4 Best Handheld Vacuum Cleaners for Pet Hair (2023)

Our top recommendation for a handheld vacuum for pet hair is the Dyson V7 Trigger. This is the successor to Dyson’s excellent V6 range, so it’s a powerful model that comes with several useful tools. As you’d expect from a Dyson vacuum, it’s not cheap, but it can make cleaning pet hair much faster.

What exactly is the Trigger and how does it compare to Dyson cordless vacuums? Firstly, the Trigger uses the same motor as the full-size V7 range. This provides powerful suction and a run-time of approximately 30 minutes. It doesn’t have the floor tools or long rigid tube of the V6 Fluffy or similar models, but comes with a mini motorised tool, crevice tool and combination tool.

Most importantly for this article, the Trigger is fantastic for cleaning cat and dog hair. During our testing, we found it generates powerful suction and can tackle hair on almost any surface. The mini motorised tool also provides the extra cleaning power required to get rid of stubborn hair (although you’ll need to use boost mode for this).

There are a few drawbacks to the Trigger though. It’s a noisy handheld, so it’s not suitable for cleaning when people are asleep. It’s also a bit too bulky to fit into the tight spots in car interiors. For most tasks, however, it does an excellent job – but it has a high price tag to match.

In summary, the Dyson V7 Trigger is a fantastic all-round handheld vacuum that does a great job on pet hair. It’s powerful, easy to use and provides fade-free suction throughout the 30 minute run-time. The motorised tool is also great for getting rid of  hair. If you don’t mind paying extra for the Dyson, it’s our top rated handheld vacuum for pet hair. Click here to view its price or, if you want to learn more about this vacuum cleaner, click here for our full review.

Note: Dyson used to produce a model called the V6 Top Dog. This was a similar vacuum to the V6 Trigger Pro, but came with a “Stubborn Dirt” brush for getting mud out of carpets. Unfortunately, this model is no longer in production – although you may still be able to find it if your dog or cat regularly treads mud through the house.

Another of the best handheld vacuum cleaners for pet hair is the Shark HandVac CH950UKT. It’s much cheaper than the Dyson and has less suction power, but our testing showed that it’s great for removing hair on almost any surface. If you’re looking for a handheld pet vacuum on a budget, this is the one to get.

The first thing to note about the Shark is that it comes with a powered turbo tool. This is rare on a handheld vacuum, and is one of the biggest reasons the HandVac is so effective at cleaning pet hair. We found that the turbo tool makes a big difference to hair pick up, while also improving the all-round performance of the vacuum.

Aside from its cleaning performance, the Shark is a straightforward vacuum to use. The dust bin can be emptied without removing it from the main vacuum, which makes emptying quick and easy, while the lightweight design is perfect for quick clean-ups.

On the other hand, the dust emptying system isn’t the most hygienic, as it releases a cloud of dust into the air. We recommend emptying this vacuum into an outdoor bin whenever possible. The Shark is also awkward to fit into tight spaces (such as car interiors), due to the rigid design and lack of a proper crevice tool.

Even so, we didn’t find many drawbacks to the Shark HandVac CH950UKT during our testing. It’s inexpensive, has a great turbo tool, and does a fantastic job of cleaning pet hair. It’s not got the longest battery life and the turbo tool is difficult to use at awkward angles, but for getting rid of dog or cat hair there aren’t many better options. Click here to view its price.

One of the most popular cordless vacuums in recent years was the Gtech AirRam. While it’s since been superseded by the AirRam Mk2, the original model was the reason Gtech rapidly became a household brand.

What many people don’t realise is that the company also produces an excellent handheld vacuum called the Multi – and the Gtech Multi MK2 K9 version is fantastic for cleaning pet hair.

We’ve reviewed the basic version of the Multi Mk2 (see picture below). We found it to provide decent cleaning performance with a lightweight design – and the same is true for the K9 version. It has a relatively small 0.4 litre dust capacity and only a 20-minute run-time – both less than the Dyson V7 Trigger – but we still found it to be a great choice for spot cleaning.

To make quick work of pet hair, the Multi K9 comes with a Power Brush Head tool. This, like the Shark equivalent, provides extra cleaning power for getting rid of stubborn hair and dirt. We found this to be effective at removing pet hair from short pile carpets, sofas and hard floors, although it struggles more with hair tangled in deep pile carpets.

There are also several non-motorised tools. The most useful is the extension wand with a dusting brush, as this is great for cleaning hair along skirting boards or windowsills. ​A bonus is that the vacuum has headlights, so you can illuminate wherever you need to clean.

Another welcome feature of the K9 is ​the scented filter tabs. These hide unpleasant pet smells to leave your home smelling fresher and cleaner. While we would have liked an activated charcoal filter, as these absorb smells rather than just hide them, the scented filter is a decent alternative.

The biggest drawback to the Gtech Multi MK2 K9 is the price. It’s a powerful vacuum that does a great job on pet hair though, so we think it’s worth the money. Click here to view its price.

Note: There is also a basic Gtech Multi Mk2, without the reinforced components and scented filters. You can read our review of the basic Gtech Muli Mk2 here. 

Bissell is a brand that often slips under the radar when choosing a vacuum cleaner, but they produce some decent models at great prices. An example is the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser, which has been specifically designed to get rid of dog, cat and other animal hair. It does a great job too – mainly due to the motorised brush.

With a name like the “Pet Hair Eraser”, you would expect the Bissell to be pretty good at getting rid of hair. Fortunately, it isn’t a let down. The motorised tool has a rotating brush bar to dig into carpets, sofas and stairs, so it’s much more effective than the average handheld.

Aside from the motorised brush, the Bissell comes with a crevice tool, upholstery tool and triple filtration system. It also has an easy-to-empty bin and is relatively quiet. A downside is that the long design can make it difficult to use in small spaces, especially as it doesn’t come with a hose attachment.

If you’re looking for a handheld vacuum cleaner to spot clean between regular cleans, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is a great choice. It’s cheaper than the Dyson, but does a good job of picking up everything from dirt to hair. It also has a larger dust capacity (0.7 litres) than many other handheld vacuums. Click here to read our full review of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser.