★ I think I might just have a touch of writers block! ★
★ I think I might just have a touch of writers block! ★
Member since:06.01.2006
Reviews:57
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Recently my very old, very well used vacuum cleaner died. I was then faced with the dilemma of what to replace it with. For a brief moment I did wonder whether I could not bother buying a new vacuumcleaner, but invest the money that I had saved into much nicer things, like cider and chocolate, but then my clean gene got the better of me.
As luck would have it I was wondering aimlessly round Sainsbury’s when a Dyson almost jumped out at me and said “Buy me, you know you want to watch your dust floating around in front of your eyes!” After a brief check of the price, and the colour (I am that shallow) the purchase was complete.
There has been a lot of hype about the Dyson vacuum cleaner range. Mr James Dyson is a wealthy man and his products have won a wide range of awards and much as it pains me to say it I can see why. The technology that is used in the Dyson products claims to ensure that the vacuum will not loose suction, meaning that the power doesn’t decrease with age.
☆ Dyson DC07 HEPA ☆ This is an upright vacuum cleaner in a stunning, and dare I say it, very now silver colour. It has a fairly wide brush head and the vacuum tapers up towards the long handle. This handle houses the hose, which is made from a flexible and semi see through material, and the wand. The wand is solid, and is useful for extending the hose to reach high ceilings, or hard to reach areas. At the base of the handle is the on/ off button, which I think is thoughtfully positioned for taller people, saving them the long bend down to the base of the cleaner. The tools are attached to the Dyson in
special and rather clever stowaway sections. The dust collection part of the Dyson has a “clear bin”, which is still relatively sparkly, although I can see that will soon change. It stands upright when not in use. When actually using the Dyson you have to push the cleaner brush head down with your foot whilst pulling the handle towards you, something which sounds far harder to do when you read as opposed to actually do it. The DC07 has a carry handle, and it is suggested that this is the way that you should always carry your Dyson. The power cable has a neat storage area at the back of the machine, but sadly there is no automatic winder, you have to manually put it around the thoughtfully positioned clips.
☆ Tools ☆ All good vacuum cleaners come with tools. My last vacuum cleaner had a wide range of tools, that I rarely used (apart from the crevice tool, but that was more for the comedy value than anything else). The Dyson DC07 is not overloaded with tools. Those present are useful and functional, and I do not feel that they are included merely as a sales feature. All of the tools are stored neatly on the main body of the machine.
In order to use the tools you have to ensure that the machine is in the upright position, which you achieve by pushing the handle upright. You then have to press the handle release button and remove the hose. The tools then attach easily onto the end of the hose.
Now I have nicknamed the tools, the brushy one (which is known to Dyson as the brush tool), the furry on (the stair tool) and the funny one (the crevice tool). As I explained, each tool attaches easily onto the end of the hose, and when you have finished with them each is easily replaced into their little tool homes with a simple click. The stair tool has a furry edge to it, and it is fabulous for bringing up the pile on the stair carpet, giving it that “I have just vacuumed the stairs” look. The crevice tool is wonderful at getting into gaps between furniture, and is useful for removing cobwebs, should you be such a poor cleaner that you would allow such things to happen in your home! The brush tool is the one that I have used the least; however it is good at removing dust from lampshades. Anthea Turner eat your heart out, I am a true domestic goddess!
On the Dyson website there are a range of other tools that are available to purchase and that fit onto the vacuum in the same way as the tools provided. These include an up top tool, for cleaning hard to reach areas, such as the top of cupboards, and a soft dusting brush. The price of these additional tools is roughly £10 to £15.
☆ Features ☆ Clear Bin ~ The clear bin is one of Dyson’s best features in my opinion. All of the dust vacuumed up collects in the clear bin. It has a Max fill line, which you are not to exceed. The reason why I like the clear bin is the ease of emptying. You simply press the bin release button and out plops the bin. Then, when you have positioned over the rubbish bin you pull a trigger to release the base of the clear bin, and out flow the dusty contents. The bin capacity is 1 gallon of dust, which means little to me, but equates to the amount of dust that an average family will create in an average house.
Blockage Inspection Areas ~ This is a powerful vacuum, and occasionally while cleaning my sons rooms I have to admit that the Lego has suffered a miserable and rather dusty fate. With the Dyson DC07 there are several inspection areas which are easily released and removed, allowing you to check for stray toys. It is refreshing to see a vacuum cleaner that allows you to do this. My previous machine used to growl when it got blocked, but I was unable to remove any parts. Dyson does explain in the instruction leaflet that it is important to remove blockages promptly as blockages can cause overheating, triggering the thermal cut-out. If this happens you must leave the machine unplugged for half an hour.
Hepa Filter ~ The Hepa filter or High Efficiency Particulate
Pictures of Dyson DCO7 HEPA
Look, it is silver!
Air filter, is designed to filter out the smallest particles in dust. Apparently it can filter up to 99.7% of airborne particles. This makes it a very useful feature for people suffering from asthma or dust triggered allergies.☆ The Powerful Sucker ☆ Using the Dyson DC07 is easy; you just turn on and go. I must, at this point though, explain that it is necessary to remove small people from the room before turning it on. It is the loudest vacuum cleaner I have ever heard. It simply roars across the carpet, and when you use it on wooden floor or tiles, the noise seems to be amplified. There is no way of controlling or changing the ferocity of this machine, which would be my major criticism of it. It is either off, and silent or on and roaring. The suction power is 1200W, and is maintained at this level by the root cyclone.
I like the way that my carpet looks clean after I have used the Dyson, and I also like the fact that it doesn’t leave a vacuum cleaner dusty smell behind.
☆ The Best Bits ☆ There are a number of things about my new Dyson that have impressed me, but here are the things that I would consider to be the best bits.
The Dust Bin ~ For all the reasons explained above, and for the fact that I don’t ever have to remember to buy bags. There is no additional expense to this machine. The only disadvantage to this is that the kids can see when Lego whizzes round, and I can no longer lie about the fate of their favourite toys!
The Blockage Inspection Areas ~ I have already retrieved one Winnie the Pooh plastic toy, three pieces of Lego and a hair clip form my Dyson. I am a very clean person, but my tidiness levels are lagging somewhat behind. I therefore have a somewhat slovenly approach to running the vacuum over a semi tidy room. These inspection areas are so easily removed and replaced that even I can manage it.
Lifetime Washable Filters ~ Again the washable nature of the Dyson’s filters ensure that there is no additional expense that would come with having to replace them.
The British Allergy Foundation Seal of Approval ~ The DC07 has a root cyclone, which is designed to maintain the suction levels. This apparently means that even the smallest pieces of dust and dirt are removed. This feature means that the DC07 is a superb machine for anyone who suffers from allergies or asthma.
5 Year Warranty ~ All new Dyson’s, including the DC07 now receive a 5 year guarantee, which you have to register in order to benefit from it. This is a limited guarantee involving you having to first try and fix the problem after receiving telephone advice. However if you are unable to solve the problem Dyson do claim they will send a Dyson engineer to see you within 3 working days. I haven’t had to use this, yet, but I am pleased to see that I don’t have to fork out for yet another guarantee.
Dyson Website ~ The website, although not part of the product is something that I feel is worth a mention. It includes a very useful customer service feature to aid with any problems you may have with your Dyson. You can also purchase any additional tools here. Furthermore if you buy a Dyson online through their website they will remove and recycle your old machine should you wish.
☆ The Not So Great Bits ☆ In order to balance this review I want to say that although I am pleased with my new Dyson there are some things about it that would not suit everyone. As I said it is one of the nosiest vacuum cleaners I have ever heard. Shortie, my youngest son, would have been terrified of it when he was younger.
The Dyson DC07 Hepa is such a powerful sucker that if you use it on a new carpet the clear bin fills in seconds with new carpet pile, meaning that you constantly have to empty the bin.
It is a heavy machine, and is a little cumbersome to drag up the stairs. It is therefore obviously not an ideal machine for anyone suffering from a bad back.
The price. I paid £149.99 for my Dyson DC07, but I do know that this is not one of the cheaper vacuum cleaners on the market.
☆ Availability ☆ I purchased mine from a larger Sainsbury’s store. You can get a Dyson online from a number of places including Currys (£169).
☆ To recommend or not to recommend, that is the question ☆ You can probably tell that I am fairly impressed with my new vacuum cleaner. I can see some downsides to it, and if you are not a fan of upright cleaners you probably switched off after the first few lines. However I would wholeheartedly recommend Dyson Dc07, just buy some ear plugs too!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Complete and everthing 'clear to see' that one could ask for in a review. Excellent. :>) xx
just.bcoz 18.03.2008 02:34
Great review, very detailed
astrababe 05.12.2007 16:32
A very good review. My old vacuum is probably on its last legs - or wheels. I'm glad you mentioned the noise as this is also one of the problems I have with the current vacuum so I'd probably give this one a miss.
exceptional by (44%):
very helpful by (56%):
