Customer Reviews

Dyson DC17 Asthma & Allergy Upright Vacuum Cleaner

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Just purchased the DC 17 allergy and asthma today. Have done a lot of research over the last week and read many reviews. I really wanted a good vacuum I can depend on; I have 6 kids and vacuum daily! Best I can tell each model has the same amount of suction, they just have different options in color, filter placement/type and attachments. I was set on the DC14 model but this was on sale for a great price and had a few more attachments I felt I would really use. So far I am pleased. It appears to pick up as expected, I'm pretty impressed with the amount of junk in the canister and my carpets feel cleaner. This is very easy to maneuver; I see no need for the more expensive ball model, unless you will use all the fancy attachments. All the full size Dyson's felt heavy to me in the store, so I was concerned with getting it up and down the stairs, but in comparison to Hoover etc. they all seem to be about the same weight and hey we could all use a good workout. I find no issues with pushing it around, it moves with great ease and transitions surfaces flawlessly. Turning the beater off to move from carpet to solid floors is a breeze and the feature works wonderfully, just a touch of an easy to reach button. The attachments fit on firmly and do not fall off. The wand will take some getting use to as it is solid for about 18+" and I am use to the hose being flexible at the base. I don't have to bend as much using it though so my back is happy! The hose is very easy to remove for use, just cannot use it for quick pick-ups until you unwind the entire plug, so one minor downfall. It states there is a 5 year warranty, I did not read what all that covers, I will just be relieved to have a vacuum last more than a year with the beating I give them. It is important as with ALL canister vacuums that you tap or wipe out the excess dust from the chamber weekly. I have had many canister vacuums and learned early on to do this often to keep the fine dust from building up or you will loose suction. The filter is easy to remove and clean by running under tap water, so will save on replacement filters in the future! Overall I am happy; we will see how I feel at the 6 mo. And 1 yr. mark. But no regrets today. The only negative I can agree with that I have seen over the last week is the not being able to remove the wand without unwinding the entire cord.

I just bought my Dyson. I agonized over spending $500.00 on a vacuum - I literally cried before I could bring myself to spend the money. Now that I've used it, I can't believe I even debated with myself!

As a mother, pet owner, and year-round allergy sufferer, I had to vacuum every day. Consequently, we went through 2 vacuums in 4 years. We kept up the belts, filters, and maintenance, but after 2 years, both the Bissell and the Hoover just couldn't keep up with 1500 square feet or carpet, half of which was vacuumed every day, and the other half probably twice a week (bedrooms where the cat was prohibited and shoes were never worn). This was our 3rd vacuum in 4 years and I wanted something that was not only low-maintenance, but durable and up to the challenge. The Dyson was recommended by several friends, but again, the price made me balk.

We have brand new carpet in all but the kitchen and mud room. It's about 1400 square feet of carpet that was put down. After running the old vacuum through twice, it died. The fluff from the new carpet, and the added strain of fur from the new puppy just overloaded our poor Bissell. After 3 days of coughing and sneezing, I caved and shopped for Dysons. One trip through the house, and I am hooked! The canister empties from the bottom, which was nice. At the touch of a bottom, it literally dumps into your trash. No flipping it over and spewing dust, pet dander, and dried leaves into your face! Plus, it's still closed as you walk to the trash, so no loose ends there, either. It's remarkably easy to push - it almost feels like a self-propelled vacuum, so it was very easy on my back. When the company says it cleans to the edge of the brush, they mean it. As I vacuumed along the walls, I thought to myself, "I don't have to get on my hands and knees with the crevice tool any more!" I was truly amazed. The cord was super long, too. I could clean our living room, formal dining room, and hallway all from one outlet. When I started poking over the whole thing, I fell more in love. No screws to unscrew if there is a clog. No weird foot pedals. No pieces you have to replace if you strip a screw (which we did with the Bissell from frequent belt changes!). No screws to lose, either!

The thing I think I loved most about the Dyson was that even though I could feel the "exhaust" blowing on me, the air SMELLED GOOD. It smelled CLEAN. It wasn't dusty. I didn't have the 15 minute sneezing fit that typically ensued after vacuuming - my eyes weren't itchy, my nose wasn't runny and my face didn't feel puffy with congestion. We're in the middle of heavy pollen, so any relief is appreciated and not having to go through 15 minutes of torture after vacuuming was greatly appreciated! I can't wait to run this baby through my vehicles and over the mattresses!

One thing I will mention - maybe I missed a page in the instructions, but all the wicked cool attachments aren't connected to the vacuum. For me it's not a big deal - I keep them with the steam cleaner in an extra baggie, but I thought it was worth mentioning. I found the places where several tools attach, but not all.

I love my Dyson!

Even though I rated this vacuum 5 stars, I do have a couple of cons I want to write in:
Con #1. The Dyson ball vacuums were much easier to use but weren't as powerful as this DC 17. I opted for power. I wish it were easier to maneuver under furniture and in tight spots. Hopefully, the folks as Dyson will work on this engineering issue.
Con #2. It is heavy. The weight (and the clunkiness) reminds me of my mom's old upright Kirby she had from the mid-1960s.

Okay, on to the reasons I rated this vacuum 5-stars:

Pro #1. My son has been suffering from allergies. I am one step away from having him tested--sigh. The strange part about his allergy attacks is that they seem to be caused by something at home. It dawned on me that he is most likely allergic to dust/dust mites. And, we have a rug. Yesterday, I lost it as he was gagging so, I ran out and bought this vacuum. If I could wait, I would have purchased it through Amazon (price is low) but I couldn't. I came home. I quickly put the vacuum together and started using it. I was amazed! Not only did I just vacuum the night before, the carpeting was professionally cleaned just two weeks ago. You should have seen what my DC 17 pulled up from what looked like a very clean rug! The canister was filled in a blink of an eye--maybe 250-300 sq ft of carpeting was vacuumed--far from finished! I have had to clean out the canister three times in two days! (By the way, my son is doing much better)

Pro #2. When I use this vacuum, I smell CLEAN AIR. I don't smell a cloud of dust.

Fantastic! I have a "vacuuming day" on the calendar each week, but I can rarely wait for Thursday and end up vacuuming a few times a week for the sheer joy of it - I, who used to shun any kind of tidyness and had to schedule it in to make sure I would do it! The Dyson is down-right fun. I've had it for about four months now, and it doesn't get any less exciting. I use the mattress attachment for everything. I vacuum the couch, the throw pillows, my mattress, everything! Even my parrot (who was so horrified of my old bissel vacuum that I would have to put him outside for fear he would hurt himself throwing himself about the cage in terror whenever I used it) even he seems to have made peace with the Dyson's soothing hum, and doesn't even complain (much) when I vacuum the dander right off of the seed catcher! We all breathe better, the air smells fresh and clean, and somehow this vacuum is good for the soul because I think everyone feels happier in the house now that we have it! My baby girl (11 months)doesn't wake up congested like she used to, and the soft-dusting brush gives me peace of mind that I'm actually collecting and disposing of the dust in my house (on furniture and the TV screen and such) instead of just moving it around. It will be the best purchase you've ever made. Stop craving it (as we did for years), and just buy it. I have a husband who is in the military and brings in El Paso dust and rocks on his boots from the field every day, a Golden Retriever who carries Lord knows what in on his fur, which then falls out all over every surface in the house, a macaw, who throws pellets, seeds, feathers, and dander everywhere, and a baby learning to eat solids who drops crumbs all around the table. My house is like the consumer reports testing ground for this vacuum,and the vacuum has emerged triumphant from every test. You won't know how you lived without it. I don't.

I know it's hard to spend $500 Bucks for a vacuum, but this machine is worth every penny! Having both asthma & allergies as well as 2 cats I have been wanting a Dyson Vacuum for many years. Finally after speaking to 5 other people that have one, they all LOVE it, I was convinced to purchase one for myself. I looked everywhere online, read all the reviews and I have to agree that the Dyson is awesome! The 1st time I used it the container was filled all the way up, you have no idea how much junk is in your carpet, and this was after I had used my Hoover Wind Tunnel! This machine is great, the cleaning wand is terrific and very handy. I would buy one again in a second, I LOVE IT! Very highly recommended especially for people that have pets and or allergies. Do yourself a favor and buy this incredible vacuum today!

This is a well functioning vacuum and I like the ease of emptying the canister. I paid the huge price for this vacuum because it was supposed to be perfectly engineered. It certainly is compact and efficiently designed. I'm not sure they consulted a person who actually vacuums a house.
The front of the vacuum is high and doesn't allow you to get under most furniture or under kitchen base cabinets so you need to move a lot of furniture.
The cord is long but it also unravels and gets in your way. I got a small bungy cord to keep it in place except for enough to do a room.
I like how the hose for the attachments fits right in the handle but it is so stiff that, when you reach into high places or across the room, it drags the vacuum along instead of uncoiling. This takes a good deal of strength to work with because the hose is trying to stay coiled rather than give you the length you need to get into tiny places.
When I paid this much for a vacuum cleaner, I expected to get a bare floor attachment (especially when they advertise this is a whole floor vacuum) but it's an option and costs extra.
The bottom line is I don't feel it's worth the cost when there are so many cyclone machines to choose from.

This is the best vacuum ever (also good is the Dyson Animal). I own two Dyson Vacuums (a Dyson Animal for downstairs and a Dyson Slim for upstairs) and recently gave 3 as gifts. My niece who has severe asthma was shocked at the amount of dust that the vacuum picked up. She has been unable to vacuum (her husband has been doing the vacuuming with her out of the room) because of the fine dust particles that circulate when you use a regular vacuum. She is now able to do the vacuuming and there is a definite decrease in her allergy symptoms. Forget what Consumer Reports says - do yourself a favor and buy a Dyson vacuum. There are several choices but this one is especially good for people with allergies.

I purchased the DC 7 when if first came out for sale in the US. I was very pleased with it but a bit over four years and it no longer did the job as efficiently. In all fairness to the vacuum, I must say that I raise pomernian dogs and also have a lot of birds which causes dandery fine dust. I live in an arid area with dirt roads and blowing wind. So my home is in constant need of cleaning.
Four days ago my DC17 arrived. I had vacuumed very recently but of course I had to try out my new one. I could not believe how much dirt it found that had been missed. I let the CD17 plugged in and about 5 times that first day I would use it again. Shocking to see that each time I used it, it found more dirt. I had no idea my carpet was that dirty, but this is embedded dirt it is still pulling out. I do believe it has a lot more suction than the DC 7 ever had.
I have a fairly thin rug near the bird room door. In the past I could vacuum it with no problem. The suction on DC17 is too strong though.
I like the placement of the carpet/bare floor button since I feel using the carpet setting on bare floors would not be good for the floors. I did find this new one to be a bit harder to push..........I'm sure that is because it is sucking so hard.
I wanted to get the ball but when I compared models, I found it has a much smaller bin and I didn't want to have to empty it as often as would have been required.
It does leave tracks in my carpet. Not sure if it would on all types of carpet.

UPDATE: Do not use any powdery susstance you spread on carpet to remove smells. In fact don't use any fine powder. It killed my new vacumn. I did send it in for repairs and all is well now.
I don't know if something like baking soda would damage it or not....and I refuse to test to find out.

UPDATE two: Here I am again. Almost a year has passed since my last post. The vacuum is acting up again. I would change my 5 star rating to one if I knew how. I will be calling Dyson to send it in for repairs again or asking for a replacement....A different model.

The Dyson DC17 Asthma and Allergy Upright vacuum is nothing short of a miracle. I suffer from a chronic cough (and some mild asthma that I suspect is related to the allergies) that can be attributed to exposure to over seven years' worth of environmental allergies and contaminants in the city of Los Angeles. Nothing seemed to cure my cough--not the asthma inhalers, not Singulair (a prescription drug for allergies that proved useless and even seemed to exacerbate the cough), and not over-the-counter Claritin.

My frequent coughs are not the dainty type; rather, they are the severe type--the ones where you cough so hard that your face gets red, you get sweaty, your eyes get teary, and mucus and liquid expel from every bodily orifice. Not a pretty sight, and not too great a feeling either.

Well, after seeking out many recommendations and reading allergy remedies on the internet, there were two overwhelming recommendations: 1) Dust mite covers for the bed (mattress, pillows, and comforter); and 2) a Dyson vacuum (or a similar high-quality type). I received several personal recommendations for the Dyson vacuum specifically, and after reading the Amazon.com reviews of the Dyson DC 17 Asthma and Allergy Upright, which unanimously received 5 stars out of 5, I knew this was the vacuum for me.

I used a Bed, Bath, and Beyond 20% off coupon and ended up paying $432.99 total (this includes taxes) for a product that was priced at $499.00 before the coupon. What a deal! Like a bunch of reviewers indicated, I, too, was very hesitant to buy such a pricy vacuum. All my life, I used the cheapos--I usually used a Eureka and, more recently, a Dirt Devil Featherlite, usually purchased at Sears for $50-$80. I had seen the Dyson commercials many times and, while impressed, couldn't help feeling that it was an utter scam to have to pay so much for a vacuum.

Well, the intensity and the frequency of my cough did not appear to abate with the cheap, bagged vacuums. Both allergy and asthma medications did not help (and I really prefer not to be on prescription drugs). My last resort, thus, was a quality vacuum and possibly the dust mite covers.

The Dyson DC 17 Asthma and Allergy Upright really is, simply stated, AMAZING.

Day 1: I cleaned the entire house and only superficially vacuumed my bed and couch, since I had not figured out the wand thing quite yet. (There are three ways to use the wand). The carpeting looked almost new after vacuuming, and the air smelled cleaner. In contrast, my old vacuums would blow dust into the air. I was so excited by the outcome that I drove the vacuum to my mother's house, lugged it around, and then vacuumed my mother's entire house. I figured, if another person can benefit, why not? One downside of the vacuum: If you have to lug it around, it is heavy. My old vacuums I could carry with one hand. With the Dyson, I have to carry it with two hands, in an awkward way. After vacuuming my mom's place, the canister was full, brown, and dusty, with nine years' worth of dust.

Day 2: My coughing has improved noticeably, both in frequency and in severity. The cough was still there, to be sure, but much better already! I didn't experience any of the hard coughing that sent me to the bathroom.

Day 3: Some coughing still.

Day 4: Almost no coughing.

A part of me did consider that perhaps I was coughing less simply because I wanted to justify such an expensive purchase and desperately hoped that the Dyson would, in fact, live up to all of the expectations and the reviewer raves. Might this not be a form of self-fulfilling prophecy at work here? Maybe, but I doubt it. I cannot control my coughs, but I do know that my coughing has improved considerably. I saw a difference within a day!

In conclusion, I really wish I had made this purchase years and years before. Had I done so, I would have suffered far less. The Dyson has worked so well that I don't think I will have to buy the dust mite covers for my bed. As many reviewers reported, and as I affirm here, the Dyson really is worth every single penny. Plus, there's the added entertainment value of seeing what's in the canister after vacuuming; analyzing the content, color, and quantity of the canister is surprisingly fun.

NOTE: Before you purchase any Dyson vacuum, make sure you test-run it first. Go down to the nearest Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Target, Sears, or other retail store that carries Dysons, and have a rep there show you how to work the vacuum. Make him/her show you how to open up the canister, how to use the wand, the rug/hardwood floor switch, etc.

AMENDMENT: Although I still highly recommend this product, I would recommend that for those with allergies--especially the ones with severe or chronic symptoms--see a physician for treatment/medication. The Dyson DC 17 Asthma and Allergy is outstanding, but it is certainly not a cure-all for allergy symptoms. A few days after my glowing review (which I still stand by), my cough reappeared. It wasn't about a month later did I get antibiotics (for bronchitis symptoms), which seems to have really cleared up the cough considerably.

08/02/11 UPDATE: My Dyson vacuum is still going strong! I do handle the vacuum carefully, so have not had any of the issues other reviewers mentioned. The vacuum is a bit too strong for bath rugs and small floor rugs (especially those with fringes), but I am grateful for the sheer power of this vacuum. The product is still exceptional!

I've only had this vacuum a little over 1 week, but so far I LOVE it. I put off buying a Dyson for as long as I did because of 1)mostly hardwood floors, 2)the carpet I do have is berber and I'd heard bad things about Dyson on berber carpet 3)price. It works fantastic on the hardwood floors. I have a cat and dog which shed constantly. I always have had a hard time getting the floors clean enough for me to be comfortable letting my 17 month old play on the floor. This vacuum has been awesome. It doesn't just blow the hair around like my previous Hoover. As far as the berber carpet, I've had no problem with the Dyson damaging it. Plus I love the way my area rugs feel after using the Dyson. They feel like new, no longer have that flat/worn out feel to it.

Some people complained about Dyson's being loud. Yes, you hear it but it isn't any longer than my Hoover.

I just hope it continues to perform as it does now.