I've had a Dyson vacuum cleaner for several years now, and bought this tool to replace the one that came with the cleaner, after it broke. This is probably the most useful tool for me, and I use it not just for cleaning the stairs, but also for cleaning upholstery and under and around furniture. It is very effective at picking up cat hairs as well as dust. Unlike the brush tool and the 'animal' tool, it does not get clogged easily with hairs. Unfortunately the Dyson doesn't produce very good suction through the hose compared to my old cylinder cleaner, but this is a problem with the machine rather than the tool.