Buyer's Guide Table of Contents
According to our tests, the best handheld vacuum for pet hair is the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld. It isn't new to the market, but is a tried and true solution for removing pet hair from stairs and upholstery.
Keep reading to see more of the top choices.
VAcuum | Summary |
|---|---|
BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Lithium Ion Hand Handheld  | This powerful little vacuum packs a punch and it’s got plenty of special tools to make your life even easier. You can take this around all the areas that pet hair gather and drive you crazy |
Editor's Choice BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Handheld  | This corded handheld vacuum is perfect for tough pet messes . It is designed to attract and eliminate pet messes with the specially designed rubber nozzle. |
Eureka EasyClean Lightweight Handheld Vacuum Cleaner  | The Eureka EasyClean is a handheld vacuum that meets the needs of quick pickups while delivering an almost hybrid design of upright and handheld vacuums combined. |
HoLife Cordless Vacuum Cleaner  | The HoLife cordless hand vac is an innovation in cleaning tech that pet owners will be proud to add to their cleaning cupboard. Compact and lightweight, it can pick up pet hair, large messes, and the tiniest of particles, with a decent battery lift. |
BLACK+DECKER CHV1410L 16V Cordless  | This Black + Decker cordless hand vacuum is a great pick for busy pet owners that need a quick clean. It features ultra powerful suction, so whether your pet has short coarse hair or long hair, this vacuum can handle it all with a great battery life. |
5 Best Handheld Vacuums For Pet Hair We Recommend:
If you're in the market for a small handheld vacuum for pet hair, you're in the right place. The following is our in depth review of the top 5 best handheld vacuums for pet hair.
Pet owners know the struggle of keeping up with their shedding pet. We have a relationship with our pets where we love them to bits but hate dragging out the vacuum constantly to keep their hair out of tricky cracks and crevices. That’s why most savvy pet owners have a handheld vacuum in their arsenal.
A good handheld vacuum specially designed to deal with pet hair can make all the difference. You won’t have to drag around a heavy upright vacuum for those spot cleans, and a handheld vacuum will provide better access to the areas where pet hair gathers most besides.
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Pros:
- Includes motorized brush, crevice tool, and upholstery tool
- Cordless design means portable cleaning anywhere
- Triple filtration system gets more particles out of your carpet
- Easy empty dust bin
Cons:
- Less run time than with corded models
More About The BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser
This powerful little vacuum packs a punch and it’s got plenty of special tools to make your life even easier. You can take this around all the areas that pet hair gather and drive you crazy. What’s even better, thanks to the cordless design you can take it out of the home and into your car. An especially helpful feature for after trips to the vet and groomer.
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Shop For Handheld Vacuums | |
|---|---|
Handheld Vacuum Cordless, Holife 6KPA  | Shark Rocket Corded Ultra-Light Hand Vacuum  |
BLACK+DECKER BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum  | Scorpion Quick Flip  |
Pros:
- Extra long 16-foot power cord
- Comes with two nozzles designed to pick up pet hair
- Uses Cyclonic filtration system for more effective cleaning
- Comes with 1-year warranty
- Uses multi level filtration to take care of all dry messes
Cons:
- The vacuum isn’t cordless, so it’s less portable
More About The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum
The Pet Hair Eraser has definitely earned its rave reviews. This corded handheld is lightweight but super powerful. If you’re always struggling with pet shed, add this vacuum to your team. It’s designed to attract and eliminate pet messes with the specially designed rubber nozzle.
Use it anywhere from the stairs to kitchen floors and watch the mess disappear. Because it has a long 16-foot cord you can reach just about anywhere, and you won’t have to worry about pausing cleaning if the battery life of the vacuum isn't great.
Shop For Handheld Vacuums | |
|---|---|
Handheld Vacuum Cordless, Holife 6KPA | Shark Ultra-Light Hand Vacuum |
BLACK+DECKER BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum | Scorpion Quick Flip |
Pros:
- Two motors provide extra cleaning power
- Extra long cord means more reach
- Includes 1-year warranty and money back guarantee
- Comes with a crevice tool
- Can clean spills as well as dry messes
Cons:
- Exhaust vent out blows air that may stir up debris you haven’t cleaned up yet
More About The Eureka EasyClean Lightweight Handheld Vacuum
The Eureka EasyClean is a handheld vacuum that meets the needs of quick pickups while delivering an almost hybrid design of upright and handheld vacuums combined. It’s built for power with two motors that power the brush and suction separately. While it’s still a corded vacuum, the 20-foot reach of the cord allows you to clean just about anywhere once it’s plugged in.
One of the most stands out features this little vacuum gives pet lovers is a hose, in addition to the regular brush suction. You can use the brush roll to pick pet hair up off cushions while using the crevice tool attachment, all without losing power.
Shop For Handheld Vacuums | |
|---|---|
Handheld Vacuum Cordless, Holife 6KPA | Shark Ultra-Light Hand Vacuum |
BLACK+DECKER BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum | Scorpion Quick Flip |
Pros:
- Includes 4 separate tools for efficient cleaning: crevice tool, rubber jar tool, cleaning brush, and a dusting brush
- Quick charge takes only 45 minutes
- Features quiet operation
- Provides longer cleaning time
- Filter and dust container are washable
- Uses a dual filter to pick up more debris
Cons:
- If unused for 3 months or more, it requires a charge before the next use
More About The HoLife Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
The HoLife cordless hand vac is an innovation in cleaning tech that pet owners will be proud to add to their cleaning cupboard. Compact and lightweight, it can pick up pet hair, large messes, and the tiniest of particles.
It’s built to get you a better, and longer clean: the larger dustbin means you don’t have to stop cleaning to empty and it holds a charge longer than most cordless vacuums you’ll find on the market.
Not only that, when you do have to give it a power up the charge takes only about 45 minutes. It’s durable and engineered with features that extend the overall vacuum life. No longer worry about over charging and overheating, the HoLife takes care of it for you.
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Shop For Handheld Vacuums | |
|---|---|
Handheld Vacuum Cordless, Holife 6KPA | Shark Ultra-Light Hand Vacuum |
BLACK+DECKER BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum | Scorpion Quick Flip |
Pros:
- Charging takes only about 4 hours
- Swivel nozzle makes it more convenient to pick up pet hair
- It can hold a charge without use for up to 18 months, no ‘wake up’ charge needed
- Comes with 2-year warranty
- Uses cyclonic strong suction
- Smart Charge technology is more energy efficient and eco-friendly
Cons:
- Does not include an extra tool or nozzle attachments
- Charge is fairly quick at 4 hours, but not as rapid as others
More About The BLACK+DECKER CHV1410L 16V Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum
This Black + Decker cordless hand vacuum is a great pick for busy pet owners that need a quick clean. It features ultra strong suction, so whether your pet has short coarse hair or long hair, this vacuum can handle it all. The suction doesn’t weaken when you switch surfaces either.
You can use it on furniture, tile, and even carpet with an efficiency that doesn’t fade. Here’s the part that pet owners struggling with stubborn pet messes will really love:
The suction nozzle is slim enough to get into tough areas and it rotates. The rotating nozzle allows you to cover every inch of the area you’re cleaning without making you grab for additional tools.
Plus, when you’re charging it you won’t be sucking up energy. It’s built for efficiency so the charge uses 50% less energy than other cordless vacuums.
Shop For Handheld Vacuums | |
|---|---|
Handheld Vacuum Cordless, Holife 6KPA | Shark Ultra-Light Hand Vacuum |
BLACK+DECKER BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum | Scorpion Quick Flip |
How to Choose a Handheld Vacuum for Pet Hair
There are a lot of handheld vacuums out there, and when you’re looking for one to pick up pet hair, you’d want something that is powerful enough. By looking at these features, you’ll be able to find the pet hair vacuum that works for you:
Cordless or Not?
There are a lot of benefits to having a cordless handheld vacuum but there are some drawbacks too.
Cordless models do offer more mobility, so if you want to clean out the pet hair in your car there’s no extension cord needed. However, most cordless models can’t clean for as long as corded models before you need to put them up to charge.
When you’re looking at corded models, check out the cord length. Cord length can vary from brand to brand and model to model.
Some handheld vacuums will need to be unplugged and plugged back in several times to go through a room, while others can easily go from one room to another thanks to an extra long cord.
Charge
This factor really only applies to cordless handheld vacuums, but it still varies widely depending on the vacuum in question. Most handheld vacuums can’t clean longer than half an hour or so without needing to be put back on the charger. If you’re just using the handheld vac for small cleans in tight spaces, that’s not a problem.
That being said, there’s a big difference between being able to clean for 10 minutes versus being able to clean for 30 minutes. So make sure you check how long it can run for.
The next consideration with cordless handheld vacuums is charge time. Many cordless vacuums may take a full 24 hours to charge before the first use. Often after that, the charge time is much less.
Some models may take 12 hours, while other efficiency is driven models take under an hour to fully charge. Depending on how frequently you plan on using your handheld vacuum, waiting a few hours for a battery charge can be way too long or no problem at all.
Suction Power
This is yet another feature that can vary greatly from one handheld vacuum to the next. Make sure the power is sufficient to get up all the debris you need, without adding to the price point with suction you don’t need.
Handheld vacuums that are targeted to pet owners typically contain enough suction to pick up pet hair for those in between cleans that don’t require your upright vacuum.
It’s also good to get one with adjustable suction power. This way, you can choose the suction you want when you’re moving in between different rooms whether it’s a bare floor or a carpeted floor.
Size and Weight
At a glance, most handheld vacuums probably seem to be around the same size and weight. After you’ve been cleaning for a while, a pound or two extra can make a fair difference in your comfort (or lack thereof).
Remember that ‘lightweight’ can be a pretty subjective term so compare the model you’re looking at with a few others of comparable function.
Also note that some models that claim to be super lightweight might be lacking in certain features too.
Filtration
The level of filtration will determine how much particles are contained, and how small the particles your vacuum can pick up are. Vacuums with multiple filtrations, HEPA filters, and specialized filtration systems are ideal for pet owners.
The more efficient the filter, the more debris, pet dander, and allergens you’ll be able to eliminate while cleaning.
Surface Capability
Not all pet vacuums are created equal, so make sure your handheld vacuum can handle the surfaces you have around your home. If you have only hardwood floors, you don’t need a vacuum that can handle carpet but you will want to ensure the vacuum includes a solution for furniture and upholstery.
Maintenance
With handheld pet hair vacuums, good maintenance is the key to longevity. Here’s what you need to know about maintaining your handheld vacuum:
Keep the Brushroll and Attachments Clean
If your handheld vacuum has a brush roll, make sure you regularly clean it out. Pet hair can easily get tangled in the brush which causes extra work on the brush and motor alike. It can cause the vacuum to stop working mid clean until the clog is taken care of, or can cause your vacuum to die out more quickly due to the added strain.
Likewise, the attachments need regular attention to make sure they keep working at their best.
Clean the Filter Regularly
Many handheld vacuums have washable filters. If yours doesn’t, simply make sure you’re changing out the filter according to manufacturer guidelines. If your filter is washable, make sure you wash it only according to the directions and do it regularly.
The filter can be easy to forget when you regularly empty the dust cup, but a worn out and clogged up filter reduce your vacuum’s efficiency.
Empty the Dust Cup
Emptying the dust cup is a task often less forgettable than cleaning your filter, but it still needs to be done regularly. If your handheld vacuum has a transparent covering over the dust cup area, you’ll easily be able to see when it needs to be emptied or when certain debris has caused a clog.
If yours doesn’t, the frequency with which you empty the dust cup can vary with the pet messes you clean up, and the amount of cleaning you’ve been doing. Really, it’s just good practice to empty it after every use if you’re unsure.
Conclusion
We’ve gathered up some of the best handheld vacuums for pet owners to help you find your pet mess solution. The best handheld pet hair vacuum for you, your pet, and your home is really going to be based on very individual factors.
If you have a pet with short hair that doesn’t shed much, you won’t need the strong suction power that the owner of a golden retriever or Persian cat will.
Likewise, if your pooch is always hitting the road with you, you’ll probably need a more portable pet hair vacuum than someone with a homebody pet.
No matter your specific needs, finding the right handheld vacuum will free up tons of your time for your pet, keep your home cleaner, and let you breathe easier.
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