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7 Best Lightweight Vacuum for Pet Hair – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

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By Nicole Cosgrove

german shepherd dog domestic shorthair cat on carpet smiling happy

We all love our pets, but no one loves pet hair that gets all over everything. Though you can vacuum it up, pet hair takes a toll on your vacuum because of the static electricity that makes it stick to all fabric surfaces.

Fortunately, there are lightweight vacuums designed specifically for pet owners to pick up pet hair from the heaviest of shedders. These vacuums often have specialized features to break the static cling and lift hair from surfaces, as well as designs that prevent pet hair from ravaging the internal components and burning out your vacuum. They also weigh less than 20 pounds.

From hardwood to vinyl to deep pile carpet, here are the seven best lightweight vacuums for pet hair, based on reviews from pet owners like you.

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A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Black + Decker POWERSERIES Extreme Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner Black + Decker POWERSERIES Extreme Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
  • Angle floorhead
  • Hands-free emptying
  • Anti-tangle bar
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Black + Decker Furbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum for Pets Black + Decker Furbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum for Pets
  • Affordable
  • Good for cars
  • Long run time
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
  • Laser illumination
  • Washable brushes
  • Special pet hair tools
  • Kenmore Pet-Friendly Upright Vacuum Kenmore Pet-Friendly Upright Vacuum
  • Certified by AAFA A
  • ir-powered hand tool with rotating brush
  • Powerful motor
  • Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Vacuum Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Vacuum
  • Patented design for pet hair
  • Hands-free emptying
  • Sealed to trap allergens
  • The 7 Best Lightweight Vacuums for Pet Hair

    1. Black + Decker POWERSERIES Extreme Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner – Best Overall

    Black + Decker POWERSERIES Extreme Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

    Check Price on Chewy
    Weight: 10.53 lbs
    Cord Length: N/A
    Cord Type: Cordless
    Bag Type: Bagless
    Filter Type: Washable

    The Black + Decker POWERSERIES Extreme Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is the best overall lightweight vacuum for pet hair. It features an angled floorhead that adjusts for area rugs, carpets, tile, and hardwood floors and captures pet hair, dust, and other debris. The anti-tangle brush bar with rubber bristles helps the vacuum suck up pet hair without getting clogged up.

    With its front-facing dust bin and built-in twist-to-clean filter, you can conveniently empty the bin and maintain strong suction. The battery is removable for charging and replacement, and this vacuum runs over an hour on battery power. It also features a light indicator for battery life. Reviewers were happy with the vacuum overall. Some reviewers complained about the assembly and struggled with tangles in the bin.

    Pros
    • Angle floorhead
    • Hands-free emptying
    • Anti-tangle bar

    Cons
    • Difficult assembly
    • Hair may tangle in the bins


    2. Black + Decker Furbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum for Pets – Best Value

    Black + Decker Furbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum for Pets

    Weight: 4.2 lbs
    Cord Length: N/A
    Cord Type: Cordless
    Bag Type: Bagless
    Filter Type: Washable filter and pre-filter

    Another Black + Decker model makes the top of our list, and for good reason. The Furbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum for Pets is an affordable, convenient option for cleaning up quickly around your home or in your car. It features a motorized pet brush tool with rubber bristles to lift pet hair off carpeting and upholstery. It also has an extendable crevice tool that makes it easy to clean hard-to-reach areas.

    Though you can run the battery-powered vacuum for up to 32 minutes, it takes four hours to charge. There’s no removable battery, so you need to plug the vacuum in while it charges. When the battery dies permanently, you have to replace the entire vacuum. Generally, this vacuum got great reviews for a handheld option to complement a full-size vacuum.

    Pros
    • Affordable
    • Good for cars
    • Long run time

    Cons
    • Long charge time
    • No replacement battery option


    3. Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner – Premium Choice

    Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

    Weight: 6.9 lbs
    Cord Length: N/A
    Cord Type: Cordless
    Bag Type: Bagless
    Filter Type: HEPA

    Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is the premium choice for its lightweight design and a laser that illuminates dust and other debris for a deep clean. The fluffy brush picks up hair and dust from carpeting and hard surfaces, and the LCD screen shows how big or small each particle is. For pet hair, the vacuum has a screw tool that balls up pet hair and deposits it into the bin without tangling it around the brush.

    The vacuum also automatically adjusts the suction power depending on the floor type, offering stronger suction for deep carpets and upholstery. Both the filter and the brushes are washable. Unfortunately, the dust bin is smaller than most full-sized vacuums, so you may have to empty it more often.

    Pros
    • Laser illumination
    • Washable brushes
    • Special pet hair tools

    Cons
    • Small dust bin


    4. Kenmore Pet-Friendly Upright Vacuum

    Kenmore Pet-Friendly Upright Vacuum

    Weight: 19 lbs
    Cord Length: 30 feet
    Cord Type: Corded
    Bag Type: Bag
    Filter Type: HEPA

    The Kenmore Pet-Friendly Upright Vacuum is another great choice for sucking up pet hair. It not only helps with pet hair, but it has a HEPA filter that’s certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA) to help manage pet allergies in your home. It not only passed AAFA tests for low emissions but it’s designed to keep allergens inside the vacuum.

    The dust cup has a large capacity to help you vacuum longer and a variety of tools to vacuum different surfaces. Reviewers were pleased with the features and performance, particularly the powerful motor and air-powered hand tool with the rotating brush for stubborn pet hair. That said, it is missing some features that other vacuums have, such as auto height adjustments for floor types and a retractable cord. Some reviewers struggled with the weight as well.

    Pros
    • Certified by AAFA
    • Air-powered hand tool with rotating brush
    • Powerful motor

    Cons
    • Lacks common features
    • May be heavy


    5. Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Vacuum

    Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Vacuum

    Weight: 13.75 lbs
    Cord Length: 30 feet
    Cord Type: Corded
    Bag Type: Bagless
    Filter Type: Washable foam and non-washable pleated

    The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Vacuum is an excellent option for pet hair. Like many Bissell products, this vacuum features powerful suction and a patented hair spooling system that works inside the canister to prevent pet hair from clogging the bristles. It also features a mess-free dust cup that’s easy to empty without using your hands.

    There are several other convenience features for this vacuum, including a seal to trap allergens inside and prevent them from ending up back in your indoor air. It’s corded, but the hose reaches seven feet to help you get hair and dust out of hard-to-reach areas. Though it is lightweight, some reviewers said it was too heavy to lift and move around, especially around stairs.

    Pros
    • Patented design for pet hair
    • Hands-free emptying
    • Sealed to trap allergens

    Cons
    • May be too heavy


    6. Dyson V10 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

    Dyson V10 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

    Weight: 5.71 lbs
    Cord Length: N/A
    Cord Type: Cordless
    Bag Type: Bagless
    Filter Type: Washable

    Dyson V10 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is a lightweight, easy-to-maneuver cordless vacuum that offers powerful suction, especially on carpeted surfaces. There are several attachments to adapt to different surfaces and clean out-of-reach areas. It also converts to a handheld cleaner for cleaning your upholstered furniture or car interiors. There are three cleaning modes to adjust the power as you need it.

    Unlike heavier upright vacuums, this lightweight option is easy to take around your home or out to your vehicle and works well for people with poor mobility. That said, it doesn’t stand up on its own, even up against a wall, and you will need the included wall-mounted dock to keep it upright.

    Pros
    • Powerful suction
    • Adjustable power
    • Plenty of attachments

    Cons
    • Doesn’t stand on its own


    7. eufy RoboVac 15C Max

    eufy RoboVac 15C Max

    Weight: 6 lbs
    Cord Length: N/A
    Cord Type: Cordless
    Bag Type: Bagless
    Filter Type: Non-washable

    The eufy RoboVac 15C Max is an excellent option if you want a hands-off robotic vacuum to take on the bulk of the work. Most robotic vacuums can’t handle pet hair, especially on carpets, but this affordable robot vacuum removes pet hair from carpeting and hardwood floors. It’s quiet, efficient, and runs almost two hours on one charge before returning to its charging base automatically. Once it finishes charging, however, it doesn’t automatically resume vacuuming.

    The eufy robot vacuum has a low profile to go under beds, couches, and other furniture and collect pet hair. It also features BoostIQ Technology to increase suction power if it notices extra cleaning is needed and sensors to keep it from bumping into furniture or falling down the stairs. Despite being budget-friendly, this robot vacuum lacks some of the features that comparable vacuums have.

    Pros
    • Great for pet hair
    • Works on all floor types
    • Automatically returns to base

    Cons
    • Doesn’t resume automatically
    • Lacks some features

    Divider-Dog bone- New

    Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Lightweight Vacuum for Pet Hair

    There are many options for lightweight vacuums that work on pet hair. Here are some things to consider when choosing the right one for your needs:

    Size & Weight

    Portability is important when you’re shopping for a vacuum, especially if you have mobility issues. Many of the vacuums specifically designed for pet hair are under 10 pounds, allowing you to move them around easily and get those hard-to-reach areas. The tradeoff is that these vacuums tend to have smaller bins, so you have to empty them more often. If you have a large area to vacuum, however, it may be better to go with a full-size upright vacuum with a full canister that doesn’t need to be emptied as often.

    dog is watching the cleaning in the house with a vacuum cleaner
    Image Credit: O_Lypa, Shutterstock

    Cord or Cordless?

    A corded vacuum lets you clean for hours without running out of battery power, but they’re less convenient than a battery-powered vacuum. You also can’t use them in your car. But if you plan on using your vacuum just in the house and you don’t mind maneuvering with a long cord, a full-sized corded upright may be the best option.

    Bag or Bagless?

    Dust cups or bags may not be the first thing that comes to mind for you, but this is an important consideration. You will need to empty your vacuum often to keep up with the pet hair, so a vacuum with a small bin can get annoying quickly. Also, if you have allergies, the bag or dust bin plays a role in how many allergens end up going back into your home after you empty the vacuum.

    Filter Type

    Filters are important for keeping the dust and dander from recirculating back into the air. They also help to neutralize pet odors in your home. If you have a lot of pets or allergies, models with a multi-layer filtration system can trap more debris and keep it inside the vacuum. HEPA filters are the ideal choice for severe allergies.

    cat is looking at vacuum cleaner of her owner while she is cleaning the sofa
    Photo Credit: Hananeko_Studio, Shutterstock

    Floor Type

    Many vacuum cleaners offer features to adapt to different types of flooring, including deep pile carpets and slick hardwood. If your home has several types of flooring, a vacuum that automatically adjusts to the floor type is a convenient feature to have.

    Pet-Specific Features

    As mentioned, pet hair is extremely hard on vacuums. Getting a vacuum with features designed specifically for pet hair is important, such as rubber brushes on nozzles or attachments that cut static to help fur come up more easily and detangling brush rolls that prevent hair from clogging up the vacuum.

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    Conclusion

    If you’re in the market for a lightweight pet hair vacuum, you can’t go wrong with any of these choices. Our top pick is the Black + Decker POWERSERIES Extreme Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for its angled floorhead that adjusts for area rugs, carpets, tile, and hardwood floors and captures pet hair, dust, and other debris. The best value you can get is the Black + Decker Furbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum for Pets. The Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is the premium choice for its helpful laser feature that tracks all the dust and debris for spotless floors.


    Featured Photo Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock

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