Vacuum Cleaners

I recently sold my cleaning business but for the business and my personal use, I've always stuck with Oreck. They are pricey but most problems are covered under the warranty which is at least for 8 years. They are usually running specials and the sales people are very helpful.

I bought a Meile. It was more money that I have paid in the past but worth every cent. I have two dogs that shed like crazy and 3 kids. It is a canister which vs an upright but from what I learned canister will pickup the dog hair best.

Love my Dyson Animal (made for pet hair) - simple and easy to use and easy to empty - no bags! :) I highly recommend it.
-J.

Hi B.,
(I love your name, We have a Brianne - she's 28 years old now.) We also have a golden retriever. I can't imagine how he still has hair on his body, as I always have piles on my floors and in the carpet. We also raised 7 children! After many years of frustration with vacuums, we can now get excited about results. We got a purple Dyson three years ago, and have LOVED it! (purple is specifically for pets) THere is a clear canister (no bags). You can see immediately how much hair you're getting up.Then you throw it away! Bags would fill up so quickly.

Dirt Devil ot Oreck by far!

I have the Dyson animal and absolutely love it. I have a yellow lab that sheds like crazy and when I vacuum every 3 days or so, I'm always amazed by the amount of hair it picks up.

The Dyson's are a litte pricey (around $500) but if you get one of those 20% off coupons from Bed, Bath and Beyond, you can use it (even though it says right on the coupon that it can't be used on Dyson products). That's what I did to save about $100.

Even if I had to pay full price, I think it's completely worth it.

I have a golden retriever and we invested in a Dyson Animal a few years ago and it is WONDERFUL! They are pricey, but well worth it! No bags, great technology!

I have a Dyson vac! I love it! I'm a vacuuming nut, so it was an important investment! The one I have is the "animal" version! With 2 dogs, I needed something that would pick up all the hair! I paid about $550.00 for it, but they have less expensive ones too that I hear work really well!
I've had the Bissell version of the vac for pets too! Works great, but lost suction in about 8 mos! I figured I could continue to buy a vacuum every 8 mos or spend more for one that will last!

I LOVE my Oreck. I know they're expensive, and more $ doesn't always mean a better product, but I have had an Oreck for 2 years and I really love it!! It's very light and works equally well on carpet and tile. We have 3 dogs and 2 kids, so it has definitely been put to use. If you really can't afford an Oreck, we also had good luck with our Sharp that we used for several years. It was heavier and louder, but if I remember right it cost less than $200 and worked well for us. We also had a Wind Tunnel very briefly - yikes, I wouldn't recommend it. Talk a about a pain to empty the dirt (since it's bagless) and it was really heavy and cumbersome to use.
Good luck - hope that helps! Feel free to send additional questions my way if you'd like any more details on my experiences.

I clean offices professionally and I recommend canister vacuums because they can do furniture, lamps, shelves, etc. much more easily than uprights with attachments - I always like Kenmore (Sears) better than any Hoover - and I hate the upright Dyson my husband got for our home because it's hose is springy and fights with me every time I use it - plus the handle is awkwardly placed and the pole very short for floor use but too long for convenient shelf or furniture use and it's suction is not adjustable and too strong for delicate things (like lampshades or sheers). Good luck!

I have had a dyson, not the pet one, for 4 years and still going strong. I love to use a rumba robotic one to supplement it though. they go under beds and there is a pet model. I got them at costco. I have a shedding short hair dog and the regular Dyson and Rumba handle it.

A friend of mine, who owns a vacuum repair shop has suggested to me to stay away from Dirt Devil. Kenmore brands use Hoover, Eureka, Panasonic for their own brands. He always has suggested to go with them. Consumer Reports stated that Dyson is one of the biggest rip offs money wise. It is way too expensive for what they offer. Orek is a decent brand. Check www.Consumerreports.org for their ratings!!

My sister has a golden retriever with very long hair. She finally bought the Dyson...think its called the Animal....it is the one for dog hair. She swears by it. Its a little pricey....but worth it in the end. check out Costco or Sams club.
M.

Any of the Miele vaccuum cleaners are fantastic. They are a bit pricey but completely worth the investment. I have had mine for twelve years and is still going strong. My mother has had hers for 25+ yrs and she swears by it for cleaning up the many cat hairs. If you are in Tucson you can find Miele at Cathy's Sew and Vac on Oracle.

one word:

ROOMBA!!!!!!

it really works! and it goes right under the bed, chairs, etc. where you normally would have to move the furniture to get. which is great for us because our cat spends a lot of time under the bed. SO worth the investment. we also vacuum a lot more often now because it's so easy.

We have a Dyson and absolutely LOVE it! It is expensive, but totally worth it. We also have a dog and it picks up the hair beautifully. Happy vacume shopping!

G.
www.twosistersjewelryboutique.com

I have a Bissel Lift Off. It came with a pet hair brush attachment. It really works great. I have 2 British Shorthair Cats that shed quite a bid and it makes cleaning easy and fast.

I agree with Tricia. The Dyson (the animal) is the best way to go! I have a ton of animals and this thing picks up everything and makes your carpets look new again. I would definatley recommend this one!

I've had the PATRIOT HIGH PERFORMANCE canister vac for 10 years and will never go back to the ol' cheapy uprights I used to buy. The PATRIOT is about $1000, maybe more by now, but it seriously sucks everything up off the floor--tile, wood, or carpet. The canister vacs are kind of a pain, but the result is so worth it.

I find it sad news that the person below stated that dyson's are a rip-off according to consumer reports. We have a Dyson Animal Ball vacuum and I will never buy anything different. It is expensive - but worth it. I can actually see the pet hair and other stuff move across the tile into the vacuum the suction is so good. I went through 5 other vacuum's of all major brands - pretty much a new $200+ one every year - and finally thought it worth it to get a dyson. And it is! Going on 2 years with it - works wonderfully, picks up everything and incredibly easy to manuver. We got ours on EBay for less than in stores. Good Luck.

I LOVE my Dyson Pet! My husband finally talked me into getting it - I thought, "what the heck can it do better than a cheap-o?" and boy am I glad he talked me into it! We have 2 dogs and it picks up everything!!! Also, no bags to fuss with, just take the canister off and dump it then click it back on... very user friendly. We got ours at Home Depot a while back.

T.

Hi B.,
All my friends with pets swear by Dyson Animal. I have a Dyson myself, but no pets. I love it. It is worth the money. My mother-in-law has an Oreck and she loves it also. It is very lightweight.
L.

The Dyson's are the best hands down. We have two large dogs and didn't really want to spend that much on a vacuum but decided to bite the bullet and do it anyways. We were AMAZED at how much dirt and hair it got up. We actually got a refurbished one on Ebay and haven't had any problems with it. The manufacturer assured us that they leave the plant in new condition.

Sounds like Dyson is the most popular! :-) I am not sure what they cost but there is a Mach 5 at Wal-mart that is totally awesome! It is under $200 too. My Aunt bought it because she has 9 cats that shed so much. I help her with her cleaning and that vacuum has impressed me! I was using the attachment around the baseboards and it kept getting stuck on the wall because the suction is so good. Her carpet always looks new after using the Mach 5, it gets all the hair plus fluffs the carpet up like new.

Hi B., Our neighbors have 5 indoor dogs. They all shed. When we were looking to get a new vacuum cleaner they told us about theirs. It is a Dyson. We bought one not because we have dogs but because we wanted a good vac that was easy to push. We love it! They are not cheap but they are good. We have used Filter Queens, Rainbows, Hoover etc. We have spent a small fortune on vacuums in the past and this is by far the best we have owned. I hope this helps you out. M.

To be honest, if I had the money, Dyson is the best choice.

I just recently bought a new vacuum. After about a week, of researching and comparing I decided on the Hoover Elite Rewind. Not only is it easy to take care of, it has a lifetime hepa filter and my favorite feature...the cord retracts with a push of a button. It has a one handed cylinder dump feature, hand held tools are included and it does a great job picking up from tile floors to carpet. I bought mine at Costco for I think about $90. They have another model up from the one I bought for about $170. But I don't think it's any better then mine other then a few extra features.

I also recommend the dyson! We love ours so much that my parents, sister, and SIL all bought one and they love them too! They carry them at Bed, Bath & beyond and Linens & Things - both of which regularly have coupons, so if price is a concern then maybe you can save some $ that way. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine!

I have a Hoover Deluxe Elite Widepath that I just love. It has a special attachment meant especially for those tough pet hairs that seem to get embedded in fabric and carpets. I have a Golden Retriever and have become 'temporary' foster mom to my son's 3 cats, so I have plenty of pet hair to dispose of.

I'm sure there are other vacuums that have similar attachments. The Hoover was a great deal though at Target when it went on sale for only $119.99. You know, it maybe was only $99.99 on sale. I forget. It's bagless.

One thing you have to know about those attachments though. One day mine just stopped working - the brush no longer spinned. I took it apart - it was quite easy, just unscrew all the little screws. It was loaded with pet fur that had become wound around the sides of the roller, but you could not see it without taking that cover off. I pulled that out of there, and voila! It was like brand new. So periodically, I clean that out. It's the same with any vacuums major brush roller. We can't see it with the bottom on it, but all kinds of stuff gets caught up on the sides of the roller, making it less efficient. It's an easy fix by just unscrewing the bottom 'cover' and cleaning it all out.

Good luck

My mom has 4 indoor BIG dogs and she LOVES her Dyson Animal. Before that she had a Kirby and she said the Dyson works better!

I see that a lot of women have suggested the Dyson but they're a little too pricey for me. I have a Eureka Boss SmartVac upright and love it. It has better suction that the bagless vacuums I've tried previously. It has settings for both carpet and bare floor and it has done a great job in my home. I love that for bare floors you can turn off the brush so it will use only suction and not flick dirt all over the place. It also picks up pet hair and cereal just fine. Best part is that it only cost me about $150 at WalMart.

Hi B.,
I've been married 41 years and have had 2 vacuums during that time. They were both Electrolux canister vacs. The first lasted 15 years and the other 26. I gave it away the other day and it still worked, but needed a small repair. They were worth every penny.

hello! i just wanted to say that i LOVE my dyson! costco carries them for quite a discount, and it is well worth the money...i was shocked at just how much dirt and stuff it picks up after i thought my carpet was clean! yuck!

let me know if you need more info!
-B.

Dyson makes one called the "Animal". It is specifically designed to work exceptionally well on pet hair.

My husband got me the HOOVER WINDTUNNEL with the attachment rotater brush. It has been a good vaccume for 12+ years.

Get a Rainbow if you can. Those things are awesome! I have one that is probably 10-15 yrs old and still works great. My mother in law swears by a Bissell Powerforce bagless vacuum and I have to admit the Bissell is really good on pet hair and if it gets clogged you can easily remove the hair. It is also a lot cheaper than a Rainbow.

I have a Kirby Vacuum cleaner and I love it! I have had it for about 6 yrs now and have never had any problems with it. It has a lifetime warranty on it so if it ever breaks or needs serviced I just have to take it in. I haven't ever had to have it serviced. I had the light bulb burn out and called the company they sent a replacement right out all I had to pay was shipping. The bags are pricey but one bag lasts me about 3-6 months or longer, thats with everyday use. It converts to hand held and carpet shampooer and comes with lots of cleaning tools. It has great suction and is easy to use. The vacuum is expensive but I think its well worth the money. I don't think I will ever have to buy another vacuum cleaner again, at least not for a very long time. It also elimantes the need for hand held vacs. and carpet shampooers since you get it all in one machine! You can also get attachments for cleaning hard wood floors if you need it. Hope this helps =0).

The Dyson Animal is the best! I know they're on the pricey end, but totally worth it. Not only does the attachment pick up the cat hair on the first run over, but the main unit sucks it up from the floor from several inches away! It's awesome!

we wanted a dyson, but too expensive. We got a Phantom Infinitiy from Walmart (it's a blue one, I think the only one they have that's blue). From what we could tell, it's technology is just like a dyson but it's only about $200. We have been really happy with it. It was amazing (and disgusting)to see what our old vacuum wasn't cleaning up.

Hello!

I am sure that the Dyson's are the best, but the pricetag is daunting. So, early last year we got a Hoover Fusion plus at Costco for abour $150 and it has done everything I need it to do. We have two cats, so pet hair is also a concern in this house : )

D.

I know they are expensive but get a Dyson if you can! I have two lab mixes that shed alot and are inside every night and all day if it's snowing/raining/thunderstorm. I get a lot of compliments on how people can't believe we have our big dogs inside. Mine was a gift from my awesome husband three years ago and it still works like new. I love it!

I have a Dyson DC14 Animal that I LOVE. It works great on pet hair and is easy to take care of. I bought mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond and was able to use my 20% off coupon.

Hi B.,

Dyson is hands down the best vacuum. I've had mine for about 4 years now and I've never had a problem with it. They are so user friendly. They are the only vac. with a 5 year warranty. They also have a lifetime filter that you just wash every few months. They have the canister that is super easy to empty. One of the things I like about it is they have their 800 # printed on their vacuum handle so should you have a question you don't have to look for a manual or anything, but I've never needed that number. I work at Bed Bath & Beyond and you can absolutely use coupons to bring the price down. BB&B will also price match. Hope that helps.
~R.