It’s funny. When I started this blog, I knew that I wanted to talk about my experiences with products, but mostly it was a place to discuss beauty, life, with some crafting.

More recently I have discovered that a lot of my life is centred on being a mom and wife, home care and cooking, knitting and crocheting. I think these are the things that I spend the most time on. And thanks to Covid, my every day make-up use has diminished to almost nil… Although thankfully I still do my hair and wear mascara. LOL.

And speaking of knitting and crocheting, I want to add a lot more of that content to my blog. I hope you will join my journey!

Today I wanted to bring you my honest (definitely not sponsored) review of one of the most popular vacuums around. A review of the Dyson stick vacuum. My first experience with the Dyson brand was with their DC39 Animal model vacuum, a large, heavy and plug-in model with a bagless canister that was pretty impressive for its time. (I think I purchased mine in 2011 or 2012.) I still have it, and it still performs incredibly; however, its weight is enough to take out your back, especially when using the motor head. It should be noted that no other vacuum compared to the Dyson in terms of cleaning at that time, especially with pet hair. And because of this experience, I have stuck with the brand… purchasing several more models through the years.

Last year, we decided to invest in one of their newest stick vacuums, the Cyclone V10 Animal. I believe at the time it retailed for approximately $800. And although this is no longer their newest model, my V10 Animal is only one and a half years old. The Dyson website promises that this is the most powerful motorhead yet (at time of launch), and that it removes 25% more dust than their V8 model. It also promises up to 35 minutes of battery life, which was a big selling point for me. With two dogs in the house, vacuuming is a regular sport in my home. I also liked the larger canister which means less trips to empty it.

You probably want to know: How did the Dyson v10 stack up?

Let me preface this by repeating that I have been using this vacuum for approximately 1.5 years now. I also use my vacuums a lot – so I do understand that I may not be the typical user. (By a lot I mean, at least three times a week, usually maybe four.) Two big dogs, a young son… it adds up fast! 😂

When it first arrived, we loved it. My goodness was it ever light compared to the large plug-in Dyson! Stick vacuums do tend to do a number on your wrists though — there’s definitely a bit of a transition for the body to adjust. (My wrists are not the strongest and holding a vacuum with your index finger depressing a trigger for half an hour isn’t… fun.) It was still easy to love it. It moves quickly through the home as there is no large canister dragging behind you, and there is no plug to constantly move. The motor head picked up pretty well, and compared to the old Dyson’s motor head, which could almost chew up a carpet (it was that strong), this motor head is safe on my delicate rugs.

I also love the accessories. This vacuum, though a bit large to use as a handheld (without the stick), makes it easy to vacuum your couch, chairs, the car, and any other tiny or small spaces or any furniture. As a dog owner, the mini motorized head is my favourite! I use it to clean dog beds, kid furniture… There were a few tools including the crevice tool and duster. Very useful!

Now let’s discuss some of the downsides.

First, for me, the pick-up just isn’t there. Sure it’ll clean good-enough. But the soft roller head, meant for hardwood, kept leaving tiny things behind. Anything small, such as dirt at the front door or food crumbs, would be left behind… not to mention this roller head is way too loose and not easily controlled. (I kept banging into things on the side because the soft roller head doesn’t move in a straight direction but swivels.) Back to the pick-up: even the motor head only works at its best when you adjust the height of the roller to the lowest setting. Otherwise…. there’ll be a lot missed.

What about the battery life? No Dyson review would be complete without some mention of battery life! We mostly use it on the second (out of three) settings. If I move really quickly, I can usually complete one floor in about 15-20 minutes and not run out of battery. Most days, however, it would die on me with one small area remaining – which can be frustrating. (If you try and use the highest power, the 3rd setting— you would probably get 10 min run time!) The worst part was, over the past month or two we noticed the battery life shortening… we thought it was just us at first. Until the machine did only three small area rugs and died — we knew it was time to email Dyson.

I will give them this: The customer service can be very good (with a good rep). They truly stand behind their product and send out warranty parts, more often than not, free of charge. I have had the experience where I had to go back-and-forth too many times when I already outlined the issue, but otherwise, very good customer service. It’s a hassle to be left without a working vacuum, but the self-repair and the standing behind their products is probably the best part of owning a Dyson.

My personal opinion has evolved to this: it’s probably time to update my central vac… and use that for my whole-home cleaning. A stick vacuum is amazingly convenient – but perhaps not the most thorough, or long-lasting cleaner. I will still use it for quick cleans, to vacuum the furniture or reach cobwebs… however, I am just not sold on purchasing another, and at this price point, in the future.

How do you feel? What is your personal opinion about Dyson vacuums or stick vacuums in general?

Do you have a favourite brand?

~xoxo, Aire

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