Come On, Suck It Up!

I don’t like to load or unload the dishwasher. I’m not crazy about cleaning the stove. And if I never did another load of laundry again, I wouldn’t weep. But, I LOVE to vacuum. Yes, you read that right. Ever since my mother tasked me, in the early sixties, with “carpet sweeping” (a mechanical device that basically lifted the top layer of dust from carpets), I have enjoyed the process of sucking up dirt, lint and other small particles of whatnot from wall-to-wall carpeting, area rugs, and floors.

Believe it or not, I also wrote about the “floor care” business, when I was the editor and publisher of an influential home furnishings trade newspaper. I toured vacuum cleaner manufacturing plants; I dined with the presidents of Hoover and Eureka; I even knew how many vacuums Sears sold every year. And I could write a thesis on the relative merits of one style versus another.

As you’d suspect by now, I’ve owned all kinds of vacuums in my time, good, bad and horrible.

Heavy uprights that looked like they could suck up small trees, but could barely lift a twig; canisters with unwieldy cords and clunky bodies that knocked into every wall on their travels from room to room and were daring me to trip over them; handheld vacs that made lots of noise but labored trying to lift sand from the back seat of the car and ran out of charge quicker than the original iPhone. The vacuum I now own is a pre-owned European import that normally costs an arm and a leg. It looks a lot better than it performs.

Of course, I was game when Dyson asked if I’d try out their new cordless vac, the Dyson Digital Slim™ DC59 Motorhead. That’s like asking an 8-year-old if he wants to try a shiny new bicycle!

Dyson claims that DC59 Motorhead “Out-cleans the top 5 best-selling full-size vacuums across carpets and hard floors. Without the hassle of a cord.” Naturally, I was skeptical.

Turns out, they were right.

• It’s light: Under five pounds, and its small motor is located in the handle, making it a cinch to lift—with one hand—for overhead cleaning and to carry around the apartment.
• It’s powerful and versatile: It sucked out every bit of the dirt deep in the seams of our often-used living room chairs; picked up pieces of packing material off the hardwood floor in seconds; dusted in places I haven’t touched in ages, including the tippy top of the kitchen cabinets, and perked up the little silk rug in our bedroom.
• It’s convertible: The light aluminum wand can be removed to convert the unit into a powerful handheld vacuum for cleaning car interiors, upholstery, and more.
• It’s flexible: The cleanerhead maneuvers with a flick of the wrist to easily reach hard-to-reach places.
• It’s compact: It can be hung, with its docking station, on a wall or inside a closet without taking much space.

I used the unit for about 15 minutes and the suction remained as forceful as it was when fully charged. The battery charge reportedly gives you 24 minutes of cleaning time with full power.

Whether you need a new vac, want to buy one for your daughter’s new apartment, or think it would make a great gift for an approaching bridal shower, I strongly recommend you buy this one.

This contest is now closed.

This post is sponsored by Dyson. Thanks for supporting FabOverFifty!

1 FOF will win. (See official rules, here.) Contest closes September 30, 2014 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.