Is the Dyson Vacuum All It’s Cracked Up to Be?
The Dyson vacuum is attractive and certainly seems to have a lot of street cred with the geek crowd, but according to the January issue of Consumer Reports, it’s not the top of the heap. It’s not even close.
Consumer Reports tested thirty-two upright vacuums including the Dyson DC07 Animal. What place did the Dyson come in at? Thirteen, behind models from Hoover, Eureka, Kenmore, Kirby and Oreck; models generally cheaper than the DC07’s $620 US price tag.
They also tested fifteen canister models including the Dyson DC11 Full Gear. In this cateogry, the Dyson faired better coming in at third place, but it did so below two Kenmore models available at much lower prices.
“But I Love My Dyson”
The Dysons are good vacuums and if you own one I’m sure you’re happy with it. Both Dyson vacuums are rated “Very Good” by Consumer Reports, but according to their tests, there are better choices at lower prices. As for me, my place has hardwood floors, so I have a Swiffer.
Absent from their tests is the Dyson DC14. They have a note that it wasn’t delivered in time for their tests and will appear in a future issue.
Update: Received the February issue and they rated the DC14.
Permanent Link
Perfect timing, thanks! I’m in the market for a vacuum and I’d seen the Dyson ads, but didn’t know how to judge if it would be worth the price.
By the way - the link to Consumer Reports, well, doesn’t. Mind posting the link to the vacuum article again? Thanks!
Actually, ConsumerReports.org doesn’t have the story up yet. I seem to have received the January print issue a bit early. Normally the content is up there but behind a for-pay screen to read the full article. Since they don’t accept any adverts, I guess they have to make their money somehow.
Check out this thread about the Dyson. Apparently some feel very strongly about this fancy vac.
http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/003994.html
Aside from the Dyson’s funky cool industrial looks, it actually works quite well, except for some clunkiness and difficulty using it in tight spots around furniture. It doesn’t fold down completely flat, and its profile is quite large, which makes it unable to effectively clean under low reach areas without resorting to the use of the handle and extension tube, with either the adjustable floor tool or some other implement attached. My Lindhaus Healthcare Pro upright with it’s dual motors, effective HEPA filtration, low profile, and cleverly designed attachments is a much more capable vacuum and far more hygenic to use. But silly as it seems, I purchased not one but TWO Dysons for general cleaning and maintenance in my small warehouse, figuring I’d spare the Lindhaus the daily abuse I subject the Dysons to, even though the Lindhaus was specifically designed for it! Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my ten Springer Spaniels who roam freely throughout my shop at will. Talk about dog hair? I fill the Dyson’s dust bins twice a day, very day. The machines hold up and perform quite well, unlike the Dirt Devils and Eurekas I would usually get only a year’s worth of use out of before they expired. The only issues I have with Dyson is the fact that the machine requires almost complete disassembly to replace the brushroll and belt, which require special tools and training to perform! You cannot purchase any parts contained within the motor housing or nozzle to attempt any service either, Making it necessary to return the vacuum to Dyson for service, or an independent repair facility with trained technicians to perform the repairs. This is a serious problem, if you want serviceability and ease of maintenance. Furthermore, Dyson’s marketing strategy may be clever, but understand that all of their vacuums are the VERY same within their model designations, except for color schemes and supplied accessories. The basic “All Floors” DC07 yellow upright usually sells for around $400, while the very same machine in violet, dubbed the “Animal” sells for $500. The difference? A floor tool and some carpet cleaning chemicals with a grooming attachment, items not worth the extra $100 in my book. This is a cumbersome marketing ploy…all of the machines should be sold in whatever color you like with the option to purchase the tools you want for the intended job at hand! Alas, these negatives did very little to keep me from buying into this, so looks like Dyson’s evil plan to take over the vacuum cleaner business is working! Very Clever indeed, James.
I thought I was taking part in a revolution when I bought our Dyson, some years ago. I wrote off those who had concerns about it as too conservative to appreciate this new ‘concept’, deary me. I suddenly became bothered by the gradual difficulty in getting the filters for my model (DS02, yes an early one, but amazingly compact). Great array of choice for the newer models (a tradition they seem to have stuck with) in all the shops I tried, which made me feel worse about it. It’s a real shame because it’s not the product I’m bemoaning here it’s the after-service. Plus they’ve been using more exploited labour force since then, so ‘double whammy’ as far as I’m concerned.
Tempted to make a Miele of it, next time.
PS - At least in UK, design is considered to be ‘everything’. Dyson could be a good example to show why that is a bad philosophy, in the main.
Avoid this produce like the plague! I’ve tried two, and BOTH broke within half an hour of opening the box! This compny overprices and underperforms. Don’t even consider buying a DYSON!!!
I don’t understand how someone could say that they have tried two Dysons and neither of them worked. I have 3 Dysons at my home and have had great experience. I will agree that the head of the machine is a bit bulky and does not get under my cabinets and some furnature as I would like it to do but I do have an attachment for that. I have never had a problem with my Dysons other than using it throw rugs when we hear a loud ratcheting noise, come to find out that this was a safety feature of the vacuum and the customer service center walked me through a step so I did not hear that loud racket any longer. I have had Rainbows, Hoovers, and a Miele and I find that the no replacement bags and belts that do not need to be changed also the no loss of suction is wonderful. I would suggest time and time again to allergy sufferers and pet owners to buy this machine!!!!
John: What steps did you have to do to get it to stop making the ractcheting noise? Is there some adjustment that can be made?
Same question as Ray - Customer Support is closed -what was the step they walked you through?
I have a question for the anti-Dyson crowd…How can you trust an organization that consistently rates some of the markets worst vacuum cleaners at top choices year after year? Hoover Windtunnels aren’t exactly the long lasting high quality machines those improvident lackwits at Consumer Reports make them out to be.
I’d hardly call myself anti-Dyson, but if you have a problem with Consumer Reports test results, you need to find what you feel is flawed with the way they test, not with the results. They publish their lab results and methodology and Dyson just doesn’t stack up.
Consumer Reports is totally useless when it comes to vacuum cleaner reviews. It’s easy to recommend something when you don’t have to back it up. Like stated above, they don’t even test some of the best vacuums on the market.
They test every single vacuum they report on. If you want to open your own lab and test the rest, go for it.
The Dyson model is actually rather impressive as I have owned a Hoover, Eureka, Panasonic and Electrolux. I feel the Panasonic to be the most lacking in performance as it lets out a huge amount of dust back to the air and gets clogged too quickly. The only thing I can say is the Panasonic is akin to Ms Paula Abdul of American Idol……fairly good looking but unsatisyfing upon owning it. I liked the Eureka and the Hoover but I preferred Electrolux for their courteous service…….that is until I got DYSON! I am not sure what some people have to complaint about their Dyson but I must say this: DYSON is the most satisfying vacuum cleaner to date!
I bought a DYSON, which lasted about 6 months. I was dissatisfied by the weight only! Other than that it is wonderful, great for cleaning everything from air ducts to carpet. Mine must have had a factory problem as the handle locked and it stopped working. I obtained a full refund from the store i had purchased at 6 months earlier, but am now in the market for a new vacuum…. maybe i’ll go with DYSON again.
As for Consumer Reports ratings of vacuums - The last vacuum I purchased was Kenmore’s most expensive, high-end vacuum which was very highly rated by Consumer Reports. I could list 20 things that were a problem with that terrible Kenmore vacuum. I have had my Dyson DC07 for one year and wouldn’t trade it! The ease of the tools and ease of emptying the canister can’t be beat! It can even keep up with the sand that my 5 little boys manage to drag into my house!
I did not realize that anyone asked what the customer service did for me to make the ratcheting noise stop. We took the plate off of the bottom of my vacuum and there were two skinny black strips that they had me remove. The lady said something about air and suction??? But it did seem to help. Every now and again I get it but not nearly as bad or as often. My kids are sure a little happier with the vacuum now that they are not afraid of the vacuum. Now if I could only get my dog to let me vacuum her!!!!
The two skinny little black strips are gaskets and taking them out allows some airflow so that the vacuum doesn’t suction itself stuck to the floor. It makes a HUGE difference removing those. Now I only get that ratcheting noise when there is a lot of human hair or string wrapped around the beater bar.
One of the gaskets is in the soleplate, the other is opposite it on the bottom of the vaccuum. Dyson’s customer service representative walked me through removing them. Just took a toothpick to lift the edge of each one up and pull them out. Dirt easy! (And something they could have put on their website.)
Now that that is fixed, I love this vacuum. It works much better than any vaccuum I have had before, even my friend’s expensive Kirby. Better the my old Royal or Eureka SmartVac. Expensive, but so far worth it.
Two questions. I have the animal, and I love it. But, the hose is full of find dust, and I would like to clean it. Any suggestions? Secondly, I mistakenly vacummed water (leaking washer, didn’t know it), and it smess musty. I have cleaned the filter, but what else can I do? I dont’ want to smell that every time I clean. Thanks!
I purchased a Dyson 07 a few years ago…. and it works great for light duty cleaning…. but when it comes to heavy duty.. I donno if i would give it my vote. I paid $400… figured the beast could do anything at that price…. but maybe the manual says something else regarding heavy duty cleaning. It starting making loud noises after a few days of heavy cleaning… and eventually the motor died. I’m out of warranty so I had to replace the motor myself… Stay away from Heavy duty cleaning is my suggestion!!
i’m in the market for a new vac, and i love the dysons promises, but i always was told if its too good to be true probably is, the comments hear vary so much in opinion, not really helpful, i really dont have the cash to shell out for such an expesive vac anyway, and i suspect the variety of opinion comes from the fact that everyone uses their vacs diffrent, from ppl with kids, or pet, ppl that vac everyday and such, but all in all, whether dyson is a good vac doesnt seem to be the right question, the question seems to be Is it worht the price. to me i’d have to say no on what i’ve seen,
and the consumer reports are flawed in their testing, same as car test reports, no way that any product can be tested in every situation it might face, if cosumer reports testing were so great then maybe there wouldnt be so many recalls on items, and even that is flawed, recalling saws for laceration hazards…LOL, um who would have thought a saw would cut a finger off, and small pieces of toys in the wrong hands causeing choking hazards, come on.yeah if u dont follow the guidelins on products like safty issues and age guidelines then yes someone will get hurt and then the rest of us are told the products in our homes are unsafe,…
but back to the vacs. i just want one that can handle almost anything, reach and clean almost anything, and no messy bags, or difficult containers, and something that is in a decent price range. $400-$600 it better clean the floor it self in my opinion. and yes i’ve owned the rainbow, and yes its a great vac, but lifting that nasty water to dump it , was awful, and get busy or have to run out real quick and leave the water in the thing…nasty.
basically in a nut shell all vacs have their perks and flaws, just gotta find the one that works for u, the dyson, i just dont see how it can be worth the price for what it does for anyone, but it is kool to look at.
I wouldn’t trade my Dyson for anything else. I have had Dirt Devils, Hoovers and they have all been very poor in comparison to my DC7. To test out my Dyson upon receipt I vacuumed my floor thoroughly with my Dirt Devil ($175, 3 year-old model) and then my DC7. The DC7 picked up two full canisters of crap the Dirt Devil didn’t. After that I was sold. No filters to purchase, no clogging, SOLD.
Ask any show dog breeder about the Dyson animal model - it is the vacuum of choice for those of us with half a dozen hairy beasts that share our homes and our lives.
Gets dog hair of all textures up from carpets of all weaves. Gets up the dirt the dogs tracked in from the big yard, too. Empties easily. Doesn’t recycle the dust back into the air.
I’ve tried them all, including some of the very expensive models. NONE meets the performance / price point like the purple Dyson.
Just bought a new vacuum and Dyson was on the list to check out.
I’ve read several reports of poor reliability with Dyson, and about half the Dyson models I demo’d at various stores were broken in one way or another. Add that to numerous reports that their performance is not all it’s cracked up to be and I decided to stay away.
I don’t think Dysons are bad, like many heavily marketed products I just think they are overpriced. I figure by at least $200. They have much of the same heavy, awkward, cheap plastic parts and attachments I’d normally expect of a much less expensive vacuum. Also repair parts are often triple what other premium vacuum parts cost. When you buy a Dyson, quite a bit of your money pays for their marketing.
We ended up with a Lindhaus Diamante that we are satisfied with. It was on sale for $300, is lighter, more capable, and better suited to our needs than Dyson. And it’s so nice having a bag again rather than a bin that has to be emptied every time I vacuum the house (last vacuum was bagless).
I’ve had my Dyson for about 6 months without any problems. My first vacuum was a Filter Queen which I still have but don’t use since the Dyson beats it hands down.
Here’s the bottom line IMO… Strong suction and firm a brush roll = good performance, theres no way around it. The Dyson has tremendous suction ability and flows a lot of air. The nap of my berber carpet is stood up after a vacuum and the dirt in the canister tells the story.
The one thing I dislike is having to air blast the dirt out of the separator. It fills up with super fine dust and wont come loose with a hard slap against the side. It’s just a hassle to deal with but very manageable if you have the right tools… like an air compressor and blow gun.
If there is a vacuum that can flow more air, have greater suction power and is bagless please make reference to it.
Hi I have had a dyson animal vac for 3 plus
years now and i would never, never recommend
that anyone purchase a dyson vac. I have had
trouble with it since day one and the store would
not take it back - said I had to deal directly
with dyson. I have sent pieces back, for
repair and had them returned only to break again.
The vac is very heavy and hard to use, taking the handle off to add attachements is very
hard and the tube bunches up and causes the vac
to tip over. And it does not pick up a lot
of the stuff on the rug - and It does lose suction, I constantly have to take off the handle and clear the tube. I clean one
medium size house and it has only one occupant.
The animal attachment constantly stops running and tends to be pretty useless. I have tried it
on stairs and it is a flop. I have tried numerous times to get Dyson to take this
lemon back, but always get the run-around. And
I have a feeling they use indendent contractors
to answer the phone complaints.. which is fine
but they have no authority and seem to have
no idea what they are doing. Once when I sent
back an non-working part and it came back to me
not working, I called, spoke to a lady who
said she herself had “fixed” it… what kind
of repair service is that supposed to be.
Anyway,, I give a big Thumbs Down to Dyson on
all accounts and recommend -DO NOT BUY!!
I hate my Dyson DC14 - First, it has no light on it, for when I’m vacuuming dark corners. Second the front end is so high i can’t reach under the couch or chairs to vacuum, and third - it doesn’t pick up the nap on my carpet at all. When I get done vacuuming, it looks like i’ve rolled my carpet with a steamroller - Don’t buy one!
I have owned my Dyson DC15 now for a month. It has gotten dirt out of my carpets that the Hoover Wind Tunnel missed as well as my $450 Kenmore missed. Hopefully it will not break but I feel that I have already gotten my money’s worth with the dirt and pet hair it has picked up. Unlike the Hoover Wind Tunnel it is very easy to empty the canister. My carpets look new.
First of all everyone is so brainwashed about suction! To really clean your carpet you need airflow! All vacuums use dry filters which are designed to clog. They lose the ability to maintain airflow therefore they lose power. Look up the word vacuum in the dictionary people! They were designed 100 years ago and haven’t changed since then. There should be a health warning in all vacuum cleaners because they breed bacteria! GROSS
AJ, you obviously haven’t used a Dyson. I have used a D07 for nearly three years now. The design of the canister forces fine dust and dirt out of the air before it gets to the HEPA filter. In those three years of use, the HEPA filter has yet to get dirty. I have two large long haired dogs that bring in all kinds of dirt, so its not like my Dyson had an easy life.
That being said, the design and quality leaves something to be desired. It really is cheaply built. And the bulky base does limit the areas it can get into. If Dyson is a public company, buy their stock, because their porfit margins must be huge…
I have a yellow Dyson cleaner for several years now and it has always worked fine but now the beater bar don’t turn. The belt to the beater is OK so I assume there must be a second belt inside the machine. I cant figure out how to get the thing open to check it out. Would appreciate any help here.
I purchased the DC07 Dyson in December 2004 for myself. A year later I moved into a new home with 6 year old blue carpet in my children’s bedrooms. For 6 months (no lie) I picked up blue fuzz from those carpets, the carpets looked clean, but obviously my Dyson rocks! I also recently had my carpets steam cleaned and the technicians questioned why, because they assumed that my carpet was new in the bedrooms, again my Dyson rocks! Another reason to buy a Dyson. My only concern is that I’m feeling like it is not as powerful as it once was. I take it apart regularly and clean it and clean the filter regularly as well. I see no clogs whatsoever, I would appreciate any feedback on my situation.
You will notice a significant improvement in the Dyson if you use an air gun with a long attachment to blow out the inside of the separator. You need an air source though.
The separator accumulates a *lot* of dust over time that has a negative effect on performance.
This is what I’m referring to:
http://www.toolfetch.com/Category/Shop_Equipment/Blow_Guns/VAC720201260.htm?per=15&page=2
My SIL is a well-established interior designer and when we were talking about vacuums one day, she told us that virtually every carpet manufacturer (and especially high-end carpet makers) states that the buyer’s warranty on the carpet is null and void if you use a Dyson. I have since cross-checked this with a close friend who works for a huge flooring company (Shaw). He said that the Dyson are really, really hard on carpets. I understand people who have animals/allergies/etc. wanting that much power, but don’t use it on carpet you’d like to keep for any good length of time, as it will strip the fibers faster than any other vacuum out there. I myself have rediscovered the joy of a *bagged* vacuum when I bought my new one. I’ll never use bagless again - I don’t care how many vacuum bags I have to buy!
I had a problem with Dyson, it ate my carpet. when i complained to the company they basically told me it was not thier problem and it was a defect in my carpet which is not true since i checked my berber carpet for pull and found none and again, it ate my carpet for the second time. They say not to use a beater bar and i tried that too and it picked up NOTHING!. What a rip off that machine is. I returned it and bought a Bissell Healthy Home machine. I am using the beater bar and SURPRIZE… no problems. Do not buy a Dyson if you want to keep your carpet
I bought a Dyson DC08 in March 2004. The motor died in March 2008, 4 years to the day. We don’t have carpets or pets in our house, only timber and tile floors, so the DC08 has hardly been under heavy duty (and yes, I did wash the filter as the manual recommends). I just had the motor replaced at Dyson’s repair shop.
On the up side, the DC08 does the job, true, and it is very easy to empty the canister. On the down side, the vacuum is awfully noisy, to the point that I think I should wear ear mufflers (I do the all the vacuuming). Also, as the hose runs on the side of the canister, it damages the door frames. And it never fully rewound the cord back in. I have to try and try until it does it.
BTW, a few months ago I also bought a DC16, the little battery operated motorhead. I thought it would be useful to vacuum the boot of my car. Silly mistake. The battery goes flat in about 6 minutes. For its price it should come with 2 batteries, or, better still, a BIGGER battery.
All in all, Mr James Dyson has got from me
DC08 new (If you fool me once)… $600
DC16 (If you fool me twice) $350
Repair shop (If you fool me trice..) $145.
You can buy seven El Cheapo bagless vacuums with that money, and still have some change leftover.
James, here some free advice. Your brochures boast a lot about how many engineers work for you. How about letting your tech guys have a say over the marketers, for once. Maybe your machines will be field tested before being released.
Rating: overpriced gizmos.
I have an Animal, and a standard DC07 Dyson vacuum. I have only had one minor problem with one of them and it has been addressed. I have read the comments that a couple of people posted regarding the warranty of certain carpet manufacturers and the Dysin voiding said warranties. I do not believe that these people have done their homework and actually read the warranties of these companies. The posting by Michelle on this site claims that most maufacturers will void the warranty if they find you have been using a Dyson. Here is the link to Shaws warranty. http://www.shawfloors.com/DOWNLOADS/WARRANTIES/TEXTUREGARD_LIMITED_10YR.DOC.PDFrranty.
I read it and find no mention about any vacuums voiding the warranty. There is a mention about not cleaning and maintaining the carpet. I think it important to do your homework before you make a statement about a product. I have 3 dogs and have to say that my Dysons are far superior at clearing up the fur and dander created by them. I have people in my home with allergies and they apreciate the job the Dysons do. Further I have owned 2 Eurekas and a Hoover. The Eurekas ate belts and stunk up the house doing so. The Hoover just simply could not do the job as well. I think it important to mention that there is simple maintanence that needs to be performed on these machines to keep them in top working order. In the long run they will be about the same money if you add up all the bags and or filters you replace on other machines. My experience has been excellent with the Dyson. As someone who has sold vacuums, I believe the beater bar system on the Hoovers would be harsher on your carpet due to their construction than the Dyson.
I have a Dyson. Two years old, it never did a good job. Suction is not the only factor Mr Dyson. Mine wouldn’t pick up light lint since the beater bar didn’t do it’s job (Iguess).
I bought the recommended Sears model and am happy now. Dyson for sale yellow 07. Cheap!
I have had a dyson D07 for over 4 years now and it still out performs my in-laws brand new $2000 kerby. it was the best $400 I ever spent and it’s still kicking buts and taking names. My brother has also had his dyson for 4 years and it still works like brand new. and yes they get used I have 2 big dogs and 3 kids and my brother has 3 cats 2 dogs and 4 kids. The work we put these through is extreme. and yes when mine does finally quit I will have a new dyson and nothing but
Just got my Dyson Absolute Animal last week after my Eureka died. I typically kill a vac every year or 2. Figured with a 5 year warranty at worst I would be even. Boy do I love this machine! I cannot believe the dirt my last 3 machines left in my carpet. I have house rabbits..delightful little companions but they molt enough fur to fill a mattress in a years time and this machine gets it all. My carpets look like new again. The pullout hose is awesome..able to get the stairs with out lugging the machine up. Just leave it at the bottom. That wand gets all the cobwebs on my 9 foot ceilings. The most beautiful thing is not having to dust after I vac. The dirt stays in the container and doesn’t blow back into the air. Friends with pets recommended the Dyson. Some have had the same machine 4 or more years. This machine is worth every penny I spent on it.
Yeah it does kick butt.