Vacuums for Families with Pets

There are a wide variety of vacuum models and brands to choose from, but some are better than others when it comes to dog and cat hair. If you have pets and are looking for a good vacuum to easily clean up animal hair, look below for some of the best options to choose from.

Dyson Animal

Perhaps one of the best overall vacuums around (and, at the cost of around $480-500, probably the most expensive), the Dyson Animal is also one of the best bagless vacuums specifically for pet hair. Its Level 3 Root Cyclone technology has outdone even previous Dyson models, it doesn't lose suction power over time and picks up just about every particle from all kinds of flooring. A slight downside is that it can be pretty heavy when trying to lift it and carry it around, but when pushing and sliding it around it's nearly effortless. It also comes with a HEPA filter that clears airborne particles, and a 5-year warranty.

Bissell Lift-Off Revolution Pet Vac

This vacuum can be found for around the price of $170, and is much more than worth its price when it comes to overall cleaning power and hair cleanup. It's a 12-amp bagless vacuum that is designed specifically for cleaning pet hair off of any floor surface, with a HEPA filter that captures airborne allergens and particles. This appliance can be rather heavy, but you don't have to worry about lifting so much - it even comes with a detachable canister that you can pull out to clean your stairs or other high or hard-to-reach places. When it comes to actual suction power, almost nothing - especially animal fur - can get past it.

iRobot Roomba

This vacuum may be small, but it is very unique - not only will it do your cleaning for you, but it does an amazing job when it comes to all kinds of hair and other particles. It doesn't matter what type of floor you're trying to clean - carpet, wood, tile, etc. - and no matter how large or small of an area you need to cover, the iRobot Roomba will do the job. It even has its own sensors that detect not only dirt and hair you might not even notice, and calculate the time needed to spend on cleaning a particular area, but it is also able to detect drops so it won't fall from anywhere and break. It also has a bagless debris bin, which you may need to empty out after the first half hour of vacuuming, but only if there is a lot of mess to clean up. If you do touch-up jobs you probably won't need to pay attention to it for awhile. Included is a battery charger and filter pack. The $150 average price for this intelligent vacuum is more than worth it!

Swiffer Sweeper + Vac

At $35 this is definitely the cheapest and lowest-quality "vacuum" on the list, but I feel it must be mentioned because cleaning up fine debris and pet hair is something it is amazing at. It is not great as a deep-cleaning vacuum, and it probably shouldn't even be considered a real vacuum, but if the main thing you want is just to swipe up some hair or clean smaller areas or your kitchen floor, then this is worth considering. Especially if you're not looking to spend a whole lot. It's 10.5 amp power is pretty decent considering the price and compact size. It also doubles as a broom - you just attach a dry cloth to the head, sweep up what you want, then turn on the vacuum and go over it again. It comes with a battery charger and two disposable dry cloths. The real downside of this is that it doesn't work so well on carpets. You can use the vacuum to suck up some noticeable things, but it does its best work on hard floors. This sweeper vacuum can be found at just about any mass retailer.