Not bad this Hoover Slider.
 

Hell Chris:
 
Thanks for the pic.  Mea culpa.  The picture is deceiving WRT the way the user vacuums in the picture.  The picture does not show the top half of the HOOVER Slider handle, which appears not to be connected.  In real life usage with both parts of the handle attached, the top of the HOOVER Slider handle comes right to waist length for an adult of average height.
 
The dyson DC16 is a hand vacuum until you add the tools and use it like a stick vacuum.  The HOOVER Slider is a pure stick vacuum WITH A REVOLVING BRUSH ROLL.  While both are designed for different purposes, they serve similar cleaning needs.  Both are bagless. And both are cordless and rechargeable.  
 
I posted about the HOOVER Slider to show the difference for comparative run times and costs to the dyson DC16.  I compared the cost per run minute for the dyson DC16 vice the HOOVER Slider.  The DC16 is $27 per run minute.  The HOOVER Slider is $.83 cents to $1.33.  
 
"IF" dyson can improve the run time from 5 minutes, which BTW costs 50-75 cents at the local gas pump vacuums, to 30 minutes, then the DC16 becomes a viable cleaner for users (IMHO).  And has potential for other business applications at the current price.
 
I use my HOOVER Slider for my Ford Explorer.  The rear cargo area of the Explorer, which is completely carpeted and where my lab stages, is constantly mucked up with lab hair.  It sticks to the rug pile.  Straight suction vacuums, like my SHOP VAC (really a wall garage vacuum) and the gas pump vacuums with the industrial hose and tool openings, can't pick up most of the lab hair that is stuck to the my car's rug surfaces.  I vacuum a few passes with the HOOVER Slider and all the dog hair, and everything else, gets picked up.  I also remove the rug mats up front and in the rear.  Place them on my garage apron and vacuum with the HOOVER Slider.  The HOOVER Slider nozzle will easily fit in the foot wells of my Explorer, both front and back, for vacuuming.   Plus a 100 other uses.
 
Carmine D.

All week I've been thinking of buying the DC16. Could a handheld justify such a high price? Do I really need such a thing? On Thursday, my decision was made; I won 100 GBP as part of a team in a pub quiz - enough to buy the Dyson and turn my winnings into something more tangible.
 
Before Dyson, vacuum cleaners never really entered my own mind as an object of desire. The same has been true of handheld vacs - they're not the most masculine of objects. Dyson have done an amazing job over the years in getting regular guys involved with the domestic cleaning chores. The design of the DC16 seems more like a cordless power drill than the typical triangular wedge of the Black & Decker dustbuster and the clones that followe. It's striking - unmistakably different, unmistaken Dyson.
 
The bulk of the weight is, as you'd expect, within the motor and battery pack. As there's a minimum airflow speed required for root cyclone filtration to work effectively, both these parts are heavier than on a typical handheld. The hand drill-style handle helps and just like with a drill, the design lends you towards griping the 'barrel' of the cleaner with your other hand, for waist height cleaning.
 
The 5 minute use before charging initially sounds prohibitive. In practice, its efficiency in pulling up dust and dust means that for the average domestic environment, you're unlikely to need any longer than this. The battery is Li-ion, giving greater performance over the Ni-cad cells more typically used in handhelds. This part alone gives the vac it's higher than average price. By comparison, a similar-sized Li-ion replacement battery for my laptop costs 150 GBP - I wouldn't be surprised if Dyson are working on tight profit margins just to get this product 'out there'.
 
Rather than intending using this along side an exiting vacuuming cleaner, I'm looking to use it as my *only* vacuum cleaner. Having wood panelled laminate flooring throughout - within a week, the dust bunnies soon start appearing. Having the handheld to hand makes it a simple job to scoot around, suck them up and have them spinning into the cyclone in no time. Along with the occasional use of a nylon brush, this task is now quicker than pulling a canister and much more fun than a dustpan and brush.
 
A lot of thought has obviously gone into the product design. All parts are modular and come apart for easy cleaning. Both post and pre motor filters are used, with the vac refusing to work unless the pre motor is in place. The nozzle rotates freely, which allows you to get in to tight corners where rotating the whole cleaner is not possible. To combination nozzle converts effortlessly to a dusting brush, a new feature also used on the latest uprights. 3 status LEDs report the battery power level and provide diagnostic feedback.
 
As well as around the house, I gave it a quick go in the car. It works well, pulling up dog hair dry mud and grit as you'd expect. Even in the foot wells, it was fine to use - but I guess this depends on space you have available. It's not as readily accessible in some areas, like under seats, as using a normal vac hose. But presumably it could be used with the Dyson flexi-crevice tool to get in to these spaces.
 
In all, it's the handheld cleaner: reinvented. Maybe the first of many to come - partially if new inventions such as fuel cells can be integrated in the near future.

Best Buy had 6 DC16's in just over a week ago and now they are sold out.

I see this model is a standard 2 year full Dyson warranty and not 5 years like all other models!