after reading loads of reviews and getting incredibly annoyed with my old dyson and binning another cheap vacuum cleaner, i am teetering on the edge of taking the plunge with a miele cat and dog. 

I have carpets upstairs that no vacuum has cleaned to my satisfaction.  they are synthetic and quite dense and dirt/hair/stuff just seems to stick. I am hoping that a miele with lots of suction could sort it out and am wondering if it helps get rid of stale dog smells from the carpets too.

There are also lots of attachments available for miele's and before investing in lots of stuff I won't use does anyone have any recommendations for attachments e.g. the one for cleaning blinds etc.

Sorry no experience to speak of - bought an ordinary Miele for the flat we own and it certainly has good suction.  Then all cylinders are supposed to be better suction then uprights.  Haven't had any experience of new upright Mieles - expensive.  Like you I have another dyson and in spite of washable filters it is starting to smell doggy.  However I never think my dog or house smells doggy - just the vacuum cleaner.  I am dispensing with all handheld vacuum cleaners and have installed a central vacuum system in our new build - with the bin and motor being in the utility room I am hoping it will finish doggy smells for good.

I've had my Miele for about 9 years now - it's still as great as ever. At the time the Cat and Dog version was more expensive than the normal one so what I ended up doing was buying the normal cleaner with the highest power and buying the turbo brush (which at the time was the same as the one which came with the Cat and Dog) seperately. It worked out cheaper for the same thing really - it just doesn't say Cat and Dog !. It was a chappie in John lewis which suggested it as I couldn't work out what the difference between the two was !. The turbo brush I only use on the carpets and I use the normal head for everything else.
Funnily enough I saw the manager of the gym I go to using a Miele there. Can you imagine the muck and grime he has to pick up there everyday - eewwwwwwww !.

Miele cat & dog convert here.   I bought mine online with Argos a couple of years back.  Just had the accessories that came with it, and didn't buy a blind cleaner, so can't comment.  I like the fact that the extras all pack in the top of the vacuum - as I would never remember where I'd put them.

The turbo head is superb for getting dog hair off the front room carpet.  I use the ordinary head elsewhere. 

It's the most expensive vacuum I've ever bought, but I have no regrets.  Only wish I'd stopped buying the cheap stuff years ago!  It's true that you get what you pay for.

> I am dispensing with all handheld vacuum cleaners and have installed a central vacuum system in our new build - with the bin and motor being in the utility room I am hoping it will finish doggy smells for good.

wow, that sounds impressive.  Excuse my total ignorance here but does that mean you never have to vacuum again?  That sounds like total bliss!

I have a miele cat & dog (actually I only have a dog...;-) ) and it's great, the turbo brush is very effective at gathering up the hairs. However, I've recently purchased a Bissell carpet sweeper for daily cleaning, and it's absolutely fantastic - I'm staggered at the amount of hair it picks up, quietly, quickly and efficiently. Using that daily keeps the carpets pristine and also reduces the amount of vacuum cleaner bags needed.

> you never have to vacuum again

I wish!!!!  What a lovely idea.  Fraid not - there are sockets around the house and a hose with attachments.  One just takes the hose around and plug it in - therefore no dust or noise or smell and fingers and toes crossed - plenty of suction.  The bin doesn't need emptying that often either.  My present cleaner needs emptying once I have hoovered a couple of rooms - especially when the dog is moulting.     Apparently Central vacuums are pretty normal in places like Canada/ USA.  Haven't used one before and hoping that it works well. 

I want a Roomba!

LOL Margot - just wondered whether you have been on the ribena - but I thought that I would google Roomba anyway.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roomba  :-)   My son got one of those cheap ones and it just ended up being in the way and something to fall over. 

This is the one that I want! http://www.iroboteurope.co.uk/item?sku=56203&secid=39815

:D :D :D

Just imagine - setting it off as I go to bed at night ......getting up to a hair-free floor :)

I hate to think what would happen if I left Meg alone with that!