I recently purchased a Dyson V8 and have had it for several weeks and thought I'd write up some first impressions.
First off, I will admit that I've never been a Dyson fan, but I had never before used any model of Dyson. They just look cheap and felt 'creaky' whenever I handled it in the store. But I have been using battery operated equipment including an e-bike and several pieces of yard equipment and must say getting rid of the cord or gas can has been nice. Or, in the case of the e-bike, not arriving at the destination covered in perspiration.
I have two medium sized dogs and am in and out of the house frequently, so an easy to use vacuum for quick use before work is important. Also, as anyone who has ever read one of my posts knows, I do not like smelling stinky vacuum bags and have tried all manner of scents, charcoals and vacuum maintenance to eliminate the smells, but none have proven sustainably satisfactory. I don't have allergy issues, so maximum filtration, while nice, isn't a necessity.
So far, the little Dyson has fulfilled all of the needs I mentioned in the previous paragraph. It is very easy to use for quick, before work cleanings, it doesn't smell yet (and fingers crossed, it wont) and it's easy to maneuver in small spaces. The battery lasts long enough to do a quick run through my entire 1500 SF house including the bed and several dog beds. Yes, I know the battery will degrade with time, but replacements aren't that costly. Surfaces include probably 40% hard flooring, 30% very short carpeting and 30% thick carpet, including a very thick wool flokati rug that the do loves to sleep on. The Dyson Handles all of these and the house is noticeably cleaner.
What's not so good? As some reviewers have noted, the handle is not ergonomic and the button must be depressed to keep it running. This leads to a sore thumb in short order. I've learned to vacuum with both hands. The power head bogs down when cleaning certain furniture that's covered with a blanket or quilt and one of the power heads sounds a little rattly. There can be some dust when emptying it, but as mentioned, I'm not super sensitive to dust, so this isn't that big a deal for me. And it does feel a little flimsy, especially considering the $600 price tag. For the patient, it will surely drop in price soon. Bed, Bath and Beyond 20% off coupons come to mind.
All told, I'm happy with the purchase, use it as planned and would buy it again. It's not going to run my other vacuums out of the house and they are still used for heaving cleaning, but the little V8 has it's place and is now used more often then the others. I know there are Dyson / battery powered vacuum 'haters' who wouldn't dream of spending that kind of money on a 'toy', but I find it useful and the best vacuums are the ones that get used frequently. If it turns out to be a lemon down the road, I will definitely let that be known.
Comes to the Rescue!
