In such cases, upright vacuum cleaners usually perform better, especially if you have a large house with carpeted floors. Sure, there’s the convenience of lugging the power cord around, but the larger bag capacity and long cord usually make up for it. Here are some of our recommendations for the best upright vacuum cleaners for cleaning pet hair and carpeted floors. But first,
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1. Shark ZU561 Navigator Upright Vacuum Cleaner
It’s a premium vacuum cleaner and packs several layers of filters to trap microscopic dust and allergens inside. Apart from the form lined filter, it also packs a washable HEPA filter. The Shark ZU561 gives you the ability to switch between the upright mode and the lift-away mode. The latter comes to the picture, especially when you live in a multi-storied house and need to carry the device upstairs. Apart from the self-cleaning brush head, you get several other tools as well. And hey, there’s a dedicated tool for cleaning pet fuzz from under cushions and upholstery.
2. Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The suction power is okay for both low and high-pile carpets. Though it might not suck everything on the first go, like the Dyson V11 Pro, a few tries on the upholstery and carpets help6. As opposed to that, picking up hair, fuzz and other litter is an easy job. However, the vacuum cleaner is a tad on the heavier side and a few users might find it a little challenging to swivel or move it around. But at the end of the day, no device is perfect and the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus is no exception. At times, it does struggle to pick up bigger debris on bare floors. Plus, you might see higher maintenance costs. It comes with a HEPA filter (that means, no allergens). Unlike some HEPA filters, which can be washed and dried, and reused again, the one on the Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus requires replacement every three to six months. So that adds up to the cost. Nevertheless, it comes with a few flexible options. For one, the cord measures almost 25ft in length, thereby giving you enough wriggle room to push this upright vacuum cleaner to the point of your choice.
3. Shark NV356E Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum
One of the best things about the Shark Navigator NV356E is you can use it in two ways. If you have to deep-clean certain areas, you can detach the canister to reach crevices and corners. Do note that the rotating brush is not functional when the canister is detached. Again, installation is a walk in the park. However, moving it can be a tad difficult for some people since it’s a top-heavy device. This vacuum cleaner has picked up many positive reviews, especially when it comes to keeping pet hair off floors and rugs. It comes with a HEPA filter, a big plus, especially if you are an allergy-sufferer. In fact, the company claims that it can trap 99.9 percent of allergens inside.
4. Hoover MAXLife Pro Pet Swivel Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The large head has a brush roll at the bottom which gets rid of tangled hair, thereby saving you from the process of manually removing hair from the head. Like many of its counterparts above, you can remove its head to clean hard-to-reach areas. And well, it works equally great as a hand-held vacuum. Users have appreciated it for its powerful (and adjustable) suction, ability to pick up pet hair, and for sucking lint off carpets and rugs.
5. Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
It comes with a few accessories, such as the dusting brush and the TurboBrush roll. The good thing is that the machine is designed to hold the accessories, thus saving you space in your utility room. The low profile design means you can get under furniture and tables to clean them with ease. Since it’s a budget-friendly option, you won’t find a premium finish. On the upside, the light body makes it easy to be carried around the house, and the 25ft long power cord is the bonus. Simultaneously, the maintenance cost isn’t too high in this one, and you need to wash and dry the filter once a month — clearly a better bet than replacing the entire filter. If you are looking to keep your house and carpets free from fuzz and pet hair, this one certainly makes the cut.
6. Eureka PowerSpeed Pet Turbo Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The low price means you will have to compromise on some features and in this case, it’s the filters. Unlike the ones above, it doesn’t have a HEPA filter. So yeah, dust tends to overflow, especially if you do not clean out the bag as frequently as you should. Nevertheless, this one has received many positive reviews from its user base, especially for cleaning pet hair from carpets. Do note that it’s not the most flexible vacuum cleaners out there since the head doesn’t swivel.
Clean Like a Pro
While cordless vacuum cleaners are the talk of the town, they tend to be a little on the expensive side, and the shorter battery life is a bottleneck for long-term cleaning. As long as you are willing to compromise on the portability, upright vacuum cleaners prove to be a boon. The only thing you need to keep in mind is to make sure your house has enough free power outlets.
