Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsFantastically Designed Handheld For Six Minutes Of Strong Vacuuming
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2011
Preface: This is a handheld vacuum. And like any handheld device that runs without being plugged in, such as an iPhone, the battery life is going to suck (no pun intended).
— DESIGN —
As expected from anything created by Dyson, they are beautiful, they work differently, and they work better; this vacuum fits that philosophy completely. It has a sufficient weight to it for being a handheld. It's ergonomic to hold, but your hand can feel tired after six minutes of solid vacuuming. All the parts that make this open and come apart easily; the dirt container snaps open and closed easily; the battery slides in and out with the included charger; the cleaning vents all open up easily for you to hand-wash the filters inside.
— SUCTION —
The reason '6' is in the name of the model is because it lasts for approximately 6 minutes once it's fully charged. The charge time is about 3 hours for those 6 minutes of suction, and those 6 minutes are quite powerful for a portable device. This vacuum *isn't* meant to clean your entire house in one go, it is meant to clean a little area at a time, or to maintain cleanliness. In fact don't buy this if you're expecting miracles, 6 minutes is all you'll get. Note: Vacuuming rugs/carpets will fill the container quickly with dust and fibers, and will make suction less powerful. Empty it often when you're vacuuming these things. Also, there are a couple of attachments for the opening, but I don't see much effect they have on suction.
— CLEANUP —
The clear container where you can see dust/debris spinning around makes vacuuming dirt fascinating to watch. When it stops spinning as much, that tells you when to empty it because the container is too full. Cleanup is basically letting go of a latch and letting all the gunk drop down into your trash. It's super easy and convenient. I clean the interior, which comes apart easily, a couple times a year since it rarely gets dirty.
— PRICE —
The price may appear to be a bit much, but once you consider that there are no replacement bags to buy; that it's well-designed; that it has a 2-year warranty; and that it's powerful and portable, you may reconsider.
Recommended.
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*** UPDATE ***
I've own this for over eight years now and it still works beautifully. I did buy a replacement OEM battery directly from Dyson since my old one didn't last anymore. I do not suggest you buy an "OEM" battery from Amazon or any other sources—get it directly from Dyson, that is the only way to guarantee it will work as long as it should. I tried using a non-OEM battery and it got stuck in the vacuum. It took a while to remove and I thought I was going to break the vacuum, so don't use non-OEM!
