Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal

The three top sources on our reviews list -- Consumer Reports magazine, Which? magazine and The Wall Street Journal -- all weigh in on Dyson vacuums. Consumer Reports includes the Dyson Animal DC17 in its latest roundup of upright vacuums. U.K.-based Which? includes similar Dyson vacuums in its tests, and owners register their opinions of Dyson vacuums, including the Dyson Animal DC17, on Amazon.com and Epinions.com.

Reviewers say the Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal is an improvement in Dyson's lineup, with better suction and power than previous generations of Dyson Animal vacuums. The 20-pound Dyson Animal DC17 comes with a powered hand tool for agitating pet hair out of upholstery, and Dyson now offers a five-year warranty for new purchases -- a policy that's likely meant to assuage some reviewer concerns about long-term durability. If you're looking for something lighter and more maneuverable, however, you might want to consider the less expensive Dyson DC18 Slim All Floors (*est. $400), which gets the same good reviews but weighs 4 pounds less and isn't as bulky. The Eureka Boss SmartVac 4870MZ (*est. $150) is lauded for its ability to pick up pet hair, and may be worth a look if you're not stuck on buying a Dyson.