Dyson DC14 Low Reach Upright Vacuum
by Dyson
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: DysonBrand: Dyson
Release Date: 2004-10-03
Model: DC14
Color: steel/scarlet/violet
Product features:
- Powerful upright vacuum for household cleaning of bare floors and carpets
- Root8Cyclone technology provides 250 air watts of clog-free, consistent suction
- Bag-free dirt collection; lifetime HEPA filtration system; carpet-height adjustment
- Low-reach floor tool; 17-foot quick-release hose; brushbar turn-off protects floors
- Measures 44-7/8 by 14 by 13-3/8 inches; 2-year limited warranty
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Dyson DC14 Low Reach Upright Vacuum
Customer Review: Dyson - Great Suction but a few things to consider...
Summary: 4 Stars
Dyson's "doesn't loose suction" advertisements peaked my interest so I justified the expense due to my multi cat, multi kid, overly sloppy household. I didn't like dragging around my old canister, stopping to free the huge anchor from the kitchen island, chairs, etc. and trying to maneuver the wide vacuum head in tight spots so I liked that this was an upright. I considered also that it was bagless having had bad experiences with a few "stick vacs" that spewed dust everywhere. The Dyson looked versatile with the detachable wand for tight spots and its reputation for pet hair sold me. Overall I'd say it is a good product - I'm amazed at how much shows up in that canister after one trip around my home (actually embarrassed might be a better word). One benefit of the bagless style is when you pick up something unintentional you can usually find it by fishing through the dirt and dust (if you want).
I use the Dyson on my main floor which is entirely wood except for a few rugs. One large rug is 8 x 10. I have found using the vacuum is better than a broom for wood floors because I'm constantly chasing cat hair into the dust pan with the broom.
General use:
This Dyson can be switched between hard floor and carpet. I mostly use it on the hard floor setting. The carpet setting engages a rotating brush for getting deep into rug fibers. If left on for hard floors the brush creates too much wind that blows the cat hair and some light dirt particles away while trying to vacuum so it must be switched to the right setting for hard floors. Because the head of the main vac unit is so high and gets stuck under kitchen cabinets I sometimes use the detachable wand throughout the kitchen. This means I revert back to a canister because I'm dragging the main unit (which is tall and tends to pull over easily) around again. The wand is pretty easy to detach but you then have to pull out the length of the wand so really two steps. I also keep the wand out to do wood stairs. I think this vac is best for carpet situations because you can keep it upright most of the time.
Maintenance
Emptying the dust bin is not hard but since it picks up so much dirt I have to do it at least every other time I vacuum. You just push one button and let the mess drop into the trash. If I vacuum the entire floor I have to empty it each time. I find myself missing those bags you only have to empty every few months or so. If you wait too long to empty the bin you have the dirty job of sticking your hands up through all the cat hair and pulling it down from around the inner cylinder because it's packed too tight. But I do think this machine works better at getting more dirt than my other bagged vacuums. Also you can tell those bagged ones stop picking up when the bag gets full where this does not.
This Dyson has a filter that has to be rinsed (and they recommend rinsing the whole inner chamber) every 6 months (I'm bad about this). This isn't hard but it has to dry at least overnight so don't plan to use it again soon. I had a hard time figuring out how to get to the filter from the diagrams.
Attachments:
There three small attachment that fit on the end of the wand when you have detached it from the main vac. These are similar to most other attachments on other brands, one is a brush, one for upholster, one is for crevices... These can also be attached directly to the flexible hose (without the long wand) which makes it much easier to use on upholstery (see below, the animal turbo tool can't do this).
Low Reach Floor Tool:
This attachment is supposed to reach under furniture and kitchen cabinets since the main vac is too high to reach very far (but using it this way converts it into a canister, essentially). The reach tool has a row of brush bristles (don't understand their function) which push large dirt away while you are trying to pick it up. For instance, trying to pick up spilled rice krispies under a kitchen table, the built in bristles push them away so you have to lift the tool and set it down on top of the cereal so it will go up into the hole to be picked up. It is easy to get into tight spots because it is not real wide and tilts as needed. It does seem to do a great job of picking up cat hair but I hardly ever use this tool because I am too lazy to get it out and attach it just for the kitchen.
Animal turbo tool:
This is smaller version of the floor tool which can be used on upholstery, cars, stairs, etc. but different in that it has a suction driven rotating bristle brush. Works well on pet hair but you can't attach it directly to the flexible hose - you have to attach it to the rigid 3ft long detachable wand which makes it hard to manage close up near the furniture. Also, the rotating brush whines like a "turbo" engine, very loud. I would never use this on curtains because I would be afraid they would be sucked in and damaged.
Instruction book:
Great graphics but sometimes confusing because there is very little explanatory text to go with the graphics - kind of relies on "universal" language of pictures. I remember having a hard time figuring out how to get to the inside to clean the filter.
Pros: picks up a lot of dirt, keeps picking up even if you don't empty the bin.
Cons: hose is not long enough to set it at the bottom of stairs (per the instructions) to reach the entire floor of stairs. Also, using the turbo tool is difficult because it has to be attached to the stiff wand, making it very heavy (hose pulls on it) to use on furniture. Not as convenient as I had thought when I originally bought it because I can't clean kitchen or under furniture well without stopping and changing out tools and dragging the main vac along like a canister.
Description of Dyson DC14 Low Reach Upright Vacuum
Dyson DC14 Low Reach Vacuum with HEPA Filter offers a unique upright design that offers astounding cleaning power using exclusive Root Cyclone cleaning system. An included Low Reach tool permits access to spaces where no vacuum has gone before - beneath sofas and other furniture. Imagine how much easier that one feature makes. Why imagine. Pick one up today. Easy to carry ergonomic design Hygienic and quick to empty No extra costs, no bags or filters to buy. Approved for allergy sufferers by BAF Lifetime HEPA filter Auto carpet-height adjustment 2 year limited warranty Edge cleaning whiskers Dimensions 44 7/8 in. (h) x 14 in. (w) x 13 3/8 in. (d) Weight 18.6lbs Suction power(airwatts) 250 airwatts (constant) Motor wattage - 12 amps. The power of a vacuum cleaner is best measured in airwatts (suction power). Motor amps simply tell you how much electricity a cleaner uses. Bin capacity 0.71 gal Cord length 35.4 ft Maximum reach 52.4ftUpright Vacuums
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