Dyson DC54 Animal Pro

Unfortunately unable to give zero star – Probably the worst and more expensive vacuum ever put up in the market. Simply doesn’t vacuum properly. I have sent it twice to Dyson changed the entire bowl and component yet still not vacuum anything. I will never buy Dyson products ever and certainly not recommend it to anyone

Never buying Dyson again – This vacuums sucks (but not in the way you want a vacuum to). Main gripe is the dust removal which results in a huge cloud of dust and the fact half of what you vacuumed remains stuck in the barrel. Turbo brush head is brilliant day one, but a regret a couple of years later when it doesn't work. Show details

Never had an issue – This was the first time I spent big on a vacuum and I have to say, the Dyson DC54 Animal Pro has been fantastic. Have owned this one for almost four years now and it just keeps on keeping on. The accessories really benefit the pickup of cat hair and sand among other things, also useful for cleaning the car. The heads need cleaning fairly regularly… Read more

and once a year I pull it apart and give the insides a good clean with a brush and a can of air.

I'm not very partial to cordless vacuums, so I'm going to stick with this one for a few more years while they improve on the battery longevity.

First Dyson vac - best I have ever had – I love all the ends, for dusting, blinds, wood floors, carpets, corners - haven't yet worked all of them out. Suction is stronger than any other vac I had had before. Also love that it looks like a space-dog/animal and can get around easily. And just empties its guts easily - no bags, and retracts its tail-cord fast. Only thing is when the… Read more

dust gets caught in the outer part of the see-through barrel it is hard to scrape out with the tiny scraper. Still easily the best vacuum I had ever had and I will be loyal.

Good vacuum cleaner. Done a good job for years, but requires regular maintenance to work well – I noticed there are heaps of negative reviews for this vacuum cleaner...and seeing as it's discontinued, maybe they'll be showing up on gumtree etc so still worth reviewing at this late stage. This vacuum has been used in a 4 and 5 bedroom house for 3.5 years generally once a fortnight, fully carpeted except the food preparation and eating… Read more

areas. I don't use it on the tiled areas, but others have.

On carpet with the turbo head, it does a great job. Suction appears great, and it will easily lift rugs while they're being vacuumed. White dog hair is picked up very well from our carpet, and I don't think it flicks dust around like most of the other reviews mention. Seems to pick up a large amount of dirt in the carpet.

For a vacuum though, its very high maintenance. The head requires cleaning after each vacuuming session, and the dust canister requires emptying pretty much after every room depending on dust and dirt levels. There is a red line on the canister and the vacuum performs noticeably worse when there is too much dust above that line.

The turbo head also requires cleaning after each session...generally to remove hair that has wrapped around it. Thankfully it's easy to pull apart. It came with a tangle free head as well, but I couldn't be bothered using that to get the hair, then go over the carpet again with the normal head.

The worst part of the vacuum is that fact the dust canister was obviously designed by someone who doesn't vacuum. Its holds so little, and it's so hard to clean the dust and dirt out. The little rubber brush thing that is meant to help is annoying to use and it's pretty much impossible to empty without getting some dust on yourself ...even if covering the whole thing in a plastic bag first. Everything else pulls apart easily for cleaning, why not this?

Most of the attachments are forgettable and have rarely if ever been used. The bendable long attachment is handy for getting behind things but the bristles get clogged with dust too easily and it's not long enough. The is a furniture head too but it's nothing special.

Very Very Poor Customer Service – So this vacuum cleaner failed after a couple of years. When you pay $800 for a vacuum cleaner you expect to last. BUT the real problem is trying to get it fixed. The support line is non existent. You call and they say 2 hours wait time. You can't take it into to a service centre without it being booked in. There is an option to have a call back… Read more

after a wait. If you select that, no one calls you back. I've sent them emails, facebook messages and nothing. Absolutely pathetic.

Are you joking? – The Dyson 54 ‘Animal’ The Dyson. The Animal. The ‘must have’ vacuum cleaner. Every second person recommends one, so therefore It must be good... right? Well it’s just that sort of mentality that will land you with endless years of regret and frustration. So much so I have imagined every possible scenario of its death. Wishing it a violent… Read more

death however does not make up for the betrayal by a large greedy and somewhat clever company. You see it’s in the marketing where they begin to lure their victims into a false sense of hope and security. So lets delve into this abyss of never-ending trouble, design faults and warranty issues.

1. The ‘clever’ ball design..... are you fxxxxx serious? (And yes, before you ask, implied swearing absolutely warranted!!!). It falls over constantly. The very thing they market as clever doesn’t work. What a joke! As you drag it along, it’s stupidly high centre of gravity gets the better of it as it falls and makes contact with the earth.... on it’s side. Absolutely useless plastic junk!

2. Bagless..... and this is a big one... How do you feel about emptying the ‘large dust capacity’ bagless container twice every time you vacuum a average size house? If that doesn’t bother you, maybe this will. As you detach the barrel to take it outside, (or god forbid if you try this inside, you would soon regret it) you are blissfully unaware of what is about to ensue. As you place a bag around the drum to contain the dust as you open it, try as you might, your efforts are in vein as you shake furiously emptying the disgusting contents of god knows what showering you in dust and dirt that is so fine Mars is the only other place you’ll find it. And that is not it. That got rid of SOME of the dust, hair, dirt, fingernails etc. Now you have to get in there with you hands and remove the rest. Again showering you in more crap! It does not matter about wind direction, you WILL need a shower and complete scrub down....and to top it off, you have to then clean the barrel as well! Unbelievable morons and incompetents at Dyson. So what if a traditional bag vacuum cleaner looses a small amount of suction as the bag fills? Who cares?! You simply flip over the flap on the replaceable bag, remove the bag, insert a new one and your off.... possibly for months! Again...beyond a joke.

3. Plastic, plastic and more plastic. Built to last? Er... no. It may last as long as it is taking me to write this and that is about it. It started disintegrating virtually straight out of the box. Parts fell off, the patented ball wheels fell off, the cloth strip on the head got left behind on the floor which then got eaten alive by its own rotating power head. Need I say more. Well done Dyson, you complete idiots.

4. Pet specialist apparently... don’t have a pet - thank god in this case. Read below

5. Suction... Are you joking? Powerful? Compared to what? Without a word of a lie, this would not suck the skin off a rice custard. Not possible. An ant would be able to easily escape the ‘suction’ that it supposedly creates! As you endlessly go over the same spot, over and over and over again, you begin to realize the horrible truth that you are better off getting down there manually and performing oral on your own carpet. That will achieve the desired result far quicker than than this piece of junk. Like you have all day to vacuum your house....

6. Longevity and Warranty. Ummm, it’s a vacuum cleaner... (maybe in disguise), but according to Dyson it works (officially), so no refund. It can’t be fixed. That I agree with, it can’t be fixed!! It’s a poorly engineered, brilliantly marketed piece of xxxx. And expensive at that. This is not a cheap vacuum cleaner, at a $900 retail price tag it’s daylight robbery and should be banned by the ACCC in Australia.

7. So why the heck did I buy one!?? Am I completely stupid? Because I listened to a few people that told me about how great they were... What is worse, I am a person who does there research, and like to get others opinions. So I read the tonnes of negative reviews and I didn’t listen. My own fault. There is no one else to blame but myself for my utterly stupid choice.

8. Do yourself a favor, spend a fraction of the price, buy a german made appliance with..that’s right.... with a bag. Failing that, a cheaper barrel vacuum cleaner from Bunnings will serve you well for years without the exorbitant price tag and the years of guilt and self worthlessness that comes with the Dyson experience.

9. RIP Dyson. Never again will I buy from you.

10. Now off to sell to some unsuspecting buyer who will pay a premium for this piece of junk. The final irony is that the stupidly high resale ‘value’ of this vacuum cleaner will easily pay for the purchase of a quality German appliance. Unbelievable.

11. So what are you going to do now? Simple, read this and comprehend: DON’T BUY ONE. You have been warned!

Dont buy if you have Children! – We have had the vacuum for over 2 years and over this time have experienced quite a lot with this Vacuum. Lets start with the PRO * Great suction when new and clean * Excellent powerhead that lifts up dust and dirt from carpet * Nice and small and lightweight, perfect for elderly Now with the CON * Brush head spinny thing (that thing… Read more

that spins on the carpet) needs to be replaced every year

* Cant suck anything bigger than a 0.5cm cubed object

* Tips going around corners

* Annoying bin release mechanism and makes a lot of mess

* Things get stuck in so many different places between the powerhead and the collection bin

* Powerhead intake is tiny

* Hose intake to main body goes from round to flat - WTF - things get stuck

* from the flat intake into the collection bin is a bend - dont you accidently vacuum a nerf bullet

* If there is not enough suction, objects stay in perpetual spin in the powerhead

If you find the art of hand-picking and moving objects by hand relaxing, then this could be your baby. We just hope you are relaxed enough that when you have lost suction and cleaning a nice pile of coco pops and you lift the powerhead - this will make more mess faster than a baby with a bowl of yogurt!

Frustration will build like a yelping neighbors dog when you have to constantly stop vacuuming to remove stuck objects in all the different choke points - just dont even consider vacuuming the kids room! And you think stepping on a lego hurts!

Wait till you have to empty the collection bin - thats a pain in itself. Personally I dont like to just container into the bin directly cause our bin is always FULL of rubbish with our small tiny council bins so I have to empty into a bag. Try emptying into a garbage bag with the dust blowing into your face (instant Halloween makeup) - then you have to remove the suction chamber from the outter clear container and you have to push 2 tabs and explaining that to someone who has never used it before!

This vacuum is such a chore I prefer to use my OLD Dyson Upright cleaner with broken handles and heavy weight.

Then going around corners is annoying - just tips over. Vacuuming stairs is a pain cause its just a tad too big to sit on a stair level and keeps falling off so you have to hold it. Then the pain of dislodging more stuck objects in some crevas.

Dont vacuum food either - the stickier the worse, like lollies under the bed you didnt realise was there because someone was being naughty and didnt want to get caught!

Make sure you pickup all debris before vacuuming - have you had Yoga class recently - cause you will spend more time again searching for whats caused loss of suction.

Your yelping neighbors dog barking is serene compared to vacuuming using the DC54.

OHH stuck pieces again....!!!

Good when new but would never buy another – Great when new, as anything is. It does occasionally tip over which is a pain. However over the years it is problematic with suction and even being regularly disassembled and cleaned no where near as good as a 15 year old Bissell bagless that I still have. The Dyson is cumbersome to disassemble to get the lid off to clean inside and getting down… Read more

into the area with the nozzles you get so dirty. The design of the barrel is not good for something larger than a peppercorn as things jam inside it and cat hair and the like backs up behind the blockage. The barrel is too small for a decent room to be done, actually the size and the quantity that the barrel holds is a bad joke. Have to empty it after one room. The Bissell we have does the whole house and is so simple and clean to empty.Wife wanted to try it but even she is now saying that it's not a good vacuum cleaner. Would never buy another Dyson. For over $600 it's the biggest ripoff yet and had I known more about consumer law back then it would have gone straight back for a FULL REFUND under ACL as the item IS NOT FIT FOR THE PURPOSE.

Worst vacuum ever – This would have to be the worst vacuum I have ever purchased. Suction is atrocious, emptying of the smallest barrel is a nightmare, tips over easily and now after only about 2 years the pet head has given up. Would never recommend Dyson to anyone. I’ll be going back to Rainbow again next time.  Show details

A Nightmare – This would have to be the worst cleaner I have ever purchased I am constantly emptying the barrel not because it has good suction but because the hair and dust get caught and emptying it is also a nightmare I am lucky I am not asthmatic as I probably would have been hospitalized by now ...... Also tips over regularly.  Show details

Such a pain to clean – Suction is average, but not too bad. Sometimes have to go over the same area several times which is frustrating. Definitely the worst part about this machine is the emptying. I have persisted with it because of the cost, but it makes such a mess. Would not buy again. Disappointed.  Show details

All purchases on this machine should be refunded – My daughter has had nothing but trouble with this DC54 vacumm cleaner since it was purchased. All the bad reviews should be taken seriously and all complainants should be refunded money paid or gift vouchers to replace with another model. I have bought Dyson products for years, and this is changing my mind of ever purchasing this brand again  Show details

Major failure - Motor died, burnt and released smoke. Not the first fault – We have had the machine for 4 years. It was used once every 2 weeks, as we prefer to use a stick vacuum on a regular basis. The first failure: The animal head seized. This head was cleaned regularly. Dyson advised that a component in the head was clogged with hair which caused the entire part to fail. Dyson advised I should have cleaned the… Read more

head regularly, which I did. However, I querying Dyson on instructions on how I should have cleaned this area of the head. They advised that I could not reach this component without a Dyson tool. Yet they still blamed me for this failure.

I tried to explain the logic to them, but it failed on death ears.

As I have a young family, and needed a vacuum, I stumped up the $130 for a new head.

The second and major failure:

This occurred a month after buying a new head. I was vacuuming, heard a loud bang and then witnessed smoke appearing from the vacuum. The motor had completely failed.

Dyson, again, blamed this failure on me, yet the machine was cleaned as per their instructions.

I expect a machine that was worth in excess of $900 (over $1000 if you consider the additional head I had to purchase) to last longer than 4 years. Dyson does not agree.

I used to be a huge advocate for the brand, now not anymore. Particularly after how my issue was handled on both occasions.

It's a shame that Dyson doesn't invest the same amount into their customer service team as they do their marketing teams.

Worst vacuum cleaner I have ever had! – After being very happy with my Dyson for many years I didn't hesitate to immediately by another based on trust and not research. BIG mistake!! So many faults to list, mainly design but also a much cheaper build than previous models. Suction quality is basic, relys on Motörhead, that on hard floors spins and kicks debris out the back of it.… Read more

Emptying is a nightmare. Very messy, that involves digging in to the barrel to pull out debri. Maintenance is high as debri is often getting stuck in narrow openings in the machine. Can't wait to replace it! My handheld does a better job than this machine. Would never by a Dyson again. Rubbish!!

Bought this vacuum on reputation, let down – Bought the animal pro ball, 6 months after the warranty ran out it seems the motor has blown, when i have gone in to speak to the vacuum people at the shop they tell me it is a common factor with the dyson and they are not made to live long past the warrantee, this place even sold dyson, he said the only thing dyson are good at is advertising. Shame on me for not doing my research.  Show details

Absolutely crap will never buy a Dyson again – Brought the Dyson cinetic big ball animal pro 2 years ago, cost about $1000. Worst vacuum I have ever used, hair continues to get tangled in the head, the bucket that catches the dirt constantly falls open when trying to empty. I have had two Dyson vacuums over the past 15 years once apon a time I would never suggested any other. Now after the… Read more

experience with the animal pro I will never recommend or buy another Dyson again. If I could afford to buy another brand I would!

Unfriendly design – This vacuum seems like an exercise in design, with absolutely no thought given to servicability or to the user. It looks stylish, but is not user friendly. It has the worst suction of any vacuum I have ever used. I find myself chasing dirt around the floor or vacuuming the same area twice each time. It's basically a noisy and ungainly sweeping… Read more

brush!

It doesn't lend itself to following you around the house, as it tends to fall over if you do anything but travel in straight lines.

The turbo head stopped working after two months, leading me to strip it down completely to lubricate the components. Older models were designed to be customer serviceable, with all parts and filters easily accessible or replaceable. This model seems to be designed to do the exact opposite. If you are mechanically inclined, you can do it, but the average user won't. It seems Dyson don't want you fixing it yourself anymore.

Emptying the bin is a messy event, I'd recommend doing it outside, as dirt seems to go everywhere. The bin is also clumsy as the handle is basically a finger hole, and you need a very small finger at that. Older models allowed you to pick up and carry the bin with comfort, but the single finger hole is awkward.

In conclusion, I regret buying this vacuum, and will be replacing it after only 12 months of use, and I will do a lot more research and read a lot more reviews before I buy another Dyson.

A Decent overrated Vacuum cleaner – We are happy with our Dyson in general. We purchased the Vacuum with the view it looks great and bagless seem to be the go but after 6 months of use we soon regret it. The Dyson Vacuum in fact is very hard to clean being bagless and dust go everywhere when you need to empty it. If you do not empty it immediately it stink the next time you open it.… Read more

It was an expensive investment so we live with it for now but next time I will go with bagged vacuum.

Worst vacuum I really got sucked in – Purchase after reading choice review. How could they get it so wrong. The head blocks up very easy as the hole is to small for air flow. The bend under the rubbish can catches debris and is stupidly hard to unblock. Emptying the unit is a very dusty business and cleaning the filter with a air compressor to try and get some kind of suction back is… Read more

a job I REALLY Hate having to do. The two tiny clips that hold the barrel to the head are rubbish way too small and snap off.

Overall I wish I had never read the choice magazine review as far as I am concerned the day I purchased it was the day I might as well have given $700 dollars away at least I would have felt better about helping someone.

When people have asked about this product I tell them to come give it a try. Every person that has, has left my house swearing to never get a Dyson. Good deed done.

Nightmare from the start – My first Dyson (one of the first available in Australia, was a dream machine, unfortunately after many years of use this machine ended it's life in the hands of a careless home helper, so in 2015 I purchased another Dyson, the one recommended for homes with pets. This vacuum is a nightmare, the roller brush thumps the dust out of the carpet then… Read more

blows the dust around and does not pick it up, I end up having to use the small upholstery brush to clean all the carpets in my home, though generally the upholstery brush is very good for upholstery it will soon wear out if I am needing to vacuum a large home with it, not to mention the time it takes with a tiny upholstery brush. The roller brush is good that it can be taken apart to remove debris such as cottons wound around it, but it is time consuming to have to continually clean fluff out of it by hand too.

The brush for wooden floors which I had to purchase as an extra, is strangely angled, does not sit well on the floor and so cannot be used to effect under furniture. and the style of the brush underside is not conducive to good suction and I am continually needing to clean it by hand.

This vacuum cannot cope with any piece of debris larger than a pea, today I had to take it apart again and remove all the dirt by hand, yep onto the carpet and then I used a brush and spade, clearing the blockage is very time consuming and happens too often.

As for the emptying process, (what were Dyson thinking?) it is by far the messiest possible emptying process ever designed, even emptying into a large empty water barrel kept specifically for this process leaves me covered in dust, and I need to use a skinny stick to rigorously poke all the fluff and dust that is stuck tight in the narrow space (less than 1/2 inch in width) surrounding the drum which is the pitiful receptacle for dust in this product, it takes ages to empty and then it is so messy and dusty still that I have to clean it out with soap and water every week, yep the water runs disgustingly black and much rinsing still does not result in a clean looking drum which then needs to be dried outdoors in the sun for a few days. This product is an environmental disaster in any home let alone a home with asthma sufferers.

I find this vacuum cleaner to be heavy and awkward to use and carry about, it tips easily when pulled, does not corner well and is awkward to store when not in use. The wand is too short causing me to stoop uncomfortably resulting in back pain, and I am only 5 foot 2" (once again what were Dyson thinking? surely tall people vacuum too). I have contacted the Dyson help line soon after buying this product and told them I had half a mind to return it, the lady told me to get a Phillips screw driver and remove part of the vacuum cleaner so I could remove the blockage, which I did, however the area where the blockage occurred was so narrow I soon realised blockages were likely to occur a lot more often with this model, and I was right I had to get my screwdriver out to unblock it again today, In hindsight I wish now that I had returned it to the store and asked for my money back. The idea that a cleaner can block so easily with such a small item and then the user needs to get a screwdriver and remove the item is ridiculous.

The vacuum cleaner is not fit for purpose, I no longer recommend Dyson, and I will never even consider buying Dyson again.

Absolute garbage – This is by far the worst vacuum i have ever bought absolute garbage always had terrible suction. Motor stops and starts 3 years old and now having to replace it do not buy should have been a recalled model shame that Dysons old vacuums are better at least they lasted.  Show details

Junk - Do Not Waste Your Money – I bought this vacuum as I was told Dyson was the best in the business but it is a worthless piece of junk. It is terrible on wooden floors and just pushes the dirt around without vacuuming up. We have returned it several times and keep getting told it is fine but after speaking to other people they've experience the same problem. Tried to… Read more

get a refund or credit but to no avail.

I will never buy another Dyson again - Do not waste your money!!

Worst Dyson – I loved Dyson it was the vacuum I always purchased and suggested. I purchased this model and have had nothing but problems. I have to repeatedly go over areas, it is disgusting to clean, the suction is terrible. Overall a terrible vacuum and won't buy Dyson not recommend. Need to change the game Dyson.  Show details

Stong vacuum – The machine is good with carpet, very powerful and stong suction. It is very light and easy to maneuver. I normally use it every fortnight and my home always keep clean. It a little bit noizy i guess because it is powerful which is toleratable. The only problem for me is the rabbish bottle is not easy to clean.  Show details

This is a good unit but high price – Good performance it is not light and noisy, not easy to maneuver as it always flip over. it does the job. I used it mainly on hard floor, tile and floating floor unit is heavy to carry around but the suction is a big plus, if the price is cheaper i would 100% recommand  Show details

Still going strong after 18 months – Our Dyson wasn't cheap but it is worth every cent. We got plenty of options and use most of them. It cleans fabulously but the container fills quite quickly because it is so efficient. Never mind, it is quick to empty even if you need to give it a good shake to get the excess dust out. We use it five or six times a week for a total of perhaps… Read more

10 hours as we have a big house. THe new big ball ones look great but envy isn't enough reason to swap something that works for something that is better and improved. I will stick with my vacuum knowing it will last a long time.

Request for recall model and should be replace or repair free of charge – Brought this October 2014. Top of the range for $990. Use to vacuum my kitchen vinyl floor. And on carpet for whole house around 5 times only. The reason why not used often because I could not able to vacuum my desk and other furniture. The brush could not pick the dirt up well. Last month motor turn on and next minutes burned and stop. What a… Read more

joke that...! Contacted Dyson and they said we here to help. They asked me to replace the motor or the old model as it had filter and good to used for vacuum pet hair. Really...? Because I am out of warranty and the only choice is to replace a motor for $299 or get and old vacuum for $299. Another way os add another 2 years warranty for a crap model so call best of the best for another $299. This model and the price we paid should a lease be last for more than 10 years. This model should be on recall. Any person out there please be careful and shop around. There are vacuum cleaner out there much cheapest and better than Dyson. Name is nothing. Don't support them is they are not willing to push them self for the best products provide to consumers need. All about money...

Worst vacuum cleaner ever – Having had an early model Dyson, which was the best vacuum I'd ever owned, I rushed into buying this new one when my old one broke. What a mistake! So I guess Dyson listened to all the terrible reviews and then discontinued this beast. The worst part of all was the tiny capacity dust barrel, which was incredibly difficult to empty, and which also… Read more

caused a massive puff of dust and dirt within a several metre radius upon emptying, therefore negating all of the supposed benefits of the asthma and allergen friendly cleaner. But what will Dyson do for the poor purchasers (like myself), who spent the best part of $1000 on what was the top of the range vacuum cleaner at the time? Will they do a complimentary changeover to the newer Cinetic Ball Animal Pro? Or will they run the risk of some disgruntled consumers (like myself), taking our cause to the highly effective platform of social media? The ball is in your court, Dyson.

Worse company in history do not buy one – Never buy from Dyson they are totally rude and not client friendly will never purchase again they have deleted my vacuum and will never listen to why it is crap stating it works to manufacturer policy. Well sorry it doesn't covered in dust horrified allergy sufferer feel like suing this company.  Show details

Waste of Money – This is my second and last Dyson. Suction is appalling on such an expensive machine and is better to flick things around the room than the actual job it was made for. Nightmare to empty and the small tube is prone to getting things stuck. it is definitely not made for animals. Overall a horrible vacuum  Show details

DC 54 motor burnt out – Same for me. DC 54 approx 3 years old motor burnt out last week end. I found the nut holding the motor armature had come off and laying around in the barrel. Customer service not too interested. Standard answer....out of warranty blah blah. I live on my own and hasn't had a hard work out.  Show details