Living with animals is a constant challenge when trying to keep your house clean. If you have dogs or cats or the combination of the two, dander and hair will be a reminder of why some people build a kennel to house their animals. But if you are like most animal lovers, your pets will spend a considerable amount of time in the house. When confronted with the constant shedding of the German Shepherd Dog, owning the best vacuum you can get your hands on is one of the wisest investments you’ll make.
When choosing a vacuum, there are some important things to look for. First you have to decide what price range you are looking to spend. This will eliminate some of your choices right away. Once you’ve established what you want to pay for it, then one of the first things you want to look for is the power of the machine. You need to look for the machine that has the strongest suction to pick up the dog’s hair. You’ll have to decide if you want an upright or a canister type of vacuum. Also check to see the weight of the vacuum. Some can be very heavy and cumbersome to use. It’s always good if you can go into a store to see a demonstration and feel the ease of using the vacuum.
Many vacuums come with a Hepa filter which is good for picking up the allergens. Also another consideration you need to make is do you want a vacuum with a bag or a bag less model? I have the one that I need to change the bag all the time. I wish now that I bought the bag less type.
Here are some of the models that I’ve found rated by consumers and Consumer reports: Kenmore Progressive #35922 – the tools and machine are excellent for picking up dog hair. This includes the Hepa filter. Kenmore Progressive #36932: similar to the above which is excellent for picking up dog hair and includes the Hepa filter. Eureka The Boss Pet smart Vacuum #4870RZ – excellent for picking up dog hair, lower cost alternative, Hepa filter. Dyson Animal – was rated extremely high by pet owners, but not by consumer reports which rated it at #9. Some pet owners complained about the weight of this machine and also they thought it was better on the rugs than the floor. It is a very expensive machine. Kenmore canister #2805 was rated #1 by consumer reports for a canister model. Top rated for picking up dog hair with tools for picking it up. This is another expensive model. Electrolux Oxygen #EL6988 – top rated, Hepa filter captures 99.97% airborne dust and allergens so it’s not thrown into the air. Miele dog and cat vacuum – this got mixed reviews; some people loved it and others gave it a low to medium rating. Hoover Wind tunnel seemed to be favored by some pet owners. Of the sweeper type vacuum, the favorite was the Dirt Devil brown vac #MBV2030 which offers a great price and is good for dog hair.
I bought a Eureka The Boss Pet smart Vacuum a few years ago after reading the positive reviews it received. I got a tremendous price break when buying it. I bought it on Amazon which was having a sale, plus I had a coupon for it, so I saved a great deal of money. My thoughts about it: on the positive, it has a strong suction and picks up the dog’s hair very well. It has a Hepa filter which is important to me because of my allergies. On the negative side: It’s a very heavy machine and cumbersome to use. I don’t like having to change the bag so much.
One very important thing to remember is no matter which vacuum you buy, and no matter how strong it is, ALWAYS clean the beater brush. This is what many pet owners forget to remember. No matter how good the vacuum is, this brush must always be kept clean of dog hair. The dog hair will always get wrapped around the brush and will prevent it from working properly. This is how some motors burn out. Cut the hair off with a scissors if you have to. Just get that dog hair off of the brush.
So there you have it. Depending upon the price you want to spend, there is a vacuum for all consumers who own a dog. Check around when Sears has a sale going on or look on Amazon for sales and coupons. Don’t pay full price if you can get a bargain.
Prices will vary depending on the model, and brand that you choose. You can get a sweeper type vacuum from $65 to the canisters running over $600!
My rating on my Boss vacuum that is one that is highly recommended by consumer rating: durability: (4), weight and ease of use: (2), gets the job done: (4)
I had a Hoover Wind Tunnel and gave it away after I got my Dyson. I will NEVER go back. It picks up everything from the finest dust to small rocks (I try to pick these up but sometimes miss one) and is EXCELLENT on dog fur. The canister is extremely easy to remove and empty with one hand. I don't really find it cumbersome. The hand attachment works well for the small amount of linoleum I need it on. The hose length is GREAT and when not in use is completely out of the way. It can't fall on the floor while you're vacuuming and end up tripping you. The price is high but as far as I'm concerned it's worth it. I just ordered a Rug Doctor for cleaning the carpet so I'll let you know if that one is worth the price for finishing the carpet. Renting is cheaper if you only do the carpets 1-2 times a year but we have to do our constantly with all the mud (which comes with a high risk of containing unsafe levels of arsenic) the dogs track in. I don't want my daughter playing in that.
ReplyDelete