This review is of the Dyson DC-14 Origin vacuum cleaner, one in a series of upright vacuum cleaners in the DC-14 range.

This cleaner was purchased in around 2009, and so is now a relatively old model, but it is still being sold new at a number of on-line retailers. I note that some reviewers claim that their model has broken or needed repair in that time, but I haven't had any problems with the cleaner since I've been using it.

In terms of cleaning, the main function of course, I trust Dyson to be a good product, and this one succeeded in cleaning all of the areas such as corners and harder to reach areas. I also found the manoeuvrability of the vacuum to be good, which was a big advantage. The cleaner seems effective at picking up pet hair, and didn't miss much at all when I was using it, so for this alone, I'd recommend the cleaner.

There are no bags to change which is an advantage with Dyson cleaners, and the capacity seemed reasonable in the vacuum, although it could of course be emptied at any time. However, I found the machine to be much noisier than previous vacuum cleaners I've used, which wasn't necessarily a problem for me, but it could be more disturbing for those with pets, or households with people trying to sleep!

Also with regards to pets, Dyson themselves note that this isn't the machine for those who have problems with allergens, as there is an All Floors version which is much better in this regard. Dyson also noted that this product wasn't ideal for delicate wooden floors because it has a brush bar, but I didn't have a problem with the limited wooden flooring that I do have, so they may have been referring to something rather more specific.

Although the machine I was using was second-hand by the time I started using it, the box notes that Dyson give a five year manufacturer's warranty with the vacuum, which is reassuring for those who are buying new that they won't need to spend more on a replacement after a couple of years. I haven't had any problems with this cleaner yet to need to use the warranty however, and the cleaner still seems to be performing as well as it did when much newer.

The vacuum cleaner is quite a heavy item to carry around, so for a lightweight cleaner this is unlikely to be suitable. I was pleased to note, as with other Dyson cleaners I've used, that the power cord is quite long, so it isn't necessary to keep finding plug sockets when moving around the house cleaning.

The machine cost around 180 pounds new a few years ago, and looking around on-line this seems to be around the top end price today for a new cleaner, some retailers are a little more expensive and I noticed that a couple are charging nearly 250 pounds (which I'd suggest is too much to pay). The number of large retailers who are selling the cleaner however seems quite low in number, possibly because it is an older vacuum cleaner. There are a number of models on eBay at the time of writing for around 100 pounds which are refurbished and seem to be sold by reputable sellers, so this is another option.

However, for anyone who is able to purchase this vacuum cleaner for a reasonable price, they are likely to find it reliable and effective. I was also impressed with how sturdy the design is, so it can probably take some knocks without being damaged beyond repair. Overall, there are probably better vacuum cleaners with more features available if shopping around for a new model, but this is still recommended.