NOW CLOSED: Dyson Digital Slim DC44 Tester feedback review thread – Non testers – you could win a Dyson

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the testers currently putting the Dyson Digital Slim DC44 through its paces this Christmas.

Once you've received the Dyson and have had a play please let us know your first impressions.

Then let us know - across the next couple of weeks - how you're getting on with the challenges (do also let us know if you've invented or discovered any other ways the Dyson helped out!).

Here's what Dyson say about their challenges:

The balance challenge - "We know that often busy parents need to multi task. So can you still vacuum with the Dyson digital slim whilst the other hand is doing something else - carrying the baby, the dog, the phone, cooking, putting things away (you name it)".

The versatility challenge - "how useful are the different attachments in cleaning those hard to reach places?"

The cobweb challenge - "can you reach those high up cobwebs that have been sat there lurking for a while?"

The family mess challenge - "pets, children, mud, crisps, crumbs? what family mess can the Dyson digital slim pick up?"

The 20 minute dash challenge - Guests turning up announced? How much of the house can you clean in 20 minutes with the Dyson digital slim?

You will need to add feedback at least twice - once everyone has added their feedback on the challenges we'll add some questions to find out your overall views.

If you're not a tester, we've persuaded Dyson to give one lucky MNer the Dyson machine of their choice - all you need to do is, on this thread, share your cleaning tips and/or the hardest place you've had to reach when cleaning and you'll be entered into a prize draw to win a Dyson (could be vacuum, an Air Multiplier fan or a Dyson Hot).

Thanks, MNHQ

We have very high ceilings with beams and I find it impossible to get the hose from Henry up over my head to vacuum all the spiders and cobwebs because I'm feeble it's so heavy.

Non-tester here, add me to the prize draw please!

My favourite cleaning tip is using old socks on hands dusters! You can lightly spray furniture polish onto a surface then buff to a nice shine. The excess polish is soaked up by the sock. When both sides are used, turn the sock inside out and use the clean side without sprarying polish again!

The hardest place to clean is down the side of the car seats, including the runners for the seat which collect crumbs/dust etc.. A super slim dyson attachment for tight spaces would be welcome!

first impressions. - very lightweight, easy to put together. Nice design and loved the docking system. could have done with more clear instructions with writing rather than pictures and more explanation about attachment uses.

20 minute challenge - managed to do most of our downstairs but started to do stairs and the charge ran out after about 15 mins. I did stop and start and moved things out of the way.

The cobweb challenge - was excellent for this and so easy. I have started to look upwards. used it on the sky light in utility room which is high up (see film) and around cornices in various rooms. Made it so easy and effortless.

The family mess challenge:

excellent on christmas day and the dyson is very good at picking up pine needles and crumbs and sawdust from the guinea pig who leaves a trail when picked up.

balance challenge:

I managed to move objects and rearrange cushions etc whilst vacuuming, and wipe surfaces. haven't tried it with phone. would probably turn off as i couldn't hear conversation.

The best thing about the Dyson is that I am happy to use it every day and it doesn't seem a chore. I really enjoy using it and I get such good results. It works equally well on carpets and hard floors and you don't have to switch buttons for different surfaces and just keep going.

The crevice tool was great for going down the side of a dusty fridge and doing skirting boards.

Friends came over for a cup of tea this morning, think they were more excited to see the Dyson than me Everyone impressed with it, all had a turn. One of them certainly thinking of getting one, the others slightly green with envy.

Doing challenges and filming today, exciting!

SirBoobs, does holding the button down whilst you hoover hurt? I can't peel veg or put petrol in the car because it hurts too much so I'm wary of spending loads on a hoover that will also hurt.

Grockle I am also a tester and tbh I do find it quite uncomfortable to use for long periods as you do have to grip the trigger in quite firmly toward the handle (like a fist around the handle and fingers resting on the trigger IYSWIM) and I have no issues with my hands.

DP also finds it uncomfortable but bearable to get the job done.

Grockle, its a slight discomfort, but the comparison between the discomfort in my hand using the DC44 and the agony in the rest of my body after using a normal hoover is nothing. I think also because it is so light, with no wires, etc, you can easily do one room a day if you need to. Also struggle peeling veg, and find this easier.

Are you around Brighton? I'm happy to let you try it out to see how it is for you if so.

I agree about the handle. It puts pressure on the hand between thumb and finger so I would have preferred an on/off switch.

I have a dc35. I've had it a year and love it. I have ridiculously small hands and doing things like pump petrol hcan hurt, but I've never had a problem with the dyson. I don't think you need anywhere near the same strength to hold down the trigger on the dyson as you do on a petrol pump.

Of course I use a different model so it might be completely different on this one.

Yes an off / off switch would have been better. Or push in the trigger to start, release to stop.

Ok, thanks for the feedback. I think I need to go and look at one. I get cramp in my right thumb & can't make pastry/ crumble because it spasms.

Boobs, I've FBed you. I'm further along the coast than you.

I forgot to give my first impressions! . I think it was because I was extraordinarily pleased to receive it! I work in a virtually all male environment and I caused great merriment by saying how pleased I was to be selected and to receive the Dyson. One of the men said that only a woman could be pleased to receive a vacuum!!

When I opened it I was struck by the deep blue/purple colour of it - I really like it. I have found a lovely narrow little nook for it in my kitchen and fixed the charging station to the wall. As it is so slim it is unobtrusive.

I have been chasing spiders around the ceilings and I am winning the battle!

This afternoon I am going to be grooming the dog and I am going to see, if she is not upset by the noise, if she will allow me to gently use it on her. She normally chases me around the house when I am vacumming. I just do not know what it is with dogs and hoovering! She is a very, very hairy dog!

I do have to say though, when going to fix the charger to the wall I was VERY surprised that no screws were included!!! A hunt for screws had to be done. Why on earth not put 2 screws in with it if it is supposed to be wall hung?

Not a tester but my tip is ... baby-wipes! So good for cleaning all sorts of things especially dusty computer and tv screens

Our most difficult place to clean is the space above our staircase. It's so high I'd love to find a hoover which could stretch up and get down all the cobwebs which elude me. I try throwing a duster up but I'm not a good shot!

Cleaning tip - hoovering up tiny hama beads/playmobil pieces - put a pair of tights over the nozzle and hoover through the mesh. Easy

hardest place to clean: top of our very tall bookcases.

Cleaning tip: When cleaning windows wipe horizontally on the inside, vertically on the outside, then you immediately know which side the smear is on.

Hardest place to clean: our fire grate!

I Hoover the dust up, get it all lovely, turned the Hoover off...then WHOOSH! Chimney does a sneeze and all the dust comes down again. Turn Hoover back on...

Going to invest in a chimney balloon- sick of ash and brick in the living room.

Very jealous of the testers- will be looking at getting the dyson in the new year so reading the reviews carefully.

Pisces- different wall types need different tiles of fixings

First impression was how small it actually is and how small the box was!

However,it was very easy to assemble and a very powerful machine and I liked the fact that the charging unit was also very small.

The attachments are great and having a house with 4 cats,it's been marvellous to use to clean the sofa cushions each morning,without having to get the big vacuum out.I have used the '8 minute super mode' for this job and WOW.....the hair disappears pretty quickly!!! Very easy to use too-our 5 year old ds has even had a go,after getting Dyson envy
We had a house full on Boxing Day and a floor of crumbs,after everyone had gone.Within about 10 minutes,it was spotless again and I like the fact that I can reach under the coffee table and tv with ease......which I can't do with our normal upright vacuum.
Have also found it great for vacuuming the stairs and car too.It's so nice not having to lug the big heavy vacuum around and with vacuuming the car,not having to worry about the lead being long enough,to take outside.
Cobwebs have been attacked too-nice and easy to reach.
I love the fact that I can just grab it and go,if there's a mess to clean up,rather than getting the big vacuum out,but it would be good if you could carry on using it after 20 minutes.Fine if you have a small property,but think if you had a large house,you'd be dashing around like a mad woman,not wanting the charge to run out.
Also like the fact that it doesn't make as much noise as my main vacuum,although it's a very different noise and the cats are petrified of it!
All in all,I love the new Dyson......still can't believe I was chosen

Adding feedback as I do it so I've done multiple posts. 20 mins got me pretty much round the whole apartment (not moving furniture)
I don't dust anymore, I Dyson
Things I have used it for today - dusting the top of door frames, picking up crumbs off the floor, "dusting" the bathroom, oh and the brush attachment was fab on an ornate mirror

Right, took it over to my mums tonight for her to play test out as well, as I'm in a bungalow. She has now sworn to borrow it once a week to do her stairs It worked incredibly well on their tough to hoover carpets, and was very good at collecting the abundance of dog hair.

Her only comments were the trigger (as mentioned above, keeping it held down) and the size of the unit meant it had to be opened several times to get around the house. My house is smaller than hers, so it isn't a problem for me, but just sharing.

Unfortunately my camera packed in whilst we were there, but is now on charge to do filming soon.

So having used it in two houses, here is my Challenge Feedback:

The balance challenge - "We know that often busy parents need to multi task. So can you still vacuum with the Dyson digital slim whilst the other hand is doing something else - carrying the baby, the dog, the phone, cooking, putting things away (you name it)".

I have been using the Dyson whilst using my walking stick, so yes, fantastic for balancing with!! Because of the stick I haven't been able to try out doing anything else whilst using it, but it has been superb to use one handed.

The versatility challenge - "how useful are the different attachments in cleaning those hard to reach places?"

Must admit I haven't actually felt the need to use the different attachments very much as the main head fantastic. Slim enough to fit under the sofa, mobile enough to go into the tightest corners, and right up against walls. When I have used the attachments, they have all been brilliant, but honestly haven't felt much need!

The cobweb challenge - "can you reach those high up cobwebs that have been sat there lurking for a while?"

Oh yes! I did use the lighter head for this. It was incredibly satisfying!!

The family mess challenge - "pets, children, mud, crisps, crumbs? what family mess can the Dyson digital slim pick up?"

Dog hair, down-the-back-of-the-sofa crumbs, Christmas mess, mud... I have yet to find anything that the Dyson can't manage to be honest! The boost button has been helpful, but it is also wonderfully powerful without.

The 20 minute dash challenge - Guests turning up announced? How much of the house can you clean in 20 minutes with the Dyson digital slim?

Practically all of my house! Even with my hobbling pace, the DC44 is strong enough that you only need to go over everywhere once, so most of my bungalow can be done in 20 minutes, easily.

Hardest place I've had a reach cleaning is underneath furniture, like the tv cabinet or bedside table.

The hardest place I've ever had to reach to clean was the vaults of a cathedral (with a Henry).

Blogged about it too on wannabeadressagediva.wordpress.com

my tip is not to bother with a feather duster. the hose on a vacuum gets rid of cobwebs and with a brush on can dust the shelves and between the fake coals on the electric fire :)