Dyson DC25 Review

During my research I discovered that there are a few important things to be aware of when shopping for an upright vacuum. These are:

- Ease of Use
- Power and Performance
- Dirt Collection and Filtration
- Reach
- Hand Tools
- Manufacturer's Reputation and Warranty

Buying the first vacuum cleaner that you see based solely on price is usually not a good idea. Not only do you want a machine that will do the job, you want one that will last a long time. In this review we'll evaluate each of the above criteria as it relates to the Dyson DC25 All-Floors upright vacuum cleaner.

Ease of Use

A vacuum cleaner with fixed wheels is hard to turn, making cleaning that much more difficult. The Dyson DC25 is unique in that it uses a ball that tilts and pivots. This design makes it easy to maneuver the vacuum cleaner around furniture and in tight spaces, with just the simple turn of a wrist. It's comparatively light weight of 16 pounds makes a big difference when you have a lot of area to cover. As one owner said,"When you have a smaller house with furnishings, it's important to be able to get around and under things without breaking your back."

One feature I really like about the DC25 is that it self-adapts to work across different carpet heights. That's a big benefit if you live in a place where you have a mixture of carpet, ceramic tile, wood floors and area rugs. It's great because you don't have to mess around with adjusting awkwardly positioned dials. Plus you don't have to worry about leaving dirt behind if they're not set properly.

Everything that you need is within easy reach on the Dyson DC25, with fingertip controls and intuitive buttons. You can easily turn on the brush-bar when you need to remove dirt and hair from your carpets, and turn it off to protect delicate rugs and floors.

The Dyson DC25 also has on-board accessory tools including a combination tool and a stair tool. Having these tools right at your side makes it much more convenient when cleaning stairs, stairs carpets, crevices and the like. You don't waste time running around trying to find where you left them last.

Power and Performance

Just as important as ease of use, is the ability to perform the job at hand; namely cleaning dirt and pet hair, and removing odor and dust on smooth and carpeted surfaces alike. The DC25 is extremely strong, sporting a constant suction power of a hefty 220 air watts. "This machine sucks, but in a good way!" was how one reviewer explained it. The air watt is a useful measurement of vacuum power; much better than measuring electrical amps or watts, because according to Wikipedia "the efficiency of motor and vacuum systems varies".

It's not the size of the motor, but how much vacuum it can create. According to the Dyson website, their engineers have spent ten years developing a new type of highly efficient digital motor. This motor is smaller, lighter, cleaner and more power-efficient than conventional electric motors. It's just another way how they've helped to create a light-weight and easy to maneuver vacuum cleaner.

Dirt Collection and Filtration

The problem with most vacuums cleaners is that in real life, their performance degrades very quickly. According to Dyson, "Other vacuum cleaners can lose up to 50% of their suction after picking up just 10oz of dust." When a vacuum cleaner uses a bag that acts as a filter, it will start to lose suction as it fills with dust and debris. The pores of the bag begin to clog with dust, restricting airflow and causing a loss of suction power.

Dyson vacuums are bag-less. Instead they spin air inside the machine to create centrifugal force, separating dirt and debris from the air. Since the airflow is unobstructed there's nothing to clog and suction power remains constant.

There are many efforts Dyson has undertaken to make vacuuming easier for those who suffer from asthma and allergies. The DC25 is certified asthma friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. This is an independent test that will "ensure that the Vacuum Cleaner reduces total allergen burden, while minimizing any increase in airborne allergen levels". What I like about this test is that not only is it comprehensive, but it also verifies that the vacuum cleaner can pass the test after extended operation.

The dust collection bin on the Dyson is designed so you can get rid of the dust without actually touching it. According to the manufacturer, "air expelled from a Dyson is 99.99 percent cleaner than when it entered the vacuum". Cyclonic separation captures up to 99.99 percent of all dirt and dust particles. A HEPA filter traps fine particles such as pollen and dust mite feces, which can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. Dyson states that "the air expelled from a Dyson has up to 150 times less bacteria and mold than the air you breathe".

Reach

Even the best vacuum cleaner in the world is useless if you can't reach the spots that are dirty. The DC25 comes with a 24-3/5-foot cord, providing a maximum reach of 40-2/7 feet. Not only can you reach where you need to, you won't spend all your time plugging and unplugging your vacuum. They also supply a quick-draw Telescope Reach wand, which expands to offer 16 feet of reach, which is great for stairs and walls, specially open stairwells which have higher than normal ceilings. Its lightweight design at only 16-1/8 pounds means you will be able to move it around easily and can carry it from one floor to the next.

Hand Tools

Cleaning the floor is only half the battle, that's why good hand tools are important. I think this one DC25 owner summed up it up best; "Most vacuums have hand tools that are awkward or just don't work. This is so easy to pull out (with a long handle to reach ceiling cobwebs) that I don't hesitate to use it many times in the midst of vacuuming a room. The attachments have very good suction power. The long handle makes everything, floor to ceiling to window sills, easy to reach without effort."

Manufacturer's Reputation and Warranty

The warranty on the Dyson DC25 is a generous five years and covers both parts and labor. According to the company website, the warranty only applies to products purchased from an authorized retailer, such as Amazon.

Dyson has been at the forefront in revolutionizing the consumer vacuum cleaner since the early 1980's. According to Wikipedia, James Dyson obtained his first U.S. patent on the idea of cyclonic separation in 1986 (U.S. Patent 4,593,429) and his design won the 1991 International Design Fair prize in Japan. The James Dyson foundation is engaged in numerous charitable ventures to support design and engineering education.

The Dyson DC25 is available on the Dyson website, as of this writing, for $499 but I've seen it for far less on Amazon. Also, Amazon offers free shipping and their customer service is really quite good. Check their site for the latest prices.

- Operating manual
- Quick start guide
- Warranty information
- Product registration card
- 5 year warranty
- Stair tool - A Dyson-designed tool for removing dust and dirt from stairs and stair carpets.
- Combination accessory tool - Debris nozzle converts to a brush tool for dusting.

Dyson has a really good five year warranty that covers both parts and labor. Note however that you do need to make your purchase from an authorized retailer, like Amazon, in order for the warranty to be effective.

This vacuum cleaner has received rave reviews from many consumers with an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars from reviewers on Amazon and the Dyson website itself. Almost 80% of reviews gave the DC25 a four-star or better rating. Dyson owners are very passionate group of people, that's for sure. Here are just a few of the comments:

- "I Think I'm In Love!"
- "Worth every penny..."
- "Never been so impressed by a vacuum cleaner."
- "Works great and looks cool too!"
- "A machine that deserves 5 stars"
- "DC25 Ball is Simply the BEST vacuum"
- "Is it possible to truly love a vacuum? yes, it is."

During my research I did come across a few minor complaints which I would like to share with you. The Dyson is a bag-less vacuum cleaner, so when you empty the bin, make sure you do it outside or in the garage. The HEPA filter, which cleans the air that exhausts from the vacuum cleaner, is washable. That means that you do need to wash it on a periodic basis. It's not hard to do, but you do need to do it.

You can buy this Dyson vacuum cleaner from Amazon, an authorized Dyson retailer. Purchasing from a Dyson Authorized dealer is important because, according to their website, their warranty only applies to products purchase through authorized retailers.

At the moment they include free shipping which saves quite a bit of money. They usually have the lowest price available. Click here to view current pricing on Amazon.

Amazon is the best place for reviews from people who actually use the product. When I did my research I found over 700 reviews for both DC25 models. Click here to read more.