Hair is not always easy for vacuum cleaners to pick up, unlike most of the other debris they are designed for. The size and shape of a long hair is very different from crumbs or other small debris, and as a result, some vacuums are much better than others when it comes to this task. In this article, we’ve focused on the best vacuum for long hair, reviewing a variety of suitable models.

We’ve outlined several types of vacuums, including upright and canister vacuums, and we’ve also looked at key features, including whether or not the vacuum has a cord and how long the cord is. We also looked at weight, as a heavy vacuum can be difficult to use. The warranty was also looked at, as most people want their purchase to be protected by a long-term manufacturer’s warranty, which means you can rest easy even after paying a good amount of money. Vacuum cleaners aren’t always cheap items.

Our team spent weeks researching vacuums based on consumer reviews, first-hand experiences, YouTube videos and watching vacuums in action, as well as information provided by manufacturers. Our guide comes in the form of a simple chart, detailed reviews of the best products, and then a comprehensive buying guide to help you determine what to consider when making your purchase.

The 6 best vacuum cleaners for long hair

Shark APEX AZ1002

Shark is a brand that has created some outstanding and remarkable vacuum models in recent years, including the Apex, our best vacuum for long and short hair removal. It combines many outstanding features and patented functions that Shark has created in recent years.

These technologies include DuoClean, Powered Lift-Away and Zero-M. DuoClean is a brushed system that is perfect for hard floors and gives a polished effect. The Powered Lift-Away feature allows you to detach a nozzle to clean more difficult and compact areas.

The main technology that helps clean the bristles is the Zero-M feature. This feature increases suction and eliminates hair curling for better pick-up. This feature increases suction and eliminates hair curl, allowing for more efficient hair collection. It also has a HEPA filter and anti-allergenic effect, which is ideal for people who may have reactions to pet hair.

In addition to being ideal for pet hair, it is a reliable and well-designed vacuum cleaner. It’s one of the quietest models on the market, it’s gentle and easy to push around your home, and of course, it’s also very powerful. It weighs only 16 lbs so it’s not difficult to move up and down stairs or anywhere else in the house.

Shark has also shown their confidence in this product by offering an outstanding 5 year warranty.

Bissell Cleanview 1831 bagless upright vacuum cleaner

The Bissell CleanShot bagless upright vacuum is available at an incredible price, and while it’s not the most amazing product on the list in terms of features, it has everything most people need at a reasonable price.

Like other brands on our list, Bissell has its own features and functions that were designed to enhance its vacuuming capabilities.

It has a multi-cyclone system that maintains a high level of suction and ensures that dirt (and hair) doesn’t fall back when you stop vacuuming or lift your vacuum.

CleanShot technology removes most debris on the first try, so you don’t have to keep going back and forth over the surface.

It’s lightweight and has a long 25-foot cord, as well as a six-foot hose, so its reach is pretty impressive even though it doesn’t have the advantages of some cordless models.

The main feature that makes this unit one of the best vacuums for long hair on carpets and other surfaces is the brushing tool that can help “agitate” long hair that has become tangled in the floor and furniture and allow it to be sucked into the mechanism with ease.

For a corded vacuum cleaner for long hair, it’s hard to beat in terms of price and functionality.

Shark Navigator Deluxe NV42

There are many Shark brand vacuums that are great for picking up long hair. The Navigator has a cord and isn’t as sophisticated as some of their other models, but it’s still great for the job.

This vacuum is great for shag carpet and bare floors. It is very light and can easily be carried around the house, weighing in at 15 pounds. The power cord is 8 meters long, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time unplugging the vacuum and plugging it back in every room.

The dust pan, with a quarter-liter capacity, is large enough to handle a lot of debris. Brilliant features for long hair include the roller-brush tool that is ideal for removing hair from even deep carpets and rugs, or when long, stubborn hair has become tangled in your furniture. The brush helps disturb the hair so the vacuum mechanism can grab it.

The NV42 also has an extendable handle that allows you to reach up to 3 meters high. It has a flat nozzle that allows you to reach even the smallest and hardest to reach areas. Overall, this is a fantastic corded vacuum for long hair removal.

Severin Nonstop MY7115

This is the second canister vacuum on our list. Severin has focused on producing a vacuum that is as quiet as possible, making it the closest to silence on our list.

The Severin Nonstop (MY 7115) has many different attachments, including an XL floor nozzle, an upholstery tool, and a crevice nozzle. The click connection makes it very easy to empty the tank.

This model is very lightweight and relatively simple to use, although it could be a little more flexible and ergonomic when you take it around the house. The hose is less than 6 feet long, which is less than some competing models.

Many users have reported that it’s effective for pet hair as well as long human hair, and while some of its features aren’t as impressive as other options, the Severin Nonstop is quite affordable compared to many other models on the market. If you don’t have a huge house and don’t need an upright vacuum, then this model may be a good option, with the added benefit of being as quiet as possible for a vacuum.

The HEPA filter that most of the best upright vacuums come with is included here and is designed to last the life of the vacuum.

 

Shark Rotator Professional Lift Away NV500

Another model from Shark, which makes a wide variety of high-end vacuums. The Shark Rotator is so called because it was designed to be easy to maneuver. Despite its cord, it is quite easy to move from room to room.

In addition to the suction power we’ve come to expect from Shark and its line of excellent products, it has some very clever additional features. In addition to its rounded ball design that allows you to pivot and maneuver easily, it’s convertible, which means it can quickly transform into a handheld or canister vacuum as needed. No matter how you want to configure it, the vacuum is extremely quiet.

It comes with a variety of pet tools, as it was designed to be an advanced vacuum for long-haired dogs. These tools can help bring up hair from carpets or even upholstery and other furniture.

In addition, the Shark Rotator is excellent at maintaining suction, so it doesn’t lose any hair on the way to the dust pan. The Rotator can sometimes have a tougher time on hard floors, but for carpets and rugs, it’s a good option.

Miele Compact C1

Some people consider canister vacuums to be a bit outdated. Upright vacuums have become more popular, but Miele has created a great little canister vacuum to challenge the ideas some people may have.

It is very compact, and incredibly only weighs about 10lbs. It’s also easy to move around, even though it doesn’t have the upright design that many of us are used to. The 360-degree swivel of this vacuum’s main body means it will follow you around like a loyal companion.

The Miele has an AirClean filter system that is sealed so nothing can come back out of this vacuum. The turbo brush is a special feature that picks up even long hair. The downside of this unit is that it requires bags, which means you have to replace them from time to time.

A suction control dial allows you to choose between six different functions. These are designed to optimize suction based on the type of surface you’re vacuuming, making it a great vacuum for tile and carpet. Settings for furniture, hard floors and carpets are all included and make the unit more effective at picking up long hairs. This is a good vacuum for removing long hair, whether human or pet, as it has a dusting brush among its many accessories, and it even has a patented AirClean system that is designed to filter the air after use.

Reasons to get a vacuum cleaner for long hair

If you find yourself constantly picking up long hair after vacuuming, you probably don’t have the right model for picking up hair. You may have many people in your home with long hair, or you may have pets with long, shaggy coats. If hair is never picked up by your current vacuum, it can quickly build up.

Have you ever been in someone’s home and noticed pet hair accumulating on the furniture? This is probably due to the choice of vacuum cleaner. Even a vacuum that is capable of picking up crumbs and other debris can have a hard time removing hair. If you’re starting to spot them around the house, it may be time to get a specific vacuum cleaner with the right features.

Features to consider when choosing a vacuum for long hair

It’s all well and good to tell you that it’s important to find a vacuum that’s suitable for long hair, but what features dictate that? What should you look for when trying to find the right model to alleviate the problems you have with long hair lying around the house?

Type of Vacuum

In the modern era, there are many varieties of vacuum cleaners available. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The types of vacuum cleaners available are as follows:

Robot vacuum cleaners: these devices intelligently move around your home and do the work for you! Naturally, this means you can’t vacuum furniture or other upholstery, and robot vacuums can also be quite expensive.

Handheld vacuums: These are the kind of machines you use for furniture or cars, and while they’re great for vacuuming hair in difficult areas, they’re not suitable for your home.

Canister vacuums: These are often more affordable than other models and are quite compact, with a hose that runs from the canister itself to vacuum.

Upright vacuums: Upright vacuums are relatively easy to use and, in theory, are great for getting around the house in front of you. Some upright vacuums can be converted into canisters or even handheld vacuums, or have small handles that detach via satellite and help you clean hard-to-reach areas. Most of the vacuums on our list are variety vacuums.

Which one you choose will depend on your personal preferences and the area you plan to use it in.

Power

As a general rule, the more power the better. If you have a handheld vacuum, it’s unlikely to be very powerful. Many Shark models and other upright vacuums offer a good balance between power and ease of use.

Power is a difficult parameter to measure properly when it comes to vacuums. The best way to know if the unit will be powerful enough is to read consumer reviews, and that’s exactly what we did in our product reviews.

Weight and size of the vacuum

Storage is an important consideration. If you live in a small apartment, one of the larger vacuum models may take up a lot of space and not be easy to store. Canister models work well for this situation, as do upright vacuums, although few are suitable for long hair.

Weight is an important consideration when using the vacuum. Not only will you have to push or pull it often, but you may also have to carry it upstairs or lift it to reach other surfaces.

Corded or cordless?

Corded models tend to be cheaper because they don’t require a battery to charge, but they’re not always a bad choice. If you choose a corded model, consider whether the cord will be long enough to cover a large area of the house. It’s very frustrating to have to change outlets every few minutes.

With or without bag

Bagged models may be what you’re used to in vacuum cleaners of years past. However, they still have a long history. Using a bagged vacuum if you have to pick up a lot of hair can mean that it stays put, and you don’t run the risk of it getting tangled up somewhere during removal, which can happen if you don’t have a dust bin.

Dust and dirt garbage cans are popular for a reason, though. Not having to replace the bags is better for the environment and better for your bank balance because you won’t have to spend money on those replacements. As long as emptying the bin or trash can isn’t difficult or complicated, bagless vacuums are a popular choice.

Anti-allergen filters

When you vacuum, particles can be disturbed and dislodged, which can lead to respiratory problems or other allergic reactions. Cleverly, filters have been designed into many vacuums to filter out these particles and trap them so that they cannot be released into the air and cause problems for allergy sufferers.

Whether you are particularly sensitive to them or not, it’s worth getting a filter to ensure that your home is free of the allergens that can sometimes be found in hair, including dog and other pet hair.

Reachability

There’s not much point in buying a vacuum cleaner that isn’t capable of reaching very far. If you have hard-to-reach areas or if you have a canister vacuum that can only reach a few feet, it can be difficult to get the coverage you need.

If you need to get into the most difficult crevices of your home, such as the sides of furniture or under tables, many vacuums on the market come with an extendable tube that allows you to reach these difficult areas. This can be an added bonus for upright or canister vacuums.

Performance on other surfaces

It’s essential to think about the surfaces you have in your home. In the modern age, many of us have a lot of different floor coverings: you may have tile in one room, carpet and rugs in others, and hardwood floors elsewhere in your home. The best long hair vacuums are able to accommodate these surfaces adequately. For example, the Miele Compact C1 offers six different functions depending on the floors and materials.

Type of debris

If a vacuum cleaner is capable of vacuuming hair, there’s no reason it can’t also vacuum other debris in the home.

Warranty

When you purchase an appliance or electrical item, it is natural to want to use it for many years. Many brands of vacuum cleaners are well built and will last you for years, but it is natural to want that purchase to be guaranteed. Knowing that if something goes wrong with your vacuum, you can have it repaired under warranty is a big plus, and some options have warranties of up to seven years to provide this protection.

Price

Price is likely to play a big part in the decision you make. It’s extremely rare to find a vacuum cleaner for less than £100, and even at less than £200, your choices will be limited. Most of the products on our list are between €150 and €400. Naturally, the more you spend, the more you expect to get for your money.

There are some great deals to be had when looking for a long hair vacuum, with products such as the Bissell Cleanview offering excellent value for money.

Our verdict

The Shark APEX AZ1002 was named our editor’s choice and earned an incredible 9.9 rating. The fact that it has three different patented systems to ensure its effectiveness, and Zero-M technology that is perfect for hair, means we are happy to recommend it as a top product.

The Bissell Cleanview 1831 Bagless Upright Vacuum is another very impressive product with a 9.7 rating. Not only does it have features that many more expensive vacuums don’t, but it also does a great job on pet hair and human hair at a very affordable price.

The Shark Navigator Deluxe NV42 is also near the top of our list. It has brushes that help it agitate and remove hair, and many impressive Shark features that we love, including great suction power and reliability.

While choosing the best product for your home’s surfaces will depend on your budget and preferences, these products are a great place to start when putting together a list of options for the best vacuum for long hair.