Pet Vacuum Cleaners are a specific type of vacuum cleaner that are required when you have a pet. A pet vacuum tends to have the suction, filtration and accessories needed to keep both the pet and people in good health.
The powerful suction necessary in these appliances will reach deep into your carpets, furniture and upholstery to keep them clean and free of the most stubborn pet dander.
The filtration, usually a HEPA filter, will remove the small particles of dirt, dust or animal dander from the air before it is expelled. The air will be free of the biggest cause of pet allergy as the vacuum is working.
The accessories and tools will be tailored to handle the extra functional or accessibility needs of caring for your pet and home. The pet vacuum brush is designed specially to remove stubborn pet hair wherever it builds up.
In the home these appliances are great for cleaning the pet hair from your furniture inside to your car upholstery outside as well as the floors, ornaments and ever your pet itself in some cases.
These vacuums come in a variety of functions, they can be standard upright vacuum cleaners, cyclonic, handheld and easy to get around or even robotic, saving you time while you sleep or are away from home.
These pet vacuum cleaners can vary widely in price according to needs and budget. The cheapest product at the moment is priced at under $40 is the Pet Hair Eraser Corded Handheld Vacuum Cleaner but at the other end is the most powerful model of a rebuilt Thermax Canister AF Vacuum Cleaner with hot water filtration has a price of almost $1,800.
The many brands of vacuum cleaner that sell specifically for pets and animals are Bissell, Black & Decker, Broan, Cirrus Logic, Dirt Devil, Dyson, Eheim, Electrolux, Eureka, Euro Pro, Hoover, iRobot, Metropolitan Vacuum, Orion, Pentair, Rainbow, Remington, Shark and Tetra.
They are becoming more popular and can be found now in many home appliance or electronics stores as well as online.
Pet-Vacuum.com has been created to look at the models of pet vacuums and the accessories that are needed, their prices and offers (indeed to look for the best price of pet vacuum you can find), how they compare at what they do and the results of reviews from around the web and on the site here. So if you are thinking of buying a new pet vacuum, then check here first to make sure you find the right product for you.
Dirt Devil appeared alongside Hoover in the International Home and Housewares Show 2010 on March 17- . New products were introduced :-
Gator Cordless Hand Vacuum
Dirt Devil ‘Easy Steam’ mop
Dirt Devil Tattoo Canister
For pet vacuums though was the introduction of the high performance Dirt Devil “Power Reach” Pet Multi Cyclonic, No Loss of Suction upright vacuum cleaner. As yet the specs haven’t been placed on their website but a few details were found from the show. It has the following features :-
12 Amp Motor
3 Year Warranty
Delux long stretch hose for reaching into those difficult to get to places.
Electrostatic Turbo brush to get rid of those pet hairs.
Electrostatic Dusting brush
Cleaning wand that reaches more than 11 feet – accomplished by having a 16 inch extension wand
Extra long 16 inch Crevice Tool
HEPA Filter that is rinseable coupled with a Carbon Infused final filter to remove smells and odors
With all the serious content being created on Pet-Vacuum.com I thought it needed a bit of fun. As the site is about vacuum cleaners for pets what better than to search through videos online to find how they are getting used. I will run a series of articles here covering them; the first was an obvious choice – the iRobot Roomba. I think this vacuum cleaner has had the biggest impact on the home for those that use them.
So first post of the series ‘Riding the Roomba’, it appears to have caught on in a big way. If you find better videos than the collection here then let me know and I will add them and occasionally look in to keep it up to date.
Here we go, the first on the list of feline Roomba riders…
The most popular cat on YouTube to ride the Roomba, with almost 5 million views, posted on YouTube in November 2008.
Notice how the cat’s tail looks like it might to leave a trail of cat dander and hair behind, assuring that the task will never be completed – a kind of perpetual motion! The Roomba does appear to be confused by this constantly going back over the same spot as if to say ‘Hey – This does not compute – I cleaned this patch! – Why has is still got cat hair!!’
The cat perfectly poised does seem to be enjoying the ride, just like we would at the fairground, maybe this is a version of feline dodgems – this idea has sparked a few comments. What if you had two or more cats on Roombas at the same time.
Now imagine, not ever seeing this, you buy a Roomba, leave it on while you go out, you come back into the room to see kitty riding around on it. The shock of seeing this might make you walk straight back out again and take stock of what you just saw, realising your pet has taken over one of your household appliances! Or do you head straight for the nearest web cam or video camera for a YouTube upload.
Not happy that the nearby brush didn’t go very fast, our next rider is little Willow von Willoughby, cruising along to the music of Yakety Sax. There are moments he decides to jump off and unsuccessfully attack Roomba’s legs, even give it a little push with its paws.
The Roomba by the way has a name – Bruschi?!? Maybe its a ‘was before thing’, before the Roomba was the Brush, before the brush there was the willow – something like that. Or is it a case of anthropoMEOWphism?
Max-Arthur – The Most Talented Feline Roomba Rider Award
Max-Arthur back in November sees the Roomba as a means of dominating poor pit bull Sharky with a few right-handed swipes of the paw whenever there paths meet.
You get to feel sorry for Sharky who has to move out of the way, obviously iRobot needs to come out with a more commercial sized Roomba that will support the weight of the pit bull and the playing field will be evened out a bit.
My money is still on Max-Arthur though, even though he displays lack of control when curious of the contents of the white bin he still looks as if he is in charge. I am sure we are going to see more of his antics.
Max-Arthur again, a video that has just come in on 5th March 2010, showing that within the space of a few months he has worked out how to turn the Roomba on for himself.
This cat is smart!!!
Again, displaying typical feline curiosity over how his hover disk is moving though – or is he looking for more controls on the Roomba to outsmart his fellow householder Sharky.
Notice the tail dragging action – Is this to confuse the poor Roomba with more pet dander or is it a helpful gesture of sweeping up behind? Finally, what is this feline fascination with Roomba’s legs?
We’ll see more of Max-Arthur later in the series where in July 2009 he took passengers.
Can any cat beat Max-Arthur? Let me know…
If now you have “got to have a Roomba!” then try here for the Roomba 560, this is the best value we can see at the moment. As we haven’t done a proper review yet look around the site for other merchants you might get a better price on. Remember if budget is a concern you can find many reconditioned ones there for a VERY good price if you look around that site.
If you DO find cheaper than there then please let me know…
Or maybe you have a Roomba and now you know you have got to have a cat!! A tip – if searching for a cat ensure that is states that it is ‘Roomba Trained’.
The manufacturing of what is now called Dirt Devil goes back to 1905 to the P.A. Geier Company when the first Royal vacuum cleaners were made. As part of the Royal brand in 1984 the products called ‘Dirt Devil‘ was introduced. These innovative products became the largest selling hand held corded vacuum cleaners in the US with over 23 million sold. The brand, now owned by TTI Floor Care North America, has been expanded and now they manufacture upright, hand, stick and canister vacuum cleaners, along with now carpet shampooers. The Dirt Devil Vacuum Cleaners are often red and black with the distinctive Dirt Devil logo. TTI Floor Care North America also own Hoover, another very strong vacuum brand.
We have here a list of the current available Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners that are new or in stock, with their distinctive features, accessories and tools. There was very little information often on the Internet and indeed the Dirt Devil site itself that actually helped distinguish one pet vacuum from another and this took quite a bit of product research, hopefully the main points of interest have been noted here.
For a home with a dog, cat or other animal, of any age, the chances of allergy can be reduced by one of these appliances. The filters for cleaning pet dander and ensuring it doesn’t get thrown back into the atmosphere will need to be HEPA, all of the range have this, except for the utility Scorpion Quick Flip Vac. Common to all Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners, they are ‘bagless’, meaning that you can empty the containers straight out from their dirt cups without having to buy in replacement vacuum cleaner bags. This method of dumping the dirt and dust into a trash can by just pressing a button on the dirt cup is a big plus for these cleaning appliances, one common complaint these products do not suffer from is the price and regularity of buying vacuum bags from the appliance shop.
The motors that power the range are powerful, the hand vacuums especially with a 7 Amp motor and the canister vacuums with 12 Amp motors. Because of the high performance motors there are no cordless hand vac products in this list and all come with a lengthy power cord.
This comes with a 3 year parts and motor warranty, the longest you will find in the Dirt Devil range and is the cheapest, you should be able to find one under $30. It comes with a Quick Flip crevice tool that can folds away neatly when not required but is handy in getting into those hidden recesses when pet dander can gather. It has a dusting and upholstery brush for removing the pet hair from the furniture and the longest extension hose in the hand vacuum range of 30 in for more flexibility in reaching those hard to reach areas. The model is very light at only 3.75lbs but even if that is too heavy it comes with a shoulder strap. The cord length is about 16ft, the shortest of the range but still adequate if combined with an extension to reach all around the home or car. It only has a standard air filter however, if HEPA filtration is required then one of the other hand vacuums should be looked at.
This also comes with the extensive 3 year parts and motor warranty like the hand vacuum above, the only two products in the range with the maximum warranty. You should be able to find this one around $40, so a little more expensive that the Scorpion Quick Flip Vac but it comes with HEPA filtration and a powered brush. The powered brush will make light work at removing stubborn pet hair and deeply bedded dirt. It has a cord length, the longest in the range at 20ft and weighs in at 6.5lbs. It comes with, as standard a dusting and upholstery brush. Its extension hose has a length of 24ins.
With a 2 year motor and parts warranty you should get this pet vacuum for under $60. It has essentially the same specifications as the Classic Hand Vac but with less warranty and higher price, so we are waiting for Dirt Devil to help us fill in the missing information. Watch this space…
Models M082750 and M082750CA, the only difference between these models is that the M082750CA is for California which gives 2 yrs parts and motor warranty instead of the M082750’s 1 year. For this extra warranty the M082750CA is usually about $6 more expensive than the M082750. In all other respects they are the same pet vacuum cleaners. They come with a mid range 18ft cord length, but no automatic cable rewind, and weight in at about 14.15lbs, though the hand wand is about 2lbs only. They are the only canister vacuums in the range that have a standard air system, like the Scorpion Quick Flip Hand Vac but do have HEPA filtration. They have a hose length that can extend from 72in to 120in for reaching under furniture and those high places. The M0822750 can be found under $170 but this makes it the most expensive vacuum cleaner of the Dirt Devil pet vacuum range. The power nozzle has a motorized brush roll with 6 height adjustments and a headlight to illuminate the pet dander on the floor. Looking at recent reviews of this product hasn’t been positive, we will keep you updated as more comes in as to whether this product lives up to its price tag.
This comes with a 2 year motor and parts warranty and you should be able to find this one below $150. Its hose length reach can extend from 72in to 108in which is shortest for this range of Dirt Devil canister vacuums but still quite adequate for reaching about the home. It weighs in at about 11.5lbs for the whole canister vacuum but only 2lb of that is for the wand and nozzle. It has an indirect air system with HEPA filtration which is standard for this range. It comes with the maximum length of cord at 20ft with an automatic cord rewind which is useful when putting away. It has a wide range of accessories, an upholstery tool, a crevice tool, a dusting brush, a turbo power hand brush, a floor nozzle and carpet nozzle which is only equally by the Vision Canister Model M082660. This pet vacuum generally has good customer reviews and many are happy with its performance.
This comes again with a 2 year motor and parts warranty and a little cheaper than the M082700 should be able to find this for under $120. Like the M082700 its hoes length will give it a reach of 72in to 108in, quite adequate for the home. It is a little lighter that the M082700 at 10.9lbs in weight which includes only 2lb for the wand and nozzle. Again it comes with a 20ft cord length and automatic cord rewind, an indirect air system with HEPA filtration. Like the M082700 is has the widest selection of accessories to go with it, an upholstery tool, a crevice tool, a dusting brush, a turbo power hand brush, a floor nozzle and carpet nozzle. It appears to be great on hard floors and light pile carpets. The problem of making the distinction between the M082660 and the M082700 is that other than weight and warranty there doesn’t seem to be specified difference, so the query has been put to their support to point out it out – Watch this space…
This comes with a 2 year motor and parts warranty and should be found for under $130. With a weight of 15.5lbs it is the heaviest of the Dirt Devil pet vacuum range but with the lightest weight for the wand and nozzle at 1.9lbs. The power nozzle makes this model more useful for tougher cleaning duties. Its accessories include a crevice tool and a dusting brush.
Finally this model has the shortest warranty, along with the M082750 of 1 year motor and parts warranty. This is Dirt Devils cheapest canister vacuum that you should be able to find at under $110. It has separate nozzles for bare floor and carpet which allows it to cover all home flooring. It also has a power cord of 20ft, the maximum along with many others in the range with an automatic cord rewind. Its accessories include a bare floor tool, a carpet nozzle, a dusting brush and a crevice tool.
One of the most important features of a pet vacuum is what filtration it has, looking through any vacuum cleaners ratings and information you will easily see if this is a part of the pet vacuum. So what are HEPA filter vacuum cleaners? HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Absorbing, which means that the small particles of pet dander, dust and other particles in the air, rushing through the vacuum at an incredibly high speed are efficiently absorbed into the HEPA filter. HEPA filter vacuums will catch these particles right down to 0.3 micrometers (or microns) and will remove at least 99.97% of them. If this efficiency isn’t reached then it isn’t a HEPA filter vacuum, less able and cheaper ones are usually called things like ‘99% HEPA’, ‘HEPA-type’ and ‘HEPA-like’.
To get an idea of the size of these particles, think of a human hair. This is about 50 micrometers in diameter, but can in fact range from about 20 to 180 micrometers. The dust particles that you may see on a sunny day dancing in the sunlight are generally about this size, although with great eyesight and a particularly bright clear day you could possibly see them as small as 10 micrometers. Pet dander however can be just less than 1 micrometer and so at this size can remain in the air for about 8 hours after a vacuum. You can see why then vacuum ratings and places that review vacuum cleaners should make it clear what kind of filter exists in your pet vacuum.
The size of the filter can vary considerably but they are generally very thin. You will find the larger diameter filters in the HEPA canister vacuum and quite small but equally efficient ones in the portable vacuum cleaners, like handheld vacuum cleaners, lightweight vacuum cleaners, where they can be washed easily and quickly. A point to remember though is they do not last forever. Instructions on when they need replacement should be found in your pet vacuum specifications or manual.
So when you are comparing pet vacuums pay attention to the vacuum rating and technical specification. A HEPA filter is a standard feature of a pet vacuum and other than the suction power, the most important part.