Living with pets is a wholesome but messy ordeal. There always seems to be more fur on your carpets and furniture, no matter how much you're cleaning up after your beloved furry friends.
That’s why I spend so much time testing the best vacuums for pet hair in a local cat and dog shelter for proven, real-world results. And while your wallet might not want to hear it, premium Dysons really are among the best for tackling pet hair.
The Dyson V11 is Your Answer to The Endless Pet Hair Cleanup
Put simply, the Dyson V11 vacuum's hair quickly and effortlessly, and thanks to its slim and lightweight design, it is easier than ever to clean accumulating hair before it matts into fabrics and flooring.
But why is pet hair so hard to vacuum? It's mostly due to animal hair's long shape, its natural oils, and the static charge created, meaning fur clings to the fibers in carpet and upholstery fabrics. That's why premium vacuum brands such as Dyson have engineered attachments with anti-tangle bristles that pull fur from deep within fabric fiber, without letting the strands wrap around the roller.
The V11's Motorbar floorhead is the single most effective pet hair vacuum attachment we've tested at Homes & Gardens. Paired with the V11's high, 185AW suction, it makes light work of even the most stubborn cleanups – as you can see in the video above, where I removed all visible strands of hair from a rough, bumpy, and high-friction entrance mat. Most vacuums struggle with this.
It also includes Dyson's hair screw tool, a mini motorized version of the Motorbar that is incredibly effective at pulling fur from sofas and furniture. It's so good that it even revived the original color of an old dog bed.
The high suction power is what makes the Dyson V11 one of the best-performing pet vacuums, but also such a versatile cleaner across the whole house.
Dust, dirt, and household debris can be swiftly cleaned up in one or two passes, and thanks to the comprehensive suite of attachments available, you're fully equipped for even the hardest cleaning tasks, including stairs, curtains, cars, and furniture.
Usually, you'd have to go for a big, bulky corded vacuum such as the Shark POWERDETECT Upright to achieve cleaning power this impressive. But that's what makes these top-of-the-line Dyson vacuums so exceptional: You're getting high performance, packaged in a slim and lightweight cordless stick.
It means you're taking up hardly any storage space, you can carry it up and down the stairs more fluidly, and you can even hold it with one hand for the more precise cleaning jobs, like dusting. It's a small space solution that can also be a savior for anyone with limited mobility.
Not only that, but having a cordless vacuum makes it easier to grab it and clean whenever you spot a mess. One of the reasons why pet hair can be a challenging cleanup is because of how quickly it accumulates throughout the week, but if you have a lightweight vacuum nearby, you're more incentivized to vacuum fur as and when you see it.
As someone with suspected ADHD, a cordless vacuum helps me clean, and this will honestly work wonders if you have pets. Once you get into the habit of avoiding hair from building up, you'll find that the weekly cleans don't have to be intensive at all.
The Dyson V11 Extra (with all nine attachments) is available for $399.99 at Dyson.
More to Shop
This Dyson V11 discount is a big one, but there are others out there if you prefer to shop around.
All prices correct at time of publication.
The trade-off when comparing the V11 and the V12 Detect Slim is: The V11 has higher suction, the V12 has more advanced features, including a green laser that reveals dust and thin hairs that you can't see (genuinely), and sensors that optimize suction as you clean.
Read more in my full Dyson V12 Detect Slim review.
The V15 Detect is the best pet vacuum we've tested, with higher suction than the V11 and the same smart features as the V12 Detect Slim. It may cost a lot, but I use it at home myself, and it's absolutely worth it if you want spotless floors with minimal effort.
Read more in my full Dyson V15 Detect review.
The Shark is usually a (slightly) cheaper alternative to Dyson's bests, but now that the V11 is on offer, it's the same price as the PowerDetect Cordless. It may not be as powerful as the V11, but it's more agile thanks to a flexible wand, reaching under furniture more easily to grab those hidden animal hairs.
Read more in our full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review.
For the same price as the V11, you could bring one of the most powerful vacuums money can buy. Its suction power is relentless, picking up every strand of hair and every speck of dust in one pass. It's bigger and bulkier than a cordless vacuum, but definitely the right choice for busy homes with lots of mess.
Read more in our five-star Shark POWERDETECT review.
If you are shopping on a smaller budget, this Ultenic cordless vacuum is my go-to budget recommendation. It won't work wonders on carpets, but homes with hard floors could benefit from a lightweight, affordable vacuum that shares the same green laser as a Dyson that costs three times as much. It's a great one for dorms, too.
Read more in my full Ultenic U16 Flex review.
The Black+Decker steam mop can clean everything from floors to soft furnishings to clothing. It's $100s cheaper than Dysons and can cut your chore time in half. Our Solved content editor, Chiana Dickson, swears by it for steam cleaning in every room of her home, including hard floors and sanitizing carpets.
Next, learn how to keep a home clean with pets generally to prevent dander exacerbating allergies and lingering odors.
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