Dyson All Floors DC14

DISCLAIMER: I do not work for Dyson, I have not worked for Dyson and I do not seek employment with Dyson. In fact, prior to my purchasing this product I only had a very vague idea of what a 'Dyson'… was. These being said, I must admit that I was very impressed not only by a fine vacuum cleaner, and Dyson's DC14 is probably one of the best if not THE best in its class but also by the responsible and respectful way in which Dyson treats its customers, not a common business practice these days. I will discuss what I am calling 'the Dyson experience' after I first discuss the product. OVERVIEW The DC14 incorporates a number of Dyson's innovations: - the cyclone engine that does away with vacuum bags - its riding on (Dyson) balls rather than wheels, allowing for easy changes in direction - an innovative 'microchip controlled' electric engine that does away with brushes and magnets Add to the above: * a great design * quiet operation * easy to change settings between carpets or bare floors * lifetime washable filter (no need for a replacement) * 3 tools (brush, crevices and stairs) * extended range through a wand and a flexible hose * 5 year (real) warranty and support * a well-written manual And you have a clear winner when it comes to household upright vacuum cleaners. The only issues one might have is its weight - not impossible to lift but some may find it too heavy - and its reach when cleaning stairs. MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE DC14 Removing the product from the box presented no problems. There are 'on the box' instructions that told me exactly what I had to do to open it neatly. For those who would pick it up in a store, the box actually has a handle so it's easy to carry and it fits easily into most cars' trunks. The assembly was fun, quick and easy. All parts were securely packed in the box and the manual clearly described every step's details, even suggesting that the cord should wind counter-clockwise around the cord's hooks. When done, everything was in place (the tools snap in and are stored on the vacuum's body) and only the manual was left apart from the vacuum itself. The operation is easy. The motor is surprisingly quiet and it appears to be effective at sucking all the dust and dirt the vacuum passes over. As a bonus for anyone who enjoys watching dust and dirt spinning, the clear bin allows that - it can be fun, watching. Changing the settings from 'carpet' to 'bare floor' is as easy as turning a knob. The wand and the flexible hose can be easily extended to be used with one of the three tools and folded back in. The transparent dust bin has a 'MAX' mark, requiring that it is emptied when dust reaches that level. When that happens, a 'cyclone release' button will allow you to take it and place it above a trash can or a bag. Pressing another button will cause the bottom to drop open and the dust and dirt will fall. Maintenance tasks include the occasional cleaning of the clear bin - remove lint with a cloth or brush - and washing the filter every six months with cold water. In between, the cyclone needs to be cleaned, perhaps every other week. A used toothbrush can be used to remove the lint and other debris that can clog the cyclone's little holes and a small portable vacuum such as the Fuller Brush FBMV - 600 Watt Micro Hand Vacuum w/ Accessories with a crevice or small brush attachment could be used to clean the cyclone's insides. And this is all. THE DYSON EXPERIENCE I was very impressed by the way Dyson treats its customers. A lot of care, attention and respect for the buyer are apparent in this product's quality, design and support and in the way Dyson presents itself, as a company, to the buyer. Besides the product itself, the well-written (and not a cheap folded poster) illustrated manual, the included quick guide and the little booklet titled "The story of Dyson" - worth reading actually - and the exquisite design exude pride and determination to be the best and to stay that way by delivering true value. The above impression was further reinforced by the product registration process. It can be done by phone, online or via the mail - nothing unusual so far - but, unlike for most other products, the serial number is actually printed on the registration card so there's no need to find it hidden somewhere on the product itself - an example of care for the customer that makes a difference. As for the warranty terms, they are probably the best you can possibly get - and none of the usual legalese BS. I will quote now from the warranty card: "Your Dyson is covered for parts and labor for 5 years from the date of purchase. If it needs repairing, we'll try and fix it over the phone. Just call our helpline on [...]. If necessary, we'll arrange for your vacuum to be collected and repaired at no extra cost. Failure to return this form will not diminish your warranty rights." Enough said? I think so. I'm not surprised I now consider myself a Dyson fan. P.S. - I beg forgiveness for the Jimi Hendrix quote in the title. Somehow, the song was playing in my head while I was writing this review and, by the time I was finished writing I knew how I was going to title it. The expanded Jimi Hendrix quote, and it probably applies here is: "have you ever been experienced? not necessarily stoned but beautiful"

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This is one TERRIFIC vacuum cleaner! It's done a great job on my floor, my carpet, the stairs, tight corners--you name it. When I initially unpacked this, it didn't even take more than fifteen minutes to… put a few pieces all together although if I were better at these things the hoses, etc. could have been put together in less time. Although the body and the hoses are mostly plastic and rubber, don't be fooled--this vacuum cleaner has way more than enough power to easily pick dust and dirt with very little effort. I also like that it comes with a few tools including that really long wand which can be used to get into tough to reach areas--behind furniture that can't easily be moved or the crown molding adjacent to your ceiling, for example. You can also just tap the front bottom of the cleaner with your foot to get this to vacuum at an angle that's much more comfortable than the 90 degree angle pictured above. The vacuum cleaner requires occasional maintenance but as long as you clean the actual filter, the dust bin and the brush bar tool you should be OK. Clean them all as often as you need to make sure the machine is picking things up as effectively as possible. As another reviewer aptly notes, be sure to thoroughly clean the dust bin--it can clog if you don't clean it for several months. The instruction manual makes cleaning all this rather simple by giving you easy to understand pictures and I really appreciated that. I do wish that this model came with two different carpet settings: one for a rather low, industrial style Berber carpet (like the one I have in some rooms of my home) and another carpet setting for higher, thicker carpets or rugs; but this is a minor quibble because so far the machine has done the job. In addition, the vacuum cleaner is fairly lightweight; at twenty-five pounds or so it shouldn't strain you too much. If you do have a bad back or some other concern about lifting the twenty-five pounds, however, you may want to keep looking for another vacuum cleaner if this will be too much for you to lift. I don't consider myself to be all that strong yet I can lift this fairly easily. It looks heavier than it actually is! I highly recommend this vacuum cleaner; it's simply one of the best you can buy. If I could put the few pieces together that do need connecting before I first used it, then you can, too. This machine lasts years with the proper care but of course the five year warrantee gives me peace-of-mind. It costs more than some other vacuum cleaners but it's worth it.

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My husband and I bought this vacuum cleaner last year after yet another vacuum cleaner lost its suction. It picks up everything, including a tremendous amount of cat hair from our carpets. We've never had a… vacuum cleaner that worked so well. We used to replace our vacuum cleaners once a year but the Dyson is still running as well as when we bought it, and of course, it has a 5 year warranty, which we haven't had to use yet. It is also easy to clean, although I'm not entirely clear on how to clean the dirt out of the cyclone and wish that more detailed instructions had been included on this point.

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I have had this Dyson DC14 All Floors for almost a year. This product (and possibly other Dyson models) seems to have a design flaw. Its base is too low to the ground. Specifically, a vacuum must have… sufficient clearance, so that it will not trap and drag small debris that it cannot pick up. Dyson has the lowest clearance of any vac one can see on store displays. Its low clearance from the floor makes it a floor wrecking machine. We moved into my brand-new house that has hardwood floors throughout. Very soon we started noticing small scratches everywhere on our wood floors. We couldn't find the culprit for a few weeks, until we SAW our Dyson leave a deep, six-foot-long groove on our family room floor. I looked underneath and noticed multiple little scratches on the very bottom of the base. Clearly, that was the part that was doing the damage. The base was catching and dragging sand across the floor. The sand would scratch both the base and the floor. I contacted Dyson. They investigated the matter and said that there was nothing wrong with the machine. This is how it works.--Whatever it does not pick up on the first pass, it will drag until the debris gets sucked in eventually or worked into the floor. The floor ends up being the victim. I urge you to judge by yourselves--take a look at how low the base is. It shouldn't be so low. Most Dyson owners probably don't have a clue the kind of damage their beloved vacuum does to the hardwood portion of their floors, because most people have little hardwood in their houses. My other issue with Dyson is that they behave like a cheap third-world manufacturer that couldn't care less about its brand reputation. I contacted Dyson's customer service for help. I sent them the vac for investigation. One look at the base reveals that there is something wrong--there are too many scratches on the base of a vac that is only months old! Dyson customer service reps took the easy way out--they said Dyson was not responsible for any damage to the floors, because the scratch was made by an external object. Yes, the scratch was made by specs of sand that the vac was supposed to pick up and not catch and drag. Dah... Now I have $800 worth of damage to my floors and a $500 vacuum that I cannot use. Dyson left me out in the cold. Stay away from this brand if you have hardwood floors! There are other manufacturers with competitive vacuum cleaners that also stand by their products.

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