TAG | Dyson
Having multiple dogs that constantly shed necessitates vacuuming our living room 3 to 4 times a week, so it is critical to have a quality vacuum cleaner. In the last 10 years we have had four vacuum cleaners. Three of them lasted a year or less before we finally spent the money on the Dyson Animal which, has been sucking away for the last 5 years. Other than replacing one drive belt, which was our fault because we sucked up the drawstring on a pair of pajamas, we have had no significant problems. Did I mention that Dyson sent the replacement belt at no charge!
The primary reason this vacuum does a superior job of cleaning is that it really sucks. The cyclonic action through the canister creates significantly more suction than a traditional vacuum. For example, I could clean the living room 4 or 5 times with our old vacuum before the canister would fill up, but with the Dyson I need to empty it each time. Since the canisters are not that much different in size, I must conclude that the Dyson is simply picking up that much more hair. While I’m on the topic of canisters, I would highly discourage anyone with multiple dogs from purchasing a traditional bag type vacuum cleaner. The added cost of replacement bags would more than make up for the cost of the Dyson.
One of the features of the Dyson that I really appreciate is the high quality latching system on the canister. After years of use, the simple little thumb lever used to open up the bottom of the canister is in perfect condition. I mention this because the switch on my last vacuum cleaner broke after less than 6 months. As a result the dirt that was just cleaned up would fall out each time the canister was released from the vacuum. Other key vacuum cleaner features such as attachments, hose wand, and on/off roller brush switches are of relatively high quality on the Dyson Animal.
While relatively minor, there are a couple of negatives with this vacuum cleaner. Due to the number of attachment heads that come with the Dyson, there is insufficient on-board storage. This simply requires a little planning, or walking back and forth to the closet, to obtain the necessary attachment. My wife also thinks that Dyson could make some ergonomic improvements to the attachments. In addition, the little tabs used to wind up the power cord are, in my opinion, undersized. This sometimes results in the cord being piled up next the vacuum cleaner in the closet.
With all of this being said, I would highly recommend the Dyson DC17 Animal for anyone with a pet hair problem.
