Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum

Very quiet. It's rated at 60 dB, and pets often stay asleep nearby while it runs. Switching on the powered floor brush makes it a little louder, but the C3 stays easy to use around a sleeping household or in an apartment.

Yes. In homes with several dogs and cats, the powered floor brush lifts embedded hair and dirt from carpet and rugs in fewer passes. The C3 also has an Active AirClean filter with activated charcoal, aimed at the pet smell that comes with all that hair.

Mostly, but not always. Many describe it as solid and long-lasting, one still going after four years. Two people, though, had parts fail in the first year or two, one on the powered head's height dial and one on the bag door hinge. Check the warranty terms on the C3 before you buy.

Yes. Plus and minus foot controls change suction without bending, and the brush height adjusts too. That range takes the C3 from door mats and thick carpet to fine rugs and curtains, but the height needs setting correctly on rugs or the brush won't do its job.

Not in use. The listed weight is 23 lb, but the canister follows easily behind you and is simple to carry upstairs, so dragging the C3 from room to room isn't a bother. You do need to plug it in again as you move between rooms.

Yes, it's a bagged canister, so you'll be buying dust bags. The bag holds 4.5 liters, and suction holds up as it fills.