What is the best type of vacuum cleaner for pet hair?

Vacuums with tangle-free rubber brush rolls, minimum 20 kPa suction power, and sealed HEPA filtration perform best at removing embedded pet hair without clogging.

Are cordless stick vacuums powerful enough to replace upright vacuums?

Modern high-end cordless stick vacuums (such as Dyson V15 and Shark Stratos) deliver over 20-25 kPa suction power, making them fully capable of serving as primary vacuums for small to medium homes.

Best Shop-Vac Vacuum Cleaners (Reviews & Comparison)

Q: How does VacCompare test vacuum cleaners?

VacCompare evaluates vacuum cleaners using standardized suction pressure (kPa), airflow wattage, noise level (dB), HEPA filtration efficiency, and battery runtime benchmarks alongside verified owner feedback.

Loading products…

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5922805 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded

4.4

(74)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 30.28 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 9303511 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded HEPA

4.5

(257)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 9.5 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5989300 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded

4.4

(3,254)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 18.9 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 9522236 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.5

(489)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 18.9 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 9522205 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded

4.4

(17)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 18.9 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5871205 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded

4.1

(11)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 45.4 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac SV543008 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Cordless Amazon's Choice

3.8

(42)

Suction 8 kPa

Dust Capacity 3.8 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5971836 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.3

(42)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 30.3 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 2021005 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.4

(1,443)

Suction 1 kPa

Dust Capacity 3.8 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 4040988 Ash Vacuum

Ash Corded HEPA Amazon's Choice

4.0

(79)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 15.1 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 2021000 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.5

(433)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 3.8 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5989400 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded

4.2

(191)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 30.3 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5920588 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded HEPA Amazon's Choice

4.4

(113)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 18.9 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5430022 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Cordless

2.4

(21)

Suction 7.5 kPa

Dust Capacity 7.6 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5926211 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.3

(96)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 45.4 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5989305 Canister Vacuum

Canister Corded

4.4

(3,257)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 18.92 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac SVU-5872911 Canister Vacuum

Canister Corded HEPA Amazon's Choice

4.5

(22)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 18.92 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5989405 Canister Vacuum

Canister Corded

4.3

(629)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 30.28 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 71-4040988 Canister Vacuum

Canister Corded HEPA Amazon's Choice

4.0

(79)

Suction 8 kPa

Dust Capacity 15.14 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5890470 Canister Vacuum

Canister Corded

4.3

(73)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 15.14 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5430087 Handheld Vacuum

Handheld Cordless

3.8

(30)

Suction 9 kPa

Dust Capacity 0.65 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5430023 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Cordless

3.3

(30)

Suction 9.5 kPa

Dust Capacity 7.57 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac Cordless Handheld Vacuum

Handheld Cordless HEPA

3.8

(21)

Suction 13 kPa

Dust Capacity 0.1 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5985005 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.3

(40)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 22.71 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5920689 Canister Vacuum

Canister Corded

Suction 20 kPa

Dust Capacity 22.71 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac SV5430030 Canister Vacuum

Canister Cordless

3.6

(14)

Suction 8 kPa

Dust Capacity 22.71 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac SV5430094 Wet Dry Vacuum

Dry Wet Corded Amazon's Choice

4.4

(51)

Suction 11 kPa

Dust Capacity 22.7 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac 5430034 Stick Vacuum

Stick Cordless

4.0

(4)

Suction Standard

Dust Capacity 8 L

View Specs & Review

Shop-Vac

Shop-Vac SV5430021 Handheld Vacuum

Handheld Cordless

4.3

(18)

Suction 12 kPa

Dust Capacity 0.7 L

View Specs & Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Expert guidance for selecting the perfect vacuum cleaner

How does VacCompare test vacuum cleaners?

VacCompare measures real-world vacuum metrics including suction pressure (kPa), motor airflow wattage, acoustic noise emissions (dB), dust container capacity, sealed HEPA filtration percentage, and battery runtime degradation.

What suction pressure (kPa) is needed for deep carpets?

For high-pile carpets and heavy pet hair, we recommend a vacuum cleaner with at least 18-22 kPa of suction power paired with a motorized brush roller.

Why is sealed HEPA filtration important for allergies?

True HEPA filtration traps 99.97% of fine particles down to 0.3 microns, including dust mites, pollen, dander, and mold spores. A fully sealed system ensures air does not escape around the filter.