Cats have short, medium, and long coats, and individual hairs fall out on a daily basis. With shedding taking place so often, our houses quickly get covered in pet hair, and it seems impossible to keep up on vacuuming it. Purchasing a handheld vacuum is a quick and easy way to clean the areas of your house that your cats spend most of their time in. They are also smaller and able to reach the nooks and crannies that your regular vacuum can’t. These online reviews have shown us which of these handheld vacuums are the best at picking up cat hair to keep our homes free from their fluff.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

The 5 Best Handheld Vacuums for Cat Hair

1. Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Ultra Cyclone Pet Plus– Best Overall

When looking for a vacuum for cat hair, you want to ensure that it has strong suction and a powerful rolling brush. This Shark cordless handheld vacuum has both and is one of the best overall handheld vacuums for cat hair. The size is compact and lightweight so that you can move around your home easily. It also features an ultra-cyclone that picks up all types of pet hair on multiple surfaces of the house. This vacuum comes with a tool to reach in small crevices, as well as a scrubbing brush and washable filter. Even though it works great, it doesn’t have the longest runtime and does have to be charged frequently.

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2. Bissel Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum – Best Value

The best handheld vacuum for cat hair for the money has to be the Bissel pet hair eraser cordless vacuum. It not only has a practical design, but it also has many attachments and an extra-large cup to fit large amounts of dirt and hair that is also easy to empty. This handheld vacuum is affordable and lightweight. It has a fair runtime and a powerful motor. The filter itself is not washable, so you will have to buy replacements. It also does not contain a HEPA filter.

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3. Black & Decker Flex Cordless Stick Vacuum – Premium Choice

While this vacuum may cost more money, it is extremely powerful with a long battery life. It also has many different attachments to fit even the tightest spots around the house. The long hose allows you to vacuum hard-to-reach areas as well. The filter is washable, and it works well on all surfaces. However, there is no motorized brush tool and no HEPA filter.

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4. Bissell Clean View Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum

It’s always ideal when you can find a product that is cheap and still works well. Even though this vacuum is best suited for upholstery, it still does a magnificent job at suctioning up cat hair. While the size is compact, it does weigh more than the other vacuums on the list. There is a HEPA filter, but the dirt container is small. The cord also limits how far you can move while you’re cleaning.

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5. Dirt Devil Scorpion Quick Flip Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

The biggest appeal of this handheld vacuum is the extremely affordable price that fits nearly anyone’s budget. It isn’t as powerful as the other vacuum cleaner options but gets the job done when you’re in a pinch. There is only one extra crevice tool, and you will have to work around the power cord and small vacuum bag. It is, however, very lightweight, and easy to move around with.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Handheld Vacuums for Cat Hair

Deciding on a handheld vacuum model means investing your time in money into something that gets the job done the first time. There are many different vacuum models on the market, and many of them claim to remove cat hair with ease. But how do you know which top brands to trust? There are a few clues that tell you just how effective these vacuums are going to be. Not only do you want something that is actually going to pick all of the hair up that is in a single location, but you want something that is going to continue running until the job is done. You also want something that is worth your investment.

Here are some features to look out for:

Cleaning Ability

Almost all handheld vacuums can pick up crumbs, but not all of them can actually pick up pet hair that is known for latching onto every surface of the house. A good vacuum should have a minimum of a 16-volt battery or 15 air watts. Air wattage refers to the vacuum’s suction power. The higher the power, the better job it is going to do on the hair.

Comfort

Nobody wants a vacuum that they can’t easily maneuver while they’re working. Look for a lightweight model that is cordless, so you won’t have to move it and plug it into a new outlet every time you move to a new room. Make sure it also comes with plenty of attachments that are going to help you reach even the most challenging areas of the house. This includes small cracks or high-up areas where you would typically miss with a traditional vacuum.

Price

While there are many different price ranges, you don’t want to splurge unless it fits into your budget. A higher price point does not always mean that the vacuum is going to work better for you. Look in a variety of price ranges and ensure that the ones that are more expensive are giving you something that the cheaper vacuums aren’t, whether that is efficiency, longer battery life, or more attachments.

Conclusion

Our reviews on these top handheld vacuums cleaners go in-depth about some of the best on the market for picking up cat hair. In conclusion, we have found that the ultra-cyclone pet plus vacuum made by Shark is the best choice overall. Meanwhile, the Bissell pet hair vacuum is the best for your money, and the Black & Decker flex cordless stick vacuum is the premium choice. After you decide which vacuum you’re going to buy, use it immediately upon delivery to determine if it is the right choice for you. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a model that doesn’t do what it claims it will. Either way, we are confident that these five handheld vacuums for cat hair are some of the top choices being sold this year.

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Featured Image Credit: surachet khamsuk, Shutterstock