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 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!!!!

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.