Dyson DC25 Animal Upright Cleaner

I guess that my wife was persuaded by the Dyson commercials on TV. Or maybe it was that this particular model advertised its excellence in dealing with anamil hair.

Personally I was a bit skeptical, because it looked like the product had all sorts of bells and whistles. Our other two vacuum cleaners were not doing the job with the cat hair in the carpets. I just didn't think this could be all that different.

When I tried it, I was delighted. After vacuuming only about 1/2 of a hallway the collector was full and needed to be emptied. Being somewhat mechanically oriented, I soon came to realize that there was a reason for the ball. The suction / brush assembly is essentially "free floating" from the rest of the appliance, and gives it a considerable advantage, allowing it to "latch on" to the carpet and stay latched, independent of how you push (and pull) the thing around. The ball allows it to turn easier. I could go on, but bottom line, this gadget has lots of clever design that seems to have a functional purpose.

Mr. Dyson is right. The other products loose suction. This one doesn't. And what good is a vacuum cleaner if it doesn't suck? ;)

The attachments are all conveniently stored on board, except for a mini powered brush cleaner that is particularly clever. Only one minor criticism: The way the extension tube and hose are stored and used is a bit unwieldy. But that's the only thing I don't like, and compared to the benefits, I can live with it.

One last thing: I bought a "factory refurbished" unit from one of the fine e-bay retailers. Even considering the slightly higher price for a "buy it now" product, buying refurbished saved me something $150 compared to in-store retail price. Except for a bit of haze on the inside of the "clear" dust container, it looked like a brand new product. Why go new? I'm glad I bought this thing, and bought it "refurbished."

I don't buy anything on a whim, so after reading multiple reviews about "how heavy, cumbersome, difficult to put together" this Dyson Animal was, despite its other good qualities, I hesitated, but decided to buy it anyway. Let me say first that I am a 48-year-old woman, who weighs just under a 100 lbs, so I don't know if the claim that this vacuum is "too heavy" was written by Thumbelina, but it's hard to imagine that if I can easily manage this machine that others would have trouble.

It snaps together in 3 pieces; easy to figure out. It MAY come with the telescoping wand extended, so that might have been the source of the confusion for the woman who claimed you had to be "clairvoyant" to figure it out. The telescoping wand fits inside the handle; once you retract it, you'll easily see how it connects. So, so far so good. I have 2 dogs, heavy shedders--a chow chow, and a seasonally shedding husky mix who blows her coat twice a year--and I have asthma and allergies. This machine is a godsend. I just hope it's true that the advertising claim about it not "losing suction" is accurate because it is a bit spendy. Worth every penny so far, however.

For those who are fanatical about research as I am, check out James Dyson, the engineer who designed this machine; his work, including the original prototype for this vacuum is in the Museum of Modern Art.

The one thing I would warn people about is to be VERY careful about using the upholstery attachments on certain fabrics. My couch is a very fine microsuede and the suction was almost powerful enough to rip it right off the cushions. Unless you have a sturdy, or tightly woven fabric, I don't recommend the upholstery brush. And, as others have mentioned, the hose is very stiff, so the entire machine tends to fall over when you're using attachments.

Minor problems, however, considering what you get. One other great bonus: I usually end up throwing away the dogs' beds after a few months since they end up so coated with hair that no vacuum ever got it off and it they never got clean in the wash. With this Dyson: vacuum pet beds as you do regular carpets, careful not to get too close to the corners where they could get caught in the suction. Miracle!!! Pet hair gone, toss in wash, beds like new!

There are minor flaws--it IS hard to get out of the box, but I did it myself. HINT: Lay box flat, remove packing material from one side, then the other, and push through.

P.S. I do NOT work for the Dyson company, though this review might make it sound as if I do.

I love my new Dyson DC25 Animal!!! It's lightweight. It's easy to maneuver. It has awesome suction. And, it's truly an all-surface type of machine--I can transition from my carpet to my wood floor with no thought at all. I've barely had to use a broom since I got the Dyson. The attachments are also nice. I am someone who has despised vacuuming my whole life...with this new vacuum, I have done this chore much more frequently, and almost don't mind it. I would highly recommend this item. Negatives? Just one: the power cord isn't long enough--it's just a little annoying to have to stop in the middle of vacuuming to move the cord to a different plug in, but this is an annoyance I can put up with.

This is the 3rd Dyson this year, I recently purchased the DC25 ball animal for my daughter's 1st home...(after I gave it a weeks test). At the beginning of the year I also purchased the DC14 ball animal for myself and then a couple of months later a DC17,all house animal for our church. I am convinced that Dyson is the top of all vacuums. Each time I purchased refurbished machines and we all are very please with them, saved a lot of money and they are definitely like brand new.

Needless to say I am very popular at church and my daughter couldn't be more pleased. We all LOVE the Dyson for the technology, ease of use, excellent power for the cleaning and price was just right. Oh yeah, my oldest son is the one who introduced me to Dyson, his refurbished DC07 is heavily used and is still going strong after many years of service. He is looking forward to a new Dyson if the DC07 ever quits which does not look too promising.

I have the original carpet in my 1986 home in the country which I have tried to take care of so it would last. The very first time i used my DC14 I was shocked as I was emptying the canister after every room and now about 7 mos later you wouldn't know my carpet wasn't brand new, high traffic and doorway pile stands up just like when it was new. Also my Dyson goes from carpet to tile, over throw rugs and up the stairs, it cleans so easily, automatically adjusting from one floor to the next.

Thank you ABC Vacuum for the last machine, Dyson and ebay for all machines!

Dyson is the best manufacturer of home vacuum cleaners in the world. We purchased a DC41,sort of a larger version of the DC25, about fifteen years ago and have had no problems with it. The DC41 still operates at full efficiency, has never broken a belt and is easy to clean(no bag). When Ebay offered the opportunity to purchase a refurbished DC25 at a deep discount, we jumped on it. The DC25 is just as good as a DC41 with the exception of a smaller collection area, but with better maneuverability due to the smaller size and roller ball. We have several cats and occasionally visiting dogs which leave copious amounts of fur in the carpet. The DC25 does a tremendous job removing fur and anything else in the carpet. Dumping the dust and fur is easy and efficient. The only drawback is that the extension hose is somewhat cumbersome. Stretching the hose sometimes pulls over the vacuum. We spent many years using bag type canisters and uprights only to get frustrated with changing broken belts and replacing bags. Even our built in central vacuum system is not as efficient and reliable as the Dyson vacuums. Dyson provides well-engineered products at a reasonable price (considering your purchase will probably outlast you.)