Consumer Reports Rates the Dyson DC14
I previously noted that the Dyson line of vacuums didn’t fair too well against the competition in January’s Consumer Reports, but that they hadn’t yet rated the DC14 because they didn’t get a unit in time for the issue. Well, February’s Consumer Reports is here and their verdict is in: they rated it “very good” overall, but it fell behind plenty of other models from Hoover, Eureka and Kenmore. It may look cool, but there are better vacuums to be had for much less money. Pick up the January issue for the full roundup or the February issue for the DC14 review specifically.
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Comments (23)
I find it amusing that you are so interested in vacuum cleaners. I was under the impression you never clean anything. *grin*
Yeah, I never imagined I’d be posting about a vacuum either, but the Dyson has become such a part of ‘geek chic’ at this point that it seemed appropriate, with the help of Consumer Reports, to do a little debunking.
Eureka won my money, both for its Consumer Reports rating and the fact that my last vacuum, also a Eureka, is over 30 years old and has never once been in for service. Oh, and it’s still running fine, it just doesn’t suit the type of floors I have at the moment.
I know I missed this by a couple days, but the vacuum at Big Bar smells like fire sometimes?
We have a Dyson vacuum cleaner at home and it works far better than any other vacuum cleaner we’ve previously owned. I would say it was entirely worth it because we’ve had it for quite a long time and it continues to work beautifully.
[...] Update: Received the February issue and they rated the DC14. . Posted December 7th, 2004 Permanent Link RSS [...]
Having just bought the 14, a few comments.
If you need HEPA filtration, Dyson is the cheapest by far – why? No filters to buy – ever. I have had other HEPA vacums – if you have dogs and cats, you will be spending $20 to $40 bucks on a filter every several months. The Dyson becomes cheap very quickly.
Lifespan – most low cost vacums are low life span vacums – basically disposable models. I have gone through two Hoovers and a Eureka in the past eight years. The Dyson comes with a 5year warranty.
Third, not everyone needs a quality vacum cleaner. If you do not have heavy use, or even carpets, you can get buy with way less, and it will last a long time because it is not being used. If my wife and I did not have kids dogs and cats – the $70 bucks would buy a vacum that would do the job for decades.
Better is only determined based upon what your criteria is. And my criteria is not CR’s – it is far more demanding
Dysons are worth every penny they cost period. I’ve owned a Kirby previously and it was the 2nd best vacuum I’ve used. After numerous Bissils and Hoovers I won’t buy anything other than Dyson.
It’s amazing how staunchly Dyson owners defend their choice, despite quantitative data that there are better models for less money. It reminds me of the Kirby owners in years past, who insisted their overpriced, heavy, and noisy vacuums were the best ever. Visual design and marketing triumph again, I guess.
For those of you who vacuum with your old vacuum and then claim the Dyson picks up after it….please keep in mind one thing.
If you set a Dyson roller down to medium to low setting, the roller grabs a lot of carpet fiber that other vacuum cleaner’s don’t.
This is not a good thing, as it breaks down your carpet and is not the same thing as picking up dust and debris.
I purchased the Hoover Mach 5… which was blueprinted off the first Dyson who’s patent expired. The roller’s ability to pick things up is great…. but you have to be careful about that roller breaking down your carpet fibers.
A vacuum should not cut the life of your carpet in half by pulling fibers out…
In the mad rush to find the vacuum that fills the canister fastest, just pay attention to what it is that vacuum is filling it with.
I own a Dyson dc14 all floors and while it cleans good, I keep getting that loud, annoying ratcheting noise, even though the brush bar is free of human hair. Also, it’s kind of hard to push and if I force it, I get that loud noise, as if the vacuum is resisting my attempt to push it forward.
I read somewhere that the noise is caused by a faulty clutch so if that’s the case, I wasted $400 on this vacuum which is only 2 months old and I don’t even do a lot of vacuuming.
I am excited about playing in the Super Bowl. And my Dyson is great!
Biggest misunderstanding!!
A Dyson uses cyclonic cleaning and with any vacuum that has cyclonic technology the dirt spins and settles in the dirt bin. The dirt is not “packed down” like it is in bagged vacuums and some other bagless models. Cyclonic cleaning allows a lot of air in the dirt and it fluffs up…
The result is yes it looks like you are picking up soooo much more dirt than you really are vs a bag. You can fill a Dyson bin up with dirt 3-4 times and that same amount of dirt will only require one bag in most models.
I own a Dyson Dc14 It is a terrible vacuum it does not pick up like they say I have had it in the shop four times Ive called dyson and the pretty much tell me im lying. but if there is a piece of confetti on the floor and I have to go over it ten times just for it to drop it some where else. it sucks the big one!
Wow, I cannot believe there are so many moronic people who actually follow consumer reports. They are the worst to follow, as they rate them mostly on price and performance second. The cannot properly test these vacs in a normal setting.
DanCnKC is extremely ignorant to the fact that Dyson does not have carpet height adjustments on their model specificly for the reason he stated about the carpet fibers. Most consumers believe that lower carpet heights will allow the unit to pick up more things. However they will not and will damage the base mat of your carpet as well as the fibers. It will also cause more resistance on the brush allowing the belt to slip more and wear faster resulting in more belts. Another reason why Dyson is superior, no consumables.
Let us compare this unit to a Hoover u6616-900. This unit needs a new filter every 3 months and they cost $20 a piece. So since a Dyson has a 5yr warranty lets take 60 months(5yrs) and divide by 3(months to replace filter). That totals out to $400 in 5 yrs more than what that unit is worth and comparable to the Dyson cost. Now lets take the belts and determine the cost of them. This unit has 2 belts similar to the clutch design of the Dyson. One belt needs to be replaced ever 6 months and the other every 3 and both cost about 10 bucks after tax. So that 200 bucks for one belt and 100 for the other. so your looking at $700 in 5yrs plus cost of the unit itself. We can even say that the consumer changes the belts and filter only half the amount of times you are supposed to you still are at $350 in consumables. Almost the entire price of a Dyson. This still doesnt include what you will spend after the 1yr MFG warranty is up. Since Dyson is a 5yr you wont have to worry about it.
Overall a Dyson is the way to go. With a 5YR consumable cost of $350, why not spend the money on a Dyson?
My Dyson Vacuum lasted one week. I used it twice and then that loud ratcheting sound wouldn’t stop. The customer support person showed very little empathy. When I went to exchange the machine, the guy at Sears told me that the DC14 has had this problem and tired to sell me the machine that rolls on a ball for $100.00 more. I just asked for a refund and took my money back. I have e-mailed Dyson twice for an explaination as to why this happened and explained that if they wanted to keep me as a customer, they need to respond. I haven’t heard from them yet! I guess I’ll just keep using my 6 year old Hoover that hasn’t given me a day of trouble and cost half of what the Dyson cost.
I have never in my life loved an appliance until I purchased the Dyson Animal 5 years ago. I have two Labs who shed like you would not believe. This vacuum has never ever let me down and works as well today as the day I bought it. Consumer Reports has lost their cred with me over this one.
I will never understand why people are so emotionally attached to their vacuum cleaners. In years past it was Kirby, Rainbow, Oreck or Electrolux, and now it is Dyson. Another five or ten years from now there will be a new “high end” vacuum being sold to the masses, and rest assured the same people bragging about their $550 Dyson’s will be bragging about whatever replaces it.
The fact is, if you filter out the biased “reviews” and the opinions of those who feel the need to justify spending $500 on a vacuum cleaner, you cannot find one single independent review which shows Dyson to be superior to any other vacuum out there.
Sure James Dyson makes some neat commercials, and sure his marketing campaign is only rivaled by Bose, but the simple truth is much of his marketing is based upon lies.
For instance, look at his commercials about the Dyson Ball where he states there is a problem with all vacuums because they have four stationary wheels which prevent them from doing anything other than moving in a straight line. I ask you – have you EVER seen a vacuum with four wheels like the little “car” that Dyson uses as his example? No – because vacuums most commonly have two wheels in the back and one beater bar in the front. They aren’t difficult to steer and don’t force the user to only move in a straight line like Dyson claims.
Besides, if having wheels is such a bad thing, why does Dyson still make vacuums (the DC07 and DC14) that use them? Only one of his models uses the “ball” design, so clearly it isn’t all that innovative.
As to other lies Dyson uses, he claims other vacuums require replacement filters and belts and his online marketing team (who use anonymous opinions from “Dyson owners” on blogs and forums) will give you math examples of what filters and belts will cost you over the life of a vacuum while showing how cheap a Dyson is over the long haul.
However, anyone who has ever owned a vacuum with filters will tell you that most often you can simply clean the filters, give them a quick rinse in the sink and let them dry….there is no need to buy new filters every month or two like Dyson suggests. As to the belts, I’ll admit that is a design flaw in most vacuums, but the belt does serve a purpose. If you suck up a rug or get a lamp cord stuck, the belt will slip and save the vacuum motor from breakage. Although it is nice that Dyson uses a clutch design instead of a belt, the costs for a replacement belt are minimal and most often belts only need to be replaced every few years for a total cost of $3 or 4. (I own a Hoover and the belts are sold for $5 per for a two pack).
As to longevity, if you spend more than 10 minutes researching Dyson’s online you will hear countless people who have had problems with them. You will also note that you can buy refurbished Dyson’s at dozens of different websites at any given time (just type if “reburbished Dyson” in google and you will be presented with a number of choices).
So I ask – if Dyson vacuums are so great and so reliable, why are there thousands of refurbished Dyson’s available for sale at any given moment? I never see piles of Hoovers or Kenmores or Eurekas or even Dirt Devils….but I always see Dyson’s. That fact alone tells me quite a bit about the quality of the product.
The fact is, people are buying into the marketing, and the product itself is merely a gimmick. Tests have shown they don’t vacuum any better than any other vacuum and tests have shown their exhaust to be fairly dirty when compared to other models, thus the “cyclonic technology” isn’t all that it is cracked up to be.
I know people are always quick to defend their purchases especially when they are expensive, so it is difficult to judge a product based upon user satisfaction, but if anyone is considering a Dyson I highly recommend they test one for themselves before committing to buy. If nothing else be sure the store you purchase from has a money-back guarantee so you can return it if and when you determine it to be just another vacuum at twice the price.
I’ve used several different Dyson’s myself as I have coworkers and family who has tried to convince me, but at the end of the day I haven’t found them to be any more powerful than a Hoover or Kenmore costing 1/3rd the price.
There is a sucker born every minute, and apparently they are all buying Dysons.
I have owned several vacumes in my life of different brand names from bissel to hoover to dirt devil etc… Honestly, they all were fine in the beginning but before long started loosing suction, belts broke (which was extremely annoying), a mess to clean filters or bags etc.
I now own a Dyson 21 and can say it is HANDS DOWN the BEST VACUME I have ever owned for many many reasons. Best suction, light weight and easy to carry around…unbeleivable for vacuming pet hair!!! Their is no belt to worry about breaking. Also it is bagless and very easy, mess freee to empty which is noticable in the air quality. I could go on and on about this vacume. Stop wasting your money on other vacumes and get one that will last and keep you really happy. I would buy another Dyson in a heartbeat and would recommend this vacume to anyone. Trust me – You won’t be dissapointed!!!!
It’s comical that people think the Dyson is unreliable. CR themselves rate it among the highest in reliability, wih only 5% failure rate compared with 13% for Hoover. I have owned Hoover WindTunnels for the last 10 years, and they have all broke. To Hoover’s credit, there always seems to be a Hoover store nearby and the repairs are usually cheap ($39). I also only replaced belts and filters every couple of years, so my cost of ownsership was low. Keep in mind, all machines break, that’s just a fact of life.
I got the Dyson 14 for less than $300, about the price of a suped up Hoover. It is much quieter than my old Hoover, cleans at least as good on carpet, cleans way better on hardwood floors, and handles much better. (it has big wheels that can actually roll over the cord if its in the way) The hose and attachment design is innovative and saves time. I wish it was self propelled like the Hoover…the Hoover is definitely easier to push on thick carpet with this feature..
I’m under no illusion that the Dyson is the best thing since sliced bread, and time will tell whether its reliable.
I vaccumed part of my rug with the Hoover Windtunnel, and then followed it with the Dyson. It found a little bit of dirt, but not much. I have always thought my Hoover sucked very well. The Dyson appeared to pick up lots of carpet fiber, but when you actually grab it with your fingers and squish it, a huge chunk becomes a tiny one that ways a fraction of an ounce. Keep in mind that your carpets weigh hundred and hundreds of pounds. If you shave off a fraction of an ounce once a week, it won’t amount to much over 10 years.
Just my $.02
I just tried my new Dyson DC14 after first vacuuming the room with my Kirby G6 (with a new bag)and I was surprised how much dust it found. I have two German Shepherds so I have hair. The Dyson did pick up some more hair but the amazing dust collection was a shock!
The Kirby is a excellent built machine plus it is self propelled and the Dyson is not. The Dyson is built mainly of plastic, which is not a problem if it holds up however this is my second Dyson, Io had a dc107 I think a few years back and I snapped the handle right off. I called Dyson and they sent me a new handle free of charge, and I bought the vacuum used to start with.
I have no idea why my Kirby missed that much dust, it has a like new roller (i have a new spare to compare it too). Maybe the impeller is worn out, because the Dyson picks up debris better. (such as aquarium gravel and a penny the Kirby refused to budge). I like the Kirby, however it is not the vacuum the Dyson is.
PS. I have very low carpet, like you would find in a restaurant.
the dysons are junk they dont work at all try to work on one it’s a joke for 500 bucks all plastic if you have a old vacuum they last the new one are ment to last a year or 2 years now days try looking up riccar or simplicity made in the U.S.A and made with stainless steel with a 5 year warranty that the dealer will fix how you going to fix that dyson when it breaks send it in a box and pay 4 shiping ever time you have a problem
IN TODAYS VACUUM WORLD, THEY ALL ARE JUNK! LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE,THROW AWAY. I JUST THREW AWAY MY THROW AWAY DYSON. JUNK! ANYONE THAT THINKS THIER VACUUM THEY BOUGHT YESTERDAY WILL BE AS GOOD AS NEW IN A FEW YRS. NEEDS A REALITY CHECK.
I HAD BOUGHT DYSONS FIRST BRAIN STORM THE FANTOM FURY. ITS MOTORS KEPT BURNING UP TOO. I’D HOPED THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I WAS WRONG. NO MORE THAN 150.00 FOR VACS ANYMORE. THATS 100.00 TOO MUCH THESE DAYS.
TRUE DYSONS WARRANTYS 5 YRS. THATS GREAT,YOU’LL NEED IT! YOU BETTER BUY TWO DYSONS THOUGH SO YOU’LL HAVE ONE WHILE THE OTHERS IN THE SHOP.