Customer Reviews

Dyson DC31 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

The biggest problem with the previous model was the poor battery life. That has been greatly improved in two ways. This model has doubled the battery life and it has a better charger. I loved my first Dyson handheld model in spite of the short battery life and used it often for short jobs. Like this one, it was so easy to grab and use, I was able to keep corners clean, crumbs out of the grout lines in my tile table, computer keyboards clean, drawers clear of all that little stuff that seems to get in them--in short my house was just cleaner in multiple ways that are normally challenging. I loved the trigger on/off action that made its short battery life tolerable and the dependable strong Dyson power, plus the easily dumpable canister. SO, when the battery life began to get shorter and shorter over time, in spite of being fully charged, I anguished. Should I spend $75 for a new battery that might only repeat the fading performance of the first or invest that money in this new model?

I finally chose the latter and am so glad I did. I hated spending so much, but the value of being able to get things clean FAST means a lot to me and that often means a quick burst here and a burst there when I notice something that needs attention. This new model is somewhat smaller, lighter weight and quieter, plus has a dual power setting. The normal power setting is fine for most things, in fact I haven't needed the strong setting at all except to get dog hair out of the crevices of my stair treads. The 10 minute run time is longer than it seems because the trigger action means the unit is on only when you're squeezing the trigger to actually vacuum something, not when moving to another location or shifting position. That's not only easier on the ears, it makes the work go more smoothly. You can vacuum an area, then set the unit down (because it sits upright it has a relatively small footprint) and move stuff, clean out the next drawer, sort the papers you gathered, whatever, and then vacuum the next bit without any pressure to get all the vacuuming done in one shot, or perpetually turning the thing on and off.

I've been able to clean out and vacuum my entire car including the 'way back', a process that certainly took longer than 10 minutes, but because the vacuum is not on continually I had no problem, in fact it shows no indication it's near the end of the charge. I can clean out all my kitchen drawers or the entire linen closet or all the nooks and crannies in a room on a charge with no problem, but I rarely do that. I do one drawer, one shelf, one bookcase. I do small projects quickly because I hate cleaning and this unit suits my style to a tee.

This model doesn't have a bulky charger like the old one. It has a plug-in cord like a laptop and apparently some technology in the wall plug part that somehow knows to shut itself off after 3.5 hours so it's not 'tiring' the fully charged battery. I'm expecting this battery to last far longer than the earlier model. This vacuum also has a quicker on/off time and generally seems handier.

The directions are minimal and almost entirely pictures. They are well done and self-explanatory. So far I'm delighted with this hand vacuum. It is better than its predecessor, the Root 6. It comes with a normal length crevice tool, in addition to a two-position brush tool. I also purchased the longer flexible crevice tool, but have found it heavy and awkward so I almost never use that. I love this little hand vacuum so much more than the other choices available (several of which I've tried in the past) and highly recommend it even given the high price.

As other reviewers have said, this vacuum is lightweight, sturdy, easy to maintain, and has great suction power. Unfortunately it also has a short operation time of up to 10 minutes, with a 3 hour battery charge time. If you can deal with that, and the cost, this vacuum is highly recommended.

What boggles my mind is that Dyson didn't design the vacuum to work with a power cord. Either allow the vacuum to be operated while the battery charger is plugged into the battery and the battery is plugged into the vacuum (a "pass through" mode that would send the DC power directly to the vacuum instead of the battery), or provide a separate AC-to-DC adapter with a (longer) cord, that would plug into the existing battery port. This is a no-brainer. If you Google reviews on this vacuum, you see over and over again that the main (if not only) complaint is the short operation time. Dyson could make a new AC-to-DC adapter NOW that would plug into the existing battery port. My only guess as to why they don't do this is that they want people to buy one of their larger vacuums for corded operation.

I'd give this item five stars if it wasn't for this obvious oversight. Three hours of charge time for ten minutes of operation is difficult to deal with.

The DC31 is a joy to use -- so much so that I find myself looking for dust to capture around the house (and since I've run out, now taking it around to my workplace and to other people's homes). Cordless is key, making it convenient to grab and use rather than going into the storage closet to pull out a vacuum, uncoiling the cord, etc.

GOOD FOR DUSTING
Certain parts of my home were overdue for a dusting, which was the perfect environment for the DC31. It's good for cleaning dust from hardwood floors, flooring trim, vent covers, and any smooth surface. I use the combination tool with brush (included accessory) to dislodge the slightly stuck-on dust and then capturing it, which is more convenient than getting a damp towel to wipe a dusty surface. Also, there are no left-over dust streaks with this method versus the damp towel. It might seem like overkill to spend this much for dusting, but the joy of using this tool makes it worthwhile. On carpets (short pile, car mats), the brush does a satisfactory job dislodging lint, foreign matter, etc, which then disappear into the clear bin.

The crevice (included) and flexible crevice tools (with brush; not included) provide an extended reach into corners to capture dusty cobwebs. Sometimes no attachments are used so that hair can be sucked-up without getting caught in the brush bristles.

Powder is difficult to separate within the bin and makes it through to the protective filter upstream from the motor. (This filter is easily washable.) In the operating instructions it warns against using on too much flour or other fine powders.

Weight distribution is well-balanced for comfortable usage around the house, and the weight (3 pounds) and size are portable enough.

BATTERY & CHARGER
The battery lasts for the advertised duration (10 minutes on 38 airwatts, 6 minutes on 65 airwatts), which is plenty long for those who are cleaning for the fun of it; any longer would make it a chore in my mind. The lower power drain setting is sufficient for most of the jobs around my home. Using higher power is needed for heavier objects like those found on car floors (clusters of pine needles/pebbles/etc).

The charger charges for 3.5 hours and then turns itself off, as indicated by a green LED on the wall unit, to prevent overcharging the lithium-ion battery, hopefully extending its service life. I believe it's based only on time and not the state-of-charge of the battery. The vacuum unit can not be used when the charger is plugged in. But the battery can be removed from the vacuum unit (like a power tool) and charged separately -- maybe for those who end up getting a spare battery if/when they become available as a purchasable accessory.

CONCLUSION
Overall, it is an effective tool (toy?) that might help get certain household members off the sidelines and make previously boring chores a joy to do.

I can't figure out what the folks who don't like this are talking about; for it's intended purpose I couldn't be happier with this purchase. I'm glad that I thought about what the negative reviewers were really saying before I let them influence my purchase.

As far as a 'short' run time between charges, I just don't see it. Maybe if I were to try & vacuum the whole room, or do a real cleaning in the car at one time. But I bought it for spot jobs, the ones that you just happen to notice could use a quick once over. Or general touch ups in trouble spots. For that use this unit is unbeatable! No cord, GREAT suction (without even using the turbo mode), & quite reasonable run time for it's size & weight. If you need more, get out the real vacuum (as you probably should have in the first place).

Not cheap, but then either was my stand up Dyson. But you get what you pay for...

This thing is great. Normal hand vacs get plugged and have crappy suction. This vac has as much suction as my upright vac and is ultra portable. I have used it to clean up a spill from my cross-cut paper shredder without getting plugged. Thats pretty impressive considering my old black and decker vac could never do that. This is a great product to keep around the house to clean up spills and messes.

The only thing I don't like about this product is that it is loud! So loud that I have considered using earplugs when using this in tight spaces (like dusting my car dashboard).

People who gave this vac a high satisfactory score must be Dyson fanboys or gals. Its dimensions made it awkward to handle in tight spots, especially in the car. They charge another $70 for accessories that should have been included for the insane price, such as a flexible hose. Its battery life is an absolute disappointment, less than ten minutes. Had to rush to do the car, the stairs, and anything else that needed vacuuming. The three hour charge time for ten minutes of use is a joke. They should have designed it to be used with an ac adapter (probably would have charged another $70 for that as well). For the insane price (yeah, I said it again), you should get more than ten minutes of vacuuming time and some accessories. I could not in good conscience recommend this to anyone with these drawbacks. I returned it after a week, bought a Eureka hand vac, which I'm quite happy with and put $300 back into my bank account.

This is a strange-looking but very well-made vacuum. As far as I can tell, it does everything it should do. Except work for eleven minutes.

This device was ONLY DESIGNED TO OPERATE FOR TEN MINUTES on a 3.5-hour charge! The duty cycle shrinks to six minutes if you use the high speed. And with a trigger-style switch, it's not intuitive to press it halfway for the 'normal' speed. Also annoying: Unless you count the 22-point "do not" safety list, there are NO instructions save the illustrations. It's like Dyson can't face up to the verbiage it would take to say hello folks, for every six minutes you use this vacuum cleaner, it takes 210 minutes to recharge it. There is no friendly advice on what happens if the battery fully discharges, or how wise partial-charging is or is not. Very disappointingly, the vacuum does not work during charging. With these existing limitations, that's just dumb.

Buyer beware: Dyson has calculated that most hand vacs are in use for only ten minutes or less. While this may be generally true, what about the times where you really need it to go fifteen? Just plug it back in to the charger and watch a Lord of the Rings movie, then resume vacuuming? Doesn't all this seem hokey for a $300 device?

Two words for Mr. Dyson: focus groups.

First of all, if your looking for the suction power of the upright dyson, you will probably be dissapointed. However, knwoing that, the suction power is pretty strong and the little thing looks pretty cool.

Do not buy the stiff bristle brush assessory, the suction is not strong enough for that. Just keep whatever it comes with, and you will be fine.

Overall, glad I bought it....

I was skeptical about the DC 31 before purchasing it, but after having used it, I think it's great! The 6-10 minute battery life is more than sufficient for cleaning up localized messes or smaller rooms. The unit is pretty light and easy to maintain and work with. Lots of power for such a small thing!

The ONLY downsides I would say is that it cannot be used when plugged into the wall (would be great for a garage/shop setting), but really when you think about, few uses are going to require more than 6-10 minutes of running time anyway. The other downside is that it does not include a flexible hose/nozzle in the box for hard-to-reach areas (it and other accessories are extra and relatively expensive).

Overall, however, I highly recommend the Dyson DC 31.

We have two full-sized Dyson vacuums in our house, for up- and down-stairs. I absolutely LOVE them, especially the Pet Hair removing one I keep upstairs to take care of the cats' areas. They are so lightweight and have such a wonderful suction ability, I thought I'd splurge for this (very) expensive handheld Dyson model. I wish I hadn't. I've used it maybe ten times in the year I've had it because the bottom line is that it has virtually NO suction power. After going on a few consumer-oriented web pages, I've seen many owners complaining about the exact same thing. I wish I had done my homework before plunking down over $350.00 for something that is now pretty much collecting dust (how ironic) in the hall closet.