Review: Dyson DC35 Animal

Arabella Dyson

After using this you will never need another vacuum. Period.

That is a tall claim, but after having used this for 2 weeks around our house, we are convinced that this is the future of all vacuums. It is even better than our beloved automatic Roomba and the original full size Dyson.

Is it a handheld? Or is it a standup vacuum? It is both! And that is what is brilliant about it.

Face it, if you do regular clean-up, you don’t need the full sized Dyson. But you don’t do regular clean-ups because lugging the heavy full size Dyson is a chore. Right?

But use this Dyson 35 Animal and you will do more regular clean-ups because it so easy and lightweight to use. It combines the convenience of a handheld with the power of a Dyson motor.

What is not to love?

— Light enough to be used by even a kid.

— Does not need to be plugged in to use. Carry it to the cleaning location and press the button.

— The bin is big enough to hold a regular clean up. Empty the bin with the touch of a button with no mess.

— Two modes – one for regular clean up and the max mode for more powerful suction.

— Hangs in the cupboard with space for multiple attachments.

We used it to do a regular house clean, to clean a family car, and to clean a car that was used to transport a pet. Except for the pet car, for everything else the DC 35 Animal was powerful enough, especially when used with the mini brush tool to come up spotless. We couldn’t be happier.

There are some issues though!

— The battery on max power lasts only 6 minutes and takes 3.5 hours to fully charge.

— It is not a full sized Dyson. That is a feature and a problem. Some situations will require the full sized Dyson.

All in all, we would recommend this Dyson wholeheartedly. It will replace your original Dyson.

As if Diwali weren’t colorful and fun enough, The Festival of Lights: A Lift-the-flap Diwali Celebration by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Darshika Varm, makes it even more fun to read about with flaps and things to lift and pull to see more information or details in the illustrations.

The book is a story about a family getting ready for Diwali and what happens on the different days of the five-day celebration. There’s cleaning, shopping, crafting, food preparation and getting the home altar ready for the big day.

It covers decorating the outside of the house with rangoli, diyas and lanterns, buying sweets to share with family and friends, the sights and scents of the mandir (home temple), getting dressed up in new fancy clothes, the story of Diwali and celebrations with relatives.

Flaps (there are more than 140 in all) give you vocabulary words for different foods and definitions, as well as fun things like what’s inside the shopping basket or where the cat is hanging out. They also help illuminate the story of Diwali, which is the triumph of good over evil as Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravana to save his wife, Sita.

This pretty and colorful book helps kids understand what Diwali is and how it is celebrated, regardless of whether they practice it at home. This would be a nice book to keep in a classroom (it’s rated for kids ages 3-7) or to have at home to teach kids about Diwali even if it’s not something you celebrate. Where I live there are a lot of people from India so we are probably exposed to Diwali more than some other regions of America, but it’s a nice holiday to know about wherever you live.

Combine with the book Diwali and check out some fun lantern crafts and printables for kids to round out your experience.

About the book: 24 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail prices $22.99.

Have you read?