Best Vacuum for Long Hair in 2024

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Who doesn't love beautiful long hair? Vacuum cleaners that's who!

Although vacuum cleaners make cleaning rooms much easier, not all vacuum cleaners are designed for vacuuming hair, especially long hair. By this we mean human hair, as opposed to pet hair, which is shorter and easier for a vacuum to deal with.

You have likely already tried vacuuming hair from the floor, and encountered the problem of long strands. They tend to clump up and get tangled in the brush roller. It can be very frustrating if you have to vacuum often.

However, there are vacuum cleaners created especially for long hair. They work on a slightly different principle and will make your cleaning a lot easier.

Let’s review 5 of the best vacuums for long hair.

Woman with long hair vacuuming

Best Bagless Upright Vacuum for Long Hair

Shark Apex with Duo-Clean, Zero-M Anti-Hair Wrap

Shark AZ1002 Apex Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum with DuoClean & Self-Cleaning Brushroll, Crevice Tool, Upholstery Tool & Pet Power Brush, for a Deep Clean on & Above Floors, Espresso

This is our top pick when it comes to vacuuming long hair.

The Shark Apex seems to be the best vacuum for human hair that really does the job properly - without getting tangled. With great suction power and a self-cleaning brushroll, it’s definitely a good investment if you have long hair!

If you compare prices with similar vacuum cleaners, you will notice that Shark Apex is not that expensive. You can usually get it at a discount from retailers such as Amazon or from SharkClean direct via their website.

Product Specification - Shark Apex Duo-Clean AZ1002

Vacuum Type

Corded Upright

Bagged/ Bagless

Bagless

Filtration

Washable HEPA Filter

Brush Roll

Dual Brushroll with Anti-Hair Wrap

Weight

16 lbs

Bin Capacity

0.88 quarts

Cord Length

30 feet

Hose Length

5.5 feet

Watts

1350W

Included Accessories

  • 12-inch Crevice tool
  • Upholstery tool
  • Pet power brush

Warranty

5 years

Anti-Tangle BrushRoll Features

The Shark Apex features a self-cleaning brushroll that is designed to automatically remove any possible hair wrapping around the brush. The floor nozzle has small protrusions that remove hair from the brush roll as it spins. No more time wasted trying to remove tangled hair from the brushroll!

The Shark Apex also offers a DuoClean technology, but what is that? Basically, it is a two brushroll system with a soft brushroll at the front and a bristle brushroll behind.

Shark Apex DuoClean Brushroll Head underside

Shark Apex DuoClean Zero-M BrushRoll

The soft brushroll works by compressing to pull in large particles and piles, while engaging directly with hardfloors for a polished finish. Meanwhile, the larger bristle brushroll agitates and lifts embedded debris from carpets, while aiding pickup on hardfloors without scratching. As a result your flooring gets a double cleaning of the surface and will be perfectly clean.

Features

  • Zero-M® Anti-Hair Wrap - tangle-free brush roll removes hair as it cleans;
  • DuoClean Technology: its dual-brushing system does a deep cleaning on the carpet, and also gives your floor a polished look;
  • Advanced Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology, which also includes a HEPA filter;
  • A detachable canister that extends the reach of a cleaning head, which enables you to efficiently clean under furniture;
  • The vacuum constantly cleans itself and removes all the wrapped hair around the brush roll;
  • LED lights on the handle and floor nozzle
  • Active glide technology improves maneuvering.
  • Noise Reduction Technology, designed by experts to lower noise and soften the pitch. Noise levels are estimated to be 73-77dB depending on floor type and settings. This is about as quiet as you can get for a bagless upright vacuum.

The video below explains how the anti-hair wrap Zero-M® technology removes long strands of hair from the brushroll as it rotates and cleans your floors.

Shark DuoClean Brushroll

Dual-brushrolls for better pickup and deep cleaning

Shark Apex Lift-Away

Detachable canister for versatile cleaning 

Pros

  • Very good cleaning performance on all floors with powerful suction and excellent dirt pickup;
  • Good selection of upholstery tools included: dusting brush, crevice tool and pet power brush for tackling pet or human hairs on furniture;
  • Washable HEPA Filtration with complete seal technology;
  • Affordable price;
  • Large 0.9 quartz dust bin;
  • It perfectly cleans both fine dust and large particles, while at the same time polishes your floor;
  • Rubber wheels, instead of plastic ones, are a big plus! They can’t be broken and it’s much harder to damage wheels made of rubber.

Cons

It might be a little bit heavy for a small person at 16lbs. Although this is an average weight for a full sized corded vacuum such as this. The hose is also slightly short at only 5.5'. As a result the reach for above floor cleaning is limited.

Shark Apex Upright Vacuum

Is available for a discount price on Amazon


Best Bagged Upright Vacuum for Long Hair

Sebo X5 Upright Vacuum

The Sebo X5 definitely stands side by side with the Shark Apex. Sebo vacuums are also German engineered which translates to long lasting high quality components

With an electronic, automatically adjustable brush height, it takes the thinking out of  vacuuming.

For example, if you are cleaning the floor and want to clean under the furniture, just slowly push the cleaner toward the bottom of the furniture. The sensors will “sense” that and will automatically adjust its height.

Also, due to its great filtration method, you won’t notice that specific “smell” which many vacuums leave after vacuuming. It provides a great cleaning performance and comes with huge dust bags with 1.4-gallon capacity.

The Sebo X5 also comes with a sealing strip behind the brush, which drastically improves the airflow. It will also prevent any dust from exiting the bag or actually flying away from the bag.

We really like the ease of maintaining the brush roll on the SEBO X5. There is a warning light that alerts you to check the brush and it is easy to remove as shown in the image below. As a result it is quick and simple to remove any tangled hairs from the brush roll during vacuum maintenance.

Product Specification - SEBO Automatic X5

Vacuum Type

Corded Upright

Bagged/ Bagless

Bagged

Filtration

S-class HEPA Filtration system

Brush Roll

Single Brush Roll

Floor Nozzle Width

15"

Weight

16.9 lbs

Bag Capacity

1.4 gallons

Cord Length

40 ft

Hose & Wand Length

6 ft

Watts

1300W

Included Accessories

  • Crevice tool
  • Upholstery tool
  • Small dusting brush

Warranty

7 years on motor, 5 years on parts & labor + Lifetime Belt Warranty

Features

  • Sebo S-Class Filtration System - HEPA standard to filter out 99.97% of pollen, dust mites and other allergens as small as 0.3 micrometers in size. Tightly sealed hospital grade filtration;
  • Electronically controlled, automatic height adjustment — if you switch from floor cleaning to under-the-furniture cleaning;
  • 40-foot power cord, which is a pretty decent length;
  • Rubber wheels are much better than the plastic ones and last much longer;
  • 15-inch wide cleaning path, which is wider than on Dyson and Shark uprights, allowing quicker coverage of floor area.
  • Red "check brush" warning light to alert you to maintain or replace the brush roll.
  • Auto shut-off and indicators on the powerhead alert you to a full bag, blockage or brush roll problem.
Sebo Auto X5 Rear Cord Hook
Sebo X5 brush removal
Sebo Auto X5 inside bag housing

Pros

  • Excellent filtration is achieved through layered bags, which consist of between 3 and 4 different layers. 
  • Powerful suction motor with low noise level of only 67 dBA - you won't find an upright vacuum quieter than this.
  • The bag is pretty easy to empty, and the whole process takes just a few simple steps;
  • Great for allergy sufferers and people with asthma or similar conditions;
  • Its design allows you to reach under more types of furniture, compared to other, bulky vacuums.
  • Easy Brush Roll removal for cleaning hair or other debris - no tools required.

Cons

  • Although the power cord is pretty long, it offers no cord rewind. It can get pretty boring and maybe complicated sometimes;
  • Short flexible hose, which could be at least 50% longer;
  • Depending on where you order it from, it might be very expensive for most people;
  • No swivel steering. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but after many hours of use, you might feel like you've worked harder. Not too much, but a bit more. 
  • Unlike the Shark Apex, the Sebo X5 unfortunately has no LED headlights on floor nozzle

sebo X5 Upright Vacuum

Is available for a discount price on Amazon


Best Bagless Canister for Long Hair

Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog

Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog Bagless Canister Vacuum, Lotus White - Pet Hair, Portable

This Miele vacuum cleaner is designed specifically for cat and dog hair and is probably the best bagless canister vacuum for long hair. It's pretty convenient, uses a high air-cyclone for vacuuming and comes with a nice, large bin.

The key selling feature of the Miele CX1 that makes it great for dealing with long hair is its electric telescopic wand and brush roll. Many canister vacuums rely on suction alone, but this has a dedicated electric supply to provide strong brush agitation of surfaces, in addition to its strong suction.

The Miele Blizzard offers 4 levels of cleaning power, which is controlled with a knob on the cleaner’s body. Moreover, it has the advantage of being bagless; a unique feature for Miele vacuums since most of their models are bagged.

Its curved handle is designed to reduce wrist strain, which makes it pretty easy to control. Although it has a decent size, it comes with articulating neck and can be rotated and steered with ease.

All Miele vacuums are thoroughly tested to simulate 20 years of use at Miele's manufacturing facility in Germany. You can rest assured that this vacuum will last you a very long time. Tubes feel nice and light but also pretty strong, and can be extended with ease due to a special release clip mechanism.

Product Specification - Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog

Vacuum Type

Corded Canister

Bagged/ Bagless

Bagless

Filtration

HEPA AirClean lifetime filter

Brush Roll

Motorized Electric Brush Roll (SEB228)

Floor Nozzle Width

12.5"

Weight

19 lbs

Bin Capacity

2 liters

Cord Length

21 ft

Hose & Wand Length

10 ft

Watts

1200W

Included Accessories

  • Upholstery nozzle
  • Crevice nozzle
  • Parquet Twister Floorhead SBB 300-3
  • Handheld Mini Turbo Brush STB 101
  • Electro Plus Floorhead SEB 228

Warranty

5 years on parts & labor

Features

  • SEB 228 Electro Plus Floorhead with a motorized brush.
  • Mini Turbo brush included.
  • Large, 2-liter bin. It greatly decreases the frequency of bin emptying;
  • 4 levels of cleaning power, controller with a rotating knob;
  • 21ft (6.5m) cord length; cleaning radius of 31ft (10m);
  • Sealed System with HEPA AirClean Lifetime filter for maximum removal of allergens;
  • Works on 1200W which allows powerful and easy cleaning.
Miele SEB228 Electro Plus Floorhead Front
Miele SEB228 Electro Plus Floorhead underside

Miele SEB 228 Electro Plus Floorhead

Pros

  • Excellent for pet-hair cleaning on both hardwood floors and carpets;
  • Electric powered floor brush head;
  • Best in class filtration;
  • Parquet Twister floor brush for hard floors. Pretty useful;
  • Super quiet, way quieter than most of the vacuum cleaners on the market;
  • The main filter requires almost no investment in maintenance. You will be able to use it for a long time, without any worries.
  • Very robust, designed, built and tested to last 20 years.

Cons

  • It seems to be bulky for stairs, which is especially noticed if you clean frequently;
  • Expensive. But we think the cost is justified for the quality of this machine.
  • Cord length is a little bit short at only 21ft. It is 3ft shorter than on its bagged cousin, the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog.
  • Bin capacity holds less dirt than a bagged Miele.

Video Demonstration & Review

This vacuum is a major investment so we recommend checking out the full demonstration video below before deciding. You won't regret it. 

Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog

Is available for a discount price on Amazon

Or purchase direct from Miele via this link.


Best Bagged Canister for Long Hair

Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog

Miele C3 Cat & Dog

Although similar to the previous model, the main difference is a nice 4.5L capacity dust bag. Also, the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog comes with a special pet odor filter and the same turbo brush floorhead that you get with the Blizzard. The odor filter has a color strip that indicates when it needs changing.

The electro brush floor head features a motorized brush that you only get with more expensive canister vacuums. Cheaper canisters rely on suction and as a result they aren't as effective at hair pickup. As with the Miele Blizzard you also get a mini turbo brush too, which is great at removing hair from upholstery.

It’s flexible due to an all-way rotating neck and comes with 6 different cleaning speeds. For example, the lowest speed allows you to quickly and efficiently clean curtains.

At maximum power, the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog produces a sound of 79 dB, which goes down much further when working at a slower speed. As a result it is one of the quietest vacuum cleaners you can buy.

Product Specification - Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog

Vacuum Type

Corded Canister

Bagged/ Bagless

Bagged

Filtration

Odor Neutralizing Active AirClean filter

Brush Roll

Motorized Electric Brush Roll (SEB228)

Floor Nozzle Width

12.5"

Weight

23 lbs

Bin Capacity

4.76 Qt

Cord Length

24 ft

Hose & Wand Length

12 ft

Watts

1200W

Included Accessories

  • Upholstery nozzle
  • Crevice nozzle
  • Dusting brush with synthetic bristles
  • Parquet Twister Floorhead SBB 300-3
  • Handheld Mini Turbo Brush STB 101
  • Electro Plus Floorhead SEB 228

Warranty

5 years on parts & labor

Features

  • Pet odor filter, which does its job properly and efficiently. If you’ve ever used a vacuum cleaner without a pet odor filter, you will notice the difference in no time;
  • Although cable length is around 7.5 meters (24ft), its flexible hose and telescopic metal tubes can give another 3 meters in length, which makes up to almost 11 meters (36ft) of cleaning radius;
  • SEB-228 Powerhead and Mini Turbo brush.
  • With new power regulations, its powerful motor is designed to release the same suction power as the older, 2000W vacuum cleaners;
  • Self-sealing HyClean bags. Easy hygienic disposal into the trash;
  • With 6 cleaning speeds, it’s ideal both for curtains and the floor
Miele C3 with cover open
Miele C3 electric hose connection

Pros

  • Electric powered brush roll provides agitation for deep cleaning of carpets
  • Extremely effective hair cleaning for all floor types; 
  • AirTeq's head is perfect for hard floors;
  • Very large dust bag doesn't need emptying too frequently;
  • Quieter than its rivals;
  • Like the Miele Blizzard CX1, this vacuum is solidly built to last at least 20 years.

Cons

  • The turbo head is a bit too large for stairs;
  • Very expensive, its bagless cousin, the Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog is the cheaper alternative;
  • At 23lbs, this is also 4lbs heavier than the Miele Blizzard CX1.
  • Cord length is not exactly short at 24ft, but could be longer. 

Video Review

Again, we recommend checking out this video review of the Miele C3 Cat & Dog if you think this might be the vacuum for you. The video demonstrates all of this vacuums features and demonstrates its pickup performance on carpets and stairs.

Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog

Is available for a discount price on Amazon

Or purchase direct from Miele via this link.


Best Cordless Stick Vacuum for Long Hair

Dyson V15 Detect

Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Multicolor, 10.5'L x 9.8'W x 49.6'H

The last but not the least is the Dyson V15. It's cordless, which makes it pretty compact, lightweight and easy to use. Not having to worry about cords and their length is a big plus, especially if you vacuum on a daily basis. You can just lean it against the wall and use it anytime, then just lean it back and forget it’s even there.

If you’ve ever used the V10 model, you will notice that the V15 looks very similar. It also comes with a slightly bigger battery, which makes it a bit heavier at 6.9lbs. However, it’s perfectly balanced and feels very easy in the hand.

Furthermore, its motor delivers the most powerful suction for a cordless vacuum.

Dyson V15 Detect cleaning carpet

Moreover, the V15 is the first Dyson vacuum to feature a removable battery. As a result, you can double the runtime by purchasing a spare battery. For further details on this model check out our full review of the Dyson V15.

The Dyson V15 has an integrated LCD display at the top of the handle. It might seem gimmicky at first, but as soon as you start using it, you will notice how useful it is. Vacuuming mode is constantly shown on the display, and you can choose between 3 modes: Eco mode, which saves battery life, Medium mode, and Boost mode. The last one is usually used when you need some heavy cleaning to be done quickly.

Dyson V15 Runtimes

Low Power

Low Power

Medium Power

Max Power


Non-Motorized Tools

Motorized Tool

Motorized Tool

All Tools

Dyson V15

60-90 mins

60-80 mins

30-40 mins

10-12 mins

Accessories

Furthermore, the V15 comes with a ton of accessories. You get 2 main cleaning heads: the Laser Fluffy Cleaner Head and the Digital Motorbar, which features an anti-tangle comb to clear pet hair or human hair from the brush bar.

Dyson V15 Detect Fluffy Head Laser

Dyson V15 Laser Fluffy Head

Dyson V15 Motorbar Floor Head - Anti-tangle

Dyson V15 Digital Motorbar Anti-tangle Cleaning Head

In addition the V15 includes a Hair Screw Tool that is designed for removing long hair from furniture without getting tangled. Check out the video below for more information on this amazing tool:

Features

  • Cordless — no presence of cables makes vacuuming much more convenient;
  • Laser Fluffy Cleaner Head with Dirt Detect - a laser that reveals microscopic dust;
  • Digital Motorbar Cleaner Head - powerfully removes dust and hair without getting tangled;
  • Innovative Hair Screw Tool, specifically designed to remove long hair from upholstery without getting tangled.
  • Wall dock supply — it’s constantly charged while leaning on the wall, so the battery is always full when you start using it;
  • 4.5 hours charge time and up to 60 mins of run time when using the Eco mode;
  • Can run for up to 12 mins in the fastest, Boost mode

Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Multicolor, 10.5'L x 9.8'W x 49.6'H

Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Multicolor, 10.5'L x 9.8'W x 49.6'H

Pros

  • Amazing suction power - 230AW in Boost mode - the most powerful cordless vacuum;
  • Dyson V15 adjusts its suction power automatically;
  • Scientifically designed to effectively remove human hair and pet hair;
  • The LCD display constantly shows the remaining run time;
  • Removable battery allows runtime to be doubled with purchase of a spare battery;
  • Bin is pretty easy to empty and has a decent size

Cons

  • Trigger needs to be continually held whilst vacuuming;
  • A bit pricey.

Video Review - Long Hair Pickup

The Dyson V15 is expensive so you need to do your homework before you commit to this signficant purchase. But you will not be disappointed. The video review below demonstrates the V15's excellent performance at long hair pickup with no hair wrap on the beater bar. It shows tests of the V15 picking up long strands of hair between 5" and 12" using the torque head (5:50), laser slim fluffy head (6:00) and hair screw tool (6:28). 

Dyson V15 Detect

Is available for a discount price on Amazon

Or purchase direct from Dyson via this link.


Conclusion 

Woman with long hair vacuuming

As you probably already know, vacuum cleaners designed especially for long hair can be a bit pricey. If you don’t need to clean frequently, maybe even on a weekly basis, you might want to go for a cheaper solution.

However, let’s assume that you really NEED some of these cleaners. If you are a hairstylist, for example, both the Shark Apex and the Sebo X5 would make a great investment. At first glance, the main difference is that the Shark Apex is bagless and the Sebo X5 has a bag. Also, the Shark Apex might be a little bit heavy for a smaller person, so if you plan to use it frequently, you should consider that, too.

Although both of these vacuums come with rubber wheels, the Shark Apex is much easier to steer and control. It also has more features than the Sebo such as the LED headlights.

If you are a pet owner, both the Miele Blizzard and the Miele Complete C3 can make a perfect solution. Again, the main difference is in having and not having a bag. In summary, the Miele Blizzard and the Complete are two of the best canister vacuums for long hair because of their powerful suction combined with motorized brush floorheads. 

If your warm home is also home to a long-haired pet, you should consider any of these two vacuum cleaners. Miele vacuum cleaners can be pretty expensive, but they are a good investment. Also, they usually come with a long warranty; however, the length of the warranty may differ from model to model.

If you don’t want to think about cords and want a vacuum cleaner that is handy and convenient, you should go for the Dyson V15. Basically, it’s very similar to its predecessor, the V11, but has undergone various upgrades and comes with various improvements. Battery life is increased, suction power is improved, and the LCD display not only looks nice but is also pretty useful. It also comes with tools specifically designed to remove long hair without any fuss.

Now, with all this info, the final decision is up to you.

Last update on 2024-12-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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