Dyson's DC59 Animal is a cordless vacuum designed specifically for cleaning pet hair.
Get A Dyson DC59 For The Best Price
Dyson has been innovating the household electronics market with their unique product offerings ever since the company's inception back in 1993. While their line of products are positioned within the higher end of the market, most consumers choosing the cheaper alternatives to save a few bucks despite the difference in performance.
I used to be one of these people until I adopted my Australian Shepherd, a dog breed known for being a notoriously bad shedder. The Dirt Devil that I owned prior adopting my dog Mia couldn't handle the thick fur that lay scattered throughout my house, and soon enough I was burning the internal rubber belts each and every time that I ran this vacuum.
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After becoming annoyed with the constant need to replace these belts, I went in search for a better alternative and sought after a vacuum made specifically for collecting pet hair. I then discovered Dyson's line of ‘Animal' vacuums and upon reviewing the different models I chose to buy the DC59 as it appeared to be the ideal fit. While I hated the thought of spending $499 on a vacuum cleaner, I was fed up with the poor performance and regular maintenance required on my previous model, so I was ready for a serious upgrade.
The rest of this article will give my honest opinion of Dyson's DC59 Animal model having owned and used it on a daily basis for the past four months. Keep in mind, I paid full retail price for this unit and this review is in no way affiliated with Dyson as a company so rest assured everything you read is a result of my hands-on experience using this vacuum over the appropriate testing period.
As you probably already know, Dyson's DC59 offers a cordless design meaning there is no need to run a cord to an outside power source and instead relies on an internal rechargeable battery. The body of the vacuum is relatively compact that coupled with its 4.6lb weight allows for high portability. The design provides a pistol-like grip with a trigger for activating the vacuum and on the rear of the body there is a circular button to enable ‘max' mode for added suction.
Internally, the DC59 utilizes a digital motor and 15 Radial cyclones positioned in a 2-tier formation. Below the motor is a hygienic capture bin which holds all the hair and debris that the vacuum picks up during its cycle. On the top of the device, contains an air filter that is removable for cleaning purposes.
As for the build quality, the Dyson vacuum body is well-made and feels substantial in the hand. However, some of the included accessories do give off a sort of a cheap feel when you consider the high price tag. Depending on how well you store and take care of your DC59, I would expect the vacuum unit and accessories to last quite a while however I could see them experiencing a potential issue should they face abuse.
Since vacuums are traditionally floor-based, heavy, and require a constant power connection (via a power cord) the DC59's cordless approach allows for much greater versatility in potential uses. For example, you can use to like a standard vacuum on the floor, or you can switch attachments and vacuum out your vehicle, couch, cabinets, radiators, moldings, etc. with ease. The pistol-grip and lightweight design helps to support the device with one hand when cleaning both the floor and the ceiling.
This model comes with four separate attachment tools along with an extension tube. You can either choose to plug any one of these four attachments directly into the vacuum unit or use an extension tube to access those hard to reach areas.
The main floor attachment was designed with an assortment of carbon fiber filaments as well as nylon bristle strips to grab both dirt and dust particulars along with that annoying pet hair. Best of all, this tool functions on both hardwood floors as well as carpeted areas without the need to tinker with any adjustments allowing easy transitions from differing surfaces.
According to Dyson, the digital motor and Radial cyclone technology offer motor speeds that are three times faster than a conventional vacuum motor which in turn results to greater suction. The built-in lithium-ion battery has a rating for 26 minutes of direct use on normal mode, and 6 minutes with the ‘max' mode enabled. Since the vacuum only cycles when the trigger's pushed, the battery is efficient and only drains power when the motor is cleaning.
The hygienic bin is a convenient feature as it is designed quickly empty all the contents of your cleaning session into the garbage with one push of a button. Instead of relying on your hands to scoop out the waste, gravity is the main contributor as you simply hold it over the garbage and release the bin's cover thus letting the captured materials fall into the trash.
There is a wall mounting bracket included within the DC59, so you can neatly store it while not in use. I wasn't all that impressed by the design or build quality of this bracket yet it is surely convenient when not in use. The power cord threads into the bracket's rear nicely so attaching the vacuum results in an instant charge without the need to fiddle with the power cable.
As I said earlier, I own an Australian Shepherd who sheds her coat heavily all over my furniture and floors regardless of the season. Her fur is thick and comes in multiple colors since she is considered a ‘blue merle' consisting of white, black, tan, and blue (grey) hair. This makes it tough to deal with as the hair never blends into any fabric or my wood floors, and you can easy notice lingering fur balls 24 hours after my house has had a fresh clean.
This means I have to vacuum my floors, stairs and couches at least every other day to combat the influx of loose hair and to prevent my house from looking messy. I thought investing in a cordless vacuum that was designed specifically for pet hair would add great convenience to my life and save me time that in the long run equates to a saving of money (aka time = money).
Handling & Versatility
The first time that I used the DC59, I was blown away at how portable and versatile it was. Since I previously had a bulky Dirt Devil that relied on an annoyingly short cord, my vacuum sessions were something I dreaded as it was a large hassle.
With the switch to the DC59, my troubles are gone, and my vacuuming experience is unbelievably smooth to the point where I weirdly enjoy it. I can clean every single floor in my house without the need to change attachments or swap power outlets.
Transitioning from room to room and surface to surface can be done seamlessly, and this new vacuum has cut the total time needed for my typical cleaning routine in half.
The pistol grip design feels comfortable enough for me to maneuver the vacuum head in virtually any position. The Dyson DC59 is capable of cleaning far more than a traditional vacuum and one of my favorite places to use it is in my car.
Suction & Cleaning Performance
I know some of you may be thinking that a cordless, battery-powered vacuum will have lesser suction capabilities than a traditional vacuum. This is a plausible assumption, but I have found the opposite to be true.
The DC59 captures an enormous amount of hair, dirt, and dust from my carpets and wood floors. This is likely due to the combination of its 15 Radial cyclone design combined with the motorized floor cleaning attachment's mixture of carbon fiber filaments and nylon bristle strips.
Often, I will vacuum one of my spare bedrooms that are vacant (I live alone) and while the wood flooring looks rather clean in the first place, I am amazed at how much the Dyson picks up after a quick sweep of the room.
The suction during normal operation is suitable for most jobs, but if you really need the extra power then you can enable the ‘max' setting via the button on the rear. While the battery life is significantly shorter in this mode, the suction potential increases dramatically for those ultra-tough cleaning scenarios.
Battery Life
As I stated earlier the battery life is rated for 26 minutes on the standard setting and 6 minutes on the max setting. From my experience, I've found the standard setting matches and even surpasses (in certain situations) the 26-minute rating on a full charge although the max setting seems to last less than 6 minutes.
I'll admit a 26-minute battery does not seem like a heck of a lot of operating time, and you are right, it is not. However, this is still more than enough time for me to clean every floor in my entire house (around 2,000 sq ft). The reason for this is because the Dyson is so versatile and efficient when used that my total time required to vacuum my whole house has been considerably shortened and the trigger-enabled motor helps save some juice when not in use.
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Keep in mind, I am talking strictly about the standard setting as the max setting is a whole other story. A buddy of mine recently borrowed the Dyson to clean the interior of his Audi A4 and was excited to test out the max setting. I warned him how quickly it dies, and he carried on without hesitation thinking it would last long enough for him to clean his four floor mats. He only was able to make it through a single floor mat before the DC59 ran out of battery whereas the standard setting would have been able to complete the job without any issue
Maintenance & Upkeep
The maintenance and upkeep on the DC59 are minimal although there are a few annoying circumstances that may require extra attention should you be in my scenario with a heavy shedding animal.
First off, the air filter is easily removable and is recommended to be cleaned once a month. The process simply involves removing the filter, rinsing it under some water then letting it dry out before inserting it back into the device.
The hygienic bin should be emptied after every vacuum session although I've found that I sometimes have to empty it two or three times during a single session as the amount of hair it collects from my carpet and floors can be overwhelming. I think Dyson could have made this bin slightly bigger to accommodate people like myself, yet I would rather take an extra trip to the garbage and sacrifice the added bulk and weight of a larger bin.
Both the small and large motorized heads can get clogged up with hair to the point where it will not spin until it has been cleaned. I'd say this happens every five vacuum sessions or so, but thankfully Dyson designed these accessories to be relatively easy to disassemble and remove the excess hair.
My largest gripe with the motorized floor tool is the lack of removable wheels. This accessory utilizes a standard four-wheel design (one at each corner) to allow the vacuum to glide along a flat surface. The problem is these wheels themselves end up collecting pet hair and getting them tangled within their bearings thus render the wheel from spinning as intended. The DC59 does not offer a way to remove these wheels, therefore; getting rid of this trapped hair can be quite a task.
I've found the best way of doing so would be a mixture of cutting the hair with a pocket knife then pulling it out using some household tweezers. While it seems like a hassle (it truly is), the hair can be removed with a bit of elbow grease, and this small yet noticeable flaw does not overshadow the innovative design and stellar performance of which the Dyson harnesses.
If you can stomach the thought of spending $500 on a vacuum cleaner and seek to revolutionize the traditional task of vacuuming within your home, Dyson's DC59 Cordless Vacuum might just be the perfect fit for your needs. Despite a few minor flaws, this model harnesses a brilliant design and excellent performance which are convincing enough to justify the high price-point.
It has added great convenience in the fight to combat my dog's heavy shedding coat and has kept my home looking freshly clean from the hair balls that inevitably end up all over my floors and furniture. In the end, I've found I am going to save money with this purchase as my time spent vacuuming has shortened tremendously, so I now have more time to focus on bigger, more important tasks.
