Dyson DC59 Is a Vacuum With Value

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Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani

By Pete Pachal2014-01-26 17:30:35 UTC

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The words "Dyson" and "value" have probably never appeared in the same sentence. Dyson, after all, is the UK-based manufacturer on a seemingly unending quest to discover better, more expensive ways to move air.

And the company's done it again with the DC59 hand vacuum. The successor to the DC44 Animal, the DC59 looks similar, but is actually a completely new vacuum. Dyson redesigned its hand vacuum with an upgraded motor, more airflow chambers and a better battery. The result, predictably, is considerably more suction.

See also: 9 Top Tech Breakthroughs of 2013

So much more suction, in fact, that Dyson claims the 350-watt DC59 is actually powerful enough to be the only vacuum you own. Yep, even though at $499, it's absurdly priced sitting next to that $25 Armor All at Target, the DC59 could eliminate the need for a floor vacuum, saving you money and storage space while scoring style points at the same time — that is, if the claim is true.

If the DC59 truly can be your only home vac, then it's really competing less with cheapo DustBusters and more with the Roomba, whose most recent iteration also claims more power. I reviewed the Roomba 880, and found it to be lacking, mainly because the necessary obstacles in my kid-oriented apartment require a manual touch.

Power Portable

Enter the Dyson. It's sleek, lightweight — at 4.6 pounds, actually half a pound lighter than the previous model — and comes with multiple heads, including a rod and powered head that turns it into an upright vacuum. Unlike the Roomba, it requires an operator, but that's okay in the DC59's case; it's so beautifully designed, you almost start to look for excuses to clean.

Looking like a ray gun out of Flash Gordon, the DC59 has a hair trigger compared to the DC44, so even a kid can operate it. Really. (My 4-year-old, who adorably likes to prepare my coffee every morning, had no trouble picking it up, and using it to suck up the grounds that went astray from my French press.)

The new upright attachment for the DC59 outdoes itself on edges. Usually, I'd need to use the crevice attachment to clean right up to where the floor meets the wall, but it impressed by getting every coffee ground, every rice grain, every bit of powdered sugar when I simply moved the head right up against the edge.

Then came the big test: my living room rug. The DC44 was always challenged when vacuuming it, forcing me to haul out the big vacuum to give it a deep clean. The DC59, however, kicked things up a notch. Dirt that I'd typically need to pass over two or three times sucked right up on the first try. When I was done, I was relieved that I wouldn't need the big guy this time — the new Dyson had done the job.

Being deep-clean capable is only half the battle, though, since it's not much value if the vacuum can't spread its talents to the rest of the house. Dyson rates the DC59's battery life at 26 minutes, but that drops dramatically to six minutes on the max setting. Luckily, that setting is overkill 98% of the time — the Dyson sucks plenty powerful without it.

Good to the Last Suck

With a full charge, the Dyson managed to clean all the floors and upholstery in my two-bedroom Brooklyn apartment with time to spare. I even managed to get in a couple of brief stints on max while scrubbing the aforementioned rug. For most smaller dwellings, the DC59 has the goods to clean it all in one session.

Like previous Dyson generations, the bin empties very easily with a quick push down on the red button in the middle — made even easier on the DC59 with an enlarged button that can be accessed from either side. Cleaning the filter (something you do every few months) is similarly upgraded for convenience: Just pull it out and rinse; no disassembly required.

So there you have it: Like a AAA ball player stepping up to the major leagues, the DC59 is a portable vacuum that's ready to take on the responsibilities of cleaning a larger space. While you could argue the cost of a hand vacuum plus an upright under most other brands would still perform well — especially considering the DC59's eye-popping price tag — you have to factor in space savings and overall convenience, too.

Simply put, the DC59 will change the way you clean. And for the first time, you can justify buying a Dyson vacuum on the basis that it might actually make financial sense.

The Lowdown

What's Good

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Bottom Line

The Dyson DC59 might be the most expensive hand vacuum on the planet, but since it can actually negate the need for a big, bulky vacuum cleaner in your household, it deserves a serious look even from those who don't have champagne for breakfast.

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Topics: DC59, dyson, Gadgets, hand vacuum, Home, Mashable Choice, reviews, Tech, vacuum

Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani