I never go anywhere without this vacuum cleaner. I've been using it for over 3 years and can definitely say that it performs as well or even better than larger, more powerful household vacuums - provided you empty the bin regularly and give the filter inside a good rinse. I lived with two huge Siberian huskies who blew their fur coats off, meaning there were mountains and mountains and mountains of fur everywhere. This allowed me to get rid of their daily shedding in no time and even vacuum right around the dogs. The narrow nozzle is ideal for picking up dirt and dust along the baseboards in the room, on window sills and in corners.