Dyson DC55 Total Clean - Review and impressions

[sptyks]

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<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">"no vacuum is going to pick up a lot after vacuum just a day ago."</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Especially if the vacuum used a day ago was a Kirby.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Remember what you get when you own a Kirby:  "<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Quality, Reliability, Performance"</span></p>
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[matt8808]

Yes yes sptyks we get that you're not a Dyson fan

The two are clearly VERY different machines due to one being clean air and one being diry air for starters.

For me the benefit of having the Dyson for me is that it is much more nimble and compact to use.

The benefits of the Kirby are it's outstanding cleaning ability, the amount of tasks it can undertake and the life expectancy.

But then both machines have their drawbacks too.

The Kirby is heavy, loud and cumbersome in small spaces.

The Dyson is plastic and will have a MUCH shorter life expectancy.

I'll always have a second machine alongside the Kirby... Others come and go, but my Kirby is here for the long haul. It's just nice having something different to play with every once in a while!

 

[sptyks]

Hi Matt, FYI - I am not just a Kirby fan, I am also a fan of the Sebo Felix. I am looking for reliable input from anyone who has experience with the Felix. Have you used one?  I am in the market for a good used one if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[marcusprit]

I'd like to see you reverse the test. Don't vacuum for a while go over with the Dyson first then put a new bag in your Kirby and see how much it picks up.

My guess is it won't be a great deal ;-)

You wouldn't expect the Dyson to pick up a lot after recently cleaning with a Kirby which is supposed to be the deepest cleaner available.

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

So sptyks. When did you use a DC55, or DC41mk2, or Dyson cinetic ?

You are a Kirby fanboy, not a vacuum enthusiast.

I however have used a Kirby, used a Sentria 2 as my in laws have one and while it is beautifully built and performance is excellent, I would not have one. Too bulky, too heavy, too loud and a pig to use on hardfloors or any of the attachments.

A sebo felix is a fantastic vacuum and a great all rounder, and is my daily user, other than the dc59.

But you probably are still uncomfortable with the fact some people are actually happy with their dyson and they are good vacuums. I remember this from my dc41 mk2 thread.

 

[marcusprit]

Personally I would only use a Kirby as a deep cleaner every 2 weeks or so and use the Dyson as my daily cleaner

It cleans deep enough for me, it's quieter easier to manouvre around objects you can turn the brushroll off at the flick of a switch, an instant release wand and you can dump the dirt every week so you don't have a smelly rotting bag of dirt and it's performance on hard floors is the best I've seen.

And if the Kirby agitates so much better than the Dyson seen in Oliver's video I would be worried about my carpets wearing away prematurely

 

[marcusprit]

And I agree with Matt it's nice have something different to play with once in a while, which is why I won't be getting married again )))

 

[sebo_fan]

Good post, Matt.

I can't help but feel that either TTI have copied Dyson or ripped it off someone else about the plush velour strips. There's a small bar of it fitted to the underside of the Vax Cordless Air, which I adore. It seems to leave grooming marks in the carpet all by the addition of it alone. But the Vax also picks up a lot more in my home, including top soil wool, which I have to be careful with.

sptyks - for the many posts that I and other Felix owners have already commented or created, its a bit of a smack in the face to read that you still require additional info if you are considering a SEBO Felix. What are you missing that you haven't possibly found on this forum in regard to it?

The biggest machine I have which in terms of bulk is the SEBO 360 in my home. It copes just about as well as it can; the fact that it can clean down low flat to the floor is the best design element for my home.

Kirby and I are seasonal fans; I've used them in schools to clean large and expansive classrooms with and they're excellent, even if coercing around corners of tables and chairs. I'd never have one in my home though - far too big and even with self drive I'd find it a struggle to get down my narrow hallways. I did try it once and it wasn't a successful affair, sadly!

 

[marcusprit]

This was my experience of Kirby yes they are excellent for performance reliability and build quality but not the easiest to use in the average UK home better suited to larger homes me thinks

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

The Dyson and Sebo vacuums deep clean perfectly fine. I really don't see why you should spend thousands of pounds more on a Kirby which will "deep clean even better". I was content when I properly deep cleaned my carpets with my Bissell big green shampooer and found no grit or extra debris coming out of the carpets. The SEBO my mother has had for 21 years has proved itself. The carpets never wore down, they looked happy and healthy and has only just recently replace them because she wanted to change her colour scheme, and they weren't particularly expensive carpets anyway. Longevity? Like I said, it is 21 years old and hasn't even had new brushes on the motor. No service's what-so ever. Even if it needed new carbon brushes that would be understandable. It has had I think a couple of new brush rolls.

As much as Kirbys are good vacuums, I think, and this is my honest opinion and not many will like it, but considering the less expensive alternatives which offer roughly the same performance or as good as anyone needs for at least half the price, I think Kirbys are a rich mans toy, a status symbol. They suit a good amount of people and that is fine, but for most people, a SEBO or one of the new dysons, depending on if they want bagged or bagless, would do most people just fine.

This is not aimed at anyone in particular but the constant bashing of not just dysons now, but nearly everything that isn't a Kirby, is getting silly now.

 

[sprockkets]

@olive


"It is the combination of the agitation and the suction seal which is why this dyson has earned its reputation of the best performing dyson ever. Even on plush carpets, tilt it back and it will grab the carpet and lift it up quite a way, something by felix does not do. "

I consider that a positive. My windtunnel air will suck itself shut so to speak on carpet mats, and then the brush roller nearly stops due to the overload. Annoying because all it is doing is sealing itself shut and since no real airflow happens, it really isn't cleaning.

The intentional gaps on the sides of the felix head allow air to come in, thus allowing suction to happen to clean. I watched it suck from all sides when the agitation beat all the sand out of my car mats.

It is why, in my opinion, floating heads of any kind are poor for cleaning or for ease of rolling the vacuum, depending on the surface. Height adjustment is a must.

 

[sebo_fan]

I also agree because if the suction is so strong with no chance for air to escape on the brush bar or sole plate, there's every chance that an upright will rip out a carpet pile rather than cleaning it. Not to mention also, in addition, if the brush bar is aggressive, anyway.

I have never experienced the Vax Mach Air has having that problem of sucking down on carpet mats though - hard floors yes since there is no porous air, but never carpet mats.

I don't agree that all floating types don't clean carpets or that height adjustment is a must - it depends on the actual carpet that the vacuum is being used on. This is why I own a Vax Mach Air - the brush roll is soft, so it isn't as destructive as others. Also the SEBO X1 with its auto sensor gives me enough cleaning and groomed effect without worry that my wool carpets are being destroyed.

One problem that I DO find (and have forgotten to mention in another thread) is that because my latest buy - a Vax Cordless Air upright has no carpet protector grids on the sole plate, the sides of carpet mats and rugs on existing carpet have a tendency of being sucked into the open sole plate. No wonder Vax are already selling replacement drive belts!

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

The suction seal on dysons works on hard flooring, and on carpets it means all the suction is concentrated where it should be, and by the way, these new ones have a slider which raises a rubber seal, which breaks the seal of suction allowing it to pick up large debris, and helps on hard flooring.

Whatever the combination, the post DC41 MK2's carpets performance is not really a question now, they are excellent, weather it has a sealed floor head or not is irrelevant - it works.

 

[sptyks]

To all the Kirby haters out there:

 


Oliveoiltinfoil said: 


 


"You are a Kirby fanboy, not a vacuum enthusiast."


 


Well I do happen to consider myself a Kirby enthusiast, BUT I AM ALSO a vacuum enthusiast. After all the hundreds of hours I have spent here on Vacuumland, THAT ALONE, should qualify me as a vacuum enthusiast! Plus, I have also owned and /or used many different makes of vacuums besides Kirby. I have the right to post my views and opinions on here just as you or anyone else does. Here's one of my opinions about this thread: If you can't take the Kirby heat, Its time to get out of the kitchen.


 


Sebo_fan:


 


I was not intending to slap anyone in the face, so if you feel I did, then I do indeed apologise to you and anyone else who feels that way. I was strictly asking Matt about HIS opinion of the Felix, if he has ever owned one, But now it no longer matters.


 


I was considering getting a Sebo Felix after all the good reviews I have read here on Vacuumland. Then, recently I read somewhere that the American Hoover (TTI) WindTunnel Air was lighter and performed as well or better than the Felix. So I decided that since I already own a Hoover WindTunnel Air, I don't really need to spend a lot of money on the Felix.


 


I can live with the fact that the Hoover is bagless because it is used mainly for quick pickups when I don't want to get one of my Kirby's out. Don't get me wrong, bagged is the way to go. Buying a Felix just because it has a bag and to be used mainly for quick mess pickups doesn't make sense.  I guess, like Matt, I just waned to try something different.


 


My Kirby G3 is currently my daily driver and my Sentria is used once or twice a month for a full deep clean as it has the stiffer brushroll in it.


 

 

[marcusprit]

Of course you are entitled to your opinions. That's what this site is about. Different opinions, that's what makes it interesting. But it doesn't have to get nasty. A bit of good humoured banter is fine

 

[sptyks]

Marcus, do you feel anything I said was Nasty?


 


Sometimes Oli can be somewhat intimidating and I decided to not let him intimidate me. That's all.

 

[marcusprit]

Not nasty at all I'm just saying.

Yeah Oliver is a scary beast! He would eat you for dinner haha

 

[sptyks]

That's a good one Ha ha.

 

[matt8808]

After a bit more use....

So today I went and did a deep clean for my grandparents.

They're in their 80's and she struggles with her Dyson - They have a DC07 that they bought when they were very first released. I bought her an Oreck once for something lighter but she didn't like it.

Anyway she does light cleans with her DC07 and I go over every now and then and do it all properly. Pictured is what I got with the DC55. To be fair though I usualy get this amount when I visit as their carpets are all wool so shed quite a bit...

The white powder at the top of the bin is flour... she managed to spill some while making yorkshire puddings while I was there so I got the perfect chance to test out the hard floor cleaning ability - it picked every last spec up on the first sweep.

Oh and some of their carpets are a lower pile than ours - the agitation REALLY stood out on these and I was impressed with it I have to say

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

Right, fail to see how I am intimidating. Was merely pointing out a few things and giving my opinion.