Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra vs. SEBO FELIX Premium: Which Vacuum Is Better?

If you're shopping for a good upright vacuum, chances are you've heard of Dyson. They're everywhere. They have cool commercials, interesting technology, and they've definitely made bagless vacuums popular.

But then there's SEBO.

SEBO may not have the same household-name recognition in the United States, but once you start comparing the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra with the SEBO FELIX Premium, there are some pretty big differences.

So which one would we choose?

The SEBO FELIX — and here's why.

First, Let's Talk About the Dyson

The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is a powerful bagless upright designed with pets in mind.

One of its coolest features is the Motorbar cleaner head, which is designed to automatically clear wrapped hair from the brush bar. If you have long hair, kids with long hair, or pets that shed like it's their full-time job, that's definitely convenient.

It also has whole-machine filtration, a bagless dirt bin and Dyson's familiar Ball design.

There's nothing wrong with the Dyson. In fact, it's a pretty capable vacuum.

But when we start thinking about owning a vacuum for years, instead of just comparing flashy features, the SEBO starts looking very different.

The SEBO FELIX Is Built to Be Maintained

This is probably one of our favorite differences.

The FELIX has a removable brush roller that can be taken out without tools. Hair wrapped around it? Pull it out and clean it. Brush worn after years of use? Replace it.

That might not sound exciting when you're shopping for a new vacuum, but give it a few years.

We would much rather own a vacuum where parts can be serviced and replaced than one where a worn component can turn into an expensive repair.

SEBO has a reputation for building vacuums with long-term serviceability in mind, and that's a HUGE reason we carry them.

Bags Aren't the Bad Guys

We know. We know.

"But I don't want to buy vacuum bags!"

Hear us out.

With a bagless vacuum like the Dyson, all that dirt, pet hair, dust and whatever mysterious substance was under your couch collects in a bin.

Eventually, you have to dump it.

And there's your dust cloud.

The FELIX uses SEBO's multi-layer AeraPure filtration bags. When the bag is full, you remove it, cap it and throw it away.

No shaking out a filthy dirt cup. No digging around inside it. No dust explosion over the trash can.

Plus, the FELIX bag holds considerably more debris than the Dyson's bin, so you aren't constantly emptying it.

What About Filtration?

Both machines take filtration seriously, but they accomplish it differently.

Dyson advertises whole-machine filtration on the Ball Animal 3 Extra, with its post-motor filter capturing 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.

The SEBO FELIX uses a three-stage S-Class filtration system, including the multi-layer bag, pre-motor filter and exhaust microfilter.

And because the dirt stays contained inside a sealed bag when you dispose of it, we really like the FELIX for customers who don't want to release their freshly vacuumed dust right back into the room.

Carpet? This Is Where the FELIX Gets Serious.

The SEBO FELIX Premium comes with SEBO's ET-1 powerhead.

You get:

• Four-position manual carpet-height adjustment
• Brush-roll shutoff
• Easy brush-roll removal
• Automatic shutoff if the brush becomes obstructed
• Excellent pet-hair pickup
• Replaceable brush roller

Being able to adjust the actual height of your vacuum head is especially important when you're moving between different styles and thicknesses of carpet.

And Then There's Hard Flooring

The FELIX Premium also includes a dedicated Premium Parquet Brush.

And we LOVE this thing.

Instead of asking one vacuum head to be okay at everything, you can put the parquet brush on the FELIX and have a lightweight, maneuverable machine specifically designed to clean hard flooring.

The FELIX can also swivel beautifully around furniture, which makes it surprisingly fun to use.

Yes.

We just called a vacuum fun.

We sell sewing machines and vacuums for a living. Our definition of fun might be slightly different than yours.

What About Pet Hair?

Both vacuums are good choices for homes with pets.

Dyson gets points for its automatic hair-detangling system.

SEBO gets points for excellent carpet cleaning and a brush roller that you can easily remove yourself when it needs cleaning.

Personally, we like being able to take the roller out, clean it and replace it when necessary.

Especially if you have one of those pets who apparently believes shedding is a competitive sport.

Then We Get to the Warranty

This is another BIG difference.

Dyson lists a 5-year limited warranty for the Ball Animal 3 Extra.

Qualifying SEBO vacuums purchased through participating authorized dealers can receive SEBO's extended warranty coverage of up to 10 years.

And when you buy your SEBO from Sew 'N Sweep, you aren't buying a vacuum from a box sitting on a warehouse shelf.

You're buying it from people who actually know how vacuums work.

We can show you how to use it, help you choose the right model for your flooring and — most importantly — we service what we sell.

So Is the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra a Bad Vacuum?

No.

If you absolutely love a bagless vacuum and don't want to purchase replacement bags, the Dyson has some very appealing features.

Its automatic hair removal is clever, it has strong suction, and it has become popular for a reason.

But if someone walked into our store and asked:

"Which one would you rather own for the next 10 years?"

We're choosing the SEBO FELIX Premium.

The Dyson focuses heavily on bagless convenience and technology.

The SEBO FELIX focuses on something a little less glamorous:

Building a really good vacuum cleaner that can be maintained, serviced and kept running.

And that's exactly what we want in a vacuum.

Come Try One Yourself

Don't take our word for it.

Come into Sew 'N Sweep and actually try a SEBO FELIX. Push it around. Try the powerhead. Try the parquet brush. Ask us questions.

We'll help you figure out whether it's actually the right vacuum for your house — not just whichever vacuum has the biggest advertising budget.

Sew 'N Sweep
400 N. Center Street
Westminster, MD
(410) 848-8080

Hours:
Tuesday–Friday: 10:00 AM–5:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM–5:00 PM
Closed Monday