The best pet hair vacuum comparison chart below provides a quick visual tabular reference for our top 10 upright pet hair vacuums and top 5 canister vacuums for pet hair. The pet vacuums listed are derived from our dog hair vacuum reviews. The purpose of the comparisons is to provide precise specification data so that you can make further objective decisions on which pet hair vacuum is right for you. We suggest that you compare two vacuums initially so that you do not get overwhelmed by the choices available.
Please click on the vacuum name to read a more in depth review. If you are trying to compare vacuums for pet hair and still do not know where to begin please read the article that discusses how to select the best dog hair vacuum.
| Hoover Platinum Bagged | Miele S 7580 Bolero | Hoover Tempo Widepath | Eureka Boss Smart Vac | Hoover Wind Tunnel | Eureka Comfort Clean Oh! | Hoover Platinum Bagless | Dyson DC28 Animal | Dyson DC17 Animal | Bissell Pet Hair Eraser | |
| Our Pet Hair Vacuum Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Weight In Pounds | 21 | 22 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Cord Length In Feet | 35 | 40 | 24 | 25 | 31 | 25 | 40 | 24 | 35 | 35 |
| Bagged Or Bagless | Bagged | Bagged | Bagged | Bagged | Bagged | Bagless | Bagless | Bagless | Bagless | Bagless |
| Warranty In Years | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Turn Brush In Head On Or Off | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Significant Feature | Portable canister | Automatic carpet height adjustment | Effective and cheap | Air selector switch | DirtFinder detects areas that need more vacuuming | Edge cleaner | Lifetime Washable filter | Does not lose suction | Does not lose suction | Two stage cyclonic action |
| Read Review | Hoover Platinum Bagged | Miele S 7580 Bolero | Hoover Tempo Widepath | Eureka Boss Smart Vac | Hoover Wind Tunnel | Eureka Comfort Clean Oh! | Hoover Platinum Bagless | Dyson DC28 Animal | Dyson DC17 Animal | Bissell Pet Hair Eraser |
| Oreck Dutch | Hoover WindTunnel S3670 | Dyson DC23 Titanium | Rainbow E2 | Metropolitan Professionals ADM | |
| Our Pet Hair Vacuum Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Weight In Pounds | 24 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 19 |
| Cord Length In Feet | 25 | 25 | 21 | 25 | 22 |
| Bagged Or Bagless | Bagged | Bagged | Bagless | NA* | Bagged |
| Warranty In Years | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 (motor only) |
| Turn Brush In Head On Or Off | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Significant Feature | 10 Year motor warranty | Variable suction speed controls | Does not lose suction | *Unique water filtration | 4 step hepa filter system |
| Read Review | Oreck Dutch | Hoover WindTunnel S3670 | Dyson DC23 Titanium | Rainbow E2 | Metropolitan Professionals ADM |
The best vacuum for pet hair ranking is derived from our best vacuum for dog hair reviews
The vacuum's weight is the actual weight during normal vacuuming. In general, the out of the box weight gives you a more realistic idea of what to expect as opposed to the shipping weight. As you compare vacuums for pet hair bear in mind that a light vacuum is generally considered to weigh between 15 to 20 pounds.
In general the cord length for upright vacuums should be at least 30 feet. In older homes, electrical wall sockets tend to be spaced farther apart from one another making selecting the right pet hair vacuum cord length more important.
Bagged or bagless refers to the bin container in bagless pet vacuums or the bags in bagged vacuum cleaners. It is important to note that the containers or bags are primarily used for the capture of debris such as dog hair, cat hair, pet dander, dirt, dust and other particles. Filters such as hepa filters are an additional feature that may or may not be found in the actual bag or container.
In the long run the total cost of owning a bagless vacuum can be significantly less than a bagged vacuum as you will never need to buy replacement bags. However emptying a bagless vacuum can be a messy affair if you are not careful. My advice is to put the bin of the bagless vacuum in a large (34 gallon or 127 litre) see through (clear) plastic bag. Close the see through bag with your left hand if you are right handed. Then with your right hand press the bin release tab or button. Shake the empty bin. Throughout the emptying process, your right and left hand should not be in the see through bag. After finishing emptying the bin, tie up and store the see through bag somewhere like the garage or basement as you can keep adding dry vacuum debris to it until it is full. Filling one see through bag takes months if not years depending on use. The cost of a pack of 20, 34 gallon brand name clear bags like GladTM is about 8 dollars.
The warranty covers parts and labor for regular home use. If you are planning on using these pet hair vacuums commercially, most manufacturers significantly reduce the warranty. The cost of transporting or mailing the pet vacuum to the service depot maybe borne by you as it is not usually part of the warranty. Note some canister vacuums have relatively long motor warranties with short limited general warranties.
This feature is important especially to vacuums that adjust automatically to the surface being vacuumed. While vacuuming bare floors especially hardwood floors, it is important to turn off the rotating brushes as they could scratch the floor. The ability to turn the brush off is also an important safety feature.