Quote from Dyson_Chris on 02/23/07 at 2:34pm:Just heard the DC18 will be a independent dealer exclusive until June.
I was in Best Buy yesterday, and as I walked in the door, I saw a big "DC18" Sign, so I went back to the vacuum department and checked it out. They vacuum handled very easily, and would be very easy to manuever around furniture. I didn't plug it in, but just examined it and pushed it back and forth. It seemed well balanced and easy to handle. Whether due to the ball, the ease of turning, or the nice balance, the machine seemed much lighter than 16 lbs.
The pedal to release the handle and ball was obvious and easy to use. Figuring it out how to release the wand was not at all obvious. I finally figured out that the secret is that you reach in and pull out the extension, and that when it is fully extended, it releases the wand. Strange and non-intuitive, but functional, and would work fine, once you figured it out. The two-in-one tool was also nice, but very small, as was the wand diameter. If you did a lot of work with tools, this wouldn't be my choice, but for a relatively light, very maneuverable upright, the unit seemed very nice. I think women will like this machine much better than they liked the DC15.