This machine is the perfect house mate.... (Dyson DC04)

Member Name: milmol

Product:	Dyson DC04
Date:	30/06/02 (467 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant suction power

Disadvantages: The tools are difficult to attach

You know that question people sometimes ask, ‘If your house were on fire which items would you save first?’ well after the humans and animals it would have to be my Dyson Hoover. My DC04 to give it its Sunday name.

The first time I saw a Dyson was at a friend’s house, and I was initially disgusted at the site of the contents of the plastic bin being visible for all to see. It seemed a bit like doing your dirty washing in public (A Yorkshire saying which roughly translated means you are allowing your dirty affairs to become public knowledge). I have long since overcome this fear of being judged dirty by others by hiding my Dyson at the side of the piano. It fits quite neatly into the gap between the piano and the front door, like a silent soldier waiting to go into war and do battle again.

My Dyson and I go into battle daily, being mum to a golden retriever means the house can resemble dog hair city if not kept under control. If fact I believe all dogs and kids should come free with this brilliant device and the world would be a much cleaner space.

Last year my old Hoover died, we tried desperately to resuscitate it but after days of pushing the same dog hairs around and around on the carpet, we admitted defeat and set off in search of a new model. Friends at work had one by one been converted to Dyson lovers and not wanting to be left out I decided to check out what was on offer. First of all I checked my Littlewoods catalogue, I know items are cheaper elsewhere but it always makes me feel better to buy it cheaper. The price in the catalogue was £199.99, reduced from £230, £10 interest is charged if bought over 20 weeks but then of course you will receive 10% commission, however if bought over 100 weeks the price rises to £255.18.

Dyson has its own web page www.dyson.com and up to date prices can be checked out here also.

Argos currently charges £188.50 for this particular model, reduced from £199.00.
We have a shop nearby called the ‘Factory Shack’, it seems to sell top branded goods at low prices and so armed with my price list we visited the shack. The DC04 was there and priced at a very reasonable £175.00 (Oh I do love a bargain).

About the machine ~ The machine arrives boxed and is in 4 parts which are very easily clipped together. It has an extremely long cable, which as I live in a bungalow, I find if I plug it into the hall I can reach most of the house from this point. The tools clip neatly onto the top and handle of the machine for easy access and when needed, a small lid on top of the handle is pushed down and a tool attached. I personally found attaching the tools quite hard, they seemed very tight fitting and anyone with arthritis or dexterity problems would struggle. Another irritation is the tools if used in an downward motion tend to fall off the handle, therefore its better to use them with upward strokes and this is my only criticism of the machine.

The bin is clear as previously mentioned and I think anyone would be aghast to see the dust and rubbish that is picked up by this machine. The bin is easily unclipped for emptying and then needs to be wiped around with a damp cloth. It can be rinsed with water although detergents are not recommended and it must be completely dry before replacing on the machine.

Another added bonus with this model is there are no filters to buy, the main pre-motor filter is washable and the recommended time limit for washing is every 6 months. Its basically washed in cold water until the water runs clear and then left to dry for 12 hours.

The machine comes with a two year guarantee and just as important I think is the Dyson help line. This is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm and I have personally used this service. My machine did not seem to be ‘picking up’ with the tools and so I phoned the help line. A very polite lady talked me through a number of chec
ks, which resulted in the problem being found, i.e. a mass of hair was stuck in the flexible hose.

An additional 3-year guarantee can be purchased for £54 which is quiet reasonable. This extends the guarantee to 5 years. Payments can be spread over 10 months if necessary and the first payment is due 30 days after Dyson receives the application. This extended guarantee is underwritten by Domestic & General Insurance PLC. I have never needed to call Dyson for repairs but a friend of mine did and a repairman visited her home to mend the machine. All in all the aftercare seems very thorough.

I would definitely buy this machine again and/or recommend it to a friend. I know lots of other companies are now making ‘bag less’ machines but I have no experience of them. To me a Dyson DC04 is an ideal housemate……..

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