Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal Review

What the reviewers like:
Owners and experts say the Dyson Animal DC17 is an improvement over earlier Dyson upright vacuums, with better power and suction and a new powered hand tool for agitating pet hair out of upholstery. Dyson vacuums have won multiple design awards and have a five-year warranty.

What the reviewers don't like:
Owners and experts have mixed feelings about the Dyson Animal DC17's pet-hair accessory, with some suggesting that it doesn't make this vacuum any better or worse at picking up pet hair than other models. Also, although it's said to be more maneuverable than its predecessors, the DC17 is still fairly heavy (20 pounds).

Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal review highlights

Reviewers indicate that the Dyson Animal DC17 is an improvement over earlier Dyson vacs, 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 probably meant to assuage some reviewer concerns about long-term durability.

The three top sources on our reviews list -- Consumer Reports, Which? Online, and The Wall Street Journal -- all weigh in on Dyson vacuums. Consumer Reports includes the Dyson Animal DC17 in its latest roundup of 65 vacuums. U.K.-based Which? Online includes similar Dyson vacuums in its tests. The Wall Street Journal compares a variation, the Dyson DC17 Absolute, to the Shark Infinity and Hoover WindTunnel 2. Numerous owners register their opinion of Dyson vacuums, including the Dyson Animal DC17, on Amazon.com and Epinions.

Also see full report: Vacuum Cleaners

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Consumer Reports
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Vacuums: Top Picks for Pet Hair
Editors of Consumer Reports
Mar. 2007

In its latest roundup, Consumer Reports runs 65 vacuums, including the Dyson Animal DC17, over the equivalent of eleven miles of carpet and bare floors. Each vacuum is then rated for cleaning ability, noise, emissions and ease of use, as well as the ability to pick up pet hair off carpeting.

2. Which.co.uk
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Vacuum Cleaners
Editors of Which.co.uk
Feb. 2007

Which.co.uk is a British review magazine that's just as thorough as Consumer Reports. Editors don't specifically test the Dyson Animal DC17 vacuum, but they do evaluate similar Dyson models (including the DC14 and DC15). The editors note that the newest Dyson vacuums appear to be better built than previous models.

3. The Wall Street Journal
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Vacuum Cleaners
Sara Schaefer Muñoz
Nov. 2006

In this article, Sara Muñoz compares the Shark Infinity, Hoover WindTunnel 2 and Dyson DC17 Absolute (a variant of the DC17 Animal). This review includes at-home hands-on tests, and each vacuum is evaluated on ease of use and performance. Although only three upright vacuums are included, the report is easy to read and informative.

4. Amazon.com
Dyson DC17 Animal
Contributors to Amazon.com

Almost 100 owners weigh in on the Dyson Animal DC17, and most of them are very enthusiastic. Many owners comment specifically on the pet-hair tool.

5. Epinions
Dyson DC17 Animal Bagless Cyclonic Vacuum
Contributors to Epinions

The Dyson DC17 Animal is well reviewed by the 30 or so owners posting here. As at Amazon.com, reading the individual reviews is helpful.

Also see full report: Vacuum Cleaners

Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal Review