The 4 Best Vacuums for Pet Hair in 2025
Keeping your home clean when you own pets can be a constant battle against hair. Finding a vacuum that effectively tackles pet hair while also withstanding the demands of everyday life is crucial.
A subpar vacuum can quickly become more of a burden than a help, requiring constant maintenance and failing to deliver the deep clean you need.
Based on my thorough reviews, this guide explores the best vacuums for pet hair across different categories.
The Best Water Vacuum – Hyla EST
Pros:
- No filters to replace
- Powerful cleaning, but easy to maintain
- Also works as an air purifier
Cons:
- Not cheap – but a long-term investment
- Bulky and heavy, especially when filled with water
Water vacuums, though less common, offer superior cleaning power, particularly for pet hair. The Hyla EST stands out as a top contender, boasting strong suction and an integrated air purifier to tackle both surfaces and airborne particles.
Unlike traditional vacuums with physical filters, the Hyla EST utilizes a water reservoir to capture dust and dirt. Simply fill it with water, turn it on, and watch it efficiently trap debris. This filterless design eliminates the need for costly replacements, making it a long-term investment.
Cleaning is straightforward: scoop out larger debris, discard it, and empty the dirty water.
However, the high price tag may be a barrier for budget-conscious buyers. Additionally, the water-filled unit can be heavy to maneuver, although multi-directional wheels provide some assistance.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the Hyla EST is an excellent choice for those seeking a highly effective and long-lasting vacuum for their home and willing to invest in its premium price.
The Best Upright Vacuum – Shark APEX DuoClean Zero-M
Pros:
- DuoClean brush roll works well at picking up pet hair and litter scatter
- Zero-M technology stops hair from wrapping around the brush roll
- ActiveGlide helps maneuver the vacuum around the home
Cons:
- Not the lightest vacuum – it’s a workout to use it
- Quite large – takes up a fair amount of storage space
- No bag – so hard if you have a flea infestation
I’ve been using the Shark APEX Zero-M vacuum for a while now, and it’s really stood the test of time. One of its standout features is the Zero-M Technology, which helps prevent hair from getting tangled on the brush roll. While it’s worked well for me, results can vary among users.
What’s impressive is how well it handles pet hair and scattered litter across different floor types. Whether it’s hardwood, tile, or carpets, this vacuum handles everything without any trouble. Plus, the slider on the handle makes it easy to switch between floor types.
However, there are a few things to consider. While maneuverable, it feels a bit heavy, especially on bare floors.
On the positive side, the accessories it comes with—the crevice tool, pet multi-tool, and motorized pet tool—are pretty helpful and cover various cleaning needs. And the light is super-helpful for spotting pet hair that’s managed to find its way into different nooks and crannies.
Read my Shark APEX DuoClean Zero-M Review
The Best Cordless Vacuum – Dyson V8 Animal
Pros:
- Super lightweight, so good for anyone with limited strength/mobility
- Long pole makes it easy to reach high surfaces
Cons:
- Limited bin size – needs regular emptying
- Battery won’t last for an entire home clean
- Trigger-operated – no on/off option
Dyson is Shark’s main rival in the vacuum market, and their range of cordless stick products are some of the best you can buy. They aren’t as powerful as an upright model. Still, the Dyson V8 Animal has enough ‘oomph’ to pick up pet hair and other debris your cats are leaving scattered around.
The V8 Animal is a few years old now, and there are newer models you can buy. However, it’s still a great choice, and it means you aren’t paying top dollar, especially if you can find a refurbished second-hand model that’s been cared for and properly maintained.
It’s lightweight and easy to use, with flexible options – you can use the attachments with the long pole for reaching higher surfaces or remove the pole to convert it into a handheld vacuum perfect for the couch, the mattress, or anything else.
The bin size isn’t great, and the battery doesn’t last long, so if you’re trying to clean your whole home, you might need to pause to recharge it, which can take a while.
And there’s no on-off switch – a trigger operates it, so if you have arthritis or anything else that could cause your finger to hurt if held in one position, then it’s not the best choice.
If you have the budget, it’s an excellent choice for a secondary vacuum for spot-cleaning when you don’t want to break out the larger main vacuum. But if you’re hunting for a primary vacuum, consider whether the pros outweigh the cons.
Read my Dyson V8 Animal Review
The Best Robot Vacuum – Uoni V980 Plus
Pros:
- Automated cleaning – needs minimal input from you
- Control it from your smartphone
- The mop function gives a light cleaning on hard floors
Cons:
- It can cause a mess when running automated programs if your cat vomits or has diarrhea.
- Loud when self-emptying – could spook your pets.
The Uoni V980 is an excellent option if you want a robot vacuum. It’ll clean your floors, letting you control everything from your phone. You can set perimeters for it, so it only cleans where you want it to, and it even has a mop function that’ll give hard floors a light polish, too.
The problem with many robot vacuums is that they have a limited capacity, but the Uoni V980 gets around that by being a self-emptying model. This means it has a docking station with a bin – once the vacuum is full, it’ll return to the station, empty its contents into the bag in the bin, and then resume where it left off.
This process is loud, which is one of the drawbacks – your cats might get spooked by it, so be careful where you place it. You don’t want the docking station near a litter tray.
The docking station also serves as a recharging point, so the vacuum is quite self-sufficient. It’ll charge itself and empty itself, and all you need to do is change the back in the docking unit every 30 days or so.
While you can set the vacuum to run automatically, you do need to be careful with this. If your cat is unwell and has left any ‘mess’ in your home, the vacuum will drag it around the floor, making the problem much worse (and giving you the headache of cleaning the vacuum itself, too).
For that reason, stick to manual operation, especially since it’s only a tap of a smartphone to set it running.
Which To Buy?
There’s no single answer on which is the best vacuum for pet hair in 2024 because it depends on the size of your home and your mobility.
The Shark APEX is a good choice for an all-round vacuum, whereas the Dyson V8 Animal is perfect for anyone who wants something lightweight or cord-free.
The Uoni V980 is also a great option if you don’t have the time to vacuum manually or struggle to use even a cordless stick model.
The Hyla EST is an excellent choice if you want a vacuum that offers deep cleaning and can help improve your home’s air quality. It is the most expensive option on this list, but it’s dependable and will likely last many years.
It is a lot of effort to use for spot cleaning, so if you can combine it with a handheld vacuum or even a cordless stick like the Dyson V8, then you’ll have the perfect pair, though if you only want one, the Hyla EST would be the better choice for tackling the whole home.
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
