Hi all,
Excited I am to share with you all my latest treasure: a Fantom Cyclone XT!
Cyclonic vacuums of Dyson origin have always been a interest of mine. In particular, I have a very strong liking for Fantom vacuums, so I was very pleased to find my first Fantom, a Thunder, last fall. I love the Thunder, but there is another model I have always wanted even more: the Cyclone XT.
Since I have never seen one of these listed on Ebay for the past year I have been searching, and it seems very few here have them, I always considered the Cyclone XT pretty much unattainable, until yesterday. On craigslist, I found this one advertised for $35. Of course I went for it!
First impressions: I must have good luck. Physically, this vacuum is in incredible condition. Not a thing is broken, which is close to a miracle for a Fantom. I do not think this vacuum has seen much use at all. There is not a scratch in the plastic, and that is not an exaggeration. I can actually see my reflection in the piano black ABS. I found little dust in and around the HEPA filter and all decals are mint. To my surprise, this vacuum came with all the attachments, completely unused. Both motors sound healthy. This vacuum is in even better shape than my Thunder is.
Why do I like the Cyclone XT more than the Thunder? There are several reasons. Primarily, I like that it has two motors. This makes using the attachments much more convenient--I do not have to worry about my vacuum doing a "burnout" on the carpet while I use the hose. Additionally, the cogged belt and larger wheels should cope better with my plush carpeting. The fact the Cyclone XT has a finer pre-motor "filter" is a big plus for me, too. Sure, it doesn't stop dust but at least it'll stop hair. Sometimes I worry that hair might slip by the catcher in my Thunder and wind around the motor shaft.
Emptying the Cyclone XT is easier and doesn't get dust all over the machine. The handle is more comfortable and the hose can be released without undoing the cord. It's clear that the Cyclone XT was designed with all of the lessons learned from the Thunder in mind.
The only downside is that the original owner was a smoker. No worries, though; I have tricks for de-smoking vacuums. I've done it before.
The picture below shows the machine after only a light wiping down. I'll do a deep clean in the future and will post better post-restoration pictures.
Advice, questions, and comments welcome!
Excited I am to share with you all my latest treasure: a Fantom Cyclone XT!
Cyclonic vacuums of Dyson origin have always been a interest of mine. In particular, I have a very strong liking for Fantom vacuums, so I was very pleased to find my first Fantom, a Thunder, last fall. I love the Thunder, but there is another model I have always wanted even more: the Cyclone XT.
Since I have never seen one of these listed on Ebay for the past year I have been searching, and it seems very few here have them, I always considered the Cyclone XT pretty much unattainable, until yesterday. On craigslist, I found this one advertised for $35. Of course I went for it!
First impressions: I must have good luck. Physically, this vacuum is in incredible condition. Not a thing is broken, which is close to a miracle for a Fantom. I do not think this vacuum has seen much use at all. There is not a scratch in the plastic, and that is not an exaggeration. I can actually see my reflection in the piano black ABS. I found little dust in and around the HEPA filter and all decals are mint. To my surprise, this vacuum came with all the attachments, completely unused. Both motors sound healthy. This vacuum is in even better shape than my Thunder is.
Why do I like the Cyclone XT more than the Thunder? There are several reasons. Primarily, I like that it has two motors. This makes using the attachments much more convenient--I do not have to worry about my vacuum doing a "burnout" on the carpet while I use the hose. Additionally, the cogged belt and larger wheels should cope better with my plush carpeting. The fact the Cyclone XT has a finer pre-motor "filter" is a big plus for me, too. Sure, it doesn't stop dust but at least it'll stop hair. Sometimes I worry that hair might slip by the catcher in my Thunder and wind around the motor shaft.
Emptying the Cyclone XT is easier and doesn't get dust all over the machine. The handle is more comfortable and the hose can be released without undoing the cord. It's clear that the Cyclone XT was designed with all of the lessons learned from the Thunder in mind.
The only downside is that the original owner was a smoker. No worries, though; I have tricks for de-smoking vacuums. I've done it before.
The picture below shows the machine after only a light wiping down. I'll do a deep clean in the future and will post better post-restoration pictures.
Advice, questions, and comments welcome!
