Miele cat & dog cylinder v Dyson upright - discuss...

[Housemum]

I have tried over the past 10 years to kill my Dyson DC04 upright but the wretched thing isindestructible. There is nothing really wrong with it, I just don't like the heavy, ugly brute! I hate it even more now we have wooden flooring downstairs - I'd like to be able to stand and use the nozzle to whip round the edges where the dust collects, but however hard you ram it on the pole it falls off at the slightest touch, so the only way is on hands and knees as the nozzle seems to fit OK on the flexible hose part. (OK, I am lazy, I just would like to hoover standing up). And it may be fine in the middle of the carpeted rooms, but it doesn't go up to the edges as well as my old Panasonic did.

My mum knows I hanker after the Miele Cat & Dog cylinder cleaner, and has offered to buy one for Xmas if I don't mind forgoing a "treat" present. I'm tempted, but am I being mad? Is it really that much better?

Please share your views - Dyson v Miele (don't go throwing in Orecks and Sebos!)

Thank you

Forget them all and get a Henry. They are brilliant, no loss of suction, empty them once a year and last forever. Mine spent 5 years on a building site before I got it and it still picks up all the dog hairs and everything else life throws at it.

I once cleaned my mothers floors for her after she had been round with her very expensive hoover. Lets just say the results were impressive

See here for a henry vs miele thread

But Which magazine apparently really slate Henry? (they make me smile though - I think of the Russell Howard sketch with naughty Henry getting drunk and throwing up!)

Miele. Light, long hose, turbo brushes to lift up hair, and serious suction. Mine's 4.5 years old and hard worked and never grumbles. You can get bags cheap online (and I can't stand the mess of emptying a bloody Dyson anyway).

I have a Dyson and really covet the Miele cat and dog.

Am so sick of hoovering and then noticing bits still lying around. I tried my Mum's Miele and it was fab.

I have used a henry before at work and I can't say it was great.

I have a Dyson upright and am very pleased with it. But I really hate cylinder vacuum cleaners, as I always find they are at the wrong angle and make my back ache!

Which mag is not always right, if you follow to the other thread you will find posters who have found their advice quite misleading.

Personally I find Dysons absolutly terrible and wouldn't have one given!

Have both and miele much better

Miele for us, long-haired teenagers and a cat means it gets a proper workout and seems to be coping after three years as well as at the beginning. I have to clear the nozzle bit because of the humans, not the cat, but that's easy too.

I have had various Dysons and the Miele Cat & Dog... and they were all rubbish or gave up the ghost pretty wuickly which was very disappointing.

Have had a Henry (actually Hetty) for nearly 5 years now and would never go back (I asked my cleaner what I should by and she asked for a Henry as she hates using anything else too).

My Miele (which had a turbo brush and was fab) stopped working - don't know why - and I, bizarrely, opted for a Dyson with twisty ball thing.

It's a crock of shite - doesn't do the edges, hurts my wrist to push and twist it, can't do nooks and crannies or under beds, the flex hose is unwieldy and doesn't always reach the cobwebs, it's rubbish under the sofa cushions - need I go on?

< curses sales bloke in John Lewis >

Hmm, still leaning towards the Miele... At least almost everyone agrees the Dyson is a brute - triumph of marketing over usability!

Do any of you Dyson owners manage to actually use the metal pole with the nozzle attached to the end or does it just fall off yours too?

Mine doesn't fall off, they must have adapted it so it clicks in some way. But the nozzle itself is too bulky to get right into the edges and corners properly.

Luckily I bought an attachment from Flylady for hoovering the dryer vents, and this slots into the end. Otherwise bits are left under the kitchen cupboards and round the skirting boards.

I have had no problems with my Dyson at all. It's an upright, but not one of those ball ones. I use the pole/hose attachment all the time and it doesn't fall off.

Do Miele do upright cleaners or only cylinder ones? If my Dyson ever does give up the ghost, I might consider a Miele as everyone seems to rave about them, but only if I could get an upright.

Miele do cylinder cleaners, though they are more expensive than the cylinders I think. The Which best buy table is dominated by Bosch & Miele cylinder cleaners.

I have a Miele and it is great. I wouldn't change it for a Dyson and as Housemum says Which recommend Miele (and Bosch).

I love my Miele too - have had dyson and lg cylinders before and it is much better