BY: VANESSA ROBERTS
I have only ever heard amazing things about Dyson products, so when the offer came to receive a Dyson Small Ball Upright Vacuum for a road-test, I wasn’t about to say no. Even though vacuuming around the home isn’t usually at the top of my list of desires, there’s a certain satisfaction that comes from having done it (AND, it can almost count as exercise so win-win, really!)
What: The Dyson Small Ball Vacuum is basically a full-capacity regular vacuum squeezed into a super-compact upright design. It is packed with all the features you would expect from a Dyson product with a few unexpected extras.
It is perfect for: Smaller homes where storage might be limited, homes with a combination of flooring types, anyone who doesn’t like emptying out the dust afterward, and people wanting a machine that is lightweight and easy to carry around.
Read on for my review of the Dyson Small Ball Upright Vacuum:
Upon receiving the product, I set about unpacking and assembling. There are a few extra steps in getting the Dyson ready for use the first time around compared to an ordinary vacuum cleaner, but with the help of an instruction manual I was on my way in a few minutes.
The first thing I noticed was the extra long length of the extension cord! It seemed much longer than normal (it is 25% longer than most and it stretches 13 metres including the hose and wand.)
This is fabulous if you are too lazy to plug the cord into new switches as you move along. And, if you have a smaller home you may even be able to get around in one go. This is such a simple enhancement and a great benefit – why other brands don’t have these extra long cords escapes me!
On the downside, there is no auto-retract for the cord when you’re finished, it is manually wound around two hooks on the machine (which you can see above), but this is not a deal-breaker in my opinion.
Having never used a Dyson before, I was immediately impressed by the suction. This is next-level suction – the machine literally grips to the floor, and this wasn’t even on the MAX setting. The Dyson Small Ball features 19 cyclones, arranged across two tiers, which work in parallel to increase airflow and capture fine dust. You can tell! My tiled floors were free of debris in no time at all.
With one really thick wool-pile rug to battle in my bedroom, I was able to test out the Dyson’s ‘Advanced Self-adjusting Cleaner Head’. Here, the machine automatically adjusts itself between carpets and hard floors – sealing in suction. Because of the product’s direct drive motor, bristles are pushed deeper into carpet. I don’t think it’s my imagination, but the rug looked a lot more vibrant after giving it a good once-over with the Dyson!
Thanks to the innovative ball design, the product had great maneuverability and it was really easy to navigate around the rooms and furnishings. On the downside, it was more difficult than others to get underneath low-level furniture. While the vacuum head can sneak underneath most items, the ball prevents the machine from going any further.
Additionally, the extension handle actually turns into a vacuum-wand which makes it really easy to clean hard-to-reach places (such as blinds, cornices, between furniture, and behind appliances).
Other noteworthy benefits of the Dyson Small Ball Vacuum:
- It has a transparent cover on the vacuum head which makes it easy to see if there’s anything tangling the brushes.
- The dust cylinder/container is also transparent so you can see how much you are sucking up (and when the it is ready to be emptied.)
- The 5.5kg weight and narrow profile of this machine makes it easy to use on stairs.
Last, but certainly not least – the Dyson Small Ball Vacuum is bagless and offers hands-free bin emptying. I have to say, this was pretty nifty. After use, you simply detach the cylinder/cyclone from the body of the machine, go to a bin and press a button. Debris: gone. One-click bin emptying. To be fair, if you have pet hair as I do, you may need to dislodge that very slightly at the end, but it is a tiny price to pay for this great added feature.
The Dyson Small Ball Upright Vacuum is RRP: Multifloor $599.00; Allergy $699.00
For more information please visit DYSON.
Whilst this product was supplied for editorial review, all opinions are my own.
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