Dyson UP13 Ball Animal Upright Vacuum

I bought this to replace my two years old Panasonic, who's brush stopped rolling, so I cannot clean the carpet with it at all. I loved that old vacuum, but I cannot find that model online anymore. So I decided to give the expensive Dyson a try hoping with great price comes great quality. And so far so good. I read some reviews before I bought this refurbished model, to make sure it is worth a try, and it did not disappoint. Upon receiving it there are two letters with Dyson's letterhead reaffirming that the refurbished model is engineer tested and has a 6-month warranty. The assembling took about 15 min, not to hard, but the instruction has pictures only without much description, so I hade to really pay attention to where the picture is pointing. The first thing I notice is it's quieter than my old vacuum, which was so loud that I usually can't hear anything even when people yelling at me. Second is it's very easy to steer, the vacuum itself is not very light weight, but it feels light when operating. And wow the suction is good, I only need to do one trip even on the carpet, which has been cumulating a lot of dog fur since my old vacuum broke. Other nice features I like including the wand that extends forever, and some handy tools included, but I haven't got a chance to test them yet. Few things I feel could have been improved. I cannot believe such a powerful machine does not have a retractable cord, you have to roll it after cleaning, like an old fashioned vacuum. Also it would be great if it has a sensor, like my old vacuum does, with a red or green light that tells you if it's still dirty or cleaned, but i guess its not that important if it can suck everything with one or two pass. And last, when i try to empty the bin, it doesn't open easily, even though it supposed to be hands-free, I need to use my hand to help open it after I press down the open button, seems like the seal around the opening making it stuck. Also want remind people who's picky about the appearance. The refurbished model I received looks almost new except the bin, in the letter came with it, they reassure you that the bin had been thourowly cleaned, but it just doesn't look clear and scratch free like the new one, although they say you can order a new bin on line if you want to. I'm ok with it since it'll look like that after once or twice use anyway. Overall this is a great vacuum, coz the most important thing is that it cleans well. I'm falling in love with this new toy, and I hope it will last a long time.