Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I did a lot of research before I bought this Dyson and almost got the DC28 Animal one because I have a large dog that sheds. After doing some reading online, I found out this is the exact same machine as the animal except for the attachments! That's the only difference! So I decided for $200 less than the Animal one I could do without the "special" attachments. The very first time I pulled this out of the box and used it in my living room I wasn't all that impressed, especially with the suction but I decided to go over my floor again and practice with the attachments. Well, it must have just needed to warm up or something being brand new because the second time the suction was amazing!! (and ever since!) It left the lines on the carpet from where I had vacuumed (I love that!) and it also fluffed up the carpet and made it feel like when we first bought the carpet and our feet sank down in it a bit!! Very cool!! And the best part - it picked up the dog hair!!!!! With my old vacuum I would still get dog hair on my clothes even after vacuuming but I tested my Dyson: After vacuuming with it the first day I had my toddler drag a clean black shirt all over the carpet - and guess what? - not a single dog hair was on it!! Every time I've used it since the suction has been amazing! Below I wanted to address some of the negatives I have read in reviews about it. I was glad I ignored them and bought this anyway! :) - I was impressed with the suction from the side of it. With the front you can't get right up to the baseboards but if you can run the side of the vacuum against it, it works good (or just use the wand). On another note about the front - no it won't get under furniture or the edge of things. The high profile of the front of the vacuum prevents that but that was ok with me. With this kind of strong suction I wouldn't want to be vacuuming where I can't see what it might grab anyway! And you can tell by looking at the picture that it won't do this before you buy.. not sure why some people are surprised by this. - THE WAND: this did take some practice but I like it fine. Some have said the vacuum tips over when you are trying to use it but I haven't had that happen at all. In fact, when I've been using the wand on the baseboards and walk and pull, the vacuum has actually rolled along behind me like a canister vacuum would do following me! Just make sure the back of the vacuum where the wand was is facing you so it can roll along with you while you walk. I also read several reviews saying the wand will suck your shirt sleeve in (because the wand is the handle and the suction switches to the wand when the vacuum is in the upright position.) But I have a very simple fix for this - TURN THE VACUUM OFF BEFORE putting it to the upright position. Not sure why you would need or want it on while getting the wand or attachments out and ready anyway. Just turn it off before switching. (and the same when starting to vacuum - recline it first, THEN turn it on.) One more thing on the wand - I will say that it would be easier if the long end piece was flexible or if the hard section wasn't so long. It is a bit awkward at first figuring out the best way to use it. I found that if you just back up a bit from what you are trying to vacuum it gives room for you to manuever the long wand. Just don't get so close and it's no big deal. I will say it IS nice though to have a long hard section wand to get cobwebs on high cielings. - Unlike what some have said, this vacuum is NOT heavy! They must have been comparing it with a swiffer mop or something because as far as regular vacuums go I was very happy with the weight! (go to a store and pick them up to compare.) It's actually much lighter than most I tried out in the stores. It is easy to push even on my thick carpet! It's not bulky either and I find it very manuevarable. In fact I tried out the 'ball' dyson in the store and didn't think it was any more manueverable than the regular one. I also didn't like the release on the ball one (that reclines it to vacuum than clicks it to upright.) I had to use such force to push on the foot lever to get it to recline that I could see it breaking after awhile. Not sure if that was just an issue with the floor model or what but I'm very glad I didn't get the ball type. (the canister is smaller on those too!) - THE CANISTER: is VERY easy to dump. My old bagless vacuum you had to take the top off the canister and actually dig out the junk. This one has a very handy release on it: You take the canister off the vacuum (with one hand at the click of a button!), and while holding it down in the trash can, you push the button that opens the BOTTOM of the canister letting all the junk fall out the bottom down into the trash. Now you do have to use your fingers to then close the bottom up, but come on - two fingers with a little dust is much better than most! And it's easy enough to just wash my hands afterwards. - NOISE LEVEL: It's pretty quiet as far as vacuums go. My young kids used to be afraid of my vacuum and would run for cover every time I got it out. The first time I used this one they not only came out in shock that it wasn't some monster going to eat them but they actually skipped across in front of it playing while I vacuumed! - BARE FLOOR TO CARPET LEVER: Some have said this is a hard thing to do... that confuses me because it is just a wheel like switch on the front of the vacuum that you just turn to 'bare floor' or 'carpet'. Ok, so you do have to bend down... is that a problem? .. I don't think so. (sorry for the sarcasm. lol) OK, so after all the good now I will share the short bad. The ONLY problem I have had with this at all: It tends to leave a clump of dog hair at the last place it was standing when I'm done and turn it off. I realized though this was probably because I was turning it off so fast when I was done that the last thing it picked up hadn't made it up into the canister yet. I solved this problem by letting it run for a few seconds in the same position when I was done before turning it off. That lets all the last stuff it picks up get up into the canister so when I turn it off there's no clump left. It was a simple fix I just remember to do each time when I'm finished. I'm happy to do that little thing for the benefit of all that dog hair being gone! :) So overall I am VERY pleased with this vacuum and highly recommend it - especially if you have pets.