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

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:

• I’ll list the exact specs of this vacuum cleaner
• I provide professional insight on its pros and cons
• I’ll compare all the uprights made by Dyson, including the Animal 2
• I’ll show you where you can find a good deal

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:

• the combination tool
• the stair tool
• the tangle-free turbine tool

You can purchase separately:

• the Dyson groom tool – good for taking care of pets
• the articulating hard floor tool – useful for hard-to-reach places in hard floors
• the Flat Out floor tool – great for reaching under furniture
• the stiff bristle brush – helps to remove stubborn grime
• the soft dusting brush – useful for cleaning sensitive equipment
• the carbon fiber soft dusting brush – useful for cleaning glass
• the multi-angle brush – reach high drapes and fan blades
• reach under tool – even more versatile than the Flat Out floor tool
• the mattress tool – obviously, great for vacuuming mattresses.

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

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