11 best vacuums for cleaning up pet hair in 2023

Shark vacuums are generally better built than BISSELL’s comparable offerings and deliver better overall performance. However, some BISSELL models are a little easier to maintain—many new Shark models use non-removable brushrolls that can be a hassle to clean properly. Cordless vacuum warranties will vary by manufacturer and by model, but the majority of models we’ve tested will offer at least a year of coverage, if not two.

The vacuum has a 35-foot cord and its construction allows you to easily swivel around furniture, according to the brand. The appliance offers three cleaning bissell handheld vacuum modes that adjust suction power for different floor types. This corded Dirt Devil model is one of the most affordable vacuums we recommend.

bissell cordless vacuum

Dyson vacuums tend to occupy a much higher price point than BISSELL’s offerings, which is reflected in generally superior performance and better build quality. That said, BISSELL’s selection of corded models is far more extensive than what Dyson offers. However, they’re a must for those who experience allergy symptoms when exposed to pet dander, dust and other microscopic allergens on cat and dog hair, says Carl Prouty, product specialist at Abt, an appliance and electronics store. We run each vacuum in a straight line across three different surfaces (hardwood, low-pile carpet and midpile carpet). Say hello to the best Dyson cordless vacuum, the Dyson V15 Detect.

Not surprisingly, the V15 Detect was a powerful performer in our tests, particularly in our sand tests, where it removed the largest overall total of sand from our hardwood, low-pile carpet, and mid-pile carpet test floors. It was our No. 1 finisher on low-pile carpet, with a sand score of 93% and another perfect 100% with the black rice. It’s a strong performer on plushier, mid-pile carpet, too, which is our most difficult test. The Pure One S11 finished in third here, gathering up 78% of the sand and, once again, 100% of the black rice. In our exclusive CR surveys, more than 40 percent of battery-powered stick vacs owned by our members developed problems with the battery within the first five years of ownership. Corded stick vacuums do not have this issue, which is why we give separate reliability ratings for cordless and corded stick vacuum brands.

This vacuum’s LED headlights illuminated pet hair I’d previously been missing and the powerful suction cleaned it up quickly. Beyond getting rid of hair, this vacuum easily sucks up cat food crumbs and cat litter, too. I love that the vacuum can sense dirt and automatically adjusts its suction power accordingly. The vacuum’s LED screen also shows you a status report with information like whether the brush roll is tangled or the air channel is blocked.

Versatility was essential — only vacuums that could serve double duty by cleaning bare surfaces such as wood and tile, as well as carpet or rugs, made the cut. All of the cordless vacuums we tested were between 4 and 7 pounds, but none was so heavy that it affected our recommendation. All of the vacuums on this list were also very similar in height and overall size. The Dyson models are both roughly 49 inches, while the Tineco A11 is shorter at just 43 inches tall. Other factors considered were how easy the vacuum is to handle and store.

Tech improvements are making cordless vacuums just as powerful as a corded upright. The Dyson V11 Animal is the top-of-the-line cordless vacuum with double the suction power of all its competitors. However, the battery is only capable of running for 60 minutes maximum, with shorter time results reported from customers. “Pet hair eraser” bissell cordless vacuum is an accurate way to describe Bissell’s hand vacuums. I’ve used a few different models and have always been impressed by how quickly and efficiently they’re able to get hair off surfaces like carpets, pet beds, wood floors and car seats. This cordless handheld vacuum gives you up to 17 minutes of run time on a single charge.

For faster cleanups, a cordless vacuum is easy to handle and may be all you need. You may notice we don’t mention amps or motor specs in our best vacuum cleaners guide. That’s because more motor power doesn’t mean a vacuum can deep clean better. The amperage of a vacuum cleaner motor only measures electrical current, not how well it performs.

Aside from switching out the tanks, you can just sit back and relax while it hustles around your room doing all the work for you. It’s a great maintenance cleaner, first vacuuming hard floors and area rugs to remove surface dust, then scrubbing hard floors to get them clean and shiny. In our tests, it cleaned hardwood and tile floors thoroughly getting all the way up to the tight corners and picking up pet hair and dry debris we didn’t even know was there. This corded upright has a tangle-free brush roll and a hair spooling system in the dust cup that makes pet (and human) hair pickup — and the inevitable cleaning of the vacuum after — a breeze.