It's nearly 5 years since I was last on this site and boy have things changed in that time! I'm now...
It's nearly 5 years since I was last on this site and boy have things changed in that time! I'm now happily married to Glynn for a start! It's good to be back x
Member since:11.08.2003
Reviews:53
Members who trust:39
I can't actually believe that there can be many households left in Britain that haven't already succumbed to the appeal of the Dysonmachines, but to those few that haven't yet had 'The Dirty Dyson Experiment' (will come onto that later), this review is for you…
Personally, I have never been able to get that excited about gadgets and gizmos, particularly those of the household variety. More often that not, you are let down and left bitterly disappointed when the claims prove far from the truth, not to mention being out of pocket.
The Dyson DC04 is one of the few exceptions to that rule, and here's why…
It was Les (boyfriend) that originally decided we HAD to have a Dyson (boys and their toys) – the fact that I could count the number of times he has actually used it on one hand is beside the point. I knew people that already owned and raved about them, my parents included, but I just couldn't see the point in spending over £100 on a vacuum. What could the Dyson do that my reliable little Hoover couldn't ?
I was soon to find out.
So, one Sunday afternoon (cos that's what Sunday's were invented for) off we trotted to Curry's to adopt our first Dyson. I wanted a purple and blue one, Les wanted the one with most features accessories – we ended up with the basic DC04, which at approx £140 seemed quite reasonable compared to
the others. For something that big, I was surprised how light the box seemed when we bundled it into the car and drove it home.
Of course, the minute we got through the front door, it was out of it's box and being assembled which took no more than 10 minutes and didn't require the use of any tools (spanner, screwdriver etc). I might add at this point that a user guide is provided but Les, being of the male species, obviously didn't need instructions on how to build a vacuum…
As we own the basic model it is silver and lime in colour. The vacuum is quite plastic looking to be honest, but very sturdy, and has a transparent cylinder to the front so that you can watch the dust being extracted from your carpets and can tell when the cylinder needs emptying. The vacuum is about 3.5ft tall, to the top of the handle.
There are three tools supplied with this model and these are fixed onto the top of the vacuum body. The first is about the size of a bar of soap and covered in velour strips which makes picking up hairs etc childs play – it can also can be set into two different positions to maximise access. The second is a 'brush' – I have never used this myself but guess it might be handy for corners, woodwork etc. Last but not least is a long, thin tool for tops of skirting boards, corners of stairs etc. All three tool connect easily to the end of the handle (which doubles as the hose) for use.
The plug lead is very long so no problems with reaching the corners of rooms (I often vac the lounge and hall using the same socket) and there is a very handy clip to hold the lead in place when it isn't being used. The handle, which as mentioned also doubles as the hose (see below) is almost oval shaped and makes the Dyson very easy to manoeuvre.
Anyway, just as Les was about to plug it in for a test drive I remembered something my mum had said to me when she has first bought hers, something about how dirty she had found her carpets were… which brings me nicely onto:
„ 'The Dirty Dyson Experiment' „
If you ever get the chance to borrow a Dyson, make sure you try this – it will convince you to buy one. If you have already decided you want one of these, make sure this is the first thing you do when you get it home – it will justify any amount of money you have spent on it.
Step By Step:
1) Clear an existing room (preferably a very 'lived in' room like a lounge) of all obstacles (furniture etc) ready for a jolly good sucking !
2) Plug in your existing vac and start vaccing
3) Vac until your arms ache, your back is permanently hunched and the vac bag is so full it is about to explode
I can assure you that you won't be able to repeat step 3 because you will have already fainted with shock, or be on the phone arranging for a domestic cleaning company to visit and 'de-dirt' your home. I am not kidding, it is AMAZING yet DISGUSTING how much dirt and dust remain on your carpets after using a normal vacuum.
So why is this the case ? Simple. Dyson claim that the bags in traditional vacuums become less and less efficient as they collect more and more dust. They start to lose suction power and therefore leave the dust in your home. According to some stats I found, you can lose up to a massive 70% suction power when using a vac with a bag !! Dyson also claim that even traditional 'bagless' vacuums can lose suction as they collect the dust and let air through the filter – Dyson's don't adopt this process and all dust collected is kept away from the filter, thus the filter remains as new.
OK, so I might have convinced you that they suck up more dirt but £140+ is still a lot of cash – what else do you get for your money ?
„ There are 8 vacuums in the DC04 range, each based on the original design but with added features that you can pick to suit your particular needs
„ Simple Operation – using the Dyson couldn't be easier. To push the 'sucker' into the correct position, you simply tap the corner with your foot. To switch the power on and off, there is a large button on the top of the vacuum
„ Lifetime Filters – the filters are guaranteed to last a lifetime, therefore you will never need to replace these
„ Flexibility – whilst the DC04 is an upright cleaner, the handle also acts as a hose which can be easily detached and used for fiddly corners etc. In addition, the hose stretches to over six times in length which means that your stairs can easily be vacced from top to bottom whilst keeping the DC04 at the bottom !
„ Colours – the DC04 is available in all Dyson colours including lime and silver, pink and purple, silver and blue and silver and yellow, depending on the model
„ Weight – I can't find any information relating to the weight but trust me, for it's size, the Dyson is certainly not heavy and the features it boasts make vaccing easier anyway (eg: handle situated on the body of the vac for carrying and the hose which reaches to the top of the stairs)
„ Guarantee – All Dyson models come with a 2 year guarantee that covers your Dyson against faulty materials, workmanship or function within two years of purchase. Dyson also promise to replace parts which are no longer available or out of manufacture with a functional replacement part. Dyson also claim that all faults should be fixed within 3 working days which seems reasonable.
„ Wood / Laminate Floors – these are becoming more and more common these days. The DC04 is available with an additional 'Brush Control' feature which can be turned on and off and is suitable for all wood / wood effect surfaces.
„ Allergy Sufferers – the DC04 is available with HEPA filtration which includes a Bactisafe screen to trap and kill bacteria on contact. This would also be ideal for households with families or young children.
„ Zorbster – this beast of a machine is a DC04 with go-faster stripes and alloy wheels ! In addition to all the usual features, this vac also has an integral 'zorb' dispenser that subtly scatters carpet maintenance powder as you vac to prolong the life of your carpets as well as a special tool for cleaning under furniture, a spot cleaner (for spills) and a lifetime HEPA filtration.
„ Web site – Dyson also provide a very detailed as well as aesthetically pleasing website which, amongst other things, has a section to help overcome any problems with your vacuum – eg: not sucking properly, unusual smells etc. The site also contains details relating to extension of warranties, servicing information and an accessory shop ! www.dyson.co.uk
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Lastly, I thought I'd include some brief details of who Dyson are, for those that are interested in that sort of thing…
The Dyson empire was established by James Dyson. His first invention was launched in 1970, and he has since created a number of ingenious devices including the 'Ball Barrow' – the wheelbarrow with a ball instead of a wheel !
In 1978, James noticed that the air filter in the spray-painting room for his Ball Barrows (!) kept getting clogged up with dust particles and set about designer an alternate solution. The result being an industrial cyclone tower which removed particles using forces greated than 100,000 times that of gravity. He realised this may also be appropriate for the domestic vacuum cleaner and 5 years later the first Dyson was born.
Dyson now also produce other household good including washing machines, all based on new technologies for more efficient and effective cleaning powers.
T21AMY®
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
i absolutely love my Dyson, i will never go back to using any other brand!!fantastic review!! xx
traceyvk 12.08.2005 13:31
I bought one and had not had the chance to use it, but after reading your review I have unboxed it and ITS TRUE, my house was full of dust, the amount that was in the removeable cyclinder when I finished hoovering just one room was unbelievable and I had only just hoovered today with my old one. What a great buy, Thanks a great review
chantelly 12.03.2005 18:43
I want one! hubby insists on getting a henry though! Men! Fab review. xx
Jan 21st, 2004
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