If pet hair builds up mainly in carpets and on fabrics, consider a cylinder vacuum with a suitable brush and check how it performs in tests on embedded fibres. A cordless stick vacuum is better suited to quick, frequent cleans, provided its battery life and attachments work for your surfaces. A robot vacuum can maintain accessible floors, but it cannot vacuum a sofa or stairs.
Where pet hair builds up is the first thing to consider when choosing the type of brush and vacuum.
If hair gets caught in the fibres of carpets, cushions or pet beds, look for carpet test results and check that a fabric-friendly brush is compatible with your chosen vacuum. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol includes synthetic fibres designed to simulate pet hair embedded in a carpet.
If you regularly vacuum floors and a few fabric-covered areas, how easy the vacuum is to pick up matters just as much as how easy it is to store. With a cordless stick vacuum, compare the battery life in the mode you’ll use with the area you need to clean. Also consider emptying the dust container and cleaning the brush.
A robot vacuum can complement manual cleaning when your floors are accessible. To decide whether it’s right for your home, check how it performs on fibres and carpets, as well as along edges and in corners: these surfaces feature in UFC-Que Choisir’s robot vacuum test protocol.
Worth considering: if carpets, rugs and fabrics need a thorough clean with a compatible attachment.
The trade-off: you’ll need to move the vacuum around and manage its cable, as well as maintain the bag or dust container, depending on the model.
Worth considering: for frequent cleans, when quick pick-up and no cable are important in your home.
The trade-off: battery life and suction power may be limited, as UFC-Que Choisir notes in its guide to stick vacuums.
Worth considering: as a complement, to schedule cleaning on floors the robot can reach.
The trade-off: you’ll still need another way to vacuum sofas, pet beds and stairs that are outside its path.
Once you’ve chosen a type, compare performance on your surfaces, the attachments supplied with the exact model and the maintenance they require.
| Priority | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fibres in carpets | Look for a test covering fibres embedded in carpet, not just dust on a hard floor. Check the supplied floorhead and whether a turbo brush or powered brush is compatible. | Hair gets caught in my carpets or rugs, so I want to know exactly how the model performs on these surfaces. UFC-Que Choisir uses synthetic fibres designed to simulate pet hair in its test protocol for cylinder vacuums. |
| Sofas and pet beds | Check which fabric attachment is included, what type of brush it has and whether it’s compatible with the model. Make sure it can reach the cushions, pet beds or steps you need to clean. | Fabrics and stairs are my main problem areas: a floor brush alone won’t do the job. |
| Maintenance | Check how to empty the dust container or replace the bag, then look at how to access the roller and filters. Confirm that consumables and parts are available for the exact model number. | I prefer to know what I’ll need to do after each clean. If avoiding contact with dust matters to me, UFC-Que Choisir’s guide to cylinder vacuums says that bagged models expose users to less dust than bagless models. |
| Floor area and frequency | For a stick vacuum, compare battery life in the mode you’ll use and charging time with the area you need to cover. For a cylinder vacuum, check its working radius; for a robot vacuum, look at its performance on carpets, edges and in corners. | I vacuum often, but I also need to reach all the areas that matter. The type of vacuum should suit the size of my home and any obstacles, not just how often I clean. |
Wattage alone doesn’t tell you how well a vacuum picks up fibres from a carpet. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol for cylinder vacuums includes a test using synthetic fibres designed to simulate embedded pet hair.
If you have carpets or rugs, look for test results on fibres and check which brush was used with the model.
With a stick vacuum, actual battery life depends on the mode you use. So a claim of “up to” a certain number of minutes doesn’t tell you whether you’ll finish your usual cleaning routine.
Check the conditions behind the stated battery life, charging time and whether the battery can be replaced on the exact model.
You need to be able to clean a brush clogged with hair. Bags, filters or the battery may also need replacing, depending on the vacuum. A fabric attachment is only useful if it’s compatible with the model you choose.
Check which attachments and parts are available for the exact model. In France, the repairability index is also one of the things to consider for applicable vacuum cleaners, according to the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
UFC-Que Choisir’s robot vacuum tests cover floors, carpets, edges and corners, among other things. A robot that moves along the floor won’t vacuum cushions, pet beds or steps.
Use it for accessible surfaces and keep a manual vacuum with a suitable attachment for other areas.
These examples highlight choices around attachments and maintenance. Check the specifications of each model; this isn’t a ranking of brands.
The Pure C9 PC91-ANIMA cylinder vacuum is an example of a model supplied with brushes for areas where pet hair tends to collect.
The V16 Piston Animal is a cordless stick vacuum to consider if you want to clean floors regularly and use attachments for other areas.
The STB 101 mini turbo brush is an example of an attachment to consider for fabrics and carpets, provided you have a compatible vacuum.
This brand may appeal to households that want to check spare-part availability alongside attachments for pet hair.
These cordless stick vacuums are designed for regular floor cleaning, with features advertised for pet hair. If your priority is a carpet full of embedded fibres or automated floor care, keep the criteria for cylinder or robot vacuums in mind when making your decision.
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A cordless stick vacuum to consider for frequent cleaning when you have pets. For carpets and fabrics, check which brushes are actually included and look for test results on embedded fibres. Also compare the battery life with the mode you’ll use.
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The hose and brush mentioned in the name are worth noting if hair also collects on sofas or stairs. The model is advertised with 55 kPa suction and HEPA*4 filtration. Before deciding if it’s right for you, check what type of mini brush it has, which attachments are included and how it performs on your carpets.
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The removable battery may be useful if you plan to clean several rooms regularly. The product name states 45 000 Pa and up to 60 minutes of battery life, but these figures don’t show how well it picks up embedded hair. Check which mode the stated battery life applies to and what type of fabric attachment is supplied.
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The advertised anti-tangle brush is worth considering if you regularly need to remove hair from the roller. The product name states 55 000 Pa and 45 minutes of battery life, while another listing detail says 55 minutes. Check which figure and mode apply, and look for carpet test results.
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This stick vacuum is promoted for pet hair and carpets, with an advertised anti-tangle brush. The product name states 60 000 Pa and up to 65 minutes of battery life. Check which mode this applies to, what type of upholstery tool is included and how it performs on embedded fibres.
Look for test results that specifically cover fibres embedded in carpet, then check which brush was used. UFC-Que Choisir uses synthetic fibres designed to simulate pet hair in its test protocol for cylinder vacuums. A result for dust on a hard floor doesn’t answer the same question.
According to UFC-Que Choisir’s guide to cylinder vacuums, bagged models expose users to less dust than bagless models. If this matters to you, also compare how the bag is replaced and whether consumables are available for your chosen model.
No. A robot vacuum that moves along the floor can’t clean sofas, pet beds or stairs. It can help maintain accessible floors; for fabrics, you’ll need a manual vacuum with a suitable attachment. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol assesses robots on floors, carpets, edges and corners, among other things.
Check the battery life in the mode you’ll use, charging time, which brushes are included for your surfaces and how easy it is to clean the roller. UFC-Que Choisir notes that stick vacuums can have limited battery life and suction power, so a maximum battery-life claim doesn’t necessarily reflect everyday use.
Yes, when it’s displayed for the model in question. The Ministry for Ecological Transition says the index indicates how easy or difficult a product is to repair, and it applies to vacuum cleaners, among other products. Consider it alongside the availability of the brushes, filters, bags or batteries you’ll need.