I find shop vacs aren't the best for picking up hair from carpet, but are awesome for things like spilled cat litter, paper turned into confetti, and finely shredded dog toys. I have a shop vac for some kinds of messes, and a regular vacuum for regular hair and dirt on floors. If it helps, I have three large dogs, and three cats. The shop vac is a Rigid, because it was on sale and the other vac is a Shark because it was a model that was well rater for pet hair in reviews. Both work well. I used to have a robot vac too, but it died after several years of heavy use. It actually did an amazing job on pet hair on carpet, and I want to get another one. Though I want even more to get rid of the carpet and have hard floors through the house. Answer from Alceasummer on reddit.com
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Apex Auto Pros
apexautopros.com › car interior cleaning › tested 2025: best handheld vacuums for pet hair
Tested 2025: Best Handheld Vacuums For Pet Hair - Apex Auto Pros
October 30, 2025 - After handling a huge amount of pet hair over the years, these are the handheld vacuums that have earned a permanent spot in our detailing arsenal. BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet ... In our shop, this is the handheld vacuum ...
Address   9220 Provost Rd NW, 98383, Silverdale
(4.9)
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/pets › does anyone with pets use a shop vac inside the house?
r/Pets on Reddit: Does anyone with pets use a shop vac inside the house?
January 9, 2024 -

Just out of curiosity. Between the animal hair the the high ceilings in our house, vacuuming is my biggest pain in the ass. I was thinking of getting a shop vac so I can have something easy to dump and is on wheels. And a longish cord. Am I crazy?

Top answer
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I find shop vacs aren't the best for picking up hair from carpet, but are awesome for things like spilled cat litter, paper turned into confetti, and finely shredded dog toys. I have a shop vac for some kinds of messes, and a regular vacuum for regular hair and dirt on floors. If it helps, I have three large dogs, and three cats. The shop vac is a Rigid, because it was on sale and the other vac is a Shark because it was a model that was well rater for pet hair in reviews. Both work well. I used to have a robot vac too, but it died after several years of heavy use. It actually did an amazing job on pet hair on carpet, and I want to get another one. Though I want even more to get rid of the carpet and have hard floors through the house.
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I have both but I find my regular vacuum is best imo. Experience- 6+ dogs/3cats, currently 2dogs/5cats/bun. With the bun- the shop vac doesn’t clog as easily but I sweep then vac, I have a Dyson. I used to say Pet BISSELL all day, had to replace mine and I no longer recommend them, tried 3 different pet ones😩. I personally recommend a good vacuum and shampooer (for accidents by humans and pets). For vacuums- things I look for- no bag (gets expensive replacing imo), hose should come from the bottom (if it comes from the top, it falls and it hurts when it falls on you), attachments (should have an extension, then a wand that comes to almost a point, another should have a roller for pet hair on fabric), easily unclog (trust me, with lots of pet hair, debris brought inside, this can be a big issue), easy clean roller (rollers are where things can begin to clog, or it will just stop picking up, ability to clean without 10+ screws is so nice! Because you will have to clean it!), easy change filters- along with affordable replacements! I think I covered everything I’ve dealt with, if I remember more, I’ll reply.
People also ask

What is a handheld vacuum?

A handheld vacuum is the smaller, cordless cousin of larger upright vacuums, cordless stick vacuums and shop vacs that you use at home.

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cnn.com
cnn.com › reviews
The best handheld vacuums of 2026, tested by editors | CNN Underscored
Can I use a handheld vacuum for my entire home?

You can, yes, but it’s not recommended. Handheld vacuums are perfect for smaller cleanup jobs and aren’t intended for bigger tasks. There’s certainly nothing stopping someone from doing so, however; it just will take far longer than if you used a normal stick or upright vacuum.

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cnn.com
cnn.com › reviews
The best handheld vacuums of 2026, tested by editors | CNN Underscored
How long is the battery life on a handheld vacuum?

Handheld vacuums have limited run times — usually only 10 to 20 minutes — so they can be impractical for use in large spaces or for long cleaning jobs.

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cnn.com
cnn.com › reviews
The best handheld vacuums of 2026, tested by editors | CNN Underscored
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Consumer Reports
consumerreports.org › appliances › laundry & cleaning › vacuum cleaners › best vacuums for pet hair, tested and reviewed
Best Vacuums for Pet Hair, Tested and Reviewed via @ConsumerReports
July 13, 2020 - The best vacuums for pet hair include upright, canister, robotic, stick, and handheld vacuums from Dyson, iRobot, Miele, Shark, and other major brands.
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Amazon
amazon.com › Best-Sellers-Shop-Wet-Dry-Vacuums › zgbs › hi › 553022
Amazon Best Sellers: Best Shop Wet Dry Vacuums
Koblenz WD-2L Portable Wet Dry Vacuum, 2-Gallon 2 PHP Suction Plus Blower Vacuum Cleaner for Liquids, Dust, Pet Hairs, 10' Reach, Ideal for Home, Car, Garage, Shop, Accessories Included, Blue/Black
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CNN
cnn.com › reviews
The best handheld vacuums of 2026, tested by editors | CNN Underscored
2 weeks ago - The Black+Decker Dustbuster 16-Volt Max is the easiest to use, charge and empty of all the handheld vacuums we tested. We liked its large-capacity canister and built-in attachments that made it convenient and versatile enough for all our small ...
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TruckersReport
thetruckersreport.com › forums › good & bad trucking companies › experienced truckers' advice › pet hair vacuum
Pet hair vacuum | TruckersReport.com Trucking Forum | #1 CDL Truck Driver Message Board
Many "beater bar" vacuums now use a fan to drive the rotating brush. They don't work worth a darn. I have seen a blue copycat from China at Walmart. It costs about $30. Also, rubber gloves for washing dishes works very well sweeping up dog hair. ... Dyson Hands down better than a shop vac for pet hair.
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Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com › home › product reviews › the 6 best small shop vacs for cleaning up major messes, from hurricane floodwater to diy dust
The 6 Best Small Shop Vacs of 2025 - Best Wet/Dry Vacuums
August 14, 2025 - Generally speaking, cartridge filters are the more thorough choice. They filter out fine dust particles, such as drywall dust, better than cloth. Some are even HEPA-rated, which means they can remove pollen, dust, pet dander, and mold spores.
Find elsewhere
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Best Buy
bestbuy.com › best buy › category directories › appliances directory › handheld vacuums directory
Pet Hair Hand Vacuum - Best Buy
It works better on some surfaces than others, but overall worth the money...Vacuum...It gets the job done with regards to pet hair." ... The Shark Cyclone PET handheld vacuum provides deep-cleaning HyperVelocity suction power in a compact size, weighing only 1.6 lbs.
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Industrialvacs
industrialvacs.com › pet_animal_grooming_vacuum_s › 6.htm
Pet and Animal Grooming Vacuums | Best Vacuum for Pet Hair
The Vacuums of Choice by Industry, Contractors, Painters, Woodworkers, and Home Users for over 30 Years · Hook up the Animal Grooming Set to any of the wet/dry vacuums to make the perfect vacuum for grooming dogs, cats, horses, or other animals
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Good Sam Community
community.goodsam.com › good sam community › pet owners › pet owners
Shop vac for dog hair | Good Sam Community - 1905127
I tried it without the bristles and she let me know pretty quick she didn't like that. The Furminator pulls the hair loose and the vacuum sucks it up. No hair sticking to everything. It was always a pain to clear the Furminator because the hair stuck to our hands and the rest floated to where ever.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/vacuumcleaners › best overall cordless vacuum for pet hair?
r/VacuumCleaners on Reddit: Best Overall Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair?
January 31, 2025 -

Hello! 👋🏼 What would you say is the overall best cordless vacuum for dog hair on hardwood floors? We have no carpet or area rugs but we have 4 big dogs (that shed a lot). Just looking for something that won’t easily clog. I don’t mind having to empty multiple times, we are just trying to avoid clogging! (Run time also isn’t a huge issue as this would be just for the downstairs). Thanks in advance!

*edit: i am open to all price ranges! (if it’s an investment, that’s fine!) although ~ $400 - $600 would be the most realistic.

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NYTimes
nytimes.com › appliances › vacuum cleaners › what’s the best vacuum for pet hair?
What’s the Best Vacuum for Pet Hair? | Reviews by Wirecutter
November 10, 2025 - ... The battery-powered Ryobi 18V One+ HP Advanced Stick Vacuum Kit is reasonably priced, and it offered above-average performance in our cordless stick vacuum tests. Its powerful all-terrain cleaner head agitates and lifts hair and debris from ...
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RTINGS
rtings.com › home › vacuum › best
The 3 Best Handheld Vacuums For Pet Hair of 2026 - RTINGS.com
November 19, 2025 - The best hand vacuum for pet hair we've tested is the Shark WANDVAC. This cordless handheld vacuum does a fantastic job of handling pet hair on hard surfaces like countertops and shelves.
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WIRED
wired.com › gear › shopping › the best vacuums for pet hair
The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair—We Tested Many to Find Which Ones Work Best (2026) | WIRED
March 12, 2025 - Hoover HL4 Pet Upright Vacuum Cleaner for £130: While it is only available in the UK, Hoover’s HL4 successfully removed lots of cat hair from my home. I live with a trio of cats, two of them long-haired, so a powerful vacuum is essential.
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NYTimes
nytimes.com › appliances › vacuum cleaners › think you’ve got no use for a shop vac? think again.
Think You’ve Got No Use for a Shop Vac? Think Again. | Reviews by Wirecutter
April 4, 2024 - However, depending on how stubbornly ... machine with grippier, motorized brushes, like the Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Cordless Pet Hand Vacuum HHVK515JP07, which we recommend for picking up fur....
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eufy
eufy.com › blogs › vacuum › best-wet-dry-vacuum-cleaner-for-pets
The Best Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner for Pets You Should Buy - eufy US
May 22, 2025 - The Ecowell Lulu Quick Clean is a battery-operated wet dry vacuum that excels in moving from one surface to another. It efficiently handles pet hair and messes, transitioning seamlessly between different surfaces.
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Amazon
amazon.com › Vacmaster-Gallon-Household-Vacuum-VF409 › dp › B07MLBD72C
Amazon.com: Vacmaster 4 Gallon, 5 Peak HP Household Vac w/Pet Hair Rake Wet/Dry Vacuum (VF409), Blue : Tools & Home Improvement
Buy Vacmaster 4 Gallon, 5 Peak HP Household Vac w/Pet Hair Rake Wet/Dry Vacuum (VF409), Blue: Wet-Dry Vacuums - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
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BLACK+DECKER
blackanddecker.com › collections › pet-vacuums
Pet Vacuums | BLACK+DECKER
They often have stronger suction power and specialized attachments that can effectively remove pet hair from various surfaces, including carpets, upholstery, and hard floors. 2. Allergen control: Pets can trigger allergies in some individuals, and pet vacuums with HEPA filters can help capture and trap pet dander and allergens, improving indoor air quality and reducing allergy symptoms.