Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Some observations -

• Oreck is conspicuously missing from the upright ratings.
• Panasonic has a new AeroBlast for $700 is a apparently a poor copy of a Dyson that burps loudly when it reverses the air flow to clean the filter.   Why would anyone pay so much for a Dyson copy, particularly when the filter clogs with fine dust?
  
• Hoover's fall from grace is noted, presumably due to their ill conceived bagless vacuums.  Hoover now has the worst reliability of the uprights.  Dyson is second only to Kirby in the reliability rankings.   
  
• For uprights, Kenmore takes the top 2 spots (bagged and bagless), followed by the Riccar SupraLite RSL3, the Electrolux Oxygen EL5035A, and the Kirby Sentria.  
  
• The Halo is #33 on the list for uprights. 
  
• The $60 Hoover Tempo Widepath has a better tool airflow score than the Dyson DC17 as well as better carpet cleaning scores. 
  

Hi all,

More of the public take on the latest CR vacuum reviews -- http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080216/LIFE0805/802160308

Venson

I have had my Dyson DC04 for 5 and half years.  I have never experienced a problem with the belt itself on the machine, it is still the same one that was put into the machine in 2002 when I had to call Dyson engineer to replace the clutch due to the original factory one being abnormally noisy.    Since then it has been no problem.  The only thing I must say is that feature of ratchet when the brushbar gets jammed doesn't work after a while because the belts do lose a bit of their tension, when my DC04 has got jammed it doesn't ratchet at all.

Does the 04,use the 2 belts on the clutch like 07.14,if so which one went away,the one from the motor shaft or the one going to the brushbar.

How long has dyson been using the clutch system that can be gotten apart to change the belts,The ones i have done the housings have been riveted together.

MOLE

Hi MOLE

The Dyson DC04  does use 2 belts like the DC07 and 15 models.  This has been the case from the beginning from the DC03 which was launched in 1999.  The clutch should not really be taken apart but this seems to have also been from the beginning.

The belt that appears to have worn out a little and is 'slipping' when I get my machine jammed is the belt that is coming from the clutch to the brush, it also seems that fine dust gets into the belt train over the years.

Then the machine should have a provision for adjusting the belt tension,just like automotive applications. For what the price of these machines cost,to be on par with other premium priced uprights they should come standard with this feature,3 uprights that are in the 17's price range,lindhaus activa,sebo X series uprights,aerus/electrolux,pro lux series,and legacy uprights all do this.The average useable life of these machines are 15 to 20 years,then it's time for an overhaul, in residential settings.

The trick is to keep the customers.......

what good is level3 cyclonic suction when the machine is in the repair shop,or sitting in the closet.........

MOLE

mole wrote:

What good is an expensive vac that does not clean as well as the Dyson?   The Dyson can be repaired.  Sub par performance out of the box is not repairable. 

Then again,  a Dyson is not likely to fail unless it is severely abused.  I would like to know a brand that will not fail under severe abuse.

Don't want to get into a Dyson brawl but Shipping a Vacuum off to Buffalo to be repaired should not be a SELLING POINT!!!

MOLE  

I understand what you are saying but this is not possible with such a small mechanism on the Dyson clutch, I really felt that Dyson should have used Toothed belts on their clutch but I guess that's why they improved on their newer ones like DC15, 18 AND the American model not available here in UK.

HARDSELL

I really have to disagree wih you on a certain thing you said.  The Dyson can fail even if looked after,  I myself have experienced this with my Dyson cyliner cleaner which completely burnt out despite the maintenance. 

The DC04 has had parts break over the years which the plastic seems to become brittle over time as experieced with some other UK Dyson users on the 1993 - 2002 Dysons as the plastic was different as opposed to the 'shiny metallic' ones they use now.

bucks03 wrote:

Please name me one brand that can not and has not failed even under the best of conditions.

How do you think all of these independents have stayed in business over the years.  Certainly not from sales.  And not from Dyson repairs.

HARDSELL wrote:
Exactly!  Just like the old adage about the car dealerships, they don't make their money on sales...