The Dyson V6 Animal arrived very well packaged. There was a thick cardboard surrounding the entire product (not a box) and this ensured that even the product box was intact.
When opening the actual product box, every item and part for the Dyson was individually wrapped and packed in cardboard. Items were not squashed and were very well protected.
I think the quality is great with the only real issue being that the bin could be slightly larger to reduce the amount of times it is required to be emptied.
Also, if fluff / dust gets caught at top of the bin, there is not enough space at the top for your fingers to pull out the fluff / dust, so would help if it were slightly wider on the opening. However I am generally very happy with build quality, the product felt quite stable and sturdy during use.
The best feature is definitely the MAX Power mode button. To be able to have extra power for small stubborn areas is not common on other vacuums. The fact that it is a handheld vacuum also makes it more accessible for quick clean ups. It is also quite lightweight and makes cleaning less of a chore.
I do think it is quite expensive; however the quality is what dictates the high price. There is no similar vacuum at the same price, but I don’t think the other vacuums are of the same build / quality and performance as the Dyson.
I would definitely recommend this vacuum to friends and family, however, it would depend on the size of the home whether it would be recommended as a main vacuum or an additional vacuum. This particular model with 20 minutes run time I do not feel is sufficient as a main vacuum for a large house.
I would definitely love to purchase additional Dyson products, however, price is definitely a factor in future purchases.
As mentioned above, the collection bin could be slightly wider for easier access and to hold more dust / debris. Also, the MAX Power button is slightly fussy to use as the vacuum needs to be on to switch it on, and doesn’t automatically turn off when the vacuum turns off therefore reducing the ‘boosted’ vacuuming time significantly if not manually switched off again.