Handiest Dyson yet!

This is a great little vacuum from Dyson. I used to have the original, non-Ball, DC07 Dyson, and it was a good machine, still going strong with no problems at all after four years. But for me it was very heavy, cumbersome and kind of hard to maneuver. I used it only on the second floor of my house where I have wall-to-wall carpet, because lugging it up and down stairs just wasn't a smart thing for me to do (I have medical problems which involve lifting restrictions). Recently I found out my neighbor needed a new vacuum, and I sold the large Dyson to her- win-win!

I have a beautiful Miele canister vacuum cleaner, but it, too, is heavy for me to carry up and down stairs. I also have some rather cramped areas of my house (entryways, laundry area, carpeted stair landing, etc.) where the Miele is a bit too big to use easily. I decided to find myself a secondary vacuum, something I could use for quick clean-ups or whenever I didn't feel like dragging out my full-size canister. I needed something lightweight, first and foremost; easy to store; a "real" vacuum, more effective than a cordless hand or stick vac; and versatile, for use on either carpet or hard surfaces, as I have both in my house.

I had seen the ads featuring the Dyson Ball design and thought it seemed clever and worth checking out. I had a good feeling about the brand because my previous Dyson had been so dependable. So I went to Bed Bath & Beyond with one of those blue 20% off coupons they send me every month, found the DC24, and got it for only $320 plus tax.

The machine was easy to put together (OK, my husband did it, but it took him about two minutes!). Figuring out the hose and attachments was simple because I was familiar with the similar setup on the DC07, but I think anyone could manage it pretty quickly. The DC24 weighs less than 12 pounds, which is light even for me, and has a good carrying handle; it's clear plastic and kind of hard to spot at first, but now that I've located it, it's very easy to use.

The vacuum is cute in that space-age Dyson kind of way. It's really unobtrusive and easy to store, especially since the handle (not the carrying handle but the part you push) is collapsible. I measured and with the handle collapsed, the vac is only 29.5 inches tall, and narrow enough to fit in even a small closet. True to the Ball hype, it handles MUCH better than its big brother; it easily gets into awkward spots and corners, and steering it every which way is fun. The DC24 is also reasonably quiet, which is a nice plus.

The disadvantages of the DC24 are also, in a sense, its virtues. What I mean by that is that it is relatively simple, tiny and weighs next to nothing, which to me makes it a perfect second vacuum; but of course a smaller vacuum will have less power than a full-size one. Don't get me wrong, this vacuum cleans very well, whether on carpet or hard floors. But with three kids with allergies and asthma, I personally would not rely on the DC24 as my ONLY vacuum for getting all the dirt, pollen, dust mites etc. out of their bedroom carpeting.

The Miele has what is known as a "sealed HEPA" filtration system; as I understand it, the Dyson's filtration is not as good. (Now might be a good time to mention that it cost me less than one-third what the Miele cost!) I also doubt it would be an ideal choice for someone with pets that shed a lot- in fact, the latest Consumer Reports vacuum ratings (which I always take with a couplefew fistfuls of salt, FWIW) dinged the DC24 in the "pet hair" category.

The design is simple and pared-down, with few bells and whistles; you only get one attachment, a dusting brush that converts (easily) to an upholstery tool. No crevice tool, and certainly no fancy horsehair parquet brush like you get with the Miele. The hose and wand are both fairly short, which means getting cobwebs out of high ceiling corners is tricky; and because of the configuration of the pieces, dusting, say, the top of a tall dresser is basically impossible, for me anyway. The Ball design, while indeed ingenious and useful, means that you can't get this machine all the way under a low bed or piece of furniture; I need the canister for that. The cord, as with all Dysons, is not stored internally. Having to unspool it before use and then wind it all back up again is an annoyance, but a minor one.

A note on the build quality: yes, this is a "plastic" vacuum. But the plastic is high quality and extremely durable, and the construction is solid. I have owned Hoover and Kenmore vacuums (yeah- the Kenmore Progressive that Consumer Reports always rates #1) and those were cheap-feeling machines, not made to last, in my opinion. The Dyson is not like that.

So all in all, I do think the DC24 is the perfect second vacuum, but I wouldn't choose it as my only vac. However, I think it would work well as the primary vac for someone in a small home where storage space is a problem.

As with all Dyson vacuums, watching the clear bin fill up with gunk is oddly fun and satisfying. Yes, on this tiny machine the bin is correspondingly small, but not ridiculously so. It's very easy to dump the dirt out. Between the bagless design and the washable HEPA filter, this machine has essentially no ongoing costs, which I think makes the price tag quite fair- especially if you can get it for 20% off! The DC24 does everything I need it to do, and overall, I am very impressed.