Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Having another topic mentioned some new vax machines on a Littlewoods website, I had a look around to see what else might be new and came across the 'new' Dyson DC27 Upright, see link below:

http://www.littlewoods.com/rf/s.do?Np=1&Ns=&Ntk=littlewoods_search&Ntt=dyson&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&Nu=this_product&pageSize=12&Nao=0&cmEvent=page_navigation

They have 2 Models on their website 'Animal' and 'All Floors', first look suggests an update version of the US DC17 but for the UK\Europe markets.  This will be the replacement for the popular DC14.  I thought a separate motor for the brush bar like the DC17 would have been standard, but looks like it uses the DC04\DC07\DC14 clutch setup!   Not sure as the website doesn't say if it just has a slim root cyclone technology or the core is included!   It does look like it has more small cyclones than the current DC14 and DC15 and DC25 models.  See picture of DC27 All Floors model below!  DC18

 

DC18 wrote:

That is the clue: a constantly rotating brush, especially on hard floors, can flick particles and allergens out of the airstream.

Who has used an upright with a constantly turning brush, and noticed grit, sand, or peanuts flicked out by the agitator?

UK Catalogue High Street chain Argos has the DC27 models on their website with some technical information on this new model:

1300 watt motor

255 air watts measured through the hose

Hose length 3.73m (catalogue says 16ft hose)

2.3 Litre dust bin

Available from February 2009

Interesting to see the motor wattage is lower than the out going DC14 and the air watts to! 

DC18

Trilobite wrote:

Trilobite - are you vacuuming an elephant house!? And if it doesn't 'Beat as it Sweeps as it Cleans', it's not an agitator, it's a brush-roll!

Model2 wrote:

And if it's a dyson, it's a brush bar!

Carmine D.

As promised, I've tracked down Which? Magazine's findings for the two current Dyson Ball models. Compare them with Consumer Report's findings, and draw your own conclusions:

DC25 Animal

Test criteria	Rating
Cleaning
Carpet
Laminate floors
Floorboards
Walls and corners
Performance
Allergen retention
Pet hair
Noise
Ease of use
General use
Emptying
Cleaning stairs
Manoeuvrability

DC24 All Floors

Test criteria	Rating
Cleaning
Carpet
Laminate floors
Floorboards
Walls and corners
Performance
Allergen retention
Pet hair
Noise
Ease of use
General use
Emptying
Cleaning stairs
Manoeuvrability

So, quite a marked difference to CR's results. Both models, coincidentally, achieve Which?'s 'Best Buy' certificate of recommendation.

Model2  I took the liberty to post side by side.  The test categories/criteria are not the same.  I matched the CR to Which?.  But it's "subjective." CR has not rated the DC25 yet.  Probably, in the March 2009 edition.  The ratings of a DC24 by CR and Which? are not markedly different.  CR's DC24 ratings are not necessarily bad.  Just a plethera of other US brand vacuums that perform as good and better.  WRT noise, Which? may be a more conservative grader than CR?

DC24 All Floors       Which?                        Consumer Reports

Test criteria	Rating
Carpet	Carpet       Good
Laminate floors	Barefloor  Excellent
Floorboards
Walls and corners
Allergen retention	Emissions     Excellent
Pet hair	Pat Hair          Fair
Noise	Noise              Very Good
General use	Handling         Very Good
Emptying
Cleaning stairs	Tool Airflow    Poor
Manoeuvrability

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Which? describe their sound-test thus: 'Noise levels are tested by placing vacuum cleaners in specially-configured sound chambers, surrounding them with carefully placed microphones to measure decibels reached.'

My guess would be that perhaps the average European cleaner is quieter than the average American cleaner. So a Dyson might seem quiet when compared to others in the US, but louder than others in the UK. In my own experience, I wouldn't say I find any Dyson - with the possible exception of the DC03 - quiet, but nor do I find them loud, and certainly not uncomfortably so.

Hi gang,

"Walls and corners" refers to edge cleaning doesn't it?  Which, by the way, is a term I haven't heard in a month of Sundays.  Has its importance in sales pitches dimished?

Venson

I notice 5 stars on Allergen retention. My question being...How was this determined? Was a particle meter used? With 5 or more seals that leak before the dust even gets to the HEPA filter how is a 5 star rating possibly achieved? On machines that have true sealed HEPA filtration systems, do they get lumped into a lesser efficient group of 5 star machines, thus negating their superior technology? Seems misleading and a dis-service to the consumer if that is true.

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

Interestingly, the HSN Julie HOOVER demo today keyed in on the walls and corners aka edge cleaning.  She used both sides of the nozzle head to show equidistant suction power all around.  One of the tenets of WT technology.

Carmine D.