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Okay, we’ll come right out and say it. This vacuum is very expensive. You could buy a plane ticket to a tropical destination, splurge on some nice clothes, or upgrade your living room sofa with the chunk of change you’ll drop on this bad boy. But the promises the Miele Complete C3 Vacuum makes—removes pet hair and dirt like a wizard, is built to last years, incredibly quiet—are pretty high-end, too.
A Miele vacuum is an investment in every sense of the word. And we wanted to know: Is it worth it?
To find out, we put the Miele Complete C3 (Cat & Dog PowerLine model) to the ultimate test in the pet hair-filled home of one Rover pet parent. Here’s how it stacked up.
The Miele Complete C3 Features
The Miele Complete C3 Vacuum is a canister vacuum with disposable dust bags. For those used to bagless vacuums with detachable dust cups, this might take some getting used to. On the flip side, these single-use bags are designed to contain and seal off allergens and dander, which pet parents with allergies might find appealing. Depending on the package you buy, the vacuum will either come with a single bag and filter or a set of 16.
Additional features include the following:
- Multiple filters, including HEPA Air Clean and pre-motor protection filters
- A deep-cleaning powerhead, 1200-watt motor
- A suite of attachments, including a dusting brush, crevice tool, upholstery tool, and parquet floor brush, designed to get in hard-to-reach places
- A turbo brush that functions like a smaller handheld vacuum
- A curved handle for comfort
- A six-stage motor, adjustable via a foot pedal
- Three-year warranty (you can find Miele dealerships nationwide if repairs are needed)
Reviewing the Miele Complete C3 Vacuum for Pet Hair
With a hearty crew of two short-haired dogs, one long-haired dog, two long-haired cats, and a short-haired cat (whew!), our tester was the perfect candidate for the Miele Complete C3 Vacuum. Here’s what she discovered, pros and cons and all.
The Miele’s motor is quiet
One of the first things our product tester noticed when turning on the vacuum was how quiet it was, saying it was much less noisy than their older Dyson Animal. Instead of sending her pets scattering out of the room, the quiet hum of the Miele didn’t scare anyone. The household Chow mix, who usually bolts at the sound of a vacuum, even stuck around to observe what was happening.
Two cozy beans curiously watch the new vacuum from the comfort of their bed.
Easy to use and versatile
Our tester was pleasantly surprised that the vacuum was easy to maneuver, even on hardwood floors. The main head turned effortlessly and in many different directions, with the canister gliding easily behind, hardly noticeable even for someone used to an upright vacuum cleaner. Our reviewer also liked that the parquet brush had a lower profile that could get under furniture and suction up the harder-to-reach pet hair.
Effective on multiple surfaces
Not only was the Miele Complete C3 effective in cleaning fine dust, fur, and dog debris from hardwood floors, but it also worked great on other surfaces. For example, the adjustable suction levels got up dust and fur without sucking up the carpet as well. Our reviewer also found the smaller upholstery attachment worked wonderfully to clean pet hair from her sofa.
Testing it on her car, our reviewer said the various vacuum heads did a fantastic job of picking up dust and larger fluff. She added that it even removed the fur that had threaded its way into the carpeted areas of her car.
Single-use bags aren’t great
The biggest drawback for our reviewer was the Miele Complete C3’s single-use filters and dust bags, from both a financial and an environmental perspective. One of the things she loved about her Dyson Animal was that she could wash and reuse the filters and not have to buy vacuum bags. She found this especially convenient since her household produces a high volume of fur, and she finds herself emptying a lot of canisters.
She pointed out that the bags did hold a large amount of pet hair, though. And there were never any issues of strands getting tangled or clogged in the system.
Is the Miele Complete C3 Vacuum Worth the Investment?
If you don’t mind the disposable bag and filter, we feel confident in recommending the Miele Complete C3 as one of the best vacuums for pet hair that money can buy. With an air-cleaned, sealed filtration system, a host of handy attachments, strong suction, an easy-to-operate design, a sturdy vacuum head, and an adjustable six-stage motor, the Miele Complete C3 is a premier vacuum in a class of its own. In fact, our reviewer donated her Dyson to Goodwill after only one month of using the Miele Complete C3, claiming her household was “Miele people” now.
We think other households could also benefit from being “Miele people,” in particular:
- Large multi-pet households
- Dog guardians with pups who shed heavily and drag in a lot of dirt and dust
- Pet parents who want to invest in a top-of-the-line vacuum built to last decades
- Pet parents with allergies and those sensitive to pet hair, dust, and dander
- Homes with many different surfaces and hard-to-reach places
Not everyone will find the Miele Complete C3 Vacuum compatible, however, including:
- Pet parents who prefer vacuums with reusable filters and bags
- Pet parents with limited space who want something more portable, like a handheld vacuum
- Households looking for more affordable options
There are also quite a few other options in the Miele line if you’d prefer a different or more budget-friendly model, such as the Miele Classic C1 Turbo Team Canister Vacuum Cleaner or the Compact C1 Pure Suction Canister Vacuum Cleaner.
