Ah, pets. They give us so much: unconditional love, affection, companionship, entertainment – and hair. So. Much. Hair.
Short of getting a non-shedding dog or hairless cat, a good vacuum is your best defence against the seemingly never-ending clumps of hair that accumulate in pet-friendly homes. But not all vacuums are up to the challenge.
Vacuum expert Adrian puts robot, stick and barrel vacuums through their paces in our test labs.
Dishonourable mentions
Don't assume that any vacuum that has the word 'animal' in the name is going to ace cleaning up Fido's fur.
Eleven products in our most recent test specifically reference pets, but their ability to deal with pet hair varied.
Here are some specialty 'pet' vacuums that performed worse than some regular vacuums, along with their pet hair removal scores:
- Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo 2454F ($399): 60%
- Electrolux Ease C4 Animal EC41-ANIM ($249): 70%
- Vax Pet Pro Vacuum Cleaner VX74 ($199): 80%
- Vax Advance Pet Vacuum Cleaner VX71C ($179): 80%
- Miele Boost CX1 Cat & Dog Powerline SNCF0 ($649): 80%
Also worth mentioning is the Big W Contempo Compact Vacuum Cleaner 1800W barrel vac, which scored just 20% for pet hair removal – by far the lowest score in our tests. You'd almost be better off picking up the dog hair tumbleweed by hand.
If you want a vacuum that'll blitz the pet hair, look for one that has a powered head and opt for a bagged, rather than bagless model
Adrian Lini, CHOICE vacuum expert
"If you're a pet owner wanting a vacuum that'll blitz the pet hair, look for one that has a powered head and opt for a bagged, rather than bagless model," says CHOICE vacuum expert Adrian Lini.
Three of the best vacuums for pet hair
We've sifted through CHOICE's extensive testing data to find three hair-raising vacuum cleaners from the top, middle and bottom price points of the market.
They're not the only high-performing fur-busters we've tested, but they'll give you an idea of what's available.
Remember – a vacuum that scores well for pet hair removal might bomb out on our other tests
And remember – not all vacuums are created equal, and a vacuum that scores well for pet hair removal might bomb out on our other tests.
Read our detailed barrel and upright vacuum reviews before you buy to make sure you don't end up with a dud.
A Bosch bargain: Perfect pet hair removal for under $150.
Cheap and cheerful
Bosch GL-30 BGL3PWERAU
- Price: $149
- Pet hair removal score: 100%
This budget beauty scores a perfect 100% for pet hair removal, and an impressive 85% for complete carpet cleaning.
It has a washable HEPA filter, which is great for families with allergies and asthma, and its variable power control means you can clean up the pet hair from the couch as well as the carpet.
This budget beauty scores a perfect 100% for pet hair removal, and an impressive 85% for complete carpet cleaning
It's a fairly basic model, though, and doesn't come with the various bells and whistles you'd expect from a higher end vacuum, such as a turbo brush or power head.
However, the only criticism our expert testers had was that it doesn't have onboard storage for its accessories.
This Bosch is a clearance item and is becoming hard to find, so get in quick if you want to pick one up.
Read the full Bosch GL-30 BGL3PWERAU review.
The Electrolux model is great at removing pet hair and also comes with a washable HEPA filter.
Mid-range marvel
Electrolux UltimateHome 700 Bagless Cleaner EFC71622GG
- Price: $499
- Pet hair removal score: 100%
This mid-priced Electrolux barrel vacuum is a whizz at removing pet hair, scoring a perfect 100% in our pet hair removal test.
It comes with variable power, a good range of tools, and a washable HEPA filter.
This mid-priced model comes with variable power, a good range of tools, and a washable HEPA filter
It's not perfect, though – it's lacking on-board storage for its many tools, and it's only OK at cleaning corners and edges.
Read the full Electrolux UltimateHome 700 Bagless Cleaner review.
Pet hair is no match for the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal+.
Pricey performer
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal+
- Price: $899
- Pet hair removal score: 100%
For this price, you'd expect excellent performance, and Big Ball Animal+ certainly delivers when it comes to removing pet hair.
But this Dyson is a prime example of why you shouldn't buy based on brand alone. While it's great at busting fluff, it's less impressive in other departments.
This Dyson is a prime example of why you shouldn't buy based on brand alone. While it's great at busting fluff, it's less impressive in other departments
Our experts rated it just 51% for a quick carpet clean (where the vacuum passes four times over the carpet) and 60% for a complete carpet clean (eight passes). Overall, it's rated at 69%, which in our testers' lexicon is just 'OK' – pretty disappointing for an expensive, big-name vacuum.
This is where a CHOICE membership pays for itself: our reviews show you exactly how each vacuum performs, so you won't end up buying an expensive dud. Plus, our testing often reveals more affordable models that rival and even outperform their pricey counterparts.
Of all the vacuums in our review that score a perfect 100% for pet hair, six are recommended by our experts. Five of these are cheaper than the Dyson, which shows that shopping smart by checking our detailed vacuum reviews can save you a pretty penny and land you a quality machine.
Read the full Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal+ review.
How we test
Here at CHOICE, we're sticklers for detail, so we use real pet hair for our testing. We get our pet hair from Woof Cat & Dog Grooming in Bondi, Sydney.
Our tester embeds cat hair in carpet and then vacuums it to a set pattern and speed. The score is calculated on the basis of how much hair is left behind after the test.
Still curious? Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners at CHOICE.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.