LG Cyking - SHOCKING! (LG Cyking VC 716 HSL)

Member Name: wellyboot

Product:	LG Cyking VC 716 HSL
Date:	06/02/03 (1851 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks Funky, Bagless, er, Looks Funky

Disadvantages: Gives electric shocks, Gives electric shocks that HURT, Gives more electric shocks

LG Cyking 16000 Bagless > UPDATED, SEE BELOW...

I am not very interested in technical details, as long as its powerful and does the job, I'm (usually) happy so I am not going to bother going into great detail about the technical characteristics of the product, except to say that it promised 1600 watts of power, is bagless and works using cyclone technology.

For the princely sum of £98, I hoped I'd get a cleaner (to replace the new 1800 Vax I had for just 6 months before it broke) that would essentially be a cheap copy of a Dyson.

I was straight away seduced by it's space age styling (although I'm sure it's somewhat odd looks aren't for everyone), I thought it looked cool and funky and best of all it felt well made, with good solid components and big chunky swivel wheels. The 'bit where all the muck goes' was solid and easy to get in and out and although a little pricey, I threw caution to the wind.

And there lies the moral of this review. Don't throw cuation to the wind and buy things just because they look cool.

When I first turned it on, it almost pulled the entire lounge carpet up (slight exaggeration) and the suction power seemed to be pretty much continuous even after attacking the entire house, and using the clever little attachment, on the curtains and sofa (we have two long haired cats). However, during the time It took to hoover the house, I was CONTINUALLY shocked. I don't mean shocked at how good it was, I mean electric shocked. Not just a couple of times, but EVERY single time my hand or any other stray body part (normally my leg) touched the pole of the vacuum.

The electric shocks were not just little ones either but BIG old nasty ones that actually hurt! After finishing the first room, I was honestly scared to carry on, so my husband had a go and immediately yelped in pain as his leg brushed the pole.

This was 6 days ago. My carpets desperately

need hoovering but I am
honestly too scared to use the thing! I briefly plucked up courage to run it round the lounge, desperately trying not to touch the pole, but unless you have the concentration of a Zen warrior, not touching the pole is nigh on impossible.

To be completely honest, joking aside, I am utterly shocked and dismayed that a manufacturer can bring such a product to market at all. Don't these things get tested? Before I mouth off too much, I would like to point out that we could just be unlucky and have some sort of fault with our specific machine and if this is what I find out when I return it to the shop this weekend, I will swiftly alter this review.

If you were thinking of going and getting one of this, it might be a good idea to find a big old piece of carpet in the shop and test it out first.

UPDATE

After swapping our initial Cyking for another unit, we tried it out at my parents house. Different wiring, different carpets etc...and lo and behold. Electric shocks. However, what we did find was that at my parents house, who do not have the same carpet throughout, in some rooms the shocks were greater than in others. There seemed to be no corelation between long tufted carpets giving more shocks than say short tufted carpets...in fact their newest carpet, only a few weeks old is that expensive trendy sisal matting type and that gave the worst shocks of all. Our entire house is carpeted from the same middle of the range stuff, with an average pile...Its a shame becuase it would at least be helpful if one could draw the conclusion that it works badly on deep pile but well on short pile...the problem is just not that clear cut though.

We eventually took back the second Cyking machine and have now done what we should have done to begin with...spent £150 more and brought a new Dyson. Needless to say, we don't get any electric shocks now. But it does mean I am left without a valid exc
use f
or not doing the house work!

Summary: