I Used To Be So Very Dirty! (Dyson DC04)

Member Name: Sexy Kay

Product:	Dyson DC04
Date:	08/03/03 (3176 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong suction and a two year guarantee., Life time filters.

Disadvantages: Tools a bit stiff to get on and off.

Normally I'd have been excited about seeing my boyfriend carrying a big box through the door, but this wasn't a present it was a necessity. Our battered Dyson DC01 had finally given up the ghost and was looking very sad. The latest problem was the loss of one of it's wheels - careless driving on my part! I say 'problem' but really we have been quite happy with the performance of our old Dyson. We'd had it for ages and it was given to us second hand by my mum and dad when they upgraded.

So it was goodbye to the old DC01 and hello to a new Dyson DC04. An improved era of cleaning was about to begin.

"Why did we choose this particular vacuum cleaner?", you may ask.

We chose the DC04 partly because we decided we'd have another Dyson, based on our experience with the DC01, and partly because it was on special offer at Argos for £159.00. There are newer, fancier Dyson models but this doesn't bother me at all. I'm not too domesticated and I'm not really bothered what a vacuum cleaner looks like. What I want is good suck and so does my boyfriend - we share cleaning duties. We also liked the idea of it having life time filters, so no need for expensive replacements. Another good point is the two year guarantee. Dyson claim that the cleaner will normally be fixed within three working days if anything should go wrong, which sounds fair enough. And finally, as I'm sure everyone now knows, the Dyson range do not require replacement bags to collect the dust, which is another plus. We also like the dual cyclone technology which, I think, makes any old style, more traditional cleaners very outdated and inefficient.

"So what does it look like?"

It's an upright style cleaner basically in grey but with trim, and a few of the various parts, in a sickly shade of lime green. I can't honestly say that the colours are very appealing, but we knew this before we m
ade the purchase. There is a transparent chamber at the front, so that you can see how much dirt you are picking up and also to emphasise what very dirty people you are!

A good plus is that the cleaner is very easy to assemble, no screwdriver or spanners required. I mention this because my gran bought an Electrolux a while back and couldn't put it together herself, it was just too complicated - and so were the instructions. The Dyson DC04 is easy peasy and ready for action in a couple of minutes by following six steps, as illustrated on one page of a very easy to understand six page 'User Guide'.

The three tools supplied with the cleaner are fixed onto the top and body of the DC04 and there are clips to hold the cable when not in use. One difference, with the newer Dysons, is that they now have a looped handle to hold when vacuuming, instead of just a straight upright one. Can't say that this made using it any easier, but it looks a little better I suppose.

All of this is okay, as background info, but the important question is, "How good is it at cleaning your carpets?"

The simple answer is, "Fantsatic!" Well I think so at least. Push the on/off switch, adjust the angle of the body of the cleaner with your foot and away you go. The 1500 watt motor roars into action and starts sucking away like mad. Straight away you'll no doubt see bits of dust and debris whirling about in the transparent cylinder - I certainly did.

Now I thought our flat was reasonably clean - wrong!! Obviously our old DC01 should have been pensioned off to the knackers yard years earlier. It was amazing, or perhaps even disgusting, the amount of grot, dust and so on that was extracted from our carpets with our first use of the new DC04. No wonder I used to get attacks of 'the sneezes' ocassionally for no apparent reason. This is actually an important point as the Dyson has the 'Seal of A
pproval' of The British Allergy Foundation. It really does pick up 'more' dust than the average cleaner, so less hankies needed for me.

I think we must have had dust and dirt hidden away in the tufts at the bottom of our carpets, the DC04 got rid of this. As far as I'm concerned this is all I really want from a cleaner. I feel confident that Dyson's claim that the DC04 is 'The highest performing Dual Cyclone upright' is absolutely correct. Our first clean soon filled up the bin (cylinder). It's easy to empty, just click it out from the main body of the cleaner, tip upside down and either empty straight into a dustbin or a plastic bag. Afterwards click the bin back into position, all neat and tidy.

I found the DC04 easy to use and manipulate. It cleans right up to most edges and can be lowered reasonably flat to slip under the likes of our dining chairs and coffee table. This is for when I can't be bothered to move things about - which is most of the time!

"What about the tools?"

As I said earlier there are three tools supplied. For use they clip onto the detachable handle. This pulls out, from the main body of the cleaner, and has a hose attached that stretches for six times its normal length. The tools are pushed on to this. The hose is long enough to stretch to the top of most household stairs.

The first of the tools is one to use for stairs and any small areas where the main cleaner won't fit. It has velour strips to pick up hairs, an adgitating edge to lift the carpet pile and the head can be set in two positions. I use this for getting into corners.

Next comes the long thin 'crevice tool' useful for cleaning such things as skirting boards, picture rails and any odd nook or cranny you may have.

Finally is a 'brush tool', with a rotating head, to dislodge any dust or cobwebs hanging about, or to use on any delicate paint
work.

The tools and the main cleaner are all I need for my flat, or for most average houses. The only difficulty is that the tools are quite hard to push on to the hose and sometimes even more difficult to get off again. This could be a problem for anyone with weak wrists or hands, an elderly person for example.

"Are there any more problems with the DC04?"

Personally I don't think so, but there are a few that may be applicable for some users. The cleaner is definitely heavier to lift than our old DC01. The weight isn't quoted on any of the Dyson literature I've seen. I plonked my DC04 on my bathroom scales and it looks to be about 10kg. It would be quite heavy for some people to lug up and down stairs.

The cable (to plug into the electric) is a good length of around 8.5m, by my reckoning, but this can be a little unwieldy. The release clip, for when the cable is wound up on the cleaner, is also sticky and needs a little elbow grease to turn. This may get easier with more use. These are the only negative aspects that I can find to the cleaner - other than the awful lime green colour trim I have already mentioned.

"The final verdict?"

I think the cleaner is excellent. I'll give it full marks, as the minor problems I have quoted don't affect me - I'm quite strong! The most important point, as I keep saying, is that the suction is excellent - what more does anyone want from a vacuum cleaner? So, yes, I would recommend the DC04. I've used it for a while now, have given it a thorough test (unfortunately!) and I am completely happy with the purchase. Well, as happy as you can be with such things as domestic applicances - one day I'll have a cleaner to come in twice a week!

I'd better quickly mentioned that there is also a slightly dearer model DC04 (about £20-£30 extra) that has an auto adjusting cleaner head. For us this wasn't nece
ssary - the good point about this variation though is that it is grey and yellow which is much easier on the eye.

I think that's enough about cleaning - I'm getting tired at the thought!

- Kay

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