You'd expect any vacuum cleaner with the word pet in its model name to ace Consumer Reports' tough pet fur test in which cat hair is embedded into carpet piles. And most of the pet vacuums in our current Ratings did just that. Unfortunately, some of those that excelled at pet hair removal were lackluster at other tasks. In fact, only one of the full-size pet vacuums made our recommended list, the bagged upright Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Pet UH30310, $150. It was excellent at pet hair removal and cleaning bare floors and very good at cleaning carpet. If you want an all-around top performer, don't be swayed by pet hair names and claims. The Miele Complete C3 Marin, $1,100, and the Kenmore Progressive 21714, $400, are at the top of our list of canister vacuums and both are excellent at pet hair removal. Our top upright, the Kenmore Elite 31150, $350, was very good on that task but two of its brandmates, the Kenmore 31140 and the Kenmore Progressive 31069, aced it. They both cost $200 and are CR Best Buys.

Of the pet models we tested, we found eight that were excellent at pet hair removal but had subpar performance on other tasks. Unfortunately, we also found some real dogs among the pet models. The canister Dyson Cinetic Animal, $550, was only fair at removing pet hair and was also mediocre at cleaning carpet although it did well on the bare floors test. The canister Dyson Ball Compact Animal, $450, scored only 34 out of a possible 100, but did a decent job at picking up pet hair. Two hand vacuums in our tests also make pet hair claims. The Shark Pet Perfect II SV780, $60, our top hand vacuum was very good at picking up pet hair but the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser 33A1, $35, got our poorest marks for pet hair. Judging vacuums at Consumer Reports continues all year long and we're always looking for a champ among the vacuums we test. Luckily, we usually discover a few top dogs. To see how other vacuums fared see our full vacuum Ratings and recommendations.Hoover Vacuum Cleaner T-Series WindTunnel Pet Rewind Bagless Corded Upright Vacuum UH70210

"Owners of long haired pets, your search is over." - By (TX) I got this vacuum a few weeks ago, I had an old Bissel that went out on me after about 5 years or so. I recently got an Alaskan Klee Kai. He is the cutest dog ever, but dear lord the hair is ridiculous. The Bissel would take 10 minutes to clean this 6 foot rug caked in his hair. I decided to get something that specializes in pet hair, I just couldn't deal with it all over the place anymore. I took it out of the box the first time and thought how nice it looked and went right to the rug. Less than a minute and it was spotless (hairless). I ran it over the rest of my carpet and was pretty grossed out by all of the dust, dirt and hair that it picked up that my Bissel had been leaving behind all these years. I took off the canister with a press of a button, held it over the trash can and with a push of a lever everything fell out, I didn't get anything on my hands.. Based on 7,882 analyzed reviews NerdWallet Shopping’s rankings of the best vacuums for pet owners are based on our analysis of the opinions of experts and shoppers like you.

Picking a vacuum isn’t easy. And when you have a specific need, like expert pet cleanup, searching through all those reviews can feel like a real chore.air duct cleaning in miami florida We researched some of the most popular models on the market to make your decision less confusing. dryer vent cleaner costTo narrow down the field, we looked at expert opinions from review sites such as The Sweethome, CNET and Good Housekeeping. best way to clean dust off venetian blindsNext, we analyzed user reviews to see what shoppers were saying about the various attributes of each vacuum.best leather cleaner for dirty car seats

We recognize that consumers look for different qualities in vacuums, so we ranked users’ observations on multiple features of top models, including their performance on carpet and hard surfaces.best cordless vacuum cleaner upright Our scores range from a low of 1 to a high of 10. top rated canister vacuum cleaners 2015Here’s how we devised them: Overall score: The overall score reflects reviewers’ satisfaction with each vacuum in 10 categories, including how well it cleans across various surfaces, ease of use, durability and noise. How well it cleans: This score reflects reviewers’ satisfaction with the vacuum’s performance on carpet and hard floors, including hardwood, bare, tile and vinyl. It also considers their satisfaction with the vacuum’s ability to clean up pet hair and debris.

Ease of use: This score reflects reviewers’ satisfaction with the vacuum’s ability to maneuver, including its weight and cord length; the process of emptying or cleaning it out; and whether it was considered easy to operate. 1. Shark Rotator NV752 The Shark Rotator NV752 is an upright vacuum that features power-lift-away technology that allows it to deep-clean even the tightest corners. But the feature pet owners really love is the TruePet mini motorized attachment, which powers deep into carpets and upholstery, extracting dirt, dust and allergens. Thoroughly picks up all pet hair Its performance on stairs 2. Miele S8590 Alize With positive reviews for performance, styling and maneuverability, the Shark Rotator NV752 vacuum’s strong suit is just about everything. Its ability to pick up pet hair Its performance on bare floors and stairs Its performance on carpets and rugs 3. Dyson V6 Motorhead Users of the Dyson V6 Motorhead could not say enough about this powerful, cordless stick vac’s cleaning power — especially the way its mini motorized tool worked its magic on wayward pet fur.

Adaptable cleaning power on carpets, hard flooring and stairs Small dust cup can be messy to empty Handle-motor combination is awkward for some 4. Hoover Platinum UH30010COM The ultra-light upright Hoover Platinum comes with a removable canister to clean those off-the-floor jobs, illuminated fingertip controls, two speed settings, a self-sealing HEPA bag, and the ability to extract pet hair from the deepest carpets. Expertly picks up pet hair, even out of deep-pile carpets Effective and easy to use on stairs Not as effective on hard flooring A light but powerful stick vacuum, the Dyson V6 has a detachable wand that makes it easy to reach difficult spaces, features whole-machine HEPA filtration, has mess-free push-button bin emptying, and offers a max power mode that will make you forget that Fido even sheds. The way it makes cat or dog hair disappear Fantastic on hard floors and stairs 6. Miele S7260 Cat and Dog This powerful upright transitions from carpets to hard floors and back again with just the flick of a switch.

And the Miele S7260 Cat and Dog’s turbo brush attachment makes cleaning up pet hair from upholstery and stairs a breeze. Thoroughly sweeps up pet hair Cleans carpeting and hard floors equally well Attachment hose could be longer 7. Miele S7280 Jazz Its SwivelNeck technology makes the Miele S7280 Jazz easy to maneuver, its electrobrush means the vacuum adjusts automatically to different types of flooring, and it unfolds flat to the floor for cleaning those awkward areas where pet hair tends to gather. Powerful suction makes pet hair disappear Excels on all types of flooring Falls short on stairs — especially if they’re carpeted Its heavy weight can be a problem 8. Hoover WindTunnel Pet UH70935 This powerful upright vacuum features an 8-inch stretch hose, a foot-long extension wand, easy-to-use carpet height adjusters, and a suction-only mode. But what dog and cat owners really love are its air-powered, rubber-bladed pet hand tool, crevice tool and pet upholstery brush.