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Dyson DC15 Animal BALL Vacuum

"One of the best vacuums we've used!"
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Description:

Specifically designed with pets in mind, the Dyson DC15 Ball Animal upright vacuum model combines the very latest technologies from Dyson to deliver what is perhaps the most maneuverable and effective vacuum cleaner in the world today. It glides on a revolutionary ball roller design, and it features Dyson's famous mini turbine head attachment for tackling the toughest pet hair problems.

Ordinary uprights are unwieldy and difficult to turn, but The Ball twists and turns with a simple turn of your wrist, so you can clean around furniture with less effort.

The motor is mounted inside The Ball, which keeps the center of gravity low and the machine light in your hand so it's easy to steer. The rubber tires on the ball prevent slipping.

Traditional uprights can be heavy, unwieldy and difficult to steer, making cleaning your home something of a workout.

The designers and engineers at Dyson looked at how people vacuum with an upright, and they noticed that to make the cleaner change direction, your body has to change direction too. This requires your full weight and strength to maintain momentum in the turn, leading to aching arms, back and of course less efficient cleaning - often tight corners and awkward spaces are missed.

Our Review:

When the Animal Ball vacuum arrived my wife was excited to get it out of the package and put it through its paces! She had been using the DC14 Animal vacuum previously and because she still had that vacuum, she was able to compare them side-by-side:

Dyson DC15 BALL Animal Vacuum'The DC15 Animal Ball vacuum is one of the most fascinating vacuums I have ever seen! Like something from a science fiction movie!

It has the same attachments and add-ons that the DC14 Animal comes with (although the attachments are not compatible between the DC14 & DC15 product lines, with the exception of the mini-turbo tool).

The suction seemed stronger on the DC15 Animal Ball and the see-through polycarbonate cover allows me to see the motorized beater bar, this is useful for seeing when the beater bar needs to be cleared of strings, hair, etc., that always get wrapped around the bar.

I loved the low profile vacuum head of the DC15 Ball vacuum because it does reach places the DC14 Animal doesn't. I have hard floors next to my counters and I was never able to vacuum the 3 inches underneath them where all the food and junk collects (I always had to sweep manually after vacuuming before), so the DC15 Ball gets high marks for that feature!

The DC15 Animal Ball vacuum is somewhat quieter than the DC14 Animal, and switching from carpets to hard floors is as easy as pushing a button right next to the power button to disengage the beater bar.

The most noticeable difference between the two vacuums, because of the design of the Ball vacuum, is the amount of pressure brought to bear on the wrist when maneuvering the vacuum. As you know, the Ball vacuum rolls along on a ball (the actual motor is contained within the ball, keeping your center of gravity low) While it certainly does 'turn on a dime', you will find that this is a completely new experience and sensation in vacuuming, and takes a little getting used to. Your wrist motion is what controls the vacuum, and it takes a fairly strong wrist to maneuver this vacuum (my husband didn't notice this at all, but he does have stronger wrists than me).

I found my wrist a little fatigued after my initial use of the Animal Ball vacuum, but once I got the hang of how it operates; the subsequent vacuuming sessions were progressively easier for me.

I love the DC14 Animal vacuum, and I really liked the maneuverability of the DC15 Animal Ball vacuum as well. The Ball vacuum is so unique that initially I preferred the DC14 Animal because of what I had become used to.

It's hard to say that one vacuum is better than another as they each serve a purpose at a particular price point; the DC15 Animal Ball costs over $100 more than the DC14 Animal. Both of them are great at cleaning carpets, rugs, hard floors and have an indispensable mini-turbine tool that cleans animal hair off your couches, beds, etc. I did like the better suction, the ease of disabling the beater bar, and after a short trial, the agility of the DC15 Animal Ball over the DC14 Animal. But I liked (strictly a personal preference) the traditional vacuuming motion that the DC14 Animal provides a little better (I guess some habits are hard to change)!

Both vacuums have great HEPA filters (which actually left the air smelling 'cleaner' as I vacuumed). And after having owned a $1,600 Kirby, and various other 'big brand' vacuums, I can definitely say that the Dyson vacuums are by far my favorite (they remove MUCH more dirt than any of my previous vacuums, and give you proof of it in the see-through canister you get to empty after each vacuuming session)!'