best vacuum for cat hair

farleyv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
4,796
Purraise
36
Location
New York State
Hi, My husband and I are going out today to look at vacuums. I have seven cats and needless to say there is some hair here and there.....What do you use and recommend? Figured this would be the place to get a good sampling of what works best. Thanks
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
I have the Dyson DC-17 Absolute Animal. It is a little pricy, but by far worth its weight in gold!!!! It picks up everything!!!
(I also have asthma and allergies, so I vaccume at least 2-4x a week...it really helps!)

here it is. they also have different attachments/etc. that are wonderful for picking up pet fur. http://www.dyson.com/store/product.a...ct=DC17-ANIMAL

I have a german shepherd and 3 cats - it is great on picking up pet hair! Especially my puppy's hair right now (he's shedding his winter coat!)

As far as their customer serivce goes they're excellent. The one time I had a problem with my vaccume (and it gets a ton of use) they immediately sent out a replacement part to me and it fixed the problem. They were very friendly.
 

weldrwomn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
2,136
Purraise
11
Location
In the snow!!!!
I also have a Dyson DC-17 Animal and I love it! It really is a great vacuum! I only have two cats, but between their hair and my hair, the vacuum picks up everything. My hair does occasionally need to be cut out of the brushes, but that happens with any vacuum.
 

tara g

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
5,678
Purraise
96
Location
On the farm
We have the Dyson DC25 Animal, works amazing. The thing picks up everything (including all the hair I shed!)
 

pami

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 16, 2006
Messages
17,482
Purraise
17
Location
Birmingham
I have a Dyson, too, its excellent. I have hardwood floors and use it to "sweep", it cleans my throw rugs like they are brand new and anything else I can think of to vacuum.
 

rubsluts'mommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 1, 2005
Messages
2,211
Purraise
11
Location
On the west side of... of... somewhere.
I'm the rogue here and just picked up a Kenmore Progressive. It's bagged, but is rated HIGHER than the Dysons by Consumer Reports. It's also a bit cheaper. I purchased mine online and picked up in store... for 250. Normal price is 350. I ran that thing over my rug in the living room (that was turning black and orange due to the color of my cats) and I could see the beige again! My old Eureka was horrid. Doesn't do what it should - suck!

It's the Kenmore Progressive with Direct Drive and the Intelliclean system, from Sears. I had wanted to get a Dyson, but heard the reports and opted for this one instead... little better on my bank account. Cleans VERY nicely... has the HEPA filter and all... I'm actually in LOVE with my vacuum now... I wanna clean every surface possible with this thing...

Amanda
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

I'm the rogue here and just picked up a Kenmore Progressive. It's bagged, but is rated HIGHER than the Dysons by Consumer Reports. It's also a bit cheaper.
Bagged tend to be a little sturdier than bagless, anyways. You get the advantage of not having to clean out two or three filters after each vacuuming (with cat hair, it's pretty much a must for bagless vacs).

I have a Bissell bagless. It gets a lot of hair and dirt up. The only downside I see is weight and noise, but I can live with that.
I pretty much refuse to buy a high dollar vacuum cleaner because a) I'm not caught up in following trends (face it, when you buy Dyson it's the name you pay for) and b) DH and I have long hair, it destroys all vacuum cleaners eventually.

Read consumer reports and other user reviews.
 

sarahp

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
15,841
Purraise
28
Location
Australia
Dyson owner here too
We've had it for 3 1/2 years and it still works incredibly well.

I find bagless is so much easier to clean that bagged, and I don't clean out filters constantly. We wash the filter out every couple of months maybe.
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
Originally Posted by sarahp

I find bagless is so much easier to clean that bagged, and I don't clean out filters constantly. We wash the filter out every couple of months maybe.
I have a long haired and a short hair that sheds worse than any long haired cat. Their fur fills filters quickly and I won't risk burning up a motor.
 

momofmany

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
16,249
Purraise
70
Location
There's no place like home
Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

I'm the rogue here and just picked up a Kenmore Progressive.
Another rogue here, and have the bag less version of this one. I bought it to replace a very pricey Simplicity machine that couldn't handle the hair. It does an incredible job at sucking up the hair.

With 10 cats and 3 dogs, I could vacuum 24 hours a day and wouldn't keep up with all the hair. If I vacuum just once a week, I have to empty the cannister about 5 times and scrape the filter clean each time. The biggest drawback to this one is that the filter in the canister gets so full of hair that I have to take another vacuum cleaner out to vacuum the filter clean (about once a month). But it's better that than what I had to go thru to remove the hair from my previous vacuum cleaners. I would have this issue with any bagless vacuum cleaner that I own.
 

arlyn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
9,306
Purraise
50
Location
Needles, CA
Another rogue.

Eureka Boss 4D bagless, also rated higher than Dyson Animal by Consumer Reports.
 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
Originally Posted by sarahp

Dyson owner here too
We've had it for 3 1/2 years and it still works incredibly well.

I find bagless is so much easier to clean that bagged, and I don't clean out filters constantly. We wash the filter out every couple of months maybe.


When I wash out the filter, there's no hair in it AT ALL, only dust particles - I think that the Dyson is definitely made differently than the other models. Have had mine for at least 2-3 years now and absolutely LOVE it - and I have two long haired cats in addition to my shorthairs. (And one "medium" haired kitten, LOL.)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

farleyv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
4,796
Purraise
36
Location
New York State
The dyson was just too pricy so we ended up getting a bagged Sanitaire. It is a commercial machine. My beige rug is now beige and not dingy brown! Like you said, I want to clean everything now. I started toward my husband with it and he ran from the house!
 
Top