We have had several vacuums over the years and problems with each one, so I’ll start by saying what we have had and what the problem was:
1. Dyson Animal (3 years ago, maybe slightly more) – It stopped sucking. Had to pull it apart, which was pretty tough. And eventually, about 4-5 months in, it stopped working entirely. It did work well while it was running, but was expensive for only 4-5 months use 🙂
2. Bissel Pet Revolution (I think that was the name) – It worked well on the hair, but began to smell of dog hair after about 3 uses. I had to clean all foam pieces/filters every time after use and even that didn’t work. Had to get new filters, which also lasted a couple of days. Vacuuming the house while pumping out that dog smell was so bad that we stopped using it entirely.
3. Kirby Sentria – This was the best overall, except that it is a bagged system and the bags are EXPENSIVE. Plus, you can only let the dog hair sit in the bag for a couple days before it starts emitting that dog smell. So – with bags being so expensive, this vacuum is really costing a fortune. Works very well… just expensive.
So – with all that said… what is the BEST bagless vacuum that will not produce an odor while vacuuming? One that is easy to clean and does not require me to buy expensive filters all the time to keep it from stinking up the joint.
Thanks people!
FYI – Our house has 2 stories and no common walls, which means a central vac is out of the question (much like air conditioning, without a huge expenditure).
Hoover Platinum edition Windtunnel. You may need to remove the hair from the inside the first few times it is used especially if the dog has long hair. Bags are the worst at absorbing dog odor. It is less with bagless but will still happen if the canister and filters are not kept clean. There are deodorizers that can be placed inside the canister. Best price I found on the Hoover Platinum was at amazon.com. Read the reviews.
I have a Dirt Devil en Vision and I love it. This is my second one but my first one lasted 10yrs. with no problem except for replacing the belt twice in that length of time. It had to be a good vacuum for me to buy a second one.
I have three Cavaliers and they are moderate shedders. I vacuum every day and empty the canister after every third vacuuming. I wash the filter once a week but in between I blow out the dust on the filter with my dog dryer or you can use a hair dryer. If you don’t have a clean filter it is hard for the vacuum to get proper suction and burns out the motor quickly. I don’t get any dog smell when I vacuum but that may depend on the individual breed. Hope this helps.
Dirt Devil, was around $80.00 or so. Filters are a bit expensive, but I blow them out, and wash them, they last forever. Do a great job picking up dog hair, I have 4 of them.
The best value (and best performing) vacuum would probably be a central vacuum system…I went shopping for a new vacuum cleaner, and found that for the same price as a top-of-the-line vacuum cleaner, I could purchase and have installed a new central vac in my home that will last for 50 years or more. I know a few people who have them and always brag about their abilities, and was impressed myself. Cheaper than buying a new "cheap" $200 vacuum cleaner every few years, and you don’t have to change bags very often (and the unit sits in the garage, so you never deal with the dusty mess indoors).
The fact is (while I love the convenience of them, too) that bagless vacuums are just not the best option for what you want.