Between Hoover Windtunnel 3 vs Dyson Ball Animal 3: I decided that the former was the better buy.
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 is a little more expensive, but it works well on all types of surfaces. Apart from the fantastic cleaning performance, it handles pet hair incredibly well. It also uses a simple design that is easy to assemble and use.
I didn’t feel that the Hoover WindTunnel 3 performed better than its competitor, but it didn’t disappoint me. It has a super long power cord and a fairly big dust cup. Considering the price is under $200, it’s a steal!
Hoover Windtunnel 3 Vs Dyson Ball Animal 3: Comparison Chart
Hoover Windtunnel 3 Vs Dyson Ball Animal 3: Differences
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 wins 2-1 and ties one against the Hoover Windtunnel 3. In short, the first one does a great job on all types of surfaces, allows you to adjust the suction, and operates more quietly.
Cleaning Performance
Winner: Dyson Ball Animal 3
Hoover Windtunnel 3
The Hoover WindTunnel 3 has no trouble vacuuming pet hair as well as small and large debris like rice on bare floors. Still, it doesn’t perform as well as the dust cup becomes full.
On low-pile carpets, this model struggles a lot more with pet hair but does a decent job with small and large debris alike. As for high-pile carpets, while the Windtunnel 3 is able to capture most pet hair, it still struggles to remove small and large debris. Unfortunately, small debris like sand sometimes gets stuck in the hose because of grooves in it.
Dyson Ball Animal 3
On bare floors, the slider on the floorhead should be set to the leftmost position. That way, it can clear small and bulkier debris with ease, and its suction performance remains as its dust cup fills up.
With the slider set to the far left position, this vacuum cleaner will easily suck up fine debris and larger material on low-pile carpets. And ultimately, setting the slider to its rightmost position will allow the machine to remove fine material and larger debris effectively on high-pile carpets.
Design and Convenience
Winner: Tie
Size
The dimensions of the Hoover Windtunnel 3 are 13 x 15 x 44 inches, while the Dyson Ball Animal 3 measures 15 x 11 x 42 inches. They are somewhat bulky and take up a good amount of space. Thankfully, their included tools can be stored onboard.
Weight
Regarding the weight of these vacuum cleaners, the Hoover Windtunnel 3 weighs approximately 18 pounds, while the other is slightly lighter and weighs about 17.5 pounds. This disparity, in my opinion, is insufficient to affect your decision.
Honestly, I was a little bewildered at how heavy these machines were. They weigh more than many other upright vacuums I reviewed, and I don’t really recommend them for a house that contains lots of steps.
There’s no better way to carry them unless rolling them. Lifting and carrying it is awkward and even hazardous. Both have a carrying handle, but it doesn’t really help.
Range
When choosing a vacuum cleaner, you will definitely keep an eye out for a model that has a long power cord to prevent you from having to plug your vacuum into various outlets.
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 has a 35-foot power cord, which is slightly longer than average. Meanwhile, with an amazing 40-foot power cord, the Hoover Windtunnel 3 allows you to reach more rooms. But they have no automatic cord retraction system, which means you will have to wrap these cords around the old-fashioned way, and this is a minor minus.
Dirt Cup
Winner: Hoover Windtunnel 3
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 can hold 1.2 liters of dirt, whereas the dust cup of the Hoover Windtunnel 3 is a little larger, holding 1.42 liters. If there is something that always rings true when it comes to dust cups, it is that the larger they are, the better for convenience.
These dust containers are made from transparent plastic, allowing you to know when they are full at a glance. Better yet, It is a breeze to click open these dirt cups to empty them.
Utilities
Winner: Dyson Ball Animal 3
Noise Level
In addition to my cleaning tests, I also measure how loud these machines are while running.
My testing showed Hoover Windtunnel 3 to generate 77 dB on average. It isn’t exactly quiet but isn’t too much of an auditory assault. I don’t highly recommend using it to vacuum early in the morning when your whole family is still asleep.
On the flip side, the noise level of the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is approximately 59 dB, which is similar to that of a conversation or dishwasher. This model is significantly less loud than the Hoover Windtunnel 3 and many other high-performance vacuums I’ve tested.
The Power And Head Surface Type Adjustment
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 allows you to manually toggle between three surface settings using the slider on the floorhead. This will change the head height and the suction strength. The far left position is intended for hard floors and embedded dirt and debris, while the middle setting is for cleaning solid debris from low-pile carpets, and the rightmost position is ideal for cleaning high-pile carpets.
On the other hand, the Hoover Windtunnel 3 has five settings that adjust the height of its head for different types of surfaces. Unfortunately, it lacks a power adjustment.
Warranty
The warranty is a significant factor that you should also take into account. Again, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 takes the lead with a longer warranty period (5 years), while the other comes with a 3-year warranty.
Hoover Windtunnel 3 Vs Dyson Ball Animal 3: Similarities
Easy to Setup
These vacuum cleaners don’t come ready to clean right out of the box, so there are several steps to setting them up before they can be used. But don’t worry! You can expect to get the job done in less than five minutes, and this is like a stroll in the park.
Brushroll On/Off
As for the Hoover Windtunnel 3, the brushroll can be turned on/off with a button on the head, which you can easily press with your foot. Its power button is below the handle.
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 also has two buttons, one for turning the vacuum on/off and the other for turning the brushroll on/off.
Quick Rundown Of Dyson Ball Animal 3
- The best cleaning performance of any upright de-tangling vacuum¹
- De-tangling technology. Automatically clears wrapped hair from the brush bar as you clean.
- Ball technology. Navigate around obstacles with a simple turn of the wrist. For easy, precise maneuvering around your home.
- 3 cleaning modes. Select the right cleaning mode for the right task. Optimized for a variety of tasks, for complete control over your clean.
- Engineered for larger homes with pets. Removes dirt and pet hair around your home. Easily tackles big messes.
Quick Rundown Of Hoover Windtunnel 3
- Hoover's best-cleaning bag less upright vacuum
- Quick Pass Brushroll - clean surface debris 2X faster without having to pass over the same area multiple times
- Wind Tunnel 3 Technology - 3 channels of suction to lift and remove surface debris and deep down embedded dirt
- 4-Position Height Adjustment - Easily adjust from deep carpet to hard floor surfaces for the best clean. Fast cleaning of surface areas, Extended cleaning reach
- Includes pivoting dusting tool, pet turbo tool, telescoping extension wand, and crevice tool. Conveniently empty debris with the push of a button, without getting your hands dirty
Product Video
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References:
- Dyson Ball Animal 3: https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/uprights/ball-animal-3
- Hoover Windtunnel 3: https://hoover.com/products/windtunnel-3-high-performance-pet-upright-vacuum-1
Victor K. Giles is a leading consultant and expert in vacuum cleaner technology with over a decade of experience. As a mechanical engineering graduate in the University of Michigan, he specializes in product development, design optimization, and performance analysis. Victor collaborates with manufacturers and educates consumers, making her a sought-after guest speaker at industry events. His work has been featured in renowned publications, and he shares his expertise on his blog, “The Vacuum Teria”. Victor’s passion for cleaner, healthier living spaces drives his to help clients choose the best vacuum solutions for their needs.