Thread Number: 28512
/ Tag: Brand New Vacuum Cleaners
Dyson DC55 Total Clean - Review and impressions |
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Post# 318407 , Reply# 2   3/15/2015 at 17:04 (3,322 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK)   |   | |
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M first impression is that the brush roll is VERY stiff. I mean it's like Dyson gave it viagra. The little velvet type strips around the floor plate for hard floor performance are a nice touch, however it won't be long till they're worn away to nothing.
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Post# 318408 , Reply# 3   3/15/2015 at 17:05 (3,322 days old) by dys0nb0y (Luton)   |   | |
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Post# 318410 , Reply# 4   3/15/2015 at 17:08 (3,322 days old) by dys0nb0y (Luton)   |   | |
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Post# 318411 , Reply# 5   3/15/2015 at 17:09 (3,322 days old) by dys0nb0y (Luton)   |   | |
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Post# 318415 , Reply# 8   3/15/2015 at 17:26 (3,322 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)   |   | |
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It is the combination of the agitation and the suction seal which is why this dyson has earned its reputation of the best performing dyson ever. Even on plush carpets, tilt it back and it will grab the carpet and lift it up quite a way, something by felix does not do.
What I find annoying about the new dysons is the huge unbrushed section of carpet housing the brushroll belt. My felix is one clean sweep of cleaning. The lawn mower like strips on the carpets look amazing with a felix, as I am sure you know with your D4 premium. Credit where it is due, you have to admit this is a very good machine and more worthy of its price tag. Hope you enjoy using it. |
Post# 318416 , Reply# 9   3/15/2015 at 17:28 (3,322 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK)   |   | |
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At this point I emptied the machine and gave the house an extra good going over. Under and behind the sofa, the risers on the stairs ect. I even did the car! This is what I got.... |
Post# 318419 , Reply# 10   3/15/2015 at 17:32 (3,322 days old) by dys0nb0y (Luton)   |   | |
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Post# 318420 , Reply# 11   3/15/2015 at 17:32 (3,322 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK)   |   | |
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At this point I'm starting to think the Kirby may be leaving the house TOO clean. Where is all the real dirt??? The nasty stuff? I've not vacuumed the cats beds for AGES. Time to use the tangle free tool.... BORK!!! Look at all that dander and filth! Vile cats haha |
Post# 318421 , Reply# 12   3/15/2015 at 17:37 (3,322 days old) by parwaz786 ( )   |   | |
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I cant decide what to get... The stylish DC41 in Satin blue or the big ball without the lovely blue? |
Post# 318423 , Reply# 13   3/15/2015 at 17:38 (3,322 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318424 , Reply# 14   3/15/2015 at 17:39 (3,322 days old) by parwaz786 ( )   |   | |
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Seriously the Kirby is that good? I MUST get one! Btw are your carpets thick enough so much so that opening the door needs some energy? |
Post# 318429 , Reply# 16   3/15/2015 at 17:48 (3,322 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318430 , Reply# 17   3/15/2015 at 17:48 (3,322 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK)   |   | |
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Dysonboy - our carpets are plush and we have a premium foam underlay under them. I can feel the Dyson agitating don't get me wrong, it's just nowhere near as much as the Kirby agitates. Parwaz - Our internal doors were fitted after the flooring so they are cut enough to clear the top of the carpet pile. |
Post# 318431 , Reply# 18   3/15/2015 at 17:48 (3,322 days old) by dys0nb0y (Luton)   |   | |
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Post# 318433 , Reply# 19   3/15/2015 at 18:00 (3,322 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318439 , Reply# 21   3/15/2015 at 20:13 (3,322 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318447 , Reply# 23   3/16/2015 at 02:27 (3,322 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)   |   | |
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So sptyks. When did you use a DC55, or DC41mk2, or Dyson cinetic ?
You are a Kirby fanboy, not a vacuum enthusiast. I however have used a Kirby, used a Sentria 2 as my in laws have one and while it is beautifully built and performance is excellent, I would not have one. Too bulky, too heavy, too loud and a pig to use on hardfloors or any of the attachments. A sebo felix is a fantastic vacuum and a great all rounder, and is my daily user, other than the dc59. But you probably are still uncomfortable with the fact some people are actually happy with their dyson and they are good vacuums. I remember this from my dc41 mk2 thread. |
Post# 318449 , Reply# 25   3/16/2015 at 04:55 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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And I agree with Matt it's nice have something different to play with once in a while, which is why I won't be getting married again :-)))) |
Post# 318466 , Reply# 26   3/16/2015 at 07:32 (3,321 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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Good post, Matt.
I can't help but feel that either TTI have copied Dyson or ripped it off someone else about the plush velour strips. There's a small bar of it fitted to the underside of the Vax Cordless Air, which I adore. It seems to leave grooming marks in the carpet all by the addition of it alone. But the Vax also picks up a lot more in my home, including top soil wool, which I have to be careful with. sptyks - for the many posts that I and other Felix owners have already commented or created, its a bit of a smack in the face to read that you still require additional info if you are considering a SEBO Felix. What are you missing that you haven't possibly found on this forum in regard to it? The biggest machine I have which in terms of bulk is the SEBO 360 in my home. It copes just about as well as it can; the fact that it can clean down low flat to the floor is the best design element for my home. Kirby and I are seasonal fans; I've used them in schools to clean large and expansive classrooms with and they're excellent, even if coercing around corners of tables and chairs. I'd never have one in my home though - far too big and even with self drive I'd find it a struggle to get down my narrow hallways. I did try it once and it wasn't a successful affair, sadly! |
Post# 318468 , Reply# 27   3/16/2015 at 07:42 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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This was my experience of Kirby yes they are excellent for performance reliability and build quality but not the easiest to use in the average UK home better suited to larger homes me thinks :-) |
Post# 318470 , Reply# 28   3/16/2015 at 07:55 (3,321 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)   |   | |
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The Dyson and Sebo vacuums deep clean perfectly fine. I really don't see why you should spend thousands of pounds more on a Kirby which will "deep clean even better". I was content when I properly deep cleaned my carpets with my Bissell big green shampooer and found no grit or extra debris coming out of the carpets. The SEBO my mother has had for 21 years has proved itself. The carpets never wore down, they looked happy and healthy and has only just recently replace them because she wanted to change her colour scheme, and they weren't particularly expensive carpets anyway. Longevity? Like I said, it is 21 years old and hasn't even had new brushes on the motor. No service's what-so ever. Even if it needed new carbon brushes that would be understandable. It has had I think a couple of new brush rolls.
As much as Kirbys are good vacuums, I think, and this is my honest opinion and not many will like it, but considering the less expensive alternatives which offer roughly the same performance or as good as anyone needs for at least half the price, I think Kirbys are a rich mans toy, a status symbol. They suit a good amount of people and that is fine, but for most people, a SEBO or one of the new dysons, depending on if they want bagged or bagless, would do most people just fine. This is not aimed at anyone in particular but the constant bashing of not just dysons now, but nearly everything that isn't a Kirby, is getting silly now. |
Post# 318485 , Reply# 30   3/16/2015 at 10:58 (3,321 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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I also agree because if the suction is so strong with no chance for air to escape on the brush bar or sole plate, there's every chance that an upright will rip out a carpet pile rather than cleaning it. Not to mention also, in addition, if the brush bar is aggressive, anyway.
I have never experienced the Vax Mach Air has having that problem of sucking down on carpet mats though - hard floors yes since there is no porous air, but never carpet mats. I don't agree that all floating types don't clean carpets or that height adjustment is a must - it depends on the actual carpet that the vacuum is being used on. This is why I own a Vax Mach Air - the brush roll is soft, so it isn't as destructive as others. Also the SEBO X1 with its auto sensor gives me enough cleaning and groomed effect without worry that my wool carpets are being destroyed. One problem that I DO find (and have forgotten to mention in another thread) is that because my latest buy - a Vax Cordless Air upright has no carpet protector grids on the sole plate, the sides of carpet mats and rugs on existing carpet have a tendency of being sucked into the open sole plate. No wonder Vax are already selling replacement drive belts! |
Post# 318505 , Reply# 31   3/16/2015 at 14:27 (3,321 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)   |   | |
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The suction seal on dysons works on hard flooring, and on carpets it means all the suction is concentrated where it should be, and by the way, these new ones have a slider which raises a rubber seal, which breaks the seal of suction allowing it to pick up large debris, and helps on hard flooring.
Whatever the combination, the post DC41 MK2's carpets performance is not really a question now, they are excellent, weather it has a sealed floor head or not is irrelevant - it works. |
Post# 318512 , Reply# 32   3/16/2015 at 15:35 (3,321 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Oliveoiltinfoil said:
"You are a Kirby fanboy, not a vacuum enthusiast."
Well I do happen to consider myself a Kirby enthusiast, BUT I AM ALSO a vacuum enthusiast. After all the hundreds of hours I have spent here on Vacuumland, THAT ALONE, should qualify me as a vacuum enthusiast! Plus, I have also owned and /or used many different makes of vacuums besides Kirby. I have the right to post my views and opinions on here just as you or anyone else does. Here's one of my opinions about this thread: If you can't take the Kirby heat, Its time to get out of the kitchen.
Sebo_fan:
I was not intending to slap anyone in the face, so if you feel I did, then I do indeed apologise to you and anyone else who feels that way. I was strictly asking Matt about HIS opinion of the Felix, if he has ever owned one, But now it no longer matters.
I was considering getting a Sebo Felix after all the good reviews I have read here on Vacuumland. Then, recently I read somewhere that the American Hoover (TTI) WindTunnel Air was lighter and performed as well or better than the Felix. So I decided that since I already own a Hoover WindTunnel Air, I don't really need to spend a lot of money on the Felix.
I can live with the fact that the Hoover is bagless because it is used mainly for quick pickups when I don't want to get one of my Kirby's out. Don't get me wrong, bagged is the way to go. Buying a Felix just because it has a bag and to be used mainly for quick mess pickups doesn't make sense. I guess, like Matt, I just waned to try something different.
My Kirby G3 is currently my daily driver and my Sentria is used once or twice a month for a full deep clean as it has the stiffer brushroll in it.
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Post# 318513 , Reply# 33   3/16/2015 at 15:46 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Of course you are entitled to your opinions. That's what this site is about. Different opinions, that's what makes it interesting. But it doesn't have to get nasty. A bit of good humoured banter is fine :-) |
Post# 318516 , Reply# 34   3/16/2015 at 16:02 (3,321 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318517 , Reply# 35   3/16/2015 at 16:05 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Not nasty at all I'm just saying. Yeah Oliver is a scary beast! He would eat you for dinner haha |
Post# 318520 , Reply# 36   3/16/2015 at 16:07 (3,321 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318524 , Reply# 38   3/16/2015 at 16:30 (3,321 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)   |   | |
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Post# 318526 , Reply# 39   3/16/2015 at 16:34 (3,321 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK)   |   | |
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At this point my grandad decided they MUST have a new Dyson, something smaller that my nanna would be able to manage. Que their DC50.... |
Post# 318527 , Reply# 40   3/16/2015 at 16:36 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Good to hear Matt :-) |
Post# 318529 , Reply# 42   3/16/2015 at 16:52 (3,321 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK)   |   | |
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Whatever it's called. Reach under tool IIRC. Fantastic for getting the dust from under my bed! Just wish the cleaning sweep on it was a bit bigger
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Post# 318530 , Reply# 43   3/16/2015 at 16:56 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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If you order directly from Dyson you don't have to trade in at all. |
Post# 318532 , Reply# 45   3/16/2015 at 17:10 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Haha :-) |
Post# 318533 , Reply# 46   3/16/2015 at 17:14 (3,321 days old) by sprockkets (Eau Claire WI)   |   | |
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@matt, I'd say it is a radiator tool. Sebo makes a funky one as well. |
Post# 318534 , Reply# 47   3/16/2015 at 17:19 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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The flexible crevice tool was good for radiators. The new tool is like the Shark under appliance tool |
Post# 318536 , Reply# 49   3/16/2015 at 17:30 (3,321 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Yes it's just a marketing thing. |
Post# 318537 , Reply# 50   3/16/2015 at 17:32 (3,321 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)   |   | |
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@sprockkets ;
I thought that sounded odd when sptyks said that. So called "windtunnel technology" (I think the word technology is over used in the vacuum industry) is more of a marketing gimmick than actually useful. I have had a couple of Vax's with it an notice no difference whatso ever I performance. A good sized brush roll with long stiff bristle and a large air intake with good airflow is all you need for a good thorough clean, enter the sebo felix! Of course as well as, the felix has a very powerful brush motor that doesn't slow down on carpets. Your DC55 looks like it is doing tis job well. I am glad you are finding it versatile. I think the hose and attachment configuration on these dyson is so easy to grab and use. |
Post# 318544 , Reply# 51   3/16/2015 at 20:26 (3,321 days old) by sprockkets (Eau Claire WI)   |   | |
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Marketing? Ha, don't say that in the Windtunnel hall of fame thread :) |
Post# 318545 , Reply# 52   3/16/2015 at 20:28 (3,321 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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I always assumed "Windtunnel technlogy" has little to do with the brush roll.
After all, the brush roller fitted to the Vax Cordless Air that is advertised as "Windtunnel" has nothing to do with the brush bar, but rather the triple ducts added to the floor head which is why it is so great at cleaning up from the sole plate. Thus in turn the "Windtunnel" tech on other Hoover vacuums appears to be duo dust channels fitted as opposed to one. My Vax Mach Air also has those dual suction channels. In theory it should mean better pick up since two or three channels are channeling the dust. What it may look like a great design aspect also means that the bags or filter chamber will fill up with more dust - hence having to buy more bags if you have a bagged "Windtunnel" or cleaning filters more frequently since more fill-ups are created in the bagless bin. |
Post# 318560 , Reply# 54   3/17/2015 at 02:53 (3,321 days old) by parwaz786 ( )   |   | |
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How's the DC50 agitation? |
Post# 318610 , Reply# 56   3/17/2015 at 14:25 (3,320 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Sprockkets and Sebo_fan:
I know that my Hoover Windtunnel air has great suction and works very well. It also grooms my carpet very well too. I also know it's not the best at cleaning next to the wall baseboards, but that's what I use my Kirbys for because all five of them have excellent next to baseboard cleaning abilities. As I said earlier my Hoover Windtunnel Air is being used mainly as a quick pickup vac to clean up small messes like the time I spilled half a can of coffee grounds in the kitchen. It got them all in a single pass.
As far as windtunnel Technology goes, I have never experienced the type of clogging that Sprockkets describes. I have read how Hoover have invented a type of suction division across the width of the cleaner head, where each channel has almost the same amount of suction. I have never tried to measure this, but I did this test: I tried sucking up a cup full of coffee grounds that I spread over my carpet. I noticed that it picked up just as well on the left side of the cleaner head as on the right side. Similarly, There is a mathematical formula that Royal used to patent their bell shaped floor nozzle many years ago. The patent describes how the Bell Shaped nozzle amplifies the suction and / or airflow where the nozzle contacts the carpet. There must be some truth in this since Kirby has always used the Bell Shaped nozzle too. |
Post# 318699 , Reply# 57   3/18/2015 at 18:25 (3,319 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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The way it sounds is like you are mistaking edge cleaning on either sides for twin dust channels for the suction air to pass through, thus picking up more dust. The two are not the same.
As you can see from this diagram, Hoover "Windtunnel" means two or more paths for suction air to travel through. It may well channel off into ONE main dust channel towards the bag or bagless canister but it just means more dirt "essentially" is picked up and carted off to the bag/bagless bin. Sptyks: I am unclear as to what you mean by "baseboard" cleaning. My Vax Mach Air has a relatively slim floor head, so getting up to corners is no problem.
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Post# 318705 , Reply# 58   3/18/2015 at 18:49 (3,319 days old) by Sensotronic (Englandshire)   |   | |
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Baseboard in America, skirting board in the UK. |
Post# 318726 , Reply# 59   3/19/2015 at 01:06 (3,319 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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The bristles on the Kirby brushroll don't get close to the edge but because it produces so much airflow and has suction channels i think it does edge clean. Maybe someone could do a video demonstrating this? |
Post# 318748 , Reply# 60   3/19/2015 at 07:18 (3,318 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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Ty Sensotronic.
I know what baseboards equivalent are in the UK already, but I just wondered if the member meant something else. The Vax Mach Air does okay for cleaning skirting boards - better infact than the Cordless Air in my experience. May have something to do with the silly row of stubby round brushes that don't do very much on the soleplate edges of the Cordless Air. |
Post# 318779 , Reply# 61   3/19/2015 at 14:30 (3,318 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318780 , Reply# 62   3/19/2015 at 14:35 (3,318 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Thanks Stan does the Kirby clean as well up to the edge of baseboards? |
Post# 318784 , Reply# 63   3/19/2015 at 14:50 (3,318 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 318785 , Reply# 64   3/19/2015 at 14:53 (3,318 days old) by marcusprit ()   |   | |
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Haha yes i did and left a comment :) |
Post# 324304 , Reply# 66   5/7/2015 at 02:16 (3,270 days old) by parwaz786 ( )   |   | |
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You can use the articulating floor tool for hard floors, but I'm sure that if the red slider thing is set on the min setting it should work fine on hard floors :/ |
Post# 324306 , Reply# 67   5/7/2015 at 03:53 (3,270 days old) by Turbo500 (West Yorkshire, UK)   |   | |
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Post# 324317 , Reply# 68   5/7/2015 at 12:53 (3,269 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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Steph - sadly the EU ratings are not to be trusted. Even Which consumer magazine have doubts over the ratings, particularly on the vacuums they have pasted a "Best Buy" on only to find the EU ratings for carpets, or hard floors are left to question.
I agree here with Chris to a degree. If you have cat litter in particular on hard floors, a cylinder vacuum with a much lighter floor tool will cope better. You can literally just lift the tubes and floor head off the floor if any excess cat litter gets scattered. However, that's not to suggest that all uprights can't pick up cat litter on hard floors, it is just that the brush roll keeps pinging the litter bits off the moving brush roll. If a machine has a brush roll on/off function, the sole plate still has to allow for enough space for the cat litter to get picked up without it getting stuck. Awhile back I made a few videos online with cat litter pick up on hard floors. The tests were interesting. Only a few uprights were successful, and not even Miele's Twister suction only floor tool (a floor tool that is equipped with some Miele cylinder vacs) was successful in picking cat litter up from hard floors. |
Post# 324354 , Reply# 70   5/8/2015 at 00:46 (3,269 days old) by spiraclean (UK)   |   | |
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Depends on the type of cat litter also. I use premium clumping (or rather my cat does, before anyone gets an image in their head that can't be erased) which has a very small particle size and goes straight up the vacuum without any issue. Some non-clumping litters in particular are much coarser in texture, and will get snowploughed by the vacuum.
With the Dyson, it may be worth experimenting a little with the Min-Max slider. Set it however you prefer on carpet, but on hard floors, I'd be inclined to try opening it fully in order to raise the front seal. Hopefully this will provide enough clearance to allow larger dirt to be drawn in through the front of the head. What you don't want is for the cleaner to seal itself down onto the floor; if it's hard to push with the brush roll turned off, this is likely what's happening. Bear in mind that a lot of uprights claim to be OK on hard floors, but this doesn't necessarily mean they're the best tool for the job in practice. I've yet to use one I'm 100% happy with for this task, and I'm not even sure if it really exists. Nine times out of ten, a combi head or dedicated hard floor tool will be easier to work with and do a far better job. |
Post# 324368 , Reply# 72   5/8/2015 at 10:59 (3,268 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)   |   | |
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Of course the next best thing is to return to old traditional ways with a twist. I'd have this if I had a lot of activity in my kitchen. More so suited for those with central vacs.
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Post# 324369 , Reply# 73   5/8/2015 at 11:01 (3,268 days old) by HVRVACLVR (Altoona PA)   |   | |
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I guess it depends on the litter. I use scoop away multi cat. It's small and sand like. My DC65 has no problem picking it up off of my laundry room floor.
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