Embrace Impeccable Cleanliness With Miele C3 Cat and Dog

Pros

• Outstanding cleaning performance

• Suitable for multiple kinds of floor

• Six levels of suction

• Simple design

• Self-sealing dustbag

• Onboard storage for most attachments

• Fairly quiet

Cons

• Expensive

• Single-use dustbag

• Unuseful user manuals

Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Review

Design

Despite its exorbitant price tag, the Miele Cat and Dog canister vacuum looks simpler than you might think. It has the same design as most other canister vacuums, with a plastic cleaning foot, metal wand, and a mono-color body. That being said, this minimalist design isn't boring, but if sleek appliances with flashy looks are your preference, this is not your best choice.

However, there are many who love this simplicity and tidiness of a vacuum cleaner, especially the performance is derived from the technology and mechanical parts behind instead of the aesthetics. And in this area, the Miele Complete C3 really does shine.

There are three canister wheels underneath it that can turn 360 degrees, making the whole machine more stable and easy to maneuver. These wheels are also rubberized so you don't need to worry about any scratching your delicate floors.

On the machine, you will also find some other extra features including a safety shutoff mechanism that will switch off the machine if it detects overheating, a carry handle, and an airflow-based bag change indicator.

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Cleaner Heads

As a European company whose main market is also this continent, it's surprising that Miele complies with the new power consumption regulation of the EU and equips the Complete C3 Cat and Dog with a 1200W power rating. While this number is not the actual power the machine needs to operate, it still indicates that if you need powerful and effective cleaning, this vacuum is ready to deliver it for you.

The Electro Plus cleaner head Via: Amazon

Coming with the Complete C3 Cat and Dog are two cleaner heads for carpets and hard floors. On these primary cleaner heads, there are different lengths of brushes that you can adjust easily with your feet.

This allows you to adapt the brush length to your soft or hard floors in case you don't want to change the cleaner head instead. As a result, this vacuum can deal with all kinds of floors, from high-pile to low-pile carpets and hard floors. If this is an overkill to your needs, the Miele Alize is a similar alternative you can have a look at.

The carpet cleaner head is also called the Electro Plus brush, and unlike many other models, such as the Miele C3 Complete Total Solution, it's motorized instead of using the airflow from the machine.

There are 5 different height levels so you can adjust it to, depending on the kind of carpet you are vacuuming. With a 12.5-inch brushroll and 2 rows of stiff bristles, this carpet tool is quite large. But it is also fairly maneuverable thanks to the swivel neck. Still, some people feel that this cleaner head should be a bit smaller and lighter.

On the other hand, the Parquet Twister tool for hard floors has a much lighter nozzle that can rotate 180 degrees and has a low profile so you can lay it flat under your furniture to get rid of dirt.

The pedals on the Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog provide 6 levels of suction control (a handy feature when you need to deal with delicate surfaces such as lampshades, curtains, or rugs) something that is usually pulled up by most cleaners during vacuuming.

You can use your feet to level the suction up or down between 6 settings: “Hard flooring and intensive cleaning of carpets”, “Low pile carpets”, “Energy-efficient everyday vacuuming, low noise”, “Thick pile carpets, rugs and runners”, “Upholstery, pillows”, and “Draperies, fabrics”. On top of that, the built-in air inlet valve on the handle will also lend you an extra hand to adjust the suction power.

Dirt Bags

The Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog has quite large dirtbags with a capacity of around 4.76 quarts, enabling it to handle a big amount of pet hair just fine without any clogging or tangling issues.

On the machine, you will see a strip that will change its color whenever the bag is full and needs a replacement. Emptying these bags is also a breeze as they are spring-loaded AirClean FilterBags. With the self-sealing ability, they can prevent common issues with dirtbags such as dust clouds and other kinds of mess.

Miele’s AirClean HyClean dirtbags Via: Amazon

However, they are also a pain in the neck for most customers as Miele only uses single-use dirtbags in this machine.

On other premium vacuums for pet owners, you usually have a reusable canister that can be emptied easily and eliminates the need of buying extra vacuum bags. This is a handy cost-saving feature that many love, especially when there are a lot of pets at their homes.

This is not the case with the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Powerline. You must purchase additional dirtbags separately, which is a drawback for those who want to strive for a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

But some customers have found a workaround by just washing the bags and reusing them again. With three thick layers made from puncture-resistant polymer, it's reported that these bags can survive a few more extra emptyings than what they are originally designed to do.

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Filtration System

As you should expect from a high-end vacuum for pet hair, the Miele Complete C3 comes with a multi-stage filtration system, including an exhaust filter, a dust compartment filter, and the bag.

Designed specifically for pet owners the Active AirClean exhaust filter can trap up to 99.95% harmful particles bigger than 0.5 microns. Additionally, the charcoal layers in this filter also help neutralize and contain odors. Even though it's disappointing that they are not HEPA filters, it's still quite durable and should last you at least a year before you need a replacement.

On top of this three-stage design, the entire filtration system is also completely sealed, meaning all air going into the Complete C3 will get filtered before exiting the machine. This prevents leaking that will defeat the whole purpose of the filtration system, especially around unsealed joints, attachments, and the hose.

Accessories

In addition to the two cleaner heads, Miele also provides a dusting brush (a standard tool like most vacuums), a crevice tool (for hard-to-reach spots), and an upholstery tool (for delicate surfaces), all of which can be stored inside the vacuum itself. You will also find a telescopic wand that can transmit electricity to power the carpet tool.

AirClean dirtbags and other accessories Via: Amazon

All these accessories can be attached with a single click into the metal tube. After adding this telescopic wand and the flexible hose, you will have a range of a total of 36 feet.

Noise

This is actually one of the things that set the Miele Complete C3 apart among other vacuums for pet owners. With a noise level of only around 73dB, this machine is at the same level as the quietest models on the market. While your kids or pets may get agitated by the noise of other powerful and loud vacuums, this is not the case for the Complete C3 Cat and Dog. This should be something you need to consider before making a purchase.

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Cleaning Reach

As we have mentioned, when attached to the necessary tools, this Miele canister has a full range of 36 feet. The power cord, on the other hand, is only around 23 feet in length, which most customers think is too short, especially when they compare it to a typical upright vacuum.

But for canister models, whose power cords tend to be a bit shorter, this length is in the acceptable range. You're even free from the need to retract this cord when you're done as it has the auto-rewind feature that you can trigger with a push on the foot pedal.

The auto-rewind cord Via: Amazon

Usability

The Miele Complete C3 weighs around 10.8 pounds, fairly light for a powerful vacuum cleaner. Even if your house has a lot of stairs or niggly areas, you should have no trouble carrying it around.

Thanks to the caster wheels that pivot and rotate by themselves as the machine moves, the Complete C3 glides effortlessly on most kinds of surfaces. On top of that, these rubberized wheels won't leave any marks on your floors.

The Parquet Twister cleaner head is extremely maneuverable on hard floors. Since this kind of flooring often has plenty of chairs, tables, or other furniture that dust often gathers, a tool like this is always a nice thing to have. It allows you to remove dust under your tables easily with not much extra effort.

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Most of these accessories can also be put into the onboard storage - a key feature for those who often lose their items. You will always remember where you’ve placed your tools the last time. The machine itself is also easy to store: just push it against the hose/wand and the canister will stay neatly in the upright position.

The Miele Complete C3 can get into tight concers easily Via: Amazon

Performance

Hard Floors and Carpets

The Electro Plus cleaner head can lower its brushes to make vacuuming hard floors easier with a short distance between the cleaner head and the floor. But it also comes with small cut-outs to avoid sticking onto the floor and damaging it. You can glide the Electro Plus with ease on hard floors, no matter what kind of debris you have to face along the way.

As one of the best Miele vacuum cleaners, the Complete C3 Cat and Dog can pick up most pieces of debris with its first pass due to its powerful suction. But this strong suction is sometimes also an issue as it may require you to grip the handle firmer or you may lose control of it. The quick solution is to reduce the suction level to what you think is enough for the vacuuming.

The Parquet Twister tool also has a similarly impressive performance on multiple kinds of carpets.  Whether your surface is high-pile or low-pile this cleaner head will spin fast to loosen all imprinted dirt from it.

However, just like on hard floors, the strong suction may pull up your rugs from the floor. In this case, you can use the inlet valve to quickly adjust the suction level.

The Miele Complete C3 can pull pet hair from carpets with ease Via: Amazon

Stairs

As a lightweight canister vacuum cleaner, the Miele Complete C3 has no issue cleaning stairs. Unless you pull the hose or power cord too much, the machine will sit neatly on stairs and not tip over while vacuuming. Its cleaning reach can handle half of a stair with ease without moving the vacuum into a new position.

If you face tight corners, the crevice tool will come to your rescue. It works nicely with the main machine to pull out all the dirt that has accumulated in those hidden areas.

Pet Hair

Given its status as a high-end vacuum for pet owners, it should not come as a surprise that the Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog does an incredible job at picking up pet hair. The brush will pull fur with ease from carpets, rugs, upholstery, or hard floors and keep it in the machine. It even has an optional feature to emit a perfume while vacuuming to freshen the air inside your house.

Alternative Choice: Miele Classic C1 Cat and Dog

While the Complete C3 is undoubtedly an extraordinary machine, its price tag also puts off a lot of customers looking for a solution for pet hair in their houses. If you like the overall design of the Complete C3 but prefer a cheaper machine, what is the best vacuum cleaner for you?

The Classic C1 Cat and Dog should be on top of your shopping list. There are not a lot of differences in the principle design between these two vacuums. You will find the same cleaner heads and power rating as on the Classic C1, meaning its performance should come close enough to that of the Complete C3.

Final Verdict

No one can deny that the price of the Complete C3 Cat and Dog makes this machine a poor choice if you are just looking for a general-purpose vacuum cleaner for your house.

But as our Miele C3 Cat and Dog review has pointed out, its ability to get rid of pet hair on all kinds of flooring is remarkable for a household model. If pet hair has become one of the biggest issues in your life and your budget totally permits it, this expensive machine and its impressive performance will certainly not disappoint you.