The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy vacuum cleaner is pinnacle Dyson, in that it makes the vacuum cleaner as maintenance free as possible. The Cinetic line, of which the Big Ball Animal + Allergy is one of the first to hit U.S. shores, gets rid of the requirement to maintain the filter via cleaning. That means Cinetics don’t have bags, and don’t have to go through the usual Dyson minimal maintenance of periodically removing, rinsing and then drying the replaceable filter component. You still have to empty the dust and dirt chamber, but if Dyson could somehow eliminate that it would probably break the laws of physics.
Basics
- 180 AW suction power
- Ball tech for omnidirectional movement
- 0.57 gallon dust bin
- 19.8 lb weight
- 7 attachment heads included
- 5 year parts and labor warranty
- MSRP: $699.99
- Product info page
Pros
- Essentially maintenance-free
- Includes all accessories most will need
Cons
- Expensive
- Fairly heavy
Design
Dyson’s done their usual top-notch job with design with the first U.S.-bound Cinetic, which resembles previous Dyson uprights but which features the double-stacked new Cinetic turbine that gives it its power, and its ability to avoid filters that need removing or replacing. The key here is that it uses smaller cyclones working together to generate a high amount of centrifugal force to separate out even the smallest bits of dirts and dust which then fall through vibrating rubber nozzles (which oscillate to prevent build up and blockage) and into the bin with the larger pieces of refuse your ordinary vacuum picks up.
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The tech is married to the design, of course, as is often the case with Dyson hardware. The capacious bin gives you a lot of vacuuming time between empties, and the big ball from whence comes the name offers easy maneuvering around corners with the standard floor and carpet brush. The slide-out extension tucked into the handle lets you use the various accessory attachments that come in the box, and its integration into the main unit is cleverly designed to both keep out-of-the-way when the primary vacuum is in use, and to not get over-tangled when you’re snapping it out to go over the couch cushions, dust or clean the drapes.
It is a bit heavy as a large machine that nears the top of Dyson’s charts in terms of suction power, but the ball alleviates some of its weight-related navigation woes. Smaller owners should still be wary if they plan to carry the Cinetic Big Ball between levels often, and might want to consider one of Dyson’s cordless models if portability is a big priority.
Performance
Dyson’s consistent promise is that it will deliver industry-leading suction while still offering up technical innovations that lesson a user’s involvement in the annoying maintenance process, and the Cinetic accomplishes that based on my testing. In a few weeks of use, it has consistently outperformed my own existing Dyson DC25 upright, and it hasn’t faced any issues with clogging or diminished suction power, despite the use of the novel new filtration system.
A key part of the Animal + Allergy’s appeal is also the HEPA-filtration used throughout the vacuum mechanism, which Dyson says allows the machine to output far cleaner air than any other comparable machine in existence. That, combined with the hypo-allergenic dust bin emptying mechanism, which allows the removable container to be emptied with a single button-press into a waste receptacle, should help make this a good choice for those with allergic sensitivities.
I don’t suffer from allergies myself, but I do have a dog, and one that sheds with a voraciousness that borders on the frightening. The Cinetic made quick work of my dog’s medium, straight thick orange hair, which shows up equally well against my kitchen’s white tile, my living room’s white and black rug, and my bedroom’s beige carpeting. So far, neither the floor brush nor the internal mechanisms have had any problems with tangling or blockage as a result of the millions of pounds of dog fur they encounter every day, and for five minutes a day before the dog starts shedding again, I can actually convince strangers I don’t even have a pet.
Extras
The Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy represents Dyson’s top-of-the-line kit for its new filter-maintenance free range, so it’s no surprise that it’s a very expensive vacuum from a maker of very expensive vacuums. But the company does throw in a lot of extras for the cost, including a turbine tool for removing pet fur from furniture and more without tangling; a carbon fibre dusting brush that covers a long surface area, unlike some cheaper versions; a crevice tool for cleaning in narrow gaps, like between the fridge and the wall; a multi angle brush for hooking around to the top of infrequently cleaned spaces; and a mattress tool for cleaning where you sleep.
A tool bag makes all of the above more portable, and harder to lose when stored. Dyson values the whole pack of extras at around $200, but whatever its monetary worth, it does indeed help the Cinetic Big Ball act as a replacement for dedicated dusters, handheld vacs and other standalone cleaning gadgets.
Bottom Line
Dyson vacuums, whatever you think of their price, have proven themselves worthy of their high reputation. On top of that, the Cinetic lineup offers a laziness advantage that few can turn down, especially if they’re already disinclined to want to devote much time to chores to begin with (yes I mean me). Not having to raise even the pinkie-finger level of effort required to remove, rinse and replace a filter or two once every thirty days is a surprisingly powerful advantage, and the vacuum’s excellent and consistent suction is a mighty nice side benefit, too.