What's Up With These Flashy Vacuum Cleaners?
Marty White
For most people, a vacuum cleaner is not really a very
inspiring object. Let’s face it, you don’t really care how it
works and you probably do not even want to endure the chore of
vacuuming in the first place. However, almost everyone who
doesn’t want to live in a pig-sty needs one (note: students
need not apply!). Recently, however, things have begun to
change. People’s attitudes are changing. Vacuum cleaners are
becoming interesting and it’s all thanks to a guy called James
Dyson, inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner.
Thanks to Dyson, vacuum cleaners have taken on a personality
and life all of their own. The same tactics employed by the
likes of Apple to successfully ply their iMacs and iPods to the
mass population (think: design and color) have now been used to
great effect in the vacuum cleaner industry. And with the same
results; the proliferation of styles, colors and the general
level of gadgetry associated with these newfangled vacuum
cleaners (the new Dyson DC15 has 182 patents filed for it), not
to mention the clean lines and chic design, means that you no
longer have to hide it away in the back of a darkened cupboard.
It can become a design statement in its own right, and even a
topic of conversation at a dinner party. It may be sad, but
it’s very, very true. Premium vacuum cleaners, as they’ve
become known, are all the rage and models like those in the
Dyson range are bizarrely becoming the next “must-have”
purchase for the hip-and-trendy crowd!
Let’s break down the decision that faces the would-be purchaser
of one of these premium vacuum cleaners. First, you have the
choice between the upright or cylinder (canister) versions. The
uprights require you to use them in the traditional
push-and-pull fashion, although the latest offering from Dyson,
the DC15, has even turned this on its head with its “The Ball”
technology, which lets it glide effortlessly around your house
in any direction you please. The canisters on the other hand
come with a hose attachment for greater flexibility and control
– you can easily and accurately get into all the hard to reach
places. There’s not really much difference between the two and
it’s mainly down to personal preference, although the upright
vacuum is probably best suited to large carpeted areas.
Second, you should consider the power of the motor and the
efficiency of the filtration system. Allergy suffers in
particular should pay close attention to the filtration. Dyson
has been very successful by marketing the benefits of its
patented “Cyclone” technology which does not suffer a
deterioration in suction like traditional vacuum cleaners,
because there is no bag or filter to get clogged up (which is
the main cause of diminishing performance). So, if you're
looking for a vacuum cleaner that will always deliver maximum
efficiency, you can't really go far wrong with a new Dyson like
the Dyson D14 or the newer Dyson DC15.
Of course if you are really feeling super adventurous, you want
to stay ahead of the curve and you happen to have some spare
cash burning a hole in your pocket, you could opt for one of
the increasingly popular robot vacuum cleaners such as the ZA01
from Electrolux or the cheaper iRobot from Roomba. While you
busy yourself at work all day, this gizmo will scuttle around
your house of its own accord, vacuuming it’s little heart out
so the place looks spic-and-span for when you get home! It even
has the smarts to return to its "base" when it's running low on
battery power in order to recharge itself!
So you see, something that is perceived to be boring – the
humble vacuum cleaner - can actually be quite interesting when
you look into it. What you may think of as the purchase of a
necessary, almost commodity, item can actually turn out to be a
technology purchase or a design statement that will keep you way
ahead of the curve. I wonder if Daniel Hess, who filed the
original patent for the “hoover” back in 1860, had any idea how
his invention would turn out 150 years later?
About The Author: Marty White is the founder of
http://www.Vacs4U.com where you can
find the best prices on
brand new vacuum cleaners, like those in the Dyson range, with
FREE delivery to your door.
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