Best Vacuum for Long Hair: Insights into the Most Effective Models

If money isn’t your main concern and you’re looking for the best of the best vacuums for long hair, then we highly recommend the Shark Vertex AZ2002. This top-of-the-line product is designed to tackle any aspects of housecleaning with the best performance possible.

To start with, the product features the advanced DuoClean technology from Shark, which allows users to work on multiple surfaces easily. The soft roller can help you pick up all particles while also polishing your hard floors, while the PowerFins will actively work into carpets and floors to loosen dirt and collect large debris.

With flexible silicone fins, your brushes won’t get tangled up with hairs and can easily pick them up with just one pass. And at the same time, the self-cleaning brushroll is engineered to actively clean up hairs while the brushes continuously work on the vacuuming tasks.

Plus, you can now have access to the detachable self-cleaning pet power brush from Shark, which can be connected to the hose and allow you to work with better flexibility, along with many other attachments included in the package.

And for many other tasks, the double cleaning motions from the duo brushes will allow your machine to work on multiple types of floors easily. It will continuously dig deep into carpets to look for dirt and collect debris. Also, you can always have the LED lights available on the nozzle to reveal debris and dirt in low-light conditions effectively.

In addition, users can enjoy working with the powerful suction that currently tops any other Shark products. This is mostly thanks to the hypervelocity motor with accelerated suction power and premium construction. As a result, your machine will always have enough power to tackle any problem with ease.

To enjoy a more convenient vacuuming experience with the upright cleaning mode, users can use the Lift-Away mode, Shark's signature design. With this feature, you can easily turn your upright vacuum into a handheld model and enjoy working on many awkward tasks without any trouble.

And last but not least, for those of you who are concerned about health-related problems caused by fine dust and allergens, you can finally rest assured knowing that the machine is actively protecting you. With the Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology available, the Shark Vertex AZ2002 will prevent dust from getting through the premium HEPA filter and keep the entire filtration system completely sealed.

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We don't consider the APEX AZ1002 inferior to the AZ2002 in any way, but rather as a slightly different machine that still comes with all the amazing features that you will love. But due to certain changes in design and features, this machine is a little less effective when dealing with hair. However, compared to most other products, the AZ1002 is still a champ, no matter if you’re using it for hairs or other types of dirt and debris.

And speaking of which, the machine comes with  DuoClean technology, which will help you work on any surface with ease. In addition, the dual brushroll will actively work onto the targeted surfaces in doubled cleaning motions. Thus allowing the machine to break down dirt and collect debris easily.

And most importantly, for long human and pet hairs, the tangle-free brush roll vacuum can easily pick up clumps without causing a mess inside the cleaner head. You’ll also have the self-cleaning brushroll actively working to prevent any tangles. This will ensure that you can easily continue with many cleaning tasks without stopping and dealing with hair.

As for the other features, the APEX AZ1002 also features the useful Lift-Away mode, which will allow users to work with the vacuum in canister mode. And the premium Anti-Allergen Complete Seal technology will make sure that you and your family are always protected from fine dust and allergens.

The only difference that you might notice is missing from this model is the insane suction power from the AZ2002. This can cause the machine to be less effective than its brother, but it is by no means a negative factor when you compare it to many other vacuum cleaners.

But on the other hand, users can use the Active-Glide technology on the AZ1002, which was designed to help smooth out their actions while still maintaining a strong grip on the floor. As a result, you can reduce the amount of effort and keep the performance up to par.

And if noise is also a concern, then the machine will certainly impress you with its quiet operation. This is thanks to a well-engineered motor, along with a slightly reduced engine power.

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While the premium design and features will certainly help when searching for the best vacuum to pick up hair, some buyers will also need to consider the impact of a premium model on their budget. And most of the time, you’ll find that premium vacuum cleaner are too pricey for a conservative budget. Hence, going for a less expensive option while still allowing you to do your job is always a better option.

And the Bissell 33A1 Pet Hair Eraser, the least expensive product on our entire list, will definitely surprise you with how effective it is, especially if you want a cheap vacuum that can do the job. And of course, you’ll need to make compromises, but they are more than worth it considering the amazing performance for the price.

The entire machine comes with a simple build of only a couple of components, designed to be used as your everyday handheld vacuum. It weighs only 3.1 lbs and comes with a 16 feet power cord, which will allow you to easily carry the vacuum around and work on problem areas with ease.

   ➜ RELATED: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser 1782 Vacuum Cleaner - Your Handheld Pet Companion

And speaking of which, the machine was specially designed to deal with hair, as it allows you to deal with pet and human hair quite easily. Here, the unique rubber nozzle will work pretty much like your pet gloves. Pull it back towards you to attach hairpieces, and the built-in motor will vacuum them up quite easily. And since it doesn’t come with brushrolls, there is no way for the machine to get tangled, which is quite nice if hairs are your main concern.

The machine also comes with a detachable floor tool to pick up hair or other debris that's located on your hard floors. And the convenient handle controls will make it quite easy for you to adjust the vacuum for more effective use.

And despite the low price, you will still get a HEPA filter to protect your health from the fine bag of dust. But since it’s a budget model, don’t expect the machine to come with complete seal technology. And of course, the limited size won’t allow the machine to work effectively in large areas.

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Your full-sized vacuum models won’t work as well as the handheld machines for cleaning stairs, cars, upholstery, and other awkward areas. Mainly due to their bulky design. So, if these are your main concerns, the BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser is certainly the best vacuum for pet hair and will work well on your carpeted stairs.

Here, the handheld machine comes at only 4.18 pounds, including the battery, which will ensure that you can comfortably work with it, even for a long session. Also, the 14V lithium-ion battery is designed to provide consistent power and adequate cleaning time on most of your tasks. And thanks to the decent dirt cup capacity of 0.7 liters, your handheld vacuum will take a while before you need to empty it.

And with a complete set of specialized pet tools, the machine can easily work on any task, as long as you don’t require too much suction power from it. For example, start by using the motorized brush tool or upholstery tool to easily vacuum up any pieces of pet hairs on your carpeted stairs or upholsteries. The crevice tool will also help pick up debris and hair that are stuck in tight corners.

And if you don’t want the long hair to get tangled in the brush, you can also remove all the tools and work with the vacuum itself. This will directly capture hairs without using any brushes and help prevent tangles.

Also, with pets around, there will be more allergens that might cause you trouble. Hence, with the available triple-level filtration, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser will ensure that all fine dust and allergens are trapped inside the machine. In addition, you can easily clean these filters along with the dust cup to always keep the vacuum functional.

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Dyson has long been known to provide high-quality vacuum products with premium features. And it is because of their signature brushroll design and many brands have come up with their own ideas of tangle-free vacuums. At the same time, Dyson’s cordless vacuums are also well known among the top products and are always considered adequate options.

And when combining the two most important features, you’ll have the Dyson V11 Outsize Cordless, which is currently the best vacuum for human hair and cordless uses.

With a powerful motor and a well-engineered brush roll setup, the machine can easily glide its way across multiple surfaces without any trouble. Feel free to use it to pick up hairs of any length, and the brush will stay relatively clean until the end of the cleaning session. In addition, the built-in filtration system will keep the small particles and allergens trapped inside to protect you and your family.

As for the battery, the Dyson V11 comes with a dual battery setup, which enables much better running time than most other cordless models, up to 120 minutes, depending on your usage. And the relatively quick charging time will ensure that you will almost always have the machine ready to use.

And like many other cordless models, you can take out the main cleaner head and connect your Dyson V11 with a multi-function attachment, which can promote multiple uses and allow you to work in handheld mode comfortably.

In addition, you can also make use of the large dirt cup, which can hold up to 1.9L of dirt and debris. This will mean that you can comfortably work on multiple cleaning jobs around the house before you need to stop and empty the machine.

Aside from all those standard functions, the Dyson V11 Outsize is also complemented by its intelligent features, making it the only smart device on our list. Here, users can intuitively interact with the built-in LCD screen display, which allows them to monitor the machine and make certain adjustments if they wish.

It’ll let you see the current mode that the machine is running and enable touch controls for you to adjust the power settings easily. There are three modes to optimize your machine, the Eco mode, the Normal mode, and the Boost mode. Depending on the current cleaning surfaces and tasks, the machine will automatically adjust the cleaning power to optimize the performance. Alternatively, you can choose to control these settings to match your preferences better manually.

   ➜ RELATED: Best Hoover Vacuum Cleaners for Different Cleaning Needs

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When cleaning stairs and pet hairs, you’ll need the best vacuum for long hair that features both power and flexibility. And the Shark LA502 Rotator Lift-Away is currently one of the few models that can satisfy these criteria.

It comes with state-of-the-art DuoCLean and PowerFins technology, which will allow users to easily pick up any pieces of dirt and debris on the floor, especially handy if you’re dealing with hairs. With silicone fins, the cleaner head can easily work into high-pile carpets to loosen dirt and collect hairs, while the soft roller will work well on hard floors to collect debris without scratching the surface. And the powerful LED lights will help you reveal hidden debris and dust on the way.

The silicone brush will not attract hairs like normal bristle brush models, and the soft roller is designed to neglect any hair. In addition, the self-cleaning brushroll will actively pick up hairs without causing any tangles. The more you run it, the less tangled the brushes will become. Hence, your machine won’t likely get troubled by hairs.

Thanks to the new pod construction, you’ll also notice the machine being relatively lighter than most other upright models from Shark. This will enable easier movement and better versatility on the machine. Plus, the entire pod can now be removed when working in the canister mode, making the Shark LA502 significantly lighter than its counterparts. Hence, you can comfortably work the machine on your stairs while still ensuring decent suction power to do the job.

To protect your health, the Shark LA502 Rotator Lift-Away also comes with a complete seal system, which will prevent most of the fine dust and allergens from escaping the machine. And the complete collection of tools will allow you to make the most of its features.

   ➜ RELATED: What Is The Best Shark Vacuum On The Market? 9 Best Shark Vacuums

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If you can’t stand the heavy models that require you to operate them with two hands, then the lightweight Shark ZS351 is certainly a better option for working on stairs, upholsteries, or your regular carpet.

And for those of you who are particularly concerned with hair, then this best vacuum for long human hair will certainly ease your worries while also making sure that you don’t break your budget.

On the Shark ZS351, you won’t get DuoClean technology like other premium Shark products. This makes the machine less suitable when working on bare floors since the bristle brushes will not be all that helpful. But it still packs enough suction power to collect any debris and dust on the hard floors. And when working on carpets, the special brushroll will allow the machine to work deep into the layers and easily collect any dirt.

But most importantly, thanks to the Zero-M design with combs being placed along the brushroll, the machine will actively pick out hairs before they can get stuck on the cleaner head. This is really helpful if you don’t want to have to clean the brushes constantly.

The swivel steering and fully-reclined handle will allow users to clean tight corners easily and under appliances. Also, thanks to the lightweight construction and flexible stick vacuum design, you won’t have any trouble working the vacuum on your stairs and still be able to make use of the motorized brushroll.

In addition, feel free to detach the main unit from the cleaner head to enable the handheld machine, which will allow you to work on upholsteries, windows, shelves, and any other less conventional surfaces. This, together with a complete set of tools and attachments, will enable great versatility for users.

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For cleaning unconventional areas like stairs, cars, and furniture, most of you won’t need to have a fully-featured machine with a bulky design. Instead, small vacuums with adequate power and suitable features would be a better choice for many people. And speaking of which, the BLACK+DECKER dustbuster will certainly impress many users with its portable design and advanced cleaning power.

Here, this handheld vacuum features relatively lightweight construction, at only 4.11 pounds. The flexible design will allow users to work in unconventional areas like cars, stairs, and furniture without any trouble. You can easily adjust the control settings at the handle to enable more power or decrease the suction. And the built-in battery display will allow you to keep track of the remaining power. Also, being the top-of-the-line product from the brand itself, the machine offers much better running time than other models from BLACK+DECKER.

And for those of you who often have to deal with hair, the anti-tangle brush from BLACK+DECKER dustbuster will prevent any hair tangles. Here, the motorized brush will actively attract hairs and dirt, while the bristles will not cause hair to stick on them. Hence, your machine will always remain tangle-free when working with both pet and human hair.

In addition, you can also use the crevice tool to enable the vacuum without a brush roll. With an extra-long design, the machine can easily reach into those tight corners on your couches, inside your cars, or the edges of your stairs.

As for your protection, the machine comes with a complete filtration system. And although it’s not a completely sealed unit, the pre-filter and post-filter will effectively trap dust and allergens. Not to mention that you can easily wash them along with the dust cup for easy maintenance.

   ➜ RELATED: The Best Handheld Vacuum for Pet Hair: Best Products of This Year 

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If stairs and hardwood floors are the main surfaces you work on, and you’re only looking for the anti-hair criteria as an additional feature, then the Shark ZU561 is definitely the best vacuum cleaner for you.

This is not to say that the machine won’t work well with hairs, but on the contrary, the vacuum will feature the self-cleaning brush roll to actively clean hairs from the cleaner head. However, compared to the other features, we found that the machine offers much better use than just for hairs.

Here, the machine offers good suction power to handle most household cleaning tasks effectively. And thanks to the adjustable suction control slider, you can easily manage the suitable suction level for cleaning on carpets or hard floors.

With swivel steering movements, users can easily move between furniture and reach into narrow areas without any trouble. And if you ever need to clean floors, the staple Lift-Away design is also available on the machine. This will allow you to easily convert it into a canister model and let you use the additional hose for flexible cleaning operations.

You can remove the entire pod to greatly reduce the unit's weight and make it easier to work with. But this also means that the machine doesn’t come with the powered lift-away mode, which can be a little bit disappointing.

And thanks to the Anti-Allergen Complete Seal technology from Shark, users can comfortably vacuum around the house knowing that they’re protected from any fine dust or allergens.

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If you want to have the upright vacuum for convenient carpet and floor cleaning experiences while still wanting the relative flexibility to work on stairs, the Bissell 20431 Powerglide is one of a few models that will match those standards.

Here, the machine allows users to work in the regular upright mode and comfortably clean up dirt, debris, and hair from multiple surfaces. Thanks to the adjustable triple action brush roll, you can easily customize the settings to better work the machine on bare floors or carpets. Also, the swivel steering action will allow you to drive the unit across any narrow areas easily.

And if you ever need to use the canister mode for your stairs, the Bissell 20431 Powerglide also offers a convenient Lift-Off design, allowing users to detach the main unit from its bottom cleaner easily. Then, using the additional hose, you can easily vacuum up dirt and debris from above-floor areas.

With a complete set of useful tools, you can allow the machine to clean any surface easily. Feel free to use the Pet Turbo Eraser to collect pet hairs and dust on soft surfaces. Enable the specialized pet tools to work on your upholsteries effectively. Or use the bare hose to spot clean any area easily.

The smart seal allergen system on the Bissell 20431 Powerglide is also designed to trap fine dust and allergens from escaping the machine. And the Febrile pet odor Eliminator filter from Bissell can also get rid of unwanted odors. Thus, allowing you to breathe more refreshing air each time you clean your house with the unit.

   ➜ RELATED: Looking For The Best Bissell Vacuum? Here’s A Complete Review Of 20 Bissell’s

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How to choose the best vacuum for long hair?

In the following article, we’ll discuss the specific features of these products to learn how they work and how you can optimize the cleaning results with each of them. All of which were taken from our test runs and will provide you with better insights into the product. And since the main topic is their ability to pick up hair, that’s what we’ll be focusing on.

What is the best hair-picking technology?

To be more competitive against their competition, many companies have introduced their own technology to deal with hair, enabling the best vacuum cleaner for long hair. However, there are still certain differences in the designs and results, which we’ll be discussing right away.

Dyson

Although the V11 Outsize isn’t advertised as one of the best vacuum cleaners for hair on carpets, the machine still works great in multiple cases when dealing with hair, from short to medium-long hair. This is thanks to the well-engineered brushroll, which was designed to prevent hair tangle.

The unique brush design offers great cleaning results Via: Amazon

Here, the two bristle brushes are evenly distributed along with the roller in spiral forms and follow the same direction. Also, two brushes being placed opposite to each other on the roller, they’ll always stay furthest from each other when you draw a line along with a rounded cylinder. As a result, hair stuck on one brush will not be likely to get caught in the other brush and cause trouble for the machine. This only happens when the hairs are too long.

And even if that’s the case, the brushes are designed with different heights, so even though the longer bristles might catch hair, there will only be a small chance that they both get stuck. Not to mention that the light and well-optimized brushroll also improves the spinning speed. Thus, allowing the machine to be more effective when vacuuming your house.

   ➜ RELATED: How to Get the Best Dyson Vacuum That's Worth the Price

Bissell

You can have the unique wide brush design on their Pet Hair Eraser upright line ups with Bissell products. Here, the brushes recede into the cylinder to limit their exposure to hair, which will likely get caught inside.

And despite the odd design, the brushroll still manages to sink into the high-pile carpets enough to allow the receded brushes to collect all debris and dirt on your area rugs. The only problem with these models is that they come with a strangely positioned motor for the brush, which will require users to make a few more passes when cleaning.

Bissell also enables the option to turn their motorized brushroll on and off quite easily for cleaning on hard floors. Hence, users can make sure that their machine is safe on laminated surfaces. In addition, the receded and fixed brushes will have minimum chances of reaching the hairs and get tangled with them.

You can turn off the brush to protect your hard floors Via: Amazon

We were very impressed with Bissell’s rubber cleaning nozzle for their handheld lineup, which greatly mimicked the designs and effectiveness of a pet glove. Here, you rub on the specific area to collect hair, and the vacuum will do the rest.

Shark

As far as our tests and research are concerned, Shark has really been working to provide the best vacuum for long hair. And if you care about this feature, then their products are not to be overlooked.

For the mid-tier lineup, consumers can enjoy working with the Zero-M vacuums from Shark. The M stands for zero maintenance. And in fact, you don’t need to pick up hair on these models since they’ll be doing the job themselves while still helping you pick up hairs from carpets and floors. All of this is thanks to all the engineering efforts that were put into the cleaner head.

To start with, you have the standard powered brush roll from Shark, which comes with both bristled brushes and rubber fins. Here, the bristles will work into the deep areas on the carpets, while the rubber fins can easily break down the entire surface. Thus, enabling great much better cleaning results.

Also, the fins that are positioned right in front of the brushes will work to shield them from hair, which will drastically reduce the amount of hair tangle. Finally, and most importantly, each Zero-M vacuum comes with a set of combs at the top of the housing, allowing the machine to shred off hairs that were caught on the unit constantly.

The bristleless brush roll can eliminate hair wraps completely Via: Amazon

Moreover, you can have the updated PowerFins technology with bristleless brush rollers for the more premium products. Now, your vacuum can easily work on carpets without dealing with hair tangles on the bristles anymore.

How to get better results when cleaning hair?

Although you will do pretty well with any of the products on the list, there are still a few things that you’ll need to keep in mind to get better cleaning results with them.

Spot cleaning if possible

Most of the time, your hair problems stem from a small patch of hair that did not clean immediately. Unfortunately, these will eventually be flying all over your house and getting embedded on multiple surfaces like carpets, upholsteries, couches, beddings, and sometimes landing on the floors.

Deal with the small hairpieces before they get away

Hence, it would help clean these small hair clumps whenever you see them prevent them from getting out of your sight.

Just make sure that you have a handheld vacuum, which is always accessible within the house. Then you can deal with these problems quite easily.

Cleaning on carpets and bare floors

There is a clear distinction between cleaning carpets and bare floors, applied to hairs and other debris types.

On your carpets, hairs and other debris often get embedded under the piles. So it’ll require your brush roller to work inside the carpets and pull them out. Hence, you will need a model with a powered cleaner head. And the upright vacuums with impressive anti-tangle designs on our lists are certainly the best choices for the job.

And after working on carpets and area rugs, consumers will want to continuously run their vacuum on bare floors and other surfaces instead of changing to a whole new setup. But keep in mind that you should consider the spinning brushes that might scratch your laminated floors.

In these cases, turning off the brush like on the Bissell Powerglide is quite useful. Or you can make use of the adjustable height settings that come with your specific vacuums to keep the brush from reaching the surface.

Models with the soft roller can protect your floors Via: Amazon

Also, the soft roller on premium Shark vacuums can work really well in these situations, as the soft brushes won’t scratch the floor while also helping the vacuum pick up more dirt and hair. Plus, these models also have their own set of combs for the soft roller, so zero maintenance will be needed. Hence, you can always have these for the best vacuum for hair on hardwood floors.

Do you mind the filtration?

And since we all pick up these vacuums to deal with pet hairs, and sometimes, human hairs, there is another thing that you should consider, which is dander. These are the shredded materials that come from animals with hairs, consisting of your pet’s fur and your long hair. These materials can cause some serious allergies if allowed to build up inside your house. And by vacuuming the house, homeowners can accidentally distribute these materials all over the place through the airflow.

The complete seal technology can protect your health Via: Amazon

Hence, you’ll need vacuum cleaners that can successfully keep them under check whenever you try to clean. And products with HEPA filters and complete seal construction will come in handy, as they allow you to trap all dander inside the machine completely.

Conclusion

Between the Vertex and Apex, it was really difficult to tell the differences in overall performances. Still, if hair cleaning is your priority, then the Shark Vertex AZ2002 is the winner, thanks to its exceptional cleaning power. Not to mention that the model also comes with the latest PowerFins roller from Shark, which eliminates the chances of hair wraps on your machine.

Also, with a complete design, the model can work well in multiple situations without you having to make too many compromises. Feel free to use it on your carpets and hard floors to enjoy exceptional cleaning results whenever you need it. Has the powered Lift-Away mode enabled so you can further clean the above floors with the fully-powered unit? And thanks to the complete seal filtration system, you will always breathe fresh air after working with the machine.

That being said, many of these great features can find on the vacuum cleaners on our lists. In addition, and most importantly, with much more affordable prices, they might be a better choice for your specific needs. So feel free to check out all the included products and find your best vacuum for long hair.