Dyson vacuum cleaners have a reputation for quality and innovation, as well as a high price tag. Not all vacuums handle pet hair well, even if it is labeled a pet vacuum. Which Dyson vacuum cleaners are best for pet owners? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the major Dyson pet vacuums on the market today? What are the best Dyson pet vacuums for 2019?
New Dyson Vacuums for Pet Hair
1. Dyson Ball Animal 2 Vacuum
One of the benefits of this vacuum is its self-adjusting cleaner head that is safe for chasing down furballs on wood and vinyl floors, while still doing a good job on short carpet. It comes with a turbine tool that rarely chokes on pet fur and several other tools for spot cleaning. The combination tool is perfect for cleaning dusty surfaces without damaging them.
It is only one to two pounds heavier than the Dyson ball vacuums. It has very strong suction and the same continuous suction level as the bin fills up as other Dyson vacuum cleaners. It offers whole machine HEPA filtration.
This vacuum cleaner is a good choice for those who want to use one Dyson vacuum for cleaning stairs, furniture, flat surfaces as well as their floors.
2. Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Vacuum
This Dyson vacuum cleaner came in 6th in the 2017 Consumer Reports buying guide. It received an overall score of 65, better than the Cinetic Big Ball Animal plus Allergy model due its lower price for similar performance on noise, dander and handling. The downside is that this model does worse with pet hair than some of the other Dyson vacuums.
The unit’s cinetic cyclone design eliminates the need for a secondary filter without impacting its ability to suck in dirt until the dirt cup is almost full.
One of the annoyances with this vacuum is regarding the catch that automatically transitions between standing up and folding back; it is supposed to lock in place automatically with an audible “click” but doesn’t always, allowing the vacuum handle to fall back against you. Another issue is that the on switch is next to the brush on/off switch, which creates the risk you’ll turn off the whole vacuum when you only want to turn off the brush roll.
The Dyson Cinetic vacuum is very quiet given its size. It has very good suction and does a decent job pulling up pet hair. It is not recommended for cleaning up after dogs with very long hair, since that can get wound around the brush assembly. The vacuum does provide enough room to reach around the brush roll and untangle it.
This vacuum is highly maneuverable thanks to the big ball and the design that weighs several pounds less than several other Dyson models. The head has a square profile to let you clean up against the wall. You do have to use a hose to get that final gap between the baseboards and the carpet. It handles irregular carpet and small rugs without any problem.
This Dyson pet hair vacuum cleaner is a good choice if you need a unit easy to handle despite limited upper body strength and hand strength or a variety of flooring types. It isn’t the right pet vacuum if you have pets with long hair.
3. Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister Vacuum
It costs a little more than the Dyson Big Ball canister that doesn’t have the “cinetic” feature that eliminates the need to replace filters. The cinetic design also creates the same internal cyclone that helps it maintain suction as it fills up but clearing dust from the side of the bins in the process. The big canister is a plus as long as the slightly higher bulk doesn’t get in your way of using it.
Dyson’s upright vacuum cleaners have a repair rate of 13%. Their canister models have a repair rate of 16%, so the extra space in the dirt cup translates to a slightly higher chance of the vacuum breaking down.
The on-off switch for the vacuum is not located on the handle where it is most convenient to access. Conversely, the canister is easy to empty and nothing gets stuck on the interior of the vacuum’s dirt cup. It has a very long cord.
If you want to minimize your trips to the trash to empty the dirt bin while cleaning up pet hair, this is the right Dyson vacuum cleaner for you. If you hate cleaning filters and the interior of the vacuum, you’ll like this Dyson pet hair vacuum for cleaning up after your pets.
4. Dyson V11 Animal
When it comes to vacuums of every description, Dyson can easily be seen as an industry leader. So, it almost goes without saying that the new V11 Animal has to be the ultimate Dyson pet vacuum.
Improvements can be seen throughout, starting with the magnificent 14-cyclone suction. The upgraded Dyson V11 digital DC motor is also one of the most powerful ever made. This ensures the best suction with the lowest power consumption. Something that is important in a cordless stick vacuum. They claim an astonishing work time of up to one hour from the nickel-cobalt-aluminum battery – recharge time is 4.5 hours.
The Dyson V11 Animal has the full plethora of attachments for a home with pets. The Torque Drive motorized cleaning head has a combination of nylon bristles and carbon fiber filaments which deep cleans carpets and removes every spec of dust from hard floors. It also has a mini motorized tool, combination tool, crevice tool, mini soft brush, and a stubborn dirt brush. A handy docking station makes storage and battery charging as convenient as it gets.
Full machine filtration removes particles down to 0.3 micron (99.97%). The dust cup holds a mighty 0.2 gallons and has a single touch, hygienic emptying system. This is also one of the quietest vacuums around and, at barely over 6-pounds, it’s as easy to use as one could want. A digital LED display keeps you on top of the Dyson’s performance at all times.
Setting out to improve the existing Dyson pet vacuums, was never going to be easy. Though there can be no denying, that the Dyson V11 Animal is a magnificent machine. It’s a compact, lightweight, cordless stick vacuum with the power and attachments to perfectly clean any home where pets roam free.
5. Dyson V10 Animal
The Dyson V10 Animal falls in the middle of the three V10 models. The Dyson V10 range uses the latest technology and is the top cordless stick vacuum range to come from this manufacturer. Priced between the Dyson V10 Motorhead and the V10 absolute, the Animal is aimed specifically at pet owners and the kit includes the mini motorized tool which is designed to remove pet hair from upholstery, stairs and other areas where a standard roller brush won’t suffice.
Like all the Dyson V10 options, the Animal makes use of their advanced digital motor and cyclone suction system. This provides superior cleaning power whilst reducing the amount of power that is drained from the battery. It has a run-time of up to 1-hour, which will be reduced if using the full power and motorized head. It has three power settings and a trigger switch which all helps to maximize the battery run time. It has a wall-mounted docking station and will recharge the battery in 3.5-hours.
The Dyson V10 Animal measures 48.9” X 10.2” X 9.8” and weighs 5.05-pounds. The design is elegant and practical with a large dust cup which will take in 0.77L (0.2-gallons) of debris before it needs to be emptied. The latch for emptying the dust cup has been improved upon and allows for very hygienic and easy dust-free emptying. The high-grade filters are HEPA rated, removing 99.97% of particles from the air as small as 0.3-microns in size. These filters are washable and can, therefore be reused repeatedly.
The torque-drive cleaning head with a bristle roller brush is able to remove any debris, including pet hair, from high pile carpets as well as any other type of flooring. The Dyson V10 Animal also includes a combination tool, crevice tool, mini soft dusting brush, and the mini motorized tool. It also converts into a handheld vacuum.
6. Dyson v8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum
The Dyson V8 is a cord free, battery powered model. You pay more for this handheld Dyson vacuum than you would the V8 because of the much longer battery life. The V8 lasts up to 40 minutes in normal use, up to 25 minutes if the motorized floor tool is on it and turned on. The motorized tool and cleaner head can tackle heavier debris like pebbles and dried pet food chunks that other handheld vacuums can’t handle.
It has a bar that lets you run it across the carpet like an upright vacuum or clean drapes and stairs without having to be on your hands and knees.
The V8 is the better choice if the Dyson V6 won’t last long enough for the jobs you have around the house.
7. Dyson V6 Top Dog Handheld Vacuum
This vacuum lasts up to twenty minutes. If you use high power, it dies within six minutes. One of the weaknesses of Dyson vacuums in particular is that if you have a bad battery or need a part replaced, you have to send it back to them.
At six pounds, it weighs somewhat more than the V8. This isn’t a problem if you only pull it out for cleaning one or two spots, such as cleaning up the one couch cushion where your pets like the lounge around.
The V6 lacks the heavy duty motorized head for pulling up pet furs or heavy messes out of carpet the V8 has, though it has a “mini” motorized tool for lifting up light pet hair or ground in dirt. This handheld pet vacuum weighs only three and a half pounds.
This handheld vacuum cleaner by Dyson is designed to handle pet fur that clogs many other handhelds. It comes with a variety of tools like a crevice tool, combination tool, dusting tool and mini-motorized too. It is best for spot cleaning specific messes that can be handled quickly.
Summary
The Dyson V6 is a good choice for spot cleaning pet hair and other messes as long as it doesn’t have to be used for more than a few minutes. This Dyson V10 pet hair vacuum is a good choice if you want to deep clean specific spots and need more time than the V6 provides.
The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball animal canister is the right choice if you need capacity. The Dyson Cinetic big ball animal upright vacuum has above average performance across the board, as long as you don’t need it to tackle a lot of pet hair. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum is the ideal choice for cleaning any and all flooring surfaces at a reasonable price.
I have the Dyson V6 pet hair vacuum. I am in love with it. The base of the cylinder broke and all the dirt spilled out.. just replaced that and the battery has died. It’s only 1 1/2 years old. My sister has one over 3 years old and no problems. I’m considering buying a new one versus getting a new battery. My arthritis requires a light machine. Please advise.