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93 of 94 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This vacuum really sucks--literally!, May 18, 2007
This review is from: Dyson DC21 Stowaway Canister Vacuum (Kitchen)
I have to admit I was skeptical at first because of the lukewarm "professional" reviews of Dyson in general, but now I'm a true convert. I LOVE this vacuum (coming from someone that HATES housecleaning).
Pros
--Canister style vacuum-great for those of us with back problems that can't push around a heavy upright for long.
--Suction power-WONDERFUL suction on this thing.
--Power brushes-stiff bristles "refresh" the carpet and can easily be turned off by foot controls (no bending down).
--Maneuverability-this has a ball style joint that makes it extremely maneuverable.
--Compact storage-it wraps around itself and is light enough to easily pick up and carry.
--No filters or belts to replace-just clean the built-in filter every 6 months with tap water.
--Quiet!-this is the quietest vacuum I've ever used.
--Retractable cord-guess this is standard on most canisters, but as a former upright user this is a nice feature to me.
--Low profile vacuum head-makes it easier to get under the couches, beds, etc.
--No bags to buy...ever!
--5 Year Warranty
Cons
--No headlight-funny I didn't realize how dark some of my corners are.
--Using attachments is a little awkward because of the larger, inflexible handle, but I imagine I'll get used to it.
--Short power cord-could definitely use a few more feet, but I suspect this was as long as they could fit into the compact unit.
--Power brushes-just a warning here, they're not for delicate carpets. They're rather stiff compared to most and I imagine could do some damage to older/thinner rugs.
--Small collection bin-available volume seems small due to the compact design, but it's EASY to empty, so not really a big problem.
--Price-it's not cheap, but I did find a 20% off coupon on-line for another store so saved $100.
There are enough cons that I can't give this vacuum 5 stars, but none of them are serious enough in my opinion to be major detractors. I'm definitely happy with my purchase.
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44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very powerful vacuum cleaner - but it's expensive, April 17, 2007
This review is from: Dyson DC21 Stowaway Canister Vacuum (Kitchen)
I recently purchased the Dyson DC21 canister vacuum cleaner, and at first I was a little apprehensive of purchasing it (mainly due to the very high price of the item of $499), but after using the vacuum my apprehensions are now alleviated. This vacuum can suck the dirt and dust out of a carpet as if it was powered by the gravitational force of a black hole, yet it doesn't require significant force by the user to utilize the vacuum. I couldn't believe how much dirt and dust this vacuum removed from a "recently cleaned" carpet in a new house we moved into, it was as if the carpet was never really cleaned before.
Also, the product lives up to it claim of cleaning the air while you vacuum, as I'd always have allergic reactions after using my old Dirt Devil upright vacuum. Also, I would have thought the vacuum for as powerful as it advertised it was going to be, it was going to be as loud as a jet engine; however, it was much less noisy than my old Dirt Devil upright (which you could hear clearly outside of the house whenever it was used). Overall, the Dyson DC21 is a very good vacuum cleaner but it's not inexpensive; however, just like the old saying goes, you'll get exactly what you pay for.
*** update 6/29/07
After using this vacuum now for a couple of months here's what I like, and dislike about it.
Pros:
1. Very powerful vacuum (I'm sure that there may be other vacuum's more powerful, but I haven't seen them yet - but the selling point is suction of dirt, not raw power of the motor).
2. The dust canister is very easy to empty and clean
3. The HEPA filter is very easy to clean, and the vacuum filters out all of its discharged air.
4. Long warranty - Five years.
5. Not as loud as some vacuums that I've used in the past.
Cons:
1. The price - prohibitively expensive for most people's budget. This is definitely a pricing decision you'd want to consult with your spouse before you run out and buy it.
2. Tendency to pull carpet fibers due to its suction power. Doesn't happen a lot, but enough to make you wonder about the quality of the carpet your vacuuming.
3. Owner's manual is like reading an assembly manual for a desk from IKEA - plenty of pictures, but very few words.
4. A little bulky for most closets where you might store the vacuum.
5. The power cord isn't very long. Good for small rooms, but a real hassle if you plan to clean the entire house. Invest in an extension cable.
6. The flex hose can get into a kink somewhat easily if vacuuming around tight corners and kill any suction needed to do the job.
I'm sure that there's more nit-picks I could mention, but this is more than enough.
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141 of 154 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful vacuum marred by design flaws, August 3, 2007
This review is from: Dyson DC21 Stowaway Canister Vacuum (Kitchen)
After all of the rave reviews about the Dyson we were actually a bit excited to buy one. Unfortunately, after less than 1 week we are returning it for another brand.
The good things about it are the same that others have noted: it has a very strong suction and the floor head maneuvers easily. And the kids think it's cool to watch.
Soon after opening it however I noticed some design flaws which are almost embarrassing given the high cost. The most glaring are:
1. The hose is made of a very cheap and thin plastic which easily kinks cutting off all of the suction. Every other quality vacuum I see has a wire-embedded hose which is strong and flexible. Dyson's, however is so cheaply made that it folded/bent in half a couple of times while doing some simple cleaning tasks. The only way to avoid this is to always be aware of your orientation to the vacuum and constantly keep untwisting the hose to prevent an eventual kink. The irony of a vacuum that "never loses suction" that actually loses 100% of its suction working around a corner is not lost on me.
2. The cannister doesn't move easily around the floor. Maybe it's the small wheel on the bottom, or the weight, but we found that the vacuum wouldn't follow us easily while cleaning. So, not only does it tend to get twisted in the cord, but it bumps into furniture a lot. This probably also exacerbates the hose twisting noted above.
3. Others have mentioned the short cord, but I found it quite problematic. We have an Oreck upright and I can clean almost the whole downstairs without having to unplug it once, but the Dyson needs to be plugged and unplugged in every room.
4. The extensible wand is hard to extend and if you don't pull on it hard enough it will occasionally collapse while cleaning. This is really very strange. If you look at, for example, a Kenmore cannister the wand extends easily and clicks into one of several positions. The Dyson's wand is unnecessarily wide, is hard to open and close, and has only one position.
5. The attachment tools don't click into place, but are held instead by friction, so they can easily get knocked our pulled out.
Inspite of the above I was hopeful that it would work out until our house cleaning person came over. I showed her our new acquisition and both she and one of her assistants immediately rolled their heads back and swore (not so) softly. As a professional she has used a lot of vacuums and it turns out that the Dyson has been nothing but problematic for her. (For the reasons noted above.) She "hates" them.
For what it's worth, her favorite brand is the Electrolux sold on Amazon.
My advice is to look and play with one before you buy it unseen. For those for whom it's a good fit, congratulations. But, for me, I can't return it fast enough to get an Electrolux.
Moral of the story: Before buying any new appliance, ask someone who works with them for a living.
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