For frequent pick-ups on accessible floors, choose a stick vacuum if you prefer to clean as and when needed, or a robot if you’d like to automate some of the cleaning. If pet hair tends to cling to carpets and soft furnishings, consider a corded cylinder vacuum with the right brushes. Whichever you choose, brush maintenance and the availability of spare parts matter just as much as the type of vacuum.
If pet hair gets caught in rugs, carpets or soft furnishings, look for brushes designed for these surfaces and check how easy it is to remove hair from the roller. For longer cleaning sessions, a corded vacuum means you won’t have to manage a battery.
For regular pick-ups of visible pet hair on different floor types, check the weight in your hand, the battery life in the mode you’ll use and how easy the bin is to empty. A brush that’s easy to clean is also useful for this routine.
A robot can clean the areas it can reach. You’ll still need to maintain its brush and dust collector, as well as have another solution for stairs and furniture, which robots can’t clean, as Les Numériques points out.
Worth considering: for longer cleaning sessions or carpets where pet hair gets caught, with a turbo brush designed for the model.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to move the main unit and hose around, and manage the cable on a corded model.
Worth considering: for quick, frequent pick-ups when you want to clean yourself without getting out a cylinder vacuum.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to fit cleaning sessions around the battery life and empty the bin according to how much pet hair you collect.
Worth considering: to automate some of your cleaning when floors are clear and accessible.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to maintain the robot and keep another cleaning solution for stairs and furniture, as outlined by Les Numériques.
Once you’ve chosen a type, match the accessories and maintenance requirements to the surfaces in your home. A corded design alone doesn’t tell you how well a brush will remove pet hair.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pet hair on carpets and soft furnishings | Check for a brush designed for carpets and, if needed, a small brush suitable for fabrics. | When pet hair gets caught in the fibres, I want to clean both the carpet and the sofa without neglecting brush maintenance. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this need. |
| Quick clean-ups | Compare the weight in your hand, how the bin empties and the stated battery life under conditions that match your usage. | For picking up visible pet hair several times a week, I want a vacuum that’s easy to get out and put away. This is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Automation | Check whether the robot can access your rooms and clean under furniture, then find out which brushes and filters need maintaining. | If the floors are clear, I’d rather automate some cleaning, even if that means cleaning areas the robot can’t reach myself. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this option. |
| Maintenance and repairability | Check the model’s repairability index and look for brushes, filters and other parts compatible with its model number. | I want to be able to maintain the vacuum and identify the parts that wear out before I commit. For around 20% of consumers, this is their main concern. |
A power rating alone doesn’t tell you how well the brush makes contact with a carpet or fabric. Clubic highlights turbo brushes and small motorised brushes as accessories worth considering for pet hair.
Compare the tools supplied for the surfaces in your home, then check how to remove hair from the rollers.
Les Numériques points out that robots can’t clean stairs or furniture. Pet hair can also build up in a brush, even on a model designed to reduce tangles.
Identify areas your robot can’t reach and plan to clean them by hand. Also check how accessible the dust collector, filters and brushes are.
Depending on the model, maintaining the dock and replacing its consumables may add to the upkeep of the robot itself.
According to the ministry responsible for the environment, the repairability index indicates how easy or difficult an appliance is to repair. On its own, it doesn’t measure cleaning performance or how long the appliance will work.
Check the details behind the rating for the exact model and look for parts that match the components you’ll need to maintain.
Two models labelled for pets may come with different brushes and accessories. The label doesn’t guarantee that the box includes a tool suited to your soft furnishings.
Check the exact model number, the accessories included and the compatibility of any replacement parts you’ll need for your routine.
If the brush you need for your soft furnishings isn’t included, you’ll have to buy a compatible accessory separately.
The features below apply to the models mentioned, not every vacuum from each brand.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a bagged cylinder vacuum with accessories for carpets.
Worth considering for targeted clean-ups with a stick vacuum, but check the accessories for the specific model.
Worth considering if you want to automate cleaning on accessible floors. Check the features and consumables for the robot you’re considering.
This selection includes stick vacuums for picking up pet hair throughout the week and robots that automate cleaning on accessible floors. Compare their accessories and maintenance requirements with the carpets, soft furnishings and rooms you need to clean.
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Worth considering for regular cleaning on hard floors and carpets if a stick vacuum you operate yourself suits your routine.
The product listing specifies an anti-tangle brush, 55 kPa, 550 W and up to 55 minutes of battery life. Check the runtime for the mode you’ll use and clean the brush regularly.
If repairability matters to you, check the index and find parts compatible with the ME03 model number.
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Worth considering for frequent pet hair pick-ups if you’d like a stick vacuum that stands upright between cleaning sessions.
The product listing specifies an anti-tangle brush, 60.000 Pa and up to 65 minutes of battery life. Check the conditions for this runtime and the included accessories if you also clean soft furnishings.
For long-term maintenance, check the repairability index and look for parts that match the exact UV5 model.
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Worth considering for regular pick-ups if being able to leave the vacuum standing upright matters to you.
The product listing specifies an anti-tangle roller, 55000 Pa and 45 minutes of battery life. Compare this runtime with the mode you’ll use and remember to check the roller after picking up pet hair.
If you want to plan ahead for maintenance, check the repairability index and find parts compatible with the M100 model number.
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Worth considering if you want to automate cleaning on accessible floors while keeping a manual solution for stairs and furniture.
The product listing specifies LiDAR navigation, a dual anti-tangle system, an auto-empty dock and 8 000 Pa. Clean the brushes and check which consumables are compatible with the Q7 L5+ model.
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Worth considering if you want to automate cleaning on accessible floors and let a dock take care of some mop-pad tasks.
The product listing specifies FlexiArm mop pads, a dual anti-tangle system, hot-air drying and 12000 Pa. The dock doesn’t eliminate the need to maintain the robot, so check which components are compatible with the Qrevo S5V.
Plan to clean stairs, furniture and any areas the robot can’t reach by hand.
Not on every surface. A robot can clean the floors it can reach, but you’ll need another solution for stairs and furniture, according to Les Numériques. Also check its brush and dust collector when pet hair builds up.
Pay particular attention to the brush or roller, and empty the dust collector or replace the bag depending on the model. Clean the filters as directed in the manual. If your robot has a dock, include its components in your maintenance routine too.
Not necessarily. Compare the stated runtime with the conditions of use and the surfaces you need to clean. Rowenta lists up to 45 minutes for the X-Pert 6.60 Animal, but that doesn’t guarantee the same runtime in every mode.
It indicates how repairable the model is, not how long it will last or how well it will clean pet hair. ADEME lists corded, cordless and robot vacuum cleaners among the appliances covered. Check the rating and its details for the exact model before comparing products.
Search for the part using the vacuum’s exact model number, then check that it’s compatible. Miele, for example, lists a catalogue of vacuum cleaner parts, while Roborock offers accessories for some models. However, a catalogue doesn’t guarantee that a particular part will fit your appliance.