The 4 Best Handheld Vacuums For Pet Hair - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best handheld 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, not to mention bare floors and carpets. While it doesn't come with a turbo brush tool for cleaning furniture, it does have an upholstery tool that does a decent job of clearing away pet hair on upholstered surfaces. The vacuum also feels decently well-built and has an easy-to-maintain design. While its standard post-motor filter isn't HEPA rated, the vacuum does a great job trapping fine allergens like pet dander. Besides, several third-party manufacturers sell compatible HEPA filters if you want to increase the allergen-trapping performance.

Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly for a vacuum of this size, its dirt compartment is tiny and needs to be emptied frequently. Bulky debris can also clog the entry to its dirt compartment. Its battery life of a little over 10 minutes is short, even for a handheld model, so it's only intended for quick clean-ups.

If you want a handheld vacuum that costs a little less and can hold a relatively large amount of hair, the Black+Decker dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet is worth a look. This handheld vacuum feels cheaper and more plasticky than the Shark WANDVAC and takes up much more room when not in use. Still, the flip side of those larger dimensions is its higher capacity dustbin, which will need emptying less often. It does a fantastic job of sucking up pet hair on bare surfaces and carpets, and it performs quite well in this regard when on fabric-lined surfaces. There's also a built-in crevice tool/extension wand to give you a bit of added reach when cleaning pet hair and other debris in awkward spaces. It can run for about 30 minutes in its default power mode, which is quite long for a vacuum of this type.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer didn't design its battery to be removed or replaced, so you can't just buy another battery and swap in a replacement if its ability to hold a charge degrades over time. This vacuum also does a terrible job of sealing in fine particles, so it isn't the best option if you suffer from allergies.

If you want to spend as little as possible on a handheld vacuum for cleaning up pet hair, look at the BISSELL AeroSlim/TurboSlim. It has a shorter battery life than the Black+Decker dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet and a less potent suction motor, but it's a good alternative if you're looking for something cheaper and smaller. It does a fantastic job of dealing with pet hair on rugs and bare surfaces like hardwood floors or shelves and tables. Unlike the Black+Decker, it doesn't come with a miniature turbo brush for cleaning fabric surfaces, but it does have a crevice tool/extension wand to help you clean tight spots, not to mention a slip-on soft-bristle tool for cleaning delicate surfaces.

This handheld vacuum is remarkably compact, taking up roughly the same amount of space as a bottle of wine, allowing you to store it in a large drawer or at the back of a cupboard or cabinet. Its simple design is easy to maintain, and despite its affordable price point, the dense plastic body feels reasonably robust. Unfortunately, the compact size begets a tiny dirt compartment that needs frequent emptying.

The iRobot H1 is one of the best hand vacuums for pet hair we've tested if you suffer from allergies and require superb air filtration performance. Right off the bat, it's important to note that the H1 is very expensive for a handheld vacuum, being much pricier than similarly-performing alternatives like the Shark WANDVAC. That said, its dual-layer filtration system allows it to capture fine allergens like pet dander with greater efficacy than most other handhelds on the market. Its miniature turbo brush attachment also has no trouble dealing with pet hair on various surfaces. However, the brushroll inside isn't removable, which makes it hard to clear away any tangled strands.

This vacuum is bulky compared to other handheld vacuums and is more challenging to stow away than a smaller alternative like the BISSELL AeroSlim/TurboSlim. Thankfully, it does feel very well-built, which makes sense considering its premium price point. It can run for up to almost half an hour on a single charge, which will be more than sufficient for most spot-cleaning tasks. You can increase its suction power for dealing with stubborn messes by using the 'Max' suction switch, though running it continuously in this power mode decreases its battery life to roughly 10 minutes.