We decided to go for the Dyson DC25 after our previous vacuum cleaner lost the will to suck. Since our then defunct vacuum was a cheap and rather poor model, we decided to splash out a bit and go for a Dyson. We had always heard good things about them, and at the time Curry's had a promotion on all Dyson cleaners. We decided to go for the DC25 All-floor model as we have various floor surfaces in our flat, from carpet, to lino and tiles. At the time, if I remember correctly, we got over £70 off our DC25, but it normally costs approx. £250.

Our model was in stock at the depot, so we were able to take it straight home. It was well packaged, and nothing was damaged upon our first inspection. I have to admit, my first impressions of the Dyson were sceptical at best. It feels and looks very plastic. I wasn't particularly convinced that it would last very well in the long term. Regardless, we put it straight to use.

I guess the most important feature of any vacuum cleaner is how well it removes dirt from surfaces. Well it's safe to say that the DC25 sucks, in the best way of-course. Apart from washing our carpets, they have never looked cleaner than when using this vacuum. It has very powerful suction, and the info about the bag-less vacuums not losing power as they fill up is true. My old vacuum had bags to empty, and it got less and less efficient as the bag filled. This Dyson sustains its excellent suction as the canister fills. The only problem is that, even in our small flat, it seems to fill up very quickly, so needs emptying often. It also works well on lino and tiles, sucking up all the dust before we mop these surfaces.

The DC25 is one of the Dyson Ball range, and I have to say that this technology really makes a big difference in a small apartment. It's actually quite a heavy vacuum cleaner, but the addition of the ball makes it pretty nimble, and allows you to spin in quite tight circles. We have quite a lot of awkward spaces to get into, and this Dyson copes well. I found its lack of wheels meant it can adapt well to any layout. It's definitely one of the models best features.

The (pretty frequent) emptying of the Dyson is fairly simple: a button on top of the dirt holding canister is depressed, and this releases it from the cleaner. At this point be very careful not to release the release catch for the canister to empty, unless you are over a bin, as it releases the dirt from a door on the bottom. Releasing the dirt can be a bit messy at times, as dust can swirl out and into the air (try not to breath in at this point), and occasionally you may need to manually remove portions of dirt that can get stuck halfway up the tube. However, the fact that you don't need to hunt down hard to find hoover bags any more, makes up for this slight hassle.

Apart from the main head for vacuuming carpets etc, the DC25 comes with a detachable hose that can be used for all those awkward corners and edges. The hose is cleverly incorporated into the main handle of the machine, and pulls up and out with the release of a top catch. Also attached to the vacuum are a couple of attachments for this hose, which include an upholstery head, and a narrow nozzle, with a further attachable brush head. Cleverly, this brush head is incorporated onto the nozzle, and simply slides back when not required, meaning you don't have to keep on re-attaching it. My only problem with this hose is that it's rather stiff (no sniggering!), and this makes it a bit of a pain to manoeuvre about, especially for using it for things above ground level.

My only issues are that the DC25 is pretty noisy, and fairly heavy. Most vacuums have a fairly loud 'whooshing' sound to them, but this one has a very weird almost rasping sound to it. I don't own any animals, but I would imagine this would scare the bejesus out of any dogs etc! It's not really a major problem though, and you do get used to it. The weight issue again isn't really a big problem for me, but lifting it about could be a hassle for someone older, or with poor strength. It does have a rather sturdy lifting handle though, so it's not hard to hold onto, if you have to lift it up.

I mentioned at the start of the review that I was concerned that my Dyson looked a bit plastic-y, however, after over two years, my fears have proved unfounded. The DC25 still works perfectly, and none of the many plastic catches, buttons, or hinges has yet to break. In fact the whole thing is a miracle of modern plastic engineering if I'm being honest. The suction is still top notch, and on the whole I can say that the expensive asking price for the machines is, in my opinion, justified when the product preforms perfectly without issue for years of repeated use. I don't mind spending a bit more for quality. The 'Ball' is more than just a cheap gimmick, and really does make this rather heavy vacuum a breeze to use.

It's a testament to Dyson that most modern vacuum cleaners have changed drastically over the last few years to mimic their designs. It's a bit like the introduction of the iPhone to the mobile phone market. I'm sure some of the other vacuum manufacturers can offer similar but cheaper results these days, but I don't regret my Dyson purchase.