deeper into fabric. And finally, static electricity is another challenge. Hair can cling to fabrics and soft furnishings, making it harder for a vacuum to lift it away.”
All this means that I put a great deal of vacuum cleaners through their paces to find the best options for your home. From cordless vacuums to cylinder vacuums, not forgetting the automation of a robot vacuum cleaner, there are options here to suit all homes.
The best pet vacuum cleaners for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Shark powerdetect speed clean and empty pet pro: £499.99, Sharkninja.co.uk
- Best budget option – Hoover HL2 pet turbo style: £179.90, Hoover-home.com
- Best for larger homes – Sebo airbelt E3 premium + boost 2.0: £524.95, Amazon.co.uk
- Best lightweight pet vacuum – Morphy Richards MRXSTICK450 ultraglide: £249.99, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: Best vacuum cleaners, tried and tested
Shark powerdetect speed clean and empty pet pro
Rating: 5/5
Best: pet vacuum cleaner overall
Why we love it
- Effective anti-hair wrap heads
- Powerful suction
- Auto-empty dock that charges as well
- Perfectly weighted for easy use
Take note
- On board bin is small
Shark vacuums are well known for the brand’s excellent anti-hair wrap heads, and the pet pro is no exception. In a house frequently covered with clumps of cat fur and strands of my own long hair, the Shark breezed through carpets and hard floors alike, pulling up every bit of hair in its path. This is down to the impressive suction, which pulls hair and debris towards its head, rather than just pushing it along until it gets sucked up. LED lights on the front also help to make it easier to avoid missing any debris at all.
This is a cordless model, but you’ll get around 60 minutes run time in the eco mode, which I found more than powerful enough for everything except the most stubborn debris. The other big selling point of the Shark is that it comes with a docking station containing a 2l bin that Shark says will store up to 45 days of debris (don’t worry, there’s also an odour cartridge to prevent nasty niffs!). The downside is that this means you only have a 0.47L bin on board – I found this large enough to vacuum my entire two bedroom house, but larger homes might find it a bore to have to keep emptying it. You’ll also only get two attachments apart from the main head, with a motorised pet tool and crevice tool with duster included. Honestly though, I found these handled everything I needed them to and overall, the Shark is a fantastic choice for homes with pets.
Key specifications
Buy now £499.99, Sharkninja.co.uk
Hoover HL2 pet turbo style
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: budget pet vacuum cleaner
Why we love it
- Excellent suction on all surfaces
- Efficient anti-hair wrap head
- Big bin and generous cord length
Take note
- Build quality isn’t as solid as some other vacuums
The word ‘budget’ is a bit of an oxymoron when it comes to specialist pet vacuums, which normally command a slightly higher fee due to specialist attachments. So the Hoover HL2 at £179.99 is actually a bit of a bargain. This is a surprisingly lightweight upright vacuum, with the added bonus of being able to detach the bin to make it handheld for using on stairs and awkward spaces.
I was particularly impressed with Hoover’s anti-twist brush bar, which did a fantastic job in our cat fur test. It vacuumed up all the hair without fuss, although if I was being ultra picky, I would point out that a couple of my long hairs did catch round the roller and had to be pulled out. There’s a clever rocker switch to change the HL2 from carpet to hard floor mode, and I also really liked the fact that you can carry accessories on board the vacuum. LED lights also do a fantastic job of picking out dust and debris. The only thing I would note is that the Hoover doesn’t feel quite as substantial as some of its more expensive rivals in this list but then, of course, you are paying considerably less.
Key specifications
Buy now £179.9, Hoover-home.com
Sebo airbelt E3 premium + boost 2.0
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: pet vacuum cleaner for larger homes
Why we love it
- Power head is exceptional on pet hair
- Huge bin
- Variable power and power boost for difficult cleaning tasks
Take note
- Power head is very heavy
- Long hose can be a little bit unwieldy in small spaces
The Sebo was my top cylinder vacuum cleaner for pet hair, coming with the brand’s ET1 electric power head that made quick work of both cat and human hair in my house. It’s heavy though and can be a little unwieldy to move around. But the benefits outweigh this in my opinion. There’s four-way manual height adjustment on the head, which allows you to switch heights for different floor types and suction is also manually adjustable. And the power boost for more ground-in dirt is a godsend, particularly if you’re clearing up after muddy paws.
Although the power head would be my first choice for pet hair, the standard head is actually brilliant too, particularly on hard floors. This is a great all-rounder that will be particularly useful in bigger homes with its exceptionally long hose, although do note this can be a little unwieldy in smaller spaces.
Key specifications
Buy now £524.95, Amazon.co.uk
Dyson V16 piston animal
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: pet vacuum with anti-hair wrap head
Why we love it
- Best anti-hair wrap head on the market
- Head adapts well to different surfaces
- Laser does a great job of illuminating debris
Take note
- Not great on very fine particles
- Weight distribution isn’t great
Dyson’s V16 finally embraces just using one head that will adjust to all floor types. And if you’re a pet owner, what a head it is! The anti-hair wrap technology on the V16 is the best I’ve ever come across, with the head cleanly sucking up hair before bundling it up to the sides and then shooting it up the extension wand to the bin. It’s truly exceptional and collects every last bit of hair, every time.
The laser is a useful feature, brilliantly highlighting every last bit of debris and I particularly enjoyed the ‘cleancompaktor’, which is simply a lever on the side of the bin that allows you to fit more dirt into it by sliding down an internal plate to compress the debris. One thing I did notice is that the vacuum can struggle with finer particles such as flour, as this can clog up the motor and cause it to register an error. It’s also pretty heavy at the handheld vacuum end, which could be an issue for some users.
Key specifications
Buy now £629, Ao.com
Bissell powerclean furguard
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: pet vacuum cleaner with eco mode
Why we love it
- Powerful on pet hair even in eco mode
- Headlights on floorhead and pet tool to illuminate debris
- Useful accessory bag
Take note
- Not the largest of bins
The Bissell powerclean furguard really shone with its anti-hair wrap head, which is almost as good as Dyson’s above. Powerful suction, even in eco mode, meant that this vacuum got rid of pet hair completely in one simple pass, leaving no trace of hairs on the head’s rollers.
I loved the fact that the Bissell stood up securely on its own (something other manufacturers could often note) and that you get headlights on both the main head and pet tool, making it far easier to see said hair, dirt and debris as you vacuum along. The included accessory bag was also a nice touch, as I often find it’s easy to mislay the attachments that come with many modern vacuum cleaners. There are three power modes as well, but I found the Bissell dealt with 99 per cent of debris on eco mode without any need to increase the power. My only slight niggle was that the bin capacity was quite small at 0.4l.
Key specifications
Buy now £299.99, Amazon.co.uk
Miele triflex HX3 cat & dog
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: designed cordless pet vacuum cleaner
Why we love it
- Useful and well thought out 3-in-1 design
- Elegant and sleek design
- Excellent anti-hair wrap head
Take note
- Balance is slightly off when the main unit is at the top of the stick
Miele’s latest incarnation of the popular triflex range, the HX3 cat & dog is aptly named for its ability to power through pet hair on any surface, without the floorhead clogging up at all. But the real selling point for me was the ability to set up the vacuum with the main body and bin either at the top of the stick or nearer the bottom towards the floorhead. The Triflex name, by the way, comes from these two options, along with the ability to just use the vacuum without its extension wand as a handheld option.
This ability to redesign the vacuum really helps with weight distribution – I did feel that the having the main body at the top of the stick did result in the head feeling a little off-balance, but moving things around soon fixed that problem. The Miele is, of course, one of the pricier options on the list but as I know plenty of people who have owned one of the brand’s vacuums for over 20 years, I’d say it’s a worthwhile investment.
Key specifications
Buy now £699, Currys.co.uk
Henry quick pet
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: pet vacuum cleaner for allergy sufferers
Why we love it
- Large capacity bin and dust free bag emptying
- Highly efficient on pet hair
- Good suction
Take note
- Pet tool is a little inflexible
Cordless vacuums tend to be bagless, so the Henry is a bit of an abnormality with its disposable dust bags. But if you’re an allergic to dust and debris (although one would hope not pet hair), this is the vacuum cleaner to go for if you still want a cordless design. One button flips a full bag out into the bin, and you’ll also get lemon scent pods to pop into the exhaust vent to help freshen things up further.
The Henry quick pet made short work of pet hair, suctioning it up on eco mode with ease. Modes are also simple – you’ve got a brush on or brush off choice, along with a boost mode for more stubborn areas. The smaller pet tool was also particularly effective on stairs but do be warned that it’s a little inflexible so you’ll still need the crevice tool for corners.
Key specifications
Buy now £229, Amazon.co.uk
Morphy Richards MRXSTICK450 ultraglide
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: lightweight pet vacuum
Why we love it
- Lightweight
- Strong suction
- Useful auto mode
Take note
- Makes an odd noise at times
The Morphy Richards 450 is one of the lightest cordless sticks I’ve used, but it still manages to pack in powerful suction and strong rollers that pull the vacuum effortlessly across surfaces. It did an excellent job on pet hair and was easy to use.
The vacuum comes with two roller heads that you can just slot in and out of the main floorhead. There’s a dedicated carpet bristle brush if you want it, but I was particularly impressed with the plush anti-tangle roller. I did have some reservations about the plush fabric getting hair caught in it, but in fact the opposite was true and there was no hair tangled in the rollers at all after use. There’s a decent auto mode with an infrared sensor to adjust suction based on dusty quality, but I did notice that the vacuum occasionally made a slightly odd grating noise.
Key specifications
Buy now £249.99, Amazon.co.uk
Vax liftout multi pet-design
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: upright pet vacuum
Why we love it
- Very powerful
- Useful lift out section for portability
- Long reach and long hose
Take note
- Edge coverage could be better
The Vax liftout is a bit of a beast, but its imposing size means that this is one of the most rugged machines I’ve tested. In real world testing, the VAX impressed hugely on pet hair, easily pulling it out of the carpet and vacuuming it up without any tangling, thanks to another excellent anti-hair wrap head. You’ve also got to the option of both a standard and motorised pet head, the former of which I found particularly impressive on upholstery.
The clever design feature in this vacuum is the ‘lift out’ design that allows you to remove the body of the canister from its upright base, making the machine portable and easier to use on areas such as the stairs. At full extension, the vacuum’s reach is also 14.5m, so if you’ve got pets that like to sleep on top of wardrobes, you’ll easily be able to reach and remove any hair hiding up there. Edge coverage is a little lacking with the main motorised head though, so you’ll need to take a little extra care around skirting boards.
Key specifications
Buy now £269.99, Amazon.co.uk
Bosch unlimited 10 propower
Rating: 4/5
Best: pet vacuum for run time
Why we love it
- Sturdy
- Excellent suction
- Extra-long crevice nozzle is very effective in corners
Take note
- Heavy
- Opaque dust bin makes it hard to see contents
If you’ve got a bigger house but would still like to use a cordless vacuum, the Bosch unlimited 10 is going to be the obvious choice with its up to 100-minute run time in eco mode. I found the unlimited 10 one of the easiest vacuums to use, thanks to its rather stylish touchscreen display that allows you to scroll through the different cleaning modes and the bin compression lever (also seen on the Dyson V16 above) that allows you to squish down debris and fit far more into the bin.
The extra-long upholstery nozzle was brilliant for pulling pet hair out of corners and crevices and the suction power is impressive. The vacuum made short work of pulling up cat hair but there were some longer hairs that did get a little tangled up in the brush. The unlimited 10 feels reassuringly sturdy in the hand but that is one of its drawbacks, in that it is far heavier than many of its rivals. And I was also slightly baffled by the rather opaque dust bin, which does make it harder to see how full the bin is.
Key specifications
Buy now £629.99, Bosch-home.co.uk
Kärcher VC 7
Rating: 4/5
Best: pet vacuum cleaner for upholstery
Why we love it
- Soft furnishing brush is efficient at removing pet hair
- Filter cleaner head makes cleaning the filter a hands free job
- Trigger lever to free up hands
Take note
- Contents don’t fall out of the bin on their own
- Main floorhead isn’t an anti-hair wrap design
The Kärcher VC 7’s biggest selling point to pet owners is the rather ingenious soft furnishing brush attachment, which makes getting hair off upholstery an absolute doddle. The bristles bunch all the hair together, making it far easier for the vacuum to suction them up. The main floorhead was also excellent on pet hair, although I did notice a few hairs tangled up after vacuuming the whole house.
Another great feature of the Kärcher is its trigger lever, which can be adjusted so that you don’t have to keep your hand on the trigger. I also thought the filter cleaner head was a really clever addition for pet owners, as it simply plugs into the vacuum’s nozzle and uses suction to clear hair and debris from the filter. However, the bin’s design isn’t great, and I found that not everything fell out of it, leading to the need to use my fingers to pull out fluff past the filter skirt.
Key specifications
Buy now £319.99, Amazon.co.uk
Ryobi 18V one+
Rating: 4/5
Best: pet vacuum for tricky corners and hidden spaces
Why we love it
- Well-balanced considering slightly heavier weight
- Large bin
- Fantastic for hard to reach spots
Take note
- Floorhead struggles to get really close to room edges
- Large debris can be a bit of a struggle
Buying into the Ryobi system means you’ll be using the brand’s one+ battery system that also powers all Ryobi garden, power and cleaning tools. It’s an easy way to cut down on batteries and chargers, plus the included dock will charge any machine using the system, as well as hold the vacuum’s accessories. It’s a well thought out design, but it’s performance that overrides everything.
Fortunately, the Ryobi didn’t disappoint when it came to dealing with pet hair, thanks to some strong suction and a well-designed roller bar to help minimise hair wrap. Like the Kärcher above though, I did notice a few of my own long hairs tangling round the bar. The Ryobi also comes with the intriguing micro crevice tool, which allows user to clean easily and deeply in tight spaces thanks to its 16 flexible straws. This is a real boon for pet owners trying to get hair out of awkward corners and behind furniture and particularly useful as one of the downsides of the Ryobi is that it doesn’t get as close to edges as some of its competitors. It also struggled a little to pick up cat litter scattered on the floor, with the inlet at the front of the floorhead being a little too small for larger debris.
Key specifications
Buy now £319.99, Ryobitools.eu
Vacmaster vortica pet
Rating: 4/5
Best: pet vacuum for suction power
Why we love it
- Huge amounts of suction power
- On board storage for accessories
- Powerful pet tool and good anti-hair wrap heads
Take note
- Suction can be almost too powerful on some carpets
This is a chonk of a vacuum and it comes with the suction to match. In fact, it was so powerful that I almost found it a little too much on some of my carpets when using the main floorhead, even with turning the suction down to minimum. Speaking of adjusting that suction though, I did really like the fact that you could adjust both this, and the brush roll speed from the handle of the vacuum.
Performance on hard floors was particularly impressive and, thanks to that aforementioned suction, the smaller pet mate tool was easily powerful enough to deal with carpets alongside upholstery. I did notice that when using the main floorhead on carpets, the head sometimes pulled away from the carpet when pulling it back towards me with the strong suction, so this is something to be aware of. However, the vacuum performed really well on pet hair, with the anti-hair wrap head doing a great job of preventing tangles. I also really appreciated the ability to store accessories on board the main vacuum body, making it far quicker to change heads where needed.
Key specifications
Buy now £199.99, Amazon.co.uk
Mova Z60 ultra roller complete
Rating: 4/5
Best: robot vacuum for pets
Why we love it
- No tangling on pet hair
- Excellent mop for hard flooring
Take note
- App can be glitchy
Robot vacuums seem like a dream idea but they’re often not a great fit for pet owners, with the rollers easily getting tangled up with pet hair. The Mova Z60 gets round this with a dual rubber brush / rubber-bristle brush combo that does an excellent job of scooping hair up without tangling the roller. I also liked the fact that it automatically extends when it detects corners.
The Z60 is also a combined vacuum and mop, so it will clean paw prints off your hard surfaces as well as cleaning up cat hair. It does a good job of detecting between hard and carpeted areas as well, so no danger of ending up with soggy carpets. However, it did struggle a little with large clumps of pet hair, occasionally just running straight over them rather than vacuuming up. This was usually rectified on another pass though.
There’s lots of flexibility on the app, allowing you to either custom tune each room cleaning or allow the AI system to make recommendations. However, I did find that the app could be a bit glitchy at times and did sometimes get confused about which room it was in.
Key specifications
Buy now £999, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about pet vacuums answered
What is the best pet vacuum?
My overall best pet vacuum was the Shark powerdetect speed clean and empty pet pro, which thoroughly impressed me with its excellent anti-hair wrap head, superior suction and useful docking station. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Hoover HL2 pet turbo style is more reasonably priced (although still not cheap) and, thanks to its corded design, has an impressive bin capacity, fantastic suction and another super anti-hair wrap head to prevent any tangles.
What sort of vacuum is best for pet hair?
“I'd always recommend looking for a vacuum with a motorised brush roll or dedicated pet-hair attachment,” says Georgina Shepherd. “These are much better at lifting hair from carpets, rugs and upholstery than standard vacuum heads. A vacuum with a HEPA filter is also a must if you have pets. Pet hair often comes with dander, dust and allergens, so a good filtration system helps stop those particles being blown back into the room. If you have hard floors as well as carpets, it's worth choosing a vacuum that can easily switch between floor types, as pet hair tends to gather in corners, along skirting boards and under furniture.”
Graeme Shelley, Managing Director at Factory Direct Flooring, also explains: “Headlights are a must-have feature on a vacuum cleaner if you have pets. If your pet's hair is a similar colour to your floor, it can blend in, but the headlights do a great job of making it obvious to see where you've missed. Powerful suction is also important, particularly if you have carpets where pet hair can easily get deep-rooted into the fibres. Plug-in models tend to have stronger suction than cordless ones. Some higher-end models have purpose-built rollers with rubberised blades that prevent hair from tangling inside them, saving you from having to deal with jams."
Are bagged or bagless vacuums better for pet hair?
“Bagged vacuums tend to be better if anyone in the household suffers from allergies,” explains Georgina Shepherd. “When you empty them, the hair, dust and dander stay contained inside the bag, so there's less chance of it escaping back into the air.”
Graeme Shelley agrees and adds, “If your pet is especially prone to shedding, a bagged vacuum is worth considering. These tend to have a larger capacity than bagless models, so you won't have to empty them as often, and they're less likely to kick dust back into the air when you do. That said, bagless vacs tend to be more lightweight and easier to store, which counts for a lot when you're cleaning up after your pet several times a week."
What are the best techniques for vacuuming up pet hair?
“For upholstery, a dedicated pet-hair attachment or motorised tool usually works much better than a standard nozzle,” says Georgina Shepherd. “Remember to slow down and make multiple passes from different directions, which helps lift hair that's embedded in carpet fibres. If you're tackling a particularly hairy carpet, vacuuming in a criss-cross pattern can help lift hair that a single pass might miss. And a handy trick before vacuuming is to lightly dampen a rubber glove and run it over sofas, cushions or pet beds. The hair clumps together and becomes much easier to remove. Clean the brush roll after every use. Pet hair can wrap around the roller over time, which reduces performance.”
Graeme Shelley adds, “Try to keep on top of maintenance too, like emptying the container or the bag regularly (ideally before it's completely full), and wash or replace your filters often, as both affect suction over time. Using the right attachments for the job can really help. A stick or crevice attachment is ideal for the skirting boards and edges, and a brush attachment works wonders on upholstery. Vacuuming little-and-often is much easier than letting the hair build up into 'mega clean' territory. If your pet sheds, aim to vacuum about 4 times a week to stay on top of it, especially in rooms where your pet often hangs out."
How I tested pet vacuums
I tested each vacuum cleaner in my home, which helpfully has a combination of both hard and carpeted floors. I used the vacuum to deal with daily cat hair build up but also added some clumps of hair around the home to give each model a little bit more of a challenge. With two foster cats currently in residence who seem to have made a competitive sport out of shedding hair, there was plenty to challenge the vacuums. The entries on the list are the very best of those I tested.
Here’s what I considered:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Jo Plumridge is an expert product tester with more than 20 years of experience. Her expertise lies in home and tech products – Jo has previously reviewed the best steam cleaners for IndyBest – so she’s well placed to bring our readers a round-up of the best pet vacuum cleaners. To get to her verdict, Jo used each of these vacuums in and around her home that she shares with four legged feline friends, when she could see how they fared.
Read more: Best Dyson vacuum cleaners, tried and tested by a home appliance expert
