Customer Reviews

Dirt Devil Extreme Power Hand Vac, M0914

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

The Dirt Devil starts off great, but it relies on a single, relatively expensive replacement filter. After a few minutes of use, it was clogging itself.
I bought this product and the Black and Decker Dust Buster CHV 1400 at the same time from Amazon. The Black and Decker is not only a better product but cheaper at initial price and in the long run. The B&D picks up broken glass and spilled rice without issue, and relies on multiple cleaning features, that just need a dump in the trash. Much longer time before you have to replace the expensive disposable filter. Better battery life, and power. The dirt devil's only advantage is that is comes in silver and sleeker.
The B&D is by far the better product.
I am updating this review now 3 years later. The Vac still works fine, just used it today. So upping this to 4 stars. $40 product lasting 3 years, got to be something said about that. Howerver still like the traditional vacs better like the B&D.

I purchased the vacuum through Amazon. It is indeed a powerful handheld vacuum.
Cons: the replacement filters are expensive $5 each, plus postage and you can only get them through Dirt Devil. Then you also need an adaptor, $2, for the filters. The filters are paper, clog up very quickly, and are not cleanable.
The retractable nozzle is very handy but swivels on two very small plastic nibs/arms. One of these arms broke just two months after I got the vacuum and Dirt Devil says I now have to purchase the entire front "cup" for $9, I cannot just purchase the swivel arms.
If I had known the cost of the filters and that they do not last very long, and that the nozzle arms are not very durable(it is a poor design), I would not have purchased the vacuum. Too expensive to maintain.

P.S. I did get the front cup, so I could use the swivel arms, Dirt Devil did not charge me, this was covered under warranty. That surprised me. I still do not like the way the filters get clogged up immediately tho.

This 14 volt handheld vacuum is awesome. It picks up anything and everything in its path. It even has the capability to pick up crumbs and dirt in between my sofa and in my car seats. It's cordless so I can take it anywhere. I recommend this to anyone looking for a cheap and efficent handheld vacuum.

I loved the power of this hand held vac. It far exceeds that of several others that I have owned. The charge is amazing. Where most run for a lucky 30 seconds, I could vacuum my car with a charge on this one. HOWEVER... (1) I do not like the nozzle. It's blunt shape and the position of the suction hole make it difficult to pick up debris unless you can stand it upright on top of your mess, forget about reaching under the lip of a cabinet. (2) The flip out crevice tool is a waste of time. Again, the shape of the suction end makes it utterly useless. The hole is so elongated that you loose all suction out the back before the tip can even reach the debris. (3) The slide out brush underneath the suction hole is a waste as it does not stay "slid out" as soon as you push the vac forward, negating any help it might have provided in sweeping. (4) While it comes with a three year warranty, the motor on mine totally blew after 10 months. In the end, I was very pleased with the power and charge on this vac, and for cleaning up a pile of debris in the middle of the floor, it is GREAT, but I will replace it with something else that proves more useful in all the situations I need it for. If you don't own cabinets or couches in your house that need a quick cleanup underneath or between cushions, this is the vac for you. Otherwise, you might look at one with a better design.

This little vac is a must-have for quick cleanups! I bought mine to use on my car - how nice not to have to lug the big vac out and deal with long extension cords, et - but use it everywhere. It holds its charge for what seems like forever - no frustrating stops when you're in the middle of a big cleanup job, and is great for trips if you've got kids. Charge it up before you leave and use it on the upholstery when Junior spills his bag of chips all over the car! Wonderful for around the house too, has as much suction power as the big vac without the weight. Highly recommend!

I bought this item and found it disappointing. Design-wise, it has a cheap feel, and the flip-down detailing nozzle is poorly designed and easy to break. Buyers should be aware that the main suction opening is only about 1 1/4 inches wide, so this vacuum is useless for rugs and stairs take forever. It is good for limited detailing, like for cracks and windowsills. The power wears down fairly quickly--another drawback.

I am an avid user of hand vacs. I have had this one for a week now and it is great. The best things are the power and the built-on flip-over crevice tool. This thing will suck the pulp from an orange. Well maybe not, but it is the most powerful I've used. The only thing that I don't like about it, which is a byproduct of the crevice and brush tools, is how large the end of it is compared to the actual opening. I'm used to practically sticking the thing on top of what I am vacuuming - using it to rub stuck objects from their applied surface. However, I have gotten used to it already and if you want to do that, simply push out the brush tool. Actually, I almost always use the crevice tool anyway as it makes it even more powerful by channeling the air flow.

On another note, the base/charger is very nice as well and makes you want to leave it on all the time, but I recommed (as with all batteries) not leaving it on the charger. Charge it when you get it for a long time, then drain it completely before you charge it again. Do this several times and the battery will last much longer.

UPDATE:

Originally, I wrote a very positive review of this product dated Oct. 2010 with 5 star rating. Now, after a year of use -- not all that frequently at that -- I can tell you that a fully charged battery is only good for less than 10 minutes of vacuuming. I had a high hope for this particular product after having been disappointed with all the other comparable brands in the past. But this, too, turned out to be like any others with the same achilles heel: the rechargeable battery that won't last, not even an infrequent use, for a year.

Don't buy this product.

I bought this vacuum to replace the 14 volt shark hand held. Although this vacuum does not have all the fancy attachments of the shark, it makes up for it with power and reliability. My shark vac was utterly useless after 6 months due to battery memory and charging issues. I've had the Dirt devil now for over 2 years and it still sucks as strong as it did the day I got it. It must have a NiMH battery, but I cannot confirm that. The flip over nozzle is useful, it does come in handy since the default nozzle is fairly blunt and bulky. I am careful however, when engaging it as its hinge is not the strongest. Still it has not given me a problem after 2+ years. The brush under the nozzle is not the easiest to deploy due to the friction mechanism holding it in place, however, it never accidentally retracts back in as one other reviewer said. I would recommend this vacuum to anyone interested in it. It performs up to expectations and has never given me an issue. In fact, I am just now purchasing my first set of replacement filters as I intend to use it for another few years.

I have had one of these for 3 years now and use it several times daily. It is powerful, easy to clean, and very convenient to use. I am amazed at some of the comments I have seen in the critical reviews. The filter is easy to clean, doesn't tend to clog even when loaded, and has never had to be replaced. Mine is always on charge, yet the battery doesn't seem to have a memory, and still runs the vac almost as long as it did when it was brand new... plenty of time for household chores. Oh, and be realistic about your expectations with any handheld. They aren't meant to replace a conventional vacuum for doing rugs etc. I remain very pleased.