A few weeks ago I moved into a new apartment, and as with any apartment that’s been previously occupied, this one was a mess. The walls were scratched, the cupboards were greasy, and the floor was covered in dust, dirt, and the type of debris that one doesn’t want to investigate too closely. In short, it was disgusting. To make matters even worse, the vacuum I had was garbage. Thankfully, my vacuum situation dramatically improved about a week ago when I was offered the new Dyson DC43 “Animal” vacuum to review. I’ve had heard that Dyson makes pretty amazing vacuums, and I decided to put that to the test.
Though “unfortunately” I had long since cleared the floors of the original debris, the movement of furniture and the pitter patter of my feet across the floors generated quite a bit of additional dirt as I worked to organize the apartment. My experiences are based on a thorough cleaning session of all my laminate wood floors, as well as my two couches. Unfortunately I haven’t yet been able to test the dog grooming attachment (yes, it comes with one specifically for that), but I plan to do so in future – likely with my new monkey named Bon Homme.
What I like About the Dyson DC43 Animal
- Weighing in at 17.4lbs, this is probably the lightest vacuum that I’ve ever used. Carrying it around is a breeze, and I swear that the box it arrived in was actually heavier than the Dyson itself.
- It really sucks… honestly, like you wouldn’t believe. Using patented “Radial Root Cyclone™ technology”, the DC43 Animal has so much power that while cleaning the couch, the suction was actually dragging the vacuum closer to it. I bet the DC43 could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
- The Animal maneuvers with the grace of a cheetah, or any other graceful animal – perhaps a swan? The Dyson Ball technology features a giant… ball, that allows you to roll the entire vacuum around in any direction. Like a well tuned car, this thing handles corners like a dream, allowing you to vacuum much quicker. I wasn’t constantly having to re-adjust the vacuum placement like with other vacuums.
- The build quality is solid, and the design is well thought out. As you’ll see in the photos, almost every attachment has its place, and fits compactly onto the unit. It’s obvious that Dyson invested a lot of effort into making this the most straight forward, practical vacuum they could muster.
- All of the attachments are actually useful, though the main vacuum and hose sans attachments are usually more than enough to clean what needs to be cleaned. As I mentioned earlier in the article, the only thing I haven’t had a chance to try is the dog grooming attachment, and I bet it works damn well too.
Now, there are two small things which I feel stand to be improved, both of which are largely personal preference. For one, I really dislike cords, and though I realize that they’re currently a necessary evil, I would love a better way to manage it while I’m vacuuming. Sure, this one packs away just fine when you’re not using it, but if someone can figure out a more intelligent means of keeping it out of the way while I vacuum, I would love them forever.
Secondly, though the plethora of attachments are great, and though they’re all very useful, not all of them can be stored directly on the vacuum. This means I need to store the extra parts in a bag or box, taking up extra space. Again, if someone could find a creative way around this, I would love them long time.
Dyson DC43 Pictures
Overall I’m extremely satisfied with the Dyson DC43 Animal. Though it was developed specifically for pet owners, it’s a great vacuum even if you don’t have a furry friend. It’s definitely on the expensive end of the spectrum, but I’m betting it’s the type of vacuum to last a life time, and at the very least owning one means you can spend less time vacuuming, and more time doing other awesome stuff, like reading Unfinished Man.
