YNAB You Need A Budget

[dorothyc]

I think someone mentioned you should read the manual. I'm the perfect example of that. I've had my DC07 since 2005 and only tonight did I read the diagram on the side of the handle and realize I've been using the extension wand the wrong way round
It works a lot better when you do it right

I was doing it like this guy - so I guess I'm not the only one to make the mistake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NapneLtD6S4

Other than that, I've been really happy with it. One time it was making a loud rattling noise, but we found out we accidentally sucked up a pen that got trapped in the side bend.

[dorothyc]

I also have the handheld - the DC16 which is great too. It comes with a little adapter that,if you have one of the uprights, you can use those onboard tools with it too.

[Patzer]

I also have the handheld - the DC16 which is great too. It comes with a little adapter that,if you have one of the uprights, you can use those onboard tools with it too.

The reported knock on the DC16 is battery life. Consumer reports I've read and my sister's experience are that after you have it for a couple of years, the battery only charges up to where you can use it for 5 minutes or so. For $80, I'd probably get it; but for the $140 or $150 prices I've seen, I'll be living without that one for a while. I could change my mind if I see future reports of better battery life, or of being able to replace the battery with a third party after market product that holds a charge better.

The newer Dyson DC31 handheld model supposedly is more modular and has an improvement in how long a charge lets you use it; but it also costs more.

Patzer

[MALMomma]

Ok. So many of you rave about your machines. Maybe I should give mine one more chance... Time to pull out the manual and see how I can give this a thorough cleaning/freshen up. Maybe that will help with the horrid sounds? If it doesn't, then no more chances. I'll just hope it dies a quick death so I can get a new machine.

[TCB]

I know that Patzer talked about finding a Dyson at a good price. I just received an email from Buy.com with a link to the Dyson DC24 (Limited Edition). They currently have it on sale for $299.99 with free shipping. Does anyone know anything about this particular model? We are in the market for a new vaccum. Our Eureka has duct tape around the hose.

[jjsouth]

If you go to Amazon, there are lots of great reviews for this vacuum. The first review caught my eye with this:

"Dyson uses "airwatts" to specify the power of the vacuums and the DC 24 has 115 airwatts vs. 220 airwatts for the DC 25 and DC 15."

He says it's nice and lightweight but not nearly as powerful as the standard upright vac.

Joyce

[TCB]

Thank you, Joyce. With all the dirt that my children track in I would prefer something that is more powerful. Our carpets take a beating, despite our take your shoes off at the door rule.

[MALMomma]

I have to say THANK YOU to all who have been participating in this thread. If it weren't for your loyalty to Dyson & the rave reviews, I would have given up. That said, I did a thorough cleaning (even with the tip of using a coin to unlock the floor plate). There was a ton of hair & crud under the, um, rubber band thingie. Technical term, of course. I washed out the filter, etc. Emptied & wiped out the canister - even jabbed at the dirt in all of those teensy tiny holes with toothpicks. Did all of this yesterday and waited until today to put it all together again.

I just tested it out - kitchen & dining room were normal. The living room was THE test, though, as we have a large area rug. Set it to Carpet & proceeded to vacuum. I purposefully banged into furniture. A LOT. Because prior to this thorough cleaning, whenever I would barely bump against it, the horrid noise would start. Can I tell you, I bumped my way through the entire living room - and not the most gentle timid bumps, either - and the noise didn't happen ONCE.



What really bugs me now, though, is when I had talked to the CS woman - why the heck did she not ask if I had cleaned out the floor bar & under the rubber band thingie?? Wouldn't SHE have known to try that?? Ah well... Maybe she was new.

Anyhoo, thank you. I think I can love my vacuum again.

[jjsouth]

Yay!!!

Can I tell you, I bumped my way through the entire living room - and not the most gentle timid bumps, either - and the noise didn't happen ONCE.

[adajmk]

Thanks for all the great information. My wife and I are going to take the plunge with a Dyson - now all we need to do is build up our home: Miscellaneous category!

I found this site that has some of the best prices for dyson vacuums on the web: http://www.factorydirectsuperstore.com/ ... efault.htm

It is an online retailer that is linked to directly from the Dyson website.

[malisab]

...and the noise didn't happen ONCE.

I can't believe that I blocked that noise out of my memory until I read your most recent post, but yes...that's the noise that mine used to get when I had carpet throughout the house and would try to vacuum up dog hair. Now that I have floors that I sweep and only vacuum area rugs and bedrooms...I don't have to clean the brush nearly as often.

I'm glad it worked out for you.

[MALMomma]

Haha Malisa! So you KNOW what I've been dealing with for a few years. It happened multiple times a vacuum session. *cringe*

Would it be weird to revacuum the living room just to not hear the noise again?

[dorothyc]

Anyhoo, thank you. I think I can love my vacuum again

So glad we were able to help. In fact until I read this thread, I didn't realize they came with washable filters, and I had never washed mine for the upright or the handheld - 5 years of ownership on the upright, and 3 years of ownership with the handheld. In fact my handheld hadn't been working too good anymore - it would cut out after about a minute and need to cool down before it would work again. I cleaned them both on Saturday, and I even figured out that the canister/cyclone unit on the handheld can be safely dismantled and washed, so they both work great now. Obviously I let all the parts dry out thoroughly before reassembling.

[MALMomma]

I think someone mentioned you should read the manual. I'm the perfect example of that. I've had my DC07 since 2005 and only tonight did I read the diagram on the side of the handle and realize I've been using the extension wand the wrong way round
It works a lot better when you do it right

Because of this, I just read my manual. Thought I was doing it wrong, but turns out, you can do this multiple ways. Slide the hose to the bottom of the wand & attach the tool to the handled end of the wand. Slide the hose off the wand & reconnect to the handled end of the wand and connect the tool to the other end of the wand. Or just connect the tool to the hose. Apparently, there is no "wrong" way. I have always slid the hose off the wand and reconnected by the handle OR stuck the tool into the hose. Never stuck the tool to the handled end of the wand! I did that this morning and it just seemed so strange. LOL

[WairereRose]

I have to say THANK YOU to all who have been participating in this thread. If it weren't for your loyalty to Dyson & the rave reviews, I would have given up. That said, I did a thorough cleaning (even with the tip of using a coin to unlock the floor plate). There was a ton of hair & crud under the, um, rubber band thingie. Technical term, of course. I washed out the filter, etc. Emptied & wiped out the canister - even jabbed at the dirt in all of those teensy tiny holes with toothpicks. Did all of this yesterday and waited until today to put it all together again.

I just tested it out - kitchen & dining room were normal. The living room was THE test, though, as we have a large area rug. Set it to Carpet & proceeded to vacuum. I purposefully banged into furniture. A LOT. Because prior to this thorough cleaning, whenever I would barely bump against it, the horrid noise would start. Can I tell you, I bumped my way through the entire living room - and not the most gentle timid bumps, either - and the noise didn't happen ONCE.



What really bugs me now, though, is when I had talked to the CS woman - why the heck did she not ask if I had cleaned out the floor bar & under the rubber band thingie?? Wouldn't SHE have known to try that?? Ah well... Maybe she was new.

Anyhoo, thank you. I think I can love my vacuum again.

I'm way behind, but cleaning the 'beater brush' would have been my first suggestion. I'm glad you've got it going well.