The 4 Best Handheld Vacuums For Pet Hair of 2025

The best handheld vacuum for pet hair we've tested is the Shark WANDVAC. Right off the bat, it's worth noting that this vacuum sees the occasional price drop to around the price of our best mid-range pick below, so it's worth watching for a sale. 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 has an upholstery tool that does a decent job of clearing away pet hair on upholstered couches and chairs.

The vacuum feels decently well-built and has a user-friendly design that makes it easy to maintain. Though not HEPA-rated, its post-motor filter still does a good job of trapping fine allergens like pet dander. You can get third-party compatible HEPA filters if you want to further improve the vacuum's allergen-trapping performance. Like any bagless vacuum, you must be careful when emptying its dustbin, as shaking it out can release a cloud of fine grit and dust. Unfortunately (though unsurprisingly for its size), the dirt compartment is tiny and needs frequent emptying. Bulky debris can also clog the entry to its dirt compartment. Its battery life of a little over 10 minutes is also short, even for a handheld model, so it's best suited 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 less sturdy than the Shark WANDVAC, and its larger body makes it more difficult to store when it's not in use. Still, its bigger dimensions come with a higher-capacity dustbin, so you won't have to empty it as frequently. It does a fantastic job of sucking up pet hair on bare surfaces and carpets and performs quite well in clearing away hair on furniture. 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 pretty long for a vacuum of this type.

Unfortunately, the battery isn't removable, so you can't just buy another battery and swap it in if the original battery loses its ability to hold a charge over time. This vacuum also does a terrible job of sealing in fine particles like pet dander, 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 powerful suction motor, but it's a good choice if you're looking for a cheaper, smaller option for pet hair. It does a fantastic job of dealing with pet hair on rugs as well as bare surfaces like hardwood floors, shelves, and tables. Unlike the Black+Decker, there's no included miniature turbo brush for cleaning fabric surfaces; however, it has a crevice tool/extension wand to help you clean tight spots and a slip-on soft-bristle tool for cleaning surfaces that scratch easily.

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 makes it easy to maintain, and despite its affordable price point, the dense plastic body feels reasonably solid. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, given its size, its small dustbin will need emptying after almost every cleaning session.

If you suffer from allergies and require better-than-average air filtration performance, the Dyson Humdinger is one of the best hand vacuums for pet hair we've tested. While this is by far the most expensive handheld on our list, it comes with a reusable HEPA filter that does a fantastic job of trapping particulates. It's also easy to maintain, with no recurring costs, which helps soften the blow from the initial cost. This Dyson model has a larger dustbin than our main pick, the Shark WANDVAC, a few extra features like suction power adjustment, and some additional accessories, like a miniature powered turbo-brush. This brush helps it outperform the Shark in terms of pet hair pickup performance on upholstered furniture.

Beyond furniture, performance is solid across different surface types. It can easily handle pet hair and debris of all sizes on bare floors and carpets. There's also a crevice tool to give you more reach. As for runtime, you can expect just under 30 minutes on the low setting, which is solid for a handheld vacuum, but note that it's drastically cut down to just eight minutes when using the MAX power mode.