Find the Best Vacuum for Pet Hair
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If you have a pet, chances are you've struggled with pet hair on the furniture, shedding season and tumbleweeds of fur rolling across your floors. If that's the case, you've probably wondered: what's the best vacuum for pet hair?
I wondered the same thing -- especially when I decided to try natural flea control, which requires that you vacuum every day during flea season. At the time, we had two dogs and four cats and an old vacuum cleaner that sputtered every time it sucked up a clump of pet hair.
It was time to ditch the old vacuum cleaner, so I went on a mission to find the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair. I read online vacuum reviews, checked Consumer Reports and went to several different stores to test out display vacuum cleaners.
After all of my research, I decided to go with the Dyson Animal. It's one of the best pet vacuum cleaners -- after all, it is made specifically for households with pets -- and I liked some of its features. But it's kind of pricey at a little over $500 (and I'm not normally the type to shell out that much for a small appliance, but with this many pets, getting a good vacuum was very important to me) and there are other pet vacuums out there, such as the Eureka pet vacuum and the Bissell pet vacuum. If you are looking to buy a pet vacuum cleaner, here's a guide to choosing the one that's right for you:
Pet Vacuums: Things to Consider
Before you start shopping for a pet vacuum, here are some things to consider:
Do you have carpets or hardwood floors? If you have hardwood floors, what kind of attachment do you like to use to vacuum? (For example, do you prefer a vacuum attachment with bristles or without? For me, I don't like attachments that have bristles because I find pet hair sticks to them and then needs to be pulled off by hand; but some people find bristles protect their hardwood floors better.)
Do you prefer bags or a canister? My old vacuum used bags, and my new Dyson pet vacuum has a canister. After experiencing both, I prefer the canister, for three reasons. One, the money I save on vacuum bags adds up over time, and I figure this helps negate the high initial cost of the vacuum cleaner. Two, it seems more environmentally friendly not to use bags. And three, during flea season, I need to empty the canister every time I vacuum -- and that would end up costing a lot if my vacuum used bags.
Will you use the vacuum for upholstered furniture too? Since you have pets, you might be more likely than someone without pets to vacuum upholstered furniture, so you'll want to make sure your vacuum comes with an appropriate attachment.
Are weight and size important to you? If you use your vacuum cleaner often (which people with pets are more likely to do) you might want a lighter, smaller vacuum you can stash in a closet and pull out when needed. If you live in a two- or three-story house, you might not want to always lug a heavy vacuum cleaner up and down stairs. That is one drawback to my Dyson -- it's a bit heavy to haul around the house, but I do manage it okay.
What do people with pets say?
All of this is well and good, but what do actual people with pets say? This is something that's really important to consider, because we are the ones vacuuming up pet hair every day, so we see firsthand how different vacuum cleaners work.
Here are some places where you can check out what people with pets are saying about the best vacuums for pet hair:
- At this forum on Dog.community, almost all of the commenters say they have some model of Dyson, and all give their vacuum cleaner good reviews. Commenters give these vacuums high marks for being able to pick up embedded hairs and being able to get pet hair off upholstery.
- Pet people on this forum at Petfinder.com recommend the Hoover, Oreck and Dyson vacuum cleaners. One commenter praises the Hoover EmPower for picking up not only pet hair, but leaves and grass tracked in by the pets.
- On this GardenWeb forum, several people with pets recommend the Sebo Felix vacuum, and one calls it the "best kept secret" in the vacuum world. Another says it works great on pet hair. Many users recommend the Dyson, but a few say they had problems with the Dyson getting pet hair stuck on the roller and also retaining a "dog smell" in the filter. One user "swears by" the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser.
The great thing about looking at reviews by people who actually have pets is that it helps you cut through the hype and see what the advantages and drawbacks are of different vacuum cleaners. By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of which pet vacuum might be right for you.
Shopping for a Pet Vacuum Cleaner
 | This Dyson Animal model has "ball technology" that allows for easier maneuvering around corners. It gets almost five out of five stars in customer reviews. Amazon Price: $399.07 |
 | This is the regular Dyson Animal (without ball technology.) It gets four out of five stars from customers. Amazon Price: $549.99 |
 | Is the Sebo Felix the "best kept secret" in the pet vacuum world? Amazon Price: $679.00 List Price: $749.00 |
 | This Hoover gets four out of five stars and comes with a special pet hair tool. Amazon Price: $186.56 List Price: $299.99 |
 | The Eureka OPTIMA Pet Lover is budget-friendly and gets three and a half out of five stars. Amazon Price: Too low to display List Price: $79.99 |
What do you think about pet vacuums?
If you have had good or bad experiences with a pet vacuum, or want to recommend a particular model, or have pet vacuum shopping tips, please leave a comment and share!
