I love my Dyson vacuum. I love the design, and the modular nature of the parts, and how accessible a lot of the airway is so that you don’t have those common problems with ordinary obstructions.
I got my Dyson Ball as a gift from a client several years ago, in recognition of my years of service. It ran trouble-free for years before eventually I needed to replace the on/off switch. Got the part on eBay for under $5.00, and a very useful video on YouTube showed me everything I needed to know. As it happens, another client had recently given me a socket screwdriver set with all those arcane and unusual tips, and replacing the (modular) switch was a breeze. Then I made the foolish mistake of vacuuming up some wet kibble, and I wound up with an intractable clog up inside somewhere. Thanks to another clear & straightforward video, I was able to open it up and clear the airway. Awhile later I replaced the switch again.
But this time – this time, I thought I was well and truly frakked. The Dyson has a red bar on the back which is what you step on to shift the vacuum from the upright to the laid-back position. Shifting the position causes a button to be pressed which starts the brush bar turning. Well, somebody in the house managed to break this bar, right where a little cylindrical part comes off perpendicular to the bar itself. Like, the hardest thing to glue and have it ever stick. I honestly don’t know how they even did it as the bar is quite sturdy. But without this bar, the brush won’t turn and everything sucks. Or, it sucks but doesn’t pick up lol.
There was no video for this because only in my house would it ever happen. I took it as far apart as I could and epoxied the heck out of the *#$%!! little part. Gave it a couple days to dry. I had to struggle with the thing for awhile there because it’s kind of confusing how it fits together, but it is ingenious the way it works once you figure it out. I put everything back together and plugged it in.
And it works! Yay!
I’m sure that vacuum manufacturers would prefer that we ultimately replace our machines when they’re seriously damaged. I myself would recommend doing so if you can. But it’s nice to know that, if you don’t have the means to do so, your machine follows a rational and efficient design that you can understand and repair with normal skills (and an arcane screwdriver.)
I can attest that if you call them with a problem, Dyson support will talk you through a repair process. They built them easy to take apart and repair on purpose. I love my Dyson too.
Our DC07 upright is still going strong after 15 years and the only reason I’m considering replacing it is stairs are a PITA with it. I wish they still made washing machines; I would have loved to get one of them.
I also have the DC07 for at least 12 years or so and still use it and like it. My original did breakdown after only a couple of years but they sent me a refurbished one that I have used ever since. My main complaint is I hate the noise it makes when the brush gets stuck on something. It was intentionally designed to grate on your nerves and it does the job too well.
I also love my Dyson. I’ve tried a few other bagless vacuums but they don’t hold up well over time. The design of the Dyson means it continues to work well even if things get a little worn out.
One trick I do is to use a leaf blower to clean out the canister. Take it outside and blow through everything. The high-powered wind will push out all the stuck dust inside the canister and it’ll be like new.
What kind of work do you do where your clients are giving you gifts?
I had one (two actually, the first one was in the shop so often that Dyson and Best Buy finally declared it a lemon and gave me a new one) and hated them both. The gears ground - it made horrible noises - both of them did. And it didn’t suck. I have a Dirt Devil I bought for $40 that works better than the Dyson ever did - and the Dyson cost $300.
I am an elder support person. Some of my clients require mostly basic housekeeping chores, but one of them has had me do stuff like helping him put new rooves on his outbuildings, and editing his book. I got the vacuum when he got a new one. (after using it in the course of my duties for years lol.)
Oh, and I think your leafblower idea is genius! It has always bugged me a little that the one place I can’t clean out is the top of the cannister that doesn’t detach.
Yeah, I have a whole system for stairs. To start with, it’s a mini-ball so it’s hella light. I use a very long extension cord, and I hold it by the handle on top of the cannister so I have maximum control over the pivoting head. Once I got the economy of motion down, the task started going pretty fast.
our Dyson upright worked really well so we replaced it with a new canister model. That thing was a piece of junk. The canister was difficult to empty and the vacuum powered brush in the head always stalled out on our area rugs. When we put in wall to wall carpet we invested in a Miele. It was expensive, even when compared to the dyson, but it is amazing.
I just got a new one of these, after deliberating whether the Ball was worth it. I only vacuum one floor of the house and without pets I didn’t think I could justify the cost either.
The best part about it is that the canister lifts off, which means the vacuum head will fit under the chairs, the couch, the credenza and the bed. With forced air heating, this is an important feature, as we drown in dust bunnies.
