Weighty design classic (Dyson DC11 Allergy)

Member Name: brouchka

Product:	Dyson DC11 Allergy
Date:	27/05/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good cleaning quality

Disadvantages: Too heavy

I am a big fan of Dyson cleaners - I bought the DC11 about three years ago as a replacement for another Dyson which I had worked into the ground. Generally speaking, I've been pretty happy with the vacuum - it has very powerful suction, and it always amazes me how much dust and dirt it manages to pick up, even though I use it very regularly. However, there are a few drawbacks as well, so I will list the positives and negatives (in my view) in turn:

POSITIVES
Efficient cleaner
Powerful suction
Easy to empty
Easy to dismantle and clean
Fastens up neatly and quite compactly for storage
Love the colour scheme - purple and turquoise - and Dyson vacuums really are design classics!
Replacement parts are cheap and easy to fit
Four different cleaning heads for different tasks
Long power cable, so don't need to keep moving the plug from room to room

NEGATIVES
Needs emptying very regularly
Very heavy - not ideal for cleaning stairs, believe me it hurts if you pull it over on to your foot
The hose isn't long enough to reach to the tops of doorways etc
I am on to my third replacement filter (about £12 each) - admittedly I do a lot of DIY/sanding, so it has to work hard, but the filters do eventually become too blocked up to wash out properly and need replacing.

Overall - it's a good vacuum. However, whilst I would definitely buy another Dyson in future, I think I'd probably want to give something else a go - definitely would prefer a lighter model.

Summary: Good all rounder, not ideal if you have a lot of stairs

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Ease of use:
Cleaning/Maintenance: