Are "pet vacs" actually a better vacuum to own, if you own pets?

Question

I mean, do they truely work better at getting all the shedded hair? With less wear and tear on the machine?

Answer 1

This is the one and only time I will ever go against a consumer reports test. I have always had pets, currently 4 cats and one dog and they all shed no matter how much brushing and cutting and grooming I can do. I had owned two other vacuums one was a dirt devil product and one was an electrolux product, in the three years prior to purchasing my purple Dyson Animal!!! I am not cutting down the dirt devil or electrolux products at all, they just could not handle the job. The electrolux was a canister style that costs about $350. I had to use it every day, and it was in the shop multiple times in just over a year. I had to have friends of mine take it and clean it out with an air compressor they owned in between these shop visits...When the shop visits exceeded $300 I gave up, cleaned up the vacuum donated it to a local thrift shop and purchased the dirt devil product which was over $270, but had more filters and was supposedly the best thing going for general house cleaning and pet hair. This vacuum was in the shop less than the electrolux, but that was only because I had better access to the beater bars and other working parts so I did the cleaning of the vacuum that was supposed to be helping me do the cleaning.....see where this is going...it was so frustrating. I was still vacuuming every day, but now twice a week I was spending up to an hour on the floor with the vacuum cleaning it so it would clean....isn't there just too many things wrong with this picture...and of course all these fancy (removable and therefore...replaceable...every 3 months) filters were costing $35 for one and $18 for the other...I got so frustrated I nearly launched the thing into orbit when I realized how much time and money and effort was going into keeping this vacuum going. I vacuumed the living room and hallways thoroughly with the dirt devil...cleaned it up one more time, put it to the side of the room, got in my car went to the bank to take the money out for a Dyson, drove to Sears (only store close to me that was carrying the Dyson brand at that time, nearly five years ago now. Walked into the vacuum department, talked to a couple of employees about the brand, I had already done my own research. I tried the vacuum out in the store, purchased one and brought it home. It has been great ever since!!! The first night I brought it home I revacuumed everything I had vacuumed earlier in the day and the Dyson picked up literally pounds of dirt and sand and hair out of the carpet. I was totally shocked, I knew there was bound to be some but WOW!!!!! That was not even using the power head that comes with the vacuum...That is even more incredible, it practically picks up the carpet off of the floor. I will have had the vacuum 5 years soon and it has never had to have a service visit...I never even extended the service warranty with Sears beyond the initial months which came free with purchase. I have only had to clean the beater bar area three times since I've owned it and that's only because a long piece of thread got tangled in it or something along those lines. I have had two friends borrow mine just to see how well it has worked and they have gone out and purchased their own, one lady is actually one of my friends mothers, is is her early 70's and is an old-school do not waste money type of person, who still has her same kitchen tools she received for wedding gifts over 50 years ago. She could not get to the store fast enough to buy one when she heard how well they worked. She has some health problems and was having a difficult time pushing her old vacuum, and loves how easily the "Animal" moves. I do not work for the company, I am not a paid spokesperson (they could hire me, I'm sure...), I do wish stock was available in the company, I would be investing..... It has made life easier, by making housework more pleasant.....and that's a good thing. They stand behind their product 100%, so what do you have to lose?

Answer 2

Consumer Reports was way off base w/their vacuum cleaner article. I've owned a Dyson Animal for over a year - it still has as much suction as the day I bought it. After I used it a couple of times my mom came over & asked if the carpet had been shampooed.

Answer 3

no, the pet vacs are a waste of money . . . A friend of mine purchased one about 6 months ago and the thing overheats after 5 minutes of use. . they are a very bad idea. Stick with a Kirby or a Hoover

Answer 4

The Dyson Animal is GREAT!!!!!! I have 2 very large black dogs and tan carpet. Works great and picks up all dog hair and dirt better than 5 regular sweeper. Very well worth the money. It will pay for itself in bags, filters, and belts....

Answer 5

I recently bought a used kirby, my dog shedds enough hair every day to create a new dog, it works great and is self propelled, Check Ebay for a used one G5 G6 G7 as the new cost is unreal

Answer 6

No the Dyson is very poorly rated by consumer reports