Quote from: IZ on June 29, 2011, 08:23:12 AM
The handle pulls out and that's the part used for stairs.  It still kinks though when you leave the base at the top or bottom of the stairs.

my 07 Animal came with a 'mini-turbine' head attachment

http://www.dyson.com/store/accessoriesDetails.asp?accessory=ACC-UNIMINITURBINEHEAD&product=DC07-ANIMAL_US

Air powered rotor brush that I use on the stairs, couch, to threaten the cat - all that awkward stuff.

After 8 years of solid use I've got a set of replacement parts coming. The latch on the bottom of the bin broke a while back, so I got a new canister. Then I looked more, and found that the filter on the side needed help. The foam bit you can wash was fine, but the yellow plastic bit with (what was) the whiteish element had pushed past it's limits. And I got a new HEPA filter (it's hidden in the guts) as well. I'm ready to see my vac back to FULL POWAH!

Yep, I'm still loving mine! I've moved past the buy in expense concerns. What's done is done. Even talked my brother in law into getting a DC25 Animal ball vac. He's got two cats that he thinks shed a lot of fur. My dog sheds more in an hour than those cats shed in a month... combined.

My DC14 animal is still going strong with having two huskies. Zero cost to keep thus far, I don't like the feel of the ball though.

That's what she said.

My new filters arrived. I knew the pre motor filter was dirty, but when you see it next to a new one... ick.

Speaking of ick. I replaced the lifetime HEPA post moto filter. Man, the layer of the element that first filtered the air was BLACK. Not shocking as it's 8 years old, dealt with a big dog and some home renovation.. But ick. I don't know what they think of as the lifetime - but if you own one as old as mine - I'd recommend looking into some new filters.

Quote from: fastwin on September 12, 2011, 05:27:46 PM
That's what she said.

ZING! 

Quote from: D Paoli on September 12, 2011, 09:46:46 AM
As you may know I own a Kirby. (Actually three of them now. Don't ask it just sort of happened) One of them is 15 years old and still works fine.

In comparing the two. The Dyson is easier to clean out with the canister and all. The Kirby uses a Bag, which is a little more difficult to change, but not too hard.

I like the feature on the Dyson where you pull the handle out and it becomes a flexible hose for sucking things up.
The Kirby requires a shutdown, removing the carpet attachment off the front, and attaching the hose. Definitely more complicated.

The Dyson is most certainly lighter, while the Kirby is a heavy tank when you have to pick it up and carry it someplace. However If you grab the Kirby down near the base on the built in Handle, Carrying it someplace becomes much easier.

In use, The Kirby has Power driven wheels, sort of like a lawn mower that makes vacuuming a breeze. Under its own power it feels light as a feather. It takes slightly less effort then the Dyson to vacuum the carpet. I read that the main reason for the power driven wheels was not so much because of the extra weight of the vacuum, but that the thing really sucks down on the carpet and makes a seal so the power wheels really help in this regard. A couple of weeks ago I was using one of the new ones I acquired and the power was off on the wheels. It was kind of wearing me out  before I realized that the switch was in the off position.

The Kirby has a light on the front so I can see in dark corners. The Dyson has no light. Its not a big deal most of the time, but My bedroom is Dark when I have the shades closed. So I like that light.

The Kirby also has a Shampoo attachment which does a pretty good job. Probably not as good as a dedicated carpet shampooer but it gets the job done. Again this feature requires removing the carpet attachment, and the Bag, and attaching some shampoo parts. It takes a couple of minutes to do this once you get the procedure down.

I don't know if the Dyson has anything like this or not.

The Dyson is much quieter than the Kirby. The Kirby is a bit more quiet than the shop vac. In turn the shop vac is more quiet than the chain saw. I think to myself that I should be wearing earplugs when I run the chainsaw...I feel that I don't need earplugs when using any of the vacuum cleaners

For straight up carpet vacuuming though, I would say that the Kirby does it a bit better than the DC07 Animal. The Dyson is not bad, its just not as good as either the G4, G6 or G2000 Kirbys that I have around the house.

 

http://youtu.be/TDHVLIuJnQA

 

when I hink of Kirby's.....I think of the scene in Mr Mom when the Kirby eats Kenny's wooby blanket!

Wish I could afford it.  My hymalyan cat hair is everwhere no matter how much I clean with the Hoover wind tunnel.  I proly eating cat hair.  Darn.

Quote from: ab on September 17, 2011, 06:32:58 PM
Wish I could afford it. 

Wait until Macy's has a sale on them, then go open up a Macy's card to buy it.  You'll get 15% off of whatever the reduced price of the sale is.  That's how I got mine.  Ended up paying something like $340 for the DC25 Animal on the ball. 

$340 is a good price for that vac. It's about $550 straight up retail. Still loving mine and still loving the goodness that Home Depot gave me. Ran into the sales assoc. that sold me mine for a reduced price on a recent HD run. Wanted to make sure the manager told her that I came by to tell him how awesome she was. He did. She laughed when I told her that he wanted to clone her.

I noticed a Bed, Bath & Beyond 20% off mailer we got had a big stamp on it saying Dyson vacs were exempt. I remember some earlier posts saying that some folks had snuck that discount through and the sales assoc. and the BB&B computer didn't pick up on it.

My local Costco has a Dyson upright Animal-whatever for $399.  Thinking about picking one up. 

Quote from: DRKWNG on September 17, 2011, 06:48:37 PM
Wait until Macy's has a sale on them, then go open up a Macy's card to buy it.  You'll get 15% off of whatever the reduced price of the sale is.  That's how I got mine.  Ended up paying something like $340 for the DC25 Animal on the ball. 

I get 20% off bed bath and beyond coupons in the mail all the time, and they carry Dyson... I don't see it on the list of things excluded by the coupon

Quote from: Nomad on September 18, 2011, 04:46:09 PM
I get 20% off bed bath and beyond coupons in the mail all the time, and they carry Dyson... I don't see it on the list of things excluded by the coupon

I just went and looked at ours. One that expired in August didn't say anything about Dysons but the new one with a 10-24-11 deadline date clearly has "Also excludes Dyson vacuums and Miele" printed on it. There is a whole disclaimer list of exclusions printed at the bottom but the Dyson/Miele exclusion is free standing all by itself. Hey, if yours has a valid date and does not mention Dyson then check the price with the discount against other stores and if it's good to go then buy it at BB&B. They shouldn't have a leg to stand on if it's not mentioned on the valid discount coupon.

Thinking of getting a handheld.. only carpet is on the 2 staircases..  http://www.abt.com/mobile/product_details.php?product_id=51713

Then i can also use it in the car...

Quote from: Nomad on September 18, 2011, 04:46:09 PM
I get 20% off bed bath and beyond coupons in the mail all the time, and they carry Dyson... I don't see it on the list of things excluded by the coupon

I had a coupon that said it excluded dyson... they still took it at the register and I didn't say a word about it.