There's One Vacuum Reviewers Love For Pet Hair On Hardwood Floors: Is It Worth Buying?

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For parents of fur babies, you know how challenging it can be to keep it from looking like there are pets in your home when the animal isn't in the room with you. It's not just the paw prints, litter tracks, or lingering smells — often, the most difficult thing to keep up with is fur. No matter how much you brush them, there always seems to be an abundance of hairy tumbleweeds that end up collecting on your floors — a reason why some reconsider switching from carpet to hardwood. Though vacuums may have an easier job with hard surfaces, it's also much easier to see dirt, dust, and fur accumulate on a flat surface. 

While there are endless vacuum models on the market, you may be asking yourself whether you really need a pet vacuum to tackle your furry friend's mess. It turns out one vacuum designed for pet owners has racked up some pretty paw-sitive reviews — the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Lift-Off Upright Vacuum that is currently selling for $189. Even with great ratings from both customers and tested reviews, that doesn't always mean that it is automatically the best option for you, your budget, and your pet — so it's best to find out exactly what it can and can't do before you drop the cash.

When you are cleaning pet hair — especially off of hardwood — you need a vacuum that is both strong enough to suck up the hair from a slippery surface, and one that won't clog up once it does get hold of the hair. So having a vacuum that is specifically designed to handle these issues is often exactly what you need. Apparently, this Bissell delivers. It has a powerful suction, as well as grooves and a comb on the brush to prevent fur and hair from tangling. It also has a HEPA filter which captures the super fine particles and allergens so that they won't escape back into the air, and it features a detachable pod and special tools that both light the area for better visibility and allow you to get inside all the tiniest cracks and crevices. 

Most buyers raved about this vacuum, with one Target customer writing, "Of all vacuums I have owned, this one is phenomenal. I have two dogs one of which is part Australian Shepherd so she's got a ton of fur and a double coat and sheds like a maniac. This vacuum was a dream and I have not been able to find anything that comes close to it." Other reviews said it easily handled large areas, and noted that it was both simple to use and quiet. Worried about longevity? Don't be. One customer wrote, "My Pet Hair eraser vac is almost nine years old and it works as well today as it did when I bought it new."

Ok, so overall this vacuum seems to perform pretty well — but there are always some customers that aren't quite satisfied. Certain reviewers were not at all impressed with the suction on their hardwood floors — that said, this was highlighted by someone that said that they had a golden retriever, so it may not be a match for those particularly heavy-shed dogs. Another noted that it didn't pick up dander as efficiently as they would have liked. One that found the brush was getting clogged with fur mentioned that the brush was difficult to remove in order to deal with the issue. 

While this is currently listed at just $189, it usually retails for $280, so when full priced, it's not going to be your most budget-friendly vacuum option. This is a corded model, so you won't have the same freedom as you would with something cordless. It is also a bit bulkier than some competing models, so you may have a bit more difficulty getting under low furniture. That may not be a deal breaker for everyone, but if you have a lot of heavy furniture that you'd rather not move every time you clean, this may make the job more challenging than it needs to be.