Best Cordless Vacuums For Pet Hair in 2023, Tested by TheHousewire

Go cordless and keep your home pet hair-free

We all love our furry friends – but we don’t like the pet fur and hair that dirties our floors due to their shedding! This debris can be difficult to clean up from both your home and your car.

There are lots of cordless vacuum cleaners out there that can help in keeping your surfaces clean, whether these be carpets or bare floors. Many have special tools and attachments that are designed especially to tackle pet hair removal.

Here, we’ll tell you what to look out for when picking this type of vacuum. With our list of the top picks of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair.

Our Top Picks

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Image	Model	Features	Best Cordless Vacuums For Pet Hair 2023
	Best Overall Tineco Floor One S3	Floors Dry Quickly Added Extras	Check Price
	Best Budget Shark SV1106	Lightweight Easy to Empty	Check Price
	Best for Carpet Dyson V11 Animal	Powerful Suction Good Battery Life	Check Price
	Best Robot ILIFE V5s Pro	Quiet Spot Cleaning	Check Price
	Best Handheld Shark CH951	Easy to Store Washable Filter	Check Price

Reviews

1. Best Overall Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair : Tineco Floor One S3 Cordless Hardwood Floor Cleaner

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Mop and vacuum your hard floors in one go with this 2-in-1 model from Tineco.

You’ll save time and money using just one appliance. Plus this upright vacuum is self-propelled so it requires minimum effort to move around!

This vacuum has smart sensor technology so it knows whether it’s cleaning up your dry pet hair or wet pet messes. And it has a noise reduction feature, so it won’t disturb your household or neighbors.

Plus, it cleans itself! You don’t need to get your hands dirty, but at the push of a button, the brush roll and water lines are washed and flushed so it’s ready to go next time.

What We Like

Great for All Pet Messes

Customers loved that this vacuum could quickly clean up all the messes left behind by their pets. They could easily remove wet stains and dry debris such as fur without having to get a separate mop out.

Floors Dry Quickly

Feedback suggests that you don’t need to wait a long time for your floors to dry afterward. Only a small amount of water is used so your flooring is ready to use again very quickly.

Added Extras

Users appreciated getting an extra HEPA filter and a spare brush roll so that they had replacements once the first ones needed changing. And you also get a bottle of cleaning solution and a handy cleaning tool.

What We Don’t Like

Not Good at Cleaning Edges

Some customers said that they couldn’t maneuver this upright vacuum to clean into tight corners and along the edges and baseboards of their floors.

2. Best Budget Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair : Shark Navigator Freestyle Premium Upright Cordless Vacuum

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You don’t need to spend a fortune on a cordless vacuum that’s strong enough to get rid of pet dander.

This Shark Navigator model has a powerful motorized brush roll that will lift pet hair even when it’s embedded in carpet fibers.

The dust cup has an extra-large capacity so you don’t need to worry about emptying it that often. And it’s easy to store as the charging station doubles as a storage block.

The brush roll has two-speed settings, so it’ll effectively pick up pet debris whether it’s from carpeted or hard floors.

Plus, this budget vacuum has swivel steering, which allows you to maneuver it easily around couches and tables.

What We Like

Price

Customers thought that this upright vacuum was priced well. They said that it offered good value for money as it was affordable but still powerful enough to suck up pet hair – even when they had several cats and dogs that were shedding!

Read Also: Best Shark Vacuums for Pet hair in 2023

Lightweight

Many users said that this vacuum was light compared to other bulkier, upright vacuums they’d owned. It was easy to move around their homes and up and down the stairs.

Easy to Empty

The dust bin has a large capacity and is also very easy to empty into your trash can, according to feedback. You only need to press a couple of buttons and the debris will fall out, keeping your hands clean.

What We Don’t Like

Charging Light

Several customers said how annoyed they were at the bright, blue flashing light that is on when the vacuum is on the charging dock. And it didn’t even turn off once the battery was fully recharged.

3. Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair on Carpet : Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum

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Our Ratings

• Maneuverability 3.5/5
• Performance 4/5
• Maintenance 5/5

Read Full Review: Dyson V11 Animal Vacuum Review

Power up this Dyson V11 Animal cordless stick vacuum and get your carpets free of pet hair!

It’s got twice the suction power of any other cordless stick vacuum, offering you easy but effective deep cleaning on your carpeted floors.

Dyson has designed this model with larger homes with several pets in mind, as the brush head covers a wide cleaning path.

And their filters will trap those finer particles of pet dander that you can’t see, capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns.

Plus, you’ll get a mini motorized tool, a crevice tool, a stubborn dirt brush, and a combination tool. So you’ll be well-equipped to tackle tougher pet messes without having to buy any extra attachments.

What We Like

Powerful Suction

Customers were impressed with how well this cordless stick vacuum sucked up all their pet hair, even from thick carpets. It seemed to have more suction power than other upright or corded models they’d had, especially when they put it into the boost mode.

LED Displays

Users appreciated the intuitive LED light screen displays. These let them know how much battery life was left, what mode they were using, and reminded them when the filters needed maintenance.

Good Battery Life

The powerful 7-cell lithium ion battery that comes with the Dyson V11 Animal model allows for a lot of cleaning in one go, according to customer feedback. Many said that it had a longer battery life than previous Dyson models or other brands they’d used before.

What We Don’t Like

Uncomfortable Handle/Switch

Some weren’t happy that there was no on/off switch, but rather you have to continually hold down the power button while vacuuming. This made gripping the handle/switch uncomfortable after some time and users would’ve liked a more ergonomic hold.

4. Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair : ILIFE V5s Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop

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Invest in ILIFE’s robot and let this vacuum do the hard work for you! This affordable product is a 2-in-1 mop and vacuum cleaner that’ll make life easier for pet owners.

The unique suction inlet is designed specifically to make sure that pet hair and debris are effectively sucked up and put into the dust bin.

And it has different modes that offer a deep cleaning option or an edge mode so you can clean along your baseboards.

Plus, this robot knows when it’s low on charge – it returns itself to the docking station to recharge! And with a maximum cleaning time of around 110 minutes, you can cover large areas in one go.

What We Like

Quiet

Many users were pleased with how quiet this vacuum was compared to other robot vacuums. It didn’t scare their pets while they were cleaning up their hair!

Great Customer Service

Consumers were happy with how customer service responded to their requests. They were helpful, quick to reply, and happy to send out replacement parts if needed.

Great for Spot Cleaning

Feedback suggests that the spot mode was a plus point. Users liked this feature for quick and easy cleaning of wet and dry pet messes.

What We Don’t Like

Tends to Get Stuck

Several customers said that this robot vac got stuck, especially when moving from bare floors to carpeted areas. And it didn’t move as well over high pile carpet as it did over wooden or tiled surfaces.

5. Best Handheld Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair : Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum UltraCyclone Pet Pro+

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“Ultra-powerful suction. Long-lasting performance”. This is Shark’s promise for their cordless handheld vacuum. Plus this model has a motorized cleaner head and two very powerful cyclonic air streams for “incredible pet hair pickup”.

The brush roll also cleans itself, so you don’t need to worry about all the pet hair getting tangled and causing clogging.

And you get a crevice tool and a scrubbing brush to clean in awkward spots and tackle tougher pet stains.

The lithium ion battery will give you a decent amount of continuous runtime for a handheld vacuum. And Shark’s CleanTouch dirt ejector means that you won’t get your hands dirty when emptying the dust canister.

What We Like

Versatility

Many users found this Shark model to be an invaluable asset for completing their chores. The tools it comes with and the fact that it’s extremely lightweight means that you can easily carry it around to clean anywhere – including your furniture and in the car.

Easy to Store

This small and compact handheld vacuum won’t take up much space in your cupboard. It’s easy to store and also easy to get out as and when needed due to its light weight.

Washable Filter

Customers liked that they could easily take out the filter and wash it before the next use. This helped the vacuum’s performance and also saved them money on having to buy replacement filters as often.

What We Don’t Like

Small Bin Capacity

Customers said that the dust bin was easy to empty, but several weren’t happy with how often they had to do this.

The volume of the dirt canister is small, as is to be expected with a handheld vacuum, but something to consider if you have a large, busy household.

What To Look For In A Cordless Vacuum For Pet Hair

Types

Think about your cleaning needs – the size of the areas you need to cover, how often you’ll be vacuuming, and how heavy or light you want the appliance to be.

Different types of cordless vacs will suit different individuals and their different households.

Upright Vacuum Cleaner

These are the most common type of vacuum and have an upright, vertical design with a long handle. Upright vacs have a dirt bag or cup that collects the dust and debris you clean up.

They should be easy to push around your home. Although keep an eye on the weight – some models can be heavy and then they’re more difficult to maneuver around and lift, for example, up your stairs.

Upright cordless vacuums are a great choice for getting rid of pet hair. They are powerful and will work well on different floor types, including thick and thin carpets, and bare floors.

Plus, many models come with attachments specifically designed to suck up pet hair. And some also have special tools for removing pet fur from your furniture.

Stick Vacuum Cleaner

A cordless stick vac looks similar to an upright. But you’ll get the added functionality of a handheld vac – so they’re a 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner.

You’ll usually have a special attachment for removing pet hair that fits onto the handheld part. And some of the best cordless stick vacuums will come with features on the head attached to the stick handle that are also ideal for cleaning up pet messes.

Having both vacuums in one can save you storage space. But, even the best cordless stick vacuum can be a little top-heavy. And therefore harder to use. Plus they’re usually not as powerful as uprights.

Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

Handheld vacuums are the most lightweight type and you can carry them anywhere for cleaning pet hair from your floors, upholstery, and in the car.

These models are great for on-the-spot cleanups. Due to their smaller and more compact size, they’re quick and easy to get out while you’re on the go.

A handheld vacuum cleaner is smaller than upright and stick models. Therefore, the dust bin capacity is less.

So you won’t get as much vacuuming done before you need to empty the dust bin or bag. Most handhelds hold an average of just about 15 ounces of dirt.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Whether you have several pets or just one that sheds a lot, a robot vac can help you keep on top of cleaning up pet dander. This type of vacuum cleaner is very intuitive and designed to do your cleaning chores for you.

Robot vacuums can be controlled by a remote or via an app on your smartphone, or set on a schedule to clean your house regularly. They’ll go around your house themselves and suck up any pet hair and debris.

They don’t have as large a bin capacity as upright and stick models. But, some robots will self-empty so you won’t need to worry about emptying the dust canister very often.

But, some robotic models can struggle to navigate their way around busy homes. So look at their exact functionality before buying.

Battery

Check how long the battery of the cordless vacuum lasts, and whether there’s a second battery or not. If you have large areas to clean, you’ll want to know that the vacuum will last long enough for you to do your jobs in one go.

Having two batteries that you can recharge on a charger that’s separate from the vacuum cleaner is ideal. You’ll then have enough power for your vacuum to carry out longer cleaning chores.

And, see how long the batteries take to recharge once they’re out of power. Some models will take only an hour or so, whereas others will take several hours.

Plus, be wary of vacuums with higher-powered cleaning settings as these can drain the batteries more than normal-powered settings.

Suction Power

Look at how strong the suction is on the cordless vacuum. For cleaning up pet hair, the more powerful the vacuum is, the better.

Stubborn pet hair fibers can get embedded in your carpet, furniture, and floors. So you need a vacuum cleaner that’s strong enough to suck up and remove these fibers.

If you find a model that’s got high suction levels, you’ll know that it’ll be able to clean up the tiny particles that are left behind by your pets.

Air flow or suction power is normally measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute). This is the force exerted by moving air that picks up debris and dirt before moving it into the dust bag or canister of your vacuum.

Therefore, more powerful vacuum cleaners will have a higher CFM rating. But this also means that they’ll probably cost more.

Dyson uses an airwatts measurement to rate the flow and suction power of their products.

Filters

See what type of filter the cordless vacuum cleaner has. All models will have them, but you want to look out for those with the best types of filters.

These will be those with HEPA filters. These trap more dirt than other filter types, and much smaller dirt particles – they’ll trap 99.97% of all airborne particles and any particles that are 0.3 microns in size ⁽¹⁾.

So you know that you’ll be removing dust, pollen, mold, animal dander, and other bacteria particles from the air in your home if you buy a vacuum that has a HEPA filter.

Therefore, if you have allergy sufferers in your household, this filter type can really make a difference.

But, make sure that it’s a true HEPA filter and not a HEPA-type filter that doesn’t meet the same standards. True HEPA filters will have a serial or certification number that marks them out as authentic.

Finally, also check whether the filter is washable or not. Washable filters are ideal and save you money on having to buy new filters as often as disposable ones.

Capacity

Check what the capacity of the dust bag or bin is. The more dirt and debris it’ll hold, the less time you’ll spend emptying it.

Pet owners know how much hair their animals can shed! So if you’ve got large quantities to pick up, you should opt for a higher capacity, which will give you more time for cleaning and less time emptying the dirt canister.

Also, if you have a large home, a bigger capacity is beneficial. You’ll then be able to clean lots of floor space before having to empty your vacuum cleaner.

But, if you have a small house and perhaps only one pet, a smaller capacity will be sufficient.

Attachments

Look at what extra accessories come with the cordless vacuums. Tools or attachments that are designed specifically for cleaning pet hair will be a good addition to your cleaning arsenal.

An upholstery tool, crevice tool, or special brushes will help you in tackling pet hair. Motorized brushes or dust brushes can be particularly effective in getting rid of pet debris from all floor surfaces.

Plus, these tools will also capture dander, pollen, and other tiny bacteria particles that you can’t see. So they can really help in households where there are allergy sufferers.

Some attachments will also assist you in reaching awkward spaces. For example, a crevice tool is great for getting into tight corners and cleaning along baseboards.

In addition, check what the brush roll is like. You want the brush head to have bristles that are capable of picking up hair from hardwood floors and carpeted areas.

But, you don’t want the brush roller to get tangled and clogged with all the pet hair the vacuum is picking up.
So, look for brands that have a brush head that’s self-cleaning or tangle-free. Or see if you can buy this type of brush as an extra attachment.