Dyson animal ball 2 review
Dyson Ball Animal 2 Review — 12 Tests & Objective Data
UPDATE 6/22/22 – Dyson just released the new Dyson Ball Animal 3. It’s better than Animal 2 in almost every functional area, while also being less expensive. See review here.
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is one of the most well-known and high powered upright vacuums on the market. But is it right for you? Let’s break it down with our Dyson Ball Animal 2 review.
Highest Suction Vacuum
Dyson Ball Animal 2
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 has the most suction of any vacuum cleaner on the market (according to Dyson). It packs an unbelievable 306 AW of suction power driven by Dyson’s stacked cyclone design. It’s equipped with a handful of useful accessories and tools, which help expand the areas you can easily clean. It’s definitely an expensive machine, but suction power is truly unrivaled. Check Price
Pros
- Highest suction of any vacuum cleaner on the market a 306 AW
- A maximum cleaning reach of 50 feet, utilizing a 35 foot cord
- Lifetime washable filter
Cons
- On the heavier side at 17.
5 pounds
- Fairly expensive
Prefer to watch rather than read? See our Dyson Ball Animal 2 video review here.
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is the most powerful and highest performing upright vacuum cleaner Dyson makes. It’s designed to be the ultimate upright vacuum and remains one of Dyson’s flagship models even several years after its release.
Design of the Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuumThe Animal 2 utilizes Dyson’s ball design for improved manueverability (a welcome benefit given the weight).
Dyson Ball Animal 2 side viewIt also includes a self-adjusting cleaning head, clear dust bin (so you can always see what’s going on), and Dyson’s stacked radial cyclones.
Cyclones
The Dyson cyclones are really what drive the performance and power of the whole machine.
These cyclones spin particulates, dust, dirt, and debris through the centrifuge, allowing even the smallest particles to be removed or trapped within the filter.
Suction Power
According to Dyson, the Dyson Animal 2 has the strongest suction of any vacuum cleaner at an incredible 306 AW (air watts). This claim is based on the ASTM F558 test at the cleaner head itself.
For comparison, Dyson’s Multi Floor 2 has 250 AW of suction power and the Dyson V11 has 185 AW of suction power (on max mode).
See our Dyson Multi Floor 2 review and Dyson V11 review here for more information.
Also see our comprehensive Dyson Multi Floor 2 vs. Animal 2 comparison here.
The Dyson Ball
The Dyson Ball is more than just a sphere. The motor and other essential parts and electronics reside in the ball itself.
The Dyson Ball on the Animal 2 uprightThis design helps keep more of the weight of the vacuum lower towards the ground, which in combination with the ball design, helps improve maneuverability.
Self-Adjusting Brushroll
Lastly, we have the Dyson Animal 2 brushroll.
Dyson Animal 2 brushrollThe brushroll is motorized and is able to automatically adjust the height based on your floor type. This is a nice extra if you have multiple floor or carpet types around your home.
Washable Filter
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 includes a washable filter that will last the life of the vacuum (according to Dyson). If you do happen to lose or damage your filter they are inexpensive to replace.
The filter sits in the cyclones housing where it’s able to effectively capture small particulates. Vacuums with built in filters seem to be fairly rare. We have not tested many upright vacuums that include a filter.
Removing the Dyson Animal 2 HEPA filterOver the last 6 months the Modern Castle team has tested a number of air purifiers (using a laser based particulate measuring device). Our results from those tests have helped prove to me the importance of good quality filters, both in air purifiers and the vacuums themselves.
A vacuum that doesn’t have a filter is more likely to simply release those ultra fine particulates back into your room and air.
In any case, it’s a big plus in my mind that the Dyson Animal 2 has the washable filter.
Dyson Animal vs. Animal 2
One of the most common questions is whether or not to get the Dyson Animal or the Animal 2?
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is the newer and upgraded version, but where are the biggest difference? The table below provides detailed side-by-side specs of the Dyson Animal vs. Animal 2.
Dyson Animal 2
Check Price
Dyson Animal
Check Price
As you can see from the comparison above, the Dyson Animal vs. Animal 2 are more alike than they are different. The Animal 2 is a definite upgrade over the original Animal, but they aren’t massively different.
The biggest challenge is simply finding the original Dyson Animal upright. It’s not as widely available as it used to be, so finding it at all can prove difficult.
In most cases, I think I would prefer the Dyson Ball Animal 2 for sheer suction power alone. The Animal 2 has 24.9% more suction than the original Dyson Animal upright.
Both the Dyson Animal 2 and Animal typically include the same accessories (see below for details), which includes the combination tool, stair tool, and turbine tool.
Some Animal 1 packages will also include the up top tool (allows you to more easily clean on top of furniture and cabinets). Always double check the spec sheet to see the full list of accessories that’s included.
Size & Dimensions
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is:
- Height: 42.13″
- Length: 15.35″
- Width: 13.39″
- Weighs: 17.5″
In addition, it has a 35 foot power cord and a maximum reach of 50 feet.
Accessories & Parts
Unlike Dyson’s V-series vacuum, which include a large number of accessories, the Dyson Animal 2 only includes a few basic (but important accessories):
Accessories for the Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuumThe Animal 2 includes:
- Combination tool – part crevice tool and part dusting brush, this is a 2-in-1 tool that serves both purposes. The dusting brush simply slides outward to use or backward to store.
- Stair tool – primarily designed for stairs, this is a non-motorized straight suction tool with a wider mouth. Could also be used on upholstery, mattresses, or other fabrics where agitation might be too much.
- Turbine tool – this is a motorized brushroll and provides more agitation, making it a better choice for deeper handheld cleaning (especially in cases where you aren’t as worried about protecting a fabric)
Cleaning Performance
Unsurprisingly, the Dyson Animal 2 dominated our cleaning tests.
Scoring nearly perfect vs. every debris and floor type we could throw at it.
It had one hiccup on cereal on high carpets, otherwise it basically 100% across the board.
Cleaning carpets with the Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuumBelow is our complete cleaning performance tests for the Dyson Ball Animal 2.
Overall
96%
Hardwood
99%
Low Carpet
100%
High Carpet
90%
Hardwood Floors
We expected if we were going to run into performance issues, it would be on the cereal tests on hardwood floors. However, that was not the case.
Cereal
99%
Kitty Litter
99%
Rice
100%
Sugar
100%
The self-adjusting head was able to rise high enough to get over the top of cereal, removing 99% of all debris we tested.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 cleaning hardwood floorsLow Pile Carpet
When it comes to carpet it’s not much of a contest here.
Dyson Animal 2 upright has the highest suction among any vacuum cleaner and it shows.
Cereal
100%
Kitty Litter
100%
Rice
100%
Sugar
100%
That high suction results in exceptional cleaning performance, as noted below.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 cleaning low pile carpetHigh Pile Carpet
Like our low pile carpet tests, the high pile carpet test were nearly flawless.
The only issue was removing cereal.
Cereal
58%
Kitty Litter
100%
Rice
100%
Sugar
100%
Because the Animal 2 has such incredible suction it pulled the cleaning head down into the carpets. As a result, the cereal (which was sitting higher up on the carpet) was largely pushed forward.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 cleaning high pile carpetThis prevented the Animal 2 from removing a large portion of the cereal.
That said, had we used the hose we could have easily removed it.
Usability & Maneuverability
Despite being on the heavier side, the Animal 2 is still fairly easy to move around the home.
Maneuvering the Dyson Animal 2 on carpetManeuverability Quick Facts:
- Weight: 17.5 pounds
- Turning: 90°
- Reach: 50 feet
- Cord: 35 feet
Extension Wand
The combination of the extension wand and hose give the Dyson Animal 2 an extra 15 feet of reach.
This is ideal for cleaning up high, under / behind furniture, or even cleaning stairs. You can simply leave the base of the vacuum at the base of the stairs, while you walk with the light wand in hand.
Dyson Animal 2 cleaning stairsThis combined with the vacuums 35 foot cord gives a total reach of 50 feet.
Dyson Ball
As we discussed above, the Dyson Ball is a big part of the maneuverability.
With most of the electronics and motor stored within the ball it gives the Animal 2 a low center of gravity.
This helps more easily turn the vacuum, when combined with the smooth rolling ball.
Dust Bin
The large clean dust bin is 0.55 gallons (2.08 liters).
It can be easily removed from the unit. The contents are emptied using the release button top of the bin.
Removing the canister dust binFor example, this allows you to place the bin partially in or over a trash can and then release the dust. This method helps you get more of the dust into the trash and prevents it from escaping back into the room.
Maintenance
Maintenance on the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is right to the point.
- Periodically empty the dust bin
- Wash the filter (about once per month is sufficient for most homes)
- Periodically examine the brushroll and remove any hair or other debris
That is really about it.
I’m a big fan of both Dyson’s upright vacuums and their cordless stick vacuums. One of the big reasons is the lifetime washable filter.
These filters simply slide into the top of the dust bin and capture fine particulates. Most are rated as HEPA filters, which means they can remove particulates as small as 0.3 microns.
Not having to worry about buying and installing a new filter every 6-12 months is a huge value add, in my opinion.
Is the Dyson Animal 2 worth it?
In a word, yes. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is worth it and an excellent value for the money.
This isn’t a cheap vacuum, but that should come as no surprise. The Dyson Animal 2 is one of Dyson’s flagship vacuums and one of the most powerful commercial vacuum cleaners every made.
Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuum reviewWith 306 AW of suction power there is virtually no surface it cannot effectively clean.
The extra tools and accessories are a nice value add, as is the lifetime washable filter.
If you want raw cleaning power then you’ve got to pay for it. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is well worth the money and easily the best upright vacuum we’ve tested to date.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 Specifications
Below we’ve listed the complete specifications for the Dyson Ball Animal 2.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Type | Upright |
| Manufacturer | Dyson |
| Model | Ball Animal 2 |
| Suction | 306 AW |
| Height | 42.13" |
| Length | 15.35" |
| Width (inches) | 13.39" |
| Weight | 17.5 lbs. |
| Floor Type | All |
| Filter | Washable lifetime |
| Dust Bin | 0. 55 gallons |
| Cord | 35' |
| Reach | 50' |
| Bagless | Yes |
| Returns | Varies by retailer |
| Warranty | 5-Year limited |
| Price | Check Price |
Who should buy the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum?
You should buy the Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright vacuum cleaner if you want:
- Raw suction power – The Animal 2 is equipped with 306 AW of suction power, giving it the most suction of any commercially available vacuum cleaner.
- Great cleaning performance – The Dyson Ball Animal 2 scored nearly flawlessly in our cleaning tests.
- The best upright – This is easily our favorite and the best upright vacuum we’ve tested to date. Yes, it’s heavy, but the performance speaks for itself.
At the end of the day, that’s what really matters. - Don’t mind the heavier upright design – The Animal 2 is a hefty machine. While the Ball does help improve maneuverability it’s still heavier than most and takes some effort to move around the room.
For more information, check out the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum here.
Incredible Suction & Cleaning Performance
- Design - 100%
- Performance - 96%
- Quality - 96%
- Usability - 100%
- Value - 97%
98%
Summary
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is an upright vacuum cleaner with 306 AW of suction power (the highest suction of any vacuum on the market). It’s a heavier vacuum, but still has good maneuverability and usability due to the Dyson Ball, 35 foot cord, and 50 feet reach. It scored virtually flawlessly in our cleaning tests, scoring 99-100% in 11 out of 12 tests (only struggling with cereal on high carpets).
It’s arguably the best upright vacuum on the market and definitely our favorite upright that we’ve tested.
Is it worth the money?
Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.Dyson Ball Animal 2 ($499.99)
DysonFive months ago, I got the chance to test out three different Dyson vacuums and see if they were really worth the high price tag. It is no secret Dyson is an expensive brand. But if you're looking for something heavy-duty to clean your home, you can't go wrong with the Ball Animal 2.
Stick vacuums work great but the suction power of an upright vacuum is practically unmatched. This vacuum has been able to stand up against the army of animals in my home and live to see another day.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 pet vacuum cleaner
Dyson
dyson.
com
$499.99
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Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum review
Tyrone the Yorkie for scale.
Ana Suarez for Hearst NewspapersDyson Ball Animal 2 Cost: $499.99
After using this vacuum for almost half a year, I can confidently say that the Ball Animal 2 is the best vacuum for a multi-pet household. This makes sense, it is certified asthma and allergy-friendly by Allergy Standards Limited.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 features
- Dyson Ball technology
- Washable lifetime filter
- One-click dirt emptying
- Self-adjusting cleaner head
Ball technology is a famous feature of Dyson's. It was designed to help to vacuum around furniture and obstacles with a simple turn of the wrist, for precise cleaning. This technology makes Dyson's upright vacuums much better at navigating tight spaces than a traditional upright vacuum from another brand.
The cleaner head adjusts with each movement, too, allowing for proper suction across all rug and carpet types.
Being certified as allergy-friendly means that the Ball Animal 2 has whole-machine filtration to ensure that allergens are trapped inside, and not expelled back into your home. Furthermore for allergy worries, the lifetime filter can be removed and washed to keep it clean. The one-touch emptying bin makes it very simple to clear out the debris bin with just one click.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 pros
The Ball Animal 2 comes with a turbine tool, a stair tool, and a combination tool.
Ana Suarez for Hearst Newspapers- Heavy-duty suction power (227 AW on boost mode)
- Allergy-friendly
I own a Dyson V7 Motorhead stick vacuum and thought it was a godsend for cleaning up fur, but the Ball Animal 2 is simply in a different league. I decided to test this out at my parents' house, because they have some heavy shedders, whereas the pets in my apartment only shed a little bit.
My parents have a pitbull, a mastiff, and four cats that all shed like it is their job. Plus they have a bird, who likes to throw birdseed out of her cage onto the floor. The allergy situation at my parents' house is dire. Mine always act up at the end of the day at their house because of all of the fur and dander. But this vacuum sucked all of the hidden dirt, debris, fur, and pet dander out of every carpet.
I took a before and after shot of one of the rugs at my parent's house to show off the suction power of the Ball Animal 2. In the Before photo, it looks like the rug hadn't been vacuumed in months, when it had really just been days. My parents used to use a Hoover vacuum and it was no match for their pet fur situation. The After photo shows how clean the carpet can actually get. It's like going from standard definition to high definition.
The Ball Animal 2 really is an allergy-friendly vacuum, as in the past, I used to get sneezy after vacuuming the rugs and carpets from all the pet fur and dander getting kicked around.
It took me just five minutes to clean the whole rug that was caked in pet fur and I didn't sneeze once during or after the process.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 cons
- Heavy and big
- How did TMZ get the video of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole at Warriors practice?
- Bay Area police break up party with up to 400 people at short-term rental
- 700,000 people in California are getting inflation relief payments Friday. Here's who.
- Brutal video of Warriors' Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole is released
- San Jose Fire Department investigates video of bikini-clad woman exiting fire truck
- Horoscope for Friday, 10/07/22 by Christopher Renstrom
- Impossible Foods to eliminate 6% of staff in second round of layoffs this year
While this vacuum is heavy (17.
5 pounds) compared to a Dyson stick vacuum, it's not as heavy as my parents' old Hoover. Still, it's not fun to lug from the basement to the top floor. But, for more power, it makes sense that the machine will be heavier. In my opinion, it's a fair trade-off.
I do think that Dyson Ball vacuums are better suited for homes, rather than apartments, due to their large size. If you have a spacious apartment, it won't eat up a ton of room. But if you have a tiny apartment with limited closet space, this might feel cumbersome.
I have had absolutely no suction issues with this vacuum on various pile types (from low pile to shag carpet), however, some online reviews (particularly at Target) have rated this vacuum poorly. Given I can only review the product based on my experience, it has been great. However, everyone can read the reviews section and make their own judgments.
Can the Dyson Ball Animal 2 be used on hardwood floors?
What the Ball Animal 2 is able to pull out of a rug in just one use.
Yes, it is designed for use on all floor types. It also has the best suction power and can trap the most allergens of any Dyson upright vacuum. However, as I mentioned it is a heavier vacuum. It works well on most floor types, but wouldn't be ideal for vacuuming your stairs and certain nooks and crannies, due to the size and weight. Plus, it is not cordless, so you will have limited range (max 40 feet) in comparison to a stick vacuum.
Instead, if you have the budget for it, you might want to opt for a separate hardwood floor vacuum (like the Omni Glide). It weighs less than five pounds. You can also opt for a stick vacuum meant for hardwood and carpets, like the V8 Absolute. Though, both stick vacuums have weaker suction power compared to the Ball Animal 2. If you really need strong suction power, a Ball vacuum is the way to go.
Is the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum worth the cost?
Before and After: On the left, what the rug looked like before vacuuming.
On the right, what it looked like after.
Without a single doubt, yes. If you have animals, you need this vacuum ASAP. The fur and pet dander that is probably trapped inside of your carpet and rugs would quake in fear if it saw this vacuum. The Ball Animal 2 vacuum is the magical gift to get rid of all of that, and then some.
- How did TMZ get the video of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole at Warriors practice?
- Bay Area police break up party with up to 400 people at short-term rental
- 700,000 people in California are getting inflation relief payments Friday.
Here's who. - Brutal video of Warriors' Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole is released
- San Jose Fire Department investigates video of bikini-clad woman exiting fire truck
- Horoscope for Friday, 10/07/22 by Christopher Renstrom
- Impossible Foods to eliminate 6% of staff in second round of layoffs this year
Dyson Ball Animal 2 review: A bagless monster sucker for every corner of the house
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Considering this writer has a whole house of animals (two dogs and three cats), what better way to call in a pair of Dyson vacuum cleaners? Let's start with the upright Dyson Ball Animal 2, a corded vacuum cleaner monster with enough suction to change the moon's orbit.
This may be the last time you can buy a corded Dyson vacuum because the company announced in March 2018 that it plans to stop developing corded vacuums in favor of cordless products across the board. However, the key word here is "development", so it's safe to assume that the production of networking products will continue for the foreseeable future. The online range is likely to get discounts in its old age as well, possibly starting with Black Friday. Wahey!
Dyson Ball Animal 2: Design and build
There are no two options, the Dyson Ball Animal 2 weighs a ton. Well, not exactly a ton (it's actually 7.
34kg), but it definitely feels like it when you fall behind. In fact, if you are weak or unfit, then perhaps avoid it because you will find it difficult to push it or carry it for long periods, especially if your home has more than three bedrooms and two flights of stairs. Luckily, Dyson makes another non-pet-friendly upright model called the Light Ball, which weighs in at a slightly more modest 6.9kg. It's also a hundred pounds cheaper.
Ball Animal 2 arrived in a tall box almost completely assembled. All you have to do is follow the confusing illustrations in the manual and insert the tall aluminum tube into the self-retracting hose - easier said than done - then secure the main cleaner head to the body. The box also has some attachments, but more on that later.
Build quality is excellent, and while the clear and colored plastics don't look like they'll survive a fall down stairs, they're deceptively durable and known to withstand moderate levels of abuse.
As you can see from the pictures, this Dyson gets its name from the large roller he uses to maneuver around the house.
This is a cool innovation that helps him turn corners, although not as easily as you might think.
While the Ball Animal 2 is great for storage, it feels a bit wobbly and heavy. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a retractable cable - admittedly hard to get in a vertical position - but on the other hand, it has an impressive cable length of 10 meters.
Despite having to unroll the hose to use them, the Turbine head (left) is a handy alternative for getting under the sofa, and the Turbine Free Turbine (right) is great for removing pet hair.
Dyson Ball Animal 2: Accessories
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 comes with a full range of attachments, including the main epicyclic cleaning head, the one you'll use most often. Of course, for many upright vacuums, the choice of nozzles is the norm, but how many different nozzles do you need for this? To its advantage, the machine at least comes with shrouds to secure most tools.
In addition to the main cleaning head, the Ball Animal 2 also comes with a smaller turbine head that attaches to an extended recessed hose to get under furniture, a fine nozzle to remove chips from couch crevices and cobwebs from the ceiling, a ladder attachment and, Perhaps best for pet owners, the Tangle Free Turbine is very effective at removing dog and cat hair from fabric-backed sofas and chairs.
It also comes with an extension tube attached to a criss-crossed velvet brush head that appears to be for cleaning behind radiators.
But here's the catch. Since this is a large beast, its steering ball and dust container are too high to get under the bed or furniture such as chairs and coffee tables. And this presents a problem. Do you vacuum all the main areas of the floor first, then switch to the wand, hose, and turbine head to get the areas you couldn't? Assuming you remember what to do. Or do you clean around a certain piece of furniture, unroll the wand and hose, and mount the turbine head while you're there to fix the problem? But what if you can't remember where you last left your turbine head? Oh my god, it's in the nursery upstairs. You got the point. Personally, I'd prefer a vacuum cleaner that cleans floors and also reaches low coffee or bed levels without having to worry about fiddling with the built-in hose. Gtech AirRam and any vacuum cleaner with a cylindrical base come to mind.
Dyson Ball Animal 2 handles all floor surfaces
Dyson Ball Animal 2: Performance
If you're looking for a stance that provides superior cushioning on most surfaces without creating a racket, then the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is a worthy contender. I've tried it on a variety of surfaces, using various types of detritus - rice, crushed corn flakes, sugar, and dried peas - to mimic real world use. He passed with honor on all surfaces, except for a thin rug, which was constantly sucked in by a rotating brush. Even with the brush off and the suction reduction switch on, it still sucked too hard.
The animal hair test was a resounding success. On both carpet and hardwood floors, the 11-inch epicyclic brush head picked up far more hair than was visible to the naked eye. And when it came to removing cat hair from a fabric sofa, the special tangle-free turbine nozzle worked miraculously, leaving the sofa almost hair-free. So, top marks in that regard.
Perhaps the most annoying thing about this rack is that the method used to turn on the vacuum head is almost the same as the method required to move it from room to room.
To use the vacuum-ready head, pull back firmly on the handle, and the main body tilts back, engaging the cleaner head in the process. However, in order to push it from room to room, you need to push slightly on the handle and the whole device, including the cleaning head, tilts back on two small rollers. I can't say how many times I did it wrong; almost every time I wanted to move it to another part of the house, the damn cleaning head would turn on. In fact, he also fell off a couple of times. Strange. Also, the rear rims are so small and stiff that it takes some effort to turn them.
Dyson's ingenious container emptying system is a highlight
Dyson Ball Animal 2: emptying and cleaning the filter
As with all Dyson vacuum cleaners, there is no disposable bag, which is a big plus. Its 1.8-litre bin is another huge bonus because it allows you to vacuum multiple rooms before they need to be emptied (in comparison, the Gtech AirRam, though much smaller, requires constant emptying).
To empty the basket, simply press the red button and it will automatically detach. Now transfer it to the basket and press the awkward tab to release the bottom cover. Voila, thrice empty. Dyson recommends cleaning the filter regularly, and this is easy to do by removing the entire container, releasing the filter tab, and rinsing the filter under a faucet. Leave to dry for 24 hours and reinsert.
Dyson Ball Animal 2: The Verdict
Dyson Ball Animal 2 tries to be everything to everyone, and this suits many users, especially those with a lot of floor space and not too many stairs. However, for small houses and apartments, it is too big and heavy to constantly maneuver around obstacles. Too many attachments to be wary of, because you can soon get tired of constantly switching between vacuuming with the main head and unrolling the hose and cleaning stick under your bed, coffee table, and other low-lying furnishings.
On the other hand, he sucks like a bagel and swallows almost everything in his path; the included turbine anti-tangle device is extremely effective.
It also has a very long cable and a tedious trash emptying system. However, despite all this, it still falls short of its excellent cylinder-type stablemate, the Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 , which is just as effective and versatile, but much quicker and easier to use.
• Buy Dyson Ball Animal 2 for £299 from John Lewis & Partners
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 Review: Among the Best
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The Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 not only has a fun name, but it's also a great wired model that will remain available for the foreseeable future - probably with some good Dyson deals in store.
This is due to the fact that the company is paying more and more attention to its Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners. However, the Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 is worth it because it's damn good at what it's designed to do - rid your home of household debris with maximum efficiency and unrivaled ease.
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 is a cylindrical vacuum cleaner. To evaluate this, we turned to our two test labs (i.e. Labrador Retrievers) and three hairy cats for help. And he asked them, in the style of Dr. Dolittle, to lie on carpets, rugs, woolen cushions and in the back of the car. No special persuasion was required. So, without further ado, let's dig right in and see what this Big Baller is capable of.
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 Design & Build
The Big Ball 2 is a cylinder-type vacuum cleaner, so while the main unit itself takes up little storage space, the 58-inch hose it comes with is as inconvenient as wrestling a naughty python when putting it to bed. Please note that this is normal for all cylinder vacuum cleaners.
Like the popular Miele, it has a small housing on the main unit to which you can attach the hose when stored, but unlike Miele, it does not work - the weight of the hose constantly twists it out of the too small housing.
The Big Ball Animal 2 is pretty heavy to carry from room to room (7.5kg), but those two huge ball wheels and two spiky ones on the back make it easy to tow when you're zipping around the house. Quite cleverly, it also self-recovers when rolled over, usually as a result of being pulled around a corner over a door frame step. Most cylindrical vacuum cleaners fall over from time to time, so it's great to have one that doesn't require any help.
One particularly great advantage of this vacuum cleaner is that its cord is a whopping 6.5 meters long and it coils into the body three times using what must be the strongest return spring in the industry. The presence of a cord of this length allows the user to clean large areas without changing outlets.
The Big Ball Animal 2 is usually made almost entirely of plastic, but it's a fairly durable material that should withstand a lot of abuse.
However, the protruding on/off and cable retract switches look prone to abuse - if the on/off switch should trip, it could be the curtains.
The Turbine head (left) is a handy alternative for getting under the sofa, while the Turbine Free Turbine (right) is great for removing pet hair.
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2: Accessories
This writer wasn't charmed by the abundance of accessories that came with this upright stablemate. However, in this case, I believe that additional cleaning heads and additional accessories are justified, mainly because the machine itself does not require transformations like a transformer.
Self-adjusting 10" air cleaner head is the ultimate all-rounder for all types of flooring, including carpets. It also includes a simple slide switch to switch between two suction power levels and a hidden trigger on the handle to further reduce suction. With no rotating brushes, this head excels on carpet and hardwood floors, automatically adjusting its height as it moves from one surface to another.
Its height is only 3 cm, so it is great for bridging even the smallest gaps. Like the upright Ball Animal 2 and the Gtech AirRam, its suction power was too strong to clean a thin rug, but again, most carpets usually need to be taken outside and beat the daylight out of them.
If you find that the air head is struggling to deal with a particularly dirty part of your deep pile carpet, switch to a smaller eight inch turbine head, engage the high speed rotating brush (there is a roller switch on the brush block) and the problem should be good and true resolved.
Pet lovers will love the Tangle Free Turbine. It's only five inches wide, but its two counter-rotating brushes do a great job of removing dog and cat hair from their beds. In fact, it's the only product I've ever used that has managed to remove most of the hair from nylon car seats, the worst material for attracting pet hair.
The last two accessories, the ladder tool and the hard-to-reach combo tool, actually clip onto the hose handle for easy access, so it's quite useful.
Goodbye cat hair - this suction cup does the job perfectly
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2: Productivity
Do you want powerful vacuum power? Look no further because this machine delivers stable enough suction to swallow up a small city. For parity, I scattered the same collection of trash I used for the Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright—sugar, crushed corn flakes, dried peas, and rice—and the Big Ball just devoured it all. Of course, the pneumatic head had a hard time absorbing the peas, but that's only because it's more designed to pick up less detritus. When using the Turbine head, there were no such problems. However, because the suction is so strong, it takes a bit of effort to push both heads on deep pile carpets. A quick trigger pull to reduce suction helps in this regard.
According to Dyson, this machine is equipped with double-deck radial cyclones that "generate high centrifugal forces to trap microscopic dust and allergens." I'm not sure what that means, but I can vouch that there was no "just vacuum" smell in the air and none of the cats sneezed.
The Big Ball Animal 2 was surprisingly quiet when used with big heads, but it made quite a bit of noise with the small Tangle Free Turbine, scattering crampons in the process.
Dyson's Brilliant Bin Emptying System is the highlight
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2: Waste Bin Emptying
The waste bin emptying method on this machine is simply brilliant and easy to use. Just press the big red button and the big basket will pop out of the case. Now move the entire assembly to the nearest container and press another red button to throw away all the collected garbage. Quite deftly, the lower half of the container drops a few inches, freeing the dust container. This is basically a dust free procedure and I'm sure any bagged vacuum cleaner user would greatly appreciate it.
Dyson Big Ball Animal 2: Verdict
In the pantheon of cylinder cleaners, this is a definite triumph: easy to move; he is not so easily upset, and when he does, he recovers; comes with a set of very handy attachments; and it sucks like a tornado.
