Dyson DC14 Animal Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner
by Dyson
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List Price: Our Price: $298.99 You Save: $361.00 (55%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Dyson DC14 Animal Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Customer Review: Hook
Summary: 5 Stars
We recently put in new carpet. We had berber before which is like hard wood flooring and our vacuum worked fine. However, with the new carpet and new pad, even though it is low-lying carpet, our Hoover was very hard to push. We never really liked it because it is so heavy, especially up the stairs but it was free, a house-warming gift 6 years ago.
I tried to research vacuums but there are so many brands and models and each model has sub models, that I found it hard to do so.
We went to Moore sewing, vacuum, and ceiling fans. I actually took my Hoover to see if it could be repaired. The salesman said that my $200 Hoover is a cheap $65 vacuum good for apartments and rentals. He showed me Simplicity, which I've never heard of and pushed it so hard that we thought he must have been getting a pretty hefty kick back or commission. We asked about the Hoovers, Orecks, and Dysons. He said that they are all crappy machines. The only choice he would let us make was to buy the Simplicity. And the only one we could buy was the most expensive at $699. So we left, feeling like we needed a shower from his used car salesman techniques.
I looked on the Internet when we got home and the only Simplicity dealer in Orange County was Moore and there was only one dealer in L.A. How good could they be if no one sells them and what happens if we move and need it serviced?
I went to Costco and you can't really test them there.
So I talked to friends and two swore by the Dyson. They both have the older version.
I went to Sears knowing the sales techniques wouldn't be so hard because I have bought large appliances there before.
I looked at a couple of Hoover Wind tunnels and they were really heavy 28-31 lbs. I looked at the Bissell Lift-Off Bagless Vacuum but couldn't see removing and carrying around the canister while I vacuumed the stairs.
So I looked at the Dysons. The weight was light only 18.5 lbs. The suction seemed great. We vacuumed dirt off linoleum and low lying carpet, which any cheap vacuum could have done, but the hose had a lot of pressure and sucked my hand more than our current vacuum.
I actually bought the Dyson DC14 Full Kit Upright, which I don't see on Amazon. I remember seeing it at Costco for $469 and Sears matched prices from $569 and had a 10% rebate if I applied for a credit card.
Because I am a little strange, when I got home I vacuumed with my old Hoover and then with the Dyson to see if it would pick anything up. It did pick up 2 small dust bunnies worth of dirt. Then I vacuumed my stairs that have never been vacuumed (carpet was installed only 3 weeks ago) and the Dyson picked up more dirt. The carpet even feels different on my socked feet, a little softer after being vacuumed by the Dyson.
Customer Review: Believe the hype
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never met a product that actually exceded the marketing hype. This vacuum is everything the maker claims. My Hoover bagless bit the dust after a hair clog burned out the motor. I seen the ads on the Dyson and read the reviews and decided to give it a try. After only 3 days in between vacuums (I ordered my Dyson second day delivery after my Hoover dies) and the Dyson picked up dirt left behind. I already been through two fill ups, and can confirm that even when the container is full there is no lost suction.
I bought the Animal version (Purple color) which comes with a low, wide attachment for under the bed stuff, and a suction powered brush attachment for stairs, couches and beds. It also came with a box of Zorb carpet cleaner and application tool.
Aside from its amazing cleaning power, this vacuum is not absolutly perfect. Although hardly worth mentioning, there are some not so good things.
1. The instructions are not entirely clear. To operate the hand tool, I thought the handle needed to be removed and reversed but that is not the case. There is a cap that flips up on the top of the handle that the tools fit.
2. The handle must be fully extended regardless of what is cleaned as the hose will crimp loosing suction.
3. The handle must be removed when using the vacuum powered brush attachment. It will not fit on the handle.
4. The vacuum powered brush handle does not stay securely on the hose.
5. More of a gripe than a complaint, for a 600 dollar vacuum I expected the seals around the vacuum head to be a bit more tight - but no suction is lost so no problems.
6. The Zorb power doesn't work well at all. Smells nice though.
There is plenty of good about the vacuum that makes it highly recommended:
1. Nothing else to buy, ever. No filters, no bags, no belts
2. The brush has a great feature, if something is caught the brush stops turning (making a scary ratchet sound) so no damage to the brush occurs. Remove the object and continue
3. Emptying the container is way too cool - just pull a lever and the bottom opens up. No dust or dirt to touch. The bottom lid is spring loaded so it opens faster than the dirt drops out so no dust on the outside.
4. As mentioned before, this has phenomenal suction. I vacuumed near our kitchen where carpet meets tile and it sucked up a carpet tack!
All in all, this is a fantastic vacuum, probably the last one I will ever buy. Couple the fact that not belts, bags or filters are required, this is sure to be an overall best buy. Don't let the no filters thing fool you - it is HEPA certified. The filters are washable which is why no filters are required.
Customer Review: Dude, It Sucks!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was extremely skeptical when I saw the commercials touting the benefits of the Dyson family of vacuum cleaners. I've been disappointed by every vacuum cleaner I have owned over my lifetime such that my scale of what I consider an "acceptable" range of quality was actually pretty low.
But the Dyson DC14 has all but broken my original scale. It is simply the finest domestic cleaning device I have ever used. Our house gets quite dirty with pet dander, dust, hair and god-knows what else. I performed the famouse Dyson test... I ran our Eureka upright over a patch of living room carpet for five minutes. Then I ran the DC14 over the same area and was surprised to see the canister filling with "stuff" (mostly hair but also extremely fine particle dust).
PROS:
- Power - the Dyson design does a superb job of finding particles large and small in the carpet. It is extremely thorough.
- Attachments - most jobs can be handled with the DC14 in the upright position. However, staircases, ceilings, remote crevasses, and shelves are easily accessible with the various attachments. The main attachments (crevice, brush, and stair tools) are easily stored on the bin itself so you less likely to misplace them
- Weight - the high-strength plastic body allows the DC14 to be fairly lightweight which helps with maneuverability.
- No Belt! - I hate, hate, hated changing out belts in conventional vacuum cleaners. (although, see CONS)
- Cord wrap - a small hinge can be twisted to release the entire cord coil in one action. Simple but brilliant.
CONS:
- Brushbar - the DC14 is very good at bringing up hair from the carpet. However, the main brushbar (used in upright position) gets very thick with hair after a very short period of time. Cleaning the brushbar is difficult as it requires taking apart the housing and painstakingly removing the hair (10-15 minutes). I feel this should be Dyson's next area of study. Also, the brushbar rotor is powered by a belt which, though obviously quite durable, will eventually have to be changed out.
- Maneuverability - the hand action in the upright position does not allow for easy steering at sharp angles.
- Durability - Although I have not currently experiencing any issues with the plastic body, I am concerned that over time the various plastic hinges and levers will eventually crack due to stress and wear. Plastic cannot be repaired and in some instances would require repurchase.
None of these CONS would have prevented me from purchasing the Dyson DC14. Honestly, with exception of the brushbar issues, my other gripes are simply concerns for the future.
Customer Review: Incredible suction, easy to use, easy to asssemble...
Summary: 5 Stars
...in fact the only hard thing I've found so far was all the waffling I did before plunking down the plastic to buy it. I wish I'd gotten this thing earlier!
I opted for the DC14 after reading (all over the web) reviews and opinions of this versus the DC-7 Animal.
I wanted the Animal because I am owned by three cats who shed an INCREDIBLE amount of hair (I cannot figure out why all three of them aren't bald yet....).
I don't understand the reviewers here who say the unit is hard to figure out or hard to assemble. I confess I *did* look at the "quickstart" card included with the manual (I'm not a guy!) but other than thinking the wand went on backward, it was incredibly easy to "assemble". The included manual (in multiple languages) is clear, well-illustrated and to the point (which a good manual SHOULD be).
Like some others, the first time I used it, I heard the loud racheting noise. I immediately called Dyson's helpline, and it was answered on the third ring by a REAL LIVE HUMAN (this is late Saturday afternoon), who had me turn it on so she could hear it. Just like with cars, when I had "the mechanic" there on the phone, it didn't make the noise. She told me it was almost certainly the (proper) reaction of the machine to having the airflow blocked. She told me this could happen on the initial startup (which it had), then told me to try taking a couple of passes on the carpet while she listened.... I had turned the machine off, and when I turned it on again...no noise. And not since then. She told me if I had *any* other questions, or thought I had a problem not to hesitate in calling them. Customer service certainly appears to be excellent.
I've so far vacuumed two rooms and have been utterly astounded at the cat hair, dust and crud it sucked up. I've got a four year old high-end Hoover canister vacuum which I *thought* was doing a good job.... until this.
Removing the dust/dirt container from the vacuum is simplicity itself, and it empties with one push of a button. Heeding some advice I read in online reviews, I had it *inside* a garbage bag when I did this, so there was almost no dust that got back into the air.
The hose is still rather stiff, though I expect it'll loosen some with time and use. Still it was no problem at all in cleaning a couple sets of drapes in the living room. Attachments go on and off easily, and getting the wand out to use it is quick and simple.
While the true test of any appliance is durability over time ALONG with performance, my initial reactions to the Dyson DC14 Animal are overwhelmingly positive.
Customer Review: Dyson's are great....don't listen to the negative comments...
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok, look....
I sell dysons for a living, as I am a college student who works in the Sears vacuum department. Usually I ignore most ignorant reviews made by those who have tried them and do not like them. But this time, I decided to set the record straight for those who are looking to purchase one.
1. Dyson's are a mixed blessing. They have tremendous suction, and no they do NOT typically lose it after a year. If they do, they have a absolutely full two year warrenty that covers even maintainence, something unheard of in vacuum cleaners under a $1000 (the closest other than dyson is a 1 year limited warrenty such as kenmore's); simply call up dyson and they should fix it for you. However, I have seen certain people complain that the suction is sometimes too strong. That is because a dyson depends more upon the power of its suction than its beater bar to pick up most things. Works great on bare floors and 90% of carpets, not as well on some, so there is a possiibility of you having problems.
2. Few people have problems with the attachments, but occasionally it happens, mostly because those people tend to misuse the attachments for whatever reason. Consumers must understand the reason for purchasing a dyson. Dysons are great because they last longer than any other vacuum nowadays (and I stress nowadays, because they used to last longer); because they are easier to use (once you get used to it's unique design) than most other vacuums, and because of the fact that there are no running costs to operate it. If you look at the ratings on them by consumer reports, they will typically rate them around number 10 or so (mostly because CRs don't take into account how much longer a dyson will last you, or the running costs) but as far as straight suction goes, I would say they are only slightly above average.
Dysons are great because they are an investment in a vaccum that you don't have to buy bags or filters all the time, and because of its life and ease of use...thats all. If someone tells you that it actually will suck better straight out of the box, they're either lying to sell you one, or they're mistaken. Still, they do work great, and are worth it if you can find one for a great price, around 400 or less.
Last but not least, stay away from the ball (DC 15)its a nightmare...
If anyone is in the area, they could come and see me at sears vacuums in Albany, Oregon...I'd be glad to show them all about the dysons...thank you for reading my extremely long review...Ryan (541) 967 3200