Save Dyson DC25 Ball All-Floors Upright Vacuum Cleaner

The Dyson DC25 that I purchased yesterday is a clear improvement over the 16-year-old Kirby that it replaces. It picked up an amazing amount of dirt and fuzz; maybe the carpets will be beige again instead of grayish!

I bought the ball version specifically because I'd had it with my clunky old Kirby's lack of maneuverability. The ball plus the narrower front end definitely make the Dyson easier to direct into tight places and between chair legs. The Dyson does feel heavier in use, although I'm sure it weighs less, because the Kirby provided a drive assist and was largely self-propelled. For that reason I won't suggest the my 70-something mother get one, as the Dyson does require a bit of strength, but for me the trade-off in its tighter turns is worth a little effort on my part. The Dyson fits further under low furniture and even uses its "kick stand" wheels to advantage if you lay it down to roll under an end table.

The Dyson's suction impresses not only for the dirt it lifts but for its restraint too. Ol' Kirby loved to gobble up area rugs, laughing at me as I vainly stood on the rugs while trying to vacuum them. The Dyson tugged at some of these rugs, but it never ate them, and now they look fluffed as well as clean. One reason I had kept the Kirby so long was for its suction when using attachments, but the Dyson performed every bit as well. The hose portion is stiff, but I hope it will soften in time, and it does reach far. Since its pieces snap together, they don't separate in mid use the way the Kirby's twist-together attachments invariably did. Another plus for the Dyson is that the attachments are always with you, and you don't have to bend down and disassemble things to use them; you just click, pull, and go without even cutting the power. The Kirby required fetching the hose and attachment ends, turning the machine off, disengaging the drive belt and removing the beater end, then hooking up the hose, often leaving a small pile of dirt on the floor beneath this operation. The Dyson skips the hassle and lets you attack that cobweb on the wall without the 5 minute pit stop. I do wish for two more attachments ends: a hard, round tube and a larger stair cleaner, as I was used to these with the Kirby.

Emptying a vacuum cleaner will never be this allergy-sufferer's favorite job, and I did have to reach up in the dust bin to pull out massive dust bunnies, but I was so amazed by all the junk the Dyson picked up from my floors that I didn't mind this brief contact. With the Kirby, I could only squish the opaque bag and wonder whether it was full, although the cloud of dust it emitted when turning it on usually gave me a clue. Dyson so far eats dust; it doesn't belch it out the way Kirby did. While vacuuming five rooms, I emptied the bin twice, but I expect that will be less frequent after this initial phase of picking up what the Kirby left behind.

Overall I'm quite happy with the Dyson and hope it lasts a long, long time.

Pros
* suction: plenty strong without eating area rugs
* maneuverability
* convenient attachments: on-board, minimal change-over to start using, good power, long reach
* keeps dirt contained, doesn't spew dust when turned on

Cons
* a little heavy
* only two attachment ends included
Get more detail about Dyson DC25 Ball All-Floors Upright Vacuum Cleaner.