Hair can be challenging for some vacuums. Strands wrap around the brushroll and build up in the airflow path, which weakens suction and leaves you cutting hair off with scissors. The best vacuums for long hair prevent this in one of two ways. Some use brushrolls that guide hair toward the suction opening instead of letting it wrap, and others have a brushroll you can pull out in seconds, so clearing a tangle takes very little effort. Strong pet hair pickup is also a good sign, since pet fur causes the same problems.
We've tested over 115 vacuum cleaners, and below are our recommendations for the best vacuums for long hair. These recommendations are based on their hair-cleaning performance on different types of surfaces, their design, and their price. Check out our buyer's guide at the bottom of the article if you want a deeper dive into important factors to consider and how to choose a vacuum using our testing data.
If you're more concerned with pet hair, look at our lists of the best vacuums for pet hair, the best cordless vacuums for pet hair, and the best handheld vacuums for pet hair.
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Best Vacuum For Long Hair
Vacuum TypeCanisterPet Hair Pickup9.5Pet Hair Furniture Performance8.0User Maintenance8.0House8.9See all our test resultsSmall Apartment8.2The SEBO Airbelt D4 is the best vacuum for long hair that we've tested. The Premium model's electric powerhead delivers superb hair pickup on carpet and is remarkably easy to clean, with an accessible brushroll that makes untangling hair a cinch. On the downside, while this vacuum is very powerful, its standard multi-surface floorhead can struggle with large amounts of bulky debris; in these situations, you'll need to lift the head and let the powerful motor do the work. It's a good option if you're sensitive to allergens, as it has a multi-stage filtration system that does a good job of locking in allergens.
Overall, the vacuum feels incredibly robust, with a high-grade plastic canister body surrounded by a fabric-lined cushion so it won't mark your walls if you bump into them. That said, this is a bulky, heavy machine. It's very easy to maintain, with large, easily removable dirt bags and filters that can last for years before you replace them. Finally, it can be hard to find at major retailers; thankfully, you can find it directly on SEBO's website or from specialty vacuum retailers.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Vacuum For Long Hair
Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldPet Hair Pickup9.5Pet Hair Furniture Performance8.0User Maintenance7.0House7.4See all our test resultsSmall Apartment8.7If you want something more affordable than the high-end SEBO Airbelt D4 that's also far more maneuverable, consider the Dyson V15 Detect. Its carpet head has stiff bristles that dig into the fibers and lift long strands, and its hair pickup on carpet is exceptional. The soft roller head for bare floors picks up hair along with other debris, and you can pull the roller off to clear tangles in seconds. The carpet head takes more effort; you need a coin to open the side cover and slide the brushroll out, then you cut hair wraps off with scissors. The dustbin is small, so you'll empty it often, especially if you're picking up a lot of hair. Runtime is also short at the highest suction setting with the carpet head, lasting around 8 minutes, though it reaches up to 75 minutes on the lowest setting without a motorized head.
It's a good option if you want something light and easy to maneuver, as it weighs about 6.5 lbs and its rotating head slips around furniture. Its filtration does a great job of keeping fine dust out of your air while you clean, and since you only need to rinse the filter, it has virtually no recurring costs. That said, since it's bagless, it's messy to empty and releases a cloud of dust into the air. Unfortunately, this vacuum's all-plastic construction feels flimsy in places, which is a real disappointment for something this expensive.
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Best Mid-Range Vacuum For Long Hair
Vacuum TypeUprightPet Hair Pickup9.5Pet Hair Furniture Performance9.0User Maintenance7.5House8.7See all our test resultsSmall Apartment8.4At the mid-range price point, consider the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra. You don't get the grab-and-go convenience of a cordless model like the Dyson V15 Detect, but this upright vacuum is a much better option for long cleaning sessions that demand serious power. Its floorhead features built-in plastic vanes that effectively capture hair before it can tangle around the brushroll and jam the mechanism. The Extra variant also includes a dedicated pet grooming tool for heavily shedding pets, plus a mini turbo brush for cleaning couches and chairs.
While prices do fluctuate, this model often falls between $350–400 USD, a price point where it offers a fairly compelling option compared with the typically pricier models above. As a bagless vacuum, emptying out this vacuum's dustbin can release a cloud of dust and debris. If you prioritize the more hygienic debris disposal of a bagged vacuum, check out the SEBO FELIX Premium. While its powerhead doesn't have anti-tangle vanes, it's still remarkably easy to take apart and clean as needed.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Vacuum For Long Hair
Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldPet Hair Pickup8.5Pet Hair Furniture Performance7.5User Maintenance7.0House6.9See all our test resultsSmall Apartment8.2The best vacuum cleaner for long hair we've tested in the lower mid-range price bracket is the Dyson V8. This cordless stick vacuum is an older model in Dyson's lineup, but still offers a compelling option for those who don't mind missing out on the advanced features of the Dyson V15 Detect and want something better suited to small spaces than the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra. It's much cheaper than either model and just as effective at handling hair on various surfaces. Its brushroll is easy to remove and clean, and its built-in hair-trapping vanes keep less hair trapped in the floorhead.
The vacuum's multi-stage filtration system also does a great job of trapping fine allergens like dust and pet dander, though you still need to be careful when emptying the dustbin, which can make a mess. Unfortunately, battery performance lags far behind that of the newer V15. Its suction motor isn't nearly as powerful, and it'll struggle more with embedded debris.
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Best Budget Vacuum For Long Hair
Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldPet Hair Pickup7.0Pet Hair Furniture Performance6.0User Maintenance7.5House6.7See all our test resultsSmall Apartment7.6Consider the Wyze Cordless Vacuum S if you want one of the best vacuums for hair at a budget price point we've tested. It isn't nearly as effective at dealing with pet hair on carpets as the Dyson V8, and its floorhead lacks built-in anti-tangle vanes. That said, it's also much cheaper and still quite easy to maintain, especially when it comes to clearing out hair wraps.
The included HEPA filter effectively traps allergens, a rare inclusion for a vacuum at this price point, though it's bagless, so it still releases a cloud of dust into the air when you empty it. Its maximum battery life of just under 45 minutes isn't class-leading, but it still compares favorably to many pricier models and beats most budget-friendly cordless stick vacuums. Unfortunately, its selection of attachments is pretty limited, as it only comes bundled with a crevice tool.
Notable Mentions
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Miele Duoflex HX1:
The Miele Duoflex HX1 is a premium cordless vacuum that delivers good hair-pickup performance and has an easily removable brushroll. Its long-hair pickup performance is worse than the Dyson V15 Detect, though.
See our review -
Miele Guard L1 Electro:
The Miele Guard L1 Electro is Miele's newest flagship canister vacuum. It has a remarkably powerful suction motor, and its powerhead is very effective when it comes to clearing away hair. That said, unlike the SEBO Airbelt D4, the brushroll on this attachment can't be removed, which can make it a bit of a nuisance to clean.
See our review -
Miele Guard S1 Electro:
The Miele Guard S1 Electro is a more compact alternative to the SEBO Airbelt D4. As with its more expensive stablemate, the Miele Guard L1 Electro, the included powerhead is excellent for dealing with pet hair, but unfortunately, the roller brush is fixed in place, which can make removing any stuck-on long hair a bit of a hassle.
See our review -
Dyson V16 Piston Animal Submarine:
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal Submarine is Dyson's current cordless flagship. Its anti-tangle floorhead and powerful 315 AW suction motor provide an on-paper advantage over the Dyson V15 Detect, but in the real world, the V16's actual performance is too similar to the V15 to justify the large price difference.
See our review -
Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002:
The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is Shark's flagship corded upright vacuum. It performs well at cleaning up long hair, and its brushroll is self-cleaning, resisting hair tangles. However, it doesn't perform quite as well as the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra at picking up long hair, and its brushroll isn't removable.
See our review -
SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium:
The SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium is worth a look if you want something slightly smaller and cheaper than the SEBO Airbelt D4. The Premium model is bundled with the same highly effective and easy-to-clean ET-1 powerhead, but the vacuum itself has a shorter range, a weaker motor, and incurs higher recurring costs due to its use of smaller dirt bags.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 23, 2026:
We removed mentions of the Dyson Gen5detect and Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra because they're no longer readily available.
Jul 23, 2026:
We've ensured that all main picks remain available and are the best fit for user needs. We've also added a buyer's guide to this article to simplify your search for a vacuum to deal with long hair.
Apr 21, 2026:
We reorganized the article to clarify differences in product strengths. We reclassified the SEBO Airbelt D4 as the 'Best Vacuum For Long Hair' pick, the Dyson V15 Detect as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range Vacuum For Long Hair' pick, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra as the 'Best Mid-Range Vacuum For Long Hair' pick, and the Dyson V8 as the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Vacuum For Long Hair' pick. We also added the Miele Guard L1 Electro, Miele Guard S1 Electro, Dyson V16 Piston Animal Submarine, and SEBO AIRBELT K3 Premium to the Notable Mentions.
Nov 19, 2025:
We changed a reference from the discontinued Samsung Bespoke Jet to the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra. We've updated the Notable Mentions, replacing the Miele Triflex HX1 with the better-performing Miele Duoflex HX1.
Jul 14, 2025:
We changed the discontinued Wyze Cordless Vacuum to the Wyze Cordless Vacuum S. We swapped the Notable Mention Miele HX2 Cat & Dog with the better-performing Miele HX1. We also changed the Notable Mention BISSELL CleanView/CleanView Swivel Pet Rewind to the Shark Stratos Upright since it's much more comparable to the Dyson Ball Animal 3.
What To Consider When Choosing A Vacuum For Long Hair
User Maintenance
This is the first thing you should look at in our reviews when buying a vacuum for long hair. Our User Maintenance test scores a vacuum based on how easy it is to disassemble, clean, and reassemble. One subjectively scored metric is how easy it is to remove and clean a vacuum's brushroll, which matters when removing stuck-on hair.
- 7.0–7.9: The vacuum is easy to take apart and reassemble, but there are some problem areas. For floorhead maintenance, this can come down to a brushroll built into the floorhead, which can drastically complicate removing tangled hair.
- 8.0–8.9: The vacuum is easy to take apart and reassemble. When it comes to floorhead maintenance specifically, scores in this range are typically given to vacuums with removable brushrolls or some form of self-cleaning feature.
- 9+: The vacuum is incredibly easy to take apart and reassemble. Typically, vacuums that score this well in terms of user maintenance have straight suction heads without a brushroll at all; removing hair from bristles is considerably easier than de-tangling a roller brush.
Pet Hair Pickup Performance
This is another thing you should consider when it's time to buy a vacuum for tackling hair. While our Pet Hair Pickup test uses short- to medium-length hair, it should still give you a good idea of how effective a vacuum will be with long hair. Keep the following in mind when looking at scores:
- 7.0–7.9: The vacuum clears away the majority of pet hair within a single back-and-forth pass, though finer strands remain visible; you'll need a second pass to remove all visible hair.
- 8.0–8.9: Barely any visible hair remains after a single back-and-forth sweep, with any remaining hairs being quite hard to see.
- 9+: Effectively no pet hair remains after a single back-and-forth sweep.
Floorhead and Brushroll
If you have carpeted floors and pets, you'll want a floorhead with an air-driven or motorized roller brush. Straight-suction floorheads are better-suited to hard floors.
- Air-driven floorheads (often marketed as 'Turbo' brushes) are generally simpler, lighter, and cheaper, but can also jam on thicker carpets and are mainly suited for dealing with hair on low- to medium-pile rugs and carpets.
- Motorized powerheads are heavier but generally perform better on thicker carpets, with less risk of thicker rugs stopping the roller's rotation. Some motorized heads also offer features like height adjustment, making it easier to maneuver on surfaces like shag-pile rugs, as well as automatic brushroll-off functions that prevent overheating or damage if long hair, carpet fibers, or another obstruction completely jams the roller mechanism.
- Straight-suction floorheads can provide some level of surface agitation on very low-pile rugs, but are mainly suited for bare flooring. Their simple design makes them fairly easy to clean, and you won't have to worry about pet hair getting stuck inside and jamming a roller brush's rotation.
If you do spring for a vacuum with a motorized or air-driven floorhead, you'll also need to consider the type of brushroll it's equipped with.
- Bristled brushrolls have stiff bristles to lift away hair and fine debris from carpet, but can fling larger debris around on hard surfaces and cause micro-scratches on delicate surfaces.
- Soft rollers are better suited for removing debris from bare floors, but don't do much to lift it from carpet fibers.
- Dual rollers combine both soft and stiff bristles on a single floorhead, theoretically allowing for better debris pickup across multiple floor types without having to swap attachments. That said, they aren't found on many vacuums.
- Removable brushrolls make the process of clearing away tangled hair and stuck-on debris considerably easier.
- Self-cleaning brushrolls typically feature vanes or fins that press up against the roller to trap pet hair before it can completely jam the roller's rotation.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are currently the best vacuums for dealing with long hair to buy. We factor in a fairly wide range of factors, including availability, price, and reader feedback.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our vacuum reviews ranked by their pet-hair cleaning performance. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no vacuum is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.