Was looking for a compact lightweight hardwood floor vacuum when a relative got a Dyson Animal and loved it. So I borrowed it to try it out and to be honest I wasn't too impressed. Good, but not worth the 400โฌ in my opinion. So I started looking again and after lots of cost and feature comparisons, settled on this one. Not bad for under $200. Here's my list of Dyson pros, cons, and counterparts. Pros: Under $200 vs $400, I couldn't tell a penny of the difference in suction power or battery life between the two. Cons: I think the Dyson was a little more agile and maybe a little lighter. I think the Dyson was a little sturdier in construction, but being a mature man who minds his stuff I'm not overly concerned. (If you're planning on getting teens or husbands to suck against their will, this might not be the device for you.) Not made in the USA, nor by Dyson. Nozzle and empty the dust container. (In either case, there's a learning curve.) And if you're a person making the move from a high-end rack, you might be disappointed. None of the vacuum cleaners have such power. For example, they will not absorb what you do not intentionally physically move. No cobwebs or cat hair within 2 inches. You'll need to assemble your setup to get that final treat on the cornices or under the edge of the sofa. But if, like me, you want to store something that doesn't take up half your entry closet, don't want to buy vacuum cleaner bags, don't have carpet, and are cleaning a fairly small area at a time (1,000 sq. ft. or less), you can go.