Dyson DC25 All Floors Upright Vacuum

The most common style of vacuum found in homes is likely the upright vacuum; it works great on all kinds of carpeting as well as tile and wood flooring. And one of the most unique upright vacuums has to be the Dyson DC25 All Floors.

The Dyson Ball

There are two major features that distinguish Dyson vacuums from others brands. The first is the unique Dyson Ball movement system. Rather than using a set of conventional wheels, which moves a vacuum in a linear direction, the innovative Dyson Ball moves unidirectionally. The bright orange roller ball is made of a high impact ABS plastic, and the vacuum motor is housed inside the ball, creating a low center of gravity for the machine. Two small stabilizer wheels on the back of the vacuum, and the motorized brush bar (the cleaning head) stabilize the vacuum in the upright position, when not in use.

This ball movement system makes the DC25 exceptionally manoeuvrable; you can steer the vacuum around furniture effortlessly with one hand. Manoeuvrability is further enhanced by the very light, 16.1 pound weight of the DC25. One of the drawbacks of the ball system however (and indeed common to all upright vacuums), is that the vacuum won't fit under beds or low furniture. However you could use the telescopic wand for this purpose.

Root Cyclone Technology

The second distinctive feature is Dyson's Root Cyclone technology, a process that employs cyclonic separation to remove particulates from air through vortex separation. It's quite similar to the kind of cyclonic dust collectors found in many woodworking shops. Basically, dust laden air flows through a cylindrical collector; the dust spirals down into a waste bin, and the air is then channeled through filters before being expelled. Having the debris expelled directly into a waste bin rather than into a disposal bag means you save money on dust bags.

Dyson Ball, which contains the 11 amp motor and an air filter

The cyclone dust collector (with the clear waste bin removed)

Telescopic Reach Wand

The DC25 has another interesting design feature, a Telescopic Reach wand that is built into the handle of the vacuum. You simply lift up a hinged lid at the top of the handle, and retract the wand. The 'wand' consists of two parts - a 28" hollow piece of aluminum pipe, and a length of clear flexible vinyl hose. You can easily detach the pipe from the hose, and the included accessory tools can be attached to either the pipe or the hose. You can use the wand to clean high, hard to reach areas, curtains, bookshelves, and to vacuum the stairs or under beds and other furniture.

The telescopic wand makes up part of the handle; you simply pull the wand upward to release it. The power brush bar is automatically switched off when the wand is extended.

Suction Power

This cyclone technology, coupled with an 11 amp motor, delivers very strong suction - Dyson claims 220 air watts of suction power. Air watts is a common measure of suction strength used by vacuum manufacturers. However, this measurement is, apparently, taken at the motor, rather than the end of the hose where suction actually takes place, and Dyson does not provide CFM or Water Lift units of measure. Nonetheless, compared to other vacuum cleaners that I have used, and on the basis of the amount of material picked up, the DC25 produces very strong suction, particularly at the end of the wand. It'll pick up just about anything that can fit through the end of the hose.

To use the DC25 you press a red foot pedal.

Once the foot pedal is pressed, the stabilizer wheels on the back of the vacuum will lift up, allowing the orange ball to contact the floor.

Motorized Brush Bar

Most of the vacuuming is done with the motorized brush bar. It uses a gear drive, so there is no belt to replace. The top of the handle is about 42" from the floor, and isn't adjustable. However, I'm 6' tall and my wife is 5' 7", and both of us find the vacuum comfortable and easy to manoeuvre about. At just over 16 pounds, it's very easy to cart around the house or up and down stairs.

The opening on the bar is 11" wide. When vacuuming wood or tile floors, or delicate carpets, you turn the brush bar motor off with the click of a button. To use the vacuum you press a red foot pedal that releases the stabilizer wheels on the back of the vacuum and lowers the orange roller ball to the floor. The on/off button is located within easy reach on the front of the vacuum, just above the cyclone. Right next to it is the brush bar power button. The 24- 1/2' power cord is conveniently stored on the back of the handle. I found the cord long enough for most of my vacuuming; however for large rooms, or when cleaning stairs a longer cord would be great.

On/off button (R) and brush bar power button (L)

Power cord stores neatly on the handle

While the brush bar sucks up light, loose dust, dirt and pet hair on any floor type, it has a harder time picking up denser material, like bits of paper or plastic, pet food, hard clumps of dirt. I found that I had to slightly tip up the front end of the vacuum and then drop it over the offending debris. There isn't any way to adjust the height of the brush bar, which, I think, might make it easier to pick up denser material. On the other hand, because of its low profile the brush fits easily under the toes of kitchen cabinet. The waste bin is quite small (3 pints) and seems to fill up rather quickly; you really need to empty it each time you use the vacuum (likely more frequently if you have a large house and long haired pets).

Vacuuming with the Wand

The telescopic wand is, in general, a great feature. There is a great deal of suction at the end of the wand, and it will suck up anything small enough to fit in the end of the hose. Withdrawing and storing the wand take only a few seconds.

However, I found that when the hose is pulled out more than about 8' the vacuum begins to tip over. Positioning the vacuum against a piece of furniture provides some stability, but I find that the vacuum is more stable if I simply lay it lengthways on the floor, after extending the hose. With both the pipe and hose attached, I can extend the wand 11'; with the hose alone, it extends 8'. This is fine for the bulk of my vacuuming needs; the only hassle comes when I'm cleaning the stairs. Then I really wish for a much longer hose (and a wider stair brush).

Attachments

Two attachments come with the DC25, a combination tool, which converts from a crevice tool to a universal dust brush, and a 4-1/2" stair brush. Both store on the vacuum for at-hand convenience.

They are used exclusively with the telescopic wand. I find the stair brush somewhat too narrow; a wider brush would make quicker work of stair cleaning, and could also be useful for vacuuming under bed and couches. The accessories fit on both the wand pipe and the flexible hose. It's easier to vacuum upholstery using just the hose.

Additional accessories, including a mattress tool, soft and stiff bristle brushes, and a multi-angle brush are are available from Dyson.

Dust Collection

Debris is collected into a clear polycarbonate bin (which is actually the outer covering of the cyclone). This has to be the easiest system around; you first press a button to remove the cyclone from the vacuum, and then, holding it over a waste container, press another button to open the bottom of the bin. The bin is fairly small however, and pet hair tends to clog up inside, requiring you to poke it out. For most people this will be nothing but a minor inconvenience; however if you have allergies or asthma, you'll want to take precautions when empting the bin - better yet, if feasible, have someone else in the home do it for you (and best to empty the bin outdoors).

Press a button to release the cyclone

The waste bin is the bottom cover of the cyclone

Press another button to open the bottom of the bin

The DC25 All Floors is not specifically designed for vacuuming pet hair; for that Dyson has a different model, the DC25 Animal. However I have a long haired cat that sheds like crazy, and the All Floors does a great job of picking it up. Hair, twine, and stands of carpet do get caught up around the roller in the brush bar. To remove this debris you simply turn the DC25 upside down, use a quarter or loonie to turn a locking screw, and then lift a retaining arm. You can then slip out the roller to clean it. The whole process takes about 15 seconds.

The filter in the top of the cyclone takes about 5 seconds to remove

The filter in the roller ball takes a bit longer to remove, about 30 seconds

Conclusion

I've been using this vacuum for the better part of two months, and I've gown to like it. Our house has about 876 square feet of carpet and about 500 square feet of hardwood, and the DC25 does a great good job of cleaning it. It's the most manoeuvrable vacuum you'll likely find, and its light weight makes it easy to use and cart around. This light weight is due, in large part to the extensive use of ABS plastic, which is used more extensively in manufacturing today than ever before; you'll find it on cars, motorbikes, power tools and a wide range of consumer goods. These high impact ABS plastics are tough, impact resistant, rigid, and definitely won't rust.

Except for some denser materials, the DC25 sucks up everything in its path. I even tried it over a piece of carpet that had been previously cleaned by a different model of vacuum; I was surprised at how much additional debris the DC25 picked up. The wand is a great feature, and I really like that the hose retracts right into the vacuum. Not having to buy throw-away dust bags is a bonus, and the removable waste bin is super convenient. Finally, at 78.1 dB (brush bar turned on) and 75.4 dB (brush bar turned off), it's a quiet machine.

But it does have some annoying shortcomings. The hose is very stiff, and could be longer; the power cord, at just over 24', is likewise too short. The short, stiff hose causes the vacuum to tilt over, and the waste bin has to be emptied after each use.

If you have a large house with a lot of carpeting, then the Dyson DC28 Airmuscle might be a better choice. It uses Dyson's Airmuscle technology, a motorized head with a pneumatic actuator, a powered cam and a high torque clutch, designed to give the ultimate cleaning experience.

Annoyances aside, the DC25 is a uniquely designed vacuum that offers a very good range of features. While not the perfect machine, it does the job, and for the most part, does it exceedingly well.

Reviewed Feb 2011