Dyson ball animal 2 suction power


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

Cons

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 vacuum

The Animal 2 utilizes Dyson’s ball design for improved manueverability (a welcome benefit given the weight).

Dyson Ball Animal 2 side view

It 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.

Cyclone detail on the Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuum

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 upright

This 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 brushroll

The 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 filter

Over 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.

Attachments & Tools on the Dyson Animal 2

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:

Size and dimensions of the Dyson Animal 2 upright vacuum cleaner

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 vacuum

The Animal 2 includes:

combination tool stair tool turbine tool

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 vacuum

Below 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 floors

Low 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 carpet

High 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 carpet

This 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 carpet

Maneuverability Quick Facts:

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 stairs

This 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.

Adjustable cleaning head on the Dyson Animal 2

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 bin

For 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.

That is really about it.

Emptying the dust bin on the Dyson Animal 2 upright

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 review

With 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 
TypeUpright
ManufacturerDyson
ModelBall Animal 2
Suction306 AW
Height42.13"
Length15.35"
Width (inches)13.39"
Weight17.5 lbs.
Floor TypeAll
FilterWashable lifetime
Dust Bin0. 55 gallons
Cord35'
Reach50'
BaglessYes
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty5-Year limited
PriceCheck Price

Who should buy the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum?

You should buy the Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright vacuum cleaner if you want:

For more information, check out the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum here.

Incredible Suction & Cleaning Performance

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.

Dyson Ball Animal 2 - the struggle for the highest suction intensifies

Review of: Dyson Ball Animal 2

Producer:
Dyson
Version:
Ball Animal 2

Reviewed by: Jason Roberts

Rating:

On June 3, 2017

Last modified:July 29, 2019

Summary:

Dyson Ball Animal 2 convinces with a lovely facelift, a powerful suction and a neat swivel neck. All the advances from previous uprights except the Cinetic technologies are here. The quality of the materials is A+. I rally like the way things snap together. This product can be used not only as an upright, but also for tackling messes above the floor. The instant release wand coupled with the tangle-free turbine is a worthy combo. Overall, a great choice for average-sized homes.

More Details

For this summer, Dyson heats things up by offering their latest upright, the Dyson Ball Animal 2, at a really attractive price. Never before have I seen a new high profile upright from these guys for under $400. When it comes to choosing a Dyson Ball upright, there are so many options, one can easily get confused. I will help you out with a straight explanation and a comparison chart between Dyson’s main upright models. And that’s not all you’ll find out from me in this post. Their recently introduced Animal 2 is an amazing work of art. Dyson tried to engineer a pretty powerful suction into a compact device. The result: a vacuum cleaner which can be used on all kind of flooring, starting with carpets and ending with bare floors such as hardwood, tile or vinyl. This is made possible by the standard self-adjustable cleaner head. The Animal 2 has been specifically designed for homes with pets and kids who love to get messy!

So, to get things going, here’s the resume of this review:

Dyson Ball Animal 2 design

Dyson Ball Animal 2 specs

As always, I have a few variables I always talk about. Let’s start with…

The cleaning power

The suction power is rated at 270AW by Dyson. All their other models have a lower AW (i.e. the Cinetic Big Ball has 245AW). There’s a big sticker on the body of the upright which says it’s the vacuum cleaner with the highest suction power on the market. This is not the first time Dyson brags about suction. It’s clearly a marketing technique, seen also i.e. in SharkNinja’s products; and as you can imagine, there were a few legal actions on this matter. I’ll definitely do a comparison between the latest Shark Powered Lift-Away DuoClean which I’ve just reviewed and this Dyson, but until then, suffice to say the Animal 2 can really “suck”! No matter if you using it on carpets or hard floors, the auto-adjustable nozzle does its job right. As for cleaning above the floor, it can clean upholstery, sofas and curtains with the help of the quick-release wand.

Input power

It uses 1400W (11.67 amps at 120V) to power its strong motor. It’s more than what other uprights need, but still economical enough.

Bin Capacity

The .55 gallons bin can be emptied hygienically with just a push of a button. The size is almost the same as in the case of the Big Ball Cinetic, which is sufficient. Any bigger would have meant a heavier, chunkier product. After playing with it for a while, I have a small piece of advice: make sure you empty the recipient when the debris reaches the MAX indicator. The size of the bin should allow you to clean as much as 3000 sq ft in one go.

Filtration

The whole vacuum cleaner is rated HEPA. Similarly with all recent Dysons, the Animal 2 also received the seal of approval/excellence from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. However, this vacuum cleaner doesn’t contain the Cinetic Technology seen in their top model, so you’ll still have to wash the lifetime filter from time to time.

Dimensions

It measures 42.13″ (height) x 15.35″ (width) x 13.39″ (dept) and weighs around 17 lbs, which means it’s almost 2 lbs lighter than the Cinetic. It’s not at all that heavy or huge as I have expected. The nozzle has a width of 13.3″. The power cord can stretch as long as 35 ft. Adding the hose length and the accessories, one reach as far as 50 ft. It so compact that it resembles with the Dyson Small Ball.

Warranty

One of the best parts about buying a Dyson is that it comes with a 5 year warranty. And as I presented to you a while ago, Dyson customer care means business. You can be safe knowing that you will be taken care of if needed.

Usability

The unit can be assembled in less than 1 minute. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 can work on almost any kind of surface (tile, carpet, wood). It comes with an instant release wand that makes it easier to reach any part of the house. Users can reach both high places and under the furniture with this feature. The swivel steering works well on the ball. The noise however is a bit high. The materials feel great, and the design is attractive as usual.

Special features

I would have loved some LED lights. Unfortunately, besides the items described above, there’s not much one can add. The self-adjusting nozzle is as always, a great addition. The power cord is long enough to satisfy even the most demanding housewife. The filters are lifetime washable and as a result, there’s no need to replace anything in this product, even after a few years of sustained use.

Accessories/Attachments

It can work with various accessories, out of which three are already included in the box:

You can purchase separately:

I am amazed by their selection. By the way, if you order directly from Dyson, you get to choose from the list above 3 extra attachments for free.

Price

The product can be bought directly from the producer, or from their store on Amazon. It is cheaper than the peak of the line, the Cinetic Big Ball upright version.

Comparing the “Balls”: Dyson Ball Animal 2 vs Dyson Ball Multi Floor Origin vs Dyson Light Ball Multi Floor vs Dyson Ball Multi Floor 2

There are at the moment 4 Ball versions on the market:

Dyson Ball Animal 2
Dyson Ball Multi Floor Origin
Dyson Light Ball Multi Floor
Dyson Ball Multi Floor 2
Suction power
270 AW
270 AW
210 AW
245 AW
Dimensions
42. 13 x 15.35 x 13.39
42.4 x 15.4 x 13.4
36.2 x 8.9 x 11.5
41.93 x 15.59 x 13.39
Weight
17.35 lbs
17.37 lbs
14 lbs
15.6 lbs
Power cord length
35 ft
30 ft
24.5 ft
31 ft
Bin size
0.55 gallons
0.55 gallons
0.42 gallons
0.42 gallons
Accessories included
combination tool, stair tool, tangle-free turbine tool
combination tool, stair tool
combination tool, stair tool
combination tool, stair tool

Dyson Ball Animal 2 vs Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Multi Floor vs Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal vs Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal+Allergy

The Dyson Cinetic upright series have a smaller suction power, to cope with the Cinetic technology. Here’s a comparison between the Dyson Ball Animal 2 and the 3 versions of the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball:

Dyson Ball Animal 2
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Multi Floor
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal+Allergy
Suction power
270 AW
180 AW
180 AW
180 AW
Dimensions
42.13 x 15.35 x 13.39
43.3 x 13.4 x 17.2
43.3 x 13.4 x 17.2
43.3 x 13.4 x 17.2
Weight
17.35 lbs
19.2 lbs
19.2 lbs
19. 2 lbs
Power cord length
35 ft
35 ft
35 ft
35 ft
Bin size
0.55 gallons
0.57 gallons
0.57 gallons
0.57 gallons
Accessories included
combination tool, stair tool, tangle-free turbine tool
combination tool, stair tool
combination tool, stair tool, tangle-free turbine tool
combination tool, stair tool, tangle-free turbine tool, carbon fiber soft dusting brush, reach under tool, multi-angle brush, mattress tool, tool bag

Conclusion

I really liked this vacuum cleaner. Although it’s still heavy at 17 lbs and a bit too expensive, it’s a neat option. Is it worthy the money? Yes, if you’re looking for good suction and great attachments. It’s perhaps one of the most well-made bagless uprights on the market, and 5 years of warranty means business. Here’s my VGM for the Animal 2:

VGM table for Dyson Ball Animal 2

VariableMark
Cleaning power10
Input Power9
Dirt capacity8
Filtration9
Weight and Dimensions9
Accessories10
Special features8
Usability10
Warranty10
Price9
Total VGM
(VacuumsGuide.com Mark)
92/100

What do you think? Would you buy or recommend this vacuum cleaner?

buying guide with incredible offers

Today we meet many classes of vacuum cleaners available on the market. Many new classes have emerged over the years, although traditional vacuum cleaners remain the preferred option for millions of consumers. This type of vacuum cleaner is known as the Skid Vacuum Cleaner Classic Model, but is usually distinguished by its power.

If you are looking for a new vacuum cleaner and want to opt for this type of vacuum cleaner, we have good news. Because we have prepared a selection from best crawler vacuum cleaners so you can compare which one is best for what you are looking for.

In addition, it will be useful for you to see what we can currently find on the market in this category of products.

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