Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

DC18

iMacDaddy,

Thanks for your review.  I like your tag…  “The DC25 is the greater Dyson.”  The DC15 gets beat up at review sites on occasion (certainly not always) and here by some over its weight, I have one and I like it, but can agree that it is feels somewhat heavy for turning.  Our housekeeper is a tiny thing and does not have the strength to turn the DC15 but has told me another client owns DC18 and she can turn it and loves it.       

It's got to be a great feeling for James Dyson, seeing that he is the only manufacturer with turning uprights.  It looks like knock-off manufacturers or otherwise should not be able to reverse engineer these ball vacuums (at least for a while anyways).        DIB

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...oops, I forgot to type not in my above text.    added  4/26/08

When I read this section of your post, it made me want to experiment with my DC15, as in my opinion, the DC15 doesn't seem to perform any better on carpet than any other cleaner. Indeed, Which? Magazine was a little disappointed with its test results.

I decided to try  to improve the suction at the soleplate by a simple modification: blocking that ridiculous "large particle" opening.

I took a sheet of robust kitchen paper, and simply folded it tightly into the approximate size of the opening, then inserted it into the opening on the underside of the bumper.

Switching on, the cleaner now hugs the carpet much better. The pile seems to stand more upright and I am convinced that the machine is removing more dirt from the carpets, as there appears to be evidence in the bin, of ancient 'Zorb' Carpet Powder that has not been used in two years! Also, there appears to be evidence of more grit in the bin than is usual. The downside is that the machine now hugs vinyl floorcoverings and lightweight rugs somewhat more intimately, making for resistant manoeuvring.

Has any one else tried this?

Trilobite,

Yes, I have.  In theory, by plugging up this hole you just made your vacuum suck better than the DC17.  And it’s highly maneuverable unlike the 17, and softer tuffs too.  A fix for your lighter rugs, etc. getting sucked to much…  A quick and dirty way would be to use duct tape to cover the debris channel opening > then open it (peal tape back) up somewhat when doing lighter carpets.  Or cover this opening with duct tape and peal it back just enough (creating an air leak) so to set suction just right on the light carpets and leave it this way for the other carpets too.  Keep an eye on the pre-filter, it may dirty faster.        DIB

I also noticed that with the modification, the edge cleaning seems to be a bit better, as suction is forced to enter at the sides of the soleplate. (I really miss the older UK Hoovers, with their flared bristles brushed edge cleaning).

Now, I wonder if it is possible to add beater bars to the brushroll?

I will give it a go with my DC15 and let you know!  Explains why the DC18 Slim head without the large debris pickup hole hugs the floor better than the DC15!

DC18

I wondered whether the DC18 had that opening on it; now I know, ta. Dyson's engineers have a funny way of going about things, by introducing features on a particular model, for them to disappear on the next, and reappear further down the line.

They really need to address the 'up to the edge' cleaning ability of the DC15, both side on and straight on. It may be fine on vinyl flooring, but on carpet it is a pain in the neck. The brushes never get as close as the Hoovers did.

I know what you mean, I bet if someone did the same with a DC14 it would feel different!  More powerful.  I have tried it on my DC15 and what a difference plugging up that hole mades, so much so that i can hardly push it a easily as before.  The carpet pile lifts so much better and I could see the carpet being lift where the nozzle was!

Yes I have to agree what you say about Hoover edge cleaning.  The Hoover Turbopower (1980's) for one had great side\edge suction cleaning performance, with it's flared edge brushes on the brush roll.  Even Hoover (UK) have stopped doing this now!   The side 'whiskers' on the DC07 where quite good why they dropped it after the DC14 who knows?  Sebo Felix has very good edge cleaning too.

DC18