Vacuum Help!

[Impish]

I almost have enough airmiles for either the Eureka Capture Pet Lover or the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. I'm only 20% of the way towards the Dyson Ball Animal.

 

So, the question is...should I hold out for the Dyson, or go for one of the other 2 vacuums? Anyone have experience with any of them?

[jazzyfizzle]

I have not owned the other two brands, but I find the Dyson absolutely worth every expensive penny.

:)

[Amanda's Mommy]

I love my animal.

[Impish]

:bigear:

[dirty ethel rackham]

It depends on the surfaces you have to clean and how many levels in your home. I bought a Dyson. While it is an excellent vacuum, it is very heavy and cumbersome and I live in a split level home. Also, since we only have carpet in one room and either hardwood, tile or vinyl in the other rooms, it was very expensive for what we use it for. While it has some good attachments, they don't get used as much because it is inconvenient to take the thing apart to make it work. I do wish I had gone with something else that is more portable. Maybe more stuff would get vacuumed:).

 

If I had more rooms with carpet, I think I would feel differently.

[Denisemomof4]

my friend had a Dyson and it wasn't worth the money. I vacuumed her house once and MAN, I was *not* impressed At All. She only had it for just over a year when parts started to break on it. I'm glad I found out because I was going to get one.

 

I have my second Bissell. I *love* this vacuum and where vacuums are concerned, it's not easy to impress me. What I *really* love is that all I have to do is push a button to go from area rug to hardwood flooring. I've never seen this option on another and don't remember the Dyson having it. I also love the beater brush attachment for doing stairs, another thing I hadn't seen before my Bissell.

 

The suction on the Bissell is REALLY good. The Dyson was ok, but I found the Bissell to be stronger.

[CalicoKat]

I have not owned the other two brands, but I find the Dyson absolutely worth every expensive penny.

:)

 

:iagree:

 

Although I am curious about the number 1 rated on Consumer Reports.

[Impish]

:lurk5: for more responses. I'm leaning towards the Bissell at this point. Help! I've always wanted a Dyson, esp with the ball, as it seems it would be easier to manouver one handed, but if the Bissell is just as good, I'd rather not have to wait a year or more to replace the awful vacuum I have right now. Its dying a slow death, and I'd like to just go ahead and shoot it, rather than wrestle with it every time we vacuum.

 

We have carpet on the main floor, except for the kitchen, carpet on the stairs, and all upstairs, except for the bathroom.

 

Heck, for the price of the bissell, I can get enough gift cards to just buy it, rather than wait to have enough airmiles.

[Colleen]

I almost have enough airmiles for either the Eureka Capture Pet Lover or the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. I'm only 20% of the way towards the Dyson Ball Animal.

 

So, the question is...should I hold out for the Dyson, or go for one of the other 2 vacuums? Anyone have experience with any of them?

I'd use the air miles for something else and get a Miele.

[LauraGB]

I have the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. I don't love it - but I'm wondering if I will ever love a vacuum cleaner?

 

Pros:

 

• when the filters are super clean (or new) it sucks really well.
  
• it has a long cord.
  
• The wand attachment always works, and works well.
  

 

Cons:

 

 

• The filters get clogged quickly. Or maybe we're just gross? There are 3 filters to clean. The hepa filter is about $9 to replace, and I haven't been able to find the spongy one in the stores, so I just wash it with soap and water. The final one is a plastic permanent one.
  

 

 

• The non-replaceable filter is way up under the removable basket; you can't quite see up there, but you have to reach up and twist, pull it down, clean it, then try to get it back in there (without being able to see anything). And then all the dust, dander, hair, dirt that was stuck in there falls down all over the vacuum cleaner and into the holder for the basket. :glare:
  

 

 

• When any of the filters are dirty (and not totally filthy, just used a time or two), it doesn't suck well at all. But that little brush keeps spinning and accidentally picks stuff up and deposits it into the container so it looks like it's doing its job.
  

 

 

• The "pet hair" thing is fairly useless - I think it's a sales gimmick (it worked on me, though ;)). I kind of just gets in the way and mine is permanently flipped back so I don't have to deal with it knocking into my trim and furniture.
  

Sorry, Imp. I don't vote for the Pet Eraser. But, like I said in the beginning of my complaining, I don't think I'll *ever* like a vacuum. Unless they come up with a filterless deal that always works. Then I'm in.

[KS_]

I have not owned the other two brands, but I find the Dyson absolutely worth every expensive penny.

:)

 

I've been very pleased with my Dyson, too. But I don't know if you need to get the Animal model. When I was researching buying mine (5 or 6 years ago maybe?) I found out that the base is the same on all the models (the ones w/o the ball - they didn't have that when I was researching) and the only difference was what attachments came with it (and the colors). So if you don't think you need all the attachments that the Animal comes with, go with a less expensive model.

[Denisemomof4]

I have the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. I don't love it - but I'm wondering if I will ever love a vacuum cleaner?

 

Pros:

 

• when the filters are super clean (or new) it sucks really well.

• it has a long cord.

• The wand attachment always works, and works well.

 

Cons:

 

 

• The filters get clogged quickly. Or maybe we're just gross? There are 3 filters to clean. The hepa filter is about $9 to replace, and I haven't been able to find the spongy one in the stores, so I just wash it with soap and water. The final one is a plastic permanent one.

 

 

• The non-replaceable filter is way up under the removable basket; you can't quite see up there, but you have to reach up and twist, pull it down, clean it, then try to get it back in there (without being able to see anything). And then all the dust, dander, hair, dirt that was stuck in there falls down all over the vacuum cleaner and into the holder for the basket. :glare:

 

 

• When any of the filters are dirty (and not totally filthy, just used a time or two), it doesn't suck well at all. But that little brush keeps spinning and accidentally picks stuff up and deposits it into the container so it looks like it's doing its job.

 

 

• The "pet hair" thing is fairly useless - I think it's a sales gimmick (it worked on me, though ;)). I kind of just gets in the way and mine is permanently flipped back so I don't have to deal with it knocking into my trim and furniture.

Sorry, Imp. I don't vote for the Pet Eraser. But, like I said in the beginning of my complaining, I don't think I'll *ever* like a vacuum. Unless they come up with a filterless deal that always works. Then I'm in.

 

after reading this I was confused, so I went and looked at my Bissell. I actually have a healthy home Bissell. I did like my last Bissell better but I don't remember what type it was. I chose the HH over the PE because I think it had a stronger engine? I don't really remember.

 

Do you have a friend with any of the vacuums you're interested in? I'd vote for a test drive.

 

For the money, though, I did not find the Dyson any better at all than the Bissell, and my friends started to break much sooner than mine and customer service told her she had to buy the new parts herself. They were going to cost $100 - $150 so she opted to buy a new vacuum, and she was happier with the new one. I don't remember which she got but it had bags, and I'd never buy one with bags. I also have central vac.

[Impish]

I'd use the air miles for something else and get a Miele.

That wasn't on the list :crying::banghead:

 

*goes off to check out Miele*

[hsbaby]

I love my Dyson! FWIW, I don't just use it on the carpet. I use it downstairs on all our tile as well. I agree though, it's not as portable as I would like and I never use the attachments.

[Impish]

The only Miele I found has bags. I want bagless. I hate going to vacuum just to find out the bag's full and we're out :glare:

[Chrystal]

I love my Dyson. I have had it for 7 years now and it is still going strong. I use it on my tile and carpet. I love it. We all have allergies and it has helped. I really don't use the animal attachment anymore since we got leather furniture, but when I did it worked well.

[KS_]

I love my Dyson! FWIW, I don't just use it on the carpet. I use it downstairs on all our tile as well. I agree though, it's not as portable as I would like and I never use the attachments.

 

I use mine on our vinyl floor as well as the carpet. But it is heavy and not the easiest thing to carry up and down the stairs. I haven't ever tried the ball version, so don't know if it's a lot lighter and how much easier it is to maneuver.

[BeckyFL]

:iagree:

I'd use the air miles for something else and get a Miele.

[Adrianne in TX]

I love my dyson-we have had ours for 7 yrs and it is still running strong-I love the bagless ( I too would ALWAYS run out of bags). The attachment is okay I like it is a long rigid tube with the flexible tube-easy to stand upright and get under cabinets in the kitchen. I use mine on both carpet and tile. I like the washable filters (they give you 2 so one can be drying while you use the other). I have tried the ball one and that will be my next one!! Really easy to control.

 

I really havent had any complaints....now talk to me about carpet shampoo-ers and we will be talking for hours!!!!!

[lisabelle]

We have the Dyson Ball Animal, which we just got a couple of months ago after using an Oreck for many years. With 4 cats and a dog, it really does the job. However, I find that it's really heavy and I vacuum less because of it, which means I have to empty it 4-5 times while vacuuming. I am *really* bothered by loud noises, so I try to get the dh to do the vacuuming or I pay the ds $10 to do it while I sit out back with the dog, who is terrified by vacuums.

[mazakaal]

I love my Dyson, but I don't have the Ball one, just the original basic vacuum that I got used. I don't have experience with the other brands, but I highly recommend Dyson.

[joannqn]

I'd use the air miles for something else and get a Miele.

:iagree:

 

I bought a Dyson. I started screeching this horrible ear-piercing noise the second time I used it. I took it back and bought a Miele Polaris, which I love. I want to start saving money for a higher end Miele that works better on carpet because the Polaris is designed for just hard floors and I have both. It is super quiet, lightweight, and easy to use. The bags are lasting my dirty household (4 kids and 5 animals make a lot of mess) about 3 weeks and are super easy to replace. I didn't want a bagged vac either but this one isn't bad at all...creates absolutely no mess when taking the bag off either.

 

This youtube video shows how the Miela has a true HEPA filter that works and how other brands might say their are HEPA but actually make the air dirtier.

[Susan in TX]

:iagree:

 

I bought a Dyson. I started screeching this horrible ear-piercing noise the second time I used it.

 

My Dyson does this too. It also keeps breaking...same part (the beater brush). It is still under warranty so they just keep replacing the broken part...but every time it breaks I'm without a vacuum cleaner for several days or a week. The first time it broke was not long after we got it. I think it has broken about 5 times now. I'm very sorry I spent the money on it...my old $50 vacuum that I got at wal-mart was more reliable.

 

Susan in TX