Alright, I admit it, for some strange reason vacuuming is a chore that I enjoy. Is it because the Dyson Animal is the only animal powerful enough to make my 150lb German Shepherd jump on the couch and peer back from under a pillow? Or could it be that my favorite pet sheds more hair than Demi Moore at boot camp?
The problem is that if you love animals, you must pay the price with constant vacuuming. Over the past seven years in my house, I have had a whole collection of vacuums. In fact, the reason you are reading this review is because I just put four old vacuums at the curb! The vacuums that did not meet the needs of an animal owner are as follows: Hoover Wind Tunnel 12Amp, Dirt Devil Ultra MVP, Eureka The Boss Mighty Mite, Eureka Super Broom. I did keep two vacuums:
Hoover F5906-900 a steaming carpet cleaner and a lightweight upright these could be future reviews.
How does it work?
The best answer to my problem so far has been the Dyson Animal or the DC07. Released in April 2001, this was the first implementation of Root Cyclone technology into a vacuum cleaner. A Dyson cyclone works by employing cyclonic separation, which spins air at high speed. Dirt and dust are thrown out of the airflow and collected in the bin, not on filters or in bags. On top of the vacuum chamber, there are seven funnel-shaped channels that force air to travel in higher curvature cyclones than in the initial cyclone, creating higher centrifugal force, allowing smaller particles to be captured before the air is expelled.
The design goes beyond the cyclone though. Not only do you get increased pulling force but as you use the vacuum you will find extra features abound. The dirt canister is removed by pressing a large button. The handle for the canister is formed out of two overlapping pieces of plastic. The chances of breaking the handle are greatly reduced when you beat the canister inside a trash bin because of this. Another outstanding feature is the protected belt and the 1" width of the belt itself.
Wood / Tile Floor Performance
The Animal set to "Carpet" on wooden and tile floors is great. The rotors do not kick the dirt backwards like my other vacuums. The suction adds another inch of cleaning power on the sides so I do not have to run the vacuum over dirt in corners. The drawback is the size of the Dyson Animal. I cannot fit it under counters or under coffee tables. I was just shocked that this vacuum could actually work on tile floors without it's rotors spraying the dirt everywhere. The vacuum is also heavy, making it hard to pick up. I would not like to move this vacuum up a flight of stairs.
Area Rug Performance
The true test of the Dyson was on a 12" x 6" area rug in my living room. The dog and cat enjoy sleeping on the rug all day and create a lot of hair and dander as a result. The Hoover Wind Tunnel 12Amp would require 3 canister cleanings and you had to cover the same spot as much as five times! The DC07 only requires two canister cleanings and you have to cover the same spot twice when set to "Carpet". If the rug is really dirty, I can set the Dyson to "Bare Floor" but it will get hung up on itself (yes it has that much suction) when moving forward. A loud high pitched grinding sound greets your ears as soon as this happens. Pull the vacuum backwards and it will stop. To get around the problem, I find myself approaching a rug backwards, pulling the vacuum across and then doing a 180 to cover the same area again. The floor does get cleaner and it happens a lot faster when set to "Bare Floor". Some would say the sound/grinding is a flaw, but I remind you that I am 6'4" and uncoordinated, a better way to use this vacuum most likely exists!
Pile Carpet Performance
If you pull the vacuum slowly over pile carpet it will actually make it stand up. Edge cleaning is easy with either the moving the Dyson against the floorboards or just using the attachments to quickly polish off the job. The grinding sound does not happen often on pile carpet because the front cannot become stuck on the thick carpet pile.
Indoor Air Quality
The built in air filtration system is outstanding. My other vacuums always left either a burnt or noxious cloud of fumes for me to enjoy after using them. The Dyson does not. The air does smell slightly different but not so much that I cannot be in the same room. According to the labeling, the air filter never needs changing. One year later, I agree.
Power Consumption
Using my Kill-A-Watt meter the unit pulled 1050 watts on average over a 10 minute period. Brief spikes of 1076 watts were seen while using the unit.
Specs
HEPA filtration system
Dusting brush,17-foot hose, crevice tool and upholstery attachment all are easily stored on vacuum.
Measures 14 by 46 by 13-1/2 inches
Weighs 29 pounds.
Two year warranty
Summary
Yes, the Dyson Animal is very expensive for a vacuum. However, considering that I just threw away four of my spare vacuums has to tell you how much better it performs. The Dyson Animal is worth the price of two vacuums because it works better and is designed to last longer the junk we have been buying for the past twenty years. Finally the manufacturers included more than enough cord to use without having to change outlets.
Notes:
Factory website: www.dyson.com
Fansite with videos of Dyson performance: http://www.lazyhousekeeper.com/my-dyson-vac.html
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