Dyson Animal Upright?

[Csara]

Has anyone heard of the Dyson Animal Upright (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000079R7G/weddingtalker-20) vacuum? My husband is obsessed with the idea of buying this but I think it's waaaay too expensive. I mean, I understand the need for it, considering we have a cat that sheds A LOT and probably a ton of nasty stuff hidden deep in our upstairs carpet :gag: but it just seems like A LOT of $$$. What do you all think? Have you heard of this? Would you spend $500 on a vacuum? The reviews on amazon are all great. A few people were talking about getting it from Bed, Bath, and Beyond with one of those 20% off coupons they mail out all the time. I actually have one downstairs, but then I looked at it and it said you can't use it with Dyson products. :rolleyes:

[Turtleheadfred]

)I don't know anything about these - but it's funny because my chiropractor (who's a friend) just mentioned this to me this morning because he has two cats and he's a clean freak. I have the two labs and one cat, but I have to tell you, my vacuum cleaner broke and I borrowed my mom's Oreck. That thing is AMAZING!:eek:

I vacuum every or every other day (and that's in addition to vacuuming the dogs with the shop vac... they like it!:D) But the Oreck made it look as if I'd never vacuumed a day in my life! I could not believe the dust and dirt it picked up. (Slightly disgusting to be honest.) They are also kind of expensive: either $300, $400 or $500 for the three different models - but I swear I'm saving up. Plus it's extremely light weight and the bags close themselves when you take them out so no dust and fur escaping back into your house or on you!;)

Even my husband commented on how much cleaner everything looks. I only have one room and a walk in closet with carpet --- everything else is hardwood with area rugs, and even the swiffer isn't as dirty when I use it after vacuuming!!!:thumb2:

There's my :2cents: two cents worth - but I would be interested if anyone has the Dyson - that way I can tell Mark (my chiropractor) what your all's review is too.:p

[FarmGirl]

I want a Kirby vacuum, to heck with the Dyson. So yeah, I would gladly spend $500 for it, considering Kirby's run for around a $1000 (but they do come with a complete lifetime warranty, so it would be the only vacuum you ever need to buy).

[Csara]

Well they say that about the Dyson too....that you will never have to buy another vacuum....and I like that it's bagless. You never have to buy bag refills. I just went to epinions.com and started reading up on different uprights. I'll let you guys know my findings. ;)

[Turtleheadfred]

DO NOT GET A KIRBY!:eek: I'm telling you this after having more friends than I can count on two hands - both young and old who have owned them - GET RID OF THEM because they are such a pain! And Oreck and many others offer lifetime guarantees as well.

Kirby's are VERY HEAVY and if you have any kind of back problems (or if you don't yet you will;) ) they are much to difficult to manuver. Plus if you have an upstairs in your house, you will find if extremely difficult to lug up and downstairs all the time. Likewise the attachments are not very easy to attach and unattach. PLEASE trust me on this. I can tell you people who would GIVE you their Kirby's... that's how much trouble they are. They clean really well... but the heaviness of the machine and the difficulty in switching out the attachments just doesnt' make them a good bargain with the other options that are out their today.

My goodness... let me climb down off my soapbox!:confused: Don't know exactly where that came from, but I don't want anyone to spend money unnecessarily. Just really check things out and be sure. Almost all of them will give you a 30-60 day in home trial to be sure you are pleased with a full money back guarantee. Okay - I think that's about enough out of me for now... don't you?:leavin:

[FarmGirl]

lmao! You seem to really not like the Kirbys! Oh my that was funny!

Actually, I've used them many times, and never had a problem. I never had any trouble with the attachments, and I love their cleaning power. I mean... they have a shampooer built right in! They are very heavy though, I agree.

[Turtleheadfred]

You know... and I don't really dislike Kirby... I don't even have a Kirby. I've never even personally used a Kirby. :( Poor Kirby! I have offended him without personal merit!:huh: I know... I'm crazed at this hour. Actually, I'm generally a nut!

Maybe it's just PMS - I don't know... just make an informed decision. There. That's better. Isn't it?:silly:

[Trina]

I own the $400 Dyson (the yellow one) and I love it! I think the only difference between mine and the one you're talking about are some extra attachments (like the pet-hair thingie).

I recommend it... With vacuums, you usually get what you pay for (unfortunately).

[MeatBall]

Well, well, well,
My wife worked on a project for six weeks and was only able to come home one night a week. I was left doing all the housework. We have three cats who love to sit on all the pillows and couches, and were really shedding at the time. I was furious with how difficult it was to get rid of all the cathair, and had no idea how much time it took to remove. That began my quest for the perfect fur remover. I ultimately bought my Dyson at Sears (unquestioned return policy) and am amazed at how much it pulls up. The first time I used it (after doing a "regular" cleaning) I pulled up THREE cannisters of stuff! I use it on everything - curtains, floors, couches, furniture, everywhere! Easy to empty cannister, and it's a conversation piece when guests come over (the animal is purple).....yes $499 is expensive (my wife said she could have got at BBB for $100 less w/ coupon), I think it has already paid for itself!!!

[Csara]

ok, now I, too, am obsessed with getting this thing so I gave my husband the "ok". I could not stop thinking about it last night and kept imagining how much crap this thing is going to lift off our carpet. I am so excited! (yeah, I never claimed to be normal--getting this pumped over a vacuum cleaner - lol) :D

[Turtleheadfred]

Okay - that's one personal testimonal for me to share with my doc. C, if you get it, you MUST share how it does with the hair so I can let him know that too. And I'm the same way... it seems a little wierd, but hey - no one wants fur unless it's fur they KNOW they have and WANT to have!:D

[Turtleheadfred]

Hey C! Did you get this yet? Just wanted to check to see if your hubby has CLEANED you out of house and home!!!;) Don't forget to let us know! I'm really interested! Thanks.:D

(Wierd huh, interested in a vacuum! I've become someone's mother!:eek: )

[Csara]

Nope, not yet! But we are still planning on it. I'll definitely let you know when we do and how it works out for us.

[Csara]

Well, WE GOT IT! DH is vacuuming as I'm typing this. We've been taking turns using this thing for an hour already. It's GREAT! I cannot believe how much cat hair and other crap it pulls up. WOW! It was a big expense and I'm not thrilled about that, but DH thinks it was well worth it and I'm just glad to have a really good vacuum and that my husband is more than happy to use it! :D

[Turtleheadfred]

Cool C! Now I've got to write to Dr Mark (my chiropractor whom I just saw this morning) and tell him about it! I swear he's asked me if you've gotten it yet about 3 times already!:lol:

[Jester]

We got the Animal Upright Dyson (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=weddingtalker-20&path=tg/detail/-/B000079R7G), not the yellow one. Ours is purple, but I think Trina is right. The only difference is one or two attachments.
However, that attachment turbo air roller is really worth it. We went over the carpet with the vacuum and some other attachments, but the turbo roller got up even more hair and dirt afterwards.

This vacuum is awesome. Its only the first time vacuuming, so I really shouldn't get too crazy yet, but it works. I can't imagine our other vacuum pulling up the amount of hair and dirt that this one did, WITHOUT replacing the bag everytime.

The canister pops right off, you hold it over a bag, and boom pull a switch and the bottom drops out so the dirt just falls out into a trash can or bag.

You do have to shake it, bang it, or tap it, to get the fine dust out of the fine dust collector (you will be amazed at how much is in there), but its worth it. The air feels cleaner in our house now--seriously. You notice a difference.

[FarmGirl]

I'm jealous! We're in such need a great vacume! 2 cats and 1 dog? We have hair everywhere!

Wanna come test it out on my floor? :D

Congrats on getting it you two!

[Trina]

Congrats on getting your Dyson!!! It really DOES work well! I absolutely LOVE how easily it empties, too... I used to have to go outside (to the big trash can) to empty my vacuum, but now I can just go straight over to the kitchen trash and empty it right there. It's definitely an easy vacuum to love. The only thing I kind of dislike about it is that it's not a 2-second job just to snap on one of the attachments to the hose... you have to do a bit of
"assembling" before you can get rid of those cobwebs on the ceiling and stuff.

It also goes around and into corners really well!!!

[MeatBall]

I'm the DH in my relationship, and yes, I do most of the vacuuming. No real set schedule, just whenever I can see the cat fur, and minor touch ups. At least every other weekend I vacuum / dust everything with the dyson.
PS~ think we found a cleaner! $11 an hour...a referral from my wife's co-worker that has been doing there place for a couple of years~ with both of us working 60+ hours a week, a couple of hours here and there will be priceless!

[Csara]

LOL, thanks for the congrats guys! :-) Jester is really loving this vacuum. Every time he uses it, he says "this was worth every penny". :lol:

Trina, I agree about the assembly being slightly annoying. It's not a quick job, however it really is worth the extra minute of trouble.

Turtle, did your chiro end up getting the Animal?

[Turtleheadfred]

I don't think he has yet, but he said when it's time for a "replacement" he probably will. He doesn't like his present one because it's a bagless and he says you kind of have to "dig" in there to get all the fuzz out and it's a pain. Of course, his wife will KILL me when she finds out I've been researching vacuums with and for him!:lol:

Oh well, I figure what the heck! If you've got to have one - it might as well be one you like and I'm sure he's told her about it... I just don't get to see her very much. If he does I'll be sure to let you guys know because I'm SURE he'll tell me about it!

[jana]

Hubby and I walked past some Dysons today, and I said, "OOH! Here's the vacuum we're gonna get some day!" His eyes just about bugged out of his head when he saw the price tag! I told him a little bit of all the stuff you guys are raving about, and he agreed that when we get pets and a house with carpet (the one we're moving into only has carpet in the bedrooms), we could get one. YAYY! I completely hate the vacuum we have now, so I hardly ever use it. The only good thing about it is that it's light. Anyway, I'm hoping that we can get a Dyson a little sooner....like when we have pets and a baby who crawls around on the floor.... :D

[MeatBall]

Just a Dyson follow-up....
my wife went away on business for the week (Sunday thru late Thurs) and needless to say, I had great intentions of doing projects throughout the week.
Last night I broke out the Dyson and did a "light" cleaning ~ 45 minutes I vacuumed and dusted floors, carpets, and furniture in the whole place! Even used it on the gym mat and pool table. Wow! Wife was shocked when she got home...this was the first time I tried speed cleaning with the Dyson and it worked:p :D :D

[Turtleheadfred]

I think we should all hire MEATBALL to come to our houses!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!:clap: :clap: :clap:

[jana]

Ha! No kidding! :D

[MeatBall]

Thanks all!
Quick update~ sick all weekend....my wife bought me a gift back from Albany~~~the flu:sick: :sick:
So not much done over the weekend, even took yesterday off.
My wife was in the recovery end of the flu so she took the time to organize and paint, and we even talked about more even distribution of housework (now that most of it is painted ~ a task I absolutely refused to be a part of - I wanted to hire professional painters).

[ratherbetravlin]

Glad to hear all of the good reviews on Dyson! I've been wondering about that thing, although I'm not in the market right now.

My mom bought me a Rainbow about 12 years ago, and I love it! Sure, it's a bit more work than a regular upright, but it cleans great and the carpet cleaner attachment has been wonderful with animals and their, er, accidents. Also, if you ever have problems with fleas, they, and their eggs, go right into the water and then down the sewer. Mom paid well over $1300 for it back then, but I believe we've gotten our money's worth out of it.

We just bought a house this month and we're considering putting in a central vac system. I've got mixed feelings about this, though.

[Turtleheadfred]

Well Guess What Guys?! I'm in the market for a new vacuum!!!

So here's my question... I've been leaning toward the Oreck simply because it's basically the same as the Dyson's; it was the first to have the top fill suction so you don't lose suction; very lightweight; have a Oreck store right up the street for cleaning and service; totally hypoallergenic!

I have EXTREME allergies and the problem I've always had is when you empty the vacuums (or throw the bags away) there's always dust that come up, even though I take it outside. It KILLS me! With the Oreck, the bags completely seal themselves and there is no dust (I have one I'm trying of my mom's right now).

How do the Dyson's do as far as any dirt or dust escaping on you? Also, how heavy is it? How about being able to reach cobwebs, etc.? I think that's all the questions I have. The price is virtually the same - thus the reason for my questions.

[jana]

Oh. My. Gosh! We got a yellow Dyson as a gift! I am so incredibly excited about this thing--it is the best vacuum EVER! :elephant:

We cleaned the carpet in the bedrooms and were so disgusted by all the junk that came up. Then I did a small section of the hallway (hardwood floors that hubby sweeps 1-2 times per week) and pulled up even MORE dirt from the cracks in between the boards! :gag:

THF, did you ever get your new vacuum? I'll go ahead and answer your questions just in case you haven't. The Dyson doesn't have bags, so you do have to deal with dust escaping, I suppose, since you are just dumping the gunk out. It's pretty lightweight compared to some of the older vacuums I've used, but I don't know how light other vacuums are these days. It maneuvers really well around corners. As far as cobwebs go, I honestly haven't thought about trying to find any that aren't on the floor. :p

[Turtleheadfred]

Hey Jana! Actually I did get a new vacuum a few months ago. I got a top of the line Oreck and I love it too! It's great because it does completely self seal so there's no dust at all - YEAH! a major deal for me. Also, very lightweight and like you said with the Dyson - even though I was vacuuming with my old machine and using the swiffer ever day, it STILL got up stuff off the floor! And it came with a lightweight handheld vac for cobwebs, etc.

With both the pups and the kitty - I vacuum every day so it's been a godsend and keeps the house MUCH cleaner and less dusty! (We have an older home that's not very airtight so every little bit helps!) I only have one room with carpet - the rest are hardwood and some have area rugs - but it's great!

Thanks for answering - and I'm really glad you got your new vacuum too! Who'd have thought that one day we'd be happy to be getting vacuums!? :eek:

[jana]

Originally posted by Turtleheadfred
Who'd have thought that one day we'd be happy to be getting vacuums!? :eek:

No kidding! :D

[Csara]

Oh WOW!! That is so cool that you got the Dyson, Jana. And Congrats to you on your new vacuum too, Turtle! Are we all nuts that vacuuming is actually FUN for us now?? :p

[Turtleheadfred]

It's a twisted, twisted world!!! What happened and when did the bodysnatchers replace us with someone's mom/grandmom?:p

[Jester]

Wife was shocked when she got home...this was the first time I tried speed cleaning with the Dyson and it worked:p :D :D

Yep this vac kicks butt for speed cleaning :beer: