Sucking Good Cleaner (Dyson DC04SL)

Member Name: sandemp

Product:	Dyson DC04SL
Date:	06/02/05 (260 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bagless, Cleans well

Disadvantages: A bit noisy, NOT suitable for hard floors

I'd always wondered what the fuss was about Dysons, what could be so wonderful about their “Dual Cyclone” technology that meant they were over a hundred pounds more expensive than a standard vacuum cleaner? Well when our last bagless vacuum cleaner bit the dust (so to speak), we decided to find out what all the fuss was about and began to search on-line for our very own Dyson. After searching on several sites and deciding whether we wanted a cylinder or upright cleaner we came to a decision and bought the DC04S/L, an upright cleaner which to be honest is the bottom of the range.

~~~Setting the Dyson up~~~

The Dyson comes part assembled in a large box, as far as I'm concerned this was NOT a good start. I'm used to buying vacuum cleaners fully assembled and be-grudge doing their work for them. However, as it was, I had to connect the handle by threading down the suction pipe. A process that wasn't as simple as it seemed, I found it very fiddly, but did manage it eventually. The handle then clipped securely onto the main section of the cleaner, as did the cleaning tools.

~~~The styling~~~

OK now it's set up, what does it look like?

Well it's pretty stylish in a Dyson sort of way. Mainly silver in colour with lime green highlights it looks very modern and almost toy-like. While at first thought lime green does seem a garish colour, it doesn't look too bright, honest.

Weight wise it's not too heavy to carry around at approximately 8kg, but can be unwieldy when carrying up the stairs. While I've found the handle height to be fine at 5' 1 and my husband also has no problems at 5' 7, its not adjustable, which may be a problem for some.

~~~Vacuuming~~~

The DC04 boasts 230 airwatts of constant suction, this means that its cleaning power will remain constant even when the bin is almost full. I don't claim to understand what airwatts mean, but according to a couple of sites motor wattage only tells you how much electricity the machine uses, while airwatts tells you the suction power. Now 230 airwatts means this is in no way the most powerful cleaner, but it does seem to do the job very well. Even vacuuming an apparently clean carpet, I was amazed at how much dust and hair it picked up.

The cleaner is simple enough to use, there is an on/off button on top of the main section, and for standard cleaning you need to step on a button at the front of the base (took me a while to work that out, they're normally at the back). You can then vacuum merrily away, without having to worry about changing the brush settings for short carpet, long carpet, etc. as it adjusts automatically. As you vacuum, all the dirt and dust collects in the see-through bin on the front of the cleaner, and spins round and round. If it doesn't spin, then you know the cleaner's blocked (handy that).

For those hard to reach places and to use the on-board tools is very simple. The cleaner needs to be in the upright position, and then you can release the hose, by pressing a catch, and pull the extendable tube out. There are no extension tubes to attach, and the cleaning tools simply slot into the tube. The reach for cleaning stairs and ceilings is in a word, fantastic.

Short of available plug sockets, then never fear, the power cord is an amazing 8.4 metres long and the total reach of the cleaner is 13.6 metres, long enough so that I can clean two rooms, without needing to change sockets.

Now then, the question is how does it stand upto cleaning up after four children? And the answer is very well, it's almost effortless to vacuum, (well for me it's totally effortless, my hubby does it) it takes him about five minutes to vacuum a large room (16ftx13ft) and the amount of dirt it picks up on a daily basis is amazing.

~~~Emptying the bin~~~

The only problem with such an efficient cleaner is how often the bin needs emptying. I find we need to empty after each cleaning session (partly because I have a thing about loose hair), and it's a very simple affair (after a bit of practise) which involves releasing the bin (via another spring loaded catch) and then removing the green cyclone and simply emptying in the dustbin. Putting it back together, is slightly more awkward, but the trick is to make sure you have everything facing the right way.

The real problem with emptying the bin, is you then need to clean the area where you dismantled it, as it seems that some dust will always escape onto the floor.

~~~Maintenance~~~

The cleaner is fairly simple to maintain, there are no bags or filters to buy. The bin benefits from a weekly wash (just remember to let it dry completely before replacing it). There is also a blockage port, to help you get at any socks you've inadvertently vacuumed up. Finally, you can get at the brushes very easily to clear the hair, by undoing the base plate. If anything else goes wrong with it, you can always fall back on the 2 year guarantee that Dyson kindly supplies.

~~~Health benefits~~~

The DC04 has been endorsed by the British Allergy Foundation, due to the fact that it can remove the smallest particles of dust, as small even as a particle of cigarette smoke (0.2 microns). I have noticed that my house does seem ever so slightly less dusty than it did previously.

~~~The bad points~~~

Of course nothing in this world is perfect, and that includes this cleaner. Among the bad points are :

The noise - I find this cleaner to be very noisy, it emits a kind of whine.

The bin - while it's comforting to be able to see how well the cleaners working, the dirt it collects is not really the sort of thing you want visitors to see.

Hard Floors - This cleaner is only suitable for carpeted floors, NOT hard floors, so we still need the broom for the kitchen. (There is another version with brushbar control for hard floors).

~~~Company Info~~~

More information on this product can be found at :

http://www.dyson.co.uk/range/feature_frame.asp?mo del=DC04-SL&sinavtype=menu

You can also purchase the cleaner here for £189.99 along with various accessories.

~~~Price and Availability~~~

A quick check on a price comparison site tells me that the Dyson DC04S/L is available online at a variety of shops and prices including :

£132.07 (inc. delivery) from 247electrical
£136.74 (inc. delivery) from eBuyer
£137.39 (inc. delivery) from Tesco

~~~My opinion~~~

Finally owning a Dyson, I can see what all the fuss was about. It is far better at cleaning than my previous bagless vacuum, and looks a lot nicer. Our carpets even look a different colour after having used it. So my recommendation is to buy this if you only have carpets to vacuum, and have no need for the extra features of the more expensive models. However, if you have hard floors, then go for the model with brush control which is available from Dyson at £199.99

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