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Here's my "No" explanation ...

This vacuum is $600, and according to Consumer Reports, the other, "original" Dyson isn't too hot. According to them, Dyson's upright for $575 comes in at #14. You can get a Hoover that comes in at #2 for $175 (the rankings are based on performance, not price).

For $600, I wouldn't want my vacuum cleaner to be "out-sucked" by a $140 job. AFAIK, there's no "sucking" improvement with this new one. Just the maneuverability (a quick perusal of Dyson's website seems to confirm this lack of improvement).

If one disagrees with Consumer Reports order, I'd be interested in hearing a critique of their vacuum cleaner evaluation methodology.

And I think the Dyson's are eyesores.

I bought that #2 vacuum cleaner too, and I can confirm that it is a "powerful sucker ... shows you your dirt ... easy to clean ... awesome extension wand design ... Hepa Filter ... well made (you can feel it) ... the attachments actually stay in place."

However, it is a little big for my apartment, but it's discrete. I can leave it in a corner, and nobody notices it (it's dark green).

I can't compare its manueverability to the "Ball", but honestly, when I vacuum, it's more about the cord getting wrapped around furniture than anything else. A rechargeable vaccuum ... that would be something.

What's the brand of the Hoover?

Made a mistake. The Hoover came in at #1 for $300 ("Hoover WindTunnel Self Propelled Ultra U6439-900"). The #2, which is what I bought, is "Eureka Boss Smart Vac Ultra 4870" and is $175.

If I am paying $600 for a vacuum cleaner, it better come with a person to do the vacuuming!

The Dyson is too large and ugly -

I have a friend with two pugs who swears by her Dyson. I trust her evaluation so I'm considering investing in one...or going to Paris for a weekend. Whichever comes first.

I got the Consumer Reports #1 ranking-- the Hoover Wind Tunnel-- on promotion at Sears for close to $200... and it's great! Everything you said about the Dyson, only much, much cheaper. Besides CR, I know of 2 people who bought the Dyson (the early-adopter types...) who were very disappointed-- lack of sucking power, hated the visible dirt, ugliness, etc.
No, my Hoover isn't "cute" but it works incredibly well-- and I have two cats!

Eh, the Hoover's not bagless...

We use the consumer reports as a guide too. You must remember that the testing is done by the employees, and is a personal choice. We decided to buy the Eureka, went out to get one, couldn't find the model recommended at five stores. Tried the Dyson while we were at Sears. My wife would have nothing else. Have not been disappointed for one second. My mother has one and thinks it's the best she's ever used. We think the colors are kind of fun.

I don't have a Ball, but DO have a Dyson, and love it! It replaces a Sears bagless that I hated (always choked on cat hair).

I don't care what CU said, the Dyson SUCKS, and sucks well!

BTW, got my DC07 full kit at COSTCO.

Only cheese-eating surrender monkeys go to Paris. Blech.

I've got a Dyson Animal (don't remember the model number but it's the eye-popping purple one). After going through countless "high end" Hoover and Eureka vacs I got the Dyson and never looked back. With two very large Maine Coon cats in the house both Hoover and Eureka models would choke during shedding seasons. The Dyson never dropped sucking, this thing could suck the dye out of the carpet! Even the cleaning lady (I call her "The Destroyer") hasn't been able to damage the Dyson yet. I think she has been responsible for at least one the untimely deaths of vacuums that came before it.

My wife and I have the Dyson Animal and it does the job. We have three dogs and four cats and our house stays clean with the Dyson. The visible dirt and hairballs are a plus, a visible feeling of accomplishment when you're done sucking it all up. The bagless feature is a godsend, we have to empty all the dog and cat hair accumulated after doing each room, with our old Electrolux the bag purchases added up.

I too bought the Eureka Boss Smart Vac Ultra a couple years back, primary based on CR's "Best Buy" rating. It's the best vacuum I've owned, but then again, I've only ever owned three. Worst I've had would be a cheap K-Mart special Dirt Devil that exhausted almost as much dust as it sucked in, after which I will never buy a Dirt Devil again. I saw the review including the Dyson and was somewhat curious as to why it did so badly.

The Eureka has gone through one drive belt (got shredded by something, still not sure what) and is more expensive to replace than the common rubber ones, but it *does* last longer than the typical. Bag replacement can get a little dusty, but the upgrade to a cleanable HEPA filter is an excellent investment the first time you have to change it.

I have a friend who bought a Dyson, fell in love with the thing, and they now swear by it. They also have a fairly long-haired dog and a shorthaired cat. Maybe I'll demo theirs some time and see what the hub-bub is about. My sister swears by her highly overpriced, metal-clad, weighs-a-ton Electrolux or Oreck or whatever it is, so to each their own, I guess...

Last of all -- funkonaut? Not sure what you're talking about, but Dyson, the company and founder is British, not French.

Nothing against Dysons or those who own them, but I think Dyson owners who say they are wonderful could be a bit biased. At twice the cost of other vacuums, no one wants to appear to be a poor consumer.

Having said that, it's quite possible that Dysons are the best vacuums on earth. I'll be tempted the next time I need. one.

Never take Consumer Reports opinions as facts. Many times they are completely clueless. That magazine is for people who can't make intelligent decisions on their own.

The Dyson vacuum's are fantastic. Most of the people who are criticizing them are doing so because they can't afford them. People love to think they're getting something as good for a third of the price.

Haven't tried the Dyson, which is certainly good-looking, but I can't justify spending $600 on something I keep in a closet. I do have the Eureka SmartBoss and I LOVE it. It's not nearly as pretty as the Dyson, and it's not light, but it does a tremendous job. Plus, it has a HEPA filter, which I really wanted. I even heard my husband on the phone with his sister the other day, prostelytizing(sp?) about the SmartBoss. While I didn't use Consumer Reports to buy it, I think they DO know what they are talking about here.

I have a Golden Retriever whose fur killed my Hoover Canister Vac. Granted, it wasn't the newest around, but in it's day it was a solid performer. I purchased the Dyson Animal about a year and a half ago and have been really happy with it. This beast can suck. I empty it after each tour of the house and it seems like another full dog falls out of it. Hey funkonaut...funny stuff! Anyway, I highly recommend the Dyson.

Ah yes. Never buy a vacuum based on a 20 minute trial. Wait until you have a belt problem. Your $600 vacuum will be heading to the knacker's yard. Definitely the "three years and out" vacuum. Good luck.

Ah, yes. The (now getting older) Dyson argument. Actually fairly interesting blog reading out there on the topic--people are quite passionate and divided about the Dyson. try http"colon"//jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/003994.html for starters. About halfway through the blog, some interesting thoughts on marketing and sales tactics. (I'm not the Derek he's talking about.)

I recently went through a purchasing decision, and ended up buying the #1 Hoover from CS--but not the self-propelled version--some of the self-propelled versions have recently been recalled. Note that it comes in three versions--bagged, bagless, or bagged/bagless (where there are merely two canisters to chose from--they give you both). I purchased the latter, for $299 from Bed Bath and Beyond. Applied one of their ever-present 20% off coupons (for which Dyson is excluded), and I was off for $240. The vacuum works very, very well. My thick carpet seems perfectly clean, and there is much in the canister after vacuuming. I have no pets-can't comment. There are no belts to replace, and the HEPA filter is ridiculously easy to rinse off(once every six months or so). Attachments are on board and work great, except the "powered" spinning brush hand tool. The "power" just comes from the suction, which draws air past a plastic disk with slats in it (think old-fashioned water mill) which spins a small brush bar via a belt (the only belt on the whole unit). As soon as you push down on furniture or carpeted stairs with even a small amount of force, the brush bar stops spinning. While I haven't used the Dyson, it's powered spinning-brush attachment (extra money, separate purchase from the base model) is "powered" in the same fashion. Not to worry, though. The standard small stair/upholstery tool works great.

Finally (sorry for the long post), I called on four different professional vacuum sales/repair shops in my home town prior to purchase (stop laughing). All sold both the Hoover and the Dyson, so no conflicts of interest. Three of the four told me to buy the Hoover, due to lesser price, greater reliability, and more effective cleaning in their testing. They said the "no filters ever to replace" on the Dyson is just plain wrong. They said that after washing any HEPA filter, it never really works as well again. And also the post-filter on the Dyson (what air passes through right before it returns to the room) is supposedly never to be replaced, but again they told me that it isn't so. Replacement filters are sold online; it needs to be done once yearly. As for the fourth vacuum store, it really just felt like the guy liked both, but was working on commission.

SO...for me, the Dyson represented a potentially inferior product (at best, equivalent) with similar maintenance requirements to much less expensive models. In the end, I thought the only really distinctive thing about the Dyson was the colors; the styling. I didn't think styling alone--in this instance--is worth the extra expense. (final parenthetical...remember that when buying a Dyson, you're paying for lavish launch parties, expensive prime-time TV commercials, and the like. Sure, Hoover and Eureka and Dirt Devil spend to advertise too, but not nearly to the same extent/expense that is passed along to the customer.)

Unless I missed something, the raison d'etre of the Dyson has not been mentioned yet. That of providing sustained suction regardless of how much dust/dirt has been picked up.
That is what is missed from the Consumer Reports tests and that is what is missing from any of the responses so far.

I used a Panasonic bagged canistor model for a few years with no issues due to mostly hard wood floors and no pets. But then I decided to do a lot of DIY stuff involving cutting wood and drywall. After a few minutes using the old panny, it lost almost all its suction after the bag got less than 1/4 full. Now I know there are industrial vacs for doing this (and I know the filter would not stop MDF dust etc from ebing blown out of the back, blah, blah blah) but space being tight and all that, I thought I could get away with this. Obviously not. I then started looking into the Dyson to solve that problem for me but finished the work before I got around to buying it. Not before going through about 50 bags in a few weeks though.

So how about some posts about suction after the bag is a little full? You've heard my experience - 1/4 full and I lost nearly all suction - what's yours? And does the Dyson really solve this problem?

I've got a clean freak friend who has owned tons of vacuums. When she bought hers (she's not a gadget person, I was amazed she bought it) it sucked up dirt from her carpet that years of vacuuming with

other brands didn't even come close to sucking.

Not to mention that Dyson claims that the vacuum on his machine will
not let up even as the dirt chamber fills, where a bagged vacuum will. It's my impression that this is a machine built to last. You might spend six hundred bucks on it, but it's the last vacuum you
will need (until Dyson comes out with his robotic vacuum).

I'm in the market for a good canister vacuum. (Yes, two cats in a small apartment.) Is there a link to the consumer reports item?

Interesting design note, James Dyson is well known in the UK for coming up with new products that never really get anywhere - of course, until the Dyson machines came out. About 20 years ago, he came up with a wheel barrow that used the exact same ball as featured in this product instead of a wheel (or Ballbarrow as they called it) - a few people brought them, loads more didn't. The man's now resurrected it and managed to finangle it into a vacuum cleaner.. Good design skills.

I've got a DC07 with the allergy filter.. can't fault it at all.

'sfunny Al - I'm from the UK (been in NYC for 10 years but keep up to date with old Blighty) and I wasn't aware of that reputation. From what I have read the ballbarrow became the biggest selling wheelbarrow in the UK within 3 years of its launch. I think the "never really getting anywhere" line is more appropriate to his experience with established companies that would not listen to his ideas leading him to sell to go it alone quite successfully.

When in the market for a new vac this past December, I considered a Dyson. With two cats (fur), two guinea pigs (fur, hay, dust from bedding), and a 40lb dog (fur), an asthmatic boyfriend, and living in a 100+ year old house (dust) with hardwood foors, oriental carpets, and wall-to-wall carpeting, it was essential for me to find a HEPA filtered vac that had great suction but could also handle the different types of floorings. My neighbor had a Dyson and let me borrow it for a weekend. Overall, the suction was pretty good, but it did not clean edges (against baseboards, under cabinets, etc.) very well -- I had to use attachments to clean them -- and overall I found it quite cumbersome (granted I am a petite 5'1, but if a vac is heavy and difficult to move around, I am less likely to vacuum). It also didn't transfer from hard flooring to rugs/carpeting very well. I really wanted to like the extra long hose/wand attachment, but it was difficult to extend and often the vac would fall over when I was using it. I also didn't like how dust would escape when trying to empty the canister.

So, I returned the Dyson to my neighbor (who loves it) and after much research decided on a Miele (Solaris Electro Plus) canister vac. It was about the same price as the Dyson, but much easier to manuever (and store) especially when cleaning under furntiure or our old-fashioned steam radiators. I love that it has a retractable cord, six variable suction settings (low great for doing curtains on the rod and delicate tchockes). It has a great easily expandble stainless-steel extension rod and it came with two different heads -- an electric brush for carpet and a bare-floor attachment with soft horsehair bristles (horse hair is used on the dusting brush as well) that won't get matted down with use like plastic. It does use bags (they're cloth, not paper), and when you pull the tabs to take a bag out of the machine, a plastic slide closes the bag's opening and no dust escapes, unlike with the bagless Dyson where dust seemed to go everywhere when emptying it. Even when the bag in this vac is full -- and I mean hard as a rock full -- the suction is still excellent and there is no escape of dust at all into the bag compartment. I can get 5 bags for about $12-15, and I'd rather throw out all the dirt and allergens than wash out the Dyson's bagless container after having to empty it directly into the garbage. Just my two cents.

I'm about to leave you all in the dust (sorry for the pun, really I am) when it comes to high-priced vacuums. Recently had a vacuum salesman from TriStar do a demo of their great little canister vac and how much would you pay for this little marvel of suction? $300? $900? No, for only the huge price of $2,400 this little sucker can be yours! I almost fell over when he pitched that little aspect.

It was a good looking unit; small, made out of light-weight silver gray metal and black rubber so it fits well into my modern stainless steel kitchen but for $2,400? Who buys these things?

Personally I'm thinking of getting a Roomba *grin*.

Once upon a time (1988) my parents bought a Filter Queen canister vac. I don't recall the exact price, but I know it was around $1000 or so. Among other features, it came with scent oils to be put on a felt pad in the vac. It also weighed a ton, was not self-propelled, was prone to tipping. Big thumbs down for both overpriced vacs and canister vacs.

One simple word... Airider.

Move beyond a Dyson, I did.

www.airridersystems.com

The DC15 just came out for us dealers and it's seems to be selling purity good. In the fall we should see more from Dyson.

I read about the canister issues with apartment living. Don't be surprised to see a canister coming out later this year. And if we're lucky it will be the DC12 that's already a hit in Japan.

Click on my name to see the picture of the DC12 or paste and copy the link below.

www.ivacuumetc.com/storeimages/DC12.jpg

All hardwood floors, one long hair shedding cat, 4 canaries ... only now do I enjoy the mix with my Roomba. No hairballs hiding under beds and furniture, just clean dustfree living to come home to each day. And it's cute too.

I used to have a Hoover Cyclone... I hated emptying that POS... it was the messiest thing in the world... and that filter... YUCK!!!

Then I have a Kirby (Love my Kirbys, but they have cloth bags that spew dust)... I vacuumed both with the Hoover then the Kirby THEN the Dyson DC07 Yellow that I just had to have... the Dyson picked up an incredible amount of fine dirt and pug hair that the other 2 left behind... I am sold on Dyson... I love it, can't say enough good things about it... will always own this vacuum... don't think it will be breaking down anytime soon... had it a year and still feels, looks, runs, works like brand new... no joke...

We bought the Dyson Animal after having to empty the canister of our old Eureka between rooms, because if you didn't empty it, you'd have to vacuum the whole house 2 or 3 times. With only one short-haired cat, that's a bad track record, and was my experience with every vacuum I've owned since I've had the cat.

The Dyson picks up everything, everything, everything. The key is moving slowing over the floor to allow the suction to really do it's thing. It's never clogged or slowed down, and the final room I vacuum is always as clean as the first. To answer the post from above, I get the canister about ¾ full before I empty it and it makes no difference at all in the suction. It does what it says it’s gonna do.

Yes, I admit I was sold by the brilliant commercials and purple machine, but once I got it home, it continued to amaze me. The trigger-pull mechanism to empty the canister directly into your garbage with no twisting or pulling or whacking and the hose/wand situation which you can work about a thousand different ways are absolutely brilliant examples of great design that really moves vacuum design in a whole new direction. I heart my Dyson and I'd never go back.

I have a DC07 "animal" and love it. Regarding the Dyson Ball, I'll wait for the DC06 Robotic Ultravac to get out of beta.

www.gizmodo.com/archives/dyson-dc06-robotic-ultravac-015995.php

My wife and I tossed the idea of a Dyson around but instead went with a high end Hoover. Cost 300$. Cost of bags after 2 years of use $11/month $264.00 Cost of belts approx 50$. And it does not do that great a job. We just bought the Ball at Sears today for $599. after seeing the article here. No bag. No belt. More money. Time will tell if we like it, but after one cleaning today....we KNOW how much better it is than our 2 year old Hoover.

Interestingly, I have 4 cats & a dog, and I have really liked my bagged Oreck. I have oriental rugs and a lot of hardwood, and it makes the transitions well. It, too, prefers a slow steady hand to keep suction. The bags are a little pricey, but there are third-party equivalents.

We've had a Kenmore bagged upright, a Fantom bagless cylinder and now a Dyson and the Dyson is far and away the best of the bunch. I'm really starting to doubt CR as we also have Ionic Breezes recommended to us buy an allergist and they catch a lot of stuff on them which would be in the air without them... Dyson invented the bagless technology and has kept on developing it and protecting his patents. If you want the real deal, pay for a Dyson.

I'll take an Oreck XL over this heavy piece of junk any day!

Had a dyson, and returned it after trying out an Oreck XL.

I killed my Hoover WindTunnel canister after 2 years and bought a Dyson DC07. That was 2 years ago and I still love it, never had a clog or a broken belt. Can't say the same for the long list of other vacs I have owned. I have an alaskan malamute and the suction on the Dyson is great. I can fill the canister with dog hair every time I vacuum so not buying bags is saving me a ton of money. Consumer reports I think rates the best for the price. If you disregard price I think they Dyson would make the top of the list. The best vacuum for someone with pets is not the same vac that someone living in an apartment would need. Consumer reports doesn't take into account all the different variables, it's just a general comparasion

Tony, the French comment was about whether to buy a Dyson or go to Paris for a weekend, not about James Dyson's country of origin.

I have a cat and a carpeted apt., boyfriend has a 114 lb. German Shepherd and a carpeted house -- we both bought refurbished Dyson Animals (Heartland America) and LOVE them. And the boyfriend is a big fan of vacuuming (such a good man), so his Dyson really gets a workout.

No! Dont get a roomba! Its bad. Now how about a central vac, is that good?

I have owend the Dyson DC07 for almost 2 years and love it. This thing works and has excellent suction that doesn't diminish as it fills up like all filters and bags do. I was very skeptical at first when I bought it but I figured I had 30 days to get a full refund at Best Buy if it didn't meet my expectations. I knew it was a keeper after the first few weeks. I did a test by vacuuming the house first with my old vac. Then going back over it again with the Dyson. Unbelievable! It picked up so much more I was amazed at the performance. It has been very reliable and robust as well. For those skeptics like me give one a try for 30 days. If you don't like- just return it. You probably won't.

My husband and I bought the Hoover and returned it. We then purchased the Dyson DC-14 and love it fot getting rid of pet hair. I don't know how consumers reports does their tests,but, for us there was no comparison!

I bought a Dyson DC14 at Best Buy last December, and from then on I swore that I would never buy a vacuum from another manufacturer for the rest of my life.....unless Dyson ends up becomming another faceless company like Hoover and Eureka, and becomes a purveyor of inexpensive and low quality vacuums, however, I don't see that happening ever, since Dyson, and the man behind the brand, are meticulous about innovation. First of all, I don't give a damn what publications such as Consumer Reports or Consumers Union say about Dyson's, or how they rank lower quality models above it. As some have already said, these publications are clueless about what makes a good vacuum cleaner. You will see them give two exactly same vacuum cleaners (one labeled as a Kenmore, one labeled as a Panasonic) different ratings. They would say that the Kenmore branded machine was better, and that the Panasonic model lacked quality because of motor issues........how could two of the same vacuum cleaners with the same parts get two seperate ratings?!?!?! Here's another example, their inexplicable praise of the formerly popular Hoover Windtunnel bagless upright. When I owned one, I noticed that the P.O.S grew louder and louder with each passing month. Also, noise started to eminate from the panels that covered the sole plate, and made the thing sound like a rusty chainsaw. I'm sure that anyone who owns a Windtunnel can note the excessive noise from the brushroll. But now I own a Dyson DC14, and could't be happier. It may not have a ball, but it is still easier, and funner to use, than that old Hoover. Plus, look at it this way, since the brands humble beginnings in the U.K. back in the early 1990's, they have since grew to be the best selling vacuum brand in all of Europe. And in just two years in the United States, Dyson has managed to capture top market share, 21, leaving former leader Hoover at 16%. By the way, don't be fooled by Hoover's upcoming 'Dyson knock-offs' comming this fall, which supposedly uses a dual cyclone to maintain constant suction (this was originally a Dyson technology introduced in 1991, that has been rendered obsolete by the Root Cyclone system, which as 8 cyclones, not 2). It goes to show you that Hoover doesn't have the innovation to lead the industry, so they have to copy someone elses 'obsolete' designs. Rather sad....

Can anyone tell me about the dc15 animal with the ball?? I saw this product on Ebay and couldn't locate this product on the dyson site.....

I believe Best Buy now has them. Last time I checked, they were priced at $699.

People and Consumer Reports can complain all day long if they want to, however, that wont change the fact that Dyson vacuums are selling; selling very well! It took Dyson two years to conquer Europe with his product, and has not been upstaged by any other manufacturer to this day. It seems to be the same fate for the U.S. In just two years in this country, his company gained the most market share, knocking Hoover down a few knotches. With his range of products recieving glowing reviews from actual people (not from the faceless staff at CR), the only direction for his company to go is up. Before Dyson, you could never walk into a Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, Target, Best Buy, and any other mass retailer and buy a $300-$700 (try imagining Hoover or Dirt Devil trying to get away with that). Dyson has made a vacuum that has features that consumers can actually care about; features that they can see benefits to....not lame gimmicks like dual brushrollers, dirt sensors, or bag to bagless capability. Unless the bargain bin brands can think of something that has not been done, something that is new and inventive that serves a legitimate purpose, Dyson will reign supreme for a very, very long time.

I bought the Hoover Windtunnel bagless upright at Sears. It broke in 2 weeks! I don't think the casing is as good as the dyson for the heavy duty cleaning that I do. What a waste of money that was! I hope the dyson lives up to it's name cause that's what I'm getting next.

Actually, I should add that just about everything broke the first day I used the Hoover Windtunnel that had such great ratings. The little door that holds the attachments broke right away. The little vaccum head attachment belt broke immediately. The wheels came off after about two weeks. Serious!

I just gave my Wife a Dyson Ball for Christmas. Yea, yea, I know, I also gave here some expensive jewelry... This is the most incredible vacuum we have ever used. We fired it up in the den, and in 5 minutes filled the can with tons, and I mean tons of old dust and pet hair that our old Eureka ESP had never been able to touch. The carpet was VISIBLY cleaner, and looked better than it had in years. We all felt pretty yucky thinking that we had been lying on all that crap that had been in the carpet.

The ball feature in fantastic at getting around corners, and although not self propelled, it does pull itself along due to its exceptional suction.

It was sooo cool that my 15 year old son had to take it into his room to vacuum--unbelievable--and he managed to suck up tons of stuff the old vacuum could not manage to clean. My wife loves it as well, and even though it does look a little funky, it works, and works well!!! We are sold on the Dyson and will never consider another vac.

Ok...I own a Self Propelled WindTunnel. Picks up great and great suction.....as long as the paper filter element is kept clean. After a few rooms it (the paper filter) gathers a large amount of dust/dirt, etc (really picks up great. There is a little twist deal at the top of the dust bin that will get some of the dust off, but not enough, thus suction starts to diminish. I just use my other vacuum to suck the dust off the long paper element. Big pain in the rear and very messy to empty. Again, this thing works great and do not hesitate to recommend with the caveat that you have to keep the paper element clean otherwise you can feel the suction go down (put the hose to your hand).
With that being said I tried a friends Dyson DC014 Complete (I think that was the one he had) prior to buying the Windtunnel. My friend had some broken glass on the carpet for which I offered to vacuum it up in order to test his Dyson out. I went over it several times (low profile carpet) and it would not get it all. I had to use the wand (awesome suction) and that did the trick. Based on this I was not sold as I had first hand experiance with it. Upon further investigation about the Dyson I found that the beater bar floats and sometimes does not make adequate contact with the carpet. I agree based on my 1 experiance. Granted the carpet was a low profile carpet, which leads me to think that depending on the carpet type it may or may not work great. Also, some beater bars may actually float better than others. I am gathering the folks that love their Dyson may have a higher profile carpet in which the beater bar makes adequate contact and thus works awesome.
The one thing that would convince me to get a Dyson is that it work on my high profile carpet and that I don't have to clean any paper element to maintain suction. Also the Dyson is a lot easier to empty than Windtunnel Bagless.
Hope this helps.

I'm seriously considering a Dyson. Is there any advantage of the DC14 over the DC07? I noticed that the DC15 has this cool "ball" feature, but I'm wondering why they reduced the diameter of the wand compared to the DC14? Seems to limit flow since it increases flow resistance. Any advice? Does the Low reach tool work well under furniture?

Dear ME -- Central Vacs don't pick up anything -- they are useless. My parents had one in their house, and it performed terribly -- they had wall-to-wall and 5 cats. Just think of how far that suction has to be maintained -- through the walls, to another part of the house, and through endless hose (that you have to lug from room to room and which scrapes against furniture and walls).

I have been yearning for a Dyson ever since they first came out, but have a problem: our Filter Queen just won't die. We've had it since 1989 (bought while in university), and even then it wasn't new, but rather, a reconditioned second-hand unit. Since we have hardwood and only a few area rugs (2 cats to be sure), we can't justify a new vacuum cleaner until this one dies.

I would be very interested in a comparison of Miele and Dyson models though.

As for Consumer Reports (or whatever the heck it is called), every time I have ever consulted that publication, I have been disappointed in the range of products they tested -- they tend to stick to the middle range, with very few European products. Plus, I find that they don't test what I am looking for, but do test in ways that I find irrelevant. I have given up on consulting them.

(Who'd a think that vacuum cleaners could spark such passionate and heated exchanges???)

If you have a Costco nearby, there is a version called the Dyson Full Kit which is just like the Dyson 014 Animal with an extra filter for $469.

I borrowed a friend's Dyson 014 Animal and while the extension is a little odd, it still picked up gobs of cat hair (3 cats) on the furniture and several different floor surfaces (vinyl, wood, carpet, area rugs) with no problems. The suction was incredible even when it got fuller.

What I also liked about it was how I didn't sneeze while I was using it. With the other vacuums I've destroyed in the past, there was as much dust flying around in the air as it was attempting to pick up.

I dunno. I'm sold. My husband scoffed at me until he saw the results for himself.

Someone named Mark just wrote 364 words regarding a vacuum cleaner.

Three other posters exceeded this count in fact:

Roger: 407 words
SoylentRed: 445
Tony: 544

A quick question to all the Dyson lovers out there...I live in an 800 square foot one bedroom, all hard wood floors, a couple small area rugs and...two cats who shed a fair amount. Does that much vacuum make sense for a small apartment without carpeting? I was leaning towards a Miele brand canister just because it is smaller...does anyone recommend the Dyson instead for a small place like mine?

This is the Dyson DC15 Animal.

There are many like it, but this one is mine. Without me, my Dyson is nothing. Without my Dyson, I am sneezing a lot.

I'm really happy with mine - it picks up pet hair fantastically, is easy to maneuver and clean.

Our last vac was a Hoover Windtunnel bagless and I had to perform surgery on dust/hair obstructions so many times it was sad.

Compared to the Kirby, which WILL last forever but is much more expensive and very HEAVY, the Dyson is reasonably priced.

I never thought I'd pay 2k for a TV either, but the LCDs came out...

As a DC-14 owner who *would* 'fess up if she'd made a mistake by purchasing her costly Dyson, I can say with complete honesty that Dyson rocks. I live on the 18th floor of a highrise with southern exposure and keep my windows open year-round, until the a/c kicks on. You do not want to see the stuff this thing collects... I only hope that my city-living lungs can process the dust and exhaust filth it can!

It never loses suction. And it leaves my former Hoover in the dust. It has also changed me as a person- once I saw how much "invisible" junk was in my carpets, on my floors and upholstery, I went from a bi-weekly cleaner to a daily duster and straighten-upper.

It was a great purchase.

Can anyone comment on Miele vs Dyson? I'd planned on getting a Dyson (have two cats and a combination of hardwood floors and oriental rugs) but various people have told me I'd be better off with a Miele, including my local vacuum dealer, which carries both. Considering a $600 Miele with hepa filter and special carpet attachment. After reading all these testimonials to the dyson, however, I'm back on the fence. One of my problems with the Dyson--it seems awfully big for my NY apt. I was also warned it's not that good on wood floors.

And I just want everyone to know, I realize I have entered total yuppie scumdom by even considering a $600 vacuum cleaner! It's the cats, really it is.

I swear by my vintage 1970 Compact, purchased at a tag sale for $35 and it came with all the attachments and it has a cool streamline look (check them out on ebay). Mine also has the kitch factor with its harvest gold paint job and flower power decal. It's heavy but it cleans wood floors, rugs and upholstery better than anything I've tried.

I purchased the top rated Hoover Wind Tunnel bagless when I bought my first home. Really great suction at first but when the main filter starts to get dirty, the suctions begins to degrade. It was also a pain in @$$ to clean out the bin because all the hair and dust just stuck to the inside. The main filter is expensive to replace, about $30 each, in addition to the HEPA filter. I gave it away and bought a Dyson DC07. While the suction is not as great as the Hoover, it does remain constant unlike the Hoover. Have not replaced a single part after two years of service.

Sears brand vacuums get high ratings. My cannister model cost about $350, fits in a small section of my linen closet (where do city-dwellers keep uprights?), has a kinda snazzy headlight, and works great. Cool power attachments. AND A BAG! I tried bagless for a while. I think it is disgusting. Who wants to see their dirt? And where are you supposed to empty it? Into the kitchen garbage? That's disgusting too. Give me a nice clean bag any day. Check out Sears website.

I have barely any carpet and many square feet of wood floors. I also have a dog that sheds. My Dyson rocks, and without it I'd be a sad sad (dirt apartment dwelling) man.

I've had a Dyson Animal for 2 years now and still love it. It's been great on carpets, rugs, hardwood floors.

As for emptying the canister, all you have to do is:

1. Detach the canister from the machine.
2. Cover the bottom of the canister with a plastic bag. I usually use plastic grocery bags and a large rubber band to hold it in place.
3. Hit the release button at the top of the canister, which opens the bottom lid and the contents fall neatly into the bag.

Dust-free, neat, easy.

With 2 cats and one housemate who is allergic to cats (but loves them anyway), we needed an excellent vacuum with a top-notch HEPA filter. The Dyson does the job beautifully.

I'll agree though, it's not a pretty machine.

i'm in a situation almost exactly like kate's and would also like to hear the miele v. dyson comparison (and if you're super ambitious and know miele, the comparison between a mid-sized miele model like the red star and one of the smaller "galaxy" models).

yuppie scumdom ahoy!

I became obsessed with finding a good backpack vacuum a few months ago and ended up with a Sandia Raven with HEPA filter and powerbrush attachment. It's pretty great, not only for floors but also for general dusting. Of course, I look like a fool walking around my apartment with the thing strapped to my back--my girlfriend says I should get some goggles and an old aviator's helmet to go along with it--but it's very efficient in its way. Attachments are on the backpack belt, and I just switch out as I go along. I now regularly dust in places I almost never dusted before, like the tops of door jambs and behind the books in my bookshelves.

The appeal of bagless vacuums has always escaped me. I suppose there's a "wow" effect of seeing the hair and dirt swirling around in the chamber, but they just seem dirtier and less sealed than a good bag vacuum.

I don't know why people assume that spinning dirt fascinates, and that this is the reason people like Dysons. That statement comes up a lot in articles about the product. It rather implies that Dyson users lack something in their lives.

The real reason people like bagless vacuums is that people who have them don't have to fork over money constantly for new bags (and Hepa filters). People like the fact that said bags and Hepa filters do not clog landfills. People who like bagless vacuums are practical, and have thought this through. I have a Dyson. I have three dogs in the house. My vacuum cleans thoroughly, fills quickly, and is ready to go again after a quick dump in the rubbish bin. The appeal of vacuums with expensive bags and expensive filters has always escaped me.

And I assure you that I don't watch the dirt spinning about. I have other things on my mind. Like thinking about how much I really hate vacuuming.

We bought a Dyson animal in January (2 dogs, 2 cats, old building = mucho dust & grime).

While it is true that it does have excellent suction, and it does pick up an astounding amount of debris, there are two things that are very annoying.

1: the front edge is not low enough to get under the standard toe space of cabinets.
2: the detachable wand is too long to get into tight spaces - which defats the purpose of having a wand in the first place.

Not sure I woul get another one.

Monika--

Have you tried vacuuming nails? chewing gum? skeins of yarn? It sounds like you just aren't trying hard enough.

You could list it on craigslist as an immortal vacuum, thus being free of the vacuum and passing it along to someone who could use it. Then you'd need a new vacuum cleaner...


One thing Dyson seems to have done well is market effectively to people (like me) who would never think to pay $600 for a vacuum. It wouldn't surprise me if a Dyson does a better job than my hoover windtunnel, but I am curious how it compares to other vacuums in its price range.

I definitely covet a Dyson Animal-- I swear from her fur that my cat is part Velcro.

Hi everyone. I have the Dyson DC 15 All Floors "the ball" & everytime I use it I have a ball with it:) I've had it for about 10 months or so, & if I did it again-I'd buy the same machine. It's cool, amazing, fascinating, & simultaneously gross to see what it picks up & I'm a complete, utter house neatnik.
Get this, I even have a "no outdoor shoes inside the house" policy. The thing still picks up god knows what.

Aj -

We've vacuumed nails, sawdust (we've used it during two house renovations as an adjunct to our shopvac), yarn...just no chewing gum.

Unfortunately, my husband has a frugal streak (I think it must be his Scottish blood), and so giving away a perfectly good appliance on Craig's List is out, but thanks for the idea.

Filter Queens are INDESTRUCTABLE (it has needed NO maintenance or repairs in all these years).

(as an aside, I seem to be plagued with this problem: I am waiting for our 1990 AEG front-loading washer and dryer and 1990 ASEA Asko dishwasher to kick the bucket so I can replace them all with Mieles. But they keep going, and going. And it was only last week that our 1987 Toyota Camry - with mileage of over 550,000 - was towed away to car heaven. I have the opposite effect on all plant life to enter my sphere of influence though.)

Thanks all, this discussion was very timely since we needed a vacuum, today!

Armed with your information, we hit Bed, Bath and Beyond at high noon. We kicked the tires, spun the ball around and even crush some pretzels in the carpet to perform a side by side test. Our conclusion... the Dyson is the Humvee of vacuums.

I'm sure if you have 4,000 square feet of carpet with 5 dogs and 2 cats it's awesome. But like Humvees squeezing down the narrow Manhattan streets that Dyson is totally unnecessary for a Manhattan apartment (one that has the square footage to qualify for an Apartment Therapy contect).

Our selection was the Miele and have been having a blast with it all day. The performance was awesome around and it was pulling the flaking paint off the radiator... I found that totally hot.

So regardless of our decision we loved all the information. Thanks again!

personally i think dyson's are overrated. i think they're great, yes, but there's other vacs on the market that do just as a good a job - the aforementioned hoover, or miele, or electrolux. also, i personally like bagged vacs better than bagless. bagless ends up being so messy in the end, i would rather just seal up the bag and be done with it.

To continue with the Dyson versus Miele discussion, never tried a Miele. Have been recommended a Kenmore. Tested quite a lot of models on the shopfloors.
But did a good good amount of homework to buy a vaccum after our last Eureka broke.

And got the latest Dyson DC 15 All floors aka 'The Ball' machine. We thinks that the yellow color is cute very 'metrosexual'. Plus, we got it at a great price, at BB&B with their 20% coupon. Yes, the coupon does work.
And the amount of gunk it has cleaned up from our 1676 sq ft townhome in Jersey City has got us screaming 'Eurgh' (Harry Potter, take a bow!).

And the USP as someone rightly pointed out is that the suction power promises never to die. That is good enough for us.

We could buy 3 vaccum cleaners at 300 in 10 years given how long the average vacuum tends to last or 1 Dyson for 500 (use the coupon and get it for 400) for 10 years. You do the Math.

I live in small NYC apt. that is aninmal free, I am interested in a simple, lightweight and reasonably priced upright vacuum. I bought an Oreck and it met the requirements (not reasonably priced tho) except that the cord was destroyed by the vaccum running over it. I returned it. I have Dirt Devil vacuum, it does not clean a medium pile carpet effectively. I am stumped.

Any ideas, I would sacrifice some effieciency for all the other requirements?

Thanks you all,

Susan

Well, this site gets my top rating for best consumer info on vacuums ever. As fervent as all you Dyson-shippers are, I ended up buying a Miele yesterday. Like TheGrog, I checked out Miele and Dyson side by side, and have to say I did love that you could actually see Dyson suck it up (be proud Pat, I definitely think the ability to see the payoff of your cleaning efforts is worth a premium). Ultimately, though, decided it was just too big for my apartment. I love the Miele, went absolutely wild vacuuming yesterday and judging by the way the bag was filling up, my very old Hoover was ready to be laid to rest. Miele is powerful, quiet and small, all big advantages in tiny NY apt.

And Jess, let's unite our vacuums in yuppie scum land, raise us up some super-neat freak kids and take over the world!

Kate, this is for you: Miele vs. Dyson

My Mom has a Dyson, and I've used it several times. I have a Miele. In both our houses, we have a lot of bare floors and a lot of area rugs, some of them with low pile. Both of the machines are good, and we're happy with them.

The major difference is that I prefer a canister, and my mother prefers an upright. I like wielding a lighter-weight tube and brush-head that can dip under the lowest furniture, and pulling the body around on smooth-swiveling wheels. I also like that the exhaust on a Miele blows upward, not behind. She likes not having to buy the expensive bags (large capacity,but $2.50 each) and she's been using an upright all her adult life. She finds it more convenient to store.

In the actual cleaning, I don't know if there's a discernable difference. It's more about how you like to vacuum. For what it's worth, my housekeeper loves the Miele and wishes all her clients owned them... but who among us is going to be vacuuming as much as she does?

how funny...I totally missed this thread, but my Miele is coming on Thursday! I bought the same model some friends have, the Galaxy Sirius (basically their cheaper model compared to the $1K versions). I wanted to buy a more expensive one (they have them used) but the wonderful lady at Mr Vacuum and Mrs Sew wouldn't let me. I have 3 cats and hard wood floors with only one low pile area rug, so she swore that the others would be a waste of money for my floors. she gave me a better price on the Sirius then what is listed on their website, and shipped it out the same day. If you don't have to buy your vac in person, check them out. They came highly recommended to me, and my experience with them was great. But call, so you get the better deal.

For the Dyson vs Miele debate, I think they're both good vacuums, but I'm a die hard bag and HEPA person. We both have bad allergies, and the partner deals with asthma. Gotta have the dirt and dust sealed up in a bag. We get into trouble with our Shark because of the no bag issue. The other consideration is quietness and storage. For me, the Miele was better on both counts. A friend bought the recommended Kenmore and is very happy with it, and don't forget Bosch, they make some nice, powerful and quiet vacuums too.


regards,
trillium

Interesting subjective comments. The fact remains that in head-to-head objective (independant) tests (Consumer Reports, Wired, Money, etc.) the Dysons fall in the middle of the pack.

Buy a less expensive, high performer & spend that extra cash on your menagerie.

kate - you're on. my tots will be vacuuming while listening to individual iPod minis by age 2, guaranteed ;-)

which miele did you buy? i'm going back and forth on whether i'm going to be unhappy with the smaller 'galaxy' model.

Three dogs, two cats, one parrot.

Five vaccuums in seven years.

Finally bought the Dyson Animal Ball- no matter what anyone else says, I know for a fact-- it's the best I've ever used, it does the job, it does everything it says, it's not just hype. I'm not rich but this is one expensive purchase I'd recommend to anyone

I bought DC15 "The Ball: All Floors" model from Bed Bath & Beyonds. Using 20% discount coupon, it costed only(!) $399.

I also considered Miele because my neighbors recommended it. But the price range of Miele models are much more expensive than Dysons: starting from $449 for stripped-down version, to eye-popping $999 for high-end model. I think it may not fair to 1:1 match Miele and Dyson, regarding the price gap.

I'm definitely pleased with performance of Dyson now. While quite heavy and big for my 1300sft apartment, I don't feel any problem to maneuver it thanks to the clever 'ball' mechanism.

Dyson looks bigger than it actually is because of the vivid color matching and unique exterior design. It occupies just as much as other ordinary upright vacs in the closet.

I can't understand why people complain about cleaning the dust can. To empty the dust can, I always bring a plastic bag and go outside the house.

But there are some cons: (Especially when compared with Miele)
(1) No retractable power code. Regarding the price, it's shame.
(2) No power adjustment
(3) 'low-reach floor tool', which is sold separately, should have been included in the standard accessary package. (Miele gives everything)

Miele is the Best. It will pick up anything. If you want something that will cut down on the allergens there is only one true answer. Miele is the only truly HEPA certified vacuum cleaner, because you can put a HEPA filter on any vacuum but most just leak before the dirt even makes the HEPA filter so you are really just redistributing particles in your house. Don't believe me, check this out:

Through a particulate analysis on YouTube, I show how well the Miele vacuum works and truly traps the dust. My findings prove that the Miele Vacuum is completely sealed and really is HEPA.

YouTube Miele Vacuum Video – As seen on ABC 7

You can see from this video that the Miele will trap all of the particles in a cloth like bag that self-seals on its way out and you are actually purifying the air in your house by vacuuming! The filtration is 99.95% effective at 0.3 microns which is amazing. Thanks to its HEPA filter and super intensive clean bags the vacuum is able to achieve this kind of filtration.

Also check-out my blog called Consumer Reporter - a vehicle to educate consumers about the vacuum and air purification market.

If you appreciate the information I provide on Miele vacuum cleaners via You Tube and my blog, please support my on-line store, KillDirt.You’ll get free shipping and no tax (as long as you do not live in New Jersey). We will be sure to make your shopping experience a pleasant one.

a word on the cr ratings on vacuums.

5 years ago or so I bought the #1 rated vac it was a kenmore. it did have good suction and had a light that let you know if the vacuum was still picking up dirt , but even after replacing filter and new bag the thing smells of dust, it is not able to clean it just distributes dust, this hepa vacuum does this, also suction is less after just a little vacuuming.

It would seem to me that cr does not take into account used bags when testing. of coarse they have to use a level playing field, but in real world the bag gets clogged after only a short time of use.

I want to see impartial non subjective tests. like how many lbs. of pressure they produce: clean, after 30 min use, after 2 weeks, etc. also in a controlled environment how much dirt was left behind not how much it appeared to clean. how much suction does it have in the middle, and sides respectively of the tools. (suction does not matter much if it is only in the middle). how close to the base boards can it clean. things I can make an intelligent decision about.