Our Verdict: The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is a powerful handheld vacuum. We think it’s great for removing hair from stairs, carpets, and upholstery, as it has a motorised brush bar to dislodge clumps of hair. This vacuum is specifically designed for pet owners though. We don’t think it’s the most convenient choice for general cleaning, as it lacks a dusting brush and the long design can be awkward.
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser
Pros:
- Strong suction for a handheld vacuum
- Lightweight design and easy to use
- Powered brush roll is great for cleaning pet hair
- Decent option for picking up larger debris, such as cat litter
Cons:
- Long design makes it awkward to use in tight areas
- Only a 17-minute battery life and slow to recharge
- No soft dusting tool
Thinking of buying Bissell’s handheld vacuum? Here’s our in-depth Bissell Pet Hair Eraser review, including cleaning performance, battery run-time, and value for money.
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is a handheld vacuum cleaner that’s built specifically for people with pets. Bissell have improved the filtration and battery life compared with previous versions, while also including a powered brushroll tool for pulling up more hair and other debris.We think the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is a solid choice for people with pets. It’s especially useful if you’re looking for a convenient way to manage pet hair between cleaning with a full-size vacuum cleaner, due to the strong suction and brush bar. We don’t think it’s for everyone though, as the long design can be quite awkward to use and it’s only suitable for quick cleaning jobs.
How does the Pet Hair Eraser compare to other handheld vacuums for pet hair? And is it worth the price tag? Read our Bissell Pet Hair Eraser review to find out.
Overview of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld’s Features
- Powerful handheld vacuum cleaner that’s designed specifically for pet owners
- Motorised brush tool for pulling embedded hair out of carpet fibres
- Two other tools (crevice and upholstery)
- 14.4V lithium-ion battery with a 17-minute maximum run-time
- 0.7 litre dust capacity
- Three stage filtration system
- Relatively lightweight design
Note: This review is of the 2390 version of the Pet Hair Eraser.
Appearance & Design
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner with a lightweight design, bagless dust canister, and a motorised tool. Unlike previous versions of the Pet Hair Eraser, the 2390 model has a stylish purple colour scheme with a black handle, along with an upgraded battery and filter.
Manoeuvrability, Dust Canister and Ease of Use
Bissell has done a great job of making the Pet Hair Eraser easy to use, which is important for quick clean-ups. Whether you’re vacuuming spilt cat litter, hair on the sofa, or kibble on the floor, it always feels comfortable to hold.
The Pet Hair Eraser weighs 1.36kg. This is around average weight for a handheld vacuum, but is considerably lighter than the bulkier cordless models produced by Dyson and Gtech. It’s heavier than the Shark WV200UK handheld, but the Shark model has a smaller capacity.
A bonus is that the Pet Hair Eraser also has a relatively large 0.7 litre dust capacity. You’ll still need to regularly empty the dust canister, but it can hold more hair and dirt than many handheld vacuums. The Gtech Multi Mk2, for example, only has a 0.4 litre dust capacity.
A drawback is the long, rigid design. While this allows for a larger dust capacity, it makes the vacuum awkward to use in tight locations. We’ll discuss this more in the “Cleaning Performance” section.
Tools
There are several tools included with the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser handheld. These are:
- Motorised Brush Tool. This is the most important tool, as it has a spinning brush bar that’s great for removing more hair and dirt.
- Upholstery Tool. This is a thinner tool for removing hair on sofas – particularly when it’s sitting on the surface of the fabric.
- Crevice Tool. A useful extra tool for cleaning in tight spaces. It’s shorter than we would like though.
All of the tools are easy to attach and built to a high standard. The motorised brush tool is highly effective, although it needs to be held at the correct angle to maximise cleaning power.
We think it’s a shame Bissell hasn’t included a dusting brush with this model though. Without a softer brush, cleaning uneven or delicate surfaces becomes more difficult. On-board tool storage would have also been a bonus, although this isn’t expected from a small handheld vacuum cleaner.
Filtration
The Bissell has a triple filtration system, which helps keep dust, pet dander, and other allergens inside the vacuum cleaner.
There’s no HEPA filter, however, so we don’t think it’s the best option for people with an allergy. Dust and other small particles can also escape when you’re emptying the vacuum, so make sure you do this outside.
Emptying & Cleaning
Emptying the dirt cup is straightforward. You just need to detach the dirt tank from the vacuum using the release button, remove the filter, and tip it into the bin. Most modern cordless vacuums don’t require you to remove the filter to empty dirt, although this is a minor issue.
You’ll need to clean the filter to make sure the Pet Hair Eraser continues to run at its optimum level. To do this, just rinse it with warm water and leave it to dry. Make sure the filter is fully dry before you use the vacuum again though.
Battery Life
As we mentioned earlier, Bissell has prioritised convenience when designing the handheld Pet Hair Eraser, which includes making it as lightweight as possible. A downside to this design is that the vacuum only has a 14.4V lithium-ion battery. For comparison, the Gtech Multi Mk2 has a 22V battery and the Dyson V7 Trigger has a 21.6V battery.
The result is that the Pet Hair Eraser has a maximum run-time of around 17 minutes, compared to 30 minutes for the Dyson V7 Trigger. This is still plenty of time for quick clean-ups after your pet has made a mess though – and for more extensive cleaning you’ll need a more powerful vacuum anyway.
A drawback is that the Pet Hair Eraser takes a relatively long time to recharge. It’s best to put it straight back on charge once you finish cleaning to ensure it’s always ready when you need it. We also think it’s a shame that the lithium battery is sealed in the design, so it can’t be replaced.
It’s worth noting that previous versions of the Pet Hair Eraser didn’t have a lithium-ion battery, which meant they were prone to losing suction power as the battery ran down. Fortunately, this isn’t an issue with the 2390 version.
Suction Power & Cleaning Performance
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser provides strong all-round performance for a handheld vacuum cleaner – particularly when cleaning flat surfaces or carpeted stairs. It’s not going to replace your main vacuum, but for spot cleaning it’s an excellent choice.
As you would expect from a vacuum cleaner with the name “Pet Hair Eraser,” this model is excellent for picking up pet hair from carpets, upholstery, and other surfaces. This is largely due to the powered brush tool, which is brilliant for pulling embedded hair and dirt out of carpet fibres, although the strong air flow is also important.
It’s not just a pet hair vacuum though. We think the Pet Hair Eraser’s brush roll does a decent job at picking up other debris, including cat litter, dirt, and dust. It’s also lightweight and easy to hold, making it useful for stairs and car interiors, and has decent hard floor pick up.
With that said, it’s not the most powerful handheld vacuum on the market. It can’t match the Dyson V7 Trigger or Gtech Multi Mk2 for raw suction or performance on high pile carpets, although it’s smaller and more compact than these models. We also wish it had more than one power setting, as this would be useful for maximising battery run-time.
More importantly, it’s difficult to use in tight spaces. The lack of a hose attachment and long design means it can be hard to access awkward areas, such as underneath car seats, so the Pet Hair Eraser is best used for upholstery, staircases, and spot cleaning carpets. The upholstery tool also has a strange shape, which can make it difficult to clean the tops of skirting boards and other small surfaces.
On the plus side, the crevice tool is useful for cleaning window frames, carpet edges, and the folds of car seats.
Price & Value for Money
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is relatively expensive for a handheld vacuum cleaner. At the time of writing, it’s a bit more expensive than the Gtech Multi Mk2, although it’s cheaper than the Dyson V7 Trigger.
We still think this vac provides value for money though – particularly if you need to remove pet hair from around the house. It’s never going to replace your cylinder or upright vacuum cleaner, but is one of the best handhelds for cleaning pet hair and perfect for quick clean-ups.
Specification Table
| Ninja Column 1 | Ninja Column 2 |
|---|---|
| Price Range | ££ |
| Maximum Run-Time | 17 minutes |
| Weight | 1.36 kg |
| Capacity | 0.7 litres |
| Type | Bagless |
| Motorised Tool | Yes |
| Hose | No |
| Filter | Triple Stage |
Comparison With Other Vacuum Cleaners
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vs Dyson V7 Trigger
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is lighter than the V7 Trigger and provides similar performance when cleaning pet hair on carpets. If your priority is a lightweight handheld for quickly cleaning stairs, area rugs, or carpeted floors, then the Pet Hair Eraser is a solid choice.
For all-round cleaning, however, it’s worth spending a bit more on the Dyson V7 Trigger. You get more powerful suction power, stronger cleaning on bare floors, a better brush bar for high pile carpet, a longer run-time (3o minutes compared to 17 minutes,) and better filtration.
Should You Buy This Handheld Vacuum Cleaner?
If you’re a pet parent looking for a powerful handheld vacuum cleaner for quick clean-ups on stairs, furniture, and carpets, then the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is an excellent choice.
It generates plenty of suction power, so it’s capable of picking up larger debris like cat litter, while the motorised brush tool is brilliant for digging up cat and dog hair that’s stuck in carpets. The lightweight design also makes it a useful tool to have in the house when your pet makes a mess!
Despite the strong pick up, the Pet Hair Eraser isn’t for everyone though. It has a long and rigid design, which makes it difficult to clean awkward places, such as car footwells and behind sofas. The 14.4V battery also only lasts around 17 minutes, so it’s definitely not the right choice for longer cleaning sessions. For that, you’ll need a corded upright or cylinder pet vacuum.