Easy Cleanups With the Best Vacuums for Hardwood Floors and Pet Hair

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Those hardwood floors in your home are gorgeous—when they’re clean. But if you have a pet who sheds, keeping those floors free of dirt and debris can be a real challenge. Using a heavy upright vacuum intended to plow through thick carpeting can damage your beautiful floors. The best vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair is one that is gentle on surfaces, lightweight, easy to slip under tables and chairs—but super-powerful when it comes to sucking up pet hair.

Finding the right vacuum for hardwoods can be tricky. While all major-brand vacuums have the power it takes to capture pet hair efficiently, quite a few vacuum cleaners that are great for carpets are just not made for hardwood surfaces. Their stiff brush bristles and hard plastic wheels can scratch or ding, some have floor heads that easily clog with fur, and others have small-capacity dust cups that get quickly overwhelmed—especially if you have multiple hairy pets.

While we’re talking about grappling with pet hair: You can reduce the shedding—and the vacuuming—with regular grooming sessions for your pet. After all, combing your cat or brushing your dog is more pleasant than housecleaning—though these hardwood-friendly vacuums will make your housework less of a chore.

Most of the machines on our list have rubber-coated (or rubberized plastic) wheels and high-quality brushes to protect flooring—and, most importantly, powerful suction to remove pet hair clinging to baseboards and stairs. The best of them have low-profile brushes that allow you to reach beneath furniture. A few have LED “headlights” mounted on the brush head to help you spot those drifts of pet hair under the bed or behind the couch.

Ken Raasch, vacuum business manager for Quality Sewing & Vacuum in Western Washington (and pet parent of a Lab mix) adds some insider tips: “If you’re getting a canister vacuum, look for one that vents the filtered air up, rather than beneath or out the back,” he says. That will prevent the dust and fur you haven’t reached yet from flying around the room. “And if you are dealing with odors from your dog, look for a vacuum with a very good sealed air system and activated charcoal filters.”

Fortunately, several manufacturers are now offering vacuums specifically designed for both pet hair and hardwood floors that include many of these features. We think you’ll love these machines (even if your pets don’t).

The Best Vacuums for Hardwood Floors and Pet Hair

Miele Classic C1 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum for Hardwood Floors and Pet Hair

When you’re vacuuming hardwood floors, you need a vacuum that’s powerful enough to suck up pet hair, but also gentle enough not to damage your surfaces—this Miele model finds the perfect balance. Miele’s six different suction settings allow you to adjust that power to best suit whatever surface you’re vacuuming (including hardwoods). This model also features a soft parquet brush that’s perfect for sensitive floors as well as a variety of integrated tools (including a crevice tool, upholstery tool, handheld brush, and dusting brush) that make getting rid of pet hair simple and fast—no matter where it may be hiding.

Notable features:

• Six-setting suction control via an easy-to-use rotary dial allows you to easily adjust the suction for different surfaces
• Five levels of height adjustment
• Parquet Twister Floor Brush provides 180-degree rotation for agile and thorough (yet gentle!) cleaning of hardwood floors
• Lightweight, ergonomic design

Bonus: Mieles are renowned for their quiet operation, and our review of the top-of-the-line Miele C3 bears that out—the reviewer’s normally-scared-of-the-vacuum-cleaner chow mix stuck around to observe the cleaning action.

Bissell PowerGlide Pet Slim Corded Vacuum

This lightweight and sleek Bissell vacuum is great for picking up pet hair on both hardwood floors and ceilings. It’s made with a tangle-free brush design so you’ll spend less time cutting pet hair out of it and more time enjoying your clean home. It also comes with helpful tools, like the Pet TurboEraser, Crevice Tool, and Dusting Brush to easily clean hard-to-reach corners and surfaces. Reviewers on Amazon enjoy its 30-foot power cord that allows them to clean longer without disruptions.

Notable features:

• At 9.5 pounds, this lightweight vacuum is easy to carry upstairs
• 30-foot power cord allows for large movement range without having to unplug and move
• 0.5L dirt tank holds more to keep you cleaning
• Easily converts into a handheld vaccum to clean stairs, blinds, and ceiling fans.

Eureka PowerSpeed Lightweight Vacuum

No pet hair will be left behind with Eureka’s updated PowerSpeed vacuum. Its new design features a revamped Cyclone System that’s strong enough to pick up microscopic specks of dust and dirt on your floors. This new model is still lightweight for easy pushing and features five brush height settings to glide through both carpet and wood floors. With its multiple tools that help you clean in a breeze, you’ll spend less time sweeping and more time bonding with your furry friend.

Notable features:

• Bagless design with washable filters for easy cleaning
• 12.6″ wide nozzle for quicker cleaning
• Features an extra-large (and easy-to-dump) dust cup
• Equipped with a 7-inch-long crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool

Bissell Deluxe Canister Vacuum 1161

Want heavy-duty performance in a lightweight machine? This Bissell corded canister vac is a good choice. It has a large 1-liter dustbin that can handle long cleaning jobs and is designed with rubber wheels and extra-soft bristles for cleaning delicate floors without scuffing or scratching. A low-profile floor head gives you easy access to those areas under furniture where pet hair collects.

Notable features:

• Brush head is tough on dirt, gentle on your floors
• Handle buttons let you control suction for more delicate surfaces
• Easy-empty dirt tank opens from the bottom for no-mess disposal
• Compact and lightweight design for easy carrying and storage

Oreck Commercial XL2100RHS Vacuum with 4 Bags Bundle

Don’t let the old-school look fool you. This Oreck model was endorsed by a reviewer at the Chicago Tribune as “strong enough to handle frequent cleanings in homes with plenty of pet hair.” It moves smoothly between carpets and hardwood floors by auto-adjusting to flooring height.

Notable features:

• Balanced brush roll with double-helix brushes
• Lightweight (8 pounds)
• Auto-adjusts to the right floor height
• Comes with 4 bags

Shark Navigator Zero-M Pet Pro Upright Vacuum

Tired of cleaning pet hair that got wrapped around your vacuum cleaner’s power brush? Check out the Shark Navigator upright vacuum. It doesn’t just remove pet hair, it includes a system that removes pet hair from the brush roll.

The Pet Pro is designed to switch easily between carpets and hardwoods (just adjust the suction) and has a high-capacity dust cup for all the pet hair you collect. And while it looks like an upright, it can also behave like a canister vac, with an extendable hose that reaches 12 feet to make cleaning the stairs easy. It includes HEPA filtration to remove allergens and odors. Look for the ZU60 or the ZU62 (with duster brush accessory).

Notable features:

• Anti-allergen seal technology and HEPA filter
• Lightweight design
• Adjustable suction allows you to easily transition from hardwood floors to carpet
• 25-foot cord allows you to move freely around the room (and from room to room throughout your home) without having to unplug
• Accessories (for use with the hose) include a crevice tool and a wide-surface upholstery tool for removing pet hair from chairs and couches. The ZU62 has a duster brush as well.

Shark Rocket Pet Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum

Need a smaller, lighter, vacuum that still packs a lot of power? Check out the 7-pound, battery-powered Shark Rocket. It gets rave reviews for its ability to get pet hair off hardwood floors (use the “Bare Floor” setting), thoroughly and quickly. It’s easy to detach and use the powerful handheld vacuum to get into tight areas. Tip: Look for models IZ162H and IZ162HC of the Rocket Pet Pro—their batteries are removable and can be charged either on or off the vacuum.

Notable features:

• Lightweight design (7.7 pounds)
• Adjustable suction allows you to easily transition between hardwood floors and carpet
• 25-foot cord allows you to move freely around the room (and from room-to-room throughout your home) without having to unplug
• LED headlights on floor nozzle help you spot the pet hair
• Washable HEPA and foam filters

eufy by Anker RoboVac G30

Go hands-free for getting the pet hair off your hardwoods. This robot vacuum is great for hardwood and carpeted floors and is built with an anti-collision sensor and drop-proof technology. Its low 2.85-inch profile allows the unit to scoot easily under couches and beds. Sit back and control the vacuum from your smartphone, where you can also receive updates on its status and give commands. Even better, this model features noise-reducing technology so you can relax while the vacuum cleans up unwanted pet hair.

Notable features:

• Control and give commands to the vacuum through your smartphone
• 9 anti-collision infrared sensors
• Ultra-slim body to easily fit under tight surfaces
• Smart Dynamic Navigation 2.0 for faster and better navigation throughout your house

EyeVac Pro Touchless Stationary Vacuum

And now, for something completely different: no lugging, no storage, and absolutely no risk of damaging your beautiful hardwood floors. This 1400-watt bagless canister vacuum is a fixture in hair salons—you can see where we’re going with this. It can also be your home solution for drifting pet hair. Just grab a soft-bristle broom (such as this one from OXO Good Grips) and sweep the hair toward the EyeVac Pro. As soon as its sensor detects the sweeping motion, powerful suction turns on at floor level and draws up the pet hair. This could be the perfect solution if you are frequently touching up hardwoods or tile in your living areas or kitchen and don’t want to pull out a full-size vacuum every time.

Notable features:

• Touchless activation
• Six-foot cord for easy positioning along a wall
• Two high-efficiency filters remove dust and debris from the air

Further Reading

• These Pet Hair Vacuums Really Work
• 10 Practical Ways To Control Your Pet Allergies When You’re a Dog Owner
• Tools to Deal With Excessive Shedding in Dogs
• Furs Away! We’ve Found the Best Dog Brushes For Shedding