As with any brand, you need to research online reviews of the different models, some of which get poor ratings. The best-rated/best value upright vacuum lately (in Consumer Guide) was one of the Kenmore models. Do your homework instead of taking recommendations from a message board.
We have a DC07 Animal. Couldn’t tell you how good it is with animal hair, as I can’t figure out the attachments. It’s just a regular upright to me. One of these days I’ll dig out the manual.
Doesn’t that count as doing homework? Ask 5-10K people how they like a product and it seems like you’d get some useful feedback. It’s well known that several of the consumer review magazines have weaknesses in their reviews – possibly over-rating certain parameters such as cost. So soliciting opinions as an adjunct to a review is a perfectly reasonable strategy.
I think Consumer Reports recently reviewed vacuum cleaners and the top-rated one there was one from Hoover (and I think it was one that cost about $200).
I bought the Hoover Mach V (Dyson clone) more than a year ago for less than $150 based on the information here and have been pleased. Having used it, I don’t find the Dyson products to be worth their high prices.
I’ve got one and it really sucks. Ha ha. It doesn’t use bags and it is very easy to empty so that you don’t lose suction. I empty mine two or three times each work session. I don’t know of that is necessary, but it sure makes a lot more sense than using a cleaner that requires expensive bags.
I adore our Dyson Animal. We went through two cheaper vacuums that would clog in a heartbeat, and then opted for the Animal when we saw it at Costco. We have 6 pets in the house and live in the country with windows open through the spring and summer so lots of dust from nearby dirt roads and horse corrals and an outdoor arena.
We’ve had a Dyson for several years now, and love it. Infinitely better than our old vacuums. And it really doesn’t lose suction, as far as I can tell.
Random Thought: They’d have sewn up the Geek market if they’d called the new model, not the Dyson Bakll, but the Dyson Sphere.
It sucks up everything and loses it in its near-infinite internal space.
Hopefully the price will decline as soon as all the people who can pay $400 for a vacuum cleaner have theirs. I’ve noticed that it’s changed the design of vacuums in general, all the new ones look like a Dyson, even though none of them work like one.
My hope is that they are working on a shop vac. I’d like to see one with a nice, big ten gallon receptacle and enough cyclones to be able to pick up drywall dust without spreading it into the air. That would totally be worth $400.
I love my Dyson (not the Animal, but a DC-14, with all the attachments). I’ve had it for about 4 years now, and it still sucks dirt up as well as the first day. While I don’t have pets, I do have three small boys, who are astoundingly messy. And there’s another big plus – my Dyson is virtually indestructible, having been knocked over, dropped down the stairs, and attacked by three very small yet vengeful superheroes.
I don’t know if they are available in the USA presently, but a quarter of a century ago one of my friends picked up the North American distributorship (he sold it years ago). He sold me a Henry at cost, and that little Henry is still smiling away, all these years later.
My friend had/has a very large commercial cleaning business, with many dozens of crews across Canada. He went through a lot of vacuums, for most vacuum motors could not handle continuous use for twelve hours at a time, day after day. While on vacation in England, he happened upon the Numatic plant and brought a Charles home with him. After a few months of use, it had not worn out, so he purchased the North American rights, got the word out by demonstrating it at trade shows for a couple of years, and sold it to commercial cleaners. He never got into distributing it for retail, and he sold the North American rights many years ago.
As far as Dyson goes, I have a couple of hand-held cordless vacs that do a terrific job – very strong little suckers.
Hey, it looks like I was mistaken when I said that my friend had sold the rights (now I’m wondering why it is that I thought that he had sold the rights – sometimes my memory is not what it should be). You can contact him (Gareth Mason) in Canada through http://www.nacecaresolutions.com/
What a hoot – Henry on vacation in England! Loading
I’ve had a Dyson since 2004. I’m not that big of a fan. I don’t think it’s worth the money.
Pros: It has great suction and picks up everything, including small animals.
Filters can be rinsed and re-used.
Cons: It’s not very intuitive when it comes to using the wand attachment. It’s so cumbersome that I rarely use it…and I really need to use it.
When the rotating bar gets bound up, it make the most awful noise. Their tech support claims that it was designed that way…my theory, it’s a design flaw trying to be sold as a feature.
Did I mention I can’t seem to figure out an easy way to use the wand?
I’ll agree with this. My wife rarely uses it. But I use it all the time. It takes practice. The wand (is that what it’s called?) has great suction. About as much as a small shop vac. I’ve never had this on an upright before. It actually works.
I can’t remember when I last used my shop vac. I don’t need it anymore.
I think they are right. It sounds like a machine gun on steroids? I believe that’s some sort of clutch mech that kicks out to prevent the belt from burning up. It does get your attention and gets you to turn off the machine. Big time.
I am glad that someone else is reporting that noise. I thought maybe I had a defective unit. Whenever it happens I check my beater bar and it usually has some of my long hair wrapped around it - is that happening with you guys, too? I hate that noise, and my cats hate it even more.
You’re right, of course. There are also good consumer reviews on line at Amazon and epinions.
I have a three year old Animal. Three cats, including one Maine Coon (aka: the Thing Which Sheds). Our family room is 16 x 22, and I can fill a bag 3-4 times a week with cat fur. It literally changes the color of the carpeting where I vacuum it’s so good at getting pet fur out.
Regular upkeep is simple, dismantling a few pieces here and there to rinse, clean filters, etc. and the thing is good as new.
I’ve had my Dyson Animal for about five years now. Love it, love it, love it. I actually went out and bought another filter so, that when one is wet, I always have another ready to go.
I have a black lab with a bit of springer spaniel mixed in. That dog is a walking shedding machine.
Anyway, love the vaccuum. The only part I don’t like is that fact my hair gets wrapped around the beater bar and I have to get it all out.
I haven’t had any issues with the wand attachments. I really, really wish, though, that they’d make a decent attachment for stairs.
I have the purple pet model, had it for almost 4 years. Earlier this year it lost power and was really pissing me off. I finally sat down and took it apart, rinsing the filter pads, etc, and found the problem. A 3 inch long stick had lodged in some bend. Pulled it out, put it back together, and it works great again. I love my Dyson.