The best vacuum cleaners for removing pet hair | CHOICE - EU-Vietnam Business Network (EVBN)

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.

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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.

Here are some speciality ‘pet’ vacuums that performed worse than regular vacuums, along with their pet hair removal scores:

Also worth mentioning is the Airflo Hush Power AFV618 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.

We’ve tested to find you the best.

Read barrel and upright vacuums review

Three of the best vacuums for pet hair

We’ve sifted through CHOICE’s extensive testing data to find three of the most 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 on the market.

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.

CHOICE tip: Thinking of splashing out on a Dyson? They do perform well, but there are others that perform better for a lower price. Our experts have answered the question you’ve no doubt been asking: Should I buy a Dyson?

Westinghouse Bagless Vacuum Cleaner WHVC02SB.

Cheap and cheerful

Westinghouse Bagless Vacuum Cleaner WHVC02SB

Price: $180
Pet hair removal score: 100%

This budget beauty scores a perfect 100% for pet hair removal, and a very respectable 70% for quick carpet cleaning.

For the price it actually comes with a fair number of accessories and features. Chief of these is variable power, which means you can dial the suction up or down depending on what you’re vacuuming – lower power for delicate items like curtains or upholstery and higher for hard floors. It also has a washable HEPA filter, which is a help if you suffer from asthma or allergies.

Our experts found that the cleaning head is difficult to move over carpet, so bear that in mind if you’re looking for a cheap vacuum for your carpeted pet-friendly home.

Read the full Westinghouse Bagless Vacuum Cleaner WHVC02SB review.

Electrolux Pure C9 PC91ANIMAT.

Mid-range marvel

Electrolux Pure C9 PC91ANIMAT

Price: $599
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 with onboard storage for all of them, and a washable HEPA filter. Our expert tester rated it as very good for ease of use.

It’s not perfect, though: the bin is messy to empty, and you can accidentally remove the bin when picking the vacuum up, which could undo all your hard work.

Read the full Electrolux Pure C9 PC91ANIMAT review.

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Sebo Airbelt K3 Premium.

Pricey performer

Sebo Airbelt K3 Premium

Price: $1325
Pet hair removal score: 100%

For this price, you’d expect excellent performance, and the Sebo certainly delivers when it comes to removing pet hair.

It comes with a good range of tools onboard, including a crevice tool, upholstery tool, power head and dusting brush to help you deal with all the hair your pet leaves behind. Our expert testers couldn’t find any bad points to mention.

Read the full Sebo Airbelt K3 Premium review.

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How to get rid of pet hair at home

CHOICE tester Matthew puts each vacuum through its paces.

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.

We’ve tested to find you the best.

Read barrel and upright vacuums review

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.