The best stick, upright, and robot vacuums for pet hair

Forever a crowd pleaser, Dyson's Ball technology takes its latest upright form in the Animal 2 Total Clean. It administers some of Dyson's best suction power and was specifically designed to tackle pet messes.  It's not cordless or compact, but is easy to whip around. 

Featuring a self-adjusting cleaning head, the base plate automatically raises and lowers to lock in suction across differences floor surfaces. It also has a washable, reusable filter, easy bin emptying, and an extra-long hose that quickly pulls out from the vacuum’s side to clean blinds or ceilings. 

The most unique feature of this bagless, upright vac is the Lift-Away canister. Simply push a button and the main canister lifts away from the main body of the vacuum, turning it into a portable cleaning powerhouse that’s perfect for going after pet hair—and just about anything else—on stairs, upholstery, and other hard-to-reach spots. 

The Navigator boasts a sealed system and a HEPA filter to trap the dust and allergens left behind by pets. The roller brush turns on and off with the push of a button, so it seamlessly transitions between carpet and bare floor. And although it’s low in price, it doesn’t skimp on accessories.

A transparent dustbin showcases just how furry your floors are, but not until afterward. The Dyson V15 Detect uses a laser to point out dirty spots during vacuuming — a plus for allergy sufferers seeking out that damn dander.

The green light illuminates the specks lying ahead on your hardwood, tile, or laminate floors, offering some direction past the visible debris that your naked eye can see. The V15 tackles that dust with suction on the high end of the stick spectrum and a slim cleaner head to slide under furniture.

A robot vacuum priced like a MacBook Pro had better do some serious sucking. The S9+ has some of the strongest on the market, boosting power on carpet. This pricey Roomba also crushes other pet-related criteria with dual rubber brushes to prevent tangling, a HEPA filter, and a flat edge to scoop furballs that hang out in corners. It even maps your home and can be sent to specific rooms, like the one where the litter box is kept.

Cleaning up after multiple shedding pets probably means more frequent dust bin emptying. The S9+ (along with a few cheaper-but-circular Roombas) alleviates that chore by emptying itself into a Clean Base that holds a few months worth of debris.

Miele is to the world of vacuums what Mercedes-Benz is to cars—a well-made, uber-luxurious German brand that’s been trusted for decades for its performance. 

The Marin tackles pet hair with ease. It comes with two cleaning heads, an electrobrush for carpeting (with LED lighting, so you can see all your grossness!), and a Parquet Twister head with super soft bristles. Switch to the automatic setting to tell the motor to adjust its suction according to floor type.

This Eufy is packed with power for the price — and for the size. The brand’s slimmest option can nudge itself under low-clearance furniture for fur balls out of plain sight. 

The 1300 Pa suction isn't wildly impressive, but it does give the motor enough room to clock 100 minutes of run time on one charge. It’s equipped with sensors that detect when extra suction power is needed (like spots with pet hair buildup) and boost the vac for 1.5 seconds.

It's always nice to have a handheld vacuum on hand for spot cleaning those hairy couch corners. The cordless Shark Wandvac stirs some serious suction for its compact, modern shape and is over $100 cheaper than Dyson's beastly handheld.

The Wandcac performs pretty excellently on pet hair on bare floors and upholstery using high-speed brushless motor and streamlined airflow. It's comfortable to hold and can be attached to a Shark stick vacuum to go full size.