The Dyson DC31 Animal ($269.99) is the ideal handheld vacuum for pet owners. I'm usually not a big fan of handheld vacuums, but the Dyson DC31 Animal surpassed my expectations! Tiring as they can be, I usually prefer the bigger vacuums. However, I was a surprised about how lightweight and powerful the Dyson DC31 Animal is! Since receiving this vacuum, I have abandoned my other handheld since it would give out on me within a few minutes no matter how long I charged it!

Dyson DC31 Animal Features:

■ Patented cyclone technology

For no loss of suction

■ Suction power

10 minutes of 38 airwatts or 6 minutes of 65 airwatts (constant)

■ Movement type

handheld

■ Filtration

Standard filtration

■ Cleaner head / Floor tool

Motorized brush bar

■ Stair cleaning

Handheld

■ Bin capacity

0.09 Gal.

■ Tools / accessories

Combination accessory tool
Crevice tool

■ Dimensions

12.7 by 4.5 by 8.0 inches (HxWxD)

■ Weight

3.38 lbs

■ 2 year warranty

Parts and labor are covered for 2 years.

Dyson DC31 Animal is the best handheld vacuum I have ever used! It got so much embedded dirt from the carpet that my Bissell® CleanView® Helix Upright Vacuum ($89.99) didn't get, and the Bissell is a pretty darn good vacuum! Best of all, it is good at picking up those stray pet hairs that drive me up the wall. This vacuum is so easy to use, and stays charged for a long time! It doesn't easily give up on me in mid-cleaning. The suction still goes on strong even when the battery is low. The indicator light tells you when power is about to run out, and the charge is quick - 3.5 hours.

This vacuum also has a lifetime filter, which means you don't ever have to replace it! This is good news to me, because replacing filters can be costly. All you have to do is wash the filter once a month and let it dry 12 hours before usage. The digital motor uses much less energy than traditional motors with losing suction. It spins up to 104,000 times a minute and doesn't emit carbon dust.

Overall, I'm impressed with the Dyson DC31 Animal. It is the best handheld for pet owners. For equal effectiveness, you might want to try the Dyson DC31 ($219.99) if you're not a pet owner. This is one handheld that you wouldn't want to shove in the back of your closet!

The product in this review was provided to the reviewer for the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.