I don’t think anyone in the world appreciates a good vacuum as a pet owner does. I have four indoor dogs, live on a five-acre farm, and have allergies. Luckily, dogs are not among the things I am allergic to, but dust, dirt, mold, etc., drive me crazy. I spend most of my life stuffed up.
So when I heard that Dyson was coming out with a vacuum specifically designed for animals and allergies, I was interested but skeptical. I have tried a lot of “anti-allergen” vacuums, and I have never really noticed a difference.
However, it is a Dyson…so I thought, might as well try it.
The Dyson Difference
First, here is what the company claims makes the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball different from other vacuums:
- Self-adjusting cleaner head: Dyson’s base plate automatically adapts to every floor surface, creating a continuous seal to remove dust from hard floors and carpets.
- Ball™ technology: Sitting on a ball, the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball™ vacuum has a lower center of gravity, making it easy to steer around furniture.
- Instant-release wand: No catches or parts to assemble; it reaches the top of the stairs. Close edge pick-up: Slim frame on the soleplate allows for cleaning up to the baseboard.
- Hygienic bin emptying: With the press of a button, dust and dirt can be emptied directly into the waste bin.
- HEPA filtration: Whole machine HEPA-filtration. No other vacuum expels cleaner air.
- Cinetic science: 35 high-frequency oscillating tips capture the microscopic dust that clogs other [vacuums]. Dyson Cinetic™ science generates centrifugal forces of up to 313,000G, flinging particles as small as pollen and mold spores from the air and into the bin.
In addition, the Animal + Allergy comes with many attachments for everything from regular vacuuming to cleaning upholstery and even dusting delicate surfaces.
Assembling
Okay, here is a con: I had some trouble with the assembly. The directions were a bit vague, and the pictures weren’t very helpful, so I thought I would follow their advice and watch the video on their website. Typed in the link — it was bad. So, I went back and fussed with the vacuum some more and finally got the parts where they were supposed to be, so I could use it, but it took longer than I feel a vacuum should take to assemble. Plus, none of the attachments are labeled, and when there are seven attachments, it would be nice to have them labeled. I had to print out the pictures and descriptions from their site to have with me while vacuuming.
The Tests
As I mentioned, we live on a farm, with four indoor dogs (all Shetland sheepdogs with their nice long coats and thick undercoats), so it doesn’t take long for the floors to get dirty. For the sake of the experiment, I let the floor go a week without vacuuming (yuck).
Test 1: Does it pick up what my old vacuum leaves behind?
Before I had done anything with the Dyson (so the bin was completely clean still), I vacuumed a 3’ by 4’ area of my carpet with our old vacuum, a Lindhaus Healthcare Pro Hepa (another high-end vacuum). Then, I went over the same area with the Dyson.
Ewwwww. Not only had the other vacuum missed hair, but it also looked as though it hadn’t picked up a speck of dirt. The Dyson did, as you can see by the picture.
The other thing I noticed right off the bat? The air did not smell of dust or make me sneeze, unlike when I vacuum with our other vacuums (we have three in our house!). This may be something just an allergen-sufferer notices, but to me, that meant the vacuum wasn’t just stirring up the dust and releasing it into the air – it was actually trapping it.
Test 2: How does it pick up on smooth surfaces?
Then I decided to try a smooth floor. It picked everything up like a charm, and it just glides over the floor. It does edge well, too!
Test 3: Stairs
We have very furry stairs, and I don’t know about you, but vacuuming stairs is the worst part of vacuuming. Since the parts weren’t labeled, I wasn’t sure which attachment to use for the stairs. When I finally found it – wow! It got right into the crevice and sucked all the stuck-in hair right out with no problem.
Test 4: Dusting
Since it comes with a dusting attachment, which I thought was cool, I wanted to try dusting our air vents, which get dirty quickly. Normally, we do this by hand, which carries the risk of slicing our fingers on the sharp metal. I found the duster attachment did not work well for this surface. I think it was a combination of the vents and the weight of the dirt. I switched to one of the brush attachments, and it cleaned the dust right off – something our other vacuums have not been able to do.
The duster worked great on the shelves and tables, however, which is what I think it was meant for anyway.
Test 5: Upholstery
We tested the upholstery tool on our car seats, which are frequently “furred-up.” The attachment worked amazingly, quickly sucking up all the hair. I should note, however, that since I have a long-haired breed, they have that fluffy undercoat that tends to sit on top of material. Since I don’t have a short-haired breed, I can’t say how well it will work on those little hairs that needle their way into the very fiber of the upholstery. However, my money is on it working well, based on all the other tests. But I can’t say with any certainty.
Other Comments
Another con we found was its weight. My mom is small, around 5’1”, and in her seventies. She said the Dyson was heavier than her other vacuums, and she wouldn’t want to carry it up and down the stairs.
It does turn well, which is the point of the ball design. The only time I had trouble was if I wanted to make a true, hard ninety-degree turn. It doesn’t do those well, but what machine does?
The Dyson feels almost “self-propelled” when it’s on, meaning you barely have to push or pull while you vacuum, which is nice.
It is expensive, though. The Animal + Allergy will be available in March 2015 with a retail price of $699. But, if you are like me and have lots of animals and allergies, I do believe it’s worth it. Plus, it comes with a 5-year warranty.
(Disclaimer: I was given a Dyson for review. Any and all opinions are my own.)
Toledo, United States.